April 1, 2025 Volume 71 Issue 29

The Robert K. Johnson Foundation has contributed $8 million to name and endow the Robert K. Johnson Integrated Studies Program, the first-year curriculum for Benjamin Franklin Scholars students pursuing degrees in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. Launched in the fall of 2011 as the Integrated Studies Program, this residential academic program invites highly motivated students to examine complex themes through the integration of multiple academic disciplines and methodologies.

“Working across disciplines is central to Penn’s ethos and to our strategic framework, In Principle and Practice,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. “The Robert K. Johnson Foundation’s gift will strengthen and expand one of the College’s most innovative programs for interdisciplinary teaching and learning. We are deeply grateful for their support.”

“If Bob Johnson were alive today, he would be the first in line to apply to the Integrated Studies Program at Penn,” said Penn alumnus Anthony Belinkoff, a member of the Distribution Committee of the Robert K. Johnson Foundation. “Bob’s philosophy was to always broaden one’s mind and to take in the world around oneself.”

The gift will provide a perpetual funding stream for the Integrated Studies Program and enhance its support for orientation programming for pre-freshman students and ongoing engagement beyond the students’ first year. It will also fund scholarly, professional, and service-learning opportunities during students’ breaks and establish a speaker series. The Robert K. Johnson Foundation has previously supported education initiatives, the arts, and conservation efforts across the United States.

“The program is designed around an idea that goes back to the University’s founder, Benjamin Franklin: that no single discipline, method, or perspective can solve complex problems and challenges,” said Peter Struck, the Stephen A. Levin Family Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Vartan Gregorian Professor of Humanities, and founding director of the program. “This generous gift ensures that we will be able to continue fostering intellectual agility in these bright minds for years to come.”

To create a collaborative learning environment, the students, numbering around 80 every year, reside together in Hill House and take a pair of innovative double-credit courses that explore a broad central theme under the guidance of eminent Penn faculty from varied disciplines. Past themes have included “The Anthropocene,” which was examined through the lens of earth science and history; “Curiosity,” tackled from the perspectives of cognitive science and ancient philosophy; and “Body, Image, Spirit,” taught by faculty from religious studies and history of art.

“I am profoundly grateful to the Robert K. Johnson Foundation for its confidence in the Program,” said Benjamin Nathans, the Alan Charles Kors Term Associate Professor of History and director of the program. “The foundation’s investment in our vision of bringing multiple disciplines to bear on challenging problems and issues of our time will allow us to expand, deepen, and enrich the living-learning community we foster for select first-year students at Penn.”

March 25, 2025

Last week, we learned through various news outlets that the Trump Administration was expected to suspend $175 million in federal contracts awarded to Penn, citing the participation of a transgender athlete on the women’s swimming team in 2022. Previously, on February 6, 2025, the Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) notified Penn that it had initiated a directed investigation under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the federal statute prohibiting sex discrimination, into the University’s intercollegiate athletics participation policies.

I write today to provide an update on these two important and related matters.

For NCAA Division I sports, eligibility is governed by NCAA rules. Beginning in 2010, the NCAA required that transgender student-athletes be permitted to participate on college teams. Penn has never had a transgender student-athlete policy of its own. During the 2021-2022 season, a student-athlete who had transitioned while on leave from Penn the previous year competed in women’s swimming, in full compliance with NCAA rules and Title IX policies in place at the time.

On February 5, 2025, the current administration released an executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” The following day, the NCAA revised its policy in compliance with the executive order, as did our conference. On February 13, 2025, OCR sought information from Penn in connection with its investigation in response to the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order. In our response, we affirmed that during the 2021-2022 season, we followed NCAA rules and applicable law as they existed then, and that we now comply with the NCAA policy and the law as they exist today. We expect to continue to engage with OCR, vigorously defending our position.

Despite this, faculty across seven different schools received stop work orders last week on federally contracted research, amounting to approximately $175 million. These contracts include research on preventing hospital-acquired infections, drug screening against deadly viruses, quantum computing, protections against chemical warfare, and student loan programs. These stop work orders are in addition to several federal grants that have been cancelled recently, and the slowing down of the award of grants going forward. We are actively pursuing multiple avenues to understand and address these funding terminations, freezes, and slowdowns.

Federal funding freezes and cancellations jeopardize lifesaving and life-improving research, the loss of which will be felt by society and individuals far beyond our campus for years to come. Understandably, we are hearing concerns not only from scientists affected directly, but more broadly from students and young faculty embarking on careers in research.

We value the long-standing partnership with the federal government to carry out research that makes America stronger and healthier. Robust federal research support for more than 75 years has made America’s higher education system the envy of the world. I hope we can restore trust and refocus on creativity, innovation, and training.

I encourage the Penn community to visit our Federal Government Updates webpage for additional information and resources on a range of issues. Stay informed, support one another, and continue all the excellent work you are doing in support of Penn’s missions.

