2017
Social Ties Boost Longevity in Female Macaques
In a huge study of female rhesus macaques, a team of researchers led by Michael Platt found those with many close female relatives have a higher life expectancy.However, the effect fades with age, suggesting older females learn how to “navigate the social landscape” and have less need for social ties.
Physicists Investigate How Hatchetfish Camouflage in the Deep Sea
The midwater region of the ocean is the largest habitat by volume in the world, making up 99 percent of Earth’s livable space. It’s home to a myriad of occupants, many of which have evolved peculiar abilities to allow them to survive.
Penn Arts and Sciences 2017 Graduation Ceremonies Schedule
College of Arts and SciencesCeremony: Sunday, May 14, 6:30 p.m., Franklin FieldClass of 2017 Speaker: Ivan Sandoval, C’17Speaker: Jennifer Egan, C’85, author
National Academy of Sciences Elects Two Penn Arts and Sciences Faculty
Two faculty members from Penn Arts and Sciences have been elected members of the National Academy of Sciences for “their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.”The professors are Sarah Tishkoff, a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor with appointments in Penn Arts and Sciences and the Perelman School of Medicine, and Robert Seyfarth, an emeritus professor of psychology.
Inaugural Recipients Announced for New Dean’s Integrative Global Inquiries Fund
A new Penn Arts and Sciences initiative is awarding grants to faculty to encourage the collective investigation of global topics across the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Dean Steven J. Fluharty recently announced the first round of projects to be funded through this program, called the Dean’s Integrative Global Inquiries Fund.
Penn and the Philadelphia Museum of Art Receive Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant to Expand Collaboration
The University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have been jointly awarded $500,000 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to fund an ongoing collaboration over the next three years that provides Penn graduate students in art history with an opportunity to extend their study beyond the classroom through a direct, hands-on engagement with the Museum’s renowned collection.
Seventeen Penn Arts and Sciences Students and Alumni Offered 2017-18 Fulbright Grants
Seventeen Penn Arts and Sciences students and alumni have been offered Fulbright U.S. Student Awards and Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Awards for 2017-18. The Fulbright Program, which operates in more than 160 countries, is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the United States government. It is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people in the U.S. and other countries.
Nancy Bentley Named Donald T. Regan Professor of English
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to name Nancy Bentley the Donald T. Regan Professor of English in Penn Arts and Sciences.
José-Víctor Ríos-Rull Named Lawrence R. Klein Professor of Economics
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to name José-Víctor Ríos-Rull the Lawrence R. Klein Professor of Economics in Penn Arts and Sciences.
Former Philadelphia Water Department Commissioner Appointed Penn Arts and Science’ First Professor of Practice
Howard Neukrug, CE’78, former commissioner and CEO of the Philadelphia Water Department, has been appointed Penn Arts and Sciences’ first Professor of Practice. Practice professorships bring accomplished leaders from business, government, or the arts into Penn Arts and Sciences’ classrooms, to complement the expertise of the School’s standing faculty.
Diana Mutz Awarded 2017 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship
Diana Mutz, Samuel A. Stouffer Professor of Political Science and Communication, has been selected to receive a 2017 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Along with 34 others, Mutz, who holds dual appointments in Penn Arts and Sciences and the Annenberg School for Communication, was chosen from nearly 200 nominations.
Hanming Fang Named Class of 1965 Term Chair by Penn Arts and Sciences
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to name Hanming Fang the Class of 1965 Term Professor of Economics in Penn Arts and Sciences.
Barbara Savage Named Harmsworth Visiting Professor of American History at Oxford University
Barbara D. Savage, Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and chair of the Department of Africana Studies, has been chosen as the Harmsworth Visiting Professor of American History at the University of Oxford for the 2018-19 academic year.
Dorothy Roberts Wins Distinguished Lecture Award from Columbia
Dorothy Roberts has won Columbia University’s Mamie Phipps Clark and Kenneth B. Clark Distinguished Lecture Award. The annual award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of a senior scholar in the area of race and justice.
MacDonald Elected Fellow of the Academy of Experimental Criminology
John MacDonald, professor of criminology and sociology and Penny and Robert A. Fox Faculty Director of the Fels Institute of Government, has been elected a fellow of the Academy of Experimental Criminology (AEC) for his success in leading randomized, controlled field experiments in criminology.
Four Arts and Sciences Professors Awarded Guggenheim Fellowships
Four Penn Arts and Sciences professors have been awarded 2017 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships. They are:
Freeman Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Samuel Freeman, Avalon Professor of the Humanities and professor of philosophy and law, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
O’Leary Doubly Honored
Brendan O’Leary, Lauder Professor of Political Science, has been honored by the Royal Irish Academy and the International Studies Association. The Royal Irish Academy elected him an honorary member, and he was awarded the Distinguished Scholar Award of the International Studies Association's Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Migration Studies Section for lifetime contributions to the study of nationalism and ethnic conflict resolution, along with his regular co-author John McGarry.
