The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has appointed Victoria L. Rich chief nursing officer. Rich comes from University Community Hospital in Tampa, Fla., where she oversaw the pharmacy, laboratory, neurodiagnostics, emergency services and nursing unit. As a noted expert on patient safety, Rich will help HUP develop procedures to further clinical accuracy, professional responsiveness and compassion in all aspects of hospital service.
Susan Fuhrman has been reappointed dean of the Graduate School of Education. During her six years in the office, the school has expanded its international efforts, established a five-year cycle of self-study and curriculum review, launched an executive education program and climbed to the eighth position, from 20, in the 2001 U.S. News & World Report annual rankings.
Associate Professor of Legal Studies Phil Nichols is the new faculty director of College Houses. He steps in to fill the post left behind by the visionary David B. Brownlee. As the Faculty Master of Stouffer College House, Nichols is reputed for his open door policy with residents and his personal columns in the “Stouffersphere,” the House newsletter.
Titus D. Hewryk, previously University architect, is now associate vice president for planning.
Charles Newman, previously director of Facilities Services, steps in as interim University architect.
Joan Rose is now assistant dean for Public Relations and Communications at the Law School. Rose, who formerly served as vice president and account supervisor for Earle Palmer Brown, will work closely with News Officer Jeanne Leong in University Communications.
The Polyhedral Structures Laboratory is housed at the Pennovation Center and brings together designers, engineers, and computer scientists to reimagine the built world. Using graphic statics, a method where forces are mapped as lines, they design forms that balance compression and tension. These result in structures that use far fewer materials while remaining strong and efficient.
From ancient tombs and tiny robots to personalized gene editing and AI weather models, Penn’s 2025 research portfolio showed how curiosity—paired with collaboration—moves knowledge into impact and stretches across disciplines and continents.
Centering joy in AI development and implementation
PIK Professor Desmond Upton Patton—of Annenberg and SP2—and collaborators introduce a joy-informed framework designed to initiate conversations among engineers, designers, and researchers.
Reflecting on Jane Austen, 250 years after her birth
English professors Michael Gamer and Barri Joyce Gold have been teaching courses specifically dedicated to Jane Austen for years. They spoke with Penn Today about their approach to teaching her novels, how they challenge common readings and myths, and what makes Austen’s work so enduring—and adaptable to the screen—more than two centuries later.
Electronic medical records help save lives of HIV patients
Wharton’s Leandro “Leo” Pongeluppe and colleagues found that HIV clinics in Malawi that switched from paper to electronic medical records saw an estimated 28% reduction in deaths in five years.
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has appointed Victoria L. Rich chief nursing officer. Rich comes from University Community Hospital in Tampa, Fla., where she oversaw the pharmacy, laboratory, neurodiagnostics, emergency services and nursing unit. As a noted expert on patient safety, Rich will help HUP develop procedures to further clinical accuracy, professional responsiveness and compassion in all aspects of hospital service.
