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Math
Philip Gressman thinks mathematics can make for fairer elections
Philip Gressman thinks mathematics can make for fairer elections
The professor of mathematics wants to make elections fairer through the application of computational mathematics to redistricting maps.
Context-dependent behavior can make cooperation flourish
Context-dependent behavior can make cooperation flourish
Recent studies led by School of Arts & Sciences’ researchers show that changing social strategies between settings—for example, cooperating at home but not at work—can in fact lead to more cooperative behavior in a society.
Senior Erin Hayes named Gates Cambridge Scholar
Senior Erin Hayes named Gates Cambridge Scholar
Senior Erin Hayes, a Roy and Diana Vagelos Scholar in the Molecular Life Sciences, has been awarded a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of Cambridge in England.
Math education and engagement in West Philadelphia
Math education and engagement in West Philadelphia
This fall, students in Math 123 applied the skills they learned about math education and communication while working with 10th graders at Paul Robeson High School.
A ‘vibrant nexus’ for research and discovery in the physical sciences
A ‘vibrant nexus’ for research and discovery in the physical sciences
With the construction of a new Physical Sciences Building and updates to the David Rittenhouse Laboratory, Penn will create a modernized physical sciences quadrant that integrates state-of-the-art research in physics, mathematics, chemistry, and engineering.
New mathematical tools to study opinion dynamics
New mathematical tools to study opinion dynamics
Using a class of network structures known as discourse sheaves, researchers describe a new, flexible framework for studying how opinions change over social networks.
Understanding the pandemic classroom
Understanding the pandemic classroom
Penn professors join the “Understand This ...” podcast to talk about the fall 2021 return to the classroom, reflecting on what students and educators have experienced during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, while examining lessons from remote learning.
Two Churchill Scholars for Penn
Two Churchill Scholars for Penn
Adam Konkol and Abigail Timmel have each been awarded Churchill Scholarships for a year of graduate research study at the University of Cambridge in England. Konkol and Timmel are among only 16 who were selected nationwide.
The impact of providing hands-on, interactive projects
The impact of providing hands-on, interactive projects
With inventXYZ, President’s Innovation Prize winner Nikil Ragav has created a high-tech curriculum for high school to motivate future problem-solvers.
Five Penn faculty named 2021 Sloan Research Fellows
Five Penn faculty named 2021 Sloan Research Fellows
The fellowship recognizes extraordinary U.S. and Canadian researchers whose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of scientific leaders.
In the News
Quanta Magazine
Mathematicians prove 2D version of quantum gravity really works
Xin Sun of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about new research at the intersection of physics, philosophy, and math. “This is a masterpiece in mathematical physics,” he said.
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Quanta Magazine
How mathematicians use homology to make sense of topology
Robert Ghrist of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about homology, which uses algebra to identify holes in a particular topological shape. “There’s a real impetus to have methods that are robust and that are pulling out qualitative features,” he said.
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Wired
Why are lines at polling places so long? Math
Stephen Pettigrew of the School of Arts & Sciences explained why the voting process can take longer than expected. “The steps in the system in most states are: You have a check-in step where they verify your voter registration status, and then there’s the step of actually voting. Lines out the door can be a consequence of bottlenecks at any of those steps,” he said.
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The Chronicle of Higher Education
What COVID-19 computer models are telling colleges about the fall
Philip Gressman of the School of Arts & Sciences co-authored research that modeled how a large university might experience the effects of COVID-19 on campus.
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The New York Times
A bitter election. Accusations of fraud. And now second thoughts
The School of Arts & Sciences’ Dorothy Kronick and doctoral student Nicolás Idrobo helped conduct a statistical analysis of Bolivia’s contested election results.
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