—J. Larry Jameson, President

School District of Philadelphia (SDP) high schools School of the Future and Horace Howard Furness have been selected as the inaugural participants in the Academy at Penn, an ambitious new initiative designed to create a national and scalable model to transform high school education and expand college and career opportunities for students from underserved communities.

The Academy at Penn was announced in November 2024 (Almanac November 19, 2024) and is a five-year, $8 million grant fully funded by philanthropist Robert Schwartz, president of the Schwartz Creed Foundation. The project is specifically designed to address barriers faced by first-generation college students, as well as students and families from traditionally under-resourced neighborhoods, equipping them with academic support, career exposure, and social-emotional resources. The academy will support students through their high school journey and help them transition successfully to higher education, post-secondary vocational development, and the workforce.

Foundations, Inc. plays a pivotal role in shaping the development of the Academy at Penn model, with Rich Mitchell, former principal of William W. Bodine High School for International Affairs, joining the organization as executive director of the Academy at Penn to provide strategic leadership and drive the program’s success and long-term vision.

“The Academy at Penn demonstrates what is possible through the power of partnership,” said SDP Superintendent Tony B. Watlington, Sr. “We thank the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and Foundations, Inc. for their commitment to investing in the futures of our first-generation college students, as well as our students from underserved communities. The School District of Philadelphia looks forward to a continued partnership and witnessing the growth in our students through this partnership.”

“This initiative embodies Penn GSE’s dedication to bringing evidence to bear as we strive to improve educational and life outcomes for Philadelphia’s students,” said Katharine O. Strunk, Dean of GSE and the George and Diane Weiss Professor of Education. “The Academy at Penn is a model of what’s possible when universities, school districts, and community organizations come together with a shared vision to create new possibilities for children and recognize education as a transformational force for good.”

“This partnership is a game-changer for first-generation college students; I know because I was one of them,” said Rhonda H. Lauer, president and CEO of Foundations, Inc. “It’s about an unwavering commitment by three uniquely different organizations with one common goal—to ensure that every student has the skills, knowledge, and networks to achieve their dreams. It is a privilege to work with like-minded partners who are excited to break down barriers, open doors, and work to build a future where every student, no matter their background, has the opportunity to thrive.”

“The launch of the Academy at Penn is the realization of a vision to create a model that can transform the future for high school students nationwide,” said Robert Schwartz, president of the Schwartz Creed Foundation. “I am deeply honored to be part of this journey and inspired by the extraordinary collaboration that made it possible. This is just the beginning.”

Kimberly Bowes has been named the BFC Presidential Professor of Classical Studies in the School of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Bowes has been a professor in the school since 2010. Her research interests include Roman archaeology and economic history, with a particular focus on the lived experiences of the ancient poor.

In her forthcoming book, Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent (Princeton University Press, 2025), Dr. Bowes proposes a new economic history of the Roman world, one centered on working people. Dr. Bowes is also the author or editor of seven previous books, most recently The Roman Peasant Project 2009-2014: Excavating the Roman Rural Poor (Penn Museum/University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021), the first systematic study of the lifeways and experiences of Roman peasants, of which Dr. Bowes was the co-director. The publication received the Archaeological Institute of America Anna Marguerite McCann Award for Fieldwork Reports.

Dr. Bowes’s research has received support from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Loeb Foundation, the 1984 Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Packard Humanities Institute. Dr. Bowes was also the 22nd director of the American Academy in Rome.

Having served on several committees and working groups since joining the Penn community, Dr. Bowes is currently director of the Benjamin Franklin Scholars program, chair of the Curriculum Committee of the School of Arts & Sciences, undergraduate chair of the department of classical studies, and a member of the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility.

The BFC Presidential Professorship was established anonymously in 2019.

Kathryn Parten, a second-year student in the Wharton Executive MBA program (WEMBA), died in early March. She was 43.

Ms. Parten excelled in both academics and the performing arts. Her family lived in the U.K. for four years when she was a child, and from ages 8 to 12, she took lessons from Russian ballet instructors. After high school, she earned a living as a singer in Los Angeles. Ms. Parten earned her undergraduate degree in economics from Stanford University after transferring from a junior college in California. She then worked for SAP, a Fortune 500 corporation,  in Palo Alto, California, and served as an entrepreneurial leader of a team of musicians to write songs, record, and perform throughout California.

Beginning in 2020, Ms. Parten worked in private equity at Anacapa Partners in San Mateo, California, where she collaborated with entrepreneurs and business owners to help them acquire, run, or exit their companies. She joined the San Francisco cohort of the Wharton Executive MBA program in 2023 and took courses across all three WEMBA cohorts during her time at Wharton.

Ms. Parten is survived by her parents.

Distinguished cancer researchers Garrett M. Brodeur, Susan Domchek, Stephan Grupp, and Robert Vonderheide from the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center have been elected to the 2025 class of fellows of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy.

