School of Arts & Sciences

An old and large book upside down on a table, being held by two sets of hands, one gloved, the other not. There are boxes and other materials all around.

Keepers of the cultural memory

In wartime, saving human lives is a top priority. But secondary considerations often include preserving the cultural heritage also under siege. Penn experts offer their thoughts as the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold.

a close up of a needle etching stars into a blue membrane with a Z down the middle

Researchers find topological phenomena at high technologically relevant frequencies

A collaborative new study led by researchers in the School of Arts & Sciences demonstrates topological control capabilities in an acoustic system, with implications for applications such as 5G communications and quantum information processing.

Five people stand in a group smiling outside.

Seeking justice, support for incarcerated Pennsylvanians

As winners of the 2021 President’s Engagement Prize, Carson Eckhard, Natalia Rommen, and Sarah Simon provide hope for wrongfully convicted people and a roadmap for inmates set for release.

Person standing in front of a sphinx in a museum

Christopher Woods on his first year as director of the Penn Museum

Penn Museum Director Christopher Woods leads the massive transformation of the 135-year-old institution’s building while reevaluating the collection, expanding the staff and community engagement, and addressing sensitive issues through new policies.

Five Penn students are 2022 Goldwater Scholars

Five juniors have received 2022 Goldwater Scholarships to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. Penn's newest Goldwater Scholars are Joshua Chen, Allison Chou, Shriya Karam, Laila Barakat Norford, and Andrew Sontag.

two people sitting in chairs on stage talking

Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka on art and culture

Wole Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, spoke as the inaugural guest for the Distinguished Lecture in African Studies.

A tall clear glass of water filled almost to the top on a dark-colored countertop. Nature is obvious but blurred in the background.

Well water, lead, and the link to juvenile delinquency

Research from Penn and other universities found that, compared to children with municipal water, those relying on private wells in the U.S. had a 21% higher risk of being reported for any delinquency and a 38% increased risk of being reported for serious delinquency after age 14.

Sam Finkelman helps a Ukrainian woman out of a van onto the street in Hungary

Ph.D. candidate’s initiative brings refugees out of Ukraine and supplies in

When Sam Finkelman’s yearlong research trip to Russia, Hungary, and Ukraine was interrupted by war, he went into action.

Two men sit on a stage in front of a crowd. A screen in the back says, "Text SASEVENTS to 2233 to submit questions"

Dean’s Forum with filmmaker Jon Chu

Chu joined David Eng of the School of Arts & Sciences in the 2022 Stephen A. Levin Family Dean’s Forum to discuss art and the power of representation.

Red carpet with people mingling in front of a gold statue

Oscars 2022, predicted

Penn Cinema and Media Studies and Theatre Arts faculty make their predictions about this year’s Oscar winners—organized by category.

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