Read the news articles below to learn more about what our students are up to in the world of undergraduate research, fellowships, and scholars programs! This is a great way to learn more about the types of research and fellowships students are participating in.
The Growth and Excitement of Stepping from Classroom to Lab
Jailyn Cardwell and Alicia Zhang investigated genetic and phenotypic variations in ethnically diverse populations in Africa with mentorship from Dr. Sarah Tishkoff (Department of Genetics and Biology). This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
A Trip to Puppet Planet
Over the summer, Lily Grace and Tatiana Williams-Martin were interns for Spiral Q. Spiral Q uses art to connect people, actions, values, neighborhoods, organizations, and movements to each other and to their collective creative force for change. This internship was supported by the Summer Humanities Internship Program.
Interpreting Interpretation: Prosecuting and Identifying Treasonous Texts under the British Raj
Norah Rami (’26), an English and Political Science major, conducted research on censorship under the British Raj with the mentorship of Dr. Caz Batten (Department of English). Her research was supported by the University Scholars program.
Designing Through Data
Phoebe Anagnos ('28), an Architecture and Earth and Environmental Science double major, conducted research on natural materials that could be used to replace carbon-emissive materials with mentorship from Dr. Laia Mogas-Soldevila (Department of Architecture). This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
The Beauty of the Brain
Chidinma Esielem ('27), a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, investigated possible links between sleep disturbances and brain pathologies indicative of Alzheimer’s disease with mentorship from Dr. Shinjae Chung (Department of Neuroscience). This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
Penn fourth-year Florence Onyiuke named a 2026 Rhodes Scholar
Onyiuke has been awarded a 2026 Rhodes Scholarship, which funds tuition and a living stipend for graduate study at the University of Oxford in England. She is among 32 American Rhodes Scholars and an expected 100 worldwide.
Understanding International Law Through Research
Clement Tsao ('28), a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Jason Tu (‘27), an Economics major, conducted research with Prof. Jacques deLisle (Penn Carey Law) on contemporary Chinese law and politics. This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
Redefining Healthcare Research and Rethinking My Goals
Lily Parsels ('28), a Bioengineering major, conducted research with Dr. Bhatia Aashim (Department of Radiology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) on how virtual reality can be utilized to improve patient care. This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
Designing Stretchable Materials for Space Antennas
Enya Cao (’28), a Physics and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics double major, explored how kirigami-inspired geometries can be used to design stretchable mechanical metamaterials for future space antennas and better space communications. She conducted her research with the mentorship of Dr. Igor Bargatin and PhD student Gulzhan Aldan. Enya was supported by the University Scholars program.
The Life Cycle of a Manuscript
Samantha Hsiung (‘27), an English and Economics double major, was an intern for Penn Press, the publishing arm of the university. This internship was supported by the Summer Humanities Internship Program.
From Analyzing Data to Meaningful Conversations
Nicollette Hillman (‘28), Affan Jabbar (‘27), Bria Morgan (‘28), and Sadie Daniels (‘28) conducted research with Dr. Sara Jaffee (Department of Psychology) on the PHLHousing+ Study. In the United States, only one in four households experiencing housing cost burden (defined as spending over 30% of household income on rent) receive rental assistance. PHLHousing+ is a direct rental assistance pilot program designed to address this gap by providing cash payments to 300 Philadelphia families. This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.