Skip to main content

News

Jay Gottfried: Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor

Penn President Amy Gutmann and Provost Vincent Price are pleased to announce the appointment of Jay Gottfried as the University of Pennsylvania’s eighteenth Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor (PIK), effective July 1, 2017.  
A world-renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Gottfried will be the Arthur H. Rubenstein University Professor, with joint faculty appointments in the department of neurology in the Perelman School of Medicine and the department of psychology in the School of Arts and Sciences.

“Jay Gottfried is a pioneer in research that is unlocking mysteries of our sense of smell. His pathbreaking work already has brought important new insights into the neuroscience of smell by taking a boldly interdisciplinary approach to understand the broad range of physical and psychological dimensions of the phenomenon,” said President Gutmann.

“Jay’s research has tremendously exciting implications across many disciplines, not only within the Perelman School of Medicine and the School of Arts and Sciences, where he will hold faculty appointments, but extending also to Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Annenberg School for Communication. This kind of integrated knowledge and discovery defines the work of our PIK University Professors. We are delighted to welcome Jay back to Penn, where he previously served a noteworthy residency in adult neurology,” Dr. Gutmann continued.

Dr. Gottfried’s research studies how the human brain translates perceptions into smells (e.g., the smell of a rose or a wet dog). He brings together a wide range of approaches and techniques–including physiological recordings, multivariate pattern analysis and computational modeling–to understand how the brain encodes and stores odor information and how emotion, learning and experience affect this perceptual and neural information.

Dr. Gottfried is currently professor of neurology at the Feinberg School of Medicine and an affiliated faculty member of the department of psychology in the Weinberg School of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University, where he has taught since 2004. His award-winning work has been supported by multiple ongoing grants from the National Institutes of Health (among others) and published across such leading journals as Science, Neuron and the Journal of Neuroscience

He held a three-year neurology residency at the University of Pennsylvania from 1998 to 2001, followed by a prestigious three-year fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at University College London, where he began his research in olfactory neuroscience and human neuroimaging. He earned an MD and PhD (1997) from New York University and an AB in molecular biology magna cum laude (1989) from Princeton University.

“Jay Gottfried is a dynamic teacher, mentor and collaborator who is strongly committed to innovative and translational research,” said Provost Price. “At the forefront of new approaches in neuroscience, he works closely with colleagues across multiple disciplines and is dedicated to training new generations of students, who will lead the scientific and medical advances of the future. I am confident that he will be a galvanizing force for neuroscience research across our campus in the years ahead.”

The Penn Integrates Knowledge program was launched by President Gutmann in 2005 as a University-wide initiative to recruit exceptional faculty members whose research and teaching exemplify the integration of knowledge across disciplines and who are appointed in at least two Schools at Penn.

The Arthur H. Rubenstein University Professorship honors Arthur H. Rubenstein for his exemplary service as the executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and dean of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine from September 2001 to July 2011. Dr. Rubenstein, now professor of medicine at the Perelman School, is an internationally prominent endocrinologist recognized for clinical expertise and groundbreaking research in diabetes. Well-known for his inspired teaching, Dr. Rubenstein has authored more than 350 publications and received numerous professional awards, including the highest honor of the Association of American Physicians, the George M. Kober Medal; the highest honor of the Association of Professors of Medicine, the Robert Williams Distinguished Chair of Medicine Award; and the Abraham Flexner Award for Distinguished Service to Medical Education from the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Jim Wilson: Rose H. Weiss Orphan Disease Center Director’s Professor

Jim Wilson has been named the inaugural Rose H. Weiss Orphan Disease Center Director’s Professor. He is also the director of the Gene Therapy Program at Penn Medicine. Dr. Wilson joined the Perelman School of Medicine in 1993 and has since created the first and largest academic-based program in gene therapy.

“As a researcher and director of the Orphan Disease Center, Dr. Wilson has made significant contributions to the field,” said J. Larry Jameson, dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and executive vice president for the Health System. “He has forged international partnerships with some of the world’s foremost experts in rare diseases and built programs of excellence that provide a framework for advancing the science toward better treatments and possible cures.” The chair was made possible through the vision and generosity of Penn philanthropist George Weiss, W’65, HON’14, PAR’89, PAR’93.

Throughout his career, Dr. Wilson has studied rare and inherited diseases, including cystic fibrosis, dyslipidemias and metabolic disorders. He has published more than 550 papers, reviews, commentaries and editorials in the peer-reviewed literature and is an inventor on more than 117 patents. Dr. Wilson earned a BA in chemistry from Albion College, and both an MD and PhD in biological chemistry from the University of Michigan Medical School.

Dr. Wilson began his work in gene therapy during his graduate studies at the University of Michigan more than 30 years ago. He has helped shape this emerging therapeutic area from its inception. Dr. Wilson’s laboratory recently discovered a novel and highly effective platform for gene transfer. The founder of several biotechnology companies, Dr. Wilson is currently leading a national dialogue on commercializing this potentially life-saving advancement.

