UNIVERSITY OF

Tuesday February 11, 2020 Volume 66 Number 22 www.upenn.edu/almanac

Penn’s 2020 Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients Commencement Speaker Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the widely- acclaimed Nigerian author of several award- winning novels and collections of short stories, will be Penn’s Commencement Speaker at the 2020 Commencement on Monday, May 18. She and seven other individuals will each receive an honorary degree from Penn. Penn’s Vice President and University Secre- tary Medha Narvekar has announced the 2020 honorary degree recipients and the Commence- ment Speaker for the University of Pennsylva- nia. The Office of the University Secretary man- ages the honorary degree selection process and University Commencement. Chimamanda Ngozi Anthony Kennedy Jhumpa Lahiri Jill Lepore The 264th Commencement begins at 10:15 Adichie a.m. on May 18 and will be preceded by student and academic processions through campus. The ceremony will feature the conferral of degrees, the awarding of honorary degrees, greetings by University officials and remarks by the- Com mencement Speaker. It will be streamed live on the Penn website. For University of Penn- sylvania Commencement information, includ- ing historical information about the ceremony, academic regalia, and prior speakers and hon- orary degree recipients, see www.upenn.edu/ commencement See pages 4-5 of this issue for the biogra- phies of this year’s honorary degree recipients. Stanley Plotkin Sister Mary Scullion Gregg Semenza Henry Threadgill

University City Station to Become Penn Medicine Station SEPTA and Penn Medicine have an- just in time for the home stretch of construction ing agency, Intersection, a smart cities technol- nounced a partnership following a multimillion- on Penn Medicine’s newest hospital, The Pavil- ogy and media company, on an innovative cam- dollar naming rights contract that will result in ion. The facility, which will house inpatient care paign to bring in additional advertising dollars. the regional rail station known as University for the Abramson Cancer Center, heart and vas- “We are thrilled to join Penn Medicine and SEP- City Station becoming Penn Medicine Station. cular medicine and surgery, neurology and neu- TA to improve the experience of everyone who The 6,400 passengers that use the station every rosurgery and a new emergency department, is passes through Penn Medicine Station,” said day will see new signage, maps and interactive expected to be completed in 2021. Jon Roche, Intersection’s vice president and screens, with full implementation coming in “As the gateway to the Pavilion and our West general manager for the region. two months. The station is served by SEPTA’s Philadelphia medical campus, thousands of peo- “Intersection’s digital upgrades at Penn Medi- Airport, Warminster, Wilmington/Newark, West ple each day pass through this SEPTA station en cine Station will give riders important, real-time Trenton and Media/Elwyn Lines. route to work, visit and receive care in our fa- transit information and provide Penn Medicine Penn Medicine will pay $3.3 million over cilities, and we’re so thrilled for the opportunity with new ways to reach customers as they pass the five-year contract to keep the naming rights. for the station to bear the Penn Medicine name,” through the station.” This is the fourth significant rebrand of a SEP- said Kevin Mahoney, CEO of the University of An official ribbon-cutting ceremony is- ex TA station since 2010. Pattison Station became Pennsylvania Health System. “We are proud to pected to be held Tuesday, February 25. AT&T Station for $5.44 million in 2010 before partner with SEPTA to enhance the rider expe- changing to NRG Station in 2018 for $5.25 mil- rience for our public transit system, which is a lion. The former Market East Station was re- crucial part of what keeps our great city running INSIDE 2 Council Agenda and Coverage; Provost-Netter named Jefferson Station in 2014 for $4 million. each day.” Center Faculty-Community Partnership Award; “This agreement with Penn Medicine will This partnership is consistent with SEPTA’s Chair of Bioengineering; Fine Arts Library Director deliver major benefits to our customers and oth- mandate to seek alternative sources of revenue. 3 University Research Foundation; er taxpayers who help fund the Authority’s oper- Act 44, a measure passed by state lawmakers in Update on Coronavirus 4 Honorary Degree Recipient Bios ations,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale 2007 to provide funding for transportation in 6 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community T. Deon. “The revenue this generates will go di- Pennsylvania, called on SEPTA and other tran- Involvement Recognition Awardees; African rectly toward the everyday costs of running the sit agencies to bolster efforts to generate non- Cultures Celebration at Penn Museum 7 Update; CrimeStats; One Step Ahead Tip; transit system.” fare box revenues. Another Summer Program The station updates and renaming will arrive SEPTA has worked closely with its advertis- 8 GLASSFEST ALMANAC February 11, 2020 www.upenn.edu/almanac 1 Provost-Netter Center Faculty-Community Partnership Award: April 1 From the Office of the Secretary Provost-Netter Center —Terri H. Lipman, Assistant Dean for Faculty-Community Partnership Award Community Engagement; Miriam Stirl Endowed We are pleased to announce the Provost- Term Professor of Nutrition; University Council Netter Center Faculty-Community Partnership Professor of Nursing of Children, SON; Meeting Agenda Award. This annual award recognizes Faculty- Wednesday, February 19, 2020 Community Partnership projects. The amount Netter Center Faculty Advisory Board Co- of the award is $10,000 ($5,000 to the faculty Chair; Chair of the Provost-Netter Center 4 p.m. member and $5,000 to the community partner). Faculty-Community Partnership Award Hall of Flags, Houston Hall The purpose of the award is to recognize sus- Nomination Process I. Approval of the minutes of the January 29, tained and productive University/Community 2020 University Council meeting. (1 minute) partnerships and to develop or enhance ongo- —Dennis DeTurck, Robert A. Fox Leadership II. Follow-up comments or questions on Status ing work. Junior and senior faculty along with Professor; Professor and Undergraduate Chair Reports. (5 minutes) senior lecturers and associated faculty from any of Mathematics, SAS; Netter Center Faculty III. Presentation: The Power of Penn campaign. of Penn’s 12 schools are eligible for nomination, Advisory Board Co-Chair; Provost's Senior (30 minutes) together with their community partners. Please Faculty Fellow at the Netter Center IV. Open Forum. (70 minutes) see below for the complete description and pro- cess of nomination. If you have any questions V. New Business. (5 minutes) or concerns regarding this award, please direct —John Gearhart, James W. Effron University VI. Adjournment. them to the ABCS coordinator, Faustine Sun, Professor and Emeritus Director, Institute for at [email protected] Regenerative Medicine; Professor of Cell and Council Coverage Developmental Biology and Biomedical At the January 29 Council meeting, Presi- Award Nomination Process Sciences, PSOM and School of Veterinary Deadline: April 1 dent Amy Gutmann urged everyone to read the Medicine; Netter Center Faculty Advisory University’s response to Climate Change, which The award recognizes Faculty-Community Board Co-Chair