The AACR Academy recognizes and honors extraordinary scientists whose groundbreaking contributions have driven significant innovation and progress in the fight against cancer. Fellows of the AACR Academy constitute a global brain trust of leading experts in cancer science and medicine, working to advance the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, collaboration, communication, advocacy, and funding for cancer research.

Garrett M. Brodeur serves as director of the Cancer Predisposition Program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP and is a professor of pediatrics at PSOM. He is recognized for invaluable contributions to neuroblastoma research, including identifying MYCN amplification as a marker of high-risk disease. He has led efforts to develop the first International Neuroblastoma Staging System and Risk Grouping that incorporates molecular markers and preclinical development of TRK inhibitors for pediatric solid tumors, organized pioneering international workshops on pediatric cancer predisposition and surveillance, and developed a novel multivalent nanomedicine (PEEL-24) that is more effective and less toxic than its conventional counterpart, irinotecan.

Susan M. Domchek is the Basser Professor in Oncology at PSOM. At Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC), she is the executive director of the Basser Center for BRCA and the director of the MacDonald Cancer Risk Evaluation Center. She is recognized for pivotal contributions to BRCA1/2 cancer susceptibility research, including demonstrating the impact of genetic testing on risk assessment, prevention, and targeted therapies, and for groundbreaking work in developing PARP inhibitors and risk-reducing strategies that have transformed clinical care and outcomes for mutation carriers.

Stephan A. Grupp is a professor of pediatrics at PSOM and co-leader of the pediatric cancer program at ACC. At CHOP, he serves as chief of the cellular therapy and transplant section and director of the Kelly Center for Cancer Immunotherapy. He also holds the Yetta Deitch Novotny Endowed Chair in Pediatric Oncology. He is recognized for exemplary research efforts—alongside Penn Medicine colleagues—that led to the development of CAR T cell therapy in pediatric patients. This research has revolutionized personalized cancer treatment and led to the FDA approval of tisagenlecleucel for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the first CART cell and gene therapy approved for use in patients.

Robert H. Vonderheide is the John H. Glick Abramson Cancer Center Professor at PSOM and the director of the ACC. He is vice dean for cancer programs at the PSOM and vice president for cancer programs for the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He is recognized for groundbreaking research involving the integration of basic and clinical investigations to advance the establishment of novel cancer immunotherapies such as vaccines, antibody-based therapies, and adoptive T cell therapies, and for defining the immunobiology of tumor microenvironments through the use of genetically engineered mouse models.

This year, the AACR Academy elected 33 new fellows, who will honored at the 2025 AACR Annual Meeting, taking place from April 25-30 in Chicago.

Penn Dental Medicine’s Dana Graves, vice dean for research and scholarship, a professor of periodontics, and interim chair of the department of periodontics, has been recognized for his leadership and commitment to the advancement of dentistry as the 2025 recipient of the Alan J. Davis Award/SCADA Achievement Award. Named in honor of the first SCADA (Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research) corresponding secretary, the award, presented by Dentsply Sirona, is given annually to a clinician for outstanding service to the dental profession or to SCADA; this is the 59th year the award was presented.

Through a key area of investigation in his research, Dr. Graves has helped to unravel the cellular mechanism through which diabetes affects periodontal disease and bone and wound healing, identifying key mechanisms that may be used to develop treatments for the consequences of this disease. As vice dean for research and scholarship at Penn Dental Medicine, he works with faculty and students to build the school’s research enterprise across disciplines. Dr. Graves has mentored a wide range of students in their research activities and directs the school’s doctor of science in dentistry program.

The award was presented at the AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition, held from March 12-15, 2025 in New York, New York.

Penn Grad Talks is a day of TED Talk-style presentations by Penn Arts & Sciences graduate students representing the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professional master’s programs as they compete for first place and audience choice prizes within their category.

The 2025 winners are:

• Professional Master’s: Suzanne Johnson, Applied Positive Psychology, with Revenge of the Bionic Beetroot: Conquering Shyness with Optimism
• Humanities: Peter Satterthwaite, Ancient History, with Crowdfunding in Ancient Greece
• Natural Sciences: May Pik Yu Chan, Linguistics, with When High Notes Challenge Speech: What Opera Singers Teach Us About Language
• Social Sciences: Lauren Palladino, Political Science, with The Gender Gap in Political Tolerance: Explaining Women’s Attitudes Toward Free Expression
• Audience Choice Winner: Leonardo Ferreira Guilhoto, Applied Mathematics and Computational Sciences, with How To Know What You Don’t Know

For more information, visit https://pan-school.sas.upenn.edu/penn-grad-talks. 

A team of four students have won the 2025 Penn Y-Prize Competition, a contest in which students team up to create business plans using technology invented at Penn Engineering.

The winning team, Stentix, consists of Summer Cobb (SEAS), Amanda Kossoff (Vagelos LSM), Elizabeth Jia (Vagelos LSM), and Aarsha Shah (Vagelos LSM). Stentix makes use of MORF, a magnetic, self-reconfiguring “origami-style” material invented in Penn SEAS’ Sung lab.

