“Determination” is one of many motivational phrases used to encourage people to take the stairwell as part of the StairWELL UPenn campaign. (Photo: Danielle Cavalcanto)
Using stairwells for wellness
StairWELL, a Penn Sustainability Green Fund project, completed a yearlong pilot project last July that aimed to test how effective a stairwell makeover could be in increasing physical activity and reducing energy costs.
Susan Radov, an undergraduate cultural anthropology student, leads a tour of the China Gallery at Penn Museum.
A tour of the ancient world—in Mandarin
The Penn Museum offers tours of its exhibits in Mandarin, increasing cross-cultural access to its invaluable assemblage of objects on display, the only known museum in Philadelphia with regularly scheduled tours in the language.
Amrou Ibrahim, assistive technology specialist at the Student Disabilities Services Office, uses a camera-equipped tablet to zoom in on a book.
How technology is making education more accessible
Text-to-speech technology, smart pens, and smart glasses are just some of the assistive technologies that the Office of Student Disabilities Services employ on campus to meet all students’ needs in their learning environments.
The Hamamelis × intermedia variety of witchhazels, also known as Rubin. (Photo courtesy: Morris Arboretum)
The flower that blooms in the winter
The witchhazel is a species of flower that blooms in cold temperatures and lives around campus, and in abundance at the Morris Arboretum. The Arboretum’s Anthony Aiello talks the ins and outs of the strange species.
A demonstration of the lion dance, frequently part of Lunar New Year celebrations and a Chinese tradition that ushers in good luck. (Photo courtesy: International House Philadelphia)
Five events to watch for in February
Happening around campus and beyond this February: the annual Lunar New Year celebration at International House, a thought-provoking new speaker series on the future of religion, and an innovative story slam by nurses.
Cold months come with fiery foods—but is that heat good for you? Penn’s Paul Rozin and Nitin Ahuja, along with a registered dietician, chime in to explore its effects on mind and body.
The language of climate change—and the Anthropocene
Hanna E. Morris, a doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication who researches environmental communication, explains the sudden rise of ‘Anthropocene’ as the latest buzzword in the climate dialogue.
Capping a 16-month project funded by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, WXPN will debut a four-part radio documentary on Feb. 4, sharing the stories of the early beginnings and influence of gospel music.
Adjunct Professor Robert Berry, left, and Assistant Professor of English Jean-Christophe Cloutier, who teach the undergraduate course Making Comics, enjoy two comics that are part of Van Pelt-Dietrich's collection, available to students, faculty, and staff.
Through comics, profs draw path to visual literacy
In Making Comics, an English course for undergraduates, students learn the theory of comic books while working with others to make them—all in the name of visual literacy.
The Benjamin Franklin statue outside of College Hall.
The science behind Facebook’s viral #10YearChallenge
Jonah Berger, an associate professor of marketing at The Wharton School, and author of ‘Contagious: Why Things Catch On,’ discusses why people are suddenly eager to talk aging on social media.
Susan Radov, an undergraduate cultural anthropology student, leads a tour of the China Gallery at Penn Museum.
Amrou Ibrahim, assistive technology specialist at the Student Disabilities Services Office, uses a camera-equipped tablet to zoom in on a book.
Adjunct Professor Robert Berry, left, and Assistant Professor of English Jean-Christophe Cloutier, who teach the undergraduate course Making Comics, enjoy two comics that are part of Van Pelt-Dietrich's collection, available to students, faculty, and staff.
The Benjamin Franklin statue outside of College Hall.