medical student essay prize 2023

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The BSANZ Medical Student Reflective Essay Competition

The balint society of australia and new zealand has announced the winners from the 2023 medical student reflective essay competition..

There were a record 89 entries this year, with a very high standard of writing covering a wide range of topics.  After several rounds of reviewing, the reviewers are pleased to announce the top 12 essays as listed in the table below.

Congratulations to Megan Torpey and Taneka Tezak who received The Lawrence Gilbert Memorial Prizes.  Runners up were Geetika Malhotra, Alisha Sethi, Dikshya Parajuli and Tuyen Pham.  Links to all these essays will be listed in due course.

Our thanks go to the local and international group of essay reviewers who did an amazing job this year.

Results and essays from previous competitions can also be accessed through the links listed below.

Essay requirements for the next competition in 2025 are listed as well, with a submission date expected to be in July 2025.  We look forward to hearing from you then.

Hamish Wilson (Dunedin, NZ) and Alexa Gilbert-Obrart (Sydney Australia) Conveners on behalf of the BSANZ

2025 Essay Requirements for Medical Student Writing Prize

Medical Student Writing Prize 2021 Results

There were 45 entries in 2021, with a very high standard of writing. Congratulations to Madison Booth and Stephanie Lee who received The Lawrence Gilbert Memorial Prizes.

We would like to congratulate all the students for their perceptive essays about their interactions with significant patients, as well as for their insights about the nature of clinical training and medical practice. Four essays from the 2021 competition were published in medical journals (Journal of Primary Health Care (NZ) and The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine (US)).

Many thanks to students and our reviewers who have made this essay competition such a success.

Alexa Gilbert-Obrart and Hamish Wilson On behalf of the BSANZ.

Winning essays from 2021

Too Momentous for Words , by Madison Booth (University of Queensland)

Beyond the Medical , by Stephanie Lee (Bond University)

An unexpected journey , by Thomas Swinburn (Auckland Medical School)

Homecoming , by Rebecca Gandhi (Auckland Medical School)

Further information about past winners of the Medical Student Reflective Essay Competition is available here.

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Medicine & the Muse Program

Paul kalanithi writing award, paul kalanithi was a physician writer and neurosurgery resident at stanford university. in the final years of his training, he was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. his memoir,  when breath becomes air , beautifully chronicles his reflections on living with illness and the meaning of legacy. the paul kalanithi writing award was created in his memory. , open for submissions: november 11, 2024.

This short documentary by Stanford videographer Mark Hanlon captures Paul Kalanithi’s shifting perception of time while living with terminal cancer.

Lucy Kalanithi often visits the gravesite of her husband, Paul Kalanithi, with the couple’s daughter, Cady, to picnic and leave flowers. (Photo by Timothy Archibald)

Prize Winners

2023 prize winners.

First place essay:   A Good Death |  Heather Alva, MD

First place short story:   Home Videos | Tatyana Singh

First place poetry:  Bulbs |  Lana Corrales 

First place poetry (tie):  Lunch Break/Brave Face |  Aidan Theepura Kunju

2022 Prize Winners

First place:  Sick Girl Goes on a Date  | Alyson Lee

Second place: To Sit With   | Brian Zhao

Third place:   What That Poem was About   | Fiona Miller

Fourth place: I Wear You Like a Memory | Nicolas Seranio

Honorable Mention

  Junk Journal  | James Hyun Lee

2021 Prize Winners

First place:  Sliding Down  | Michael Rabow, MD

Second place:   Silver   | Hannah Joyner

Third place:   Of Seeds  | Rachael Peckham, PhD Honorable Mention

How to Deal with Charon  | Brian Smith, Medical Student

2020 Prize Winners

1st Place: My Father's Brain is on the Kitchen Counter by Laura Pritchett

2nd Place: The Last Shower by Leilani Graham

3rd Place: Code Yellow by Kushal Kadakia

Honorable Mentions

Spilling Stardust  by Richard Wu

*** : Meditations of a Medical Oncology Scribe  by Brian Smith

2019 Prize Winners

1st Place: RUNNING MCCOY'S  by Heather Cariou

2nd Place: Time Like Water  by Grace Li

3rd Place: Dark Rides  by Amy Haddad

The Ward is the World  by Laurie Kutchins

2018 Prize Winners

1st Place: Pulseless  by David James Bell

2nd Place: How Fishele Died  by Nathan Szajnberg

3rd Place: Broken  by Lucia Gagliese

Hair  by Joanne Howard

2017 Prize Winners

1st Place: Borderline Disability: A Life Diagnose by Eli Cahan

2nd Place: In Photographs by Dorothy Rice

3rd Place: Under the Bridge by Tyson West

Recommendation by Marissa McNamara

Two Notes by Cassie Myers

2016 Prize Winners

1st Place: Perestroika  by Petr Vitkovskiy

2nd Place: Parlor Talk  by Catherine Wong

3rd place:  Mercy  by Erik Norbie

Submissions Open: November 11, 2024 - January 6, 2025

Medicine & the Muse is pleased to announce an open call for unpublished short stories, essays or poetry addressing patients and providers facing chronic or life limiting illness.

Entries will be evaluated within their own genre: poetry, fiction and non-fiction. 

Contest Guidelines Short Stories/Essays/Fiction/Non-fiction: Less than 2500 words Poetry: Less than 50 lines

Dual submissions permitted, if they are in different genres. No more than two submissions. Simultaneous submissions permitted, but please withdraw your piece if it gets published elsewhere. Collections of poems are permitted, but please adhere to the line limit. The submission fee is $35 per entry. There is no charge for students, residents and fellows.

SUBMIT HERE

Submit here (students, residents, fellows).

Submission Deadline January 6, 2025 Winners announced on March 21, 2025 

Judges have Included  Drs. Lucy Kalanithi and Daniel Mason, Stanford physician writers, Dr. Jay Baruch, Brown University Alpert School of Medicine physician writer, Dr. Irène Mathieu, Assistant Director, Program in Health Humanities,  University of Virginia, Grace Li, MD candidate and author, and Executive Director of Stanford Medical Humanities & Arts program, Jacqueline Genovese

Award Total of 3 winners, one from each genre will be awarded a cash prize of $300. 

Honorarium made possible by the generosity of a Stanford Palliative Care benefactor.

