Penn Engineering Graduate Monthly Newsletter
2025 March Issue
Jump to:
Announcement for the Month| Grants, Scholarships, & Fellowships |Events| Career & Networking|Previous Issue
Important Dates: 
Date | Event |
March 8th -16th | Spring Break (No Classes) |
March 24th | Summer 2025 registration begins |
March 24th – April 7th | Advance Registration begins for Fall 2025 |
March 31st | Last day to withdraw from a course for Spring term |
Spring 2025 Semester Advising Hours
Day of the week | Time | Location |
Mondays | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (EST) | Virtual |
Tuesdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | In-Person, Towne 109 |
Wednesdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | In-Person, Towne 109 |
Thursdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | Virtual |
Fridays | No Advising |
* Information with Zoom links for virtual advising days (Monday/Thursday) is emailed to students throughout the semester. If you are unable to attend scheduled advising hours, additional times may be available by appointment only. Please email to request an appointment.
Announcements for the month
Important information regarding Immigration Policies and International Travel
International Students:
We’ve included two important links to offer guidance regarding immigration policies and international travel.
Immigration Policy Updates and Resources
This site includes the latest immigration policy updates, announcements from ISSS, resources to help navigate changes in federal policy, and contact information for further assistance. It is regularly updated, and as a reminder, it is PennKey protected.
Navigating U.S. Ports of Entry & Secondary Inspection
This site provides guidance for international students about navigating U.S. ports of entry and secondary inspection.
Penn’s Public Interest Technology Initiative
The Fire PIT chat series is an opportunity for Penn students to participate in discussions with individuals who have worked at the forefront of technology policy. These discussions explore the relationship between law, technology, and the humanities, with a focus on how these disciplines work with and can learn from each other. Below is the information about two upcoming virtual Fire PIT chats.
-Matt Perault, Head of AI Policy, Andreessen Horowitz. Matt has worked in senior policy positions at Meta and directed technology policy centers at Duke and the University of North Carolina. In the fall, he joined Andreessen Horowitz as their Head of AI Policy, where he leads AI policy initiatives with a focus on Andreessen Horowitz’s “little tech” vision.
Wednesday, March 5th
At 12:00 pm
Click here to register
-April Chen, Director of Responsible AI Measurement at Microsoft; Former Assistant Director for Data, White House Office of Science & Technology Policy. April is currently the Director of Responsible AI Measurement at Microsoft. Prior to starting this position, she was the Assistant Director for Data in the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy. In that role, she advised on the development and implementation of the Biden Administration’s policy priorities, including racial and economic equity, climate change, and infrastructure.
Monday, March 31st
At 12:00 pm
Click here to register
i care Training for Students
Wellness at Penn is excited to offer an i care training for STUDENTS on Sunday, March 30th from 1-4 PM in Hall of Flags, Houston Hall. Undergrad/grad/professional students are welcome to join. This is a great opportunity for students to learn skills and resources to help their peers in moments of stress, distress, and crisis. Lunch will be provided, and prizes will be raffled!
Sunday, March 30th
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Houston Hall
Click here to register
Strategies for Success in Graduate Studies
Check out the great resources offered by the Grad Center and Weingarten Center! There are many workshops to discuss the strategies for success in Graduate studies. Learn more and register!
Grants, Scholarships & Fellowships
Identifying Funding Opportunities – Pivot Information Session
The OVPR is now providing a powerful new resource to help researchers identify funding opportunities. PIVOT-RP is a funding opportunity database that easily allows researchers to customize their search for funding based on discipline, career stage, interest, location, and other categories. This information session will walk the Penn research community through how to access and search the database and leverage additional tools like customizing automatic notifications for relevant funding opportunities.
