April 28, 2026 Volume 72 Issue 33

Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire, both emeritus professors of ophthalmology in the Perelman School of Medicine, and Katherine High, an emeritus professor of pediatrics and the founding director of the Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), have received the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for their work in developing the first FDA-approved gene therapy for an inherited condition, which dramatically improves sight in people with a form of blindness called Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA).

Their work has blazed a trail for the more than 140 gene therapy trials for retinal conditions, including macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, diseases that collectively impact about 30 million people in the U.S. Eighty more trials are currently underway.

“Even 20 years ago, treating people with gene therapy was seen by some as an impossibility,” said Jonathan Epstein, dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System. “But this group of incredible physician-scientists persisted and created something that is providing sight to people who would have been completely blind as early as kindergarten. Their belief in the power of life-changing science has led to breathtaking results and richly deserved global recognition.”

The Breakthrough Prizes are called the “Oscars of Science” and are a high-profile celebration of research and support from celebrities spanning numerous areas of pop culture. Created in 2012 by Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, Yuri and Julia Milner, and Anne Wojcicki, the prizes are given out in five categories, including Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics, and Mathematics, each with an accompanying $3 million award.

This year’s accolade now means that nine Penn-affiliated researchers have received the Breakthrough Prize, tied for the most with Harvard University. The prior Penn Medicine award winners are Carl June (2024), Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó (2022), and Virginia M.Y. Lee (2019). Additionally, Penn faculty members Charles Kane and Eugene Mele from the School of Arts & Sciences (SAS) won the prize for Physics in 2019.

Eight other faculty members from SAS have been part of research groups that were awarded Breakthrough Prizes for Fundamental Physics, as well: A Penn team won in 2016 as part of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Collaboration (Eugene Beier, Joshua Klein, and Christopher Mauger) and in 2025 as part of the ATLAS Collaboration at CERN (Joseph Kroll, Evelyn Thomson, Elliot Lipeles, Dylan Rankin, and Brig Williams, part of the Penn ATLAS Group).

“Science is rarely a straight path, and those who make the most profound discoveries are resilient and persistent, overcoming obstacles along the way,” said J. Larry Jameson, president of the University of Pennsylvania. “That is exactly what I see in this year’s awardees, and it has been true of all our remarkable faculty who have been recognized for scientific breakthroughs. Whether they are discovering what lies beneath Alzheimer’s Disease, curing cancer by engineering a patient’s own immune cells, or reversing blindness, they have persisted with imagination and rigor. Their steadfastness has pushed the boundaries of what medicine can achieve.”

“Developing cell and gene therapies has long been a top priority for our organization,” said Madeline Bell, CHOP’s CEO. “This breakthrough is the result of decades of investment and collaboration, and reflects our commitment to translating scientific discoveries into therapies that will transform patients’ lives. It has paved the way for many more cell and gene therapy innovations and has given hope to families around the world.”

Drs. Bennett and Maguire met and married during medical school in the 1980s. It was then that they both became intrigued by the concept of genetic therapy, the practice of replacing a mutated or faulty gene with a functional copy, and started dreaming of treating inherited forms of blindness with the technique, which at that time remained the stuff of science fiction. 

Together, Drs. Bennett and Maguire joined Penn’s Scheie Eye Institute in the 1990s and began working on their ideas with lab mice. They learned that Gustavo Aguirre at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine had identified a spontaneous canine model of blindness analogous to LCA that would prove to be invaluable to their research. 

The pair developed a therapy that used a virus as a transport, carrying a piece of DNA into cells that would then correct the faulty, blindness-causing proteins formed by the bad gene. The idea: Once the proteins were set right, some sight might return. First, they tested the therapy by injecting it into a single eye in each of three dogs.

It wasn’t long until they knew whether it worked. Dr. Bennett recalls receiving an excited phone call from a technician at the lab, who exclaimed, “They can see!”

Sure enough, the dogs were twirling around, using their treated eyes to see. Before treatment, the dogs had bumped and tripped through an obstacle course set up to test their sight. After the full treatment, the course was an easy task for the dogs.

In parallel with Drs. Bennett and Maguire’s dreams of gene therapy, Dr. High was also working to push the field forward. Like Drs. Bennett and Maguire, she had achieved long-term reversal of a serious genetic disease in a dog model: In her case, for hemophilia, a life-threatening bleeding disorder. Dr. High had advanced these studies from success in dogs to initial clinical trials in humans, delivering the donated gene into skeletal muscle and the liver.

The work was promising, but the human immune response to the gene delivery vessel—which was derived from a virus in the same way Drs. Bennett and Maguire’s therapy was—prevented sustained benefits from the therapeutic gene. At the same time, companies and investors, discouraged by high-profile negative events, began to turn away from gene therapy. Progress stalled.

But with support from CHOP, Dr. High founded the Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics in 2004. She recruited experts in all aspects of clinical gene therapy, including specialized knowledge in the manufacturing and release of gene therapy vectors, which are the particles that deliver a healthy copy of a defective gene to patients.

After vector production was set up at CHOP, Dr. High discussed starting a clinical trial in humans with Dr. Bennett. In 2007, Dr. Maguire, who was then a surgeon in pediatric ophthalmology at CHOP, administered an injection of the experimental therapy at CHOP into a clinical trial participant—a 26-year-old woman—for the first time. Her twin, with the same condition, received the treatment shortly after.

When the team assessed the treatment of the 37 eligible participants from the original clinical trials, 72 percent reported the maximum possible improvement in a test of low-light conditions, which simulates night vision. Amid these, many reported improved peripheral and central vision, too. One patient, who could only detect changes in light, was suddenly able to navigate walking through Philadelphia at night, unaided, and could make out the clock on City Hall. Another patient was able to see a star for the first time in her life just six days after the procedure.

In 2017, the therapy—by then manufactured by Spark Therapeutics, a spinout of CHOP, and called Luxturna—received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It became the first FDA approval of a genetic therapy for an inherited disease. Today, hundreds of people around the world have successfully received the treatment.

“We always just did what we thought you were supposed to do if you were a doctor: Find treatments for diseases,” said Dr. Maguire. “Both my father and Jean’s worked in science, and it seemed normal to try to push the envelope.”

“I think the only surprise for us was that things worked out so well,” Dr. Bennett said. “For every success, there are usually so many failures. That’s just the nature of science. But our team hit on something that has helped so many people and helped progress the field, and we’re really grateful for our part in that.”