The team proposed a bile duct stent that can be adjusted noninvasively, helping to maintain bile flow without additional surgeries. A biliary stent is a small, tube-like device inserted into the bile ducts to keep them open and allow bile to flow from the liver to the small intestine. These stents are used to treat blockages caused by conditions such as pancreatic cancer, gallstones, or complications from liver transplants.

However, biliary stents can easily become blocked or dislodged. Doctors typically replace or reposition them through invasive and uncomfortable  procedures like endoscopy. Stentix addresses this problem by allowing noninvasive adjustments to the stent’s position and diameter using magnetic reconfiguration.

Stentix was awarded the grand prize after presenting their business plan and fielding questions from a panel of expert judges from academia and industry. The team won $10,000 to help make their idea a reality. The competition is cosponsored by the Mack Institute, Penn Engineering, Venture Lab, and the Penn Center for Innovation.

Two additional University of Pennsylvania faculty (Almanac March 25, 2025) were inducted into the National Academies of Practice (NAP) as distinguished fellows.

• Hillary Nelson, director, Penn MPH Program; associate professor of biochemistry & biophysics and family medicine & community health, Perelman School of Medicine (Public Health Academy)
• Brittany Watson, associate professor of shelter medicine and community engagement, clinician educator, and director, shelter medicine and community engagement at the School of Veterinary Medicine (Veterinary Medicine Academy)

Members of the Class of 2025 were inducted into the National Academies of Practice during the Annual Induction Banquet and Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC on Saturday, March 15, 2025.

Founded in 1981, the National Academies of Practice advance interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice, and public policy. The academies educate and inform their members and others, facilitate collaborative scholarship and research opportunities, recruit, engage, retain, and mentor our network of members, and advocate the value of interprofessional practice and improve healthcare and policy for all.

The NAP Academies include athletic train- ing, audiology, nursing, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, optometry, oral health, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician, podiatric medicine, psychology, public health, respiratory care, social work, speech-language pathology, and veterinary medicine. Membership in the National Academies of Practice is an honor extended to those who have excelled in their profession and are dedicated to advancing interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice, and policy in support of interprofessional care.

People generally try to make other people feel good about themselves, but not when they dislike them. That is the finding of a new study by psychologists at the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, investigating the extent to which people promote “positive self-views” for total strangers.

Previous research has shown that people tend to seek information that helps to enhance their own self-views, but not whether and when they use similar selection processes to improve the way that others see themselves, or for whom.

In the study “Enhancing Others Through Information Selection: Establishing the Phenomenon and Its Preconditions,” Xi Shen, a research associate at the Social Action Lab at the Annenberg School for Communication; Allison Earl, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Michigan; and Dolores Albarracín, the Amy Gutmann Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor and director of the Social Action Lab as well as APPC’s Communication Science division, offer the first major scientific insight into this important matter of human behavior and motivation.

The researchers conducted a series of experiments in which participants were asked to inform strangers that a personality or intelligence test the others had taken was either valid or invalid. Participants were more likely to inform the test-taker that the test was valid when that person had performed well but invalid when their partner had performed poorly. In other words, they chose to share information that would enhance the other person’s positive self-views. This occurred not only when those doing the selection were unaware of whether the test was valid or invalid, but also when they knew the information was false.

The researchers found that this preference persisted whether or not test-takers expressed positive or negative views about their personality or intelligence, and whether or not objective information about the test was available—indicating that the motivation to enhance others is quite strong. The researchers also asked some participants about their reasons for choosing the information they did and found that their preference was driven by a desire to please others.

However, this tendency to select information to please others was present only when participants believed their partners to have likable or neutral personalities. It disappeared when they believed the test-takers to have “reproachable” characteristics. The pattern also dissipated when participants were explicitly encouraged to provide accurate information. That means that when those doing the selection had the goal to provide accurate information, they selected similar amounts of flattering and unflattering information for others. Notably, they never selected more unflattering than flattering information even when the unflattering information was accurate, and they had been encouraged to provide truthful feedback.

“Our participants’ choices were driven by social considerations—they wanted to enhance other people’s self-images to make their partners feel good,” said Dr. Shen, the lead author on the study. “But that was true only when the others were perceived as likable or neutral.”

In sum, the authors write, people prefer to select information that pleases others, but deviate from this pattern when those others are dislikable or when the goal of providing accurate information is made salient.

The context of the study, said Dr. Shen, was “an anonymous online environment, in which people don’t know their partners and should be relatively unconcerned with the consequences of information sharing for the relationship.” That people still sought to enhance others’ self-views is “an important insight about human nature.”

Adapted from an Annenberg School for Communication news release, March 21, 2025. 

