SEAS Weekly 04-28-25
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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 |
| April 30th | Last day of classes |
| May 1st – 4th | Reading Days |
| May 5th – 13th | Final Examinations |
| May 13th | Spring Term ends |
| May 17th | Alumni Day |
| May 19th | Commencement |
Announcements for the week
Now Open: NASA’s Computing Challenge
The NASA Beyond the Algorithm Challenge: Novel Computing Architectures for Flood Analysis is now open! All information for the challenge can be found at the challenge website here.
The NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) seeks solutions to complex Earth Science problems using transformative or unconventional computing technologies such as quantum computing, quantum machine learning, neuromorphic computing, or in-memory computing.
The challenge is to provide solutions or potential solutions to improve flood water analysis by using one or more unconventional computing methods. In Phase One, participants will submit a short 5-page white paper and a 2 to 3-minute video of their idea. Up to 10 Finalists will be selected to present their ideas to a panel of judges at a live Pitch Event in September 2025.
Up to three 3 winners will be chosen, with each winner being awarded a $100,000 prize! Deadline: July 25th, 2025
The Perception of Undergraduate Life and Student Experience (Penn PULSE)
This is a friendly reminder to participate in the Perception of Undergraduate Life and Student Experience (PULSE) Survey!
If you have already completed the survey, thank you! If not, there’s still time—please take a few minutes to share your experiences before the survey closes on Monday, May 5th.
To enter the survey, please visit ira.upenn.edu/takeasurvey/PULSE.
The survey will provide us with valuable information about your Penn experience. Thank you in advance for your time and commitment to improving Penn’s undergraduate experience. If you encounter any problems while taking the survey, please contact surveys@ira.upenn.edu.
Student Design Competition
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) Student Design Competition promotes real-world design experience for students interested in pursuing education and careers in water and wastewater engineering and science. As a program of WEF’s Students and Young Professionals Committee (SYPC), the competition tasks individuals or teams of students to prepare and present a design that helps solve a water quality issue.
May 1st is the deadline to inform the planning committee by email of your team or Member Association’s intent to participate in the 2024 WEFTEC SDC. For more information, check out The Water Environment Federation (WEF) website. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Sonya Gwak sgwak@seas.upenn.edu
Events (Engineering)
Baking Study Break
Come enjoy your study break with baking cookies, scones, brownies, or cakes!
Friday, May 2nd
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Amy Gutman Hall Kitch
Click here to register
Events (Penn)
End of Semester Picnic
GIC, UMC, and NAP will be hosting our annual end-of-semester picnic in the GIC garden and backyard. There will be BBQ food, picnic blankets, and yard-games. All students and campus partners of GIC are welcome to attend!
Thursday, May 1st
4:00-6:00 PM
GIC Patio and Lawn | 3708 Chestnut Street
Study Break @ Houston Hall with Coffee and Sweets
Bring your books and study with your friends in Houston Hall to prepare for final exams. Free coffee, tea, hot chocolate and tasty sweets will be provided in Houston Hall Lobby. Tutoring Services will be available from 7:45pm-10:30pm in the Market Cafe on the lower floor of Houston Hall as well.
Thursday, May 1st
7: 30 pm – 10:30 pm
Houston Hall Lobby
STUDY BREAK! Create Your Own Butterfly: Artmaking, Community, and Transformation
Create your own Butterfly: Artmaking, Community, and Transformation
Facilitated by Mariya Keselman-Mekler
This workshop uses the butterfly as a symbol of transformation, helping participants overcome challenges through art, creativity, and community. Through artmaking, reflective writing, and dialogue, participants will identify personal obstacles, connect with their inner strengths, and leave with a butterfly to represent their journey of transformation.
Friday, May 2nd
12:00 pm – 2:00 p.m.
Greenfield Intercultural Center (3708 Chestnut Street)
Scholarships & Grants Opportunities
University Research Foundation Award
The University Research Foundation (URF) is an intramural funding program that provides up to $75,000 for research projects and up to $5,000 for conference support. The URF provides seed funding for up to one year for research activities that are expected to lead to external sponsorship and/or peer-reviewed research publications. Conference support grants are faculty-developed events that take place on Penn’s campus.