Partnership Projects. One award will be made an- outlines the latest steps that Penn is taking on nually for $5,000 to a faculty member and anoth- this “very high priority.” She said that these new er $5,000 to the community partner to recognize, —John Jackson Jr., Walter H. Annenberg Dean initiatives and ongoing actions are consistent develop and advance an existing partnership. of the Annenberg School for Communication; with the University’s mission. They involve in- vestments, renewable purchase power, air travel Criteria for Selection Richard Perry University Professor; offsets and an environmental innovations initia- (1) The community partnership project must Netter Center Faculty Advisory Board Co-Chair tive (Almanac February 4, 2020). be affiliated with the Netter Center for -Commu There was also an update by Benoit Dubé, nity Partnerships i.e., engaged with Academical- associate provost and chief wellness officer, on ly Based Community Service (ABCS), Problem —Loretta Flanagan-Cato, Associate Professor Solving Learning (PSL) or Participatory Action of Psychology, SAS; Co-director, Biological the coronavirus, which originated in China (see Research (PAR) style pedagogy and/or research. Basis of Behavior Program; Provost's Faculty page 3 for the latest update). (2) The partnership project must demonstrate Fellow at the Netter Center Lizann Rode, secretary of University Coun- record of sustainable engagement. cil, described the disposition of the topics raised at the last Open Forum. (3) The faculty member can be an assistant, as- —Vernoca Michael, Director, Paul Robeson sociate, or full professor, senior lecturer,or associ- Beth A. Winkelstein, vice provost for edu- ated faculty. House and Museum, West Philadelphia Cultural cation, and Dawn Bonnell, vice provost for re- Alliance; Member, Netter Center Community search, spoke about how Penn supports student Process of Nomination Advisory Board (1) Nominations may come from members of research through the University Research Foun- the University and the wider community, though dation (URF) and Penn’s Center for Undergrad- the strongest nominations will be those that repre- —Ira Harkavy, Associate Vice President; uate Research and Fellowships (CURF). They sent both the University and the community. Founding Director, Barbara and Edward Netter stressed that the fellowships are not just for un- (2) Nominators should submit a completed pack- Center for Community Partnerships dergraduates. Three students spoke about their et (see https://www.nettercenter.upenn.edu/about- experiences involving various research projects. center/advisory-boards/faculty-advisory-board/pro- vost-netter-center-faculty-community-partnership) Accessing Almanac Online Patricia Guardiola: by April 1 of the given academic year to the ABCS Subscribe now to Express Almanac Fine Arts Library Director coordinator at the Netter Center, who will submit (http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/about- Patricia Guardiola applications to the review committee, comprised of almanac) to receive each Tuesday’s issue in has been named the faculty and community members. your inbox before it reaches your desk. new director of the (3) The faculty committee will submit their Breaking news will be posted in the Al- recommendations by April 15 to the Netter Cen- Fisher Fine Arts Li- manac Between Issues section of the Alma- brary at the Univer- ter Director and the Provost, who will jointly make nac website and sent out to Express Almanac the final selection. The award decision will be an- sity of Pennsylvania. nounced on May 1. subscribers. Ms. Guardiola came to Penn in 2015 as as- Ravi Radhakrishnan: Chair of SEAS Department of Bioengineering sistant director of the library and has dis- Ravi Radhakrish- including Materials Science and Engineering, tinguished herself in nan, who holds joint Genomics and Computational Biology and Bio- her reference and in- appointments in the chemistry and Molecular Biophysics. struction services and departments of bioen- In addition to these roles at Penn, Dr. Rad- her management of gineering and chemi- hakrishnan holds many editorial board positions the operations of the Patricia Guardiola cal and biomolecu- in the research community, including Nature Fisher Fine Arts Li- lar engineering, has Publishing’s Scientific Reports. brary. Before coming to Penn, she was a Kress been named chair of Beyond being a passionate teacher and ad- Fellow in Art Librarianship and then Reference the SEAS department vocate for his students, Dr. Radhakrishnan’s re- and Instruction Librarian in the Haas Family of bioengineering. He search interests lie at the interface of chemical Arts Library at Yale University. is a founding member physics and molecular biology. His lab’s goal In her new role, Ms. Guardiola will be respon- and the current direc- is to provide molecular level and mechanistic sible for planning and oversight of the services, tor of the Penn Insti- characterization of biomolecular and cellular facilities and collections of the Fisher Fine Arts tute for Computation- systems and formulate quantitatively accurate Ravi Radhakrishnan Library, which serves the Weitzman School of De- al Science, as well as microscopic models for predicting the interac- sign and the SAS department of the history of art. a member of the Penn Physical Sciences Oncol- tions of various therapeutic agents with innate She will also be responsible for the Materials Li- ogy Center, Institute for Translational Medicine biochemical signaling mechanisms. brary and the Common Press, a collaborative pro- and Therapeutics and several graduate groups, gram funded by the Penn Libraries, the Weitzman School of Design and Kelly Writers House. 2 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 11, 2020 The University Research Foundation (URF) is now accepting applications for grants until the 5 p.m. March 20, deadline. The URF is an intramural program that provides three funding mechanisms: Research Grants and Conference Support, Impact Seminar Grants and Research Opportunity Development Grants. University Research Foundation: March 20 URF Research Grants and Conference Support provides up to $50,000 Research Opportunity Development Grants: Phase 2 (RODG2) in project support and up to $3,000 for conference support. Its objectives are Offers extensive support ($50,000-$200,000) over 2 years. The to: program is designed to help investigators gather data and prepare a • help junior faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them to suc- multi-investigator proposal in an emerging research topic in the con- cessfully apply for extramural sources of funding and aid in establishing text of national or international research initiatives or grand challeng- their careers as independent investigators; es from external sponsors, including federal and private foundations, • help established faculty perform novel, pioneering research to determine in which Penn can stake out a leadership position. project feasibility and develop preliminary data to support extramural RODG2 applications must include faculty from at least two grant applications; Schools and should explicitly consider emerging research areas with • provide support in disciplines where extramural support is difficult to ob- new opportunities for support. In addition, applications must identify tain and where significant research can be facilitated with internal fund- their future funding opportunity targets. Future funding