School of Arts & Sciences

Smiling person sites on high ledge overlooking a coastal city

Examining health inequities with a global lens

Rising senior Adriana Discher examined public health measures and disparities in four countries—three in person and one virtually—during a semester abroad program this spring.

Reality replaces virtual reality

What was supposed to be a cinema and media studies course to create virtual reality films on the Philadelphia Museum of Art collections became individual films by the students about the realities and connections to the pieces they researched.

A crowd of people wearing masks march in the streets, one protester holds a sign reading "Justice for George Floyd."

Q&A

Can widespread protests bring lasting change?

Amidst the current protests decrying the killings of Black people by police and demand for reforms, Penn Today speaks to political scientist Daniel Gillion about his new book, “The Loud Minority: Why Protests Matter in American Democracy.”

Close-up images of three people. On the left is journalist Larry King, wearing a black shirt, a red tie and red suspenders. In the center is James Pawelski, a Penn researcher, wearing a blue blazer and blue shirt. On the right is actor Kevin Bacon, weather a blue and black button down shirt.

Talking positive psychology and COVID-19 with Larry King

In a free video series co-hosted by James Pawelski, King interviews researchers about coping during the pandemic. In a June 11 event, they’ll speak with actor Kevin Bacon about philanthropy, arts and culture’s role in well-being, and the importance of open dialogue.

portrait of woman with cropped hair and glasses

Historian Mary Frances Berry responds to the George Floyd protests

The professor of history and Africana studies speaks with Penn Today about protesting injustice, pushing for change, and the history of African American civil rights.

Sixteen Penn students and recent graduates awarded 2020-21 Fulbright Scholarships

Sixteen Penn students and recent graduates have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships for the 2020-21 academic year to conduct research or teach English in countries around the world. The list includes nine undergraduates and one graduate student in the Class of 2020.

Ahmad Almallah stands in a bookstore holding a book.

On identity and poetic form: Ahmad Almallah’s ‘Bitter English’

Ahmad Almallah, a lecturer in English and Arabics, took over five years to write his debut poetry collection. But in many ways, the book is the result of a decades-long journey.

Chris Satullo, Lia Howard, and Surayya Walters in class.

Cultivating robust civil dialogue during times of unrest

Through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Paideia Program, Penn students are learning how to reflect on and engage with subjects like the coronavirus pandemic and the criminal justice system.

Scholarship through the lens of an iconic media brand

A new Annenberg course centered around HBO offered undergrads hands-on exposure to media production and a chance to hone their analytical skills using primary source materials.

protective face mask colored to look like an american flag

Politics, pandemics, and protests

Exactly how the coronavirus pandemic, the current unrest, and the nation’s economic woes will affect November’s presidential election is unclear, but voter turnout will be key, according to two political experts.

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