Imagine a future where the grip of cocaine use disorder can be loosened, where cravings fade, and where the risk of relapse diminishes. A new study published in Science Advances, led by Penn Nursing’s Heath Schmidt, brings this vision closer to reality. The research has identified a critical brain circuit that plays a pivotal role in regulating cocaine-seeking behavior.

Cocaine use disorder casts a long shadow, trapping individuals in a cycle of dependence and leaving limited options for effective treatment. This study delves deep into the brain, offering crucial insights into the underlying mechanisms of this complex disorder. By understanding how this intricate circuitry functions, scientists can pave the way for the development of more effective therapies, offering new hope to those struggling with this debilitating disorder.

At the heart of this discovery lies the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone known for its involvement in regulating food intake and blood sugar. The study reveals that chronic cocaine use is associated with reduced GLP-1 levels, effects that suggest that increasing central GLP-1 signaling could reduce cocaine seeking.

Further investigation pinpointed a specific brain circuit: GLP-1-producing neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) that project to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a key brain region involved in reward and motivation. By manipulating this circuit, researchers were able to significantly reduce cocaine-seeking behavior in animal models.

The study also sheds light on the specific cells involved. GLP-1 receptors were found to be primarily located on GABA neurons within the VTA. GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, plays a crucial role in regulating brain activity. Importantly, activating these GLP-1 receptors increases the activity of GABA neurons, which in turn reduces the activity of dopamine neurons, a key neurotransmitter involved in reward and addiction.

“This research provides exciting new insights into the brain mechanisms underlying cocaine seeking,” said Dr. Schmidt, the Killebrew-Censits Chair of Undergraduate Education and a professor of neuroscience and pharmacology in the department of biobehavioral health sciences in Penn Nursing. “By understanding how GLP-1 signaling influences brain activity in this context, we can potentially develop new GLP-1-based treatments to treat cocaine use disorder.”

This research opens a new chapter in the fight against cocaine use disorder. The findings offer a promising avenue for developing innovative therapies that target this critical brain circuit, potentially offering a lifeline to individuals struggling to break free from the grip of this devastating disorder.

Adapted from a Penn Nursing news release, February 26, 2025. 

Meniscus tears are common knee injuries that have long frustrated patients and doctors due to limited repair options. A new 3D-printed hydrogel made from cow meniscus could transform how these injuries heal, according to results of a pre-clinical study published in Bioactive Materials from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  

The meniscus is a complex structure that serves as a critical shock absorber in the knee and one-size-fits-all treatments aren’t always effective. Through creating a treatment adaptable to the different needs of patients, the researchers believe they may have unlocked a better fix that is effective no matter where the injury occurs in a meniscus. 

“We developed a hydrogel that can be adjusted based on the patient’s age and the stiffness requirements of the injured tissue, which is important because the meniscus has different biochemical and biomechanical properties that vary depending upon the location in the tissue,” said the study’s senior author, Su Chin Heo, an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and bioengineering in the McKay Orthopaedic Research Lab at Penn. “Current treatments, including graft-base methods, do not fully recreate these complex differences, leading to poor healing.” 

Hydrogels are flexible, water-absorbing materials commonly found in everyday products like contact lenses and baby diapers. The researchers developed a specialized hydrogel by first extracting proteins from donor cow meniscus tissue. Those proteins then directed new cells to become the right types of repair cells for the damaged meniscus and were used as the basis for the treatment’s structures.

To prevent rejection, the team removed cellular components from the cow tissue while preserving its structural framework. This “decellularization” process reduces the risk of immune reactions when implanted, making the treatment both safer and more effective. 

To further customize the hydrogels, Dr. Heo and his fellow researchers used 3D-printing techniques to account for the variation in the meniscus tissue. That way, they could more closely match the tissue in the areas they were trying to repair. Mismatched tissues might not heal well.  

“In our animal studies, we’ve seen the hydrogel integrate well with the surrounding tissue, potentially offering patients a more complete recovery,” said the study’s first author Se-Hwan Lee, a postdoctoral fellow in the McKay Lab. “It’s a more precise, biologically matched solution. We believe this could outperform current treatments.” 

The team is now transitioning from small mammal studies to large animal models.  

“Our first clinical goal will be to treat smaller, localized meniscus tears,” Dr. Heo said. “Once we have success there, I believe we could expand to more complex injuries in the meniscus.”

Adapted from a Penn Medicine news release, March 25, 2025. 

The 30x30 Outdoor Challenge is a month-long wellness event starting on April 1 and ending on April 30. Each day during April, Be in the Know participants are challenged to spend at least 30 minutes outside. If you achieve the April 30x30 Outdoor Challenge for 21 out of 30 days and track your progress on the Personify Health platform, you will earn 750 points for the 2024-2025 Be in the Know wellness campaign.

Over the last decade, researchers have documented what many of us know intuitively—that nature is good for our health and well-being. Regularly spending time outdoors can reduce stress and boost immunity, energy levels, and creativity.