opportunities ing; and should have estimated budgets of no less than $1 million for STEM • provide limited institutional matching funds that are required as part of a fields and no less than $250,000 for social science and humanities. successful external peer-reviewed application. Some examples are NIH P30, NSF ERC, MacArthur 100&Change, URF Impact Seminar Grants will make awards up to $20,000 for support etc. Note that RODG Phase II grants are not intended to support the for a cross-school, cross-disciplinary large scale event to be held on Penn’s development of proposals that respond to regular solicitations such as campus within a year of the award. Funding for this award can be used to those for NIH RO1 grants or NSF Division programs. Such applica- augment an already-scheduled University event. The event—which can be tions will not be reviewed. a symposium, forum or conference—should occur over one to two days and Applications should identify their future funding opportunity tar- be open to the entire Penn community. It should highlight the scholarship of gets in both the abstract and research proposal. Penn faculty and bring distinguished scholars to Penn’s campus, with a par- Disciplines for all award programs: Biomedical Sciences, Hu- ticular focus on the University’s distinguishing strength in integrating knowl- manities, Natural Sciences and Engineering, Social Science and Man- edge. Documented School and/or department matching dollar-for-dollar funds agement. are required. Undergraduate Participation: As part of the University’s com- URF Research Opportunity Development Grants (RODG) mitment to providing research opportunities to scholars across our The Research Opportunity Grant program (Phase 1 and Phase 2) was de- campus community, URF applicants are encouraged to include under- signed to facilitate the intersection of the forward trajectory of Penn’s re- graduate student participants within the framework of their proposals. search frontiers with the trajectory of the national and global research priori- Budget: Each URF program has separate budget requirements. ties. RODG applications should map on to emerging research areas with new Eligibility for all award programs: Eligibility is limited to Penn opportunities for support. Awards from these programs should be used to de- assistant, associate and full professors, in any track. Instructors and velop preliminary information and data for new applications in these emerg- research associates must provide a letter from their department chair ing research areas. The two programs are described below. establishing that the applicant will receive an appointment as an as- Research Opportunity Development Planning Grants: Phase 1 (RODG1) sistant professor by the time of the award. Adjunct and emeritus fac- With an identified new research area in mind, Phase 1 Planning Grants en- ulty are not eligible to apply. Only one application per PI per cycle. able a team to articulate the research focus, map Penn’s intellectual assets in Awards must be expended on University of Pennsylvania facilities, the new area, coalesce the appropriate group of scholars, identify Penn’s po- equipment and/or associated University technical staff and under- tential contributions in the area in the context of national and international re- graduate students. search initiatives and identify a funding target. Typically a Phase 1 proposal Detailed information including application materials can be found would lead to a Phase 2 application. In addition, special attention will be paid at https://research.upenn.edu/funding/university-research-foundation/ to project proposals that include mentorship of Penn undergraduates. Appli- grant-guidelines/ cations up to $10,000 will be considered.

An Update on Penn’s Response to the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak To the Penn Community: We are writing with an update on Penn’s response to the novel Campus Health website, https://campushealth.wellness.upenn.edu/ coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China. We are con- coronavirus/ or reach our Public Health office at (215) 746-0806. tinuing to monitor the situation with our partners on campus, includ- If you have traveled in China and returned to the US on or before ing Penn Medicine, and remain in constant communication with public January 21, 2020, and do not show any symptoms of disease, no fur- health officials at the local, state and federal levels. There continue to ther action is needed. The US Department of State “Do Not Travel” be no cases of the virus on our campus or in Philadelphia, and the risk advisory remains in effect for China. to our community remains low. Influenza-like illnesses are common at this time of year, and we ad- However, in light of new guidance issued February 4 by the Penn- vise everyone to take steps to stay healthy and well. These include fre- sylvania Department of Health, we are recommending that all Penn quent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your students, faculty and staff returning from mainland China self-isolate sleeve and staying home if you are not feeling well. for 14 days upon their return to the United States. They should refrain For members of the Penn community who have family and friends from class, work and normal activities; self-monitor their temperature; in the impacted regions, this can be a troubling time, and we remain and, if they develop fever, cough or lower respiratory symptoms, seek committed to providing support and guidance. We urge all members of care either with their health-care provider or, in the case of students, our community to continue to treat each other with kindness and re- with the Student Health Service. Information about self-isolation can spect, especially as we together face a situation with the potential for be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, discrimination. Student Health and Campus Health are updating their https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent- websites regularly, as is Penn Global, and we encourage you to go to spread.html any of those sources for updated information as this situation develops. Over the past few weeks, Campus Health, Penn Global, and Inter- —Wendell E. Pritchett, Provost national Students and Scholar Services have been in touch with indi- —Craig R. Carnaroli, Executive Vice President viduals who have recently returned from China. We will continue our outreach efforts and inform those impacted by these new guidelines —Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives about next steps. Anyone needing more information can consult our —Benoit Dubé, Associate Provost and Chief Wellness Officer

ALMANAC February 11, 2020 www.upenn.edu/almanac 3 Commencement 2020: Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients

Commencement Speaker Honorary Degree Recipients

