6.19
Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
Breaking the bank
Economics professor Jesus Fernandez-Villaverde reveals that Bitcoin is not the first private currency in history, and may face regulation in the future.
Morris Arboretum art exhibit reflects on time in the garden
For its latest exhibition, the Morris Arboretum posed a simple question to more than 100 artists who submitted concepts: What does the idea of “time in the garden” mean to you?
Wrongful convictions reported for 6 percent of crimes
For capital crimes like rape and murder, wrongful convictions happen in about 3 to 5 percent of cases. Such an estimate had proved elusive for the prison population as a whole—until now, thanks to work from Penn criminologists.
Pen to paper: journey to discovery
In a freshman seminar on travel writing, students wrote articles about their experiences during Spring Break. Yonathan Gutenmacher described his family’s journey to Brazil to explore his mother’s childhood.
Penn Medicine students to participate in first-ever citywide medical story slam
Students will share experiences through five-minute stories at the May 7 event at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Science fiction or the future of trucking?
Driverless trucks seem like science fiction, part of a far-off world where robots and humans live and work side by side.
Exploring the sounds of the Middle Ages
In a seminar on the sounds of the Middle Ages taught by music professor Mary Channen Caldwell, freshmen learned about period music and instruments, the carillon bells in a historic church on Philly’s Rittenhouse Square.
Race has a place in human genetics research, philosopher argues
New research out of the philosophy department argues that certain racial classifications have utility in medical genetics, particularly when considering those classifications as ancestry groups.
Political leanings dictate feelings about surveillance of low-income populations
New research led by Annenberg’s Joseph Turow reveals that political party and orientation matter when it comes to how Americans feel about everyday surveillance of low-income populations.
One-fifth of homeless youth are victims of human trafficking
A new study highlights the pipeline from abuse to homelessness to sex trafficking among youth in Philadelphia, D.C., and Phoenix, the largest study to date on human trafficking and teens.
In the News
The New York Times
Should Statutes of Limitations for Rape Be Abolished?
Marci Hamilton of the School of Arts and Sciences provided statistics on amendments to prosecution deadlines for victims of child sexual abuse and assault.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
After Trump G-7 Blast, Tension Hangs Over July NATO Meeting, Efforts to Deter Russia
Perry World House Fellow Derek Chollet and the School of Arts and Sciences’ Mitchell Orenstein offered commentary on the Trump administration’s relationships with U.S. allies.
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PBS NewsHour
Brief but Spectacular: Imani Davis
English and Africana Studies major Imani Davis of New York City performed a #MeToo movement-inspired poem on the “Brief but Spectacular” segment of the “PBS NewsHour.”
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Inside Higher Ed
Gender Gap Without Gender Bias?
Dawn Teele of the School of Arts and Sciences collaborated on research measuring gender bias in academic publishing. The study found that journals focused on qualitative research had higher percentages of female authors.
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Chronicle of Higher Education
From Doctoral Study to … Digital Humanities
The School of Arts and Sciences’ Stewart Varner explained that “digital humanities” isn’t technically a field on its own. “But,” said Varner, “it is often treated as such by people who consider themselves digital humanists as well as those who adamantly do not.”
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