Q&A/The mysteries of the universe—where it came from, what it’s made of—have intrigued Licia Verde since she was a young girl. Fortunately for her, she’s part of a research project that aims to answer just those kind of fundamental questions, and offer humankind a greater understanding of our vast, confounding universe.

Tim Hyland April 13, 2006

STAFF Q&A/Anne Stamer has helped turn Weiss Tech House into Penn’s ‘hub’ for technology. “Our mission is to help excite and invigorate students around technology.”

Heather A. Davis ・April 13, 2006

Andrew Zitcer’s charge as Penn’s Cultural Asset Manager is to look after the real estate in Penn’s portfolio that don’t fall under the traditional headings of commercial, residential or retail spaces.

Heather A. Davis ・March 30, 2006

The debate over the future of New Orleans can’t begin and end with the levees. If Hurricane Katrina taught us anything, says Anuradha Mathur, it’s that we need to change the way we look at our landscapes—especially those prone to flooding. “What if you started to rethink the rebuilding of New Orleans as if there were no levees?”

Tim Hyland March 30, 2006

STAFF Q&A/Bob Gutowski shares his love of nature as head of Morris Arboretum’s public programs. “You’ve never seen an evening gown that’s as beautiful as a cedar waxwing.”

Judy Hill March 16, 2006

Americans aren’t getting any less religious, says Sarah Barringer Gordon. And so, just as it has for all of U.S. history, religion will continue to shape American politics, law and culture. “An open skeptic like Thomas Jefferson ... might have had a hard time in 2000.”

Tim Hyland March 16, 2006

February 23, 2006

Q&A/This film scholar and author of a book about Hollywood culture talks about the past and present of the Oscars—and what the future holds for the movie industry. “I think people still like the experience of going to movies. It’s ... a communal experience.”

Heather A. Davis ・February 23, 2006

STAFF Q&A/Trombonist Michael Ketner is the man behind the curtain at Penn’s Music Department. “These are student groups, but they’re good, and they play at a high level.”

Judy Hill February 23, 2006

Q&A/This spring the 6th floor of Van Pelt is celebrating Ben Franklin with an exhibit on Colonial education in the Delaware Valley. We talk to the library staff who brought “Educating the Youth of Pennsylvania” from a rough idea to a fully realized exhibit. “Charter schools today remind me a lot of what was going on during the Colonial period.”

Tim Hyland February 9, 2006