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Anthony M. Kennedy Jhumpa Lahiri Jill Lepore Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Associate Justice of the United London-born author and trans- American historian and author is the widely-acclaimed author of States Supreme Court Anthony M. lator Jhumpa Lahiri moved to the Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kem- several award-winning novels and Kennedy served for 30 years, from United States as a young child with per ’41 Professor of American His- one collection of short stories. A his nomination by President Ron- her Bengali parents. Dr. Lahiri has tory at Harvard University. The au- native of Anambra, Nigeria, she ald Reagan and unanimous confir- observed that she grew up with thor of over a dozen books as well as grew up on the campus of the Uni- mation by the US Senate in 1988 “conflicting expectations … to be an acclaimed staff writer at The New versity of Nigeria, Nsukka, where until his retirement in 2018. Justice Indian by Indians and American Yorker, Dr. Lepore’s work explores her father taught and her moth- Kennedy authored many opinions by Americans.” Her insightful de- themes of American history, law, lit- er was the first female registrar. for the Court on some of the most but story collection, Interpreter of erature and politics. Dr. Lepore’s es- She studied medicine for a year at significant legal issues of our time, Maladies, explores issues of iden- says and reviews have also appeared Nsukka, and then left for the Unit- including the Court’s decision tity among immigrants and cultural widely, including in The ed States at 19 to follow a differ- striking down the death penalty transplants and was recognized Times, the Times Literary Supple- ent path. Earning a scholarship to for juvenile offenders and 2015’s with the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction ment, the Journal of American His- study at Drexel University in Phil- Obergefell v. Hodges that cleared in 2000. tory and the American Quarterly. adelphia, Ms. Adichie went on to the way for same-sex marriage na- A graduate of Barnard College, Her most recent book is 2019’s complete her undergraduate stud- tionwide. Throughout his years on Dr. Lahiri also earned several de- This America: The Case for the Na- ies at Eastern Connecticut State the bench, he established himself grees, including her PhD, from tion. Her 2018 work, These Truths: University. She then earned a mas- as a strong proponent of individu- Boston University. Since 2015, A History of the United States, ter’s in creative writing from Johns al rights. she has been at the Lewis Center has been translated and published Hopkins University and a master A native of Sacramento, Cali- for the Arts’ Program in Creative around the world. Her nation- of arts in African history from Yale fornia, Justice Kennedy was edu- Writing at Princeton University as al bestseller The Secret History of University. The recipient of fellow- cated at Stanford University and a professor of creative writing and Wonder Woman received the New ships at Princeton University and the London School of Econom- was named director of the program York Historical Society’s 2015 the Radcliffe Institute of Harvard ics, receiving his bachelor of laws in 2019. American History Book Prize. University, Ms. Adichie received a from Harvard Law School. Follow- The author of three novels and Dr. Lepore completed her under- MacArthur Foundation Fellowship ing law practices in San Francisco numerous short fiction and nonfic- graduate work at Tufts University, in 2008. and Sacramento, Justice Kennedy tion works, Dr. Lahiri’s short story received her MA in American culture She began her first novel, Pur- was appointed to the US Court of collection, Unaccustomed Earth, from the University of Michigan, ple Hibiscus, during her senior year Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by received the 2008 Frank O’Connor and a PhD in American Studies from in college. The work won the Com- President Gerald Ford in 1975, at International Short Story Award Yale University. Following teaching monwealth Writers’ Prize. Her sec- that time making him the youngest and debuted at the top of The New at the University of California-San ond novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, federal appellate judge in the Unit- York Times best seller list. The Diego and Boston University, she won the Orange Prize. In 2013, ed States and the third youngest in Lowland won the DSC Prize for joined Harvard’s history department Americanah won the US National history to be thus appointed. South Asian Literature, and was a in 2003 and was several years chair Book Critics Circle Award and was In California, during his prac- finalist for the Man Booker Prize of the history and literature program. named one of The New York Times tice and years on the bench, he and the National Book Award in In 2012, she was named a Harvard Top Ten Best Books. taught Constitutional Law at the fiction. 2016’s autobiographical College Professor. Dr. Lepore teach- Ms. Adichie is recognized for University of the Pacific McGeorge In Other Words, written in Italian, es classes in evidence, historical landmark TED talks, including School of Law and for years was considers the often-fraught links methods, the humanities and Ameri- 2009’s The Danger of a Single Sto- the school’s longest-serving active between identity and language. Dr. can political history. ry. Her 2012 talk, We Should All faculty member. Justice Kenne- Lahiri has also published the Ital- Dr. Lepore’s works include a tril- Be Feminists, fostered a world- dy has lectured at law schools and ian The Clothing of Books and the ogy that constitutes a political history wide conversation about femi- universities worldwide, teaching novel Dove Mi Trovo, with its Eng- of early America: The Name of War: nism, and was published as a book in China and offering a course at lish translation as Whereabouts in King Philip’s War and the Origins in 2014. Ms. Adichie’s most recent the University of Salzburg entitled production. In 2019, she compiled of American Identity (1998), winner work, Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Fundamental Rights in Europe and and translated the work of 40 Ital- of the Bancroft Prize and the Ralph Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, the United States. He represent- ian writers in the Penguin Book of Waldo Emerson Award; New York was published in 2017. Her work, ed the United States on the United Italian Short Stories. Burning: Liberty, Slavery and Con- often taking on themes of politics, Nations Commission on Legal Em- In 2015, Dr. Lahiri was award- spiracy in Eighteenth-Century Man- religion and love, has been trans- powerment of the Poor. ed the National Humanities Medal. hattan (2005), winner of the Anis- lated into over 30 languages. Justice Kennedy has received She has won the PEN/Hemingway field-Wolf Award for best nonfiction In 2017, Ms. Adichie received a great many awards from bar as- Award and the O. Henry Prize for book on race; and Book of Ages: The the Le Grand Prix de l’héroïne Ma- sociations, law schools and other Interpreter of Maladies, the Ameri- Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin dame Figaro and the PEN Pint- entities in recognition of his ser- can Academy of Arts and Letters’ (2013), Time’s Best Nonfiction Book er Prize in 2018. Fortune named vice to the law and to the judicia- Addison Metcalf Award, the Val- of the Year and winner of the Mark her one of the World’s 50 Great- ry. In his honor, endowed chairs lombrosa Von Rezzori Prize, the Lynton History Prize. est Leaders in 2017. She is a mem- have been established in his name Asian American Literary Award, Dr. Lepore has been elected ber of the American Academy of at the Law School of the Univer- and the 2017 PEN/Malamud to the American Academy of Arts Arts and Letters and the Ameri- sity of Virginia and at the Universi- Award for Excellence in the Short and Sciences and to the American can Academy of Arts and Sciences. ty of the Pacific McGeorge School Story. She has also been granted Philosophical Society. She is a past Ms. Adichie divides her time be- of Law. Guggenheim and National Endow- president of the Society of Ameri- tween the United States and Nige- Justice Kennedy will be receiv- ment for the Arts fellowships. can Historians and a former Com- ria, where she leads an annual cre- ing an Honorary Doctor of Laws. Dr. Lahiri will be receiving an missioner of the Smithsonian’s Na- ative writing workshop. Honorary Doctor of Humane Let- tional Portrait Gallery. Ms. Adichie will be receiving ters. Dr. Lepore will be receiving an an Honorary Doctor of Humane Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. letters. (continued on page 5) 4 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 11, 2020 Honorary Degree Recipients