Thursday, March 6th
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (Virtual)
Click here to register
Funded Research Opportunities for Faculty and Students
Interested in getting to know more funded Research opportunities? The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships connects faculty and students in support of these transformative experiences through three signature funding opportunities for undergraduates:
Jumpstart for Juniors Program
Provides funding to both a student and a faculty mentor for a research project in the summer between a student’s third and fourth years
Applications due Monday, March 17, 2025
While these programs require the involvement of a standing faculty member, we welcome proposals from collaborative teams that include non-standing faculty.
Questions about any of these programs can be addressed to Ann Vernon-Grey in the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
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.
2025 Call for proposals-PPA Research Support
As part of its commitment to a carbon-neutral campus by 2042, the University of Pennsylvania entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with energy company AES to develop solar arrays that would generate enough energy to fulfill 70% of the campus and health system electricity needs. Under the PPA, AES is generously supporting related educational efforts at Penn through the PPA Renewable Energy Research Program run by the Environmental Innovations Initiative.
Now through March 15, 2025, we are accepting proposals for grant support for education and/or training associated with the technical, operational, and economic aspects of renewable energy and energy storage. Funded projects may include research directly related to the AES solar energy project or projects and activities focused more broadly on education and training related to renewable energy in all its aspects.
For more information and to submit a proposal, visit here
PARCC Announces Partnerships with AHEAD, NVIDIA and more
Penn Advanced Research Computing Center (PARCC) has reached a major milestone toward opening its high-performance computing cluster. PARCC is pleased to announce contracts with AHEAD to build an NVIDIA SuperPod backed by VAST Data Storage and powered by NVIDIA Blackwell. The cluster will be hosted by Flexential, offering an integrated on-campus research computing experience. Further updates on PARCC can be viewed on the OVPR website.
Events
The Harold Berger Distinguished Award Lecture
The Harold Berger Distinguished Lecture and Award, named in honor of the Honorable Harold Berger, is awarded biennially by the School of Engineering and Applied Science to a technological innovator who has made a lasting contribution to the quality of our lives. Special emphasis is given to the societal and economic significance of an advance.
Wednesday, March 19th
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm, with a reception to follow
Wu &Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall
Learn more about the Berger Lecture here
Virtual Housing Fair
Virtual Housing Fair, starting March 27, 24×7. Students can search for off-campus living opportunities. Click here to learn more about off-campus services.
March 27 – July 26, 2025
Click here to register
AWE Presents Spring Pot Planting Event
Join AWE PhD committee for a rejuvenating evening of potting herbs and decorating pots! Unwind from your research grind by potting beautiful flowers, adding a touch of nature to your workspace. Get artsy as you decorate your pots with vibrant colors and designs, and bring home a personalized flower garden with a beautifully adorned pot. 🌿🖌️🌸 Food will be provided.
Friday, April 11th
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Skirkanich Basement
Click here to register
Career & Networking
Milwaukee Tool Day at Penn Engineering
Milwaukee Tool is coming to Penn Engineering! We’ll be joined by Penn alumni working at the company as Robotics and Reliability Engineers. Stop by Levine Lobby between 11 am and 2 pm to learn about exciting career opportunities, and return at 5:30 pm for a Tech Talk in Wu & Chen Auditorium. Our alumni will give insight into how machine learning and robotics play a part in their work, and they’ll give us an overview of a day-in-the-life of a reliability engineer.
Tuesday, March 4,
11 am-2 pm and 5:30 pm-6:30 pm,
Levine Lobby and Wu & Chen Auditorium
Click here to register
Lunch & Learn: Making the most of career fairs as a Grad student
Penn Career Services organizes several career fairs each semester, and partners with other institutions for several other consortium career fairs (virtual and in-person). All of these events are open to graduate students, and many employers participate in order to connect with graduate-level candidates. Take advantage of these events to explore different career options, practice your networking with recruiters and alumni, and position yourself for your next internship or job opportunity. Join an advisor from Penn Career Services at this Lunch and Learn to get some quick best practices to help you make the most of the next career fair you attend. Upcoming career fairs include:
GRADUATE CAREER CONSORTIUM PHD & MASTER’S VIRTUAL CAREER EXPO Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Van Pelt Library | 3420 Walnut St | 2nd Floor, Class of 1955 Conference Room 241
Click here to register
STEAM Career Fair
Career Services is available to discuss concerns regarding career planning, job hunting, resume review, and hosting mock interviews. Get to know your Engineering Master’s Career Advising Team and the Doctoral Career Advising Team.