Dr. High described the journey from the start of her collaboration with Drs. Bennett and Maguire in 2005 to the FDA approval in 2017 as “an arduous one.”

“At times, it seemed that the number of obstacles we needed to overcome to reach regulatory approval was never-ending,” Dr. High said. “Working without the benefit of the guidelines and precedents we now have today, we sought to solve each day’s problems so that the program would have a tomorrow. It was a bold and uncertain investment of time, effort, and resources. Few were willing to take on the risks, but it ultimately paid off, and it helped build the foundation of modern gene therapy.”

Mathew Madhavacheril, an assistant professor of physics & astronomy in the School of Arts & Sciences, is among a small cohort receiving the New Horizons in Physics Prize, an early-career laureate funded by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. The recognition, one of the highest in science, comes in honor of his work around advances in cosmic microwave background (CMB) and supernovae cosmology, and includes a $100,000 prize.

Awarded annually, the New Horizons prize recognizes exceptional achievements from junior researchers in physics. Dr. Madhavacheril’s work seeks to understand how the universe began, as well as its evolution over billions of years. His research, which has received significant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), probes questions around the nature of dark matter and dark energy, mysterious forces that respectively make up the bulk of the universe and seem to contribute to its expansion. As part of that work, Dr. Madhavacheril, who is part of Penn’s Center for Particle Cosmology, was involved with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) project based in northern Chile, which focused on studying CMB, leftover radiation from when the universe was in its earliest stages. He now works with the NSF-funded Simons Observatory, a new telescope project in the same area co-directed by Mark Devlin, the Reese W. Flower Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 

“This is a tremendous honor and a testament to the extraordinary work Mathew has produced so early in his career,” said Marisa Kozlowski, associate dean for the natural sciences and the Ponzy Lu Endowed Professor of Chemistry. “We look forward to seeing where his cutting-edge interdisciplinary program takes him in the years ahead.”

The New Horizons prize has gone to CMB researchers before—including some of Dr. Madhavacheril’s mentors—underscoring the value that the subject holds for the broader field of physics. Dr. Madhavacheril is receiving the prize alongside five other researchers: Dillon Brout of Boston University; J. Colin Hill of Columbia University; Maria Vincenzi of the University of Oxford; Daniel Scolnic of Duke University; and W. L. Kimmy Wu of Caltech. 

“Everything I have done has been collaborative,” Dr. Madhavacheril said. “My work would not have been possible without the talented graduate students and postdocs I have been so lucky to work with, the builders who create incredible instruments like ACT, and my mentors, who inspired me and taught me how to solve problems.”

Dr. Madhavacheril and his colleagues received the New Horizons award on April 18 as part of a live event in Los Angeles. The broader Breakthrough Prizes are annually awarded in the categories of Life Sciences, Mathematics, and Fundamental Physics. 

April 21, 2026

Colleagues:

We are writing to follow up on the budget planning process announced in January, which asked schools and centers to build on existing cost-containment measures and develop plans to further reduce expenditures. We are grateful for the care, thoughtfulness, and collaboration that went into this work across the University.

We are now moving forward with FY27 budgets based on those reduction plans. All schools, centers, and central administrative units will be making reductions as part of a shared effort to meet this moment. While the University continues to see growth in certain revenue streams, federal policy changes and rising institutional expenses—including legal, insurance, and employee benefits expenses—continue to place current and future pressure on our finances. These pressures are compounded by broader challenges, including inflationary growth and global instability.

In the coming months, additional federal policy changes, such as updates to federal student loan programs and an increase in the endowment excise tax, will take effect, while uncertainties around research funding and international student enrollment will continue to play out. In this environment, reductions will enable us to address structural costs deliberately and protect the University’s financial stability for the long term.

These reductions will take shape in a variety of ways within and across schools, centers, and central administrative units, reflecting their distinct circumstances and the careful choices that each unit must make. They may include adjustments to staffing levels, consolidation of activities, or changes to programs or services. We will continue working closely with these teams to support their efforts and to understand how the changes are developing across the University.

Careful stewardship during this period will help all of us to advance Penn’s core academic goals and position the University for ongoing resilience. We will navigate these challenges together with transparency and care, recognizing these changes will affect us all, and we thank you for your continued commitment to our shared mission.

—John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost
—Mark F. Dingfield, Executive Vice President

Penn Live Arts (PLA) at the University of Pennsylvania has announced a $1 million gift from Tricia and Jason Pantzer to name the Tricia and Jason Pantzer Family Box Office at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, a major cultural destination that serves an annual audience of over 80,000 people, connecting Penn and Philadelphia with a wide range of world-renowned and emerging artists.

The Pantzer family’s gift is one of the first leadership gifts to Penn Live Arts’ capital campaign and reflects the family’s strong belief in the University’s vision to renovate and expand the facilities that support performance and cultural life at Penn.

“This is an exciting moment,” said Christopher A. Gruits, executive and artistic director of Penn Live Arts. “Jason and Tricia immediately embraced our vision, and their dedicated leadership helped inspire broader support. The box office is where every audience member’s journey begins. Naming this space in their honor is a fitting tribute to their belief in access and artistic excellence.”

Under Mr. Gruits’s leadership, Penn Live Arts has embarked on a significant transformation to reimagine its facilities, strengthen academic partnerships, and expand engagement across campus and the city. The capital campaign builds on that momentum, positioning Penn Live Arts as a vibrant crossroads for students, faculty, visiting artists, and the entire Philadelphia community.

“Performance and creative expression are central to the University’s mission,” added Timothy Rommen, Penn’s vice provost for the arts. “Jason and Tricia’s generosity strengthens our ability to ensure that the arts continue to thrive as a vital part of our campus and our region.”

“We’ve been incredibly energized by the progress at Penn Live Arts,” said Jason Pantzer. “The renovation and expansion plans reflect Penn’s serious commitment to the performing arts, and we wanted to support this effort early to help fuel that momentum. The arts bring people together, and we’re proud to support that shared experience.”

Jason and Tricia Pantzer are longstanding supporters of cultural initiatives at Penn and beyond. Jason Pantzer is co-CEO of Pantzer and oversees the firm’s investment, asset management, and fundraising efforts. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and currently serves as a member of the Boards of Advisors of Penn Live Arts and the Penn Parents Council, and is a former member of the Penn Fund Executive Board. Tricia Pantzer serves on the Board of Advisors of the Institute of Contemporary Art and on the Penn Parents Council. Together with their three daughters, Amanda, C’25, Lauren, C’26, and Caroline, C’29, they have fostered a deep and enduring family connection to Penn.