Winners will be published in Anastomosis , Stanford University School of Medicine’s humanities and literary journal. 

Open to all. Please share widely. 

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Medical Student Prize

The 2024 Medical Student Prize deadline for submissions has now passed

2024 Medical Student Prize

This year medical students are invited to submit an essay on their Quality Improvement Project (QUIP) and how it has equipped them and their department to perform better. The project must have completed at least one round of the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycle and can be on any aspect of T&O - from education to patient preparation or adoption of surgical innovation.

The lead author of the winning submission will receive the following:

• BOA-recognised certificate
• £100 prize money
• A ticket for Medical Student's Day at the BOA Annual Congress 2024 in Birmingham
• Travel and one night's accommodation at the BOA Annual Congress 2024 paid for by the BOA

The BOA also wish to recognise the exceptional submissions we receive with a highly commended certificate.

How do I submit my project?

You will be required to submit an application form along with your essay. The essay application form  can be found here; please complete this and send it, along with your essay, to [email protected] . There is a limit of one essay entry per student.

In the application essay form you will be required to confirm: 

“I certify that the attached material is my own work. I also certify that I have formally certified or formally acknowledged the words and ideas of others.”

Am I eligible?

The competition is open to all medical students in the UK or Republic of Ireland. If you have submitted in previous years but you are still a medical student, you are welcome to re-enter the competition for the 2024 prize.

Medical Students from the UK or Republic of Ireland who are studying abroad are not eligible to submit an essay.

Is there a word limit?

The maximum word count for the essay is 1000 words. The essay title and references/figures/tables (including in-text references) are not included in the word count, but any accompanying text i.e. the name of the table if stated above/below it, will be counted in the Word Count. Appendices are not encouraged but maybe used to present relevant additional information referred to in the essay. We usually receive a large number of submissions and the people marking the essays are not expected to read Appendices and therefore these should not be used to display details which are essential to your work.

Can I include graphs or images in my submission?

Does the word count include references and figures, what referencing style shall i use, when is the final deadline, when will the winner be announced, will i receive feedback, who can i contact if i have a problem, past winners.

2023 Sumedh Sridhar, winner of the 2023 Medical Student Essay Prize competition, with his essay ‘Bones, Burnout, and Beyond’: Strategies for Supporting T&O Staff and Patients in a Changing Landscape.  His essay was published on Orthopaedics Online , which you can read here .

2022 Jan Drmota, a final year medical student at Imperial College London, was the winner of the 2022 BOA Medical Student Essay Prize.  His essay was published on Orthopaedics Online in December 2022 which you can read here . 

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Medical Student Essay Prize 2023!

14th october 2022.

Clinical Genetics Society Medical Student Prize 2022-2023

Entries are invited for the annual Clinical Genetics Society medical student essay prize.

The winner will receive a cash prize plus  free registration to the next Clinical Genetics Society Conference 2023 . Their essay will also be published in the abstract book for the conference.

Details of the topic and how to enter coming soon...

Click here to view last year's winners

Medical Student Essay Prize

Twice a year the BSDS sets and essay title on a topic related to dermatological surgery and offers a prize for the winning essays.

The BSDS Medical Student Essay Prize (previously titled Undergraduate Essay Prize) is open to anyone who has medical student status at the time of application or who graduates that year.

The title for the next Essay Prize is:

“ Use your creativity to show us how you would safely and efficiently train a medical student to perform an ellipse excision”

This could take the form of:

• A PowerPoint lesson plan (maximum 3 slides)
• An instructional video (real life or computer animated – maximum 5 minutes)
• An artistic presentation (drawings/photographs/combination of) (No PDF please)

The prize for the winning essay will be £300.

BSDS Medical Student Essay Prize Application Form – July 2024

Deadline for submissions:  31st July 2024

Previous Essay Prize Winners

Click to view previous essays.

• 2024, January – “ Crea te a PIL on Mohs Micrographic surgery” – (concept design) by Talia Patel, University of Nottingham Medical School.
• 2023, July –      “How can we ensure valid consent in dermatologic surgery in the era of teledermatology and one-stop clinics? ” –  Zoe Hemsley, Cambridge University.
• 2023, January –  “What are the most important priorities for skin surgery and skin cancer research and why?”   –  Mohammed J Ali, Hull York Medical School  
• 2022, July – “ You’re on mute! – Potentials and pitfalls with remote teaching in skin surgery” – Jessica McKeever, University of Dundee
• 2022, January –  “What beneficial changes has the pandemic made to dermatological surgery?” Sukhmunni Johal Oxford University
• 2021, July – “Will artificial intelligence and automated technology replace the need for Dermatologists to diagnose skin cancer in the future?” Laura Leeves, Kings College London.
• 2021, January –   “How do we optimise operator safety during dermatological surgery?”   Mahaveer Singh Sangha University of London Medical School
• 2020, July –  “How do we optimise patients experience of dermatological surgical procedures?”   Anastasia Constantinou, University of Cambridge
• 2020, January –   “How can dermatological surgery become more environmentally friendly?”   Chaplin Catriona, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry
• 2019, July –       What will dermatological surgery look like in 2050?  For this submission, the essay format had been changed to a 5-minute long video.  Outcome Details coming soon.
• 2019, January  –  “Which doctors would make the best skin surgeons? Can we predict ability prior to training?”  Pimentel-Velazquez Diana, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
• 2018, July  –  “Will artificial intelligence and automated technology replace the need for Dermatologists to diagnosis skin cancer in the future? ” Selvendran Sara, Imperial College London
• 2018, January  –  “Skin cancer and patients’ use of Dermatology apps – a cause for concern or the future of healthcare provision?”  Yi Jia Teo, University College Cork School of Medicine, National University of Ireland
• 2017, July –  “Should NHS patients have access to scar management?”   Kelsey Aimar, University of Nottingham
• 2017, January –  Two prizes awarded: “If Mohs skin surgery is the ‘gold standard for non-melanoma skin cancer treatment’, why doesn’t eveyone have it?”  Ali Ansaripour , Kings College London GKT School of Medical Education and  Antonio Ji Xu , Oxford University Medical School
• 2016, July –  “Discuss the technological advances in dermatological and reconstructive surgery that have had the greatest impact on skin cancer patients”  Joseph Jayasundera, King’s College London
• 2016, January –  “Discuss the impact of targeted molecular skin cancer therapies on dermatological surgery” Anna Ascott, Barts and The London
• 2015, July –  “How should we measure the “best” outcomes for skin cancer surgery?” Mahdi Saleh, Keele University
• 2015, January  –  “There is no need to treat any skin cancer with Mohs surgery – discuss “ Monty Lyman, University of Birmingham
• 2014  –  “How can patient expectations relating to skin cancer surgery be assessed and addressed?” Joseph Colclough, University of Glasgow 2014  –  “How can patient expectations relating to skin cancer surgery be assessed and addressed?”  Katherine Farquhar, University of Glasgow
• 2013  – “ Skin Cancer and Vitamin D “ Verity Williams, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London.
• 2012  – “ Skin cancer surgery: who should do it and why? “ James Womersley, Peninsula College of Medicine & Dentistry, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth.
• 2011  – “ Rising skin cancer incidence: current and future impact on dermatological surgery “ Sarah Gentry, University of Exeter and Plymouth College of Medicine.
• 2010  – “ The role of technology in dermatological surgery “ George Coltart, Oxford University.
• 2009  – “ What is the role of the dermatologist in the management of Skin Cancer? “ Justice Reilly, Glasgow University Medical School.
• 2008  – “ The impact of climate change on skin cancer “ Laura Thomas, Imperial College. 2008  – “ The impact of climate change on skin cancer “ Rory Honney, Oxford University.
• 2007  – “ Discuss aspects of healing in skin surgery “ Faisal Ali, Oxford University.
• 2006  – “ Surgical and emotional scars of skin cancer “ Daniel Todkill, Warwick University

