Laura W. Perna reappointed Vice Provost for Faculty
Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. has announced the reappointment of Laura Perna, the GSE Centennial Presidential Professor of Education, as Vice Provost for Faculty. “Laura Perna has been an invaluable leader in sustaining one of our most important commitments: supporting our great Penn faculty at every stage of their careers,” said Jackson. Perna is a global expert in college access, affordability, and success, especially for low-income, first-generation, and non-traditional students. Her frequently-cited research examines the ways in which social structures, educational practices, and public policies promote and limit college access and success, particularly for groups that continue to be underrepresented in higher education.
When the Schuylkill swallowed the city: Lessons from Hurricane Ida’s historic flood
New Penn research shows that Hurricane Ida wasn’t a once-in-a-century anomaly but a preview of how climate change, urbanization, and aging infrastructure are rewriting flood risk.
The Fed explained: What it does and why it matters
Former Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and financial historian Peter Conti-Brown, both Wharton professors, unpack the central bank’s origins, its unusual structure, and the quiet ways it shapes the economy
How population changes are impacting primary education worldwide
Research from Penn sociologist Emily Hannum and colleagues reveals regional trends in whether school-age populations are increasing, plateauing, or decreasing—and shows how different countries are responding.
A bioengineered bean gum from the lab of Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell is found to reduce the levels of three microbes associated with head and neck squamous cell cancer to almost zero, without affecting the beneficial bacteria normally found in the mouth.
Fighting oral cancer with bioengineered chewing gum
Research led by Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell shows that antiviral and antibacterial chewing gums reduce the levels of three microbes linked to worse outcomes in oral cancers, paving the way for more effective and affordable therapies.
