Natural Science
Research Roundup: A Great Cup of Coffee Through Physics, Math Nudges, and More
We share recent findings from four Penn Arts & Sciences faculty, including one who used physics to make a delicious cup of coffee with fewer beans and another studying behavioral health practices to improve math scores.
60-Second Lectures at Quaker Days
Over three days, six faculty experts from criminology, English, biology, history and sociology of science, music, and German, spoke briefly on subjects from Airbnbs and crime to deep listening.
Mark Trodden named Dean of Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences
A distinguished physicist and accomplished academic leader, Trodden will assume the role on June 1.
Penn ATLAS Shares 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics
The team, which includes Joseph Kroll, Evelyn Thomson, Elliot Lipeles, Dylan Rankin, and Brig Williams from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, is part of an expansive collaboration studying high-energy collisions from the Large Hadron Collider.
2025 College of Arts & Sciences Graduation Speakers
Michael Platt, James S. Riepe University Professor, will speak at this year’s College of Arts & Sciences graduation ceremony, along with student speaker Anthony Wong, C’25, Sunday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. on Franklin Field.
Behind the Scenes of Rule Breakers
Amber Afzali, C’23, stars in a new movie about the Afghan Dreamers, Afghanistan’s first female robotics team.
Sustainable Packaging Through Chemistry
Through her startup, AekoVera, fourth-year PhD candidate Kritika Jha helps bridge the gap for businesses struggling to adopt more eco-friendly packaging.
Winners of the Ninth Annual Penn Grad Talks (Video)
TED-style talks on crowdfunding in ancient Greece, gender gaps in political tolerance, shyness, opera singers and language, and how to know what you don’t know, took home the day’s top prizes.
Modern Medicine and the History of Graverobbing
Using archival documents and primary source material in Philadelphia and Scotland, Catherine Sorrentino, C’25, uncovered what happened to society’s most vulnerable with the rise of “anatomical medicine.”
The Missing Data Link
Whether decoding medieval manuscripts or analyzing national polling numbers, Penn’s 100-plus data scientists have plenty to talk about, and Penn Arts & Sciences’ Data Driven Discovery Initiative is leading the charge in fostering collaboration.
Research Roundup: Fruit Fly Mating, Airbnbs and Crime, and More
In the first 2025 edition of this series, we examine “wing spreading,” how a popular homestay accommodation increased robberies in London, how to reduce votes lost in the mail, and spending on home care.
Nurturing a Love for Math
A new book by Professor of Mathematics Robin Pemantle and longtime math teacher Henri Picciotto offers middle and high school educators actionable materials and invites reflection and connection across disciplines.
From Periodic Table to Libretto
Growing up the child of a famous scientist, Karyl Charna Lynn, CW’65, was expected to follow her father’s path. She pursued chemistry throughout her schooling, but when she started writing about opera, she knew she’d found her passion.
2024 Year in Review
As the calendar flips to 2025, we look back at a few of the dozens of stories we had the privilege of sharing this past year.
A Celebratory Dedication for the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology
The opening of the 112,500-square-foot space—now home to the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology—marks the start of a new chapter in Penn’s study of energy science and the fight against climate change.