During Fall 2024, the OVPR reviewed 83 applications (over $4.2 million in requests) from across campus. Four review panels consisting of 33 faculty reviewers assessed proposals in four categories: Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, Natural Sciences and Engineering, and Biomedical Sciences. A total of 56 new projects were recommended for funding, totaling $2,595,003.
The next cycle for the Fall 2025 URF program will open in late August, with a proposal deadline of October 9, 2025.
Career & Networking Opportunities
Consent Circles Facilitators
Penn Violence Preventionis hiring Consent Circles facilitators. Below is a description to share along with the attached graphic for this opportunity:
Penn Violence Prevention is hiring temporary student workers to facilitate Consent Circles during New Student Orientation this August. Becoming a Consent Circles Facilitator is a great way to get involved with violence prevention efforts and provide support to incoming first-year and transfer students, while earning $15/hour.
Applications go live on Workday soon. Be the first to find out when positions open: bit.ly/CCFinterest
Questions about becoming a Consent Circles Facilitator? Email Julie, PVP Associate Director, at julmill@upenn.edu.
Internships & Volunteer Work
- Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships (CURF) – supports summer research opportunities for undergraduate students
- Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) – supports independent research related to contemporary India as well as summer internships in India.
- Civic House Community Engagement Internship – funding to support academic year-long undergraduate internships at selected community partner organizations
- Penn Global Research & Internship (GRIP) Award – provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate students opportunity to intern or conduct research abroad over the summer
- Platt Performing Arts Internship Award – provides one Penn undergraduate with funds to support a summer internship in professional performing arts or related entertainment organization
- Real Arts@Penn Internship Prize – offers internship prize specifically designed to help with costs associated with unpaid & underpaid internships in a creative field
- Summer Research & Internship Funding for Highly Aided Students – Highly Aided students are eligible to receive up to $5,000 in funding for unpaid or underfunded opportunities for two summers
- Startup Internship Award – Venture Lab – to support students interning with startups over the summer
- Penn Wharton Innovation Fund – offers funding for students in support creating a new startup venture
- Weingarten Center Scholarships – scholarships for internships or work experience that relate to academics and career goals for students with disabilities
- Annenberg School for Communication –Communication majors interested doing a public service internship this summer have an opportunity to apply to Annenberg in Public Service (AIPS), which provides financial support for students doing un- or under-paid Comm related public service internships up to $5,000.
- Penn Emergency & Opportunity Fund – Students can seek and receive support for needs including, but not limited to: academic or pre-professional opportunity, such as conference participation or travel to reach an internship/job, graduate school exam prep or application fees and more.
Clubs & Organizations
Engineering Entrepreneurship
Greater Philly Green Startup Pitch Competition 2025
Calling all green startups, climate tech enthusiasts, investors, and service providers! Are you building a climate or sustainability-focused startup? This is your chance to pitch in front of top investors, industry leaders, and key stakeholders in the Philly climate tech ecosystem. Compete for a prize pool bigger than last year, gain invaluable feedback, and connect with the people who can help take your startup to the next level!
Apply today: http://bit.ly/GPGSPC-App
Not a founder? Join us to be part of the action! Whether you’re an investor looking for the next big opportunity, a service provider eager to support growing startups, or simply a climate tech enthusiast, this event is your gateway to the region’s most exciting sustainability innovations.
Tuesday, April 22 (Earth Day)
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
One Commerce Square, 2005 Market St, Suite 160, Philadelphia
Investing in Penn Founders – Up to $100K
Here is an exciting opportunity for students at Penn who are building AI-driven startups.
1616 Ignite is an 8-week virtual accelerator, powered by 1616 Ventures, designed to help early-stage founders turn their ideas into venture-backed companies. We provide:
$20K in funding (with potential follow-on investment of up to $100k)
Hands-on mentorship from seasoned investors and operators
A structured path to fundraising with a high-caliber founder network
Applications are open on a rolling basis, so early submissions are encouraged.
You can find more details and the application link here: 1616ventures.com/ignite
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.
