A summer research experience at Penn’s Developing Minds Lab gave Sage Sawhney, C'29, a firsthand look at how behavioral and neural dynamics between parents and children may contribute to mathematical learning from an early age. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Studying the building blocks of early math learning | Penn Today

A summer research experience at Penn’s Developing Minds Lab gave second-year Sage Sawhney a firsthand look at how behavioral and neural dynamics between parents and children may contribute to mathemat...

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One of the great privileges of serving as Dean is seeing the extraordinary range of scholarship, research, and creative work taking place throughout Penn Arts & Sciences. Join me in congratulating the many faculty members whose recent honors and awards can be found here. https://bit.ly/4z1ylTe

I'm heading to the West Coast this week to meet with members of the Penn community. Join us in the Bay Area on 9/30--and in LA on 10/1--to hear from Penn professors about their research ideas, AI in the classroom, and what students really want to learn. https://bit.ly/4iVLGYt @sas.upenn.edu

How is AI changing warfare? For the latest episode of our Horizons podcast series, Beyond the Machine: AI in the World, I sat down with Michael Horowitz, Richard Perry Professor of Political Science and Director of @perryworldhouse.bsky.social, to explore this question. @upenn.edu

AI and the Changing Character of War

The second episode of Season 2 of the “Horizons” podcast series, “Beyond the Machine: AI in the World,” features Dean Mark Trodden and political scientist Michael Horowitz addressing AI and autonomous...

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The University of Pennsylvania today announced a remarkable $22.5 million gift from Gabriel Gilinski, who graduated from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2008, and Stephanie Gilinski to expand educational affordability and elevate academic excellence across Penn Arts & Sciences. @upenn.edu

Penn Arts & Sciences Receives $22.5 Million Commitment to Advance Affordability and Academic Excellence | School of Arts and Sciences - University of Pennsylvania

A Landmark Gift from Alumnus Gabriel Gilinski and Stephanie Gilinski Establishes an Endowed Scholarship and Professorships Supporting History, Political Science, and Economics

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Helmed by Penn Arts & Sciences AI Lead Bhuvnesh Jain, new offerings—from a broad crash course to specialized department trainings—aim to help faculty across Penn understand and navigate the rapidly evolving landscape around artificial intelligence. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Empowering Better AI Users

Helmed by Penn Arts & Sciences AI Lead Bhuvnesh Jain, new offerings—from a broad crash course to specialized department trainings—aim to help faculty become more comfortable with evolving…

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Can the arts & sciences help us understand and strengthen democratic practices and citizenship? Join us in Houston Hall on 9/17 at 4pm for the launch of SAS Commons, a new series exploring a single theme through meaningful public dialogue and the exchange of ideas across disciplines. buff.ly/PylW6dZ

Join us this September for our 60-Second Lecture series delivered by Penn Arts & Sciences faculty. Our first lecture of the season featured Melissa Wilde, who spoke about “Political Neutrality and Sociology." See the full schedule of this month's talks: buff.ly/XEblTU4 @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

What are LLMs? In the Season 2 kickoff of the “Horizons” podcast series, “Beyond the Machine: AI in the World,” linguist Charles Yang and I discuss how humans and machines acquire and use language. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

What are LLMs Human vs Machine Learning

Season 2 of the “Horizons” podcast series, “Beyond the Machine: AI in the World,” kicks off with Dean Mark Trodden and linguist Charles Yang discussing how humans and machines acquire and use…

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Congrats to Sarah Gronningsater, Associate Professor of History, who has been named Evan C Thompson Chair for Excellence in Teaching by Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Russell Composto. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Sarah Gronningsater Named Evan C Thompson Chair for Excellence in Teaching

The honor, which took effect July 1, recognizes teaching excellence in the four undergraduate schools at Penn.

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Jed Esty, Vartan Gregorian Professor of English, has been named Curriculum Lead for the College. In this three-year position starting Jan 2027, he will operationalize the new curriculum and help to redefine undergraduate education at Penn. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Jed Esty Named Curriculum Lead for College of Arts & Sciences

In the three-year role, he will help operationalize and champion the new educational framework, which begins in earnest for the Class of 2031.

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Congratulations to the inaugural cohort of SAS Commons Society of Fellows in Public Knowledge, an initiative created as part of the School's new strategic vision, Horizons. These early-career scholars have expertise across a range of fields, from astronomy to political science. buff.ly/qd4IjTA

From move-in to New Student Orientation, our newest Quakers are beginning to find their place in our community and preparing for an exciting first year. Welcome to Penn, Class of 2030! @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

A Campus Energized

In late August, students packed Houston Hall to learn about Penn Arts & Sciences departments, waved hats in Annenberg Plaza, and heard from Deans Trodden and Struck as they welcomed the Class of 2030.

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Psychologist Michael Kahana has long been fascinated with the human memory. After decades of research, Kahana and colleagues have developed a breakthrough--an implantable therapy device to treat memory loss in adult patients with traumatic brain injuries. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

A Breakthrough to Restore Memory

After decades of research and discovery, Michael Kahana, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor of Psychology, and colleagues are closer than ever to an AI-guided device to treat memory loss.

