Natural Science

A group of people standing in front of a statue of the Penn Shield
Students Honored as 2024 Dean’s Scholars

The recognition is given annually to students who exhibit exceptional academic performance and intellectual promise.

P. Roy and Diana Vagelos groundbreaking event 1995
Catalysts for Basic Science

P. Roy Vagelos, C’50, PAR’90, HON’99, has been connected to Penn for 75 years, starting as an undergrad. He and his wife, Diana T. Vagelos, PAR’90, recently gave Penn Arts & Sciences $83.9 million to fund science initiatives—the largest single gift ever made to the School.

A group of students (Cystal Marshall, Rene Chen, Oscar Vasquez) standing in a crowded stadium. They are all wearing caps and gowns, and smiling. Marshall, on the left, holds a flag with the school colors.
A Graduation Celebration for Penn Arts & Sciences

More than 2,200 students earned degrees from the College, the Graduate Division, and the College of Liberal & Professional Studies.

Paul Sniegowski smiling, standing in front of a small pond.
Paul Sniegowski Named President of Earlham College

He assumes the role on August 1 after 27 years at Penn, including heading undergraduate programs of the College since 2017.

College for Women
Taking Your Feedback to Heart

A message from editor Michele W. Berger on results from the reader survey and the latest issue.

Ben Franklin College Hall
In Recognition of Outstanding Teaching

The 2024 honorees include 21 people from 11 departments and programs, five of whom received University-wide acknowledgement.

Katie Barott, Douglas Jerolmack, and Mark Trodden seated on a stage with a crowd in front of them. In the center of the stage is a television with the text "BEN TALKS NEW YORK CITY: The Fragile Earth" along with the words "Sea, Land, and Sky" on top of accompanying imagery. Jerolmack speaks into a hand-held microphone, and Trodden holds papers.
From Connecting to Coaching

An array of opportunities for alums, faculty, and students to gather.

Rectangles in a variety of colors with a smear effect on some, giving the appearance they are travelling to the left.
Colorful Language

Biology and psychology researchers reveal that the way colors have been described historically constrains how they might be described in the future.

Sound Solutions
Sound Solutions

Researchers across Penn Arts & Sciences are turning to sound for new answers to questions on subjects from birdsong to the benefits of music exposure.

Emily Schapira standing in front of Philadelphia City Hall, smiling
On the Grid

Emily Schapira, C’02, WG’09, CEO of the Philadelphia Energy Authority, is fighting climate change and creating thousands of local jobs along the way.

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Research Roundup: Stable Glass, Shape-Shifting Organisms, and More

The latest installment of this series highlights work from four faculty working in biology, chemistry, and economics.

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What the EPA Limits on “Forever Chemicals” Mean

In a Q&A, Brianne Callahan, C’02, CGS’04, of the Water Center explains the new regulations on PFAS, plus how they might affect consumer water bills, health, and more.

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60-Second Lectures: Living the Hard Promise (Video)

This spring, Penn Arts & Sciences’ long-running 60-Second Lectures and its new Living the Hard Promise series came together for a series of special lectures.

An fMRI machine dangling from a crane outside of a building.
Pushing the Boundaries of Human Brain Imaging

A next-generation fMRI machine, the centerpiece of the new MindCORE Neuroimaging Facility, gives researchers across campus a novel tool to study the mind-brain connection.

A person in a graduation cap with 2024 on the top making a heart shape with her hands. She has a bunch of roses draped on her shoulder.
Penn Arts & Sciences 2024 Graduation (Photos)

More than 2,200 students earned degrees from the College, the Graduate Division, and the College of Liberal & Professional Studies.

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