Penn Engineering has announced the faculty recipients of the 2026 Student Choice Awards. Each year, the Penn Engineering undergraduate student body thoughtfully selects the recipients of these awards for their dedication in teaching, mentorship and student advocacy.

Vanessa Chan: Michael L. Barrett (ENG’89) and Traci Barrett (W’91) Faculty Award for Student Advocacy

Vanessa Chan, the Jonathan and Linda Brassington Practice Professor in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and Penn Engineering’s Vice Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is the recipient of the Michael L. Barrett (ENG’89) and Traci Barrett (W’91) Faculty Award for Student Advocacy, which recognizes a member of the faculty for their exceptional support of undergraduate students and their outstanding commitment to building community.

Dr. Chan’s students commented that she is “a deeply committed and generous mentor who invests extraordinary time and care in her students,” in particular highlighting her dedication to “empowering students, especially those from underrepresented and first-generation backgrounds, to navigate Penn with confidence.”

Dr. Chan is the inaugural Vice Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Penn Engineering, with a career that includes co-leading McKinsey’s innovation practice and serving as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Chief Commercialization Officer, in addition to her time on Penn’s faculty.

Sid Deliwala: Hatfield Award for Excellence in Teaching for Faculty in the Lecturer and Practice Professor Track

Sid Deliwala, the Alfred Moore Senior Fellow and a lecturer in electrical and systems engineering (ESE), has received the Hatfield Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Lecturer and Practice Professor Track, which recognizes outstanding teaching ability, dedication to innovative undergraduate instruction, and exemplary service to the school in consistently inspiring students in the engineering and scientific professions.

Students in Dr. Deliwala’s classes said that he “is among the most approachable, engaging, and devoted educators at Penn whose passion for engineering and teaching has inspired countless students,” and that “he consistently goes above and beyond for every student he works with.”

In his role as director of lab programs in ESE, Dr. Deliwala oversees and develops the department’s hands-on laboratory education, managing critical teaching spaces like the Detkin, Africk, and ESE Senior Design labs.

Samantha McBride: Ford Motor Company Award for Faculty Advising

Samantha McBride, the William K. Gemmill Term Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded the Ford Motor Company Award for Faculty Advising in recognition of her dedication in helping students realize their educational, career and personal goals.

Students expressed appreciation for how Dr. McBride “fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement,” and said that she “creates an environment where undergraduates feel genuinely supported, appreciated and capable, making her an exceptionally encouraging and invested mentor.”

Dr. McBride’s research focuses on using interfacial physics and fluid mechanics to design advanced materials and processes for water treatment, desalination, and sustainable resource recovery.

Alejandro Ribeiro: S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award

Alejandro Ribeiro, the Solomon and Sylvia G. Charp Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering, has received the S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award in recognition of outstanding service in stimulating and guiding the intellectual and professional development of undergraduate students in the school.

Dr. Ribeiro’s students commented that he is “an exceptionally dynamic and dedicated educator whose high-energy teaching style makes complex material genuinely engaging,” and that “his deep care for students extends beyond the classroom through thorough answers to follow-up questions, shared research papers, and personal check-ins long after the course has ended.”

Dr. Ribeiro’s research is organized around the theme of distributed collaborative intelligence, with the goal of developing the technology necessary to build groups of intelligent autonomous agents.

Anthony Sigillito: Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award

Anthony Sigillito, an assistant professor of electrical and systems engineering, has received the Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award in recognition of outstanding research mentorship of undergraduate students through the fostering of creativity and independent thought through all facets of academic research, which embodies Penn’s missions for inquiry and discovery.

Students praised Dr. Sigillito’s efforts to “provide undergraduate researchers with truly formative experiences, offering them opportunities to speak at conferences, contribute to publications, and generate meaningful experimental data, all while personally discussing both research specifics and broader career goals.”

Dr. Sigillito is working to engineer the next generation of quantum computing hardware based on nuclear and electronic spins in semiconductors.

Eric Stephen Weinberg, a professor emeritus of biology in the School of Arts & Sciences, died on March 24. He was 83. 

Dr. Weinberg grew up in New York and attended Bronx Science High School, the University of Rochester, and Rockefeller University. For his dissertation at the latter, he traveled to the jungles of Mexico to study a rare fern. He then served as a postdoc in Sicily, Naples, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, where he cultivated an encyclopedic knowledge of Jewish history, medieval art, Italy, and wine. In 1972, he joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, where he developed a rigorous and forward-looking approach to molecular embryology. 

Then, in 1979, Dr. Weinberg joined Penn’s faculty as an associate professor of biology. At Penn, he was among the first to clone, sequence, and characterize histone genes, helping to define how genome organization and transcriptional regulation unfold during early development. These studies, which involved work with sea urchins, established Dr. Weinberg as a leader in the emerging field of molecular developmental biology. Then, mid-career (after a 1991 sabbatical in Germany), Dr. Weinberg pivoted his research and became an early adopter of the zebrafish as a model for vertebrate development, contributing to foundational work on embryonic patterning, axis formation, and gene regulation. His laboratory trained many graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who went on to careers across academia, industry, and public service. Meanwhile, Dr. Weinberg advanced through the ranks of professorship at Penn, becoming a full professor in 1996. During his time at Penn, he also taught in the College of General Studies (precursor to today’s College of Liberal & Professional Studies) and in the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine. 

Dr. Weinberg’s contributions to Penn extended well beyond his research. Dr. Weinberg served on Penn’s Faculty Senate and University Council, chairing the latter’s Committee on International Programs. As one colleague recalled in a tribute, he “jump-started molecular genetics at Penn by establishing a seminar series in this area, which he ran single-handedly for many years.” He served as undergraduate chair of biology from 2007 to 2016, playing a central role in shaping the curriculum and mentoring students and junior faculty. Colleagues remember Dr. Weinberg not only for his scientific rigor, but also for his generosity and presence. He was a trusted source of advice for junior faculty navigating grant writing, teaching, and the complexities of academic life. One colleague recalled that “you could step into his office with a half-formed idea or a practical problem and find him there… considering, then responding… as if he already saw the shape of the answer but was inviting you to arrive at it with him.” 