Challenge yourself to spend at least 30 minutes outdoors in nature each day for all 30 days of April. Eat your lunch outside, go for a walk, or enjoy a local park. Tag us on Instagram (@pennsustainability), Twitter (@greenpenn), or Facebook (@PennSustainability) and use the hashtag #Penn30x30Challenge in your post to share your pictures of spending time outside.

Students and other members of the Penn community who are not part of Be in the Know are encouraged to post themselves outside on social media using the hashtag #Penn30x30Challenge to enter into weekly raffles for sustainable prizes.

Learn more and find suggestions for local nature spots and outdoor activities on the Penn Sustainability website.

—Penn Sustainability

Conferences

2          Penn Carey Law Brazilian Summit: Legal Heterodoxy in the Global South; a dynamic discussion on key legal and financial topics shaping Brazil and beyond, featuring top law experts addressing AI & data privacy, international arbitration, M&A, and financing renewable energy; noon-2 p.m.; room 245A, Silverman Hall; register: https://penncareylaw.cventevents.com/event/brazilsummit2025/summary (Penn Carey Law). Also April 3, noon-7 p.m.

4          Plea Bargaining Policies, Reforms, and Research; will bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to explore the current landscape of plea bargaining and consider reforms that could make the process more just and transparent; 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.; room 245, Silverman Hall; register: https://cvent.me/vbV3y3 (Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice).

            Displacement(s); will examine philosophical issues across (e.g. migration, refugees) and within borders (e.g. gentrification, segregation), including the connections between international relations, social and political philosophy, and the history of philosophy, among other areas of philosophy; 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; online webinar; register: https://forms.gle/zxdDC22AY4FNCsN68 (Wolf Humanities Center). Also April 5, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Films

1          Chinatown Cha-Cha; explores the history of Chinese-American women nightclub performers and their lasting cultural legacy; 5:30 p.m.; Public Trust, 4017 Walnut Street (Center for East Asian Studies, Public Trust).

Fitness & Learning

2          Virtual Fellowships Information Session; learn about funding opportunities for Penn students and alumni to earn a graduate degree, conduct research, or engage in service in the U.S. or abroad; 7 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://forms.gle/W8h1iJ7usMQWFFzY8 (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

5          Cyanotype Workshop; Mandy O’Donohue, artist and photographer, will teach participants how to assemble and develop cyanotype prints; materials will be provided; 2-4 p.m.; Institute of Contemporary Art; register: https://tinyurl.com/ica-cyanotype-apr-5 (Institute of Contemporary Art).

            Communicating Research Workshop; will examine methods of communicating jargon-heavy research to a variety of audiences; 3 p.m.; room G7, Irvine Auditorium (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

Graduate School of Education

Info: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/events-calendar.

3          Education Entrepreneurship MSEd Virtual Information Session; noon; online webinar.

Morris Arboretum & Gardens

In-person events at Morris Arboretum & Gardens. Info and to register: https://www.morrisarboretum.org/.

5          Eat the Weeds! Foraging and Cooking; Tama Wong, Meadows + More, will break down common assumptions about what is ugly, what is useless, and what is unwanted by making delicious use of unwanted weeds; 10:30 a.m.; tickets: $55/general, $50/members.

Penn Libraries

Various locations. Info and to register: https://www.library.upenn.edu/events.

2          Origami Fortune Tellers; create an origami fortune teller to help you decide how best to spend your next study break; 11:30 a.m.; room LL02A, Levy Dental Library.

4          Studio Use Training: Letterpress Printing; learn and practice the basics of letterpress printing and typesetting; 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library.

            Improv for Interviewing; learn ways to go off-script in job interviews using a series of theater-style improv games; 12:30 p.m.; room 113, Van Pelt Library.

Music

5          (Deep) Listening with Mind Maintenance and Mikel Patrick Avery; mbira/guembri duo and jazz percussionist invite spectators to a spirit of togetherness, relaxation, and reflection; 7 p.m.; Institute of Contemporary Art (Institute of Contemporary Art).

            Kapacity Presents "Kapacity in Snapshots: Spring '25 Concert"; Penn’s premiere Korean rock band presents a nostalgic night of pop-punk hits, warm K-indie, and hard rock; 7 p.m.; Class of 1949 Auditorium, Houston Hall; tickets: $11-$13 (Platt Performing Arts House).

6          Engoma Enteera: Classical Music from Uganda; chamber music by Justinian Tamusuza, a leading voice in contemporary African art music and Uganda’s foremost living composer; tickets; $25/general, $10/student; register: https://www.penn.museum/calendar/454/engoma-enteera-classical-music-from-uganda (Penn Museum).

On Stage

3          Quadramics Presents "9 to 5: The Musical"; hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era, based on the seminal 1980 hit movie with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton; 8 p.m.; Iron Gate Theater; tickets: $6-$10 (Platt Performing Arts House) Also April 4, 6 p.m.; and midnight; April 5, 5:30 p.m.

