10.21
Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
People who don’t read the news foresee which articles will go viral
In an upcoming article in the journal Cerebral Cortex, researchers tracked activity in the brain's prefrontal cortex, and found that avid readers of the news had little change in brain activity from story to story, making them less accurate predictors of viral content.
Sara Bachman named dean of Penn School of Social Policy & Practice
Bachman, an acclaimed scholar, epidemiologist and expert in social welfare policy, will lead the school beginning January 1st.
Educational program successful at reducing forced sex in South African adolescents
A new study led by John B. Jemmott III, an Annenberg School professor, found that an educational program he designed for adolescents in South Africa reduces sexual assault among those students.
Kroiz exhibit illuminates the abstract in modern Japanese architecture
“Critical Abstractions: Modern Architecture in Japan, 1868-2018,” on display through Sept. 24, challenges prevailing ideas on the reasons behind the international appeal of modern architecture made in Japan.
University of Pennsylvania announces 2018-2019 Perry World House Fellows
Felipe Calderón, H.R. McMaster, Susan Rice, and Charles Dent are among nine leaders named, bringing their perspective and expertise in national and global government to Penn's global policy research institute.
Political science prof reflects on legacy of John McCain
As the country remembers the life of U.S. Sen. John McCain, Fels Institute Director and Professor of Political Science Matthew Levendusky recalls “maverick-y” McCain moments.
Testing the reproducibility of social science research
A team co-led by Gideon Nave of the Wharton School replicated 21 high-profile social science studies and found discrepancies with the original research. Researchers betting in prediction markets, however, were quite accurate at predicting which findings would replicate and which would not.
Study finds most teens avoid rash, impulsive behavior
A new study found that the majority of teenagers avoid the kind of impulsive behavior commonly associated with “typical teenagers,” citing that imbalance models in brain development is evident in only a subset of teens.
Preserving Philadelphia’s Society Hill
The histories of more than 1,500 properties in a storied Philadelphia neighborhood are now accessible on the new website, “Preserving Society Hill.” Working with digital-humanities specialists in the Price Lab and the Libraries, PennDesign’s Francesca Ammon created an interactive map to document this innovative case study in urban renewal.
Incoming freshman experience college and create community ahead of first semester
In its 32nd year, the weeklong Africana Studies Summer Institute brought 65 incoming freshmen to campus in July, introducing them to the program’s courses, professors, graduate students, and fellow undergraduates.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Elizabeth Warren’s DNA test: How reliable is it? A Penn prof explains
Theodore Schurr of the School of Arts and Sciences said U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s genetic analysis, which used indigenous DNA samples from Peru, Mexico, and Colombia as reference points, was legitimate due to historical migration patterns.
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“Morning Joe,” MSNBC
Did link between Russian bank, Trump campaign exist?
The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Kathleen Hall Jamieson joined a panel of experts on “Morning Joe” for a discussion about allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. She identified “trolls, hackers, and disinformation to [James] Comey” as major factors in Trump’s win.
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The Atlantic
Lindsey Graham doesn’t want a primary
In an article by Dick Polman, writer in residence in the School of Arts and Sciences, Brian Rosenwald of the Fox Leadership Program was cited for his political expertise. Lindsey Graham “knows that infuriating the left and the media really poses no risk, given the nature of his state,” said Rosenwald.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
This prominent Penn prof didn’t believe Russia got Trump elected. Here’s what changed her mind
The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Kathleen Hall Jamieson was featured for her new book, “Cyberwar: How Russian Hackers and Trolls Helped Elect a President.” Though she had initially been “actively skeptical,” Jamieson said, she eventually concluded that the data clearly supported claims of Russian meddling.
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The Washington Post
1 in 6 older black people have been homeless at some point in their life, study finds
Research from Dennis Culhane of the School of Social Policy & Practice suggests that baby boomers experienced higher rates of homelessness than other generations, though it was unclear how the rates among post-boomer generations were affected by the mortgage crisis of the mid-2000s.
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