Education, Business, & Law

Person working from home, sitting at a desk with a computer, speaking on a smartphone, holding a mug.

If pandemic productivity is up, why is innovation slowing down?

A new study finds that productivity has remained stable or even increased for many companies that shifted to remote work during the coronavirus pandemic. However, innovation has taken a hit as both leaders and employees feel more distant from each other.

From Knowledge@Wharton ・

Cartoon of classroom desks with desktop computers on top, each computer screen features a person in a zoom meeting.

Breaking classroom barriers over Zoom

When Professor Lori Rosenkopf’s course on the culture of tech went virtual, she set out to make a more interactive learning experience. Her efforts have seen some unexpected results.

From Wharton Stories ・

Selfie of a person wearing a face mask holding up a box of vegan pastries in their bakery

Law students spearhead pro bono projects for pandemic relief

From connecting small businesses with loans to helping Philadelphians navigate unemployment and housing insecurity, students at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School are working to get people the help they need.

From Penn Law ・

Smiling person holding an apple, standing in front of a red screen.

A role model for the changing face of science

Jennifer Stimpson, a chemist, teacher, and recent alumna of the Graduate School of Education’s mid-career program, was named an IF/THEN ambassador. The initiative aims to empower women in STEM to inspire the next generation of learners.

Michele W. Berger ・



In the News


The New York Times

Set up branches of elite colleges to expand access?

Rebecca Stein of the Online Learning Initiative responded to an op-ed that suggested universities open multiple campuses in order to diversify the student body. “Teaching online allows universities to reach more students, and more diverse students. It is the path to meeting both the high bar of quality and the goal of inclusion,” she wrote. “Instead of building a campus in Houston, let’s be bold and build a virtual campus.”

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Axios

Americans will likely have to navigate a maze of vaccine "passports"

Eric Feldman of the Law School spoke about the legality of businesses requiring proof of vaccination. “In general, private businesses can decide who they're willing to admit into their businesses and serve so long as they don't violate either the federal Civil Rights act or a state law,” he said.

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The New York Times

Don’t fear cryptocurrencies. Manage them

Brian Feinstein and Kevin Werbach of the Wharton School wrote about calls to regulate cryptocurrencies and claims by crypto advocates that regulatory actions will depress trading activity. Feinstein and Werbach’s research “found no evidence that regulatory announcements affect crypto trading volume,” they wrote.

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The Wall Street Journal

COVID-19 vaccine issues present new challenge for J&J

Cait Lamberton of the Wharton School weighed in on how the FDA’s recommendation to pause distribution of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine will affect the company’s reputation. “I don’t think this is going to be a huge dagger in J&J’s heart,” she said. “They’ve seen this stuff before. They’ve had plenty of product crises.”

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The New York Times

NRA chief takes the stand, with cracks in his armor

David Skeel of the Law School commented on the NRA’s bankruptcy proceedings, which were filed after Wayne LaPierre, the organization’s executive vice president, gained financial control via a new employment contract. “There’s a real question whether the employment contract was a legitimate authorization for bankruptcy,” said Skeel. “The language is quite vague. It could be construed as simply allowing Wayne LaPierre to make cost-saving organizational changes, not to file a bankruptcy petition.”

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