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Through Penn First Plus, students unlock potential and purpose
Marc Lo (left) and Enmanuel Martínez (center) speaking with Mayokun Omitogun (right)

Marc Lo (left) and Enmanuel Martínez (center) speaking with Mayokun Omitogun (right)

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Through Penn First Plus, students unlock potential and purpose

Providing first-generation and limited-income students with a comprehensive array of support, Penn First Plus equips undergraduates for success during and after their time at Penn.

5 min. read

Can tiny ocean organisms offer the key to better climate modeling?
Researcher Xin Sun injects substance into glass vials.

Xin Sun prepares samples collected from the Eastern Tropical North Pacific aboard a research vessel. By adding stable isotope tracers to these vials, Sun and her team can track how different microbial groups convert nitrogen compounds into nitrous oxide, revealing how subtle shifts in oxygen and organic matter change the ocean’s chemistry.

 
 

(Image: Courtesy of Xin Sun)

Can tiny ocean organisms offer the key to better climate modeling?

In the shadowy layers of the Pacific, microbes decide how much nitrous oxide—a potent greenhouse gas—rises skyward. New research from Penn’s Xin Sun offers an improved understanding of microbial ecology and geochemistry—key to forecasting global emissions in response to natural and man-made climate change.

3 min. read

Street lighting and public safety
People dining on a well-lit Philly sidewalk at night.

Image: benedek via Getty Images

Street lighting and public safety

Criminology researchers Aaron Chalfin and John MacDonald, and data scientist Brian Wade of Penn’s Crime and Justice Policy Lab, evaluate the effect of improved street lighting on crime rates.

Blake Cole

2 min. read

History professor Marcy Norton awarded

History professor Marcy Norton awarded

Marcy Norton, professor of history in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences, has received three awards for her new book, “The Tame and the Wild”: the Friedrich Katz Prize from the American Historical Association, the Elinor Melville Prize (biennial) from the Conference on Latin American History, and the María Elena Martínez Prize from the Conference on Latin American History.

Herinah Asaah is empowered to uplift and driven to change
Herinah Asaah

Class of 2026 undergraduate Herinah Asaah.

(Image: Courtesy of Inspiring Impact)

Herinah Asaah is empowered to uplift and driven to change

With support from Penn’s community and donors, Penn undergraduate Herinah Asaah is working toward a future in education equity and human rights.

From Penn Inspiring Impact

2 min. read

What to expect from the next Japanese prime minister
Sanae Takaichi, wearing a blue suit, stands in a crowd of seated Japanese legislators.

Sanae Takaichi (center) was chosen as the new leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party during recent leadership elections.

(Image: Kyodo News via AP Images)

  • Q&A

    • What to expect from the next Japanese prime minister

    Penn political scientist Daniel Smith discusses this week’s Japanese prime minister election and the possible selection of a staunch conservative as the new premier.

    3 min. read

    Two Penn faculty elected American Physical Society Fellows
    Ritesh Agarwal and Doug Jerolmack.

    Ritesh Agarwal (left), Srinivasa Ramanujan Distinguished Scholar in Materials Science and Engineering, and Douglas Jerolmack, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Term Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and professor of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics.

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    Two Penn faculty elected American Physical Society Fellows

    Ritesh Agarwal of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Douglas Jerolmack of the School of Arts & Sciences and Penn Engineering have been elected by their peers in recognition of their contributions to the field.

    2 min. read

    Fueling growth locally, together
    Local businesses and Penn suppliers promote their products and services during the expo portion of the Penn Local Business Exchange.

    Local businesses and Penn suppliers promote their products and services during the expo portion of the Penn Local Business Exchange.

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    Fueling growth locally, together

    The eighth annual Penn Local Business Exchange brought together entrepreneurs, city officials, and University buyers to swap insights and build relationships.

    4 min. read

    Taylor Swift, storytelling, and climate communication
    A Taylor Swift fan with friendship bracelets makes a heart sign with their hands.

    As part of Climate Week at Penn, leading expert on climate solutions and clean energy Joseph Romm will lead a workshop titled “Communication is a Climate Solution: How Taylor Swift can Level Up Your Storytelling.”

    (Image: Rebecca Blackwell via AP Images)

    Taylor Swift, storytelling, and climate communication

    Clean energy expert and senior research fellow at Penn Joseph Romm says that Taylor Swift’s lyrics offer storytelling techniques that can be applied for impact-driven climate communications.

    3 min. read