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The impact of microplastics—and how to limit exposure
Derek Ho in the lab pointing to a beaker of water in front of two lab techs.

To better visualize microplastics, researchers in the McBride Lab at Penn Engineering use fluorescent dyes like Nile Red, which attach to plastics and make them glow under specific light. Environmental researcher Derek Ho developed a system used in their lab called the Fluorescent Imaging Microplastic Analysis Platform, or FIMAP. It uses machine learning to detect and identify plastic particles larger than about 20 microns in complex water samples.

(Image: Sylvia Zhang)

The impact of microplastics—and how to limit exposure

Microplastics researchers Samantha McBride and Derek Ho of Penn Engineering and Vijay Bhatia of the Philadelphia Water Department discuss how microplastics get into ecosystems and human bodies, offering practical ways to minimize exposure.

3 min. read

Examining the important and changing landscape of children’s media
Bonnie holds Jessie and Bullseye in Toy Story 5.

(Center): Bonnie in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5. (Image: Courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved)

(Image: Courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved)

Examining the important and changing landscape of children’s media

Penn Today talked to Annenberg’s Kim Woolf about communication theories of children’s relationships to media and how the children’s media ecosystem has evolved—topics she covers in the Children and the Media class.

3 min. read

A crash course in AI

A crash course in AI

Early this summer, some 75 faculty members across 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 University’s AI Council.

From Omnia

How fiscal policy moves financial markets

How fiscal policy moves financial markets

Wharton finance professor Courtney Wiegand explains how financial markets respond to different stages of the congressional budget process.

Celebrating history and possibility on Market Street
The exterior of Meantime on Market on Philadelphia’s Market Street.

The site of Meantime on Market on the 900 block of Market Street.

(Image: Charlie Shuck for Meantime)

Celebrating history and possibility on Market Street

As Philadelphia celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of the City’s founding streets is back in the spotlight.

From the Weitzman School of Design

2 min. read

A specialized approach to mental health crisis care at HUP–Cedar
Stephanie Hollister and another healthcare workers at HUP Cedar looking at a computer.

Stephanie Hollister (right) is the assistant vice president of behavioral health for the Cedar Avenue Crisis Response Center.

(Image: Courtesy of Penn Medicine News)

A specialized approach to mental health crisis care at HUP–Cedar

Penn’s Southwest Philadelphia crisis response center has expanded access, eased emergency department crowding, and connected more patients to ongoing mental health support.

Eric Horvath

2 min. read

Taking ethnic studies courses increases academic performance
A high school classroom with kids in class at their desks.

Image: 10’000 Hours via Getty Images

Taking ethnic studies courses increases academic performance

Sade Bonilla, an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education, and colleagues found that high school students in the San Francisco Unified School District experienced academic benefits from participating in an ethnic studies course.

3 min. read

Staying up late
Staying up late

Image: Rachael Ortwein/Karen Hakobyan/500 px via Getty Images

Staying up late

Penn Vet’s Wildlife Futures seek to unravel the mystery of the disappearing barn owl

2 min. read

Speed and precision for medical imaging
Rohit Jena in front of computer monitors.

(Image: Sylvia Zhang)

Speed and precision for medical imaging

A new open-source algorithm dubbed “FireANTS” can be applied not just in medical research, but clinical practice as well.

Ian Scheffler

2 min. read