Consulting for a more sustainable future in Philadelphia and beyond
The undergraduate and graduate students involved in Penn Sustainability Consulting provide pro bono services to business, nonprofit, and government clients around the globe.
Penn researchers identified two competing visions of nonprofit news, a restorationist vision and a transformational vision, and calculated the cost of implementing each vision.
The new book “Side Effects: The Social Ecology of Adverse Drug Reactions,” by sociologist Jason Schnittker and former Ph.D. student Duy Do, makes the case that side effects are a product of social, cultural, and institutional forces.
The grass beneath the American dream: Exploring the many facets of lawns
Jay Kirk’s Xfic Nonfiction Workshop this past semester focused on the American lawn—which students approached through the lenses of environmental studies, history, gender and media, veterinary medicine, and more.
Student filmmakers Harper Prentice and Hosaena Tilahun interviewed Alisha Davis, a former history teacher who has served as the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Hyperlocal Heritage archivist since August 2025. As part of America 250, Davis has been surveying collections held at Parkway Central Library and identifying archival materials for digitization, use in programming, and preservation.
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Penn filmmaking class shares the stories of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods
Graduate and undergraduate students in Alissa Jordan’s course partnered with community organizations to create five short films that touch on education, archiving, and grassroots organizing in Germantown, Northeast Philadelphia, and West Philadelphia.
Celebrating Penn’s 270th Commencement at a historic moment
Reflecting on the 250th anniversary of the United States, speakers invoked American traditions and provided guidance on building a meaningful life in a fast-changing world. Graduates, cheered on by family and friends, celebrated their part in Penn’s storied history.
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.
Margaret Zhu and the Serpent Robotics team fine-tuning their robot at Tangen Hall.
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A robotic solution for safer tree trimming
Margaret Zhu and the Serpent Robotics team have leveraged Penn resources to create a tree-cutting robot, improving safety in a dangerous industry. The President’s Innovation Prize allows Zhu to iterate and pilot the device over the next year.
Tips for a greener, cleaner, and easier Move-Out experience
Working with community partners, Penn offices offer options for off-campus pickups, on-campus donations, and additional curbside trash pickup days aimed at keeping the neighborhood clean and limiting what ends up in the landfill.
