News Archives

Editor's Pick: The hidden Middle East

Arabs are not the only people who inhabit the Middle East. This year’s Middle East Week focuses on a non-Arab people much in the news lately, the Kurds. “Scattered Seeds of Hanareh: The New Kurdish Cinema” is the theme of the film series that is the week’s main event. Films by Kurdish filmmakers in Iran, Turkey and further abroad, such as “Marooned in Iraq” by Bahman Ghobadi (photo), examine the awkward cultural and geopolitical space the stateless Kurds occupy.

BOOKQUICK/“Atlantic Virginia: Intercolonial Relations in the Seventeenth Century”

Much 17th-century historiography assumes that each North American colony operated as a largely self-contained entity and interacted with other colonies only indirectly through London. By contrast, in “Atlantic Virginia,” historian April Lee Hatfield of Texas A&M demonstrates that the colonies actually had vibrant exchanges among themselves and with peoples throughout the hemisphere, as well as with Europeans.

Lucky charm

Experts question Mars proposal

Could President Bush’s ambitious plan to send humans back to the moon, to Mars and beyond inspire the same excitement that the first moon race did in the 1950s? “I think people are really turned on by it. It would be fun, there’s no doubt about it,” said Mark Devlin, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, who added, “There is no new money for this. … Something’s got to give.” In the President’s plan, that may be the International Space Station and shuttle flights; work on the Station and flights are slated to cease by 2010.

Faculty Feature: Dentist gets troops armed to the teeth

The finest fighting force in the world requires its troops to be in top physical condition before they go off to combat. That includes their teeth. This is where Capt. Dale Scanlon of the U.S. Army Reserve comes in. On campus, he is better known as clinical assistant professor of restorative dentistry and director of the Penn Dental Care Network’s University City clinic. Since November of 2002, he has also served as a reserve dentist for our armed forces.

HR serves self-improvement at lunch

Focus on your career and your well-being with help from the folks at Human Resources. Take advantage of these upcoming free Learning and Education programs and Quality of Worklife workshops. For course locations and more information on Learning and Education programs, call 215-898-3400 or visit www.hr.upenn.edu/learning. Registration required for most programs.

People's Choice: My funny Valentine

This Saturday is the day that’s made for lovers. So in the spirit of romance, we asked several Penn people to share with us their most memorable Valentine’s Day experiences—gifts or events, good or bad. We’re heartened that most of the memories our respondents shared with us were good ones, but we did manage to unearth a tale of unrequited love—as it turned out, from the only male who answered our question.

Appointments

Janice R. Bellace CW’71,L’74, professor of legal studies and management and the Samuel Blank Professor of Legal Studies at the Wharton School, has been named Associate Provost effective March 1. As associate provost, Bellace will direct the academic personnel process, which includes faculty recruitment, appointments and promotions, and handle issues relating to faculty governance.

Campus Buzz

Ben’s Penn online: Penn’s guardians of the past—the University Archives and the Annenberg Rare Book and Manuscript Library—are getting a head start on the 300th anniversary of the birth of its founder with “Penn in the Age of Benjamin Franklin,” a new web site devoted to the documentary history of the University’s first half century.

Letter criticizes vaccine mega-trial

The largest and most expensive clinical trial of an HIV vaccine ever is now under way in Thailand. Three Penn scientists and colleagues from 17 other universities and research institutes across the country have argued that the mega-trial is a waste of money and illustrates the need to rethink the way such trials are approved.