School of Arts & Sciences

Five events to watch for in January

Winter welcomes a slew of new performances, lectures, and exhibits to Penn's campus, including the opening of the Arthur Ross Gallery’s latest exhibit, a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., and a walk for wellness.

Brendan O'Leary standing with hands in pockets.

Brendan O’Leary: Whatever you say, say everything

The political science professor’s career, from aiding in the negotiating of peace in Northern Ireland to advising the Prime Minister of Kurdistan, has been guided by a simple principle: Say exactly what you mean.

Alice Paul and the ERA

After almost a hundred years, the Equal Rights Amendment may finally be ratified as an amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Mary Frances Berry, Kathleen M. Brown and Maria Murphy discuss what ratification could mean.

Iranian commander killed—five things to know

A United States drone struck and killed a powerful Iranian military commander at an Iraqi airport, bringing vows of retribution from Iran and threatening to plunge the region into chaos. An expert on Iran shares her thoughts on the attack.

Microscopic image of ice with hexagonal linked shapes

A close look at thin ice

A pairing of theory and experiment led to discovering atomic-scale details of the growth of ice on surfaces, which can inform the design of materials that make ice removal simple and cheaper.

vintage photo of the facade of the David Rittenhouse Laboratory, two people seated on low wall in front of building.

Space, time, and laboratories: The long history of David Rittenhouse Lab

The 65-year-old building has housed the Math, Physics, and Astronomy departments, and was constructed in an era when government partnered with higher ed to invest in its facilities.

Diving into code to illuminate the history of computing

Stephanie Dick delves deep into the practice of computer programming and design to shed light on different communities’ attempts to automate reason, knowledge, and proof.

drone shot of Martyr square, showing the Lebanese flag in foreground along with Mohammad Al Amine Mosque and st. George Church in the background, during the Lebanese revolution

A global take on Lebanon protests

Hundreds of thousands of protesters have poured into the streets of Lebanon. Penn Today speaks to two experts on Lebanon to find out why.

a series of three abstract and disordered patterns made of different geometric shapes

Researchers use a material’s ‘memory’ to encode unique physical properties

A new study shows that, as materials age, they “remember” prior stresses and external forces, which scientists and engineers can then use to create new materials with unique properties.

In memoriam: Penn remembers those who passed in 2019

Penn professors and faculty reflect on the giants in art, academia, and beyond who left us this year.

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