A Wharton graduate and one of the University’s major benefactors, Mr. Weiss also plays a central leadership role, serving in a number of capacities, including as an emeritus member of the Penn Board of Trustees, a member of the Penn Medicine Board of Trustees, chair of the Penn Medicine Development Leadership Cabinet, as well as former chair of Making History: The Campaign for Penn. Mr. Weiss helped found the Orphan Disease Center at Penn in 2011. The center’s mission is to improve the quality of life of those afflicted with rare diseases—defined as a single disease affecting 200,000 or fewer people in the United States—and ensure that patients worldwide have access to the latest novel therapies.

Mr. Weiss made the gift in honor of his late mother, Rose H. Weiss. Born in Vienna, in 1908, she fled Austria with her family two weeks before Hitler invaded. She was a gifted businesswoman, and known to be especially generous to those in need of help. So too is Mr. Weiss, whose philanthropy and leadership have created scholarships, professorships, innovative programs and facilities that enhance many aspects of university life including athletics, technology and residential living. He received an Honorary Degree from Penn in 2014.

From the Office of the Provost: Seven Professors: Penn Fellows

Provost Vincent Price and Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen are pleased to announce the appointment of the ninth cohort of Penn Fellows.

The Penn Fellows program, begun in 2009, provides leadership development to select Penn faculty members in mid-career. It includes opportunities to build cross-campus alliances, meet distinguished academic leaders, think strategically about universities and university governance and consult with Penn’s senior administrators. 

Ezekiel Dixon-Román, associate professor in the School of Social Policy & Practice, rethinks the use of quantitative methods from a critical theoretical lens, particularly for the study of social reproduction in human learning and development, such as inheritance and the social reproduction of “difference” and critical inquiry on social policies that seek to address issues of inequality, social mobility and education.

Daniel Gillion, Presidential Associate Professor of Political Science in the School of Arts & Sciences, studies racial and ethnic politics, political behavior, public policy and the American presidency, including the role of protest and how political dialogue on race alters the public policy process and shapes societal and cultural norms to improve the lives of racial and ethnic minorities. 

Carolina Lopez, associate professor of microbiology and immunology in the School of Veterinary Medicine, studies the signals that turn on and regulate the immune system during infections with common respiratory viruses (such as the influenza virus or the respiratory syncytial virus), aiming to better understand the factors that modulate virus pathogenesis and develop better vaccines and antiviral therapies. 

Christopher Marcinkoski, associate professor of landscape architecture in the School of Design, is a licensed architect and urban design consultant who studies “speculative urbanization”–the implications of urbanization activities that are out-of-sync with economic and demographic realities, most recently projects in Africa emulating speculative building in places such as Spain, Ireland, Dubai and China.

Katherine Nathanson, professor of medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine, studies the genetics of human cancer, both germline changes which confer susceptibility to cancer and somatic genetic changes associated with outcome, including germline genetic changes associated with breast cancer susceptibility, genetic changes associated with testicular cancer susceptibility and somatic genetic markers in melanoma as determinants of response to therapy. 

Sandra Ryeom, associate professor of cancer biology in the Perelman School of Medicine, studies the molecular mechanisms that regulate the tumor microenvironment, with a particular focus on the vasculature, and how the tumor microenvironment is assembled and maintained, with particular focus on the generation and maintenance of the tumor blood supply (tumor angiogenesis), a dynamic process involving continuous elaboration and remodeling of blood vessels.

Maurice Schweitzer, Cecilia Yen Koo Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions in the Wharton School, studies emotions, ethical decision-making and the negotiation process, with a focus on trust and deception, including the recent co-authored Friend & Foe: When to Cooperate, When to Compete, and How to Succeed at Both, which examines how to maximize success by navigating between cooperation and competition.

Interdisciplinary Arts Fund

The Interdisciplinary Arts Fund, awarded by the Provost’s Arts Advisory Council, supports art and culture initiatives at Penn that are collaborative and directly engage students. It aims to advance the role of art and culture in student and academic life, as well as the development of interdisciplinary, cross-campus and community partnerships.

Offered since 2010, the Arts Fund will complement grants made possible by the exciting new Sachs Program for Arts Innovation (Almanac October 18, 2016).

Proposals to the existing Arts Fund should be for major events, projects, or programs that engage a diverse range of students and bring together multiple groups, especially collaborations among Penn art and culture organizations and academic departments or centers. The Fund may provide seed money to develop large new cross-disciplinary initiatives and/or projects that already exist or are being planned.

Proposals should consist of a project narrative (no more than three pages) and a detailed budget. The narrative section should address how the project will engage a diverse group of students, foster cross-campus partnerships, engage one or more of Penn’s art and culture centers, and impact the Penn and/or Philadelphia communities.

Projects may be funded in whole or in part; the Fund will ideally award up to eight grants of between $2,000-$10,000.

Questions can be addressed to Leo Charney in the Office of the Provost at lcharney@upenn.edu

Proposals are due no later than February 24, submitted by email to provost-fac@upenn.edu

Applicants will be notified of award decisions before the end of the spring semester.