Stanley A. Plotkin Sister Mary Scullion Gregg L. Semenza Henry Threadgill Physician Stanley A. Plotkin, For over four decades, Sister Recipient of the 2019 Nobel Hailed by The New York Times emeritus professor of the Univer- Mary Scullion has deeply engaged Prize in Physiology or Medicine, as “perhaps the most important sity of Pennsylvania and adjunct in service and advocacy for the Gregg L. Semenza’s laboratory dis- jazz composer of his generation,” professor of the Johns Hopkins homeless and mentally ill. She is covered, cloned and characterized for over 40 years Henry Thread- University, developed the lifesav- co-founder of Philadelphia’s Proj- hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF- gill has been celebrated as one of ing rubella vaccine now in stan- ect HOME, nationally recognized 1), the founding member of a fam- the most original, forward-thinking dard use worldwide and co-de- for providing supportive housing, ily of master regulators that direct composers and multi-instrumental- veloped the pentavalent rotavirus employment, education and health responses to decreased oxygen ists in American music. His four- vaccine. A world leader in his field, care to enable chronically home- availability in virtually all meta- movement work, In for a Penny, Dr. Plotkin has worked extensive- less and low-income persons to zoan species. Dr. Semenza’s lab- In for a Pound, received the Pu- ly on development and application break the cycle of homelessness oratory has shown that HIFs play litzer Prize for Music in 2016, one of vaccines including rabies, vari- and poverty. Since 1989, Project important roles in cardiovascular of only three jazz compositions to cella, pertussis, Lyme disease and HOME has grown from an emer- disorders, cancer, COPD, diabe- ever be so honored. cytomegalovirus through the years. gency winter shelter to over 900 tes, sleep apnea, transplant rejec- A Chicago native, Mr. Thread- A New York University graduate, housing units and several busi- tion, ocular neovascularization and gill studied at the city’s American Dr. Plotkin earned his MD from the nesses providing employment to hematologic disorders. The evolu- Conservatory of Music, majoring State University of New York Med- formerly homeless persons. tionary selection of genetic variants in composition, piano and flute. ical School, . During his Sister Mary’s work began in at loci that encode HIF pathway A Vietnam veteran, he performed years at the Epidemic Intelligence 1976, having joined the Congrega- components have been identified with the US Army Concert Band. Service of the Centers for Disease tion of the Sisters of Mercy in 1972 in Tibetan populations living at Mr. Threadgill is a founding mem- Control, he worked on development when entering college. In 1985, high altitude with decreased oxy- ber of the Association for the Ad- of the oral polio vaccine and on ef- she co-founded Woman of Hope gen availability. HIF stabilizers and vancement of Creative Musicians ficacy of a vaccine against anthrax. to provide permanent residenc- HIF inhibitors are currently in clin- (AACM), dedicated to the perfor- From 1965 until 1991, Dr. Plot- es and support for homeless men- ical trials for the treatment of ane- mance of its members’ original kin served as professor of pediatrics tally ill women. Three years later, mia and cancer, respectively. music. Mr. Threadgill has also re- and microbiology at Penn, professor she established the Outreach Co- Dr. Semenza completed his ceived a Guggenheim Fellowship, of virology at the Wistar Institute and ordination Center, the nation’s first undergraduate studies at Harvard the Aaron Copland Award, the Do- director of infectious diseases and se- program to more systemically as- College, and his MD and PhD (in ris Duke Impact Award and the Do- nior physician at Children’s Hospital sist homeless persons with special genetics) degrees in the Universi- ris Duke Artist Award. Down Beat of Philadelphia. He then joined vac- needs in finding housing and shel- ty of Pennsylvania’s Medical Sci- magazine’s International Jazz Crit- cine manufacturer Pasteur-Mérieux- ter. Project HOME’s Stephen Klein entist Training Program; his pedi- ics Poll has five times distinguished Connaught (now Sanofi Pasteur) as Wellness Center, opened in 2015, atrics residency training at Duke him with its Best Composer Award. medical and scientific director for is a model for integrated health, University; and postdoctoral train- The Jazz Journalists Association seven years. Today, he continues to behavioral and wellness services. ing in medical genetics at the Johns honored him with its 2002 Com- teach at Penn and provide consult to A state-of-the-art technology cen- Hopkins University School of poser of the Year Award and its vaccine manufacturers, biotechnol- ter now offers after-school enrich- Medicine, where he has spent his Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. ogy companies and non-profit -re ment, a college access program, entire faculty career. Threadgill has released over 30 search organizations. and adult educational and occupa- Dr. Semenza is an American critically acclaimed albums. Dr. Plotkin’s numerous awards tional programming. Cancer Society Research Professor Mr. Threadgill’s orchestral include the Distinguished Physician Sister Mary is also a powerful and the C. Michael Armstrong Pro- pieces, 1987’s “Run Silent, Run Award of the Pediatric Infectious voice on political issues affecting fessor of Genetic Medicine at Johns Deep, Run Loud, Run” and 1993’s Diseases Society and the French Le- the homeless and mentally ill. Her Hopkins with appointments in pe- “Mix for Orchestra” premiered gion of Honor Medal, the Sabin Gold advocacy has resulted in the right diatrics, medicine, oncology, radia- at the Brooklyn Academy of Mu- Medal, and the Research Award of of homeless persons to vote as well tion oncology and biological chem- sic. His many commissions in- the Association of American Medi- as a landmark federal court deci- istry. Since 2003, he has served as clude Mordine & Co. Dance The- cal Colleges. Children’s Hospital of sion that affects the fair housing founding director of the Vascular ater, Carnegie Hall, the New York Philadelphia established a professor- rights of persons with disabilities. Biology Program in the Johns Hop- Shakespeare Festival, Talujon Per- ship in his name. He has chaired both A graduate of Saint Joseph’s kins Institute for Cell Engineering. cussion Ensemble, Junge Phil- the Infectious Diseases Committee University, Sister Mary earned her Dr. Semenza has received the harmonie Salzburg Orchestra, and the American Academy of Pedi- master of social work from Temple Canada-Gairdner International the Biennale di Venezia