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We're excited to welcome the College of Arts & Sciences Class of 2030! The future of Penn is looking bright from above ❤️ 💙 @upenn.edu

PhD student Konstantinos Raptis studies trade and economy in the Mediterranean Sea during Late Antiquity, from roughly 250 to 750 CE, and dives into the ocean to excavate shipwrecks—like those in the Fourni archipelago, a string of small Greek islands. https://bit.ly/4e5mDiV @upenn.edu

Through Penn’s Summer Humanities Internship Program, College undergrads Pelham Tennant, Nestor Fioretos, Carson Donnelly, and Margot Englander spent 10 weeks at the National Constitution Center, helping educators to teach the Constitution with accuracy, balance, and a nonpartisan approach.

Supporting We the People for the Summer

At the National Constitution Center, Pelham Tennant, C’29, Nestor Fioretos, C’29, Carson Donnelly, C’29, and Margot Englander, C’29, spent 10 weeks equipping educators to teach the Constitution with…

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Enjoyed attending a poster session in Houston Hall last week to hear high school students present on their projects for Penn Summer Academies, which offer subject-intensive programs that fuse theory with application. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

How is artificial intelligence evolving? How does it work? Questions like these brought 75 people for a two-day crash course in AI led by Bhuvnesh Jain, Co-Director of the Data Driven Discovery Initiative and Co-Chair of the University’s AI Council. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu @upenndddi.bsky.social

A Crash Course in AI

Some 75 faculty members across many disciplines and several Penn schools attended a two-day program led by Bhuvnesh Jain, Co-Director of the Data Driven Discovery Initiative and Co-Chair of the Univer...

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Like many of you, I try to carve out time for summer reading. From Booker Prize winners to British crime fiction, here are some of my recent picks. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

It takes glaciers thousands of years to form--and only decades to melt. Geoscientist Leigh Stearns takes us to Helheim Glacier in Greenland, where she and her team use satellite imagery and radar to understand the pace of change. buff.ly/SC1XVBH @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu @leighstearns.bsky.social

As artificial intelligence expands, the School of Arts & Sciences' Chief AI Officer Initiative, led by political scientist John Lapinski, will connect state and local AI leaders, foster policy discussions, and offer students experiential learning opportunities. buff.ly/TZQchD5 @sas.upenn.edu

With the release of the new cinematic adaptation of The Odyssey, three Penn faculty discuss the enduring significance of Homer's epic: Emily Wilson of Classical Studies, French literature scholar Scott Francis, and Sheila Murnaghan, Professor of Greek. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Omnia 101 The Odyssey

In July, a new adaptation of the famous poem hits the big screen. Three faculty discuss the enduring significance of Homer’s epic.

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The #WorldCup has delivered unforgettable moments and with the semifinals here, it's prediction time. ⚽️ As a lifelong football fan, I couldn't resist weighing in. Here are my picks for the semifinals (and yes, old loyalties may have influenced at least one of them). Let's see how they hold up.

From Rome to Rumi, check out the latest books from Penn Arts & Sciences faculty. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Faculty Bookshelf

Recent books from Penn Arts & Sciences faculty.

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From uncovering ancient lifeways to addressing climate change, scholars at Penn Arts & Sciences are finding an upside to looking down in "What Lies Beneath." @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

What Lies Beneath

From uncovering ancient ways of life to addressing the pressing threat of climate change, scholars at Penn Arts & Sciences are finding an upside to looking down.

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Congratulations to Andrea Liu, Hepburn Professor, who won the first-ever Marie Curie Medal in Physics in recognition of her pivotal work with theoretical soft and living matter. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Physics Professor Andrea Liu Wins Prestigious Science Honor

Liu, Hepburn Professor of Physics, received the inaugural Marie Curie Medal in Physics awarded by the International Congress of Basic Science.

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In this season's Omnia Magazine cover story, 11 objects—from a kite to a Rubik's cube—highlight the School's new strategic vision.

Charting a Course

In February, Penn Arts & Sciences released “SAS Horizons: Pathways for a Changing World.” Through 11 objects, we highlight how this strategic vision will help the School navigate today’s challenging…

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Check out the latest issue of Omnia Magazine, including student news, alumni updates, and faculty research on soil, shipwrecks, and ice sheets.

Spring/Summer 2026

In this Omnia, we dive into SAS Horizons: Pathways for a Changing World, showcasing the School’s recently launched strategic vision through 11 objects. There’s also a feature about alums working in…

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In a community-engaged filmmaking course taught by anthropologist Alissa Jordan, graduate and undergraduate students create short films looking at education, archiving, and grassroots organizing in Philadelphia neighborhoods. @upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu

Penn filmmaking class shares the stories of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods | Penn Today

Graduate and undergraduate students in Alissa Jordan’s course partnered with community organizations to create five short films that touch on education, archiving, and grassroots organizing in…

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