3/8
Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
Climate scientist Michael Mann to join Penn faculty
Climate scientist Michael Mann to join Penn faculty
Mann is the first new faculty member to be recruited as part of the recently announced Energy and Sustainability Initiative as a Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science.
For Meghan Garrity, experience plus academics equals policy
For Meghan Garrity, experience plus academics equals policy
Garrity worked with the International Rescue Committee in Jordan and Turkey from 2012 to 2016. Now she’s exploring ways to prevent some refugee crises, by examining what causes states to expel mass groups of people.
Belief in vaccination misinformation predicts attitudes toward vaccinating children
Belief in vaccination misinformation predicts attitudes toward vaccinating children
The survey data come from the fifth wave of the Annenberg Science Knowledge survey, a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults empaneled by the Annenberg Public Policy Center in April 2021 to track attitudes and behavior in the pandemic.
Possessed: The Salem witch trials
Possessed: The Salem witch trials
This spring marks the 330th anniversary of the Salem witch trials, during which a total of 20 “afflicted girls” accused around 150 people, 19 of whom were executed. Historian Kathleen M. Brown discusses why this episode is still fascinating today.
From tracing art thieves to tracing Early American history
From tracing art thieves to tracing Early American history
Emma Hart, the new director of the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, discusses her former career, her new role, and her goals for the future.
How a class of ‘brilliant graduates’ shaped modern Chinese architecture
How a class of ‘brilliant graduates’ shaped modern Chinese architecture
The ‘Building in China’ exhibition showcases the work of the ‘first generation’ of Penn architecture alumni from China and how striking a balance between modern and traditional continues to shape the country’s expression of its national identity.
Diversion programs reduce criminal justice system footprint
Diversion programs reduce criminal justice system footprint
Research from Penn criminologists and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office found that such programs increase expungement rates and lower reconviction rates, leading to a net-narrowing effect overall.
Why unions matter for nursing
Why unions matter for nursing
A new study examines nursing’s relationship to union organizing and feminism, as well as the profession’s unique organizing challenges.
Unlocking the potential of ‘smart’ water in responding to climate change
Unlocking the potential of ‘smart’ water in responding to climate change
Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning Allison Lassiter researches unlocking the potential of ‘smart’ water in responding to climate change.
Cyberattacks, Russia, and the changing face of war in the 21st century
Cyberattacks, Russia, and the changing face of war in the 21st century
Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, a visiting fellow of Perry World House, shares her expertise in cybersecurity and how cyber methods are being utilized during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In the News
Marketplace (NPR)
What did you do at work last week? Monitoring performance doesn’t improve it, expert says
Adam Grant of the Wharton School says that people do their best work when they’re given a chance to pursue autonomy, mastery, belonging, and purpose.
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Deseret News (Salt Lake City)
‘Marry or be fired’ and other global efforts to boost fertility
Jesús Fernández-Villaverde of the School of Arts & Sciences says that the world population will peak in 2055, followed by a systematic decline at a rapid rate.
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Men’s Health
These two personality traits make you instantly more attractive, say studies of over 4,000 people
A study by postdoc Natalia Kononov of the Wharton School suggests that kindness and helpfulness can make someone more attractive, regardless of the situation or relationship.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
After years of anti-vaccine advocacy, RFK Jr. said vaccines protect children. But experts say he must go further amid measles outbreak
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center and Jessica McDonald of APPC’s Factcheck.org comment on the need to debunk vaccine misinformation in public health messaging.
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The Guardian
Formerly anti-vax parents on how they changed their minds: ‘I really made a mistake’
According to surveys from the Annenberg Public Policy Center, the proportion of respondents who believe vaccines are unsafe grew from 9% in April 2021 to 16% in the fall of 2023.
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