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Kilsby student essay competition

We are listening to the voice of the next generation of healthcare professionals..

The BHMA runs an annual student essay competition to broadcast the voice of the best and most innovative thinking from those about to embark on a career in healthcare. We want your fresh insight and opinion on how to transform the health service into a more compassionate and caring version of its current self.

Our title for 2024 (BHMA’s 40th Anniversary):

‘Holistic Healthcare in Action: Reflections on the Past, Directions for the Future’ 

Please use 2 or 3 examples to illustrate your answer.

Essay option:

Essay of 1000-1500 words.

Creative Inquiry option:

The assignment should be in the form of a creative text (please submit photographs/DVD/music file as appropriate) alongside a written reflection of up to 1000 words. Marks will be allocated in four categories: Impact, Perception, Aesthetics and Reflection.

Please complete the form below along with your submission

Deadline June 30th

FIRST PRIZE – Essay and Creative Enquiry

• Your essay published in our journal and online
• Ticket to our conference & awards reception
• Free membership to the BHMA or free journal subscription for 1 year
• Your essay published online

For just £17 per annum, your student membership enables you to access our entire online library of the Journal of Holistic Healthcare plus 10-20% discounts on selected events, courses and other membership packages.

Many Ways of Knowing

JHH 20.3 Journeys into Medicine

Journeys Into Medicine

Health Creation and Creative Health

Holism and Medical Education

What’s missing from medical education?

Embodiment and bodywork

Integrative Medicine

Shifting the paradigm

Frontiers of self-care

Flourishing in Medical Education

Beyond COVID

Mind-body self-care

Stories in medicine

The Real Food Issue

Faith, hope and love in healthcare

Nature Connections

Social Prescribing

Healing Journeys

Transformative innovation in healthcare

Men’s Health

Women’s Health

Children’s Health

Saving the NHS

Nutrition and Lifestyle

Become an  Ambassador

How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet? First Prize Essay

How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet first prize creative enquiry, previous winners & runners-up.

Note that we have recently started publishing winners and a few other choice essays as blog posts. These appear in the side bar above.

2023: Sayed Adam Bukhari , King’s College London, How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet?

2023: Felicity Smith , Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Arts and Crafts in Healthcare: What William Morris can Teach us About the Benefits of a Holistic Perspective for Practitioners, Patients and the Planet

2023: Kate Eustace , University College Dublin, How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet?

2023: Alton Ajay Mathew , Medical University of Lodz, How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet?

2022: Jonathan De Oliveira , St. George’s, University of London ‘What is missing in our clinical education’?

2022: Karla Hamlet , Canterbury Christ Church University – Creative Enquiry ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’ – The Student Voice

2022: Hamaad Khan , University College London ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2022: Lucy Butterfield , University of Manchester – Creative Enquiry ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2022: Andrew Zhou , University of Cambridge – Creative Enquiry ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2022: Pervana Kaur , University of Karol Marnkowski ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2021: Deeya Kotecha , Cambridge ‘ How can holistic healthcare influence health inequalities ‘

2021: Jabin Chowdhury , Birmingham ‘ If holistic healthcare is the answer what is the question? A take on healthcare inequality ‘

2021: Annie McKirgan , Liverpool ‘ All Animals are Equal … Or are They? ‘

2020: Lauren Wheeler, Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine ‘Holistic lessons from a pandemic…prevention is better than cure’

2020: Isabel Allison, University of Birmingham ‘Holistic lessons from a pandemic’

2020: Megan, University of Southampton: ‘Holistic lessons from a pandemic: Does anyone have a spare pen?’

2020: Simran , University of Southampton ‘Holistic Lessons from a pandemic: ‘All Lives Can’t Truly Matter Until Black Lives Matter’ ‘

2019: Jessica Frost Birmingham Medical School Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food

2019: Aaron Morjaria King’s College, London Is food the foundation for good health?

2019: Josephine Elliot University College, London Is food the foundation for good health?

2018: Thomas Christie Templeton College, Oxford Social Prescribing – are drugs or people the better cure?

2017: Fiona Field Imperial College London Re-imagining healthcare – in partnership with nature

2017: James Bevan University of Southampton Re-imagining healthcare – in partnership with nature

2017: Maddie Leadon University of Cambridge Re-imagining healthcare – in partnership with nature

2016: Robbie Newman Imperial College London Are we medicalising human experience? A radical review

2016: Alice Redfern University of Oxford Are we medicalising human experience? A radical review

2016: Vinay Mandagere University of Bristol Diagnosis: Are we medicalising human experience? A radical review

2015 Julius Kremling Germany, Why connection matters: Understanding patients’ illness by understanding their reality

2015: Tamar Witztum University of Bristol, Resilience in holistic care: Learning from Alice Herz-Sommer

2015: Lucy Brenner Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Cultivating compassion – students to lead the way?