and the atrics AIDS Task Force and Micro- University. Philadelphia Inquirer Award, Lefoulon-Delalande Grand American Composers Orchestra. biology and Infectious Diseases Re- selected her as its 2011 Citizen of Prix from the Institut de France, He has been composer in residence search Committees at NIH. the Year. In 2009, Time named her Wiley Prize in Biomedical Scienc- at University of California-Berke- Elected to the National Acad- one of the World’s Most Influential es, Albert Lasker Basic Medical ley and the Atlantic Center for emy of Medicine of the Nation- People. Sister Mary has received Research Award and the Massry the Arts. Through the years, Mr. al Academy of Sciences and the the Philadelphia Award, the Univer- Prize. He has published more than Threadgill has led, performed and French Academies of Medicine and sity of Notre Dame’s Laetare Med- 400 papers, which have been cited recorded with numerous groups, Pharmacy, Dr. Plotkin is founder al and the Eisenhower Fellowship’s over 140,000 times. Dr. Semenza is most recently Zooid and the En- and a fellow of the Pediatric Infec- Distinguished Alumnus Award. She an elected member of the Society semble Double Up. In 2015, a two- tious Diseases Society, and a Fel- serves on the Board of The Jon Bon for Pediatric Research, American day festival at New York’s Harlem low of the Infectious Diseases So- Jovi Soul Foundation and as a Saint Society for Clinical Investigation, Stage celebrated works spanning ciety of America, the International Joseph’s University Trustee, and Association of American Physi- Mr. Threadgill’s career performed Society of Vaccines, the American she was a member of the City of cians, National Academy of Medi- and reinterpreted by an all-star col- Academy of Pediatrics and the Col- Philadelphia’s Board of Ethics. cine, and the National Academy of lection of musicians. lege of Physicians of Philadelphia. Sister Mary will be receiving an Sciences. Mr. Threadgill will be receiving Dr. Plotkin will be receiving an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Dr. Semenza will be receiving an Honorary Doctor of Music. Honorary Doctor of Sciences. an Honorary Doctor of Sciences. ALMANAC February 11, 2020 www.upenn.edu/almanac 5 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Involvement Recognition Awardees

In honor of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther of the Black graduate population. She has suc- and community outreach coordinator for Phila- King, Jr.’s recognition that local engagement cessfully advocated and worked with the Uni- delphia Asian American Film and Filmmakers. is essential to the struggle for equality, the Dr. versity administration for an Incident Bias Re- Mx. Yip was born in the Philadelphia area and Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Sym- porting Form. Ms. Pilgrim has led protests and raised with strong ties to Philadelphia’s China- posium on Social Change Executive Planning mentored undergrads in effective activism. town. After graduating from college, they re- Committee of the University of Pennsylvania Faculty/Staff Award turned home to become an active member of recently announced the 2020 Community In- Chase Lamar Smith—An administrative as- the Chinatown, Asian American, people of color volvement Recognition Awardees. The awards sistant in Penn’s Student Health Services. Mr. and LGBTQ+ communities. Mx. Yip has played honor members of the Philadelphia community Lamar founded No Dreams Deferred in 2015 a significant role on Philadelphia’s social- jus whose active service to others best exemplifies with a mission of providing inner-city youth op- tice scene and is passionate about enlivening and the ideals Dr. King espoused. The following in- portunities and exposure to the arts, crafts, mu- promoting culture and fighting against gentrifi- dividuals were honored at the annual MLK In- sic and tutorial programs. He also founded Men cation. Mx. Yip produced Chinatown’s produc- terfaith Program and Awards Commemoration Raising Men, a mentoring program for male tion of Hua Mulan at the Kimmel Center, cur- on January 23: teens that also provides an outlet for the de- rently serves as a representative on Philadelphia Undergraduate Student Award velopment of creative and healthy expression. Chinatown Development Corporation and pro- Alejandra Cabrales—A junior in the Col- Mr. Smith provides motivational speeches at duced the documentary Staying Put: Stories of lege, Ms. Cabrales has worked in various com- schools, youth enrichment programs and orga- Chinatown’s Resistance in collaboration with munity spaces, including La Casa Latina, nizations. He uses his influence as a stand-up Scribe Video Center as part of a history project, Greenfield Intercultural Center, Civic House comedian as a platform for promoting positive which documented the history of the communi- and the Penn Women’s Center. She has taken the messages and to build up the community. ty’s development in the face of urban develop- initiative to respond to the political and campus Francoise Eberhardt—A member of Penn ment and gentrification. Mx. Yip has also served climate and foster collaboration with her peers, Presbyterian Medical Center’s (PPMC) Com- as a lead on Asian Diaspora Film Festival Orga- faculty and staff. She supports all intersections munity Outreach Council since 2016 and cur- nizers, a member of the Programmers of Colour of immigrant communities, communities of rently immediate past chair, Ms. Eberhardt has Collective and the president of the Philadelphia color, and communities of those who identify organized community events, partnered with chapter of the Asian Creative Network. as first generation and low income. During the program coordinators and volunteered her ex- Dr. Community Education Award 2016 presidential election, Ms. Cabrales worked pertise to several helping organizations, includ- Sharif El-Mekki—Founder and CEO of the with RedMexicana to motivate young Latinos ing the Susan G. Komen Foundation Race for Center for Black Educator Development and to vote for candidates that best represented the the Cure and the Philabundance Fresh for All an advocate for social justice and equity with interests of their communities. She is a civic program. She volunteers with Penn’s Mobile a strong track record of activism and positive scholar at Penn’s Civic House and has served CPR Project and is a member of the planning impacts on the children and communities he as a tutor/mentor at Puentes de Salud. She has committee for the Annual Health Fair at PPMC. serves, Mr. El-Mekki partnered with the Netter worked with doctoral students on youth partici- Ms. Eberhardt volunteered at the United Com- Center to bring University-assisted community patory action research to help to develop a col- munity Clinic and spearheaded a partnership school programs to Turner, Shaw and Mastery lege access program and drew on her own testi- with PPMC and a local church congregation, Shoemaker schools. He taught for almost nine monials as a first-generation Latinx scholar who which held its own health fair by building a con- years and served as a principal at Mastery Char- has grappled with immigration issues and navi- nection with the Penn’s School of Nursing. She ter School–Shoemaker Campus for 11 years. His gated the hierarchies in higher education. has partnered with the West Philadelphia Alli- leadership there led to the Effective Practice In- Graduate Student Award ance for Children and organized a hospital-wide