New Digital Portal Provides Public with Ease of Access to Penn Museum Collections, Scholarship and Programs

It was a bitter cold night in Philadelphia on January 8, 2014, but Dr. Steve Tinney, deputy director and associate curator-in-charge of the Babylonian Section, still drew a crowd of several hundred people to the Penn Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) to hear his talk, Gilgamesh: Journeys to the End of the World. Gilgamesh was a popular subject in the popular: the “Great Voyages” lecture series that each month promised a different armchair journey to a different time and place.

Since that night, more than 20,000 people have watched the talk—and the number continues to grow.

Gilgamesh: Journeys to the End of the World, the complete “Great Voyages” lecture series, and almost 200 other lectures, symposia and special programs, have been recorded, and occasionally live-streamed for Penn Museum audiences with internet access since 2010. Now, with the launch of The Digital Penn Museum, the Museum’s rich programmatic offerings join its online collections database and an extensive archive of scholarly and popular articles, websites, and blogposts, which are easily accessible and even “collectable,” making a virtual visit to the Penn Museum an adventurous, multifaceted experience.

Online Door to Cultures of the World

The Digital Penn Museum (www.penn.museum/collections/)—a dramatic new way to explore the digital content on the Museum’s website—was conceived as a portal to the rich and growing array of digital content developed by the Museum, its staff,and scholars. On the site, guests can now build their personalized online experience, searching the collections database (now featuring almost 900,000 objects and more than 180,000 images), browsing over 1,100 videos and archival films, then watching or saving materials of interest via the MyFinds feature.

In addition, the portal links directly to the Museum’s Expedition magazine archive, featuring articles on archaeology and anthropology going back to the first issue in 1958. Guests can also enter the Museum blog, and discover more than 800 posts authored by dozens of Museum staff and Penn students. Finally, a set of more than 40 “legacy” websites invites guests to explore online exhibitions, past physical exhibition online content, follow international research projects, and even try a few interactive experiences, including the popular opportunity to “write” your name in Cuneiform.

“The Museum’s mission—to transform understanding of the human experience—carries with it the obligation to provide access to our rich international collections, high-quality programs, and ongoing research, both in the laboratories and around the world,” noted Julian Siggers, the Museum’s Williams Director. “The Digital Penn Museum provides us with the platform to do just that.”

Jim Mathieu, the Museum’s head of collections, publications and digital media, noted that these popular online resources are designed for diverse audiences, from scholars seeking specific data on an area in their field, to more casual visitors looking to learn about world cultures—and find out what the Museum has to offer. “Our ‘curated’ highlights pages are designed with the new or casual visitor in mind. The Highlights pages pull together a wide range of digital resources about some of our key objects, like the colossal Sphinx from Memphis, the Ram-in-the-Thicket from Ur, or the Hasanlu ‘Lovers’—visitors can discover rich content throughout this new platform, and have an engaging experience as they do so.”

Now launched, The Digital Penn Museum will continue to grow, and guests interested in archaeology, anthropology, and world cultures, can expect to discover new content with each visit in the years to come.
Explore the Digital Penn Museum—a new online portal to collections, research, film, talks & more at the Penn Museum: http://bit.ly/2hclsDj

Call for College House Fellows

The Offices of the Provost and of College Houses and Academic Services invite applications for service as a College House Fellow. This is a residentially-based position that carries a two-year term.

Faculty applicants from all 12 schools within the University are welcome to apply. The most important qualification is an enthusiastic interest in mentoring and engaging undergraduate students within the residential setting. Members of the University’s faculty and full-time administrative staff in academic or student affairs who will be in their positions for at least two years are welcome to apply.

College House Fellows play a key role in connecting the Houses to the larger academic community at Penn. 

Fellows are responsible for working with the Faculty Directors to develop each College House as an educational resource that encourages intellectual inquiry, promotes academic programs in residence, fosters faculty and student interaction and builds strong, supportive House communities. Specific responsibilities will differ from House to House, but the general time commitment is approximately 10 hours per week. 

Although there are 24 Fellow positions in the College House system, the number of openings rarely exceeds six. For these highly-sought-after positions, the selection process can be quite competitive. Applicants are reviewed by the Undergraduate Deans, the Office of College Houses, and the individual House community members, including the Faculty Director, House Dean and student residents.

Information about each College House, the Fellow positions and application process may be found at www.collegehouses.upenn.edu Please explore the “join us” section of the website for position information.  If you have any questions please contact Marty Redman, executive director of College Houses and Academic Services, at mredman@upenn.edu

Deaths

Liesel Baker, School of Medicine Staff, Penn Museum Volunteer

Liesel Baker, a longtime Penn employee and Penn Museum volunteer, died on January 3, 2017.

She attended the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded a bachelor of science in medical technology in 1957. Mrs. Baker joined Penn staff later that year in the Pepper Lab with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She held a number of research and administrative positions over the years. In 1992, she transferred to facilities management in the School of Medicine. She retired in 1996 as the assistant director of the combined degree and physician scholar program.

