Contest fosters local solutions to global sustainability challenges Rising senior Richard Ling started a nonprofit, Collective Cause, and through that, ran a competition called Sustainable Solutions. The goal was to encourage high school and college students to brainstorm local solutions to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Contest fosters local solutions to global sustainability challenges SoleProvider won the Sustainable Solutions competition created by rising senior Richard Ling. The automated texting system offers Philadelphia’s homeless a simple way to request a particular need and for users to fulfill it.
Looking at the invisible minority Looking at the invisible minority In a new book, English Professor David L. Eng and psychotherapist Shinhee Han illuminate the lives and struggles of Asian-American students over a 20-year period.
Revealing ‘hidden’ phases of matter through the power of light A new study reveals a “hidden” phase of strontium titanate. On the left, extremely fast pulses of light excites atoms within the crystal structure (red arrows), which shifts the material into a new, ferroelectric phase. Vibrations of other atoms then work to stabilize the hidden phase (right panels). (Image: Felice Macera) Revealing ‘hidden’ phases of matter through the power of light New research shows how materials can be imbued with new chemical properties using a solid phase transition method that relies on extremely fast pulses of light.
One hour, one painting: A Barnes visit reveals clues about how the brain processes visual cues Penn neuroscientist Zab Johnson (standing, second from right) led an exercise during which the mindCORE students studied a single painting for an hour. The idea, she explains, is to “slow down and really take a good look.” One hour, one painting: A Barnes visit reveals clues about how the brain processes visual cues The exercise is one part of a two-week mindCORE summer workshop aimed at underrepresented undergrads across the country. This year’s program focused on language science and technology, and minds in the world.
You can’t hurt a poem, and other lessons from Charles Bernstein Now and then: Charles Bernstein, Donald T. Regan Professor of English and Comparative Literature (Photo: Omnia Magazine) You can’t hurt a poem, and other lessons from Charles Bernstein The award-winning poet writer of libretti, translator, and archivist looks back on his career.
Mathematicians help train the next generation of positive thinkers Mathematicians help train the next generation of positive thinkers A trio of researchers paves the way for future progress in an up-and-coming field that unites geometry and number theory in powerful new ways.
30 years after Tiananmen Square, a changed China largely ignores the milestone Hong Kong residents gathered in Stanley Park for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the crackdown. Q&A 30 years after Tiananmen Square, a changed China largely ignores the milestone Political scientist Avery Goldstein discusses the mood in Beijing this week, and how the regime has suppressed the history of the crackdown.
Community outreach inspires interest in STEM for kids Younger students learned how scientists use color to study chemical solutions, such as using red cabbage to find out if something is an acid or a base. Community outreach inspires interest in STEM for kids Graduate students and postdocs led an afternoon of hands-on science activities and fun for students grades 3-8 in the hallways and labs of Penn Chemistry.
Why are so many women still dying from childbirth? The U.S. now has the worst maternal mortality rate among all developed countries, and is rising. Why are so many women still dying from childbirth? Experts from Penn discuss the role that social determinants, socioeconomics, and racism play, and how the University is addressing the maternal mortality crisis head on.
Stories of Penn scientists: David Rittenhouse Stories of Penn scientists: David Rittenhouse In celebration of the 250th anniversary of his observations of the 1769 transit of Venus, a glimpse into the story of the man whose name became synonymous with astronomy and mathematics.