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Scientists unlock frogs’ antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs
An illustration of a frog.

The researchers theorized that frogs must have developed antibiotics to survive in their challenging environment.

(Image: Jianing “Jenny” Bai)

Scientists unlock frogs’ antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs

The lab of César de la Fuente has created synthetic peptides, a class of antibiotics, derived from the secretions of a frog commonly found in South Asia.

Ian Scheffler

2 min. read

Penn Electric Racing’s latest racecar
Students gather on College Green, in front of Benjamin Franklin statue, to unveil an electric racecar.

On March 28, Penn Electric Racing unveiled their 2025 vehicle, REVX, during a launch ceremony on College Green. This marks the team’s 10th custom-designed car since its founding in 2013 and its most sophisticated to date.

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Penn Electric Racing’s latest racecar

Penn Electric Racing, the student-led Formula Society of Automotive Engineers electric team, debuted its latest electric race car, REVX, on College Green on March 28. This marks the team's 10th custom-designed car since its founding in 2013 and its most sophisticated to date.

3 min. read

AI Across Disciplines event highlights the power of ‘breadth and connectivity’ at universities
AI Across Disciplines panelists on stage engaged in conversation.

From left: Bhuvnesh Jain, Marylyn Ritchie, Dawn Bonnell, René Vidal, Duncan Watts, and Lynn Wu. 

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AI Across Disciplines event highlights the power of ‘breadth and connectivity’ at universities

At a cross-disciplinary gathering at Amy Gutmann Hall, the Penn community celebrated the launch of the Penn AI Initiative with a panel discussing AI research at Penn—and writ large.

5 min. read

AI Month at Penn
Buildings on Penn's campus and a banner that reads 'Penn Engineering.'

Penn Engineering will host the second annual AI Month from April 1 to May 1.


 

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AI Month at Penn

The School of Engineering and Applied Science is hosting 2025 AI Month at Penn, a monthlong series of events throughout April dedicated to the theme “AI and Human Well-Being.”

4 min. read

Five Penn third-year students are 2025 Goldwater Scholars
five student headshots and a Penn sheild

The Penn 2025 Goldwater Scholars are third-year students (left to right, top to bottom) Tristen Brisky, Caitlyn Chen, Kason Kunkelmann, Nayoon Justina Lee, and Colby Snyder.

(Images: Courtesy of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships)

Five Penn third-year students are 2025 Goldwater Scholars

Five Penn third-year students have received 2025 Goldwater Scholarships, awarded to those planning research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.

4 min. read

Baseball’s ‘magic mud’
A jar of Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud sits on a table beside a muddy, dirty baseball.

Lena Blackburne’s legendary baseball rubbing mud has been a game-day staple for nearly a century, helping Major League pitchers achieve a better grip. Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have scientifically confirmed its friction-enhancing properties, revealing its significance not just in baseball, but also in the broader field of materials science.

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Baseball’s ‘magic mud’

Douglas Jerolmack and Paulo Arratia led research that could someday crack the code of the mud smeared on baseballs for nearly a century that pitchers profess provides a perfect grip.

3 min. read

Five from Penn elected 2024 AAAS Fellows
Headshots of five Penn professors elected 2024 AAAS Fellows.

(Clockwise from bottom left) M. Susan Lindee, Marlyse Baptista, Jinbo Chen, George Cotsarelis, and Christopher B. Murray were elected 2024 AAAS Fellows. 

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Five from Penn elected 2024 AAAS Fellows

Professors from the School of Arts & Sciences, Perelman School of Medicine, and School of Engineering and Applied Science are among 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators being recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

4 min. read

Modeling careers in STEM
Allyson Mackey, Melissa Kelly, Ping Wang, and Vanessa Chan speaking to audience.

This year’s Women in STEM Symposium featured (left to right) Allyson Mackey of the School of Arts & Sciences, Melissa Kelly of Penn Center for Innovation, Ping Wang of the Perelman School of Medicine, and Vanessa Chan of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. 

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Modeling careers in STEM

At Penn’s annual Women in STEM Symposium, Vanessa Chan, Allyson Mackey, Ping Wang, and Melissa Kelly shared lessons from their experiences.

3 min. read

Evaluating large language models for cyberbullying behavior
A portrait of Helen Jin at Amy Gutmann Hall.

Helen Jin, a doctoral student at Penn Engineering, is project lead for the Brachio Lab’s AI cyberbullying capability case study.

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Evaluating large language models for cyberbullying behavior

In the Brachio Lab, doctoral students at Penn Engineering probe AI models for signs of cyberbullying capabilities. This emerging problem with the rise of AI may pose challenges in areas like business, education, and public health.

5 min. read

Flying high with the Penn Aerial Robotics club
A robotic aerial drone on Penn’s Locust Walk.

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Flying high with the Penn Aerial Robotics club

For more than a decade, Penn students have been building and competing with unmanned aerial vehicles. They unveil their latest creations, an autonomous drone-like tilt-rotor aircraft and a model plane, before they head to an international competition in Los Angeles this spring.

7 min. read