News Archive | Penn Today

Gladys Tantaquidgeon seated on a beach with four other people and a black umbrella on the ground.

Indigenous ethnologist

Gladys Tantaquidgeon, the first Native American student in Penn’s anthropology department, published a series of academic articles, authored a book on ethnobotany and accompanied the department chair as his assistant, interviewing tribes and collecting folklore.

Black and white image of a person on a fence in front of a field.

For non-Hispanic whites in the U.S., life expectancy outlook worsens

Research from Penn demographers shows that, though trends vary regionally, mortality is increasing, particularly for women, 25- to 44-year-olds, and those in rural areas.

A parent and high school student sit at a desk across from a school faculty member.

College admissions in crisis

Admissions Dean Eric Furda on the Varsity Blues scandal, civil litigation, and rising disgruntlement over the way elite universities select their students.

The beauty and nuances of Iceland, through a multidisciplinary lens

Tracing a circular path around Iceland, the students in Alain Plante’s Penn Global Seminar saw firsthand the nation’s unique geology, culture, politics, energy, people, and wildlife.

Student standing in lobby of marble building wearing an Identification badge.

Immersed in poetry at the Library of Congress

Rising junior Joyce Hida is making the most of her RealArts summer internship, working at the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

‘Robotic blood’ powers and propels synthetic lionfish

Combining different functional components that are normally compartmentalized can lead to both powerful and lightweight future robots. A new paper by James Pikul highlights the success of a robotic lionfish that combines energy storage and movement through the use of a hydraulic liquid referred to as “robotic blood.”

Roberts Proton Therapy gantry with lights

Shorter courses of proton therapy can be just as effective on prostate cancer

Treating prostate cancer with higher doses of proton therapy over a shorter amount of time leads to similar outcomes when compared to standard dose levels and treatments, and is safe for patients.

crushed cigarette butt vertical on the ground

How doctors can help cancer patients quit tobacco

A simple set of decision-support tools combined with institutional buy-in can help increase the number of cancer patients who engage in treatment to help them quit tobacco.

Crayon drawing of person holding an American flag

How to end partisan gerrymandering: Get the public involved

Wharton professor Steven O. Kimbrough discusses the Supreme Court’s recent decision to not make a ruling on what constitutes excessive partisan gerrymandering.

Four smiling students posing by a blue container with a level on top of it

Relieving water scarcity, one home at a time

Due to a rapidly depleting underground aquifer, many residents of Mexico City are left with little-to-no easily accessible clean water for hours or days at a time. This summer, members of the Penn chapter of Isla Urbana helped install rainwater harvesting and filtration systems to provide residents of the Mexican capital with clean water year-round.

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