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Coronavirus

A lesson in grit from Angela Duckworth
angela duckworth in huntsman hall Angela Duckworth has been studying grit for 15 years, including as part of her doctoral work at Penn. In each class session of her new course on the subject, running for just the second time this semester, students experience an interactive section, a lecture, and a conversation with a gritty person, including Penn President Amy Gutmann, retired Yankee Alex Rodriguez, and celebrity chef David Chang, among others.

A lesson in grit from Angela Duckworth

Her new Grit Lab course, part of the Paideia Program, teaches Penn undergrads how to develop more passion and perseverance for long-term goals.

Michele W. Berger

Pfizer’s early data shows vaccine is more than 90% effective

Pfizer’s early data shows vaccine is more than 90% effective

Paul Offit of the Perelman School of Medicine said it bodes well for other trials that Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine trial is progressing quickly. “If there’s any silver lining in the fact that our country is currently on fire with this virus, it’s that these trials can reach a conclusion much quicker than otherwise,” he said.

Law students spearhead pro bono projects for pandemic relief
Selfie of a person wearing a face mask holding up a box of vegan pastries in their bakery

Meagan Benz, owner of the Crust Vegan Bakery and recipient of funding from the Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund. (Image: Penn Law)

Law students spearhead pro bono projects for pandemic relief

From connecting small businesses with loans to helping Philadelphians navigate unemployment and housing insecurity, students at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School are working to get people the help they need.

From Penn Carey Law

Inside the pandemic’s health provider financial crisis
Health care personnel in full PPE rubbing their gloved hands.

Inside the pandemic’s health provider financial crisis

In an LDI virtual seminar, experts from top hospital, health center, and primary care positions detailed the fiscal disruption and uncertain future created by the COVID crisis.

Hoag Levins

The sociology and science of genomes and biomes
Microscopic rendering of the human microbiome, genetic material of all the microbes that live on and inside the human body.

The sociology and science of genomes and biomes

Rebecca Mueller studies how infectious microbes like the coronavirus can affect communities of people with genetic vulnerabilities.

From Omnia

Artificial intelligence and COVID-19: Can the machines save us?

Artificial intelligence and COVID-19: Can the machines save us?

Jason Moore of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about how AI and machine learning are aiding the fight against COVID-19, but also warned, “If you’re only studying primarily Caucasian populations and want to apply that nationally, that may not work as well on a more diverse population. AI algorithms themselves can be biased and can pick and inflate biases in the data. Those are the things I worry about,” he said.

The role of data in a world reshaped by COVID-19
people six feet apart in a park

The role of data in a world reshaped by COVID-19

Experts across Penn share their insights on how data and data science affect their fields in the context of an ongoing pandemic.

Katherine Unger Baillie, Michele W. Berger, Erica K. Brockmeier

Direct-to-consumer COVID-19 testing
Rubber gloved-hand reaching through a hole in a wall holding a home COVID test.

Direct-to-consumer COVID-19 testing

Concerns over direct-to-consumer COVID-19 tests may override the benefits, with issues of safety, efficacy, and ethics in question.

From Penn LDI