Nursing professor Jie Deng will deliver the 2026 Evan C. Thompson Chair Lecture on Excellence in Teaching on Sept. 29, an honor recognizing her thoughtful approach to teaching and mentorship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Deng has built a reputation for challenging, supporting, and inspiring her students, according to Penn Today. The lecture recognizes her work with those she teaches and mentors.
"You can tell she genuinely wanted to learn about what was making me excited in research," said doctoral candidate Lauren Fisher.
In other campus news, Erika James has been reappointed as dean of the Wharton School through June 2032. President J. Larry Jameson and Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. highlighted her first-term success in strengthening Wharton's academic, financial, and global standing.
"It takes exceptional leadership to advance the world's most exceptional business school," said Jameson. "Doing so through a global pandemic and historic headwinds for higher education makes Dean James's first term all the more impressive."
Research led by dentist and materials scientist Kyle Vining reveals key factors that guide the formation of collagen, the fibrous scaffolding in cells that plays a role in the progression of diseases like fibrosis and cancer.
"Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in the human body, so understanding how it builds the scaffolding of our tissues is fundamental," said Vining.
A new Annenberg paper shows that anti-smoking messages resonate more strongly with LGBTQ+ young adults if they contain visual imagery that reflects their gender identity. Perry World House has also selected 25 graduate students from all 12 of the University's graduate Schools to form the 2026-27 cohort of its Graduate Fellows Program.