Ramanan Raghavendran was named the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania on Jan. 4, effective immediately. A Penn alumnus, he is the managing partner and co-founder of Amasia, a global venture capital firm focused on climate and sustainability. “Ramanan Raghavendran is an inspired and inspiring choice for Trustee Board Chair,” said Penn Interim President J. Larry Jameson. “With three Penn degrees, devoted University engagement in multiple leadership roles, and professional experience in a rapidly changing business environment, he is poised to partner with other distinguished Trustees to support our University’s important and impactful missions.”
In a Q&A with Penn Today, Interim President J. Larry Jameson discussed his first few weeks as interim president, issues facing Penn and other colleges and universities across the country, and how his medical background informs his leadership. “Medicine trains you to listen and be empathetic,” Jameson says. “We are also trained to create what is referred to as a ‘differential diagnosis’—meaning that for each set of symptoms or tests, you begin with a comprehensive list of possibilities rather than jumping to a conclusion. This approach creates open mindedness for different possibilities—some common, some rare.”
Alumnus Roy Vagelos and his wife, Diana, made a gift of $83.9 million to fund science initiatives across the School of Arts & Sciences. It is the largest single gift ever made to the School and among the largest in Penn’s history. “As a physician-scientist himself, Roy pioneered major advances that have improved human health,” said Penn Interim President J. Larry Jameson. “Their commitment to this University can be seen across campus and we are deeply committed to their bold vision for what Penn can accomplish, from discoveries in the lab to inspiring students in the classroom.” (Image: David DeBalko)
In a Q&A with Penn Today, Penn Dental Medicine Dean Mark Wolff, who is chair of Penn’s Task Force on Antisemitism, updates the Penn community on the Task Force’s progress and what’s to come. “If our Task Force is successful, I believe that we will lay the groundwork for transcendent educational resources to combat the ancient scourge of antisemitism,” says Wolff. “I believe that we will provide a real leadership model for other institutions.”
The Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community was launched in the fall semester and convened by Interim President J. Larry Jameson, with a goal to address the interconnectedness of antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of hate, discrimination, and bias, while determining ways to help build community on campus. The commission is co-chaired by Penn Engineering Dean Vijay Kumar and Katharine Strunk, dean of the Graduate School of Education.
Claire Fagin, the former Penn Nursing School dean who served as interim president of Penn in 1993-94, died Jan. 16. “Dr. Fagin will be remembered for myriad accomplishments, including the distinction of being one of the first women to lead an Ivy League institution and being the first female leader of Penn,” says Interim Penn President J. Larry Jameson. Fagin also led pioneering research in nursing and advanced nursing by setting high standards for nursing education. (Image: Courtesy of Penn Nursing)
The Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at Penn hosted the first event in a spring semester series on antisemitism and education, held at Penn Hillel. It featured author Dara Horn, who has received three National Jewish Book Awards and speaks frequently in the U.S., Israel, and Australia. “Educators actually believe that people can change,” Horn said. “I think we all have so much to learn from each other if we’re willing to be uncomfortable enough to learn it.” (Image: Eddy Marenco)
The African-American Resource Center (AARC) hosted the University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, featuring speeches by Interim President J. Larry Jameson and Provost John L. Jackson Jr.; Rev. William Gipson; Penn students Ruby Nwaebube, Adora Moneme, and Christopher Johnny; and Wayne State University associate professor of African American studies Charisse Burden-Stelly, who provided the morning’s keynote address. “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said only love can drive out hatred, only love can make a change,” said Valerie Dorsey Allen, director of AARC. “We have to love our neighbors, we have to love our communities and as much as we can do that, we can make a difference. That goes for MLK Day and that goes for the AARC. We have to love the people that we’re working with, love the service that we’re giving.”
A new speaker series by the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies leads conversations about antisemitism and education, with a hope of adding historical context to recent events and to provide a space to reflect on the value of the relationship between Jews and the American university. “The series is trying to acknowledge and address what occurred on campus last semester,” says Katz Center Director Steven Weitzman. “So much of what the public saw about events came from the media, and I wanted to create a way for the university community to gain a deeper understanding of what was happening, including what was at stake for members of the Jewish community.” (Image: Courtesy of the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies)
Xander Uyttendaele, a 2023 graduate of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, is among 16 students or recent graduates nationwide to receive a Churchill Scholarship. The scholarship awardees receive full funding for a one-year master’s degree at Churchill College at Cambridge. (Image: Courtesy of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships)
The MLK Interfaith Commemoration launched in 1996 and this year featured a conversation between Jonah Platt, an actor, writer, and director; Rabbi David Wolpe; and William Gipson, special advisor to the vice president for social equity and community. “The conversation tonight honors an important part of Dr. King’s legacy, and that is allyship,” said Interim President J. Larry Jameson. (Image: Damien Townsville)
The Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health celebrated 25 years. The project is a collaboration between Penn and researchers in Malawi that focuses on HIV/AIDS and emerging concerns about aging in low-income countries. (Image: iStock / Maria Schiffer)
Emily Wilson, a professor of classical studies, published her translation of “The Iliad” in the fall, landing on several Best of 2023 book lists and prompting a widespread promotional tour. She spoke about the experience of being a sort of “celebrity translator.” “I have a sense there’s the public-image self, and then there’s the me-self, and the me-self is quite a private person. I’m struggling to get my head around how do those two selves fit together?” Wilson says. “And even when the media coverage is very good and tells the truth, I still have a hard time relating to myself as a public persona.”
A team of researchers led by Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences uncovered key mechanisms behind 2021’s Pacific Northwest “Heat Dome,” detailing complex interactions between the Earth’s atmosphere and its terrestrial landscapes. “Our study shows that anomalous summer jet stream behavior—which we know is favored by human-caused warming yet isn’t well captured by current generation climate models—contributed to the unprecedented 2021 Pacific Northwest ’Heat Dome” event,’ says Mann. (Image/iStock / Piyaset)
Dagmawi Woubshet of the Department of English taught Black Queer Traditions, a new First-Year Seminar that explores the intersection of Black queer life, histories, art, and culture. “I wish I’d had this class when I was a freshman,” says Woubshet.
The sculpture “Atmosphere and Environment XII” is profiled as part of Penn Today’s Art Matters series, highlighting art on campus. The sculpture was created by Louise Nevelson, an influential artist in the years after World War II and one of the few women to create outdoor sculptures at the time.
