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Penn Integrates Knowledge Professors
A modified game of ‘chicken’ reveals what happens in the brain during decision-making
A modified game of ‘chicken’ reveals what happens in the brain during decision-making
Research from the Platt Labs found that in rhesus macaques, two regions of the brain mirror those of similar regions in humans, broadening the understanding of what unfolds, neurologically, when people interact and cooperate.
Lynn Meskell appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Lynn Meskell appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
The world-renowned archaeologist has joint appointments in the Department of Anthropology, the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation and the Department of City and Regional Planning, and the Penn Museum as a curator in both the Asian and Near East sections.
Roberto Gonzales appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Roberto Gonzales appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
The world-renowned scholar of the lives of immigrants in the United States, will be the Richard Perry University Professor, with joint appointments in the Department of Sociology of the School of Arts & Sciences and in the Graduate School of Education.
Crowd-sourcing optogenetics data to tackle neurological diseases
Crowd-sourcing optogenetics data to tackle neurological diseases
The specialized field of neuroscience, optogenetics, shows clinical promise for conditions like epilepsy and Parkinson’s. But before human trials can get fully underway, the field must better understand a crucial intermediate step, aided by 45 labs in nine countries sharing information.
Gaze and pupil dilation can reveal a decision before it’s made
Gaze and pupil dilation can reveal a decision before it’s made
These two biomarkers may offer clues into the underlying biological processes at play in decision making, according to research from neuroscientist Michael Platt.
Karen Tani named a Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Karen Tani named a Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Karen Tani has been named the University of Pennsylvania’s 24th Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor, effective July 1. The announcement was made today by President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett.
Gutmann, Moreno op-ed details ‘ethical mess’ of health care system
Gutmann, Moreno op-ed details ‘ethical mess’ of health care system
“Surely our fellow Americans with life-threatening diseases of all sorts are also worth saving,” they write.
The future of Annenberg, with John L. Jackson Jr. at the helm
The future of Annenberg, with John L. Jackson Jr. at the helm
Under his leadership, the school is poised to further engage in the pressing cultural, political, and ideological conversations happening in today’s unprecedented media landscape.
Duncan Watts appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Duncan Watts appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett are pleased to announce the appointment of Duncan Watts as the University of Pennsylvania’s twenty-third Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor.
Thoughts from a medical ethicist on gene editing babies
Thoughts from a medical ethicist on gene editing babies
In a Q&A, PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno discusses using CRISPR technology on humans and the future of the field.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
America can overcome COVID-19, despite Trump’s do-nothing approach. Here’s how
PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel spoke about the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic and offered advice to a possible Biden administration. “There must be a management strategy, with the locus in the White House,” said Emanuel.
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The New York Times
Forget antitrust laws. To limit tech, some say a new regulator is needed
PIK Professor Herbert Hovenkamp expressed concern about proposals for the creation of a regulatory authority to manage big tech companies. “I’m very uncomfortable with the regulatory path, especially if it means things like getting government approval for product changes,” he said. “The history of regulation shows that it is an innovation killer.”
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The New York Times
Google up against laws that thwarted Microsoft (and others since 1890)
PIK Professor Herbert Hovenkamp commented on an antitrust lawsuit filed against Google by the U.S. Justice Department this week. “The case looks narrow but fairly strong,” he said. “The focus on restrictive contracts by a dominant company is as old as the Sherman Act,” the bedrock antitrust law of 1890.
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NPR
Facebook keeps data secret, letting conservative bias claims persist
PIK Professor Duncan Watts is working with Facebook to analyze its content for bias. "Mostly it's mainstream content," he said. "If anything, there is a bias in favor of conservative content."
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The Wall Street Journal
Thousands of American troops to take part in COVID-19 early-detection study
PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno commented on plans to conduct a COVID-19 early-detection study on U.S. troops. “Should we ask for consent if it reveals medical issues that a person in uniform may not want revealed and is not relevant to job performance?” he asked.
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Consumer Reports
Medical algorithms have a race problem
Nwamaka Eneanya of the Perelman School of Medicine and PIK Professor Dorothy Roberts spoke about how factoring a patient’s race into medical tests and treatments can exacerbate health disparities. “It’s promoting the idea that Black people as a race are distinguishable biologically—just because of their race—from other human beings,” said Roberts.
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