The University of Pennsylvania has tapped Beth A. Winkelstein, the deputy provost and Eduardo D. Glandt President's Distinguished Professor, to lead the implementation effort for the Task Force on Antisemitism and the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community.
“Implementation efforts for the recommendations contained in the reports of the Task Force and Commission remain a top institutional priority. I know you share my urgency and clarity of purpose in combating antisemitism, stemming hate, and building community,” says Interim President J. Larry Jameson. “Beth is an exemplary University citizen with extensive institutional knowledge and proven ability to deliver on key initiatives. While Beth will guide these efforts, it will also require the energy and investment of the entire Penn community.”
As deputy provost, Winkelstein works closely with Provost John L. Jackson Jr. on undergraduate and graduate education at Penn, including College Houses & Academic Services, Penn First Plus, Penn Libraries, the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, the Center for Community Standards and Accountability, and the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Innovation. She has served as interim provost, vice provost for education, associate dean for undergraduate education in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, chair of the Graduate Group in Bioengineering, and a Penn Fellow, the cross-University program for select faculty members to develop leadership skills, build alliances across disciplines and gain deeper knowledge of University governance.
The author of “Orthopaedic Biomechanics,” Winkelstein has published more than 175 papers and book chapters. She served as editor of the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering from 2012 to 2020 and currently serves as chair of the Board of Editors of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and an Executive Committee member of the World Council on Biomechanics. She is a fellow and former member of the Board of Directors of the Biomedical Engineering Society and a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which has recognized her groundbreaking research with its Van C. Mow Medal and Y.C. Fung Young Investigator Award.
“Interim President Jameson and I are deeply grateful to Beth for her exceptional service in support of this critical work,” Jackson says. “We also want to thank every member of the Penn community who offered their support and guidance throughout the process of developing these recommendations—and who will join us in implementing them as we go forward together.”
“I’ve made it a mission of my work as an educator and administrator to build a campus that is welcoming for all students, faculty, and staff in and out of the classroom,” says Winkelstein. “I’m honored to be asked and trusted by Interim President Jameson to extend those efforts to help with this important initiative for our campus. I look forward to working with campus partners and beyond in order to help Penn be a leader in this space within higher education.”