As an education volunteer at the Penn Museum from 1997-2012, Mrs. Baker was a mobile guide who taught lessons in schools. She was recognized by the Museum for 15 years of service.

In the last few years, she also volunteered for Bindlestiff Books in West Philadelphia.

She was predeceased by her husband, Lester, professor of pediatrics and director of Penn’s Diabetes Research Center (Almanac September 26, 2000).

She is survived by her children, Deborah (Garrett) White and H.P. (Rachel Gross) Baker; her sister, Helen Dennis; and grandchildren, Sam, Rachael and Elle. 

Contributions in her memory may be made to Hosts For Hospitals, www.hostsforhospitals.org or a charity of the donor’s choice. To express condolences, please visit www.levinefuneral.com

____________

To Report A Death
Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students and other members of the University community. Call (215) 898-5274 or email almanac@upenn.edu

However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Room 517, Franklin Building, (215) 898-8136 or by email at record@ben.dev.upenn.edu

Memorial for Erle V. Leichty

The Penn Museum and the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations wish to announce a memorial for Erle V. Leichty to be held on Friday, February 10, at 11 a.m. in the Rainey Auditorium at the Penn Museum, 33rd & Spruce Streets. Erle Verdun Leichty, Emeritus Clark Professor of Assyriology, died September 19. He was 83 years old (Almanac November 1, 2016).

Governance

Provost Search Committee’s Open Meeting for Staff: January 18

Penn President Amy Gutmann has formed a Consultative Committee to advise her on the selection of a new provost (Almanac January 10, 2017). The Consultative Committee will be hosting an open meeting for all staff on Wednesday, January 18 at noon in the Golkin Room in Houston Hall to update staff on the search process and to invite input and comments. The Committee is consulting widely with members of the Penn community to ensure that they fully understand the scope of the Provost’s responsibilities and the opportunities and challenges he or she will face in the years ahead. The Committee is especially interested in hearing the perspectives of Penn’s staff at this early stage in the search process.

The Committee seeks and welcomes input even from those who are unable to attend this meeting. Please feel free to share your insights and suggestions with them in strict confidence by contacting any member of the Consultative Committee, including the chair and the Committee’s staff or consultants. The Committee is being aided by Adam Michaels (adampm@upenn.edu) of the President’s Office, and John Isaacson and John Muckle of Isaacson, Miller.

Nominations and names of possible candidates can be submitted directly via the search website at http://www.imsearch.com/searches/details/content/S6-100 The Committee has been asked to complete its work expeditiously. In support of this goal, they ask that any nominations or suggestions be made as soon as possible.

Honors

Tracy Bale: Daniel H. Efron Research Award

Tracy L. Bale, professor of neuroscience in biomedical sciences and psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, received the Daniel H. Efron Research Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP).

The Efron Research Award recognizes outstanding basic research contributions to neuropsychopharmacology.

Dr. Bale was chosen for her role in deciphering the critical genes, circuits and epigenetic mechanisms that contribute to stress dysregulation as a risk factor in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases including autism, affective disorders and obesity. She has used mouse models to investigate the timing and sex specificity of early life events promoting disease susceptibility, the maturation of the brain during key development periods and the epigenetic mechanisms underlying enduring effects following stress exposure.

 

 

David Brownlee: Lifetime Achievement ‘Globy’

David Brownlee, University of Pennsylvania professor of the history of art, has received a lifetime achievement award from the Global Philadelphia Association for his contributions to the growth of the city.

“I am proud to receive the Globy Award as recognition of the vital role that Philadelphia’s extraordinary history plays in our conception of who we are today and what we can become tomorrow,” Dr. Brownlee said.

“Globally important things have been happening in Philadelphia for more than three centuries, and their effects and tangible evidence are everywhere to be seen,” he continued. “I will continue to work with many colleagues to enlarge public understanding of this rich and relevant legacy.” 

Dr. Brownlee is the Frances Shapiro-Weitzenhoffer Professor of the History of Art at Penn.

“David Brownlee is himself a Philadelphia treasure, and we have been pleased to recognize this by presenting to him one of the association’s highest awards,” said John Smith, board chair of the Global Philadelphia Association.

Dr. Brownlee was one of the earliest proponents of the effort by Philadelphia to become a World Heritage City. He joined a project team at Global Philadelphia Association in 2012 that helped put together a comprehensive case statement. Once Philadelphia received the designation in 2015, Dr. Brownlee wrote and narrated a 28-minute film which debuted in 2016, telling the city’s World Heritage story.
Dr. Brownlee is currently working on the key history and preservation sector of a World Heritage Strategic Plan developed by the association and the city.

 

Femida Handy: Virginia Hodgkinson Research Book Prize

Femida Handy, professor and director of the PhD program in social welfare at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), was recently selected for the Virginia A. Hodgkinson Research Book Prize for her work on The Palgrave Handbook of Global Philanthropy.

