School of Engineering & Applied Science

A computer chip illuminated and elevated with the letters AI printed on it.

Rethinking the computer chip in the age of AI

A team of researchers from the School of Engineering and Applied Science has introduced a computing architecture ideal for AI using an approach known as compute-in-memory.

From Penn Engineering Today ・

A computer screen displays the brain activity of a man with electrodes on his head.

Defining neural ‘representation’

Neuroscientists frequently say that neural activity ‘represents’ certain phenomena, PIK Professor Konrad Kording and postdoc Ben Baker led a study that took a philosophical approach to tease out what the term means.

Marilyn Perkins

A person sticks a paper coffee cup inside some branches holding together the stickbot.

A robot made of sticks

Devin Carroll, a doctoral candidate in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is designing a modular robot called StickBot, which may be adapted for rehabilitation use in global public health settings.

Kristina García ・

A group of students working on a project at Cobbs Creek.

Bolstering environmental education in Cobbs Creek

Through a Projects for Progress award and other University support, students in West Philadelphia are gaining greater access to STEM learning resources at the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・

rows of posters on easels with groups of people around them in a historic hall

Undergraduate research on display

Showcasing undergraduate student research with Penn faculty, a record 361 posters were on display with students presenting their work at the Fall Research Expo sponsored by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships in Houston Hall.

Louisa Shepard ・

Book cover of Curious Minds: The Power of Connection by Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett along side image of the two scholars

Exploring what it means to be curious

In a new book “Curious Minds: The Power of Connection,” Penn’s Dani S. Bassett and twin sibling Perry Zurn weave together history, linguistics, network science, neuroscience, and philosophy to unpack the concept of curiosity.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・



In the News


Scientific American

Grumpy voters want better stories. Not statistics

In a Q&A, PIK Professor Duncan Watts says that U.S. voters ignored Democratic policy in favor of Republican storytelling.

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Interesting Engineering

Superhuman vision lets robots see through walls, smoke with new LiDAR-like eyes

Mingmin Zhao of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and colleagues are using radio signals to allow robots to “see” beyond traditional sensor limits.

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Technical.ly Philly

A sneak peek inside Penn Engineering’s new $137.5M mass timber building

Amy Gutmann Hall aims to be Philadelphia’s next big hub for AI and innovation while setting a new standard for architectural sustainability.

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6ABC.com

New building at University of Pennsylvania aims to become hub for AI research

Amy Gutmann Hall, set to open in early 2025, is dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence and data science. 

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Philadelphia Business Journal

First look: Inside Penn’s new Amy Gutmann Hall, the region's largest mass timber building

Amy Gutmann Hall will be a catalyst for groundbreaking artificial intelligence research and collaboration across disciplines, with remarks from Dean Vijay Kumar of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

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