News Archives

Penn Law prof: Prop 8 raises serious questions

Californians went to the polls this past Election Day and did something rarely seen in American politics—they removed a right from a constitutionally protected group of citizens. Proposition 8, which passed with less than a 5 percent margin, changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in the state. It also provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

Laser-powered research

Jianxin Chen, right, a member of the research staff in the Department of Chemistry, and Diana Camila Urbanek, a chemistry post-doc, use ultra-fast laser spectroscopy to explore the dynamic structure of protein folding. Photo credit: Mark Stehle

Penn Students John O'Malley and Will Son Take Top Honors in National Competition for Best Video

PHILADELPHIA –- University of Pennsylvania freshmen John O'Malley and Will Son, have been selected as best-video winners in a national contest run by Facing Up, a non-partisan project exploring long-term challenges of the federal budget. They will share a cash prize of $500.Facing Up is a national consortium comprised of The Brookings Institution, Concord Coalition, The Heritage Foundation, Public Agenda and Viewpoint Learning.

Symposium takes closer look at sustainability

Penn has made remarkable strides toward environmental sustainability in recent years. The University is a national leader in the use of wind energy, buying 200,000 megawatt hours of wind power each year—enough to account for 46 percent of its total energy needs.

Did College Hall have a clock tower?

Dear Benny: I’ve seen a number of photos recently showing early College Hall in what was then an open field. The photos also show a clock tower on the west side, two stories taller than the current structure. What happened to that clock tower, and when?—Curious About the Clock Tower Dear Curious, When Penn first moved out of downtown to the picturesque landscape of West Philadelphia, the University’s early buildings did sit in an open field. Besides, nothing else was out here.

Challenging assumptions

Photo credit: Candace diCarlo

Kwame Nkrumah

Penn Founder's Day Symposium Jan. 16 to Focus on Local, Global Challenges of Sustainability

PHILADELPHIA -- University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann will moderate a panel of scholars from across the University as they discuss a sustainable environment as part of Penn’s annual Founder’s Day Symposium, 3-5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 16.Gutmann was the first Ivy League president to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging that Penn will significantly reduce emissions that contribute to global warming.

University of Pennsylvania, Tsinghua University to Expand Academic, Research Collaborations

BEIJING -- The University of Pennsylvania and Tsinghua University today announced an agreement to expand and enhance their ongoing academic and research collaborations, including developing a conference on undergraduate education to discuss best practices and skills development and identifying a major research collaboration spearheaded by Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Transplant House will reduce burden on patients, families

The process of waiting months or years for a matching organ can take an emotional, physical and financial toll on transplant patients, and their families. Patients who are sick for years can grow weak and become unable to work. Families or spouses may have to act as both financial supporter and caretaker. And patients not lucky enough to live near a transplant hospital must bear the additional burden of regular travel and finding affordable hotel accommodations.