3.28
Science & Technology
Western bias in human genetic studies is ‘both scientifically damaging and unfair’
In a commentary in the journal Cell, PIK Professor Sarah Tishkoff and Giorgio Sirugo shine a light on the lack of ethnic diversity represented in genomic studies, and the consequences for health and medicine.
Fostering a ‘culture of innovation’
Penn President Amy Gutmann opened McKinsey’s first-ever “Innovation Night,” held at the Penn Museum on Thursday, March 14. It’s a testament to the University’s critical, visionary role in Philadelphia.
Groundbreaking chemistry research at record speeds
The state-of-the-art High-Throughput Experimentation Laboratory helps chemistry researchers make new discoveries in record time.
Green labs group strives to make science more sustainable
With a Green Labs working group, Elicia Preston of the Perelman School of Medicine and the University’s Sustainability Office in Facilities and Real Estate Services are striving to make the pursuit of scientific research a more eco-friendly endeavor.
Penn at SXSW
This is the third year the Penn Center for Innovation has led a group of University-affiliated startups to participate in South by Southwest’s innovative arm, SXSW Interactive.
Exploring the unseen: On dark matter and dark energy
Physics professors Mark Trodden and Masao Sako explain how dark matter and dark energy shape their work.
With a second patient free from HIV, what’s next?
Scientists have succeeded in sending an HIV patient into long-term remission, only the second time such a feat has been documented. Pablo Tebas and Bridgette Brawner discuss what this means for HIV research and for people living with the virus.
Bridge to Ph.D. program provides a way forward for greater access in STEM fields
The pilot program in the Department of Mathematics enables students from underrepresented groups to become the next generation of enterprising mathematicians.
Charles Kane and Eugene Mele receive the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
The Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria have recognized the Penn physicists for their discovery of topological insulators.
The link between sleep, genes, and mental health
Whether you’re a night owl or a morning lark could affect your risk of developing a psychiatric disorder.
In the News
BBC
Do mosquitoes feel the effects of alcohol
Tanya Dapkey of the School of Arts and Sciences said it’s unlikely that mosquitoes feed on inebriated humans to get drunk themselves. However, she said, the fact that “alcohol makes us more attractive to them is an interesting question to me.”
FULL STORY →
Philadelphia Magazine
Can the new Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics unlock the science of beauty?
Anjan Chatterjee of the Perelman School of Medicine was profiled for his work founding Penn’s Center for Neuroaesthetics, which aims to “understand the neural systems that underlie aesthetic experiences and choices,” exploring beauty, art, design, and architecture.
FULL STORY →
Defense News
U.S. military changing ‘killing machine’ robo-tank program after controversy
Michael Horowitz of the School of Arts and Sciences said the controversy over the U.S. army’s plans for a new Advance Targeting and Lethality Automated System “demonstrates that there are continuing technological and ethical issues surrounding the integration of autonomy into weapon systems.”
FULL STORY →
Philadelphia Citizen
Second (science) city no more
Kevin Mahoney of the Perelman School of Medicine and the Health System said Philadelphia is “creating new history” with its efforts to catch up to other major cities known for innovation. Penn is leading the way with investments designed to create jobs, fund research, and keep talent local.
FULL STORY →
Science News
Physics explains how pollen gets its stunning diversity of shapes
The School of Arts and Sciences’ Alison Sweeney explained how phase separation contributes to the unique shapes of pollen grains.
FULL STORY →
NBC News
Mood-forecasting tech could help stop bad moods before they even strike
Sharath Guntuku of Penn Medicine’s Center for Digital Health said that “based on how we use technology, our mental state can be predicted.”
FULL STORY →
Science News
A new insulation material is practically weightless yet still durable
The School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Deep Jariwala commented on a new, nearly weightless insulation material made of porous aerogel capable of withstanding temperature shifts of over 1,000 degrees Celsius. “It’s notoriously hard to make materials that are not just lightweight but can also be heavily heat resistant.”
FULL STORY →
Christian Science Monitor
Have you heard the buzz? Honeybees can count
Elizabeth Brannon and postdoc Rosa Rugani of the School of Arts and Sciences discussed new research about honeybees’ ability to add and subtract numbers. Brannon said bees use ratios, rather than exact digits, to understand quantities. “When animals are comparing two numerical values, they’re much better if they differ by a large ratio than if they differ by a very small ratio,” she said.
FULL STORY →
Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane (WHYY-FM)
Protecting your privacy online
The Annenberg School for Communication’s Joseph Turow joined a conversation on about data mining and online privacy.
FULL STORY →
The Conversation
People don’t trust blockchain systems—Is regulation a way to help?
The Wharton School’s Kevin Werbach wrote about blockchain and the contradiction between its “allegedly trust-less technology and its trust-needing users.”
FULL STORY →