2015: Eleanor Tanner University of Birmingham The Star of Compassion

2014: Olivia Sjökvist University of Hull, Coping with your own vulnerability in caring for a person who has a long-term condition

2014: Laura Clapham King’s College, London Coping with your own vulnerability in caring for a person who has a long-term condition

2014: Chiara Catterwell-Sinkeldam, King’s College London Coping with your own vulnerability in caring for a person who has a long-term condition

2013 Kundan Iqbal The importance of holism in medical care today and ways this can be promoted

2012 Reanne Jones Tears of Joy, tears of sorrow

2011 Thea Collins 2030: What made the NHS sustainable?

2010 Jason Ferdjani Improving global well being, improving personal well being

2009 Krishna Steedhar Student’s health matters

2008 Phoebe Votolato Being a Medical student

2007 Lewis Morgan A good holistic practitioner

Previous winners came from:

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Yi-Huan Tang wins 2023 Rosalind Franklin Essay Prize

• Aston Medical School students in their second year compete for the prestigious prize in essay writing competition
• The prize was launched in 2020 in honour of the renowned chemist Rosalind Franklin
• This year’s title was The Impact of ChatGPT on Medical Education and Patient Care: Advantages, Limitations, and Ethical Implications .

Yi-Huan Tang, a second-year student at Aston Medical School, has won the prestigious 2023 Rosalind Franklin Essay Prize.

The annual essay writing competition, open to students in their second year at Aston Medical School, was launched in 2020 in memory of the pioneering chemist and x-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin, by her nephew Dr Daniel Franklin. Rosalind’s work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite. Daniel is an Aston University alumnus, having received his PhD from the university in 1981, and an honorary degree in 2013. He has been executive editor of The Economist since 2003.

This year’s title, The Impact of ChatGPT on Medical Education and Patient Care: Advantages, Limitations, and Ethical Implications , was chosen by medical school faculty.

“It was an inspired choice: highly relevant and topical, with many aspects to explore, both regarding the personal experience of studying medicine today and for the implications for health care in the future. It clearly stimulated the students: the standard of the essays was really impressive,” said Daniel, who sits on the judging panel with faculty staff.

Yi-Huan discussed how ChatGPT can be helpful to medical students, educators, doctors, and other healthcare professionals, and its potential to improve efficiency. He highlighted limitations, including ChatGPT’s tendency to ‘hallucinate’ – effectively invent answers or generate falsehoods – and concerns around confidentiality and consent. 

“I have reflected on my experience with ChatGPT and supported my points with existing research and real-life examples. I believe these helped strengthen my arguments. I also proposed regulations which could help maximise the benefit of using ChatGPT in the medical field.

“I feel grateful and honoured to be awarded the first prize in the competition. I would like to thank Dr Franklin and the judging panel for making this competition possible. I thoroughly enjoyed thinking about the topic and reflecting on my experience with ChatGPT.”

The runner-up was Saifullah Hashim. His essay highlighted pros of ChatGPT such as its potential to improve IT systems, communications, error detection, patient safety and student education, cons such as inaccurate information, biases, unclear accountability and the potential patient safety hazards. He believes that ChatGPT has the potential to fix many core issues in healthcare organisations like the NHS if challenges can be addressed. 

Daniel commented:

“Both the winning essays were exceptionally thoughtful and deeply researched, as well as being clearly presented and well written. They were admirably rounded offerings, and sophisticated explorations of the topic.

“The prize offers an extra dimension to Aston medical students, a chance to stretch themselves and reflect on a pertinent topic. For everyone who takes part, I hope this is a refreshing opportunity. For the winners it is an achievement they can take pride in now and into the future.”

The winning essay receives a prize of £750 and the runner-up is awarded £250.

Founded in 1895 and a university since 1966, Aston University is a long established university led by its three main beneficiary groups – students, business and the professions, and the West Midlands region and wider society. Located in Birmingham at the heart of a vibrant city, the campus houses all the University’s academic, social and accommodation facilities for our students. Professor Aleks Subic is the Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive.

In 2022 Aston University was ranked in the top 25 of the Guardian University Guide, based on measures including entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality and graduate prospects. The Aston Business School MBA programme was ranked in the top 100 in the world in the Economist MBA 2021 ranking.

For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Helen Tunnicliffe, Press and Communications Manager, on   (+44)   7827 090240   or email:   [email protected] .

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Medical Student Essay Award

Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.

The application period is closed.

This award seeks to stimulate interest in the field of neurology as an exciting and challenging profession by offering highly competitive awards for the best essay in neurology. Essays are judged based on the quality of the writing, clarity, and readability. It should be an engaging, original essay that is suitable for an audience of general neurologists. Please note: This award description has changed from previous years. Research manuscripts or personal statements will NOT be considered for review.

• Applications open: June 27, 2023
• Applications close: November 2, 2023

Essay Topics

Essay is defined as An original, lucid, written piece targeted to general neurologists. It must be well-written and concise for all readers in English. Grammar and spelling will be considered when reviewed. All essays should be focused within topics of neurology. The best essays would be worthy of publication. A maximum of 5 references may be used, no abstract required.

Suggested formats can include:

• Historical Discussion
• Reflections

Suggested topics can include:

• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
• Famous researcher or neurologist (living or deceased)
• Innovations in neurology
• Community service
• Global health
• Commentary on current or historical research

Presentation

Recipients are expected to give a poster presentation based on the selected essay at the 76th AAN Annual Meeting.

There are four recipients of this award each year. One recipient will receive the Medical Student Essay Grand Prize of $1,000 and three winners will receive $350.00 each.