Instructors for FIFE Academy
Are you interested in being an instructor for FIFE Academy? Fife-Penn CS Academy Coding Club for Girls and Boys Coding Clubs are FREE after-school programs for boys and girls in grades K through 8 where students learn how to code and join a group of supportive peers and role models. The club is led by computer science students from Penn Engineering, University of Pennsylvania.
Click here to learn more.
Virtual Career Fair for Penn Graduate Students and Postdocs
You are invited to attend this virtual career fair, held exclusively for graduate students and postdocs! Sponsored by the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) – an international organization supporting the career and professional development of graduate students and postdocs. This fair works to connect PhD & master’s students, postdocs and graduate alumni from STEM, Humanities and Social Sciences to employers for networking and recruitment.
Wednesday, March 5th
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Click here to register and see the list of the employers participating.
Paid Research Study Participation for the Human Motion Laboratory in the Penn Department of Orthopaedics
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is Conducting a Research Study on Achilles Tendon Pain between Jan 13, 2025 – Jun 30, 2025. This study involves 2 visits (spaced 3 months apart) to the Human Motion Lab, which will include ultrasound imaging, strength and pain tests, motion analysis, and wearable sensors. Each session will take approximately 1-2 hours to complete. In addition, you will be asked to wear take-home sensors which you will wear in your shoes for 24 hours and a wristwatch sensor that you will wear for the time between visits 3 months).
You will be compensated $50 for each lab assessment, plus $12 travel credit for each time you visit the lab. Additionally, you will be compensated $50 after returning the shoe sensor and $150 after returning the wristwatch sensors. Click here to sign up for the research interest form. For more information, visit this link.
Advising Information
Important Academic Links:
Want to post an event or opportunity?
Complete the SEAS Grad Monthly Newsletter Request Form. Requests are due no later than 12:00 p.m. on the 20th of the month before for it to be posted in the following monthly newsletter.
Academic Integrity Reminder
Please remember that all students must follow the Code of Academic Integrity. As noted, “If a student is unsure whether his action(s) constitute a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, then it is that student’s responsibility to consult with the instructor to clarify any ambiguities”.
Code of Conduct Reminder
All students are expected to know and follow the University’s Code of Conduct and Code of Academic Integrity. SEAS students are expected to read and understand the following professional codes of ethics:
- ABET Code of Ethics of Engineers
- IEEE Code of Ethics
- NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers
- ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
Crisis Support
Student Support Resources
Wellness at Penn: Student Health and Counseling
- Call 215-746-WELL (9355) to speak with a medical or mental health provider 24/7.
- Visit a mental health professional at one of our Let’s Talk locations across campus.
Other Helpful Penn Resources
- Office of Academic Services: Towne 109 or email oasadvi@seas.upenn.edu https://academics.seas.upenn.edu/
- Cora Ingrum Center for Community and Outreach: Towne 220, phone: 215-898-7246 https://community.seas.upenn.edu/
- Weingarten Center: 215-573-9235 https://weingartencenter.universitylife.upenn.edu/
- Student Health Service: 215-746-3535 https://wellness.upenn.edu/student-health-and-counseling
- Student Counseling Services: 215-898-7021 https://wellness.upenn.edu/student-health-and-counseling
- University Chaplain’s Office: 215-898-8456 https://chaplain.upenn.edu/
- Student Financial Services: 215-898-1988 https://srfs.upenn.edu/
- Department of Public Safety: 215-573-511 https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/
- University Life: 215-898-6081 https://universitylife.upenn.edu/
- HELP Line: 215-898-HELP (215-898-4357)
- Penn Libraries: https://www.library.upenn.edu/