The cost of diesel is at an all-time high, with effects that will ripple through the economy, according to the University of Pennsylvania.
"In the United States, trucks carry more than 70% of all freight," said sociologist Steve Viscelli, who studies the economics of trucking. "So, when diesel spikes, transportation costs rise, supply chains tighten, and everyday goods—from fresh produce to consumer electronics—become more expensive."
Viscelli, of the School of Arts & Sciences, discusses the shifting trucking landscape in a story from the Penn Today archives.
In a separate Penn study, political scientist Erik Wibbels led a team that created Machine Learning for Environmental Event Detection, an AI model that could help policymakers understand how natural disasters impact violence, crop prices, and migration. He is collaborating with researchers including climate scientist Irina Marinov, whose students use the model to apply skills learned in her Climate and Big Data course.
Penn Today also celebrated recent honors received by faculty and undergraduates in the School of Arts & Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Wharton School.
In health news, Julia Puchtler, who has served as chief financial officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System since 2024, will continue leading Penn Medicine's financial strategy and operations while taking on an expanded role as executive vice president for UPHS.
Four Master of Architecture students at the Weitzman School of Design won the Future Courts challenge, a student design competition organized by the United States Tennis Association.
On Oct. 1, the School of Social Policy & Practice and the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy will host "America at 250: Where Do We Go From Here?", a free public program featuring expert panelists exploring how ideas of citizenship, assimilation, and belonging have shaped the nation's past and continue to influence debates today.