Recipient will receive: 

• Certificate of recognition and $1,000 for Grand Prize or $350.00 prize 
• Complimentary registration for the 76th AAN Annual Meeting 
• One-year complimentary subscription to Neurology ® journal 
• Reimbursement for 76th Annual Meeting travel (coach airfare) and two nights housing*
• $100 per diem for expenses (up to two days) 
• Essay will be showcased on the AAN website

*Travel, housing and per diem benefits are dependent on the ability to execute an in-person portion of the Annual Meeting

Eligibility

• Must be enrolled and in good standing at a North American medical school
• Must not have submitted the same essay previously

Application Requirements 

Applicants must apply online and submit one complete set of the following materials: 

• Completed application form  
• Letter from faculty stating student is enrolled and in good standing in medical school
• Essay using the following guidelines:
• Must be typed, double-spaced using a standard font 
• Maximum length of 1,500 words
• Must be in one of the formats and contain the topics listed above
• There is no formatting style requirement (ex. MLA, Chicago)  

Judging Criteria

All project entries received by the deadline date will be judged by physician and scientist members of the American Academy of Neurology based on the following criteria: 

• Essay Quality of Writing: Demonstrate the following qualities: clarity and readability, narrative flow, grammar and spelling, cohesive theme, and proper use of writing format.
• Creativity: Creativity will be based on the originality of essay.
• Relevance to Neurology: Judges consider if the essay has relevance for neurologists and give voice to the trainee’s perspective.

For more information or questions, please contact the Scientific Awards Team at  [email protected] .

Medical Student Essay Award

Description.

Created to honor outstanding academic promise

Tips for Nominations

Submission by student to annual essay contest

Award Benefits for 2024 Award

• Complimentary registration for 2024 AAP Annual Meeting
• Up to $1,000 reimbursement for 2024 Annual Meeting-related travel and meal expenses
• Essay presented as e-poster at 2024 Annual Meeting

2023 1st Place: Brian R. Smith, Stanford University 2nd Place: Isabel Draper, Baylor College of Medicine 3rd Place: Serra Sozen, University of Vermont College of Medicine

2022 1st Place: William Thomas (Tommy) Baumel, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine 2nd Place: Eun Jin (Gloria) Yu, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA 3rd Place: Brittany Perry, University of South Florida College of Medicine

2021 1st Place: Sahana Nazeer, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine 2nd Place: Chloe Malava, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College 3rd Place: Mollie Marr, Oregon Health Sciences University 4th Place: Edward Tie, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

2020 1st Place: Jeff Jin, McGovern Medical School 2nd Place: Nicole Hadler, University of Michigan Medical School 3rd Place: David Jevotovsky, NYU Grossman School of Medicine

2019 Alan Elbaum, University of California - San Francisco

Your award includes complimentary registration for the AAP Annual Meeting, and up to $1,000 reimbursement for meeting-related travel and meal expenses.

The theme is: The Art of Communication in Psychiatry: Connecting with the Patient.

SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2024 MEDICAL STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST ARE NOW OPEN.

Submission Requirements The contest is open to any student who is both currently enrolled in an accredited medical school (US, Canada, or anywhere in the world) and will be enrolled at the time of the Annual Meeting September 11 - 14, 2024. The work must be an original unpublished essay of 1,000 words or less . Due to an overwhelming response, ONLY ONE SUBMISSION PER STUDENT WILL BE ACCEPTED.

The top essay may be considered for publication in the Academic Psychiatry Journal in "The Learners' Voice" section. Essay winner does not guarantee publication in the Academic Psychiatry Journal . Please review the publication criteria when writing your essay here . Refer to MANUSCRIPT TYPE & GUIDELINES #8 The Learners' Voice.

Essays should be submitted electronically through the JOYN Awards Portal by clicking the link below. Please include a cover page with the following information:

• Student’s Name
• Name of Medical School where enrolled, year in school
• Mailing Address, Phone Number, Email Address

Selection Criteria

Judges will be blinded to the participant and affiliated medical school. Judging will be based on originality, uniqueness, flow of thought, and appropriateness to the theme.

Thank you for your interest. 

The AAP Abstract and Award Submission Portal for the 2024 Medical Student Essay ARE NOW OPEN. Click here to access the portal.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: JUNE 1, 2024

For QUESTIONS ONLY, contact James Haliburton, MD, Medical Student Essay Subcommittee Chair, at [email protected] . All essay submissions must be made through the Award portal.

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Student Prizes for Biomedical Sciences and Medicine 2022-2023

Awards and Appointments General Staff and student stories

1 June 2023

Congratulations to all our Biomedical Sciences students and Medicine students who have been awarded prizes during the 2022-2023 academic year.

John Potter Essay Prize

The prize, to the approximate value of £300, is offered annually and is open to clinical students working in Oxford for the Second Examination for the degree of Bachelor of Medicine.

The prize will be awarded for an essay on a clinical neurosurgical, neurological or neuropathological topic. The primary purpose of the prize will be the promotion of sound use of English and clarity of expression in medical writing. 

Joint winners:

• Gabrielle Cognacq, Graduate Entry, Year 3 (St Peter's College)
• Lena Zhu, Graduate Entry, Year 3 (Green Templeton College)

There were a record 13 entries for the prize in 2022/23.  The prize amount is £300 so the joint winners will get £150 each.

General Clinical Studies Prize

• Lottie Cansdal (St Hilda’s College)

Ledingham Prize in Medicine

Prize awarded for outstanding performance in Medicine in the General Clinical Studies Examination in Medicine and Surgery by the Examiners appointed for the Second BM examination:

• Afrose Dor (Wadham College)

Mortensen Prize in Surgery

Prize awarded for outstanding performance in Surgery in the General Clinical Studies Examination in Medicine and Surgery by the Examiners appointed for the Second BM examination:

• James Alden (Green Templeton College)

George Pickering Prize

Prize awarded for excellent performance in the Second BM examination:

• Scarlett Harris (Magdalen College)

John Freind Prize in Medical History

• Alexandra Knighton (Balliol College)

Sidney Truelove Prize in Gastroenterology

Prize, awarded annually to Clinical Medicine students, for an essay on a topic relating to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:

• Srishti Rentala Venkata (Keble College)

JL Witts prize in Haematology or Gastroenterology

Prize, awarded annually to Clinical Medicine students, for an essay on a topic relating to diseases either of the blood or of the gastrointestinal tract:

• Beatrice Lander (Worcester College)

Renwick Vickers Prize in Dermatology

• Isabella Busa (Brasenose College)

MEAKINS McCLARAN MEDAL 2023

Prize awarded for the outstanding overall performance of a student admitted to the medicine course leading to the degrees of BM BCh (Oxon):

Sir Roger Bannister Neurology Prize 2022

Prize awarded annually for performance in the Year 5 Medical Student Neurology attachment:

• Desson Au-Yeung, Jesus College

Palliative Medicine Prize 2022-2023

The annual Palliative Medicine Prize is open to all Oxford clinical medical students who are invited to submit an essay on a current topic in Palliative Medicine.  Entrants are expected to demonstrate both a good grasp of the relevant philosophical, ethical and legal frameworks as well as using their experiences in practice as a lens through which to consider the clinical implications for individual patients and families.

