“Dean Bachman has led SP2 through a period of remarkable growth, innovation, and resilience,” says Jameson. “Over the past six years, she has demonstrated calm, principled, and effective leadership. Her steady presence has not only sustained the SP2 community but has also enriched it intellectually and programmatically, all while remaining deeply committed to academic excellence and the social good.”
Following the process outlined in the Faculty Handbook, a Consultative Review Committee conducted a comprehensive evaluation of major accomplishments of Dean Bachman’s first term, along with an assessment of the new challenges and strategic opportunities that may face the School during the next five years, especially in support of the objectives articulated in the University’s strategic framework, In Principle and Practice.
“Provost Jackson and I are delighted that Dean Bachman will continue her steady leadership of Penn SP2,” Jameson says. “The consultative committee unanimously supported her reappointment, highlighting her many accomplishments advancing the work of SP2.”
The Committee charged with assessing Bachman’s tenure as dean was united in its praise of her work, acknowledging that under Bachman’s leadership, SP2 has seen significant progress in academic innovation and faculty and staff development, citing specific accomplishments including:
Doubled its sponsored research revenue
Reduced tuition dependency
Advanced academic excellence and expanded its faculty, including its first Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) faculty appointment
“Dean Bachman’s many accomplishments underscore the positive effects of her approachable and inclusive leadership style,” says Jackson. “She works to foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and care among staff, students, and faculty. SP2’s newly launched and first-of-its-kind Practice Doctorate in Nonprofit Administration, a school-wide effort, is one of many tangible examples of how her leadership helps to facilitate ambitious and mission-critical initiatives.”
The Committee included six faculty members, two students, and one alumnus. Together, they interviewed the dean, held numerous meetings with SP2 faculty, staff, and students, solicited confidential feedback, and reviewed internal data and reports detailing work from across the School.
At its next meeting, the Board of Trustees will receive a resolution to reappoint Bachman.
Novel plant-based approach to a better, cheaper GLP-1 delivery system
Research led by Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell investigates the use of a lettuce-based, plant-encapsulated delivery platform as a new oral delivery of two GLP-1 drugs previously approved by the FDA in injectable form.
No brain, no gain: Neuronal activity enhances benefits of exercise
Research led by Penn neuroscientist J. Nicholas Betley and collaborators finds that hypothalamic neurons are essential for translating physical exertion into endurance, potentially opening the door to exercise-mimicking therapies.
In honor of Valentine's Day, and as a way of fostering community in her Shakespeare in Love course, Becky Friedman took her students to the University Club for lunch one class period. They talked about the movie "Shakespeare in Love," as part of a broader conversation on how Shakespeare's works are adapted.
In Becky Friedman’s English course Shakespeare in Love, undergraduate students analyze language, genre, and adaptation in the Bard’s plays through the lens of love.
Beating the heat: Designing cooling for bodies in motion
Dorit Aviv, director of Weitzman’s Thermal Architecture Lab, studies how humans, technology, and design intersect, paving the way for the development of novel approaches to cooling people efficiently.