The Virginia Hodgkinson Research Book Prize is awarded by the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) on an annual basis and is given to the author of the best book on philanthropy and the nonprofit sector that informs policy and practice. The handbook explores global giving research, the societal conditions that lead to philanthropic giving and the different reasons for giving around the world.

Dr. Handy’s research and teaching focus on the economics of the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, volunteering, nonprofit entrepreneurship and microfinance. She received the prize on November 18 at the ARNOVA Awards Luncheon.

 

Abass Alavi: Honorary Doctorate, University of Southern Denmark

Abass Alavi, professor of radiology and neurology and director of research education in the department of radiology in Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, Denmark.

Dr. Alavi was recognized for making outstanding contributions to medicine and medical imaging during his long career at Penn, particularly for making Positron Emission Tomography (PET) a reality in day-to-day practice of medicine. PET is helping millions of patients with serious diseases worldwide.

 

Penn-Made President Martha E. Pollack: Cornell University

Martha E. Pollack, GEE’84, Gr’86, was elected president of Cornell University. Dr. Pollack will become Cornell’s 14th president on April 17, 2017.

Dr. Pollack is currently provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Michigan. Previously, she was a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the technical staff at SRI International.

 

Pedro Ponte Castañeda: Warner T. Koiter Medal

Pedro Ponte Castañeda, Raymond S. Markowitz Faculty Fellow and professor in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, was honored with the 2016 Warner T. Koiter Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). 

Dr. Ponte received the award during the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in November.

The Warner T. Koiter Medal, established in 1996, is bestowed in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of solid mechanics with special emphasis on the effective blending of theoretical and applied elements of the discipline, and on a high degree of leadership in the international solid mechanics community.
Dr. Ponte was selected for his role in developing theoretical tools to analyze the nonlinear response of composite materials.

Dr. Ponte’s research is in the area of heterogeneous material systems, including composites, polycrystalline aggregates and particulate flows.

 

 

Lawrence N. Shulman: Commission on Cancer

Lawrence N. Shulman, professor of medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and deputy director for clinical services of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, has been named the new chair of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Shulman aims to expand the Commission’s role in enhancing overall cancer-care quality in the United States as well as reinforce its relationship with its accredited hospital programs. 

“One of my priorities will be helping to reduce cancer health disparities. There are proven steps we can take to address these disparities, such as promoting greater use of screening tests, enhancing access to care, improving the quality of that care, providing more dietary and lifestyle education and increasing participation in clinical trials,” he said. “All Americans should have ready access to high-quality cancer care, regardless of geographic location, socio-economic factors or ethnicity.”

Dr. Shulman leads the cancer quality program for the University of Pennsylvania Health System and its five hospitals. He is also director of Penn’s Center for Global Cancer Medicine.

 

Features

The Embodiment of Benjamin Franklin on Penn’s Campus

Though the birthday of Penn’s founder has been celebrated on January 17 for centuries (Almanac January 10, 2012) he was actually born on January 6, 1705. Throughout the University of Pennsylvania there are places bearing his name along with other reminders of him that take many forms.  

1895: Franklin Field—One of Penn’s most famous landmarks, it was constructed in 1895 and is shown here in 1910. It was expanded with an upper tier in 1922. The home of the Penn Quakers, the field has several claims to fame, the first scoreboard (1895) and the first radio broadcast (1922) and television broadcast (1939) of a football game.

1961: Benjamin Franklin Scholars—This distinguished group of undergraduate scholars is part of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF). The BFS are selected based on their interest in, and demonstrated capacity for, a deep engagement in the liberal arts and sciences, both as ends in themselves and as engines of change in the world. Its students conduct innovative research in all fields (Almanac April 23, 1996).

1970s: Ben Franklin Room—The Ben Franklin Meeting Room (room 218 in Houston Hall) features a variety of technology behind the paneling to enhance a variety of types of presentations and functions.

1924: Kite and Key Society—The oldest of many Penn societies named in tribute to Ben Franklin introduces visitors to campus and fosters a welcoming community by guiding tours and hosting orientation events such as Quaker Days and High School Outreach.

 

 

1914: Young Ben—Penn’s first statue of Franklin, designed in 1914 by Robert Tait McKenzie and installed in front of the athletic complex on 33rd Street, depicts Franklin at age 17, when he first arrived in Philadelphia (Almanac January 10, 2012).

1983: Franklin’s Follies—a wildly eclectic collection of more than 60 singers, dancers, writers and stagecraft volunteers from offices and labs all over Penn, including then-president Sheldon Hackney and then-provost Thomas Ehrlich, put on theatrical revue spoofing “academia’s foibles from a workplace perspective.” (Almanac May 3, 1983).

 

 

 

 

 

1955: Benjamin Franklin Society—Penn’s leadership unrestricted annual giving group includes distinguished donors who contribute to the University on an annual basis.

 

 

 

1938: Ben in Front of College Hall—Sculpted in 1899 by the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company of New York, this prominent work originally sat in front of Philadelphia’s Main Post Office at 9th and Chestnut Streets. In 1938, when this venerable building was razed, the statue was relocated to its present site, where it continues to welcome visitors to Penn’s campus today (Almanac January 10, 2012).