Readings & Signings

7          Anteaesthetics: Black Aesthesis and the Critique of Form; Rizvana Bradley, scholar and theorist; 6 p.m.; Kelly Writers House; register: https://tinyurl.com/bradley-reading-apr-7 (Institute of Contemporary Art).

Kelly Writers House

In-person events at Arts Café, Kelly Writers House. Info and to register: https://writing.upenn.edu/wh/calendar/0425.php.

8          Translation and Dialogue; Ekaterina Derysheva, Ukrainian poet; Aiden Farrell, French-American poet; 6 p.m.

Special Events

3          Take Back the Night; annual event that is part of a campaign against interpersonal and sexual violence; resource fair on College Green at 4 p.m.; rally at 5:30 p.m.; march through campus beginning at 6 p.m.; info: https://gsws.sas.upenn.edu/events/2025/04/03/take-back-night (Penn Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention).  

Talks

1          Fels Public Policy in Practice Speaker Series; Bill Golderer, United Way; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/golderer-talk-apr-1 (Fels Institute of Government).

            Writing Successful Papers with AI Assistants; Konrad Kording, bioengineering; noon; William W.M. Cheung Auditorium, Penn Dental Medicine; register: https://tinyurl.com/kording-talk-apr-1 (Penn Dental Medicine).

            Sinus Headaches in the Horse: Removing the Pressure; Eric Parente, Penn Vet; 6:30 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/parente-talk-apr-1 (Penn Vet).

2          Getting Lost in ML Safety Vibes; Virginia Smith, Carnegie Mellon University; noon; room 414, Amy Gutmann Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/91619533220 (SEAS ASSET Center).

3          Làhui: Community, Commoners, and Indigenous Zapotec Governance in Colonial Mexico; Beatriz Cruz Lopez, UCLA; noon; room 209, College Hall (History).

            Stochastic-Gradient-based Algorithms for Solving Nonconvex Constrained Optimization Problems; Frank E. Curtis, Lehigh University; noon; room 615, Amy Gutmann Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/98220304722 (SEAS IDEAS Center).

            A Fireside Chat: Global Trends in Technology, Business and Human Capital; Rajeev Misra, One Investment Management; 4 p.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall; register: https://pennengdean.wufoo.com/forms/rss0tck08z4hta/ (Penn Engineering).

            Enslavement, Education, and Roman Accounting; Melissa Kutner, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; 4:45 p.m.; room 402, Cohen Hall (Classical Studies).

6          In Conversation; Gloria Sutton and Nancy Valladares, artists; 2 p.m.; Institute of Contemporary Art (Institute of Contemporary Art).

7          Henri Bergson’s Turing Test for Humans; Carolyn Biltoft, Geneva Graduate Institute; 12:15 p.m.; room 500, Annenberg School; register: https://tinyurl.com/biltoft-talk-apr-7 (Center on Digital Culture and Society).

            Transfiguration; Makoto Fujimura, artist; 6 p.m.; Arthur Ross Gallery, Fisher Fine Arts Library; register: https://tinyurl.com/fujimura-talk-apr-7 (Arthur Ross Gallery).

8          Unlikely Allies: Middle-Aged Women and the Trans Camera; Jennifer Evans, Carleton University; 5:15 p.m.; room 543, Williams Hall (Germanic Languages & Literatures).

            From Tropiques Toxiques to Toxic Tropics: Translating a French-Caribbean Environmental Justice Scandal; Jessica Oublié, author; 5:45 p.m.; room 329A, Max Kade Center (French & Francophone Studies).

Economics

In-person events. Info: https://economics.sas.upenn.edu/events.

2          Efficient Firm Entry in the Labor Market; Guillaume Névo, Uppsala University; noon; room 100, PCPSE.

            Scalable Expertise; Venky Venkateswaran, New York University Stern; 4 p.m.; room 101, PCPSE.

Mathematics

Info: https://www.math.upenn.edu/events.

1          Haiman Ideals, Link Homology, and Affine Springer Fibers; Joshua Turner, UC Davis; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C4, DRL.

3          Spherical Friezes; Katie Waddle, University of Michigan; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C6, DRL.

Penn Libraries

Info and to register: https://www.library.upenn.edu/events.

2          AI, Metadata, and The Kaplan Collection: New Approaches for Digital Discovery; Laura Newman Eckstein; Penn Libraries; noon; room 241, Van Pelt Library.

Physics & Astronomy

Info: https://www.physics.upenn.edu/events/.

2          Why a Tiny Neutrino Particle Inspired Me to Simulate and Reconstruct the Entire Universe; Adrian Bayer, Flatiron Institute; 3:30 p.m.; room 4E19, DRL.

            Physical Approaches to Understanding and Predicting Viral Evolution; John Barton, University of Pittsburgh; 3:30 p.m.; room A8, DRL.

This is an update to the April AT PENN calendar, which is online now. To submit events for the monthly AT PENN calendar or weekly calendar updates, email almanac@upenn.edu.

