News

Penn Research Makes Advance in Nanotech Gene Sequencing Technique

The allure of personalized medicine has made new, more efficient ways of sequencing genes a top research priority. One promising technique involves reading DNA bases using changes in electrical current as they are threaded through a nanoscopic hole.

Now, a team led by University of Pennsylvania physicists has used solid-state nanopores to differentiate single-stranded DNA molecules containing sequences of a single repeating base.

AK Mann obituary

Emeritus Professor Alfred Kenneth Mann passed away at the age of 92 on January 13 of this year.  His career in physics at Penn spanned more than 50 years.  The May edition of Physics Today features an obituary on Prof. Mann (page 59) from Profs. Gene Beier and Brig Williams.

Mirjam Cvetic named a Simons Fellow

Prof. Mirjam Cvetic has been named a 2013 Simons Fellow.  This award (with additional support from the School of Arts and Sciences) provides for a year's sabbatical to engage in "Non-Perturbative String Theory and Gravity" research.  The "Science Times" section of the New York Times will feature an ad honoriing all the 2013 Simons Fellowship recipients on Tuesday, May 7.  Congratulations Mirjam!

Nader Engheta wins Franklin Key Award

Nader Engheta, H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering with a secondary appointment in Physics & Astronomy, is the recipient of the 2013 Benjamin Franklin Key Award from the IEEE Philadelphia for "outstanding electrical engineering design, innovation and problem solving.  The Key Award  is given annually to an engineer in the Philadelphia section of IEEE for outstanding technical innovation and technological contributions that have significant practical application.

Penn Physics Seniors Win Rose Award

It is a great pleasure to announce that Thomas Krane and Anshuman Pal, two of our physics seniors, are the recipients of the 2013 Rose Award from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF). Among 73 outstanding nominations, there were sixteen 2013 Rose Award recipients chosen.

Elliot Lipeles Speaks on Search for the Higgs

Asst. Prof. Elliot Lipeles is in the leadoff article of Penn News Today as a prelude to his 2013 Penn Science Cafe talk at the World Cafe Live on Apr. 23 at 6pm.  See the Events section of this page for more information.

Dean's Award for Mentorship to Masao Sako

Associate Professor Masao Sako is being honored by the School of Arts and Sciences with this year's Dean's Award for Mentorship of Undergraduate Research.  This award is presented to SAS standing faculty members for meaningful engagement of undergraduate students in research due to exceptional nurturing and facilitating by faculty.  The award will be conferred at a School-wide reception on Thursday, April 25 at 4pm in 200 College Hall.

P&A grad. student awarded

Melinda Andrews, a graduate student working with Prof. Mark Trodden, was honored with the "Best Student Talk Award" at the Workshop on Astrophysics and Cosmology at Penn State University on April 5. Her talk was on "Galileon Forces in the Solar System".

SAS Frontiers article on Penn Higgs Search

Penn HEP graduate students and faculty working on the search for the Higgs particle at the Large Hadron Collider are featured in an article in this month's SAS Frontiers magazine.  The monthly online magazine highlights the research and creative accomplishments of faculty and students in the School of Arts and Sciences.  The article is available here.

Physics and Astronomy Students win SAS Fellowships

Three students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy have received fellowships from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Dan Beller and Nick Kybert received Teece Fellowships, and Carl Goodrich received a Dissertation Research Fellowship. Congratulations to all three!