Rob Ghrist: The Soul of an Artist, the Mind of a Mathematician

Robert Ghrist embraces innovation to enrich each of his roles: artist, author, engineer, mathematician, and mentor. Penn Today met with Ghrist and some of his many mentees, both former and current, to talk about math. “Rob has an extraordinary gift for making the abstract not just accessible, but exhilarating," said Tony Pantev.

Electrical and Systems Engineering
Mathematics

Ubiquity of Data

How Income Equality Makes Everyone Happy

What does income inequality in America have to do with happiness? A recent study by Matthew Killingsworth, based on approximately 1.7 million real-time reports from more than 33,000 U.S. workers, reveals that in order to increase happiness across society, it’s most effective to raise the incomes of those earning the least.

People Analytics

Ubiquity of Data

The Future of AI With Yann LeCun

AI is at the forefront of technological advances and is also reshaping creativity, ownership and societal interactions. In the latest episode of Penn Engineering’s Innovation & Impact podcast, Vijay Kumar spoke with Yann LeCun about the journey of AI, how we define intelligence and the possibilities and challenges it presents.

Computer and Information Science
Electrical and Systems Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Ubiquity of Data

How AI Vaporizes Long-Term Learning

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in the classroom has sparked much debate in the education community. A 2024 study from Hamsa Bastani and colleagues, featured on Edutopia, revealed AI tools like ChatGPT could boost test scores—but ultimately undermined students’ learning and retention.

Communication
Computer and Information Science

Ubiquity of Data

Chief AI Scientist at Meta Visits Penn for AI Month Fireside Chat

Yann LeCun, the Chief AI Scientist at Meta, visited Penn last week for a fireside chat hosted by Michael Kearns. Kearns worked alongside LeCun in the 1990s at what was once AT&T’s Bell Laboratories. At the event, Kearns and LeCun spoke about their experience at Bell Labs and the importance of sharing scientific research.

Computer and Information Science

Social Norms for Algorithms

Fake News, Echo Chambers, and Algorithms: A Data Science Perspective

On Wednesday, April 23rd, Duncan Watts will discuss the “infodemic” of fake news in America. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Watts argues that fake news is relatively rare, and echo chambers on television are much larger and stickier than their online equivalents.

Communication
Computer and Information Science
Marketing

Ubiquity of Data

The Potential of Private AI Governance

In the latest episode of his podcast, The Road to Accountable AI, Kevin Werbach interviews Lauren Wagner, a builder and advocate for market-driven approaches to AI governance. Wagner shares insights from her experiences at Google and Meta, emphasizing the critical intersection of technology, policy, and trust-building.

Operations Information and Decisions

Ubiquity of Data

Exploring the Governance of Artificial Intelligence

In panels at the Penn AI Governance Workshop, faculty discussed their research in relation to key AI topics, such as AI oversight, AI policy, and the social impacts of AI. "Penn’s AI research is already impacting the world, and Penn can be a leader in engaging with the risks and challenges that AI poses,” said Kevin Werbach.

Marketing
Operations Information and Decisions

Ubiquity of Data

What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice and Change

A new book by Emily Falk reveals how we can transform our relationship with the daily decisions that define our lives—opening pathways to make more purposeful, fulfilling choices; more successfully change our behavior; and influence others to see differently—by thinking like neuroscientists.

Communication
Marketing
Psychology

Consensus and Contagion in Society

Can Social Media Be Less Toxic?

In an era where online interactions can be both motivational and toxic, researchers from Duncan Watts' Computational Social Science Lab (CSSLab) are interested in what encourages prosocial behavior — acts of kindness, support, and cooperation — on social media.

Communication
Computer and Information Science
Operations Information and Decisions

Consensus and Contagion in Society