Penn Engineering Weekly 02-23-26
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Announcement for the week| Events (Engineering)| Events (Penn)| Scholarships & Grants Opportunities| Career & Networking Opportunities| Clubs & Organizations| Engineering Entrepreneurship| View Previous Issue
| Date | Event |
| February 23rd (Extended to February 24th) | Drop Period ends |
| March 7th-15th | Spring Term Break |
| March 16th | Classes resume |
| March 23rd | Grade Mode Change Deadline |
| March 30th | Last Day to Withdraw from a Course |
| April 29th | Last day of Classes |
| April 30th – May 3rd | Reading Days |
| May 4th – 12th | Final Exams |
| May 12th | Spring Term Ends |
| May 18th | Commencement |
Announcements for the week
Time To Get Your Cap And Gown!
The Penn Bookstore is pleased to serve as the University’s academic regalia provider for all current and alumni graduates, as well as participating faculty, marshals, and trustees. If you choose to order online, it’s recommended to do so by March 20 to ensure delivery prior to Commencement ceremonies. If the above deadlines pose significant challenges for you, please call the Bookstore at 215-898-7595 or email capandgown@upenn.edu as soon as possible to explore alternative options.
iCare Training
“i care” is an interactive training for students, faculty, and staff that builds a caring community with the skills and resources to intervene when someone is dealing with stress, distress, and crisis.
Sunday, March 29th
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Click here to learn more and register
Events (Engineering)
Advancing Women in Engineering (AWE) Undergraduate Summer Research Opportunity at Penn Engineering
AWE is pleased to offer an initiative that supports undergraduate students pursuing summer research experiences. Applicants are required to submit a personal statement, a resume, and a faculty recommendation letter. All application materials must be received by March 2nd,2026. For additional details or questions, interested students should contact Nita Guzman Del Vecchio at ngdv@seas.upenn.edu
Orientation Peer Advisor Applications Open
Applications are now open to become an Orientation Peer Advisor (OPA).
OPAs are a group of engineering upperclassmen who volunteer to guide incoming students over the summer, during NSO, and their first semester to help them get acclimated to Penn. OPAs understand the concerns of incoming students and provide advice and referrals to various campus departments. They are excellent resources for campus organizations, majors, and campus life.
This is a volunteer (unpaid) position. However, perks include exclusive OPA merch, sponsored early move-in, and enhanced leadership skills.
Application link: https://upenn.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4MmwIJluK72KVi6
Applications close on Monday, March 30th, 2026. For questions, please contact Marina Ceneviva at mceneviv@seas.upenn.edu.
Events (Penn)
Lessons from the White House: Climate, AI, and the Future
Join us for a wide-ranging conversation with Professor Ali Zaidi, former White House National Climate Advisor to President Biden and current Professor of Practice in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Penn. This student-invited speaker event is co-sponsored by the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.
Drawing on his experience leading national climate strategy, shaping major industrial policy initiatives, and working at the crossroads of technology and public service, Professor Zaidi will explore the driving forces transforming today’s energy landscape—and the challenges and opportunities they present for the next generation.
The event format will be a fireside chat, led by two VIPER student moderators, with time for audience questions at the end.
Pizza lunch will be provided! Click here to learn more about this event
Tuesday, February 24th
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Kleinman Center for Energy Policy Energy Forum at the Kleinman Center|220 S. 34th Street Fisher Fine Arts Building, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104
Click here to register (*Register by Feb 17th to help plan catering accordingly!)
2026 Energy Week @Penn Poster Session
A reminder that you are invited to participate in the 2026 Energy Week @Penn Poster Session, Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 4:30-6:30 pm in the VLEST building. This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded peers and faculty, showcase and get feedback on your work, learn about the breadth of energy research happening at Penn, and get a free Energy Week t-shirt!
If you would like to present a poster, please register by Monday, February 9th, 2026.
All students and postdocs who have research related to energy are encouraged to participate. Poster presenters will be assigned an hour-long block where they are expected to be at their poster, but are otherwise encouraged to visit other posters, network with the attendees, or enjoy some refreshments.
Wednesday, February 25th, 2026
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
VLEST building
Click here to register
ADHD Skills Workshops
Please see attached for the ADHD Skills Workshop Series, which begins on January 27th and will be held here at the Weingarten Center in Stouffer Commons. The workshops are open to the Penn Community and will be facilitated by Jordi Yanoshik. Click here to register.