centive Community (EPIC) award for three con- Haley Pilgrim—A doctoral student in soci- clothing drive for Prevention Point. secutive years as being amongst the top three ology at Penn, Ms. Pilgrim has served in many Community Member Award schools in the country for accelerating students’ leadership roles, including president of the Grad- Joel Austin—Co-chair for the Mayor’s Com- achievement levels. It was also recognized as uate and Professional Student Assembly (GAP- mission on African American Males, a position ap- one of the top 10 middle schools and top 10 high SA), finance chair of Black Graduate Women’s pointed by the Mayor of Philadelphia; founder and schools in the state for accelerating the achieve- Association, co-president of the Black Gradu- president of Daddy University Inc.; executive di- ment levels of African-American students. Mr. ate and Professional Student Assembly (BGAP- rector of The School of Parent Education; and chief El-Mekki was one of three principal ambassador SA), and chair of GAPSA’s Inclusion, Diver- facilitator and program developer for the Fathers fellows working on issues of education policy sity, Equity, Access and Leadership Council. Club, a free weekly fatherhood training group in its and practice with US Department of Education She has received the Fontaine Fellowship and a sixth year servicing fathers from all backgrounds under Secretary Duncan and President Obama; Fontaine research grant, the Student and Com- and of all ages. Daddy University Inc. has grown he served on the Philadelphia Commission on munity Engagement Award, Penn Prize for Ex- into a recognized authority on fatherhood informa- African American Males; he is a fellow with cellence in Teaching by Graduate Students and tion, support and training. Mr. Austin has helped America Achieves and a founding board mem- the Benjamin Franklin Fellowship. As co-pres- over 5,000 dads. Fueled by his role as a father of ber and secretary of the David P. Richardson Jr. ident of BGAPSA, she fundraised its budget to four, he is personally and professionally committed Institute for Leadership and Civic Participation. five times the amount given by the University to educating and re-educating people about the im- Mr. El-Mekki received the 2019 Muslim Ameri- as well as increased active membership to half portance of fatherhood. Mr. Austin is the founder of can Community Award from Stanford’s Muslim the annual National Fa- Student Union. therhood Conference, a free, low-cost male par- African Cultures Celebration: enting education pro- February 15 gram. The conference The African and Diasporic Cultures Celebra- includes more than a tion at Penn Museum will occur Saturday, Feb- dozen workshops, 60 ruary 15, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This festival provides volunteers, 135 exhibi- an opportunity for reunion of both contemporary tors and service agen- and traditional cultural practices across Africa cies, and over 600 male and the African Diaspora. The festival is a cel- participants across eight ebration of traditions from places throughout the states. He is also found- African continent and passed along through the er of the Daddy Daugh- African Diaspora. Visitors can explore cultural ter Dance, an annual connections and continuities through art making, event in its 10th year. mask making, live performances, drumming and He is recognized by his other musical demonstrations, film screenings, a peers as a trailblazer in storytelling circle, an African-inspired market- the field of fatherhood. place and workshops for all ages. Front: Alejandra Cabrales, Francoise Eberhardt, Selena Yip, Haley Selena Yip—Direc- The event is included with admission. For Pilgrim; Back: Joel Austin, Sharif El-Mekki, Chase Lamar Smith tor of communications tickets, https://tinyurl.com/ADCelebration 6 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 11, 2020 Update February AT PENN EXHIBITS 13 Design and Science; an examination of the Another tip in a series provided by the overlap between the processes used by designers Offices of Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy and scientists; Esther Klein Gallery; panel discus- sion 5 p.m. and opening reception 6 p.m. Through March 28. Gift Card Scams Hitting Hard (Still) FITNESS AND LEARNING On February 12, 2019 (Almanac Vol- purchase gift cards for University busi- ume 65 Issue 23), the University of Penn- ness or personal purposes. 13 Coffee With a Keeper; morning coffee and sylvania’s Office of Information Security • If you have fallen victim to this discussion with Lynn Makowsky, keeper, Medi- (OIS) informed the Penn community about scam, report the incident to your IT sup- terranean Section; 9:30 a.m.; Cafe, Penn Museum; gift card scams and provided steps on pro- port staff. If you are unaware who pro- tickets: $5, members free (Museum). tecting yourself and Penn. Regrettably, these vides your computing support, please scams continue to attract trusting employees see: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/my-it- AT PENN Deadlines rushing to accommodate an alleged senior local-support-provider The February AT PENN calendar is now online. administrator’s call for urgent assistance. • You may want to contact the compa- The deadline for the March AT PENN is today. The These victims are losing hundreds of dollars ny that issued the gift card to inform them deadline for the weekly Update is the Monday pri- to these gift card scams. about the scam. There is a slight chance or to the week of the issue’s publication. OIS urges you to be vigilant and pause they may be able to get your money back. before you purchase a gift card for an admin- • Contact the Federal Trade Commis- istrator or a faculty member. Before you act, sion to report the gift card scam at ftc. In addition to the many 2020 summer contact your local computing support pro- gov/complaint or call 1(877) FTC-HELP. programs and camps listed in the Janu- vider to verify if the message is genuine. As For more information, visit: ary 28 Almanac supplement, here is one a reminder: • OIS webpage on Gift Card Scams more. • Read the sender’s email address Hitting Penn at https://www.isc.upenn. Kelly Writers House Summer Work- carefully. Usually, Penn employees use a edu/security/gift-card_scam shop for Young Writers: July 5-15. A Penn email address for work communica- • Almanac One Step Ahead article Gift residential program for rising high school tion, e.g., [email protected] Card Scams @ Penn https://almanac. juniors and seniors, this is an opportunity • If in doubt about the email address, upenn.edu/articles/gift-card-scams-penn for promising writers from diverse back- hit Reply, but don’t send: pay attention if • FTC Consumer Information—Pay- grounds to learn from KWH faculty and the email address changes in the Reply To ing Scammers with Gift Cards https:// staff and fellow participants. Participants field to a non-Penn email. www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/paying- will live in one of Penn’s College Hous- • This is not how Penn does business. scammers-gift-cards es and will have opportunities to explore Penn personnel will NOT ask you to Penn and Philadelphia when they’re not writing and reading. Full- and half- For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: tuition grants available. Cost: $2,750. https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead Apply: http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/ summer/ Deadline: March 8.

