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Exploring sustainable development and the human impact of natural disasters
Chenyi Ma.

Chenyi Ma, a research assistant professor at Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice.

(Image: Courtesy of SP2 News)

Exploring sustainable development and the human impact of natural disasters

The School of Social Policy & Practice’s Chenyi Ma focuses on the social determinants of health and behavioral outcomes in disaster contexts, including public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the School of Social Policy & Practice

Investigating homelessness
Jennifer Egan and Dennis Culhane sit at a long green table in front of the windows at Kelly Writers House

Jennifer Egan (left) and Dennis Culhane (right) speaking at the Kelly Writers House.

(Image: Zoe Lachter)

Investigating homelessness

In a Kelly Writers House event, writer Jennifer Egan and social scientist Dennis Culhane discuss journalism and the homelessness crisis.

Kristina García

‘Can Technology Spark Joy and Imagination?’
A stage with three chairs, two tables, and a blank screen; Bauermeister and Patton look on as Cogburn speaks.

Bauermeister (left) and Patton (right) look on as Cogburn speaks at the recent lecture “Can Technology Spark Joy and Imagination?”

(Image: Michael Fisher)

‘Can Technology Spark Joy and Imagination?’

In the 2024 Albert M. Greenfield Memorial lecture hosted by Penn Nursing, Desmond Upton Patton and Courtney D. Cogburn discussed how social media and AI might foster well-being.

Kristina García

Challenging the boundaries of STEM
Cynthia Dahl, Pinar Yildirim, Della Jenkins, and Mecky Pohlschröder.

Cynthia Dahl of Penn Carey Law, Pinar Yildirim of the Wharton School, Della Jenkins of the School of Social Policy & Practice, and Mecky Pohlschröder of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke on a panel for the 2024 Women in STEM Symposium.

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Challenging the boundaries of STEM

Female faculty and staff from the School of Social Policy & Practice, the Wharton School, and Penn Carey Law shared how they integrate science, technology, engineering, and math into their work.
How guaranteed income affected a New Jersey city
Aerial view of Paterson, New Jersey.

Image: iStock/Ultima_Gaina

How guaranteed income affected a New Jersey city

Research from Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice finds a guaranteed income program in Paterson offers both financial relief for many participants and is a blueprint for future policy initiatives.

From the School of Social Policy & Practice

First-of-its-kind study analyzes digital mourning practices of gang-affiliated youth
A person resting their head on their folded arms holding a smartphone.

Image: iStock/Robin Gentry

First-of-its-kind study analyzes digital mourning practices of gang-affiliated youth

A study led by Desmond Patton utilizes social work, communications, and data science to explore how gang-affiliated Black youth use Twitter content, photos, and emojis to memorialize the deceased and navigate feelings of grief and loss.

From the School of Social Policy & Practice

Philanthropy and social change
Two women help a child balance building blocks

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) has a new toolkit for maximizing impact. This free, online resource, which is coupled with a free webinar on Jan. 25, contains strategies, exemplars, and curated resources for individuals and organizations alike.

(Image: ParentChild+)

Philanthropy and social change

With its free annual toolkit, the Center for High Impact Philanthropy helps donors create a bigger impact.

Kristina García

When young people seem to make threats on social media, do they mean it?
A distressed teen with a smartphone.

Image: iStock/dragana991

When young people seem to make threats on social media, do they mean it?

A new app from SAFELab helps teachers, police, and journalists interpret social media posts by BIPOC youth and understand which threats may be real.

From Annenberg School for Communication

Giving Tuesday
Volunteers organizing at a food drive

Giving Tuesday, now just 11 years old, was originally conceived in response to Black Friday as a tonic to consumerism, says Katherina “Kat” Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the School of Social Policy & Practice.

(Image: Joel Muniz on Unsplash)

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday, now just 11 years old, was originally conceived in response to Black Friday as a tonic to consumerism. Katherina “Kat” Rosqueta of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy discusses how the day is an opportunity to think about others.

Kristina García

Experts address ‘our changing environment’
water on flooded thailand road

A flooded rural road in Thailand following the rainstorm Tien Mu. (iStock/Weeraa)

Experts address ‘our changing environment’

Economist R. Jisung Park and political scientist Alice Xu address climate change in an event hosted by the School of Social Policy & Practice.

Kristina García