Spring/Summer 2021

Volume 12

In this issue of OMNIA we examine humankind's complex—and often harmful—relationship with our home: Earth. We also confront the ugly truth of inequality, exploring the nation’s complex history with race, and take a look at how decision-making impacts individuals during high-stress periods. In addition, we check in with students to see how they have adapted both socially and academically after more than a year into the pandemic.

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Features

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    The World at Our Feet

    It’s our tiny oasis in a vast universe, and it’s feeling fragile. Five faculty give us the latest on Earth and its prospects.

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The Night Sky Is the Limit

Physicist Bhuvnesh Jain on how big data is transforming not only the study of the universe, but much of academia.

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Something Missing, Found

Leniqueca Welcome, a doctoral candidate in cultural anthropology, uses photography to explore the human experience.

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Whether Forecasting

Joseph Kable, Baird Term Professor of Psychology and Director of MindCORE, studies the brain activity that drives decision-making.

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Learning in the Time of COVID

Undergraduates reflect on their educational—and personal—experiences during the pandemic.

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Shifting the Conversation

Josephine Nock-Hee Park, Professor of English and Director of the Asian American Studies Program, on anti-Asian racism and community response.

Omnia 101

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Omnia 101: Linguistics

Nicole R. Holliday, Assistant Professor of Linguistics, on the science of what we say and how we say it.

Movers & Quakers

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Marketing for Good

Bill Novelli, C’63, ASC’64, PAR’90, went from selling soap and cereal to ideas and causes.

In the Classroom

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Lessons Learned

After a year of teaching online, Penn Arts & Sciences faculty reflect on how they’ve made it work.

Insomnia

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The Power of Poetry

After Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem captured attention, the director of Kelly Writers House reflects on what poetry can do.

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Office Artifacts: Scott Poethig

Discover the stories behind the Professor of Biology’s office items—in his own words.

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Past Issues