Dr. Weinberg retired from Penn in 2019. “His presence continued to be felt long after,” said his department. “He was, in every sense, a pillar of our community, a scientist, teacher, mentor, and friend.” Outside of Penn, Dr. Weinberg cared deeply about the Jewish people and progressive politics that promoted equal opportunity and human rights in the United States and beyond. 

He is survived by his partner, Rebecca Olshan; his daughter, Tanya Weinberg Yahana, and her husband, Shlomi, and daughter, Maya; his sister, Emily Goldberger, and her husband, Hank; his nephews, Ethan and Jesse Goldberger; and his great-niece, Zoe.

Donations in Dr. Weinberg’s memory may be made to the New Israel Fund, Friends of Neve Shalom, World Central Kitchen, or the International Rescue Committee.

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To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students and other members of the University community. Call (215) 898-5274 or email almanac@upenn.edu.

However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Suite 300, 2929 Walnut St., (215) 898-8136 or email record@ben.dev.upenn.edu.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Hall of Flags, Houston Hall
4–6 p.m.

1. Welcome
2. Approval of the minutes of March 25, 2026
3. Follow up comments or questions on Status Reports
4. Chair Reports, University Council Committees
5. Chair Report, Committee on Committees
6. Reminder of submission for proposed Focus Issue topics for next year
7. Responses to Open Forum and New Business topics raised at the March 25, 2026, University Council meeting
8. New Business
9. Adjournment

The Rules Governing Final Examinations at the University of Pennsylvania are published each semester as a reminder to the academic community.
Information about spring 2026 final examinations can be found at https://srfs.upenn.edu/registration-catalog-calendar/final-exams.

—John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost

Rules Governing Final Examinations

1. No instructor may hold a final examination nor require the submission of a take-home final exam except during the period in which final examinations are scheduled; when necessary, exceptions to this policy may be granted for postponed examinations (see 3 and 4 below). No final examinations may be scheduled during the last week of classes or on reading days.

2. No student may be required to take more than two final examinations on any calendar day during the period in which final examinations are scheduled. If more than two are scheduled, the student may postpone the middle exam. If a take-home final exam is due on a day when two final examinations are scheduled, the take-home exam shall be postponed by one day.

3. Examinations that are postponed because of conflicts with other examinations, or because more than two examinations are scheduled on the same day, may be taken at another time during the final examinations period if the faculty member and student can agree on that time. Otherwise, they must be taken during the official period for postponed examinations.

4. Examinations that are postponed because of illness, a death in the family, for religious observance, or some other unusual event may be taken only during the official periods: the first week of the spring and fall semesters. Students must obtain permission from their dean’s office to take a postponed exam. Instructors in all courses must be willing to offer a make-up examination to all students who are excused from the final examination.

5. No instructor may change the time or date of a final exam without permission from the appropriate dean.

6. No instructor may increase the time allowed for a final exam beyond the scheduled two hours without permission from the appropriate dean.

7. No classes or required class activities may be held during the reading period.

8. The first examination of the day begins at 9 a.m. and the last examination concludes by 8 p.m. There will be one hour between exam time blocks.

9. All students must be allowed to see their final examination. Exams should be available as soon as possible after being graded with access ensured for a period of at least one regular semester after the exam has been given. To help protect student privacy, a student should have access only to their own exam and not the exams of other students. Therefore, for example, it is not permissible to leave student exams (or grades or papers) in publicly accessible areas.

10. Students may not be asked for their social security numbers. Instructors may not publicly display a student’s Penn ID or any portion of the social security number, nor use names, initials or any personally identifiable information to post grades. Even when an identifier is masked or absent, grades may not be posted in alphabetical order, to protect student privacy.

11. Final exams for College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) courses must be given on the regular class meeting night during the week of final examinations. No change in scheduling is permitted without unanimous consent of all students in the class and the director of LPS. LPS final exams may not be administered during the last week of class or on a reading day.

In all matters relating to final exams, students with questions should first consult with their dean’s office. Faculty wishing to seek exceptions to the rules also should consult with their dean’s office.

Penn’s merit increase program recognizes faculty and staff for excellence in teaching, research, and administration through market-competitive compensation. Proposed federal policy changes impacting higher education present ongoing challenges to the merit program and require that the program be administered with fiscal discipline. 

Merit increases must be based on individual performance and should generally follow a normal, bell-shaped distribution. Increases are not guaranteed at the level of the full merit pool, and individuals who do not meet expectations should not receive a merit increase. Increases are effective July 1, 2026. 

Staff Increase Guidelines

• The aggregate merit increase pool is 3.0 percent.
• Individual merit increases may range from 0 to 5.0 percent and may not exceed 5.0 percent.
• Average increases within a school or center may not exceed 3.0 percent and may be lower based on performance outcomes.

Eligibility

• Full-time (including phased retirement) and part-time staff in monthly paid, weekly paid, or limited-service positions
• Employed on or before February 28, 2026

Not Eligible

• Student workers; contingent and temporary staff; interns; residents
• Postdoctoral trainees
• Staff on unpaid leave of absence or long-term disability
• Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements

Performance and Administration

• The program is based on the Performance Review process in Workday.
• Merit increases should align with performance ratings.
• Staff whose performance does not meet expectations should not receive a merit increase.
• Supervisors are expected to differentiate performance using the full rating scale.

Deadlines and Support

• Performance reviews must be submitted in Workday by May 31, 2026.
• All staff must receive a performance review, regardless of merit eligibility.
• The Division of Human Resources is available for consultation.

Faculty Increase Guidelines

Below are the standards for faculty increases that deans are asked to follow. Deans will provide department chairs and unit directors with school-level guidance based on available resources.

• The minimum academic salary for new assistant professors will be $94,328.
• Merit increases are based on performance in scholarship, research, teaching, and service to the University and the profession.
• The aggregate merit increase pool is 3.0 percent.
• Average increases within a school may not exceed 3.0 percent and may be lower based on performance.
• Recommendations below 1.0 percent for non-meritorious performance, and those above 5.0 percent, require consultation with the Provost.

—John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost
—Mark Dingfield, Executive Vice President

Kheyti has been named the grand prize winner of the 2026 Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize. Chosen from over 300 applicants around the globe, Kheyti stood out as the only social enterprise offering full-service greenhouse solutions specifically designed for smallholder farmers. Founded in 2015, Kheyti’s goal is to reduce climate risk and increase farmer income.

As the 2026 grand prize winner, Kheyti will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds while additional winners Barefoot College International and Food for All Africa will each receive $150,000. All winners will receive executive education benefits and support from the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania. The 2026 winners were celebrated at the 15th annual Lipman Family Prize Award Ceremony held in Philadelphia, PA on April 16, 2026.

Lipman Prize director Euria Min said, “We are thrilled to recognize Kheyti as the 2026 Grand Prize Winner as they represent bold vision and exceptional leadership. They are addressing critical challenges in ways that are deeply rooted in their communities, and scalable in their ambition. Kheyti reminds us that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to social impact; only leaders who are willing to think differently, act courageously, and adapt as they grow.”

“We are deeply humbled and honored to be named the 2026 Lipman Family Grand Prize Winner,” said Kheyti’s co-founder & CEO, Kaushik Kappagantulu. “This recognition is a tribute to the incredible resilience of the smallholder farmers we serve and the dedication of the Kheyti team working alongside them every day. The $250,000 award will directly fuel our strategic plan to reach tens of thousands of farmers over the next three years through investments in government partnerships and AI-powered advisory services. We are also excited about the partnership opportunities with Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania as we work to make climate-smart farming accessible to every small farmer who needs it.”

Barefoot College International trains rural women worldwide as solar engineers, educators, and entrepreneurs, expanding renewable energy access while advancing economic and energy independence.

Food For All Africa combats food waste and nutrition insecurity in Ghana by operating West Africa’s first and largest food bank, rescuing surplus food and converting organic waste into valuable resources through a circular model.

Kheyti doubles smallholder farmer incomes, protecting them from extreme weather, and makes agriculture significantly more sustainable through its affordable, modular, Greenhouse-in-a-Box, an ultra low-cost greenhouse bundled with end-to-end services.

In addition to the $250,000 financial prize, all three Lipman Family Prize winners gain access to a growing network of change-makers and thought leaders to help them as they accelerate cutting-edge change worldwide. The prize connects those on the cusp of great change with resources, skills and people power to expand the impact and influence of their ideas. Benefits include an executive education program, an exclusive opportunity to apply for the Lipman Nonprofit Leadership Scholarship in the School of Social Policy & Practice, pro-bono consultation from Penn faculty and staff, peer learning events, and expert and student-driven research to inform and guide their work.

Kiran Musunuru, the Barry J. Gertz Professor for Translational Research and director of the Penn Cardiovascular Institute’s Genetic and Epigenetic Origins of Disease Program, and Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas, an assistant professor of pediatrics in CHOP, have been named to the TIME list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. The list recognizes the impact, innovation, and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals. 

The honor underscores their pioneering accomplishment—a first-of-its-kind, customized CRISPR therapy that successfully treated an infant born with life-threatening CPS1 deficiency. Since its advent in 2012, CRISPR genome-editing technology has held the potential to change medicine. But getting from a research breakthrough to practical impacts on patients is no simple feat. In 2025, Drs. Musunuru and Ahrens-Nicklas showed that it can be done. When baby KJ (Almanac December 16, 2025) was born with a rare metabolic disease, giving him a 50% chance of dying in infancy, the pair led a remarkable multi-institutional team that designed, tested, and administered a personalized gene-editing therapy in just six months. Baby KJ is now home with his family and recently took his first steps.

Drs. Musunuru and Ahrens-Nicklas brought together innovations from across biomedical science and proved that on-demand CRISPR therapies can be developed safely and quickly enough to help patients who don’t have years to wait. Their work marks a transformative moment for precision genetic medicine, offering hope to patients and families affected by rare, devastating disorders and setting a new standard for what targeted gene therapies can accomplish.

Sudev Sheth, Gr’18, a senior lecturer of international studies at the Lauder Institute, has received the 2026 Book Prize from the British Association for South Asian Studies, or BASAS, in recognition of his recent book, Bankrolling Empire: Family Fortunes and Political Transformation in Mughal India, which chronicles the decline of the Mughal Empire by homing in on prominent Gujarati banking families.

The BASAS prize recognizes high caliber original research in both South Asian humanities and social sciences. Only first-time monographs written in English are eligible for consideration. In its announcement, BASAS warmly praised Bankrolling Empire, applauding its “archival ambition” and efforts to bolster understanding of the Mughal Empire. “It brings historical debates to life through vivid accounts of the relationships, maneuverings, violent struggles, and bejeweled fashions of the rich and powerful of the period,” said the organization.

Dr. Sheth, who is also a senior lecturer in the department of history in the School of Arts & Sciences, studies the social and cultural history of South Asia, with a focus on cities, political economy, and the role of capital in shaping urban and imperial worlds across early modern and modern periods. He received his PhD in history and South Asia studies from Penn in 2018.

Five faculty at the University of Pennsylvania have been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, an honorary society and independent research center founded in 1780. They are Mark G. Allen of the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS); Sara Cherry of the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM); Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., a Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) professor with appointments in the Annenberg School for Communication (ASC) and the School of Arts & Sciences (SAS); Michael E. Mann of SAS with a secondary appointment in ASC; and PIK Professor Duncan Watts, who has appointments in SEAS, ASC, and the Wharton School. They are among the 252 new members elected in 2026 to be recognized for their excellence, innovation, leadership, and broad array of accomplishments in their fields.

“We celebrate the achievement of each new member and the collective breadth and depth of their excellence—this is a fitting commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary,” said academy president Laurie Patton. “The founding of the nation and the Academy are rooted in the inextricable links between a vibrant democracy, the free pursuit of knowledge, and the expansion of the public good.”

Chartered in 1780, the academy was established to recognize accomplished individuals and engage them in addressing the greatest challenges facing the young republic. The first members elected to the academy include George Washington, who said—in his first annual message to Congress in 1790—“Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness.” Another early recipient was Penn’s founder Benjamin Franklin, who was elected in 1781.

Mark G. Allen is the Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the School of Engineering and Applied Science and chair of the department of electrical and systems engineering. His research interests are in the development and the application of new micro- and nanofabrication technologies, as well as microelectromechanical systems. Dr. Allen has published more than 120 journal articles, holds more than 40 patents, and has also co-founded multiple companies, including Cardiomems, Axion Biosystems, and Enachip. He is a fellow of the IEEE, a member of the National Academy of Inventors, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Sara Cherry is the John W. Eckman Professor of Medical Science in the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine. She serves as the director of the High-Throughput Institute for Discovery (HIT-ID) the scientific director of the High-throughput Screening Core at PSOM, and group leader of the RNA Therapeutics Group at the Institute for RNA Innovation. Her research focuses on emerging RNA viruses, exploring viral-host interactions and innate immune signaling. Her lab integrates genetic and chemical screening approaches to identify host factors and small molecules that impact infection and immunity. Mechanistic studies uncover how RNA viruses hijack cellular machinery and evade immune detection despite their limited coding capacity, discovering new therapeutic targets and informing the development antivirals.

John L. Jackson, Jr. is Penn’s Provost, the Richard Perry University Professor, and the first PIK professor with appointments in the Annenberg School for Communication and the School of Arts & Sciences. A pioneering scholar of urban ethnography, visual culture, media studies, and the anthropology of race and religion, he is the only professor in Penn’s history to serve as dean of two Penn schools: ASC, from 2019 to 2023, and the School of Social Policy & Practice, from 2014 to 2018. Provost Jackson helped found the Collective for Advancing Multimodal Research Arts (CAMRA) and the Center for Experimental Ethnography, and was inducted as a fellow of the International Communication Association in 2020. His influential work includes four major scholarly books and two co-written books, and he has produced or directed 10 films that have been screened at international film festivals.

Michael E. Mann is Presidential Distinguished Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media. He has received numerous honors and awards, including the Award for Public Engagement with Science from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. In 2020 he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and in 2024, to the Royal Society. He was elected a foreign member of the Royal Society in 2024. He has authored more than 300 publications and seven books, including Science Under Siege with Peter Hotez.

Duncan Watts is the Stevens University Professor and Penn’s 23rd PIK Professor. He holds faculty appointments in the department of computer and information science in SEAS, the Annenberg School for Communication, and the department of operations, information and decisions in the Wharton School, where he is the inaugural Rowan Fellow. He also holds a secondary appointment in the department of sociology in the School of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Watts is a computational social scientist interested in social and organizational networks, collective dynamics of human systems, web-based experiments, and analysis of large-scale digital data, including the production, consumption, and absorption of news. He was named an inaugural fellow of the Network Science Society in 2018, a Carnegie Fellow in 2020, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2021, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2023.

Flavia Vitale, an associate professor of bioengineering and in neurology, has been awarded $30,000 through the Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Grant program from the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The award recognizes promising interdisciplinary research emerging from the Frontiers of Engineering Symposium and provides seed funding to advance innovative collaborations.

Dr. Vitale, in partnership with Ritu Raman, the Eugene Bell Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, received the grant for their project, “Leveraging Bioelectronics for 4D Tissue Engineering.” The team aims to overcome the challenge of limited control over cell communication in lab-grown tissues by integrating flexible, high-resolution bioelectronic devices developed in the Vitale Lab with engineered neuromuscular tissue systems. Their approach will enable precise stimulation of motor neurons, allowing for more accurate and programmable models for studying disease, drug responses and regenerative therapies.

“This award is catalyzing a new collaboration between our lab at Penn and Dr. Raman’s group at MIT, allowing us to integrate our microLED-based bioelectronic technologies with engineered neuromuscular tissues in ways that weren’t previously possible,” said Dr. Vitale. “By embedding these high-resolution devices directly into living tissue models, we can precisely control how cells communicate, opening the door to studying disease progression, tissue degeneration and potential therapies with unprecedented detail. It also represents an exciting shift for our work, extending tools we’ve developed for the brain into synthetic tissues, where we can begin to actively program and understand complex biological systems from the ground up. I am very excited for the opportunity to work with Dr. Raman to advance integrated engineered tissue and bioelectronic platforms and generate significant preliminary data to support future joint grant applications.”

“The Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering program fosters meaningful collaboration among early-career engineers and exposes them to cutting-edge ideas from across the profession,” said NAE president Tsu-Jae Liu. “We appreciate the Grainger Foundation’s support in ensuring that this transformative experience remains available to the engineering leaders of tomorrow. Congratulations to this year’s Grainger Grant recipients, whose promising, interdisciplinary projects reflect the kind of innovation the program is designed to inspire.”

The May AT PENN 2026 calendar is now available! Click here to view the calendar online, or click here to view a printable PDF. 

Join the Kelly Writers House during Alumni Weekend (May 15-16) for a two-day 30^th  anniversary celebration of the house and its community. A BBQ party will take place on Friday, May 15 from 6-9 p.m. On Saturday, May 16, there will be an open house from 2-4 p.m., then a program at 4 p.m. in the Arts Café featuring toasts and reminiscences by Kelly Writers House people from across three decades. The event will feature stories and a toast in honor of Al Filreis, founder and faculty director of the Kelly Writers House, and welcome Simone White, associate faculty director of the house, to the leadership team.

To register for the 30^th anniversary celebration events, click here.

Visit Morris Arboretum & Gardens to celebrate the month of May with events and classes that are fun for everyone. Tickets can be purchased online or on-site. Buy your general admission tickets online for $2 off—learn more at morrisarboretum.org. All events are free with general admission unless otherwise noted. Morris Arboretum & Gardens hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Last entry is at 4 p.m. 

May Events

Garden Railway Seasonal Opening

Opens Friday, May 22, 2026, and runs through September 30, 2026
Free with PennCard

The Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ popular Garden Railway returns just in time for Memorial Day weekend. As one of the largest outdoor model train displays in the United States with more than 15 different rail lines running along a third of a mile of track, the Garden Railway will delight and amaze visitors of all ages.

Botanical Mixology 

Sunday, May 3, 2026, 6 p.m.  
Members $60; Non-members $65 

Learn how to add your fresh garden ingredients to seasonal cocktails. This class will focus on flavor combinations and techniques and will use ingredients accessible to any home bartender. Class is for ages 21-plus. BYO cheese and crackers if you wish to have a snack with your sips!  Get more information at (215) 247-5777 ext. 426.

Mid-Atlantic Plant Research Conference 

Friday, May 8, 2026 | 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.  
In-Person fee $155; Students $80  
Virtual fee $125; Students $80  

Conference speakers will discuss new research in plant science that can help us understand the challenges at hand in our wetland and coastal regions. Get more information at (215) 247-5777 ext. 156.

Spring Blossoms Tour

Saturday, May 9, 2026, 11 a.m.  
Meet at the Welcome Center; free with PennCard

Celebrate the joy of spring as the garden and trees bloom. The vibrant flowers change on a weekly basis as the season unfolds, bringing bursts of color and fragrance. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call  (215) 247-5777 ext. 157.

Storytime

Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 10:30 a.m.
Meet at the Outdoor Classroom (rain location: Welcome Center side tent). Free with PennCard

This month, we’re reading Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton. Learn why we shouldn’t fear bees and why they are really our friends with this interactive story and receive a bee craft to take home. Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners (and their siblings) are welcome. Get more information at (215) 247-5777 ext. 193.

Garden Railway: Revolutionary Philly and Plants from the Colonial Era Kickoff Weekend 

Friday, May 22, 2026, 11 a.m. 
Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24, 2026, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. 
Meet at the Sensory Cottage 
Free with PennCard

Join us as we kick off our Garden Railway: Revolutionary Philly and Plants from the Colonial Era exhibitions at the Sensory Cottage. Learn about plants native to Pennsylvania and how they were used in the 1700s. Don’t forget to bring your senses: We’ll have special sensory themed activities as well. All ages are welcome. Get more information at (215) 247-5777 ext. 128.

Garden Railway: Revolutionary Philly

Friday, May 22 to Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Free with PennCard

Visitors of all ages can take a miniature tour of 18^th-century Philadelphia along more than a third of a mile of track, featuring seven loops and tunnels, 15 rail lines, two cable cars, and nine bridges, including a trestle bridge that guests can walk beneath. Bustling model trains move through scenes inspired by colonial Philadelphia, highlighting landmarks and historic moments such as the Battle of Germantown. Get more information at (215) 247-5777.

More Hidden Gems Tour 

Saturday, May 23, 2026, 11 a.m. 
Meet at the Welcome Center  
Free with PennCard

This walking tour highlights garden features not often discovered on an average visit. Go off the beaten path to visit places you’ve never been and see garden gems you haven’t seen before. The tour features a combination of structures, sculptures, spaces, trees, and vistas. Please wear good walking shoes. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call (215) 247-5777 ext. 157.

Bloomin’ Bubbles Kickoff!  

May 26, 2026, 11 a.m.–noon 
Meet in the Whimsical Woods 
Free with PennCard, weather permitting

It’s Bloomin’ Bubbles season! Join us as we reopen our Bubble Tuesdays with games, music and giveaways. Get more information at (215) 247-5777 ext. 128.

Bloomin’ Bubbles! 

Tuesdays, May 26 to August 25, 2026, 11 a.m.
Meet in the Whimsical Woods 
Free with PennCard

Join us every Tuesday for Bloomin’ Bubbles! In this event just for children, the Whimsical Woods will be transformed into a magical bubble party featuring dancing, crafts, and activities! Get more information at (215) 247-5777 ext. 193.

Yoga in the Treetops

Thursday, May 28, 2026, 5:15 p.m.  
Members $35; Non-members $40 

Class will take place on the Out on a Limb exhibit. Practice yoga 50 feet above ground surrounded by a canopy of trees. This class is a wonderful way to combine the mental benefits of yoga with the beauty of the natural environment. This unique practice is for participants of all skill levels. Get more information at (215) 247-5777 ext. 426.

Garden Highlights Tour

Weekdays, 10:30 a.m.
Saturdays & Sundays, 1 p.m.
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with PennCard, weather permitting

Our knowledgeable guides will design a tour around the interests of the attendees. Every tour is different, so come back as many times as you’d like. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call (215) 247-5777 ext. 157.

Conferences

28        September 11^th at 25: A Teach-In on an Unfinished Aftermath; brings together three scholars and practitioners to examine the historical and political context surrounding 9/11, including the expansion of the surveillance state, the securitization of immigration, anti-Muslim racism, and wars waged far beyond any congressional mandate; 5-7 p.m.; room 501, 3440 Market Street; register: https://tinyurl.com/Sept11at25 (Arts & Sciences, Graduate School of Education).

30        2026 Center for Information Networks and Democracy Workshop: Guardrails in Communication Networks; will gather an exceptional group of scholars to assess whether online discussions and content moderation enhance or diminish the information we see; 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; multiple locations; register: https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/centers/cind2026 (Center for Information Networks and Democracy). Also May 1, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

            IDEAS on Generative AI Symposium; a forward-looking event exploring the next wave of generative and multimodal artificial intelligence; will feature talks from prominent AI researchers as well as opportunities for discussion and community building; 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Stavis Family Auditorium, Gutmann Hall, and Zoom webinar; register: https://events.seas.upenn.edu/event/ideas-on-generative-ai-symposium/ (IDEAS Center).

Fitness & Learning

Penn Libraries

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

29        Death Café; a judgment-free environment where participants, often strangers, can openly engage in discussion on the topic of death and dying; noon; Mixed Reality Lab, Holman Biotech Commons.

30        Wear Your Pajamas Day at Holman; Holman Biotech Commons invites students, staff, and the entire Penn community to a laid‑back study break event designed to encourage rest, wellness, and community during a busy academic period; 8 p.m.-midnight; Holman Biotech Commons.

            Coffee with a Codex: Franciscan Miscellany; Kislak Center curator Dot Porter will discuss Ms. Codex 869, a collection of treatises, bullae, and regulations of Franciscan interest, including works of Saint Augustine, Saint Bonaventure, and Saint Bernard and bullae of Eugene IV and Nicholas IV; noon; online webinar.

            Holman Biotech: Refresh & Refuel Station; stop by for refreshments, offered to the community to refresh and refuel for finals; 1-4 p.m.; Holman Biotech Commons. Also May 1.

            Analog Corner; take a screen-free study break with coloring pages, sketching supplies, origami paper, puzzles, letter-writing materials, and tea (BYO mug); fireplace, Fisher Fine Arts Library; time TBA. Through May 3.

Music

29        Tabla Concert; spring 2026 recital of a Penn group dedicated to playing a traditional Indian pitched percussion instrument; 6 p.m.; Amado Recital Hall, Irvine Auditorium (South Asia Studies).

Readings & Signings

Penn Bookstore

In-person events at 2^nd floor conference room, Penn Bookstore. Info: https://www.business-services.upenn.edu/bookstore-events-by-month/202604.

29        Law on Trial: An Unlikely Insider Reckons with Our Legal System; Shaun Ossei–Owusu, Penn Carey Law; 5:30 p.m.

Talks

28        An Incomplete Answer to Why it Rains; Rama Govindarajan, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, India; 2:30 p.m.; room 313, Towne Building (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

            To Fight Against All This; Riccardo Antoniani, Sorbonne University Paris-Panthéon; 6 p.m.; Public Trust, 4017 Walnut Street (Cinema & Media Studies).

29        Hotter Cities, Older Populations: Understanding and Responding to Converging Challenges in the 21^st Century; Josiah Kephart, Drexel University; 9 a.m.; room 11-102, 3600 Civic Center Blvd, and Zoom webinar; join: https://pennmedicine.zoom.us/j/98976330974  (Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics).

            Trump’s AI Policy Framework; panel of speakers; 4 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/ctic-talk-apr-29 (Center for Technology, Innovation & Competition, SP2, Wharton Accountable AI Lab).

30        Simple Fluidic Tools for Combinatorial Experiments on Complex Systems; Nate J. Cira, Cornell University; 3:30 p.m.; Berger Auditorium, Skirkanich Hall (Bioengineering).

Economics

Various locations. Info: https://economics.sas.upenn.edu/events.

29        What Prevents Insurance Take-up? Quantifying Frictions and Policy Responses; Igal Hendel, Northwestern University; 3:30 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

Physics & Astronomy

Various locations. Info: https://live-sas-physics.pantheon.sas.upenn.edu/events.  

29        Pulsar Timing Arrays: A New Window Into the Gravitational-Wave Sky; Gabriela Sato-Polito, Institute for Advanced Study; 3:30 p.m.; room 4E19, DRL.

This is an update to the April AT PENN calendar. The May AT PENN calendar is online now. Submit events for future AT PENN calendars and updates at 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 April 13-19, 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 April 13-19, 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: 10 incidents were reported for April 13-19, 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.

May 19, 2026 is the Pennsylvania Primary Election. Here’s what you need to know to prepare to successfully cast your ballot:

May 4, 2026 is deadline to register to vote. To register for the first time, update your registration, or confirm your registration, click here.

May 12, 2026 is the deadline to request a mail-in or absentee ballot. To request a ballot, click here.

Polls open at 7 a.m. on May 19 and will remain open until 8 p.m.

• Voters casting a ballot for the first time in their division will need to show an approved form of identification.
• To confirm your voter registration status and polling place location, visit the Pennsylvania Department of State website.

Completed mail-in or absentee ballots must be received by your county election board by 8 p.m. on Primary Day, May 19.

Please Note: Pennsylvania has a closed primary system. This means that Republican voters can vote only for Republican candidates and Democratic voters can vote only for Democratic candidates. The candidates who receive the highest number of votes go on to run in the general election. While voting in a primary election for party nominees is limited to only voters registered as Democratic or Republican, all registered voters can vote in a primary election if the ballot includes a constitutional amendment question, a ballot question, or a special election in their district.

For all 2026 State Primary Election Dates, click here.

To learn more about Election Day at Penn and student-led non-partisan voter engagement efforts, visit vote.upenn.edu.

—Office of Government and Community Affairs

The Penn Bookstore is still collecting course material information for fall 2026 classes. The April 24 due date has passed, but faculty are still encouraged to submit their requests through the Adoptions & Insights Portal as soon as possible to ensure timely delivery of course material orders. On the portal, you will find easy-to-use features that offer:

• A single click “re-adopt” course material button if you are requiring course-related materials already used for prior semesters.
• A pre-populated Penn 2025 Fall Semester Course Catalog to locate your course(s)’ menu and a search feature to locate your selection if new or different materials are required.
• An option to indicate “no course materials required.” This is important information for the University’s compliance with Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) course material reporting requirements.

For any questions or assistance, please contact the Penn Bookstore’s course materials manager, April Batinsey, by email at batinsey@upenn.edu or phone at (215) 898-4500.

The call for nominations is now open for Penn’s Green Purchasing Awards.  The program, now in its tenth year, is held in conjunction with Penn Procurement Services and Penn Sustainability. This award recognizes any individual and/or team’s leading actions that advance the development of sustainable purchasing practices at Penn. This award program is a chance to spotlight those who are championing sustainability across campus, as well as to celebrate projects that are contributing to a more sustainable future. Click here to view the award’s past recipients—some of these achievements may inspire you to submit your colleagues’ work for consideration. 

Visit the Green Purchasing Award Nominations page to review the nomination guidelines and information about the submittal process.  Nominations will remain open until Friday, August 28, 2026. 

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

Self Service Password Reset (SSPR), introduced in November 2022, lets you change or reset your PennKey password on your own, whenever you need to. Enrollment is optional but strongly suggested.

Before you start: You must already have a working PennKey and PennKey password to enroll in SSPR. If your PennKey password is not working, you will need to reset it first. It is best to enroll as soon as you register your PennKey so you can reset your password when needed.

What you’ll need to enroll:

• A personal (non-Penn) email address
• A mobile phone number that can receive text messages

Enroll now: 

1. Open the SSPR page.
2. Select “Enroll or update settings.”
3. Follow the prompts to add your recovery email and mobile number.
4. Return to the same page anytime to change a known password or reset a forgotten one.

Trouble enrolling? Try again using an incognito/private browsing window. If you still have problems enrolling, please reach out to PennKey Support for troubleshooting assistance.

Why enroll in SSPR? It gives you a fast, secure way to reset your PennKey password using your recovery (non-Penn) email address and mobile phone number—no support assistance required.

If you have not enrolled yet, take the time today to set up SSPR so you can recover your account quickly when it matters.

Self Service Password Reset: https://isc.upenn.edu/pennkey/sspr

SSPR announcement in Almanac: https://almanac.upenn.edu/articles/one-step-ahead-enroll-now-pennkey-self-service-password-reset-app-for-forgotten-passwords?

PennKey Support: https://isc.upenn.edu/pennkey

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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.

To add the academic calendar to your personal calendar, visit https://almanac.upenn.edu/penn-academic-calendar and click one of the blue calendar buttons. Options for calendars to sync include the ongoing three-year academic calendar, the 2026 summer term academic calendar, and the 2026-2027 academic calendar. 

There will be an option to sync it to your personal Apple, Google, Office 365, Outlook, Outlook.com, or Yahoo calendar.