Big Ideas

A look at a few of our big picture priorities that improve Penn as we create knowledge to benefit the world.

A put-out cigarette standing on its end, next to half of another crumpled cigarette. In the background are two whole cigarettes.

Parental nicotine use and addiction risk for children

In research done using rats, Penn Nursing’s Heath Schmidt and colleagues found that males that engaged in voluntary nicotine use had offspring more likely to do so, too. Some offspring also developed impaired memory and anxiety-like behavior.

One person holds a framed image of Vladimir Lenin and another holds one of Josef Stalin as others wave red flags behind them in Moscow's Revolution Square.

Soviet Union’s centenary

Experts from across Penn share their thoughts on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Protesters carrying Iranian flags walk through the National Mall in Washington, D.C., which is dotted with black and white photos of Iranians allegedly killed by their government.

‘The Changing Terrain of Religious Freedom’

This timely volume of essays edited by professors Heather J. Sharkey and Jeffrey Green explores theoretical, historical, and legal perspectives on religious freedom, while examining its meaning as an experience, value, and right.

Microscopic image of lung with cells labeled in blue, red, and green

A target for improving recovery from lung injury

After a bout of severe respiratory disease, some patients never fully recover. New research from the School of Veterinary Medicine identifies a factor responsible for inappropriate tissue regrowth after infection, pointing to a possible therapeutic target.

gloved hand holding covid vacciine

Do vaccine lotteries work?

Wharton’s Katy Milkman shares the lessons learned from last year’s Philly Vax Sweepstakes, a Penn-funded project designed to evaluate ways of increasing COVID-19 vaccinations in the city.

A man tends to a kiln and collects charcoal in front of a eucalyptus plantation.

Where does charcoal come from—and is it sustainable?

Charcoal energizes everything from backyard barbecues to industrial metallurgy, but its environmental impact is worse than once thought. Research from the School of Arts & Sciences finds that policy changes could make charcoal more sustainable.