News Archives

Penn Historian Explores Early Native Americans

Jan. 31, 2002 -- "Facing East from Indian Country: A Native History of Early America," a newbook by University of Pennsylvania history professor Daniel K. Richter, rediscovers early America as Indian Country, one in which Native American experiences were at the core of the nation's birth and identity.For three centuries after Columbus, native people controlled most of eastern North America and shaped its destiny. Richter keeps native people center-stage throughout the story of the origins of the United States.

Little scholars from near and far

It took a community and the University to raise a neighborhood

Since the decision six years ago to commit millions of University dollars to help its neighborhood, and thereby the University, the neighborhood has indeed changed. Penn’s actions came from many directions at one time, not all of them orchestrated. “It was not constructed as a single master plan with a unilateral, programmed approach,” said Tom Lussenhop, managing director of institutional real estate.

The dream lives on

Martin Luther King Jr. had a vision of what he called “the beloved community”—a multiracial society committed to equality and social justice. Penn’s King commemoration, which continues through Feb. 1, embodies the spirit of that community through events that bring the entire campus together. Here’s what’s coming up:

News briefs

Midas sat here A trash pit uncovered in 1939 at Delphi held a statue that may be one of King Midas’ many treasures. Penn’s Keith DeVries believes the ivory statue of a lion tamer was part of the king’s gift to the god Apollo. King Midas ruled Phrygia, now Central Turkey, from at least 717 to 709 B.C. After sifting through archaeological finds and ancient written texts, DeVries, associate curator in the Mediterranean section of Penn’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, said the statue, long thought to be Grecian, is in fact Phrygian.

Protein fights nerve loss

A new research development holds promise that some day, people with Parkinson’s disease may be able to live free of its debilitating effects with help from a chaperone.

Do ads get teens to just say no?

This is your brain. This is your brain on anti-drug ads. Any questions? Yes. You in the back there. But do these anti-drug ads really work? “We do see that [the anti-drug ad campaign] has a positive effect on parents,” said Robert Hornik, professor of communication in the Annenberg School. “We don’t have any evidence that it’s affecting kids yet.”

Of mice, men and embryonic stem cells

Penn researchers may have found a way to untangle the mire which is the embryonic stem cell controversy. Professor of Animal Biology Hans R. Schöler and his team of researchers have identified a receptor, the germ cell nuclear factor or GCNF, that could lead to new ways of creating embryonic stem cells. Stem cells are valuable because they have the potential to form a number of different tissues and consequently be used to treat various conditions, such as generating new nerve cells for spinal cord injuries.

Courses for a better you

Human Resources is offering courses to help you be better at your job and courses for your well-being. Professional advice Need a guide to a strange new territory called management? HR’s Learning and Education department now offers one.

Turnaround: The neighborhood is looking good

In the mid-1990s, when urban problems were emerging in West Philadelphia, University President Judith Rodin (CW’66) took stock of the two places she loved—her hometown, West Philadelphia, and her alma mater, Penn—and bonded the two through an impressive set of initiatives. Now, six years after Penn refocused its attention on the neighborhood and four years after the official launch of the West Philadelphia Initiative, the Current takes a look at Penn’s investments and how the neighborhood has changed. The results cannot be missed.