Defining neural ‘representation’ Neuroscientists frequently say that neural activity ‘represents’ certain phenomena. PIK Professor Konrad Kording and postdoc Ben Baker led a study that took a philosophical approach to tease out what the term means. Bioengineering Neuroscience caret-arrow Evolution, Emergence and the Brain
Crime and the scientific method The multidisciplinary faculty in the Department of Criminology harness diverse methodologies to improve public safety and inform policy and planning. The eight faculty members study gun violence, recidivism, the effects of the physical environment on crime, and much more, including toolmark analysis done by Maria Cuellar in her lab. Criminology caret-arrow Ubiquity of Data
Exploring what it means to be curious In a new book ‘Curious Minds: The Power of Connection,’ Dani Bassett and twin sibling Perry Zurn weave together history, linguistics, network science, neuroscience, and philosophy to unpack the concept of curiosity. Bioengineering Electrical and Systems Engineering Neuroscience Physics and Astronomy Psychiatry caret-arrow Evolution, Emergence and the Brain
Konrad Kording’s CENTER is Part of a New NIH Education Initiative on Scientific Rigor Konrad Kording has been awarded an NIH grant for "Creating an Educational Nexus for Training in Experimental Rigor," or CENTER. “The goal is to help the worldwide research community come together around improving rigor in science," he says. Bioengineering Computer and Information Science Neuroscience caret-arrow Ubiquity of Data
Diana C. Mutz Receives the APSA Best Book Award Diana C. Mutz, author of Winners and Losers: The Psychology of Foreign Trade, has received the APSA Best Book Award. This award is presented annually by the American Political Science Association to honor the best book on government, politics, or international affairs. Communication Political Science caret-arrow Consensus and Contagion in Society
Are you a busybody, a hunter or a dancer? A new book about curiosity reveals all Dani Bassett and Perry Zurn’s latest work, Curious Minds: The Power of Connection, investigates the neurological, historical, philosophical, and linguistic foundations of curiosity. “Knowledge is a network, and curiosity is the growth principle of that network,” they write in the book's introduction. Bioengineering Electrical and Systems Engineering Neuroscience Physics and Astronomy Psychiatry caret-arrow Consensus and Contagion in Society
When curved materials flatten, simple geometry can predict the wrinkle patterns that emerge According to new research from Eleni Katifori, when curved materials flatten, simple geometry can predict the wrinkle patterns that will emerge. “It’s an elegant and beautiful solution to a complex problem,” Katifori says. Physics and Astronomy caret-arrow Ubiquity of Data
A Cure for Vaccine Hesitancy Could Start in Kindergarten The pandemic has set off a discussion about integrating teachings about public health in the K–12 curriculum as an accompaniment to lessons about personal hygiene. Scientific American spoke with Dolores Albarracín about how public health basics for young learners could shape attitudes toward vaccination, masking and other measures. Communication Health Management Nursing Psychology caret-arrow Consensus and Contagion in Society
Flipping the Script Penn’s math faculty overhauled the content and structure of its introductory calculus sequence last year to modernize the math taught and the way it is delivered. The department now runs on a “flipped classroom” model, as Robert Ghrist and Robin Pemantle describe in this Penn Gazette article. Mathematics caret-arrow Ubiquity of Data
What makes us share posts on social media? A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology led by Danielle Cosme and Emily Falk reveals that we share the social media posts that we think are the most relevant to ourselves or to our friends and family. Communication Marketing Psychology caret-arrow Consensus and Contagion in Society
