10.21
Education, Business, & Law
A cryptocurrency collaboration
A partnership with Ripple, the University Blockchain Research Initiative, will bring innovation to cryptocurrency and blockchain.
Representing slavery in children’s literature
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas of the Graduate School of Education discusses her work exploring depictions of slavery in children’s books.
Why the Supreme Court bakery ruling raises more questions than it answers
Two Penn professors discuss the ruling that the state of Colorado was not unbiased in considering a baker’s claims of religious freedom as defense in a discrimination case, and its effect on future cases in regard to bias claims.
Gamers should expect a subdued E3 this year, says Wharton professor
Fewer new launches from big-league game publishers are expected at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, but the business of gaming will continue to grow and evolve online and with smaller games and upgrades.
For first-generation college students, going ‘off script’ is key
At the “I Have a Dream” Foundation gala in New York City, Penn President Amy Gutmann encouraged “dreamers” to not feel limited in their potential to succeed.
Netter Center prepares high school seniors to enter the contemporary workplace
Five students from West Philadelphia explored careers during a six-month internship at Penn, where they learned about fields from accounting to Zamboni operations.
Promoting inclusion at Supplier Diversity Forum and Expo
Discussing strategies for increasing supplier diversity, the event drew 200 local LGBTQ, women, and minority-owned businesses, Penn buyers and community organizations to campus.
‘Candy aspirin,’ safety caps, and the history of children’s drugs
When St. Joseph Aspirin for Children was introduced in the 1940s, it was formulated to be attractive in taste and color to its young audience. Dubbed “candy aspirin,” the product became popular—fast. As a consequence, aspirin poisonings of children under five skyrocketed.
Science and politics: a Q&A with Molly Sheehan
The School of Engineering and Applied Science postdoc researcher discusses what fascinates her about science, her unique path in science and technology, and the role scientists should play in political office.
Listening to the needs of Black male teachers
In researching his forthcoming book, Ed Brockenbrough revealed Black male teachers have a strong sense of responsibility to students, and they feel uniquely alone in that challenge.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Trump-friendly Newsmax bundled into Comcast’s Xfinity service
The Annenberg School for Communication’s Victor Pickard discussed conservative news channel Newsmax and its recent deal with Comcast. If Comcast is “feeling the heat from the right, it will make sense to appease some of those critics,” said Pickard.
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CNBC
Dieting is out. That poses a problem for a company named Weight Watchers as it rebrands itself WW
Kevin Volpp of the Wharton School and Perelman School of Medicine offered commentary on the “universal challenge” of dieting. “People generally speaking are much more successful in achieving initial weight loss than maintaining weight loss,” he said.
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Bloomberg
Barbara Kahn discusses the retail revolution (podcast)
Barbara Kahn of the Wharton School was interviewed about changes in the world of retail and marketing. “People talk about [contemporary online shopping] as ‘omnichannel’ but right now it’s just retail. Retail has now become a seamless integration between online and offline,” said Kahn.
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Bloomberg
Sears bankruptcy hits close to home for Trump
Speaking about Sears’ decline, the Wharton School’s Daniel Raff said that expressions of nostalgia for the store, which has long catered to blue-collar Americans, “may well resonate with [Trump’s] core voters.”
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Economic Times
Bigger Billion Days: How this year’s festive season could prove transformative for Flipkart
Discussing Indian e-commerce, the Wharton School’s Kartik Hosanagar said that the ratio of customer acquisition costs to customer lifetime value is “even more lopsided than in the U.S., Europe, and China.” The key to profitability, he said, is reducing those acquisition costs and improving customer retention.
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