Penn experts share wide-ranging knowledge, make sense of crisis
In a time when the news can certainly overwhelm, Penn experts lend an experienced hand to the coronavirus conversation.
As coronavirus sweeps the nation and globe, society is met with unfaulty confusion. Indeed, what has been happening—especially Penn’s own shift to remote learning and teaching—is truly unprecedented.
At the University, researchers and faculty members have been actively trying to make sense of such an extraordinary time, and as they so often do, have been sharing their expertise with the world at large.
Carolyn Cannuscio, the director of research at Penn’s Center for Public Health Initiatives, has discussed the dos and don’ts of social distancing with the Atlantic; Peter Conti-Brown, an associate professor at Wharton, talked about the Fed’s role in all of this with the Washington Post, and Harvey Rubin of the Perelman School of Medicine showcased in KYW Newsradio how coronavirus differs from the flu.
From the School of Nursing to the Graduate School of Education, to the University’s own Office of Information Security, all of Penn’s schools and centers are not only adapting to big changes internally but also ensuring they are at the forefront of the coronavirus conversation—for the betterment of society. The Penn community, unsurprisingly, is getting creative in these efforts too—Wharton even launched a remote course on the impact and implications of COVID-19.
In a time when the news can certainly overwhelm, Penn experts lend a knowledgeable hand to the conversation. That’s what the institution is known for. As Penn President Amy Gutmann noted in a message across campus earlier this week: “This is a generation-defining moment. And like every such moment that has gone before, it is not only the crisis itself but also how we respond that matters most.”
As the University grows its extensive coronavirus-related researcher and expert content, Penn Today will be tagging a curated list of stories and media hits. To find a sampling of campus-wide stories, visit penntoday.upenn.edu/subtopic/coronavirus-research. For additional coronavirus news and announcements from the University, visit coronavirus.upenn.edu.
In Senegal, the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life. With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises, Ph.D. candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar, that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt.
From a desert to an oasis: Penn engages in ambitious greening effort in the Sahel
Students from the Weitzman School of Design journeyed to Senegal to help with a massive ecological and infrastructural greening effort as part of their coursework. The Dakar Greenbelt aims to combat desertification and promote sustainable urban growth.
As part of an undergraduate course, Penn faculty and students curated an Arthur Ross Gallery exhibition of works from the Neumann family’s extensive collection of modern and contemporary art.
The University’s nexus for technology transfer supports researchers in their innovative efforts, from CAR T to mRNA advancements that have dramatically reshaped the world.