• Malaika Ivey, St Anne’s College
• Iris-Mae Morse, Green Templeton College

Andrew Markus Essay Prize in Medical Ethics 2023

An annual student essay prize in Medical Ethics has been established in memory of Andrew Markus. Essays are invited from all medical students that contain an analysis of an ethical issue arising in medical practice, broadly conceived.

• Winner – Antoni Krupa, Corpus Christi College
• Second place – Ariff Castronovo, Pembroke College
• Runners up: Tolu Atilola (Worcester College), Tom Hatfield (Lincoln College), Rebecca Howitt (The Queen’s College), Tara Slade (St Peter’s College) and Morganne Wilbourne (St Peter’s College)

R.B. Duthie Prize 2022/23

This prize fund was established to mark the retirement of Professor R.B. Duthie as Nuffield Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. A prize of £300 will be awarded annually to the best research, audit or quality improvement project undertaken by any clinical medical student in the field of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, Trauma or Emergency Medicine.     

• Jesse Kimani, Green Templeton College

Peter Tizard Prize in Paediatrics 2022/23

The prize is awarded annually. The 3 to 5 students with the combined highest scores in the paediatric components of the end of year 5/GE year 3 exam (both MCQ and OSCE) will be invited to give a presentation to two examiners. The most outstanding student will receive the prize.

• Iwan Raza, Worcester College
• Isabella Busa (Brasenose College) and Rebecca Howitt (The Queen’s College) were awarded proxime accesserunt. 

Moher Prize in Primary Care 2022-23

The Moher Prize is the annual year 5 / GE year 3 student prize in Primary Care worth £300. The prize is awarded based upon a submission focusing on a topical Primary Care issue. There were a record 12 entries for the prize in 2022/23.

• Ryan Danvers (Oriel College) - Ryan’s project focused on creating a more equitable pathway for adult ADHD diagnosis in primary care, inspired by prolonged waiting times in the current NHS system.

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Medical Student Essay Competition

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How would you improve surgical training

19 April 2023 (Last updated 19 Apr 2023)

Medical Student Essay Competition  How would you improve surgical training? Deadline for applications on Sunday 21 May 2023 at 11.59pm The title of the essay should be “How would you improve surgical training?” This is an opportunity for you to express your thoughts on how surgical training can be enhanced and improved. The winner will receive £500 and the winning essay will be displayed at the ACPGBI Annual Meeting in Manchester We look forward to hearing from you!

Conditions of entry

• Medical student status at the time of application or who graduates in 2023.
• Is a student member of the ACPGBI ( Please find membership details here https://www.acpgbi.org.uk/about/membership/apply.aspx , Membership is free for medical students)
• Essays must be the applicant’s own work and not plagiarized or generated from AI in any way
• Essays should be no longer than 1000 words (excluding tables and references) and should be typed in 12-point size with double line spacing
• Applicants should submit their essay (in PDF format) and this completed application form to: [email protected]
• The deadline for applications is on the Sunday 21 st May 2023 at 11.59pm
• The prize for the winner will be £500 . The winning essay will be displayed at the ACPGBI Annual Meeting, Manchester, 3 rd – 5 th July 2023

Marking Criteria

The title of the essay is “How would you improve surgical training?”

The essay will be marked (by 2 independent markers) out of 40 points in total; given for the following categories; content (10), originality (10), structure and presentation (10) and demonstration of insight into surgical training (10)

Download the application form

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Royal Medical Benevolent Fund

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Essay competitions, awards and prizes

If you have a flair for essay writing, then look out for competitions run by the Royal Colleges and many other professional medical associations, usually to encourage interest in their specialty. Closing dates for submission fall throughout the year so keep your eyes open!

Some organisations that run competitions include:

British Association of Dermatologists

• British Association of Forensic Medicine
• General Medical Council
• Medical Women’s Federation
• Pain Relief Foundation
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• Royal College of Ophthalmologists
• Royal College of Pathologists
• Royal College of General Practitioners
• Royal College of Radiologists
• Royal Society of Medicine (for members only, costs £25 a year to join)
• Institute of Medical Ethics (for F1 & F2 UK doctors)

Project Funding

Some organisations and Trusts offer funding for research projects, vacation research work experience and intercalated degree year research. We’ve compiled a list of these, again it isn’t exhaustive so we do encourage further research.

Some of these applications may require a supporting statement from a member of academic staff. Check criteria carefully before applying.

The Biochemical Society

Grants are available for stipends of £200 per week for 6 – 8 weeks, and up to £1,600 in total, to support a summer placement in a lab for an undergraduate student. Applications must be made on behalf of and in association with a named student.

Website: www.biochemistry.org Email: [email protected]

The British Association of Dermatologists offer a range of awards between £250 and £3,000 towards fees and living expenses for an intercalated year project related to dermatology and skin biology. It also offers £500 undergraduate project grants.

Website: www.bad.org.uk Email: [email protected]

Association for the Study of Medical Education

The Association for the Study of Medical Education offers awards related to the development of excellent medical education. Applications are welcomed from anyone on the continuum of medical education (UG, PG or qualified and studying professional development) and will be assessed against their criteria. They also have a number of other essay prizes available and awards so it is worth researching their website.

Tel: 0131 225 9111 Website: www.asme.org.uk Email: [email protected]

The Genetics Society

The Genetics Society Summer Studentship scheme offers grants of up to £3,000 for undergraduate students interested in gaining research experience in any area of genetics by carrying out a research project over the long vacation ( more information ). They also have a range of competitions and awards that you can look into on their website.

Website: https://genetics.org.uk/grants/summer-studentships/  Email: [email protected]

The Institute of Medical Ethics

The Institute of Medical Ethics (IME) offers grants, student elective bursaries, and scholarships (covering the next academic year) for students wishing to do an intercalated degree in medical ethics or an allied subject.

