Doctoral Student Takes Ascetic Retreat to Mountains of Japan

Frank Clements' dissertation, which focuses on the Shugendô religious tradition, recently led him to the mountains of Japan for hands-on research. Shugendô blends esoteric Buddhism, Daoism, and Shinto into a complex tradition of mountain austerities and other related practices. Clements, an East Asian Languages and Civilizations doctoral student, took part in a three-day retreat at a pilgrim lodge in Haguro in Northeastern Japan. During the retreat, Clements sought spiritual and personal enlightenment, eschewing everyday creature comforts.

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Arts & Sciences News

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Tej Patel, C’25, W’25, and Sridatta Teerdhala, C’25, W’25, Selected as Marshall Scholars

The students, both part of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management, will receive funding for up to three years of graduate study in the United Kingdom.

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$50 Million Legacy Gift to Penn Arts & Sciences Funds Undergraduate Aid

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Josephine Nock-Hee Park Named Associate Dean for Arts and Letters

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The funding went to 11 projects from faculty in nine Penn Arts & Sciences departments, with work focusing on everything from better crime policy to a philosopher-in-residence program and psychology education in middle schools.

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Bo Zhen Named Jin K. Lee Presidential Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Zhen’s research focuses on the study of electromagnetic waves, such as light, in engineered environments.

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