‘Elusive Cures: Why Neuroscience Hasn’t Solved Brain Disorders—and How We Can Change That’
The first book from psychology professor Nicole Rust of the School of Arts & Sciences dives into why research on conditions like Alzheimer’s and depression hasn’t translated more effectively into better treatments.
Who, What, Why: Xiao Schutte Ke on Tibetan pastoralists and citizen science
Schutte Ke, a sixth-year linguistic anthropology doctoral candidate in the School of Arts & Sciences, explains the importance of Indigenous citizen scientists in understanding a crucial ecosystem of nomadic livestock herders on the mountainous region of the Tibetan Plateau.
What can ants and naked-mole rats teach about societal roles?
PIK Professor Shelley Berger and colleagues explored the genetic basis of labor distribution in communal-dwelling species and discovered that pathways dating back hundreds of millions of years are conserved across animal kingdoms. Their findings offer fundamental insights into complex social behaviors.
$50 million gift to launch the Lurie Autism Institute
The transformational gift to Penn Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will establish a joint initiative for autism research and treatment.
A team of researchers from the Computational Social Science Lab at the University of Pennsylvania find that cable news has increasingly diverged from broadcast news in the topics covered and language used.
Now in its fifth year, Black Music City continues to celebrate Philadelphia’s legacy of Black music and culture by investing in the future of its creatives. Attendees can enjoy performances from several visionary Black artists, including a special “bop dance” presentation.
A highly beloved train can always be found chugging along in his own section of the Morris Arboretum Garden Railway, but a few weekends a year he and his friends run free on all the tracks. This kid-friendly program is a great weekend activity for the whole family. Free with general admission.
Penn’s guiding principles are the University’s enduring values and distinctive strengths: anchored, inventive, interwoven, and engaged. The practices support and strengthen Penn’s core educational mission.
At Penn Today, we focus on some of the ways the University is putting this framework into action. From student, faculty, and staff profiles to research updates and event coverage, Penn Today highlights the latest examples of the University’s principled approach to excellence.
Keeping it local: Penn’s partnerships with Philadelphia-based vendors boost local economy, neighborhood impact
According to the University’s latest Economic Impact Report, Penn helps power Philadelphia’s economy by procuring goods and services from neighboring businesses. Local CEOs discuss the meaningful impact that Penn has on their bottom line and in the community.
Using behavioral economics-based interventions, a 2025 President’s Engagement Prize-winning project will address health and nutrition inequities in a West Philadelphia elementary school.
Penn lends support to Rebuilding Together Philadelphia effort repairing 11 local homes in two days
Marking a milestone block build, 70 Penn volunteers combined forces with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, a nonprofit with roots at the University, to revitalize owner-occupied houses in the West Philadelphia community. The momentous two-day event involved a block build and speaking program—with a local homeowner sharing a heartfelt message.
Supporting a community for learning, research, and thriving
Four months after the launch of the Office of Religious and Ethnic Interests (Title VI), the office is combating discrimination in all forms while leading educational efforts about dialogue and adaptive leadership.
Penn admitted 4.9% of applicants, its most selective year in its history
Penn received 72,544 applications and admitted 4.9% of its applicants for fall 2025, its most selective year in history, according to Dean Whitney Soule of Admissions.
How to better brainstorm with ChatGPT in five steps
A study by Christian Terwiesch of the Wharton School and colleagues finds that the results of generative AI brainstorming can be surprisingly alike with just slight variations, limiting the pool of diverse responses.