Website: https://ime-uk.org/grants-and-competitions/ 

The Physiological Society

Vacation Studentships offer undergraduates the opportunity to undertake a research project on an area of physiology over their summer break. Working under an academic supervisor, they can get to experience day-to-day life in the laboratory first-hand. Funding of £150 a week, to cover living costs, is on offer for up to eight weeks.

Website: www.physoc.org Email: [email protected]

The Pathological Society

Funding for students wanting to intercalate a BSc in Pathology but who do not have LEA or other government support. Also offer awards to fund electives and vacation studies in pathology.

Website: www.pathsoc.org

The Paget’s Association

The Paget’s Association awards Student Research Bursaries of up to £6,000 to promising UK medical or science students (MRes, MSc, BSc or equivalent higher degree) to pursue research into any aspects of Paget’s Disease of Bone.

Tel: 0161 799 4646 Website

Other resources

The list above is not exhaustive so we do encourage further research.

A good place to start is RD Learning , a database of health-related research funding opportunities.

Please contact us if you notice any broken links, of any other funding opportunities or if any options are no longer running.

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+44 (0)20 8834 4579

School Competitions And Prizes For Aspiring Medics

Learn about all of the competitions and prizes you can enter at school to boost your Medicine application.

If you’re an aspiring medic at school, you can boost your Medicine application by entering competitions and prizes. Regardless of whether you win or not, you’ll be able to include the experience in your Personal Statement and talk about it at Med School interviews . Here are some Medicine competitions you can enter to be proactive and make your application stand out.

Imperial College London – Science in Medicine School Teams Prize

Imperial College London has three team competitions to choose from:

• The British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Prize – Submissions should focus on a topic with interactions between the cardiovascular system and the nervous system.
• The Lung Prize – Submissions can focus on any aspect of the prevention or treatment of respiratory disease.
• The Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK Prize – Submissions should focus on promoting the health and wellbeing of individuals with Scleroderma and/or Raynaud’s.

For each competition, the challenge is to design an ePoster. A team can have up to six members (they recommend assembling a team with varied interests) and schools can enter one team per prize.

The top ten shortlisted teams in each contest will be invited to present their ePosters at an online finals event. In each stream, first, second and third prizes of £3,000, £2,000 and £1,000 will be awarded to schools in order to support science-related activities.

Deadline – midnight on 30th June 2023.

University of Cambridge – Robinson College Essay Prize

The Robinson College Essay Prize is open to Year 12 students in the UK, providing an opportunity to develop and showcase independent study and writing skills. It also allows students to experience the type of work that they might be expected to do at Cambridge.

Entrants submit an essay (no more than 2,000 words) answering a question from various options. Last year, one of the possible titles was ‘Can science tell us how we should live?’. Up to three entries can be submitted per school, so you should discuss your application with your school before entering.

Five prizes are awarded, with each winner receiving book tokens to the value of £50. Winners will also be invited to Robinson College for a prize-giving ceremony.

The 2023 prize will open with more info in June.

Specialist Application Advice

Want expert advice to navigate the Medicine application process?

Medic Mentor – National Essay Competition

Medic Mentor’s National Essay Competition requires students to write an essay (up to 1,500 words) from the perspective of a medical professional.

There are essay titles available for Medicine, Dentistry , Veterinary Medicine and Allied Health .

For 2023, the essay questions are:

• Medicine – Should the patient be viewed as part of the multidisciplinary team?
• Dentistry – How can the holistic approach minimise periodontal disease in patients?
• Veterinary – What is the importance of a holistic approach when caring for livestock?
• Allied Heath – How can the multidisciplinary team optimise the care of the older person in hospital?

Deadline – midday on 1st May 2023.

Minds Underground Medicine Essay Competition

Minds Underground Medicine Essay Competition is aimed at students in Year 12, but younger students are also welcome to enter, and there are various essay title options to choose from. For the 2023 competition, one of the possible titles was ‘Should all healthcare be free? Discuss.’

The competition is designed to give students an opportunity to engage in research, hone their writing and argumentative skills, and prepare for university interviews. Minds Underground also runs essay competitions for other science subjects like Psychology and STEM.

The submission deadline is typically around March/April. Get more info here.

The Libra Essay Prize

The Libra Essay Prize is for students in Years 12 and 13 who are looking to prepare for university. Inspired by the admissions process at All Souls College, Oxford, entrants write an essay (1,500-2,000 words) responding to a single-word title.

For the 2023 prize, the single-word options were: Control, Collaboration, Exchange, Freedom, Claim.

Entrants are encouraged to use imagination in their essays to build interesting links between their chosen title and their school learning. There are prizes available of £50 for first place, £30 for second place and £20 for third place.

The deadline has varied from year-to-year: it was June in 2022 and April in 2023, so keep an eye on their website for more details.

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National Essay Competition for FY Doctors

For this annual competition, FY 1 & 2 UK doctors are invited to submit an essay about an ethical issue raised by an experience they have had as a foundation year doctor. Up to five cash prizes of £300 each are awarded. Besides this, the Robert Hillman Essay Prize of an additional £250 is awarded to the best overall entry. All winners will receive 12 months complimentary IME membership.

The next round of the competition will open autumn 2024.

2024 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize 2024, has been awarded to:

Zachary Chan  for Defying the Inevitable: The Battle for Autonomy in the Face of Death

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize winners 2024 are:

Grainne Breslin for Would you risk it for a chocolate biscuit? The decision to eat and drink in palliative care patients with swallowing issues who lack capacity

Kathryn Greenslade for Duty Deferred: Barriers to Communicating a Medication Error

Amy Jones for Ethical dilemmas surrounding ReSPECT forms in complex geriatric inpatient care

Surammiya Vasanthakumar for Mandatory vaccinations and lasting hesitancy – the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic

Congratulations to all our winners!

2023 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize 2023, has been awarded to:

Ali El-Rhalibi  for White lies matter: An examination of lying for good in clinical practice

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize winners 2023 are:

Sheema Chaudhry for Patient vs Team – Who Should Decide?