The University of Pennsylvania Police Department

Community Crime Report 3910 Chestnut Street, 2nd floor About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons or Crimes Against Society from Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111 Phone: (215) 898-5274 or 5275 the campus report for January 27-February 2, 2020. Also reported were 19 crimes against property (6 FAX: (215) 898-9137 frauds, 6 retail thefts, 5 thefts from buildings and 2 other offenses) with 5 arrests. Full reports are available Email: [email protected] at: https://almanac.upenn.edu/sections/crimes Prior weeks’ reports are also online. –Eds. URL: www.upenn.edu/almanac This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety and includes all criminal incidents reported and made known to the University Police Department between the dates of January 27-February 2, 2020. The University of Pennsylvania’s journal of record, opinion The University Police actively patrol from Market St to Baltimore Avenue and from the Schuylkill River to and news is published Tuesdays during the academic year, and 43rd St in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police. In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accu- as needed during summer and holiday breaks. Its electronic edi- rate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity tions on the Internet (accessible through the Penn website) include for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call the Division of Public Safety HTML, Acrobat and mobile versions of the print edition, and interim information may be posted in electronic-only form. Guidelines for at (215) 898-4482. readers and contributors are available on request and online. 01/29/20 7:59 PM 3400 Spruce St Complainant threatened by former co-worker EDITOR Marguerite F. Miller 01/31/20 2:10 PM 3450 Woodland Walk Threats received via email ASSOCIATE EDITOR Louise Emerick 01/31/20 11:13 AM 3900 Locust Walk Confidential sex offense ASSISTANT EDITOR Alisha George 02/01/20 3:48 PM 4060 Chestnut St Complainant struck in head with tape measure EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jackson Betz STUDENT ASSISTANTS Justin Greenman 02/02/20 7:30 PM 51 N 39th St Male assault on officer and security/Arrest Emily Liu 02/02/20 7:35 PM 51 N 39th St Male assault on security guard/Arrest ALMANAC ADVISORY BOARD: For the Faculty Senate: 18th District Martin Pring (chair), Sunday Akintoye, Christine Bradway, Daniel Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 12 incidents (4 assaults, 3 aggravat- Cohen, Al Filreis, Cary Mazer. For the Administration: Stephen ed assaults, 2 domestic assaults, 2 robberies and 1 rape) with 2 arrests were reported for January 27-Feb- MacCarthy. For the Staff Assemblies: Jon Shaw, PPSA; Marcia ruary 2, 2020 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Dotson, WPPSA; Rachelle R. Nelson, Librarians Assembly. Avenue. The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks tal- 01/27/20 3:05 AM 4600 Kingessing Ave Aggravated Assault ented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis 01/27/20 9:01 AM 4700 Locust St Assault of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, 01/28/20 11:56 AM 4724 Chestnut St Aggravated Assault/Arrest creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disabil- 01/29/20 12:08 AM 3935 Walnut St Assault ity, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in 01/29/20 8:53 PM 419 S 44th St Robbery the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or 01/30/20 1:37 AM 4800 Locust St Assault athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or 01/31/20 11:13 AM 3900 Blk Locust Walk Rape in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to 01/31/20 4:32 PM 4537 Spruce St Domestic Assault Sam Starks, Executive Director of 02/01/20 1:19 PM 239 Buckingham Place Robbery the Office of Affirmative Action and 02/01/20 3:49 PM 4060 Chestnut St Assault Equal Opportunity Programs, 421 02/01/20 8:09 PM 503 S 48th St Aggravated Assault Franklin Building, 3451 Walnut 02/02/20 1:47 PM 27 S 44th St Domestic Assault/Arrest Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104- 6205; or (215) 898-6993 (Voice).

ALMANAC February 11, 2020 www.upenn.edu/almanac 7 GLASSFEST: February 21-March 14 The Annenberg Center first pre- sented composer Philip Glass with The Philip Glass Ensemble in the 1990s. Through frequent appear- ances and a long-term commit- ment to showcasing new music, the Annenberg Center championed Mr. Glass and familiarized him to Philadelphia audiences. The three- week GLASSFEST includes The Crossing choir performing Knee Plays, works by Philip Glass and David Byrne (February 21-22); the Philadelphia premiere of the five- hour entirety of Glass’ ground- breaking Music in Twelve Parts, performed by The Philip Glass En- semble (February 29); Glass Re- flections performed by pianist Jen- ny Lin in the Egypt Upper Gallery at the Penn Museum (March 5); and the world premiere of theat- rical work, The White Lama: The Improbable Legacy of Theos Ber- nard (March 13-14) by multi-disci- plinary theatre artist and filmmak- The Crossing performs on February 21-22. er Nikki Appino, featuring a score that will be performed by Mr. Glass Jenny Lin Glass Reflections; himself and co-composer Tenzin March 5; 7:30 p.m. Jenny Lin, “one Choegyal. of the most interesting pianists in The Crossing: Knee Plays; America right now” (The Wash- February 21-22; 8 p.m. With “un- ington Post), makes her Annen- erring performers, the superb Phil- berg Center Presents debut in the adelphia choir The Crossing” (The stunning Egypt Upper Gallery at New Yorker) offers a special pro- the Penn Museum. Ms. Lin brings grammatic pairing. Donald Nal- a technical brilliance and virtuo- ly conducts a rare performance of sic facility to Glass’ lyrical and Philip Glass’ Knee Plays, which rhythmically demanding music, as served as interludes in his first op- well as works by Debussy, Liszt, era, Einstein on the Beach, in one Schubert and more. connected program. The White Lama: The Improb- The Philip Glass Ensemble; able Legacy of Theos Bernard; February 29; 6 p.m. The Philip March 13-14; 7:30 p.m. In 1947, Glass Ensemble returns to Phil- Theos Bernard set out to study at adelphia for the first time in 21 a monastery in Tibet and was nev- years to give a rare complete per- er seen or heard from again. Nik- formance of Mr. Glass’ ground- ki Appino’s The White Lama ex- breaking Music in Twelve Parts. plores Mr. Bernard’s quest for the Composed between 1971 and sacred. Part biography, part in- 1974, Music in Twelve Parts is vocation, this experimental work both a massive theoretical exer- blends music, projected imagery cise and a deeply engrossing work and prose by Kevin Joyce, with a of art. Music in Twelve Parts runs score played live by Tenzin Choeg- five hours, with two intermissions yal and Philip Glass. and a dinner break. Please note For tickets, call (215) 898- The Philip Glass Ensemble performs on February 29. that Glass himself will not be per- 3900 or visit https://tinyurl.com/ forming as part of this concert. GLASSFEST

Kevin Joyce and Philip Glass in rehearsal for the world premiere of Nikki Jenny Lin makes her Annenberg Center Presents debut on March 5. Appino’s The White Lama: The Improbable Legacy of Theos Bernard. 8 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 11, 2020