Gillion Wins W.E.B. Du Bois Book Award
Daniel Gillion, Presidential Associate Professor of Political Science, has received the 2017 W.E.B. Du Bois Book Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS) for his book, Governing with Words: The Political Dialogue on Race, Public Policy, and Inequality in America. He is an affiliate faculty member with the Department for Africana Studies and part of the ninth cohort of Penn Fellows.
Penn Arts and Sciences Announces College Graduation Speakers for 2017
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan, C’85, and Ivan Sandoval, C’17, will speak at this year’s graduation ceremony for the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences. The event will take place on Sunday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. on Franklin Field.
Penn Faculty Call on Congress to Save the National Endowment for the Humanities
In response to a new budget proposed by President Trump, which would eliminate all funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Penn faculty have banded together to sign a petition to Congress. Thus far, the petition has 192 signatories. In addition, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Steven Fluharty has addressed humanities faculty in a message detailing efforts to combat the elimination of the NEH through Penn’s governmental affairs office in Washington, D.C.
Penn Arts and Sciences Announces Teaching Award Recipients
Steven J. Fluharty, dean of Penn Arts and Sciences, and Andrew Binns, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, have announced the recipients of the 2017 awards for distinguished teaching in the School. The winners will be honored at a School-wide reception on Thursday, April 27, at 11:00 a.m. in Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street. IRA H. ABRAMS MEMORIAL AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED TEACHING
Penn Arts and Sciences Faculty Receive 2017 University Teaching Awards
Four members of the Penn Arts and Sciences faculty are recipients of University-wide teaching awards:LINDBACK AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED TEACHINGDavid Christianson, Roy and Diana Vagelos Professor in Chemistry and Chemical BiologyBeth Linker, Associate Professor of History and Sociology of SciencePROVOST'S AWARD FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE BY NON-STANDING FACULTYLorene Cary, Senior Lecturer in English
Two Join Penn Arts and Sciences Faculty as Endowed Chairs
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to announce that two new faculty members are joining Penn Arts and Sciences as endowed chairs. Sophia Rosenfeld has been named the Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History, and Kathleen D. Morrison the Sally and Alvin V. Shoemaker Professor of Anthropology and Curator of South Asia in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Dean Fluharty's Message to Faculty on the Proposed Elimination of National Endowment for the Humanities
The following is a reprint of a message that Dean Steven Fluharty and Associate Dean Jeff Kallberg shared with Penn Arts and Sciences humanities faculty.
Petition to Congress to Save the National Endowment for the Humanities
“The arts and humanities belong to all the people of the United States.”
Five Penn Arts and Sciences Students Chosen as President’s Engagement and Innovation Prize Winners
Five seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences have been selected as recipients of the 2017 President’s Engagement and Innovation Prizes. Awarded annually, the Prizes provide $100,000 in funding for Penn seniors to design and undertake post-graduation projects that make a positive, lasting difference in the world.
Peacocks, Eye Tracking, and the Brains Behind Decisions
How do male peacocks size up their competition? Not by looking at the brightly colored tail feathers and upper eyespots for which these birds are known, but instead by focusing on their lower feathers and legs. The birds also pay more attention when their competitors shake their tails and move rather than when they are sitting still.
Scientists Show Prediction Polls Can Outdo Prediction Markets
Ask economists whether prediction markets or prediction polls fare better, and they’ll likely favor the former.In prediction markets, people bet against each other to predict an outcome, say the chance of someone winning an election. The market represents the crowd’s best guess. In a prediction poll, the guesser isn’t concerned with what anyone else thinks, essentially betting against himself.
Using Video Games as Tools for Learning and Education
Ask someone which educational resources could make a sociological impact, and video games likely aren’t the first tools that come to mind.But Marcus T. Wright, undergraduate program and communications manager for the Department of Sociology, hopes to change that perspective with his new book, Paradox of the Learning Game: The Promise and Plight of Video Games and Learning.
Grad Ben Talks Gives Students a Chance to Shine
On Friday, March 17, at International House Philadelphia, Penn launched its newly created Grad Ben Talks with a day of TED Talk-style presentations by Arts and Sciences graduate students. Participants presented to an audience of undergraduates, faculty, staff, and fellow graduate students. A single winner was selected in each category by a panel of judges, and an Audience Choice winner was selected by audience members via votes submitted through an online polling service.
Emilio Parrado Named Thomas Chair by Penn Arts and Sciences
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to name Emilio A. Parrado the Dorothy Swaine Thomas Professor of Sociology in Penn Arts and Sciences.
New Coursera Delivers Positive Psychology to Students Around the Globe
The University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the online education platform Coursera, launched a specialization certificate program, “Foundations of Positive Psychology.”