Division of Public Safety

University of Pennsylvania Police Department Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons and/or Crimes Against Property from the campus report for March 17-23, 2025. The Crime Reports are available at: https://almanac.upenn.edu/sections/crimes. Prior weeks’ reports are also online. –Eds.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety (DPS) and contains all criminal incidents reported and made known to the Penn Police, including those reported to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) that occurred within our patrol zone, for the dates of March 17-23, 2025. The Penn Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30^th Street to 43^rd Street in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police.

In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call DPS at (215) 898-7297. You may view the daily crime log on the DPS website.

Penn Police Patrol Zone
Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30^th Street to 43^rd Street

Philadelphia Police 18th District
Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 12 incidents were reported for March 17-23, 2025 by the 18^th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

The Division of Public Safety offers resources and support to the Penn community. DPS developed a few helpful risk reduction strategies outlined below. Know that it is never the fault of the person impacted (victim/survivor) by crime.

• See something concerning? Connect with Penn Public Safety 24/7 at (215) -573-3333.
• Worried about a friend’s or colleague’s mental or physical health? Get 24/7 connection to appropriate resources at (215) 898-HELP (4357).
• Seeking support after experiencing a crime? Call Special Services - Support and Advocacy resources at (215) 898-4481 or email an advocate at specialservices@publicsafety.upenn.edu
• Use the Walking Escort and Riding services available to you free of charge.
• Take a moment to update your cellphone information for the UPennAlert Emergency Notification System
• Download the Penn Guardian App which can help Police better find your location when you call in an emergency.
• Access free self-empowerment and defense courses through Penn DPS.
• Stay alert and reduce distractions; using cellphones, ear buds, etc. may limit your awareness.
• Orient yourself to your surroundings. (Identify your location, nearby exits, etc.)
• Keep your valuables out of sight and only carry necessary documents.

What’s Changing: Starting July 1, 2025, the deadline for submitting expense reports in Concur will be reduced from 182 days to 60 days. This change ensures compliance with IRS Publication 463, which now mandates expense reports be submitted within 60 days.

Why Change: Ensuring that Penn adheres to IRS requirements, maintains financial accountability, and mitigates potential risk—particularly related to grant funding.

Key Details: Starting July 1, 2025, expense reports must be submitted for the first time within 60 days. 

• For Travel Expenses: Those submitting expense reports will be required to enter a trip begin date and an end date for all travel in Concur. The 60-day window will be measured from the trip’s end date.
• For Non-Travel Expenses: The 60-day window will begin on the date the expense is incurred. Please note that if you have paid for out-of-pocket expenses related to a trip, such as conference registration fees or airfare, all expenses can still go on the trip’s expense report.
• Tax Implications: Expenses submitted after 60 days (that do not have an approved exception) will be treated as taxable income and may be subject to withholding.

Implementation Timeline: Expense reports submitted for the first time before July 1, 2025 will still follow the 182-day policy. Expense reports submitted for the first time on or after July 1, 2025 will fall under the new 60-day policy.

It is highly recommended that expenses related to spring travel be submitted before July 1, 2025, to avoid falling under the 60-day rule.

For additional questions, please reach out to your school or center business office.

—Penn Procurement Services

Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

At the beginning of FY26, the University’s IT Policy Committee (ITPC) will deploy a new policy concerning patching IT assets. The new policy requires that schools and centers construct a plan for patching that includes a schedule for patching; the plan will then be shared with the Office of Information Security (OIS). A template for such a plan will be available within the IT policy management system in the security best practice document. This policy was developed by ITPC and has undergone 30-day review by the University’s IT community at large. It has also been vetted with the Privacy and Security Executive Committee (PSEC) and the University CIO.

In this policy, patches fall into two categories: Security Patches, which are of normal urgency, and High-Risk Security Patches, which address more urgent risks to the devices in question. When specific security vulnerabilities are designated by OIS as critical, or where the vendor’s description indicates a High-Risk Security Patch where the vulnerability can be exploited from outside Penn’s network, schools and centers must communicate with stakeholders and reprioritize work in order to implement the patch within three days.

If you have questions about the patching policy, please contact Anita Gelburd at gelburda@upenn.edu.

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts%23One-Step-Ahead.

PennPraxis has issued an open call for proposals for year two of Case Studies in Design, a collective writing project that creates opportunities for community and design leaders to think together about ways to catalyze transformational design, planning, and place-keeping from the ground up.

The goals are to learn from ambitious proj- ects designed in community, to share experience through a public library of case studies, and to train for new practices of creative, collective action. Case Studies in Design will support the development of five case studies per year over a period of three years.

Applications are being sought from people who would like to research and author a case study about an outstanding example of community-engaged practice, which will be published and disseminated in a variety of ways. Five case studies will be supported in 2025 with a fee and expense allowance of $50,000 per author or team.

For additional information, please read the open call. Applications are being accepted until April 24, 2025 at noon.