The four 2025 teams have turned bold ideas into measurable impact. –
Keeping you up to date with the most recent news from the University of Pennsylvania
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March 23, 2026
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Penn Today caught up with the four winning teams of the President’s Prizes for Innovation, Engagement, and Sustainability. Each year, Penn invests in and showcases fourth-years turning bold ideas into meaningful impact. “These projects began as the visions of passionate Penn students, now alumni, who embody the University at its finest: creative and extraordinarily committed to making a measurable difference in the world,” says Penn President J. Larry Jameson. (Video)
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Dentists Kyle H. Vining and Hardik Makkar are taking a new approach to treating severe gum disease by focusing on the physical properties of gum tissue. Using a Jell-O-like hydrogel, their team discovered that physically stiffening model tissues dramatically reduced inflammation, paving the way to strengthen the gums and halt the destructive cycle of periodontal disease.
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Postdoc and former data scientist Baird Howland knew that he wanted to think about politics in a data-driven way. Howland uses AI models to track narratives in political discourse, learning how and why specific media stories shape American worldviews.
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Finance professor Sylvain Catherine explains how not accounting for Social Security can lead to inaccurate or inflated measurements.
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THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
“We’re part of something bigger, the university, the athletic department,” says men’s basketball head coach Fran McCaffery. “Penn basketball and the tradition is something that a lot of people take great pride in, and they put me in charge. I couldn’t be more thankful.”
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MARCH 27
This program, free and open to the public and organized by the Arthur Ross Gallery Student Advisory Board, invites attendees to slow down, practice mindfulness, and create art in community. Participants can engage with guided artmaking activities at the Arthur Ross Gallery for special late gallery hours while the “Collecting the New Irascibles: Art in the 1980s” exhibition is on view. All materials will be provided, along with pizza and special giveaways. Register to attend.
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