Research Careers Outside Academia
This is a panel event where students will hear from professionals who have applied their research training to careers outside of academia. Panelists will include Dinah Sah, PhD, Biotech Executive, Erin Doyle, Research Analyst at the Urban Institute, Kim Cárdenas, PhD, Senior Research Analyst at HIT Strategies, and Adam Ferrari, PhD, Biotech Equity Research Associate at J.P. Morgan. Learn about their academic and professional journeys and how they built careers in research outside traditional academic settings, spanning biotech, policy research, social science, and finance. Click here to learn more.
Tuesday, February 24th
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Zoom: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/98353082368?pwd=BUd77wkeN5NggVzfafZboWAg71Tnei.1
Researcher Cold-Emailing Workshop
Join Research Peer Advisors (RPAs) for a Cold-Emailing Workshop designed for students looking to get started in research, especially those hoping to secure a summer research position. Learn how to identify labs, reach out to professors, and craft compelling cold emails. We’ll cover how to position yourself even with no prior experience, what faculty look for in summer students, and how to follow up effectively. Whether you’re unsure where to begin or just need guidance on writing that first message, this session will give you the tools to take concrete steps toward landing a research opportunity. Perfect for students exploring research for the very first time. No experience needed. Click here to learn more.
Monday, March 2nd
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
JMHH (Huntsman) Room F60
Registration is not required
Research Peer Advisor Data Science Workshop: R
Join the CURF RPAs for a series of data science workshops to learn essential coding skills for modeling, data analysis, and visualization. Whether you’re new to programming or looking to refine your skills, these workshops will introduce key tools in scientific research. No prior experience is required – attend all sessions or choose the ones most relevant to your research area of interest! This session will focus on R. Click here to learn more.
Wednesday, March 4th
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
JMHH (Huntsman) Room F60
Registration is not required
The Peking Acrobats
The Peking Acrobats push the limits of human ability, wowing audiences with spellbinding trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. With a three-decade legacy of elite talent, this world-record-setting troupe takes ancient Chinese traditions to new heights, pairing artful athleticism with live music and festive pageantry. Bring the whole family–these masters of agility and grace are, quite literally, defying gravity. Student ticketsare only $10.
Sunday, March 15th
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Annenberg Center| 3680 Walnut Street
Global Health at Penn
This year marks the 10th anniversary of PSOM’s Center for Global Health (CGH). Over the past decade, CGH has built a vibrant global health community at Penn grounded in partnership, rigorous scholarship, and a shared commitment to health equity. Today, our faculty, staff, and trainees are engaged in research, clinical care, and capacity-building in more than 80 countries.
To celebrate this milestone, the CGH Penn Global Health Day will be held on March 6, 2026, 8:00 am – 2:30 pm, Rubenstein Auditorium. The event will highlight the breadth and impact of global health work across Penn with a look toward the future of our field.
We are honored to welcome Jim Yong Kim, MD, PhD, as our keynote speaker. A co-founder of Partners In Health, Dr. Kim’s leadership roles include President of the World Bank Group and President of Dartmouth College. Dr. Kim is currently Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda and Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Infrastructure Partners. His career reflects a deep commitment to equity and systems-level change.
Friday, March 6th
8:00 am -2:30 pm
Rubenstein Auditorium
Scholarships & Grants Opportunities
The 2026-2028 Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service
The Obama Foundation is looking for current college sophomores and community college transfer students interested in pursuing a career in public service. If you are seeking a transformative leadership development and scholarship program that includes financial aid to ease the burden of college debt, an immersive work-travel experience, and access to a powerful network of mentors, then this program is for you! The application closes on March 17, 2026, and we need your help to spread the word! Click here to learn more and apply.
2026 ShanghaiTech Summer Lab Program
This non-credit and tuition-free program is designed exclusively for international undergraduates from our partner institutions. It offers a unique opportunity for participants to join a research lab of their choice, utilizing world-class facilities and national science platforms rarely accessible to external students. Application Deadline: April 30, 2026. Click here to learn more and apply.
Career & Networking Opportunities
Summer 2026 Internship Opportunity for Undergraduate/Graduate Students & Alumni
2026 KSEA Philadelphia Symposium
Interested in joining the 2026 KSEA Philadelphia Symposium? This year, it focuses on AI, Biomedical Science & Engineering. It will be held on February 27th, 2026. Click here to learn more.
Clubs & Organizations
Engineering Entrepreneurship
More information about Engineering Entrepreneurship
- Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, & X/Twitter.
- Tag on these platforms @PennEngEntrep with your own posts.
- Join their subscription-based semi-monthly email to notify you of entrepreneurship-related events, competitions, opportunities and more. If you wish to receive this type of information, please visit https://groups.google.com/a/seas.upenn.edu/g/pennengentrep/ and then click on “ask to join the group” (Image). You have the option to unsubscribe at any time as well, and this is completely optional. Emails will be sent on the second and last Wednesday of every month.
