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Social Sciences

The outbreak history forgot
A lab tech with a pipette and petri dish during the Legionnaires disease outbreak of 1976.

A laboratory technician performs an unidentified test during an investigation of Legionnaires’ disease, which is caused by the Gram-negative bacterium, Legionella pneumophila.

(Image: CDC/Martin D. Hicklin, MD)

The outbreak history forgot

It’s been 50 years since Legionnaires’ disease was discovered in Philadelphia. David Barnes, associate professor of history and sociology of science, says people can learn a lot from that moment.

From Omnia

2 min. read

The (nearly) Reverend Doctor Booker
Vaughn Booker.

Vaughn Booker is the George E. Doty, Jr. & Lee Spelman Doty Presidential Associate Professor of Africana Studies

(Image: Courtesy of Omnia)

The (nearly) Reverend Doctor Booker

Vaughn A. Booker, associate professor of Africana Studies in the School of Arts & Sciences, investigates the history and diversity of 20th-century African American religions.

From Omnia

2 min. read

Multilingual, multicultural community-based learning

Multilingual, multicultural community-based learning

Students in Penn GSE’s Language, Globalization, and Intercultural Studies master’s program are spending the summer working with organizations that support immigrant, refugee, and multilingual communities throughout Philadelphia.

From Penn GSE

2 min. read

Which state policies are actually working?
Aerial view of city streets and traffic.

Image: Urbanscape via iStock

Which state policies are actually working?

Penn IUR faculty fellow John Landis analyzed 25 years of land use, transportation, energy, and water conservation efforts across the United States.

From Penn IUR

2 min. read

Supporting ‘We the People’ for the summer
Five SAS interns filling tote bags at the National Constitution Center.

At the National Constitution Center, the students primarily focused on preparing for the Center’s Educator Institutes, professional development opportunities for people who work with students in grades five through 12 at public, charter, independent, parochial, and other schools.

(Image: Courtesy of Omnia)

Supporting ‘We the People’ for the summer

At the National Constitution Center, five undergrads in the School of Arts & Sciences spent 10 weeks equipping educators to teach the Constitution with accuracy, balance, and a nonpartisan approach.

2 min. read

A ‘breakthrough’ to restore memory
an implantable, handheld therapy device

Michael Kahana and colleagues have created an implantable therapy device to treat memory loss in adult patients with traumatic brain injuries. Results of studies about the device’s effectiveness have been promising, and this past March the FDA gave it “Breakthrough Device Designation.”

(Image: Or Barak)

A ‘breakthrough’ to restore memory

After decades of research and discovery, Michael Kahana in the School of Arts & Sciences and colleagues are closer than ever to an AI-guided device to treat memory loss.

2 min. read

Group projects
GROUP PROJECTS

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Group projects

A roundup of stories from Penn Today on foraging patterns in the bee community, group problem solving, student performing arts, and moderating social media content.

Penn Today Staff

2 min. read

Opposition to local data centers rises sharply, Annenberg survey finds

Opposition to local data centers rises sharply, Annenberg survey finds

A new survey by Penn’s Annenberg Public Policy Center finds that about 3 in 5 U.S. adults oppose the construction of new data centers in their area, while Americans’ broader views of artificial intelligence, however, remain stable.