 

 

 

 

 

1967: Franklin Building—Located at 3451 Walnut Street, the Franklin Building, designed by Carroll, Grisdale & Van Alen, has housed various administrative offices over the past 50 years, as has the adjacent Franklin Building Annex.

 

 

1987: Ben on the Bench—Penn’s latest Ben Franklin sculpture resides on 37th Street Walk, just south of Locust Walk. A gift from the class of 1962, it was sculpted in 1987 by George Lundeen. It remains a campus landmark to this day (Almanac January 10, 2012).

2010: Franklin Fest—Held every year since 2010 during Penn’s Alumni Weekend, this event offers live music, food, dancing, and general congeniality.

 

 

 

2000: BEN Financials —Penn’s Business Enterprise Network (BEN) is the resource planning system that provides asset management, purchasing, accounts payable and general ledger capabilities.

 

2010: BEN’s Attic—An online exchange service through which members of the University community can find a new use for no-longer-needed items (Almanac November 23, 2010).

In 1749, Benjamin Franklin published his educational call to arms, Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania. In it, he set forth a radically new template for educating students, one that stressed social utility, secular independence and an English language-based curriculum. This slim pamphlet led to the creation of the University of Pennsylvania, the fourth oldest institution of higher education in North America (Almanac January 24, 2006).

 

 

2014: Penn Benjamins—Founded in the fall of 2014, this student-run organization offers short-term listening and referral services to all members of Penn’s undergraduate community. It is the latest chapter in Benjamin Franklin’s long legacy.

 

 

2009: Benjamin Franklin’s Way—Between Walnut Street and Spruce Street, 37th Street Walk is lined with granite pavers featuring some of Benjamin Franklin’s most famous sayings (Almanac October 13, 2009), including Well done is better than well said; Tart Words make no Friends: a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a Gallon of Vinegar; Genius without Education is like Silver in the Mine; He that teaches himself, hath a fool for his master; He’s a Fool that cannot conceal his Wisdom; A true Friend is the best Possession; Haste Makes Waste; Diligence is the Mother of Good-Luck; He that cannot obey, cannot command; Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn.

Penn Museum Ushers in the Year of the Rooster at the 36th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration

Rooster: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
People born in the year of the Rooster are very observant, hardworking, resourceful, courageous, talented, and self-confident. Roosters are always active, amusing and popular among the crowd. They are talkative, outspoken, frank, open, honest and loyal individuals. They like to be the center of attention and always appear attractive. 
—from The Chinese Zodiac

Make some joyous noise when you call in the Year of the Rooster at the Penn Museum’s 36th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, January 21, 2017, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festive day features traditional Chinese music, contemporary Asian film and Asian American art, zodiac gallery tours, tangram workshops, tai chi, Falun Gong and kung fu martial arts demonstrations, calligraphy, family crafts and much more—with the grand finale drums and the roar of the lion dance and parade. Activities are held in the Museum’s Rotunda, which houses one of the finest collections of monumental Chinese art in the country, and throughout the international galleries of the Museum.

New this year, the Philadelphia Asian Film Festival and the Asian Arts Initiative partner with the event, providing a taste of contemporary Asian and Asian American media and arts, while Chinese for Families returns to offer a rich hour of programming. The Epoch Times, with a Chinese edition which boasts the largest circulation among Chinese media in the United States, is the media sponsor for the event.

The Celebration is the second in the Museum’s popular World Culture Day series. Families can pick up a Passport to Cultures upon arrival, or bring one they’ve started, and collect stamps to earn an invitation to a special Penn Museum Junior Anthropologist ceremony.

The Chinese New Year Celebration, one of Philadelphia’s oldest, is free with Museum admission donation ($15, general admission; $13, seniors [65+]; $10, children [6-17] and full-time students [with ID]; $2 ACCESS Card holders; free to children under 5, Museum members, active U.S. Military, STAMP and PennCard holders).

The Year of the Rooster

Based on the changing lunar calendar, Chinese New Year is celebrated on a different day each year; in 2017, the official date is January 28 (Penn Museum gets an early start on the festivities). Traditional Chinese element theory assigns one of five elements to each year of every zodiac sign: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Fire is the element associated with the Year of the Rooster. The Fire Rooster is said to be the most dramatic and energized of all the Rooster signs, living life in enthusiastic, dynamic bursts, and comfortable taking risks. Comedians Bernie Mac (died in 2008) and Fran Drescher were both born in the Year of the Fire Rooster.
Stephen Lang, keeper of the Asian Section, hosts a special collection viewing from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., featuring selections from a set of 12 rubbings of stone reliefs showing the East Asian zodiac animals at the Gyeongju, Korea tomb of General Kim Yushin (595-673), known as the hero of the Silla Kingdom.

At noon and again at 3 p.m., families can take an interactive “zodiac” tour of the galleries, in search of artifacts featuring the 12 animals that make up the Chinese zodiac.

