Expert comment from the University of Pennsylvania Same-Sex Marriage in Vermont
Note for TV and radio: The University of Pennsylvania has a satellite uplink facility with live-shot capability and an ISDN line.
April 7, 2009
Expert: Tobias Barrington Wolff Professor of Law University of Pennsylvania Credentials: • Researches and teaches constitutional law, conflict of laws, sexuality and law • Author of the one of the lead amicus briefs before the Iowa Supreme Court, representing a coalition of civil rights groups
Quote: “Vermont was the first state to adopt civil unions as a separate form of relationship recognition for gay couples. With their vote in favor of full marriage equality, the Vermont legislature has now offered their judgment, after 10 years of experience, that civil unions do not constitute an adequate alternative. That judgment will likely have a major impact on the continuing deliberations in states like New Hampshire and New Jersey, which currently offer civil unions to same-sex couples but are considering full marriage equality, and New York, where the legislature is considering the enactment of a marriage equality bill that the governor has indicated he would sign, and every other state in which the issue of equal treatment for same-sex couples is under active discussion.”
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.
