This fall, in Andi Johnson’s course Health in Philly: Past and Present, students worked closely with leadership of the health-focused nonprofit Bebashi to identify ways they could better support staff, while visiting other local health organizations to learn more about how they address issues facing city residents.
A new report prepared by Weitzman faculty for the Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, shows a large and diverse creative workforce in the state.
Penn Engineering’s Chris Callison-Burch on 25 years of AI innovation
Penn Engineering faculty Chris Callison-Burch, a leading researcher in the artificial intelligence field, reflects on decades of technological innovations that have informed the present and future of AI.
Sniffing out cancer: Trained dogs can detect hemangiosarcoma by scent
Penn Vet’s Cynthia M. Otto and Clara Wilson and colleagues show that trained dogs can identify the odor of hemangiosarcoma, a devastating canine cancer, offering the hope of a better screening tool and more effective treatments.
A book of essays co-edited by history of art professor Mantha Zarmakoupi dives into a historic movement focused on recentering how we think about ecological concerns and the built environment.
Penn marks 31st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Symposium
The Day of Service on Jan. 19 includes multiple volunteer and educational opportunities honoring Martin Luther King Jr., with more than 30 activities and celebrations continuing through Feb. 6.
Penn biophysicist Arnold Mathijssen uncovers how and why E. coli manage to swim upstream causing infections in challenging places such as the urinary tract, respiratory system, and catheters, pointing to new strategies for designing safer, more effective biomedical tools and treatments.
Ahead of the main event on July 4, 2026, marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Penn students, faculty, and staff will have multiple early opportunities to engage with America’s 250th anniversary.
Centering joy in AI development and implementation
PIK Professor Desmond Upton Patton—of Annenberg and SP2—and collaborators introduce a joy-informed framework designed to initiate conversations among engineers, designers, and researchers.
The 25th MLK Jr. Social Justice Lecture & Award will be presented to five-time Oscar nominee Spike Lee, an iconic filmmaker who was awarded an Honorary Oscar in 2015 for his lifetime achievement and contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.
Free and open to the Penn community, this year’s Hallmark program will explore how artificial intelligence—one of the most transformative technologies of our time—can be guided by the ethical imperatives Martin Luther King, Jr. championed: equity, compassion, and shared humanity. Participants will examine the ethical and social implications of AI through the lens of King’s vision for the Beloved Community—a society where technology, empathy, and justice work in harmony. Register to attend.
Penn’s guiding principles are the University’s enduring values and distinctive strengths: anchored, inventive, interwoven, and engaged. The practices support and strengthen Penn’s core educational mission.
At Penn Today, we focus on some of the ways the University is putting this framework into action. From student, faculty, and staff profiles to research updates and event coverage, Penn Today highlights the latest examples of the University’s principled approach to excellence.
Penn Forward’s Access, Affordability, and Value co-chairs on creating opportunity
As co-chairs of Penn Forward’s Access, Affordability, and Value working group, Sara Bachman, dean of the School of Social Policy & Practice, and Patrick Harker, a professor and dean emeritus of the Wharton School, discuss breaking down barriers and opening pathways.
A conversation with Penn Forward’s Global Opportunity and New Markets co-chairs
In a Q&A with Ezekiel Emanuel and Megan Ryerson, co-chairs of the Global Opportunity and New Markets working group for Penn Forward, the duo discuss the charge of their group, where they are in the process, and leaning into global engagement.
Through Penn First Plus, students unlock potential and purpose
Providing first-generation and limited-income students with a comprehensive array of support, Penn First Plus equips undergraduates for success during and after their time at Penn.
The eighth annual Penn Local Business Exchange brought together entrepreneurs, city officials, and University buyers to swap insights and build relationships.