A Celebration of Music and Arts, Culture and Film

Chinese for Families, a local language school offering fun interactive classes, joins with a program for all ages at 11 a.m. Guests will meet some of the Chinese for Families young students and learn about Chinese New Year, the Chinese Zodiac and Chinese language and archaeology through short films and interactive games.
Chinese painting instructor Onlei Annie Jung leads a drop-in Chinese calligraphy class from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. At 2 p.m. and again at 3:15 p.m., she offers a workshop about the seven tans of the tangram, an ancient Chinese puzzle game believed to have been invented in China during the Song Dynasty, and introduced in Europe in the early 19th century.

Traditional Chinese culture—and its renaissance via the internationally acclaimed Shen Yun dance and music show—is the subject of a short program by Frank Cui of the Greater Philadelphia Falun Dafa Association at noon.
Local musician and instructor Kurt Jung and Qin Qian perform modern and traditional Chinese melodies on the erhu (Chinese two-string fiddle) and the yangchin (Chinese hammered dulcimer) at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Mr. Jung also discusses the role of music in ancient Chinese society in these sessions. Also at 2 p.m., the Chinese Arts Center in Philadelphia offers an instrumental program.

New this year, the Philadelphia Asian Film Festival (PAAFF) offers a quartet of short films, curated and introduced by Festival Director Rob Buscher: Zodiac Run (dir: Gabrielle Silva, 2015); Where East Meets West (dir: Peilin Kuo, 2014); Noodle Deli (dir: David Liu, 2016); and Finding Cleveland (dir: Larissa Lam, 2015). The short program is offered at 2 p.m. PAAFF is a volunteer-run nonprofit film festival working to celebrate and elevate the Asian American and Pacific Islander experience through cinema.

Throughout the day, a Chinese Art Marketplace provides activities for families, including a Year of the Rooster craft station, materials from regional vendors, and a calligraphy station. Philadelphia’s Asian Arts Initiative, a multidisciplinary arts center that uses art as a vehicle to explore the experiences of Asian Americans, shares information about their work. New York-based artist Emily Chow Bluck, currently in residence at Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia as their 2016-2017 Dina Wind Art as Catalyst Fellow, shows work from two of her series: Who’s Who, featuring the faces of people living in Chinatown today, and Market Authentics about aesthetic nostalgia, the search for authenticity and food culture in the United States, East and Southeast Asia. 
The Pepper Mill Café joins the festivities by offering a selection of Chinese lunch entrées and kid-friendly foods.
 

This is the alt text

The traditional Lion Dance Finale is a favorite part of the annual Chinese New Year Celebration at the Penn Museum.

In the Penn Museum’s China gallery, guests can explore extraordinary artistic achievements of the Chinese people through artifacts including jade and coral figurines, bronze vessels, monumental stone sculptures, and glazed pottery. Also on view, the Museum’s distinctive 19th-century crystal ball—the centerpiece of the rotunda—as well as renowned Chinese Buddhist sculptures.

Martial Arts and a Grand Finale

In China, tai chi is categorized as a martial art applied with internal power. Focusing the mind solely on the movements of the form helps to bring about a state of mental calm and clarity. Sifu John Chen and his students from the Ba’z Tai Chi and Kung Fu Studio offer an interactive workshop at 1:30 p.m. At 2:30 p.m., guests can join Falun Gong practitioners from the Greater Philadelphia Falun Dafa Association for sets of gentle and relaxing exercises.

Members of Cheung’s Hung Gar Kung Fu Academy offer a dynamic, Shaolin-style kung fu demonstration at 3:30 p.m., then treat visitors to the sharp footwork and pulsating drums of a spectacular Grand Finale Lion Dance to chase away evil and usher in good luck for the year.

 

Chinese New Year Schedule of Events: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
11a.m.        Chinese for Families Program
11:30 a.m.        Drop in Calligraphy Class
noon        Family Zodiac Tour of the Penn Museum
noon        Lecture on Traditional Chinese Culture and 
                        Shen Yun performance
12:30 p.m.       Chinese Music Demonstration and Performance
1:30 p.m.         Tai Chi Workshop                                              
2 p.m.     Tangram Workshop                            
2 p.m.        Chinese Music Demonstration and Performance
2 p.m.        Performance by Chinese Arts Center Program
2 p.m.              Philadelphia Asian Film Festival Short Films Program
2:30 p.m.         Falun Gong Demonstration
3 p.m.        Family Zodiac Tour of the Penn Museum
3:15 p.m.         Kung Fu Demonstration
3:15 p.m.        Tangram Workshop
4 p.m.        Lion Dance Finale 
Throughout the day: crafts, vendors, calligraphy demonstration.

Events

Nikon Small World at Wistar Institute

The 20 winning images from the 2016 Nikon Photomicrography Competition will be on view from January 23-March 3 at the Wistar Institute, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. It is the only venue in the region to host the annual Nikon exhibition. The stunning images of the microscopic world are taken through the microscope by scientists, professional photographers and highly-skilled laypeople. The Nikon International Small World Competition first began in 1975 as a means to recognize and applaud the efforts of those involved with photography through the light microscope.