Aligning Depression Treatment to Patient Need Leads to Efficient Care, Study Shows
Depression looks different in every person, making it a challenge to ensure that each receives the appropriate care. Many patients get treatment too intensive for their condition while others don’t get enough.
Penn Arts and Sciences Names Deborah Thomas as Brownlee Term Chair
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to name Deborah Thomas the R. Jean Brownlee Term Professor in Penn Arts and Sciences.
Researchers Control the Size of 2-D Nanopores With Light
Researchers are investigating a new technology that, if proven, could lead to small, chip-size sensors capable of sensing molecules and detecting illnesses or even possibly the presence of viruses. The technology is focused on nanopores, tiny holes typically just a few nanometers across, 100,000 times smaller than the width of a single strand of human hair.
Researcher Traces U.S. Political Perspectives of Latino Immigrants
When Michael Jones-Correa began looking at public opinion data published in the American National Election Study (ANES), he noticed one population missing: Latino immigrants. Now, he is working to help give them a voice.For decades, the main source of public opinion data on American politics has been the American National Election Study, but ANES only interviewed citizens, which failed to account for the perspectives of many foreign-born adults.
Brendan O’Leary Outlines the Path to Compromise in UKEXIT
Last summer Brendan O’Leary, Lauder Professor of Political Science, was in Ireland researching and writing his forthcoming book, tentatively titled Understanding Northern Ireland: Passages from Colonialism to Consociation and Confederation, 1603-2017, when the BREXIT referendum television broadcast interrupted his work.
Penn Arts and Sciences Pilots New Efforts to Make a Difference
A new Penn Arts and Sciences program encourages faculty to explore innovative ways of applying their expertise and working with students to address societal challenges. The initiative, called “Making a Difference in Diverse Communities,” provides funding to support teams of faculty and students in multidisciplinary projects that combine coursework, research, and service to address issues of diversity and inequality at the local, national, and international level.
Researchers Push the Limits of Organic Synthesis
A dendritic molecule is one that grows by branching in several directions from its center core. At each branching point, the molecule branches again into a new generation. These molecules can be used for a broad range of biomedical applications, including gene and drug delivery.
Six From Arts and Sciences Win Thouron Awards to Study in Britain
One Penn Arts and Sciences alumna and five College seniors have received Thouron Awards to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom. The scholarship recipients are:
Brannon and Todd Named to Endowed Term Chairs in Penn Arts and Sciences
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to announce two endowed term chair appointments in Penn Arts and Sciences.
Michael Jones-Correa Traces U.S. Political Perspectives of Latino Immigrants
When political scientist Michael Jones-Correa, a professor of political science, began looking at public opinion data published in the American National Election Study, he noticed one population missing: Latino immigrants. Now, he is working to help give them a voice.
Researchers Apply a Phenomenon in Proteins to a Mechanical Network
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are investigating a counterintuitive process called allostery that occurs in proteins by studying an analogous process in a macroscopic mechanical network.Their research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to a clearer understanding of why this phenomenon is so common in proteins.
Tired Teens More Likely to Commit Crimes as Adults
Teenagers who self-report feeling drowsy mid-afternoon also tend to exhibit more anti-social behavior such as lying, cheating, stealing and fighting. Now, research from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of York, in the United Kingdom, shows that those same teens are 4.5 times more likely to commit violent crimes a decade and a half later.
Drndić and Rappe Named to Endowed Chairs in Penn Arts and Sciences
Dean Steven J. Fluharty is pleased to name two faculty members to endowed chairs in Penn Arts and Sciences.
Penn Arts and Sciences Names 2017 Dean’s Scholars
Penn Arts and Sciences has named 20 students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies, and the Graduate Division as Dean’s Scholars. This honor is presented annually to students who exhibit exceptional academic performance and intellectual promise. The 2017 Dean’s Scholars will be formally recognized as part of the Levin Family Dean’s Forum on February 23. College of Arts and Sciences
Dawn Teele Studies What Factors Lead Women to Run for Political Office
Since the 2016 election, scores of women across the nation have enlisted in political campaign training programs like Emerge America and Ready to Run. Dawn Teele, an assistant professor of political science, is gathering their data to understand why some women throw their hats in the ring while others don’t.
Linguists Investigate Language Borrowing in the Field and the Lab
For work on sociolinguistic borrowing, linguists Gareth Roberts and Betsy Sneller created two alien species, the “Burls” (left) and “Wiwos,” assigning study participants each to a group. Players then communicated via a made-up language, where one species used “b” in place of “f.” The researchers observed these conversations to determine whether any borrowing occurred.
Timothy Powell: Forging Partnerships to Promote Native Languages, Culture
Timothy Powell’s ethnographic research has taken him to far reaches of the world to uncover what happens when the cultural stories that Native Americans told anthropologists hundreds of years ago are returned to indigenous communities today.