But to Gary Purpura, the associate vice provost for education and academic planning in the Office of the Provost and a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, is teaching Enhancing the Human Mind with Technology this semester.
Philosophy, technology, and pushing beyond human limitations
Gary Purpura’s class Enhancing the Human Mind with Technology introduces students to philosophy through the lens of transhumanism, illustrating the possibilities of technology to enhance the human condition and expand the idea of what it means to be human.
“You’re seeing a dramatic improvement in housing stability outcomes,” says Vincent Reina, pictured with Sara Jaffee.
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Why rental support works
Cash assistance drastically reduces tenants’ likelihood of eviction and homelessness, according to an ongoing study of the PHLHousing+ program from Weitzman’s Vincent Reina and Arts & Sciences’ Sara Jaffee.
Penn archivist J.J. Ahern has been putting his professional experience and personal passion for the past to work as a volunteer for the Navy’s 250th anniversary curating an exhibition about the human side of the service’s history.
Marc Lo (left) and Enmanuel Martínez (center) speaking with Mayokun Omitogun (right)
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Through Penn First Plus, students unlock potential and purpose
Providing first-generation and limited-income students with a comprehensive array of support, Penn First Plus equips undergraduates for success during and after their time at Penn.
As part of the year-long Politics of Well-Being series from the School of Social Policy & Practice and the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy, Tony Shaw moderated a conversation with Dennis Culhane, Isabel Algrant, Ken Miles, and Shana Kleiner.
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Harnessing technology in research to improve well-being
As part of the Politics of Well-Being speaker series, researchers in the School of Social Policy & Practice talked about their work helping governments address social issues and creating a joy-centered framework for AI development.
Sanya Carley is the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Energy Policy and City Planning in the Weitzman School of Design and the Mark Alan Hughes Faculty Director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.
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Sanya Carley appointed vice provost for climate science, policy, and action
Carley is an expert on energy policy, affordability, and transition.
Xin Sun prepares samples collected from the Eastern Tropical North Pacific aboard a research vessel. By adding stable isotope tracers to these vials, Sun and her team can track how different microbial groups convert nitrogen compounds into nitrous oxide, revealing how subtle shifts in oxygen and organic matter change the ocean’s chemistry.
(Image: Courtesy of Xin Sun)
Can tiny ocean organisms offer the key to better climate modeling?
In the shadowy layers of the Pacific, microbes decide how much nitrous oxide—a potent greenhouse gas—rises skyward. New research from Penn’s Xin Sun offers an improved understanding of microbial ecology and geochemistry—key to forecasting global emissions in response to natural and man-made climate change.
Russell Composto, chair of the Penn Forward Undergraduate Education and Innovation working group and vice provost for undergraduate education, seated with undergraduates on Oct. 13, 2025, inside College Hall.
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Russell Composto talks leading Penn Forward’s Undergraduate Education and Innovation working group
In a Q&A, Russell Composto, vice provost for undergraduate education and chair of Penn Forward’s Undergraduate Education and Innovation working group, talks about the guiding principles of the team and what it means to think boldly about the future of the undergraduate experience at Penn.
Local businesses and Penn suppliers promote their products and services during the expo portion of the Penn Local Business Exchange.
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Fueling growth locally, together
The eighth annual Penn Local Business Exchange brought together entrepreneurs, city officials, and University buyers to swap insights and build relationships.
Inspiring interest in water quality at Cobbs Creek
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has for decades designated Cobbs Creek in West Philadelphia an “impaired stream,” meaning it fails to meet at least one water quality standard, but lacks the data to identify the specific causes, says Jon Hawkings, assistant professor of earth and environmental science.