The Wistar Institute Leadership Council and Ambassadors will host the Small World opening reception at Wistar, on Friday, January 20 from 6–7:30 p.m. Registration required: http://wistar.convio.net/site/Calendar?id=100601&view=Detail

To see more of the winning images, visit: http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/photo/2016-photomicrography-competition

Update: January AT PENN

MLK SYMPOSIUM

26 Faith, Race, Power, and Privilege: Developing and Maintaining Multiracial, Multicultural & Multi-faith alliances toward Equity and Justice on College Campuses; Yavilah McCoy, VISIONS Inc.; 7-8:30 p.m.; Hillel Steinhardt Hall (Hillel).

TALKS

19 Blazing the Neoliberal Trail: Urban Political Development in the United States and the United Kingdom; Timothy P. R. Weaver, Penn alumnus; 5:30 p.m., Penn Bookstore (Urban Studies Program).
23 The Unbanking of America: How the New Middle Class Survives; Lisa Servon, Penn alumna; 5 p.m., Penn Bookstore (Penn Institute for Urban Research).

___________

AT PENN Deadlines:

The January AT PENN calendar is here. The deadline for the February AT PENN calendar is January 17.

Info. is on the sponsoring department’s website; sponsors are in parentheses. For locations, call (215) 898-5000 or see www.facilities.upenn.edu

Related:

Nikon Small World at Wistar Institute

Crimes

Weekly Crime Reports

The University of Pennsylvania Police Department Community Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are all Crimes Against Persons, Property and Crimes Against Society from the campus report for January 2-8, 2017View prior weeks' reports. —Ed.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety and includes all criminal incidents reported and made known to the University Police Department between the dates of January 2-8, 2017. The University Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from the Schuylkill River to 43rd Street in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police. In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call the Division of Public Safety at (215) 898-4482.

01/03/17 3:13 PM 3939 Chestnut St Theft Package taken
01/03/17 7:06 PM 210 St Marks Sq Theft UPS boxes found without the contents
01/04/17 9:19 AM 3700 Spruce St Harassment Unwanted calls and texts received
01/04/17 2:05 PM 3939 Chestnut St Theft Packages taken from lobby
01/04/17 2:25 PM 3939 Chestnut St Theft Packages taken from lobby
01/04/17 7:15 PM 3400 Spruce St Theft Stethoscope taken from locker
01/05/17 6:38 AM 3400 Spruce St Theft iPhones (2) taken from office
01/05/17 4:40 PM 4201 Walnut St Theft Two books of lottery scratch offs taken
01/05/17 10:22 PM 3700 Walnut St DUI Intoxicated driver arrested
01/06/17 8:08 AM 4200 Pine St Traffic Man wanted on scofflaw/Arrest
01/06/17 12:12 PM 3925 Walnut St Theft Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest
01/06/17 5:47 PM 4100 Spruce St Other Offense Male wanted on warrant/Arrest
01/07/17 1:53 AM 4100 Spruce St DUI Intoxicated male/Arrest
01/07/17 3:26 PM 4001 Walnut St Theft Mercandise taken without payment/Arrest
01/08/17 12:52 PM 3900 Market St Assault Complainant assaulted by unknown offender/Arrest

18th District Report

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 7 incidents with 2 arrests (4 robberies, 2 assaults and 1 aggravated assault) were reported between January 2-8, 2017 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

01/02/17 6:14 PM 40th & Walnut Sts Robbery
01/07/16 4:49 PM 3401 Civic Center Blvd Assault
01/08/17 2:16 AM 3954 Market St Domestic Assault/Arrest

Bulletins

One Step Ahead: February is Data Privacy Month

Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy.

Data Privacy Day is January 28, and kicks off Data Privacy Month—February which is a great time to think about how personal information is collected, stored, used and shared.

In order to raise privacy awareness, here are some tips to consider for yourself or share with your colleagues: 

1. Protect Personal Information 

Think before you act:  Be wary of communications – particularly email communications—that implore you to act immediately, offer something that sounds too good to be true, ask for personal information, or ask you to enter your credentials.

Get two steps ahead: Switch on two-step verification or multi-factor authentication wherever offered to prevent unauthorized access.  You may enroll in Penn WebLogin two-step verification at: http://www.upenn.edu/computing/weblogin/two-step/

2.  Share With Care 
What you post can last a lifetime: Before posting online think about how it might be perceived now and in the future and who might see it. 

Own your online presence: Set the privacy and security settings on web services and devices to your comfort level for information sharing. It’s okay to limit how and with whom you share information. 

Be aware of what’s being shared: Be aware that when you share a post, picture or video online, you may also be revealing information about others. Be thoughtful when and how you share information about others.

To learn more about how to protect Penn data as well as your own data, please visit PennPrivacy at http://www.upenn.edu/oacp/privacy/

________________________________

For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: www.upenn.edu/computing/security/

Back to Top