Josephine Do for The weight of a medical error

Naveen Goddard for Patient Safety Incidents in the National Health Service: The Boundaries of Corporate Versus Individual Culpability for Failing Institutions

Antonia Mentel for Better safe than sorry? The struggle of doing less

Victoria Yang for Defining a life worth living: Capacity and Best Interests in a patient with Personal Disorder

2022 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize 2022, has been awarded to:

Gauri Saxena for Slipping through the cracks: mental capacity in the context of coercion

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize winners 2022 are:

Jun Yu Chen  for Upholding professional values of honesty, integrity and accountability as a new doctor in the NHS

Charlotte Galvin for  ‘Let me find someone else who can help you with that’ – Conscientious Objection in Healthcare

Elias Jamieson for Assessing capacity in the detoxing patient  

Arham Sahu for A shock to the system: ECT in severe depression

Ryan Wolff for Is Age Really Just a Number? Admission to ICU in Times of Scarcity 

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

2021 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2021 has this year been jointly awarded to:

Joe Berry  for  Capacity in the aftermath of trauma and Denise Tan  for Disclosing a near-miss ‘Never Event’: A retained surgical swab

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize winners are:

Madeline Charles-Rudwick  for   The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth? The Use of Deception in the Care of Patients with Dementia

Alexander Miller  for  Prescribing; More than Meats the eye

Emma Pearson  for  Considering the Importance of Relatives in End of Life Decisions

Kaif Qayum  for  Are we playing God? Do we need to revise the abstinence mandate for alcoholic liver disease patients to be eligible for liver transplantation?

Akanksha Thumbe  for  Suicidal ideation and the capacity to self-discharge 

Joshua Winton  for  Confidentiality Issues from the Heart of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2020.

The Robert Hillman Prize winner for best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2020 is:

Duranka Perera – Resisting data fabrication in neurosurgical academia

Natasha Grace – What a girl wants: the ethical implications of an elective amputation in a minor

Nicholas Heng – To resuscitate or not to resuscitate – that is the question

Anna Hutchins – Patients and placebos: an ethical, professional and legal analysis of the response to patients requesting antibiotics for viral upper respiratory infections

Tumbi Otudeko – Prison health – you have the right to remain healthy

2019 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2019.

The Robert Hillman Prize 2019 for best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize is:

Caitriona Cox – Unwise or misunderstood? The challenges of judging patient understanding

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2019 winners are:

Natasha Grace – The other side of the glass: An ethical analysis from the patient’s perspective

Harry Heath – Dear Dr Google: The influence of search engines on consultations

Priya Khetarpal – The Doctor’s Narrative – Should it be shared?

Eunice Xing – With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: Responsible Use of ‘Evidence’ Based Medicine

2018 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2018.

The Robert Hillman Prize 2018 for best overall entry in The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize is:

Kishen Patel – “I’m sorry there is nothing more we can do.” A closer look at the most final of statements

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2018 winners are:

Anita Chithiramohan – Patient-centred care and the learning experience of the medical student. The ethics of pedagogy in a teaching hospital

Peter Johnstone – Decisions, decisions: Searching for the chimera of autonomy

Christine Bolton – Battery or Negligence: Calling it Oncall

Michael Houssemayne du Boulay – The buck stops with you

Congratulations to all our winners.

2017 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2017.

Robert Hillman Prize 2017 for best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Joshua Parker – Junior Doctors & Moral Exploitation

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctor Essay Prize 2017 

Alistair Wardrope – Of amputation & autonomy

Jennifer Hall – A tortured mind: Self harm in psychiatric care

Matthew Stone – Cardiac Arrest: Is there any role for placebo resuscitation?

James van Oppen – Giving medical treatment against a patient’s wishes

2016 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2016.

Robert Hillman Essay Prize 2016 for best entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Joshua Parker – War and Peace: Conflicts of Conscience in the Junior Doctors’ Strike

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2016 

Yanrong Jiang – Sundowning and DoLS: Ethical Dilemmas in Managing an Acutely Delirious Patient as a Junior Doctor

Lucy Michael – Stumbling in the Dark

2015 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2015.

Robert Hillman Essay Prize 2015 for best entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Bryony Coupe – The four principles or the four pillars? Reflecting on and learning from ethical issues as a junior doctor.

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2015 

Anngona Ghosh – Not to Add Insult to Injury: Honesty is the Best Policy

Julia Harrington – Capacity Assessment in the Emergency Department: 50 Shades of Grey?

James Morgan –  A Junior Doctor’s Duty To Inform

Laura Pugh –  What the Patient Needs When the Relative Wants

2014 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2014.

Robert Hillman Essay Prize 2014 for best entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Frances Butcher – A Hard Sell: Admitting a patient to the ICU

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2014 

Johanna Andersson – An Exploration of compassion through narrative and reflection

Priyanka Chadha – Undocumented Migrants’ Access to Healthcare: Why Are We Still Having The Discussion?

Michael Newman – Confidentiality: A juxtaposition of medico-legal and ethical perspectives in a case of HIV

Hilary Thornton – Where hearts may break: the conflict of best interests

2013 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2013.

The Robert Hillman Prize winner for best overall entry 2013 is:

Aime e Rowe – Reflective Practice

The other Essay Prize winners are:

Rebecca Sherlock – Withholding information from patients: A junior doctors experience

James McGowan –  The Liverpool Care Pathway in a 21st Century National Health Service: Old Ethics, New Challenges

Rammina Yassaie –  How much should we tell our patients and who are we to decide?

Sophie Newton –  A patient refusing lifesaving treatment

STANDARDS, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN NEURORADIOLOGY

Undergraduate Essay Prize

Prof iain wilkinson essay prize.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Prof Iain Wilkinson Essay Prize!

The topic was How can patient involvement shape neuroimaging research?

The winner was M Shihabul Hassan , a fifth year medical student at Birmingham. You can read his essay here: Hassan_2023

The runner up was Sophie Curran , a fourth year medical student at Sheffield. You can read her essay here: Curran_2023

Congratulations to both - the essay standard was very high. Details of the 2024 award will be posted in due course.

2022 Winners

The winners for the 2022 Prof Iain Wilkinson Essay Prize addressed the question ‘Will artificial intelligence support or replace neuroradiologists 10 years from now?’

The 2022 winner is Syed Muzaffar Abbas, final year medical student at the University of Southampton. Syed receives the £250 Essay Prize. The judges were highly complimentary of Syed’s thoroughly researched and well written essay. Read it here.

The Judges also highly commended the essay by Divine Mwawasi, 2nd year medical student at St Andrew’s who receