March 24, 2026 Volume 72 Issue 28

March 18, 2026

As our nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I have been reflecting on its profound opening words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Our history reminds us that the promise of those words has not always been fully realized. For many, the starting line is set back and the path forward is uphill.

Education has long been one of the most powerful ways to create opportunity. Higher levels of education are associated with greater economic mobility, better health and longevity, and stronger civic engagement. Universities therefore advance not only individual success, but also the broader public good.

This belief was central to Benjamin Franklin’s vision when he founded the University of Pennsylvania. Franklin imagined an institution that would prepare students to apply knowledge in service to society—practical, open-minded, and engaged with the wider world. That spirit continues to guide Penn today.

Across its history, Penn has widened the circle of opportunity by opening its doors to groups once excluded, welcoming students from across the nation and around the world, supporting local investments and partnerships, and creating campus organizations that foster community and belonging. Along Locust Walk, we see cultural and affinity groups established by prior generations—visible reminders that people of different backgrounds, identities, and experiences belong here.

Today, our University is more connected to our city, our nation, and the world, and more demographically diverse, than at any time in its history. Programs such as Penn First Plus support first-generation students and those from rural, urban, and lower-income communities as they navigate and succeed at Penn. The Quaker Commitment expands financial aid by fully covering tuition for families earning $200,000 or less. These initiatives reflect a guiding principle: talent is widely distributed, but opportunity is not. Penn Forward explores how to strengthen networks for mentoring, shadowing experiences, and internships, further leveling the playing field for students.

Our commitment to excellence is inseparable from our commitment to access and inclusion. New questions emerge, assumptions are challenged, and stronger ideas follow. We welcome debate, inquiry, and different points of view. It is often said that diversity and excellence go hand in hand. I would go further: they are synergistic—each strengthens the other.

Penn has long embraced this belief—through interdisciplinary programs such as the Penn Integrates Knowledge Professorships, through collaborative research centers, and through a campus that brings disciplines and people into close proximity. We encourage open expression, civil discourse, and respect for different points of view. These guiding principles have been the foundation for many of our most important discoveries and contributions to society.

During my time as President, I have been continually inspired by the experiences, aspirations, and achievements of Penn students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Their stories remind me that universities are dynamic ecosystems of learning and discovery, where we grow through engagement with one another.

Opportunity, respect, intellectual openness, and the conviction that talent can come from anywhere have shaped Penn since its founding and remain essential to its future. At Penn, these ideas are not catchphrases—they are enduring elements of our culture. We will continue to foster a community in which every member feels welcomed, respected, and able to contribute fully to the life of the University.

Universities have a responsibility to help bring the promise of the Declaration—that all are created equal—closer to reality. Through education, discovery, and service, we can expand opportunity, strengthen our democracy, and help ensure that the ideals expressed at our founding—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—are within reach for more people in every generation. Together, we will continue this work with purpose and with confidence in the values that define Penn.

— J. Larry Jameson, President

Joshua Beeman has been named Penn’s vice president for information technology and chief information officer of the University of Pennsylvania, effective April 1 and pending approval by the Board of Trustees. The appointment was announced by Executive Vice President Mark F. Dingfield and Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. following a national search with exceptionally strong candidates.

“Josh has been instrumental in advancing Penn’s technology infrastructure, and his appointment reflects both the confidence we have in his leadership and the ambition we have for what comes next,” said Dr. Dingfield. “He understands the full scope of what enterprise IT means for Penn, and he has the vision to usher us into our next chapter. I’m delighted to have Josh lead the University in this important role.”

Mr. Beeman will oversee Information Systems and Computing, Penn’s central IT organization, which provides core network, data, communications, enterprise applications, and information security services and works closely with IT teams across the University.

Mr. Beeman has served as interim vice president and University CIO since August 2025, leading the delivery of IT services and systems, providing strategic and operational guidance to University leadership, and collaborating closely with IT partners in schools and centers.

Mr. Beeman, who first worked at Penn from 1996 to 2007 and returned in 2010, previously served as associate vice president of IT/associate CIO and as Penn’s information security officer. In those roles, he was a driving force behind major University-wide IT efforts, including redesigning Penn’s IT security framework in response to the 2015 institutional risk management process, launching SecureIT, leading Penn’s IT strategic planning process, and supporting the creation of the Penn Advanced Research Computing Center.

“Josh has spent years building partnerships across Penn’s schools and centers, and he understands how technology enables the academic enterprise—from research computing to the classroom,” said Provost Jackson. “I look forward to working with him to continue to advance our teaching, research, and service missions through technology.”

Mr. Beeman served for three years as an inaugural member of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank’s Technical Advisory Committee and currently chairs the Technical Advisory Committee of the International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) in Berkeley.

He holds a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an MA from Penn, along with Certified Information Systems Security Professional, GIAC Security Essentials, and GIAC Certified Incident Handler certifications.

Penn has announced a new partnership with Service to School (S2S) through its VetLink program, a national initiative designed to expand opportunity and access to higher education for U.S. military veterans and service members transitioning from military service.

As a VetLink partner institution, Penn Admissions will work directly with S2S counselors to provide veteran and military-affiliated applicants with clear, accurate, and personalized guidance throughout the college application process. S2S offers free application counseling, peer-to-peer mentorship, and networking opportunities to service members and veterans at every stage of their educational journey, helping them identify institutions that align with their academic and personal goals.

“At Penn, we recognize that military service equips students with leadership, resilience, and a global perspective that deeply enriches our campus,” said Whitney Soule, Vice Provost and Dean of Admissions. “Our partnership with Service to School reflects our commitment to expanding access to a Penn education and ensuring that veterans and service members have the guidance and support they need as they navigate the admissions process.” 

This new partnership builds on Penn’s existing commitment to supporting veterans and military-affiliated students through a range of academic, professional, and community-based resources. On campus, veterans receive personalized support in accessing veteran education benefits through Student Registration & Financial Services’ Office of Veteran and Military Engagement and can find connections and advocacy through Penn’s student veteran network, as well as school-based organizations such as the Wharton Veterans Club and the Penn Carey Law Veterans Club. In partnership with Career Services, Penn also supports veterans as they translate their military experience into meaningful academic and professional pathways. The partnership with S2S supports these efforts by strengthening application and admissions-focused support, creating clearer pathways for veterans and service members considering Penn.

“Service to School is proud to partner with Penn to expand opportunity for veterans and service members pursuing higher education,” said Sydney Matthes, CEO of Service to School. “Penn offers the kind of rigorous academic environment where veterans’ leadership, resilience, and global perspective can translate into meaningful impact both on campus and beyond.”

Founded in 2011 by three military veterans and an admissions expert, S2S has grown into a national nonprofit organization that connects veterans and service members with dedicated mentors. Through one-on-one advising and institutional partnerships, S2S helps ensure that veterans are admitted to and prepared to attend the nation’s leading colleges and graduate schools.Through this partnership, Penn joins a select group of colleges and universities that are committed to expanding access to higher education for veterans and service members. By joining this growing network, Penn looks forward to welcoming more military-connected students and supporting their academic and professional aspirations.

Penn has joined four other universities in the U.S., Canada, and the Kurdistan region of Iraq in a new academic collaboration with the World Monuments Fund (WMF), a leading organization in global heritage. WMF experts have partnered with local communities, funders, and governments to preserve more than 700 sites in 112 countries using the highest international standards.

The collaboration is made possible by WMF’s new Suzanne Deal Booth Institute for Heritage Preservation, which brings together the organization’s training programs, academic collaborations, research agenda, and professional networks under a single framework, advancing new initiatives that promote workforce development, greenspace stewardship, and digital preservation. The institute was established in 2025 to work with its academic partners to integrate education with active preservation projects, enabling students at Penn to participate directly in fieldwork, research, and project development across the organization’s global portfolio.

Lynn Meskell, the Richard D. Green University Professor in the departments of historic preservation and city and regional planning, has worked extensively with WMF, serving as the chair of its 2025 World Monuments Watch Selection Panel after participating as an expert panelist in 2023. (Every two years, WMF selects 25 irreplaceable cultural heritage sites facing major challenges to safeguard). Her substantial research on postcolonial preservation and archeological ethics has taken her to many of the sites that WMF is working with communities to preserve. “I’ve seen their Watch projects in action and spoken with their local partners and communities,” Dr. Meskell said. “It makes all the difference. Their community focus is exemplary, and their priorities are those that Penn shares.”

“We are honored to be working with WMF and building on a years-long relationship,” said Randy Mason, professor and chair of historic preservation in the Weitzman School. “The Suzanne Deal Booth Institute will help create so many research and educational opportunities. Professor Meskell’s international work, our department’s varied research tracks, and the global ambitions of our students and graduates make this partnership a very natural fit.”

The institutional alignment is reflected in the department of historic preservation’s ongoing commitment to numerous sites highlighted by WMF over the last 30 years. Faculty, students, and staff have worked to preserve sites ranging from the Nakashima House in nearby Bucks County, Pennsylvania to Herculaneum, Italy, and the historic city of George Town, Malaysia.

“I have always admired the courage and commitment of WMF in supporting those working at sites affected by conflict, whether in Palestine, Ukraine, Iraq, Cambodia, or Kashmir,” Dr. Meskell said. Her work in Iraq and Syria following the Islamic State’s targeted campaign against heritage sites, surveying locals to see if international organizations were meeting community needs, and Dr. Mason’s work in Rwanda, working with communities to memorialize the victims and survivors of the genocide, are two further examples of the alignment between WMF and Penn.

Dr. Meskell expects the complex challenges facing preservationists to grow. “This collaboration is needed now more than ever,” she said.

The following is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives. Please communicate your comments to Patrick Walsh, executive assistant to the Senate Office, by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions

Wednesday, March 18

Report from the Tri-Chairs. Faculty Senate Chair Kathy Brown informed SEC members about upcoming meetings of the Senate Nominating Committee:  SEC members will receive a list of committee vacancies to share with their faculty colleagues and invite nominations for that committee’s consideration. Additionally, a second “faculty conversation,” with the goal of identifying themes of faculty experiences across schools and to inform a possible survey, will be held Thursday, March 26, at noon:  faculty of all ranks and tracks are invited by RSVPing to the Senate Office. A one-page “Introduction to the Faculty Senate” document explaining the Faculty Senate’s role and function is nearly complete, and SEC will be asked at the next meeting to consider whether to distribute the document University-wide together with its endorsement. The document’s goal is to raise baseline understanding of what the Senate does and how faculty can engage with it. 

Initial Discussion of Proposed Amendments to the Faculty Handbook. SEC members discussed three proposals, all of which SEC will be asked to consider for a vote at its next meeting. First, a “Proposal to Revise Section II.E.9.C. (Rights and Privileges of Retired Faculty Members) to Clarify the Use of the Emeritus/a Title” was developed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and seeks to clarify when retirees, especially named chairs and administrators, may use the emeritus title. This proposal was approved unanimously by the Senate Committee on Faculty and the Academic Mission at its meeting on March 5. 

Second, a “Proposal to Revise the Policy on Extension of the Probationary Periods that Apply to Granting of Tenure or Promotion to Associate Professor Because of a Catastrophic Professional Event” was developed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and seeks to extend the window to request such an extension from 30 days to one year. The proposed amendment adds flexibility to the current policy and also allows schools to craft their own policies provided they are minimally compliant with the University policy. SCOF will consider this proposal at its meeting scheduled for March 19.

Third, a “Proposal from the School of Veterinary Medicine to Increase the Cap on Clinician Educators in the School from 50% to 60% of the Standing Faculty” revisits a similar proposal debated and rejected last year by SEC. SCOF met on March 5 to review the proposal, together with Olena Jacenko, School of Veterinary Medicine Associate Dean for Faculty, and was approved unanimously by SCOF at its March 5 meeting. 

Update from the Office of the President. President J. Larry Jameson described various University strategic priorities and initiatives and responded to questions from SEC members. 

Faculty Perspectives on Usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Teaching, Research, and Clinical Practice. SEC members and invited guests participated in a panel discussion reflecting on reflect on how rapidly evolving AI tools were reshaping academic life. 

To: Members of the Faculty Senate
From: Kathleen M. Brown, Chair
RE: Senate Nominating Committee 2026

1. In accordance with the requirements of the Faculty Senate Rules, notice is given to the Senate Membership of the Senate Executive Committee’s nine-member slate of nominees for the 2026 Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee’s function is to nominate candidates for appointments to all committees and positions for which the Faculty Senate has responsibility in appointing. The Nominating Committee consists of nine members: the chair, chair-elect, and past chair, three incumbent members of the Senate Executive Committee, and three members of the Faculty Senate selected by the constituency representatives of the Senate Executive Committee. The nominees, all of whom have agreed to serve, are:

• Iwan Barankay (Associate Professor of Management and Business Economics & Public Policy; Senate Executive Committee Member)
• Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia (Professor of Basic and Translational Sciences; Senate Executive Committee Member)
• Kathleen Brown (David Boies Professor of History, Faculty Senate Chair)
• William Burke-White (Professor of Law; Senate Executive Committee Member)
• Eric Feldman (Heimbold Chair in International Law and Professor of Law; Faculty Senate Past Chair)
• Scott Halpern (John M. Eisenberg, MD Professor in Medicine)
• Roy Hamilton (Professor of Neurology; Faculty Senate Chair-Elect)
• Lauren Massimo (Associate Professor of Nursing)
• Christopher Mauger (Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy)

2. Pursuant to the rules, additional nominations may be submitted by a petition containing at least 25 signed names and the signed approval of the candidate. All such petitions must be received by Tuesday, April 7, 2026. If no additional nominations are received, the slate nominated by the Executive Committee will be declared elected. If additional nominations are received, an email ballot will be distributed to the Faculty Senate membership. Please forward any nominations-by-petition via email to the Faculty Senate office, senate@pobox.upenn.edu. Questions may be directed to Mr. Walsh by email to the address above or by telephone at (215) 898-6943.

Hall of Flags, Houston Hall
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
4–6 p.m.

1. Welcome
2. Approval of the minutes of February 18, 2026
3. Follow up comments or questions on Status Reports
4. President’s Report: FY26 University Operating Budget
5. Provost’s Report: Penn Climate
6. Responses to New Business topics raised at the February 18, 2026, University Council meeting
7. Open Forum
8. New Business
9. Adjournment

The following topics have been submitted for the Open Forum at the March 25, 2026 University Council meeting, to be held in the Hall of Flags, Houston Hall.

1. Absence of bicycle riding restriction enforcement
2. Better transit options for students
3. Graduate student experience and institutional support for first-generation PhD candidates
4. The impact of current federal immigration enforcement policies on immigrant, undocumented, and international students

Calling all faculty and staff: Please consider nominating yourself to join a University Council committee for the 2026-2027 academic year. The time commitment is minimal, and the work of the committees directly contributes to the improvement of life at Penn. Nominations are due by April 20, 2026.

To: Members of the University Faculty, Penn Professional Staff Assembly, and Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly
From: 2025-2026 University Council Committee on Committees
RE: Volunteers Sought for Committee Service

The University Council’s 2025–2026 Committee on Committees invites you to nominate yourself or others for service on one of the University Council’s standing committees. Council committees serve as advisory bodies in shaping academic/administrative policy. Please consider this unique opportunity to have input into the University’s decision-making processes.

Membership on these committees is open to all faculty and staff, including those who have not previously served. We invite individuals who have previously served to volunteer again to achieve a mix of new ideas and committee experience. Most committees are also open to students; their participation is already being solicited through other channels.

Please submit your nominations by April 20, 2026, using the form below.

Council committees typically meet for 1-2 hours per month during the academic year. To support staff participation, offices are strongly encouraged to provide flexibility and release time to the greatest extent possible so that staff members may fully participate. We encourage staff and supervisors to work together to arrange release time in recognition of the operational needs of their school/center, and we encourage staff members to provide as much notice as possible in scheduling time for attendance at these meetings.

Please review committees’ recent annual reports for more information on the specific nature of its work. These reports, which provide summaries of the committees’ recent work as well as topics under current deliberation, are published in Almanac and can be accessed via the University Council website (PennKey required).

The University Council seeks nominations of faculty and staff to serve on the following committees: 

The Committee on Academic and Related Affairs has cognizance over matters of undergraduate recruiting, admissions, and financial aid that concern the University as a whole or those that are not the specific responsibility of individual faculties; of all programs in recreation, intramural and club sports, and intercollegiate athletics; and of all matters of policy relating to research and the general environment for research at the University, including the assignment and distribution of indirect costs and the assignment of those research funds distributed by the University. The committee considers the purposes of a university bookstore. It advises the administration on policies, developments, and operations of the bookstores and libraries; in such areas as international student services, foreign fellowships and studies abroad, exchange programs, and cooperative undertakings with foreign universities; on athletic operations; on recommended changes in policy when appropriate; and on those proposals for sponsored research that are referred to it because of potential conflict with University policy. 

The Committee on Campus and Community Life has cognizance over the University’s electronic and physical communications and public relations activities; advises on the relationship of the University to the surrounding community; has cognizance of the conditions and rules of undergraduate and graduate student life on campus; and considers and recommends the means to improve safety and security on the campus. 

The Committee on Community and Equal Opportunity aids Penn in fostering and taking full advantage of the different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds on campus. The committee shall advise the Offices of the President, Provost, and the Executive Vice Presidents on ways to strengthen, enrich, and enliven the campus community as well as ways to maintain supportive educational and employment environments on campus. The committee may review and provide advice regarding the University’s programs and policies related to community and equal opportunity and advise the administration on specific issues that may impact the campus.

The Committee on Facilities reviews the planning and operation of the University’s physical plant and all services associated therewith, including transportation and parking. 

The Committee on Personnel Benefits has cognizance over the benefits programs for all University personnel. Special expertise in personnel, insurance, taxes or law is often helpful. 

The Committee on Honorary Degrees is charged with soliciting recommendations for honorary degrees from faculty, staff and students and submits nominations to the Trustee Committee on Honorary Degrees. 

The Committee on Open Expression has competence to act in issues and controversies involving the Guidelines on Open Expression. It monitors communication processes and prevents conflicts that might emerge from failure of communication by recommending policies and procedures for improvement of all levels of communication, investigating alleged infringements of the right of open expression of any member or members of the University community, advising administrative officers where appropriate, and participating in evaluation and resolution of conflicts that may arise from incidents or disturbances on campus.

Please respond by April 20, 2026. 

For faculty volunteers, email the information requested below to Patrick Walsh, Faculty Senate Office at senate@pobox.upenn.edu.

For Penn Professional Staff Assembly volunteers, mail to Dawn Maglicco Deitch, PPSA Chair, at ppsa@lists.upenn.edu.

For Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly volunteers, mail to care of Dawn Maglicco Deitch, PPSA Chair, at ppsa@lists.upenn.edu.

• Committee(s) of interest
• Candidate 
• Title or position
• Department or area
• Campus email
• Campus phone
• Any specific interests or qualifications you have regarding the work of a particular committee

Paragraph five of the Participation Agreement was revised June 2, 2025, in response to concerns raised by some faculty members about whether the text of the prior version of Paragraph 5, which was first adopted July 1, 2010, was consistent with the Policy Relating to Copyrights and Commitment of Effort for Faculty contained within Part III.D of the Faculty Handbook. The new version revises language that could have been construed to apply to faculty copyrightable works other than those specified in the Policy Relating to Copyrights and Commitment of Effort for Faculty. For clarity, for faculty members who have signed a prior version, and for purposes of interpreting the revised Participation Agreement, the University will continue to interpret the prior as well as the current versions of paragraph 5 of the Participation Agreement in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Policy Relating to Copyrights and Commitment of Effort for Faculty.

Click here to read the full updated policy in the Faculty Handbook.

Sigal Ben-Porath, the MRMJJ Presidential Professor in the Graduate School of Education, has been selected as the 2026 honoree of the Faculty Award of Merit, presented by Penn Alumni. This award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to alumni education and engagement at Penn by sharing their unique scholarship work with the alumni community. 

Dr. Ben-Porath is a member of the philosophy and political science departments at Penn and is the faculty director of the SNF Paideia Program for civic dialogue. In 2025 she was elected to the National Academy of Education. She received her doctorate in political philosophy from Tel Aviv University in 2000 and was a fellow at Princeton University’s Center for Human Values, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Safra Centers for Ethics at Harvard University and Tel Aviv University, and Penn’s Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies. Her recent books include Cancel Wars: How Universities Can Foster Free Speech, Promote Inclusion, and Renew Democracy (University of Chicago Press, 2023), Free Speech on Campus (Penn Press, 2017), and Making Up Our Mind: What School Choice is Really About (with Michael Johanek, Chicago 2019). She chaired Penn’s Committee on Open Expression from 2015 to 2019 and serves on the boards of the Teachers Institute of Philadelphia, Middlebury’s Conflict Transformation Collaborative, and the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. Throughout the past decade, she has offered guidance to college campuses on policy development and responses to controversies surrounding speech. 

Dr. Ben-Porath will receive the award at the Alumni Award of Merit Gala on November 13, 2026, hosted by the Penn Alumni President. For more information about the award or to nominate a faculty member for 2027, please visit https://www.alumni.upenn.edu/facultyawardofmerit.

Dawn Elizabeth Bent, an administrator in the DNP-nurse anesthesia program and an assistant practice professor in the department of biobehavioral health sciences in Penn Nursing, has been elected a distinguished fellow of the National Academies of Practice (NAP). 

Class of 2026 fellows were formally inducted during the NAP Annual Meeting and Interprofessional Forum earlier this month. A NAP Fellowship is an honor extended to those who have excelled in their profession and are dedicated to furthering interprofessional collaboration to support affordable and accessible healthcare. 

“Being inducted as a distinguished fellow into the National Academies of Practice is an honor and a humbling recognition from colleagues I hold in the highest regard,” said Dr. Bent. “I am thrilled to join this community and eager to continue collaborative work advancing interprofessional healthcare.”

Yash Rajpal, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Engineering & Applied Science, is one of 16 recipients selected by the Henry Luce Foundation to be a 2026-2027 Luce Scholar. During the 13-month fellowship in Asia, scholars receive stipends, language training, and an individualized professional placement that aligns with their interests.

Mr. Rajpal, from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, is studying bioengineering and biophysics in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research, with a minor in political science. He plans to pursue an MD after completing his Luce fellowship, with the goal of becoming a pediatric physician-engineer.

At Penn, Mr. Rajpal serves as a teaching assistant in organic chemistry and calculus, and he worked to develop a super-absorptive concrete composition in the Shu Yang Group.

Mr. Rajpal has served on Penn’s Medical Emergency Response Team as a training lieutenant, leading training sessions and responding to campus emergencies. He sat on the steering committee of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education.

As a co-recipient of the Shah Family Prize from the Netter Center for Community Partnerships, Mr. Rajpal provided STEM opportunities for high school students traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. At the Netter Center, he also co-coordinated the Educational Pipeline’s mentorship cohort and founded the Arduino Makerspace at three high schools. 

Established in 1974, the Luce Scholars Program is a competitive leadership development fellowship that provides immersive professional experiences in Asia. Its goal is to strengthen relationships across borders by offering opportunities for the scholars to “deepen their understanding of Asia’s countries, cultures, and people” through deep engagement with communities, “fostering lasting connections and broadening perspectives.”

Alanna Wren, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W’69 Director of Athletics and Recreation at Penn, has been named a NACDA Athletics Director of the Year. The award is presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 61st Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention in June in Las Vegas.

“I’m humbled and grateful for this recognition, but it’s really a reflection of the incredible work being done across our department,” Dr. Wren said. “Our student-athletes, coaches and staff continue to push Penn Athletics forward through their dedication, teamwork and commitment to excellence. It’s a privilege to lead our division and to see the success we’ve earned both on and off the field.”

While Dr. Wren’s accomplishments have been significant over her tenure, last year was a banner year under her leadership. Men’s squash won its second straight national championship, with Salman Khalil winning the individual national title. Penn was 68th in the Learfield Directors’ Cup, completing the best four-year span in school history. Women’s lacrosse reached the NCAA quarterfinals for the second straight year and gymnastics won its fourth straight conference title.

So far in 2026, Penn has won a women’s squash national championship and Ivy regular season and tournament titles in men’s squash. Men’s basketball recently won the Ivy League Tournament and advances to March Madness for the first time since 2018 under new head coach Fran McCaffery. Omar Hafez won Penn’s second straight individual national title in men’s squash. Penn also achieved significant competitive success in Dr. Wren’s previous four years at the helm, finishing a school record 52nd in the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 2023-24 after tying the all-time best mark of 60th in both 2021-22 and 2022-23 (out of more than 350 Division I programs). The Quakers have won 19 regular season conference team championships during her tenure and another ten postseason conference titles.

Off the field, Penn has opened the T House powered by Quaker Fuel, a student-athlete fueling station and community space inside Franklin Field, as well as a complete renovation of Sheerr Pool in the Pottruck Health & Fitness Center. Fundraising for a new wrestling complex within Weightman Hall and for new locker rooms for men’s and women’s lacrosse has also been completed recently. Dr. Wren hired four new head coaches in 2025, including alum and former Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery in men’s basketball and Rick Santos, formerly head coach at the University of New Hampshire, in football. She has also hired Taylor Wray from Saint Joseph’s University as head coach of men’s lacrosse and Tyler Hagstrom (Bucknell) as head coach of volleyball.

Dr. Wren has also served as a mentor in the NCAA Pathways program and was selected as a member of the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Oversight Committee in 2025. 

Penn teams have also seen recent success on the national and international stage: In 2024, men’s fencer Bryce Louie won the NCAA foil championship; men’s lightweight rowing was the IRA runner-up in 2024; and twelve Penn alumni or current student-athletes competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The physical footprint of Penn Athletics has also expanded during Dr. Wren’s tenure, including the opening of renovated facilities like the Burk-Bergman Boathouse on the Schuylkill River, Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium, the Coulson Family Training Complex in Franklin Field, and the Ott Center for Track & Field. 

Ancient Egypt in Watercolors

Spotlighting century-old watercolor paintings by Egyptian artist Ahmed Yousef, Ancient Egypt in Watercolors: Paintings and Artifacts from Dra Abu el-Naga is now on view at the Penn Museum.

Last exhibited in Cairo during the 1920s, the watercolor paintings have been carefully preserved in the Penn Museum’s archives for more than 100 years. They have never been on display in the United States.

Ancient Egypt in Watercolors reveals the often underappreciated, but critical, function of art in archaeology. The 1,500 sq. ft. exhibition highlights elaborately decorated tomb chapels during the New Kingdom (approximately 1550 BCE-1070 BCE), a “golden age” that marked the height of Egypt’s power and wealth. Many affluent officials built their tombs at Dra Abu el-Naga—a key part of the larger Theban Necropolis. Their tomb paintings show scenes from everyday life and imagery depicting the journey to the netherworld—illuminating how much the ancient Egyptians valued family bonds, honoring their ancestors, and continuing one’s identity into the next life.

“The watercolors are copies of important tomb paintings of high officials and their families interred at Thebes and provide a rich record of the vitality of Egyptian funerary art of the New Kingdom,” said Penn Museum Egyptologist Josef Wegner, lead curator of Ancient Egypt in Watercolors. “Together with select artifacts on display for the first time, the exhibition reveals a society at the zenith of its power and creativity.”

Between 1921-1923, Penn Museum archaeologist Clarence Fisher excavated at Dra Abu el-Naga—taking photographs and commissioning these watercolor paintings. Mr. Yousef, a gifted young artist, was among the 200 local workmen who helped with the excavation.

“Archaeology requires more than digging,” Dr. Wegner added. “There is a value of collaboration in archaeological research, and the role an artist can play alongside the archaeologist in documenting and preserving ancient sites. Art, both ancient and modern, has an important role in maintaining memory and interpreting the past. We are still learning more about the people of the New Kingdom by studying these watercolor paintings, the Penn Museum’s extensive collections, and field notes that archaeologists left behind.”

Many of the tombs recorded in the watercolor paintings are still standing today. Other tombs, however, were more vulnerable. Some original works in the tombs themselves have been lost to time—destroyed by the elements. One of the deteriorated tombs in Dra Abu el Naga’s Lower Cemetery (Tomb 306) belonged to the Doorkeeper of Amun (Temple), Irdjanen, and his wife, the Chantress of Amun, Mutemipet. Dating to the 19th Dynasty (ca. 1295-1186 BCE), the tomb’s interior artworks have been preserved through Mr. Yousef’s watercolors and Mr. Fisher’s archival photographs—the only documentation that still exists.

“Ahmed Yousef’s paintings are artworks in their own right,” Dr. Wegner added.

Ancient Egypt in Watercolors draws attention to one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt excavated by the Penn Museum during the first half of the 20th century, as well as the prominence of the museum’s Egyptian Collections of more than 50,000 artifacts—with nearly 3,000 objects from Dra Abu el-Naga. Of those, a selection of nearly 60 rarely-seen artifacts complement the paintings, including 3,500-year-old bread loaves, statuary of high officials and New Kingdom royalty, funerary stelae, shabti figurines (which ensured comfort for deceased individuals in the afterlife), amulets, ostraca (informal notes), canopic jars, among others.

The eight-month exhibition will feature multimedia elements and two rotations of watercolor paintings: The first group will be on display through June while the second will be on view beginning July 1.

Ancient Egypt in Watercolors will close in November—just ahead of the grand opening of the Penn Museum’s Egypt Galleries: Life and Afterlife on December 12, 2026. Following extensive conservation across nearly three decades, its centerpiece will be the 4,300-year-old Tomb Chapel of Kaipure—a high-ranking treasury official of Egypt’s Old Kingdom (ca. 2350 BCE). This architectural marvel, excavated more than a century ago at Saqqara, features a massive 5-ton “false door” with nearly 100 carved and painted limestone blocks. Visitors will be able to enter and move through the space to experience what it feels like to be inside an ancient tomb chapel.

Life and Afterlife represents the first phase of the Penn Museum’s bi-level, 14,000 sq. ft. Ancient Egypt and Nubia Galleries. The second phase is the Egypt and Nubia Galleries: Royalty and Religion—showcasing the monumental 3,000-year-old palace of Pharaoh Merenptah, whose towering 30-ft. columns will be displayed at their full height for the first time since their excavation more than 100 years ago. These galleries are scheduled for completion in 2029.

Between Worlds

Four University of Pennsylvania undergraduate student curators will unveil a bilingual exhibition of contemporary Indigenous art, Between Worlds/Entre Mundos: Visions of the Wixáritari (Huichol), on March 28, 2026 at the Penn Museum.

Presented in both Spanish and English, this student-curated show highlights seven vibrant yarn paintings created in the mid-1990s by three Wixáritari (Huichol) artists: José Benítez Sánchez, Maximino Renteria de la Cruz, and Jesús López Cosio.

The Wixáritari people are an Indigenous community in western Mexico who use peyote cactus to induce visions, or nierika, that connect them to the spiritual realm. These visions are expressed through their yarn paintings, capturing the Wixárika world view and connecting the community to their gods and ancestors. More than just colorful pictures, these artworks preserve their stories, spirituality, and relationship to the land—despite historic and ongoing threats to their lifeways.

“Through sacred words, colors, and symbols, this art shows how humans and deities stay connected, with each image serving as a nierika, or portal into the divine world,” explains senior Jasmine Guaillasaca Quizhpi, a triple-major in history, Latin American studies, and Hispanic studies in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences, one of the four co-curators. “Through this piece, the spiritual world—an intangible aspect of Wixárika culture—is translated into a form that can be physically shared with a larger community, which is where its true beauty lies.”

A native of Ecuador and a Kichwa Kañari woman, Ms. Quizhpi said the Wixárika yarn paintings are living traditions—cultural entities that embody spirituality and ancestral knowledge.

“As an Indigenous woman, it is imperative to advocate for the involvement of Indigenous peoples within Eurocentric institutions to expand the spaces where our histories, realities, and knowledge are recognized as truth,” she said.

Interested in preserving and expanding his own Mexican cultural heritage, another co-curator, Noel Palomino de la Torre, is a junior visual studies and mathematics major from Guadalajara, Mexico. He was interested in contributing to the work coming from the Wixárika community, whose practice and visual language are deeply embedded in western Mexico—where he was raised.

“Indigenous communities throughout Mexico, and the broader world, are still resisting after centuries of colonialism,” he said. “It is of utmost importance to recognize their heritage and to protect them.”

“Through this exhibition, I hope visitors can identify patterns and common symbols that appear and understand that the traditions of the Wixáritari are very much alive and vibrant today,” said co-curator junior Izzy Feinfeld of Westwood, Massachusetts, a double-major in history and Latin American and Latinx studies.

“Wixáritari yarn paintings are manifestations of sacred beliefs, cultural resilience, and colonial resistance,” said co-curator Sierra J. Williams from Staten Island, New York—a junior who is triple-majoring in anthropology, linguistics, and East Asian studies. “I am deeply interested in how museums can present such material responsibly, ethically, and in direct dialogue with, and consideration of, the communities they come from.”

Sponsored by the Penn Museum Director’s Council, the annual Student Exhibition Internship program provides a cohort of undergraduates with the opportunity to collaborate with museum departments to develop a student-curated show.

This year’s exhibition, Between Worlds/Entre Mundos: Visions of the Wixáritari (Huichol), will be on display through February 2027 and is included with Penn Museum admission.

The University of Pennsylvania, located in the heart of Philadelphia, was at the center of the dramatic events of 1776 and the Revolution that followed. 250 years later, partners across the university are exploring how history can help us better understand the present and create a sustainable and inclusive future.

The Semiquincentennial (250^th anniversary) of the Declaration of Independence, also being referred to across the country as America 250, provides the Penn community with an ideal opportunity to re-examine one of the founding documents of our country from both historical and contemporary perspectives.

The Penn Libraries are bringing together colleagues from across campus to recognize this anniversary through a range of programming—from exhibitions, art commissions, and performances to innovative courses and conferences—that engages with a number of important ideas raised by the Declaration that continue to resonate in our time.

Upcoming Events 

• March 27: ASEF-PSOM Presents The American Revolution: Past, Present, and Future
• March 28: First Medical School in America: 1765
• March 31: “An inclination join’d with an ability to serve”: Realizing Franklin’s Vision for the University of Pennsylvania
• April 3: Open Studio Session: Ink and Flax in the Revolutionary Era
• April 4: First Stadium in America: 1895
• April 9-11: The Revolutionary Age: France, Haiti, and America
• April 14: Americanization Politics and the Yiddish Press
• April 15: “We Are the Bicentennial”: Democracy and Diversity in the 1970s
• April 17: Music in the Pavilion: A Song’s Journey from Haiti and Back
• April 18: Open House: Papermaking at Historic Rittenhouse Town
• April 26: Delbert Anderson Quartet
• April 29: Open Studio Session: Workers, Apprentices, and Unions in the Revolutionary Era
• May 1: Papermaking in Weitzman Plaza
• May 1: 2026 PARC Aging Retreat
• May 12: On the Importance of Coalitional Feminism to American Jewish History
• May 14-15: The 12-Hour Declaration of Independence: Community Typesetting
• May 16: American Revolution-Past, Present, and Future
• May 20-August 15: Print the Declaration of Independence
• May 26: A German-Jewish Guide to the American Discourse on Race Schocken Books and its Publications on Black-Jewish Relations, 1964-1974
• May 29-30: Martha Graham Dance Company
• October 2-3: Experiencing Independence: Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution
• October 10: First Peoples
• November 14: First University in America: 1740
• November 21: First Children’s Hospital in America: 1855
• December 12: First Weather Bureau: 1870

Upcoming Exhibits

• Penn Museum: Native North America Gallery
• Through February 21, 2026: We the People: Sam Maitin
• Through November 20, 2026: Nursing the Revolution
• Through August 9, 2026: The Shakers: A World in the Making
• Through May 15, 2026: Celebrate or Demonstrate: Philadelphia and Bicentennial Discontent
• Through May 22, 2026: Phil Parmet: Haitian Revolution
• Through July 6, 2026: The Time to Right all Wrongs: France, Haiti, and Philadelphia in a Revolutionary Age

For the full list of events, exhibits, and other projects, visit https://www.library.upenn.edu/america-250-penn.

To submit events and exhibits to the America 250 at Penn calendar, click here to fill out the programming form.

If you haven’t yet made plans to bring your kids to work and show them some of the wonders of working at a world-class university—get ready. 

Registration for Take Our Children to Work Day at Penn opens on March 31 at 9 a.m.

Take Our Children to Work Day takes place on April 23. This nationwide event benefits kids by exposing them to diverse career paths, fostering future career aspirations, and helping them understand the value of learning and professional life. Penn is a great place to let kids see a variety of occupations while they enjoy hands-on learning with researchers and professional experts.

Through partnerships with schools and centers, there are dozens of thoughtfully planned activities offered to inform and inspire staff and faculty participants and their young guests. Advance registration is required for many of the activities. 

Here is a sample of events planned by partners across the Penn community:

• uCity Square Activities–Hands-on Science: Take part in uCity Square’s concurrent Take Our Children to Work Day hands-on STEM special topic activities.
• Explore the Penn Museum: Explore the museum for free and enjoy 15% off gift shop purchases.
• Kite Coloring and Flying with the Office of Information Security: Build and fly your own kites while learning about information security and renewable energy.
• BioBlitz with Penn Biology Department and Penn Vet: Alongside experts, help spot and identify frogs, insects, birds, and other animals.
• WXPN Interactive Studio Demonstration and Radio Station Tour: Tour a professional radio station with producers and on-air hosts as your guides.
• Try Your First Case with Penn Carey Law: Argue your client’s case in a high-stakes trial against other “lawyers for the day.”
• Pedal-Powered Snack Lab: Pedal on a “smoothie bike” while learning how food fuels our bodies.
• Storytime at the Penn Bookstore: Join the Penn Bookstore team for children’s stories, crafts, giveaways, and milk and cookies.
• Marshmallow Spaghetti Towers with the Penn Society of Women Engineers: Work with others under the guidance of engineers to design and build the tallest tower using only spaghetti and marshmallows.

Visit Penn’s Take Our Children to Work Day web page to preview these and other activities and mark your calendar to register on March 31 at 9 a.m.

—Division of Human Resources

Conferences

25        Substance Use Disorder Policy and Care in a Time of Medicaid Change; a virtual conference focused on strategies to preserve access to substance use disorder care treatment in changing times; 1-4 p.m.; online webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/ldi-conf-mar-25 (Leonard Davis Institute).

            Coastal Worlds; taking the Indian Ocean and its coastlines as both method and analytic, this conference will challenge terrestrial and state-based approaches to socio-ecological knowledge; 5 p.m.; PCPSE auditorium, lower level; register: https://casi.sas.upenn.edu/events/coastal-worlds-conference (Center for the Advanced Study of India). Also March 26-27, Widener Lecture Hall, Penn Museum; and room 101, Lerner Building.

27        Unlocking the Truth: Undergraduate Humanities Forum Research Conference; brings together undergraduate students from across the humanities and beyond to explore a common theme; 9:15 a.m.-5:15 p.m.; Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Van Pelt Library; register: https://tinyurl.com/wolf-conf-mar-27 (Wolf Humanities Center).

            Penn Grad Talks; 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; noon-4 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE; info: https://pan-school.sas.upenn.edu/penn-grad-talks (School of Arts & Sciences).

Films

29        Africa’s Cultural Landmarks; highlights Africa’s diverse architectural vernaculars foregrounding local perspectives and stewardship, bridging ancestral legacies with contemporary narratives across the subcontinent; 1 p.m.; Penn Museum; register: https://www.penn.museum/calendar/1610/film-screening-discussion (Penn Museum).

Fitness & Learning

26        Thinking About GSWS? Faculty & Students Discuss Course Options, Majors, and Minors; hear from GSWS faculty & students about course options for fall 2026 and beyond; 4 p.m.; room 345, Fisher-Bennett Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/gsws-info-session-mar-26 (Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies).

Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships

Various locations. Info: https://curf.upenn.edu/events.

24        Finding Your Fellowship Fit; session for undergraduates who are curious about nationally competitive postgraduate fellowships, but not sure where to start; 4 p.m.; Zoom webinar.

25        RPA Data Science Workshop: MATLAB; part of a series of data science workshops to learn essential coding skills for modeling, data analysis, and visualization; will focus on MATLAB, a numeric computing platform often used in computational engineering and other fields such as neuroscience; 4 p.m.; room F65, Huntsman Hall.

26        Behind the CV: A Conversation with Prof. Daniel Krashen; Dr. Krashen, mathematics, will discuss what inspired him to become a mathematician and the experiences that have shaped his path to becoming a professor at Penn; 4 p.m.; room G08/09, College Hall.

29        Summer Housing Info Session; session featuring tips and tricks for undergraduates who are staying in Philadelphia for summer break and need to find housing for their internship or research experience; 7 p.m.; room 108, ARCH.

30        Articulating Your Leadership; session for undergraduates to work on figuring out a narrative to use in essays when applying for fellowships; 4 p.m.; Zoom webinar.

31        Communicating Research Workshop; will focus on how to clearly and compellingly present your research through posters and brief presentations; 3:30 p.m.; room G08/09, College Hall.

Music

Penn Live Arts

In-person events. Info and tickets: https://pennlivearts.org/events/.

26        Wharton Dance Studio: Wharton Dance Showcase 2026; an annual MBA tradition that brings the Wharton community to life through movement, music and global rhythm; 8 p.m.; Zellerbach Theater, Annenberg Center; tickets: $34.

Platt Student Performing Arts House

In-person events. Info: https://platthouse.universitylife.upenn.edu/.

27        Penn Jazz Presents Marchin’ in Rhythm; hear the Penn Jazz Big Band Ensemble perform live, featuring some of the best musicians and vocalists the University of Pennsylvania has to offer; 5:45 p.m.; Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall. Also March 28, 2 p.m.

            Upstage A Cappella Presents Bet On It!; featuring arrangements of songs from iconic musicals and movies such as Frozen II, Sing, Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, and more, you can bet on this show being one you won’t want to miss; 6 p.m.; Prince Theater, Annenberg Center; tickets: $10-$13. Also March 28, 8 p.m.

            Counterparts Presents The Missing Part; an a cappella show full of mystery, glamour, and timeless elegance; 6:30 p.m.; Iron Gate Theater; tickets: $11-$15. Also March 28, 8 p.m.

            Fuerza Presenta: Fiesta Fatal; a night of intrigue from Penn’s Latina music group, where music and mystery come together on stage; 7:30 p.m.; Montgomery Theater, Annenberg Center; tickets: $10-$12. Also March 28, 7:30 p.m.

            Penn Six Presents Hold Your Horses; come for classic acapella renditions and comedy skits and stay for the unbridled horseplay; 8 p.m.; Class of 1949 Auditorium, Houston Hall; tickets: $8-$10. Also March 28, 6 p.m.

On Stage

Platt Student Performing Arts House

In-person events. Info: https://platthouse.universitylife.upenn.edu/.

26        Pennsylvania Players Presents Incognito; four actors play a combined 21 characters within Incognito’s three interwoven stories; 7 p.m.; Prince Theater, Annenberg Center; tickets: $5-$10. Also March 27, 8:30 p.m.; March 28, 1 p.m.

27        Arts House Dance Company Presents Haus Party: Y2K; videos and live dancing combine to create an exciting experience for the audience; 9 p.m.; Iron Gate Theater; tickets: $8-$10. Also March 28, 6 p.m.

Readings & Signings

26        Racial Exhaustion: How to Move Through Racism in the Wake of DEI; Ralina L. Joseph, University of California, Los Angeles; 4 p.m.; room 500, Annenberg School; register: https://forms.office.com/r/yxnhDEWNqR (Annenberg School).

30        The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids: Science-Backed Strategies for Children and Teens with ADHD, Autism, and Other Neurodiversities; Melissa Moore, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego; 1 p.m.; 2^nd floor conference room, Penn Bookstore (Penn Bookstore).

            Stealing America: The Hidden Story of Indigenous Slavery in U.S. History; Linford D. Fisher, Brown University; 2 p.m.; room 500, Annenberg School; register: https://tinyurl.com/fisher-reading-mar-30 (Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication, Media, Inequality & Change Center).

Talks

25        America’s Divides: A Political Lunch Series; Brittany Martinez and Heath Mayo, Principles First; noon; room 214, College Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/martinez-mayo-mar-25 (Paideia Program).

            Why We Need Multimodal Generative AI for Time Series (and Video); Sandeep Chinchali, University of Texas at Austin; noon; room 414, Gutmann Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/97160689874 (ASSET Center).

            Forces of Metastasis: How Mechanics Shapes Tumor Progression Across Scales; Vivek Sharma, mechanical engineering & applied mechanics; 1 p.m.; room 337, Towne Building (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

            Detecting the 21 cm Signal from the Epoch of Reionization and Beyond; Jonathan Pober, Brown University; 3:30 p.m.; room 4E19, DRL (Physics & Astronomy).

            Which Material is Worth Studying? (From the Viewpoint of Quantum Materials); Leslie Schoop, Princeton University; 3:30 p.m.; room 2N3, DRL (Physics & Astronomy).

            Artist Talk; Victoria Shen, Evicshen—sound artist and experimental performer; 4 p.m.; room 101, Lerner Building (Music).

26        Merging Humans and Machines: Innovation and Translation; Xuanhe Zhao, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 10:30 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Materials Science & Engineering).

            Special Briefing on Transportation Opportunities & Challenges in the New Federalism; panel of speakers; 11 a.m.; online webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/iur-briefing-mar-26 (Penn Institute for Urban Research).

            Content Confusion: News Media, Native Advertising, and Policy in an Era of Disinformation; Michelle A. Amazeen, Boston University; noon; room 500, Annenberg School; register: https://tinyurl.com/amazeen-talk-mar-26 (Media, Inequality & Change Center).

            New Town Utopias: Lessons from China’s 21^st-Century Urban Experiments; Zhongjie Lin, urban design; noon; room 418, PCPSE; register: https://tinyurl.com/lin-talk-mar-26 (Center for East Asian Studies).

            Evaluating the Causal Effects of Continuous Exposures Under Network Interference with Induced Modified Treatment Policies; Nima Hejazi, Harvard University; 1 p.m.; room 03-031 East, 3600 Civic Center Blvd, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/hejazi-talk-mar-26 (Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics).

            Reading for the Poet: The Author’s Presence for Ancient Audiences; Sheila Murnaghan, classical studies; 4:45 p.m.; room 402, Cohen Hall (Classical Studies).

            Literature in the Age of AI; panel of speakers; 6 p.m.; room 135, Fisher-Bennett Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/english-talk-mar-26 (English).

            2025-2026 Visiting Artist Lecture Series; Sondra Perry, artist; 6 p.m.; Institute of Contemporary Art and Zoom webinar; register: https://www.design.upenn.edu/events/sondra-perry (Fine Arts, ICA).

27        Free from the Boundary: Rethinking Chineseness in Chinese Feminism; Xinlei Wang, East Asian languages & civilizations; Prairie Writers: Midwestern African American Women’s Print Culture During the Early-to-Mid Twentieth Century; Olivia Kerr, Africana studies; noon; room 344, Fisher-Bennett Hall (Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies).

            Gender Bound: Prisons, Trans Lives, and the Abolitionist Horizon; Joss Greene, University of California, Davis; noon; room 367, McNeil Building (Sociology).

            What Is Fair? Why Americans Are Concerned About Some (But Not All) Forms of Educational Inequality; Marissa Thompson, Columbia University; noon; room 259, Stiteler Hall (Graduate School of Education).

            Cahokia and St. Louis: A Synthesis of the American Built Environment; Tom Sugrue, New York University; Jeffrey Hogrefe, Pratt Institute; Fernando Lara, architectural history; 3 p.m.; Gordon Gallery, Weitzman Hall (Architecture).

30        Rags or Riches? Predicting Life Outcomes from the Birth Lottery Across Five High-Income Countries; Pat Hastings, Colorado State University; noon; room 403, McNeil Building (Population Studies Center).

            When AI Comes to Town: Water Infrastructure and Community Readiness; Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona; Michael Lesniak, Aquatech; Alton Echols, Loudoun Water; Nina Morris (Moderator), Penn Sustainability; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/water-center-talk-mar-30 (Water Center At Penn).

            All-Optical Recording and Control of the Mammalian Cortex; Alexander White, Stanford University; 1 p.m.; room 337, Towne Building (Electrical & Systems Engineering).

            Skin Becoming Scaly: Fishwives, Transness, and Unnatural History; Dale Booth, Barnard College; 3:30 p.m.; room 392, Cohen Hall (History & Sociology of Science).

31        From Principles to Product: AI with Heart and JoyNet for Youth Well-Being; Desmond Upton Patton, SP2 and Annenberg School; 8 a.m.; room 07-031, 3600 Civic Center Blvd (PAIR Center).

            Uncompromising Performance with Exocompilation; Yuka Ikarashi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 11 a.m.; room 225, Towne Building (Electrica & Systems Engineering).

            The Climate of Architectural History and Theory; Yetunde Olaiya, Pratt Institute; noon; Lower Gallery, Meyerson Hall (Architecture).

            Xi Jinping’s Anti-Corruption Campaign and the Decimation of the PLA High Command; Michael Chase, RAND; 12:15 p.m.; room 418, PCPSE (Center for the Study of Contemporary China).

            Data In Society, Not Data As Society; Safiya Noble, University of California, Los Angeles; 4 p.m.; room 500, Annenberg School; register: https://tinyurl.com/noble-talk-mar-31 (Annenberg School for Communication).

            Humanities Works; Abdulhamit Arvas, English; Ericka Beckman, romance languages; Vaughn Booker, Africana studies; Shira Brisman, history of art; 5:30 p.m.; Kleinman Energy Forum, Fisher Fine Arts Library; register: https://arthurrossgallery.org/event/humanities-works/ (Arthur Ross Gallery).

Economics

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

24        Indigenous Teacher Supply and Human Capital: Evidence from Mexico’s Bilingual Education System; Shreemayi Samujjwala, economics; noon; room 200, PCPSE.

25        Dynamic Social Insurance with Non-separable Preferences; Christian Hellwig, Toulouse School of Economics; noon; room 200, PCPSE.

30        Large Network Autoregressions with Unknown Adjacency Matrix; Kenwin Maung, Rutgers University; 4:30 p.m.; room 101, PCPSE.

31        Extreme Equilibria: The Benefits of Correlation; Leeat Yariv, Princeton University; 4 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Zoom webinars. Info: https://katz.sas.upenn.edu/events.

30        Wandering Jews, Past and Present; Yair Mintzker, Princeton University; noon.

Mathematics

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

25        Arithmetic Quantum Field Theory: L-Functions as Partition Functions; David Ben-Zvi, University of Texas at Austin; 3:30 p.m.; room A4, DRL.

26        Optimal Sparse Bounds and Commutator Characterizations Without Doubling; Nathan Wagner, George Mason University; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C4, DRL.

            Arithmetic Quantum Field Theory: Duality; David Ben-Zvi, University of Texas at Austin; 3:30 p.m.; room A2, DRL.

This is an update to the March AT PENN calendar, which is online now. To submit events for future AT PENN calendars or weekly 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 9-15, 2026. 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 9-15, 2026. 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: 9 incidents were reported for March 9-15, 2026 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.

The Office of the Provost is accepting nominations for the Provost’s Distinguished Visiting Faculty Fellow. The appointment is intended for a senior scholar of national or international prominence whose work exemplifies Penn’s strategic priorities. Fellows may be from any academic discipline, with preference for those whose scholarship promotes community-engaged scholarship, multi-modal scholarship, the arts, and/or climate science. 

The selected fellow will be expected to spend approximately one week on Penn’s campus during the 2026-27 academic year and engage in a program of activities developed by the host department or school, which may include formal and informal meetings with faculty and students and guest lectures in identified courses. As part of this visit, the fellow is expected to deliver a public lecture of intellectual and scholarly significance to the Penn community that is co-sponsored by the host unit and the Provost’s Office.   

The Provost’s Office will provide the fellow with a $10,000 stipend, in addition to reimbursement for travel and accommodation expenses associated with the visit. 

Nominations should be submitted to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty by May 8, 2026. Nominations may come from a department or school, should be endorsed by the appropriate chair or dean, and should include the candidate’s CV.

Please direct questions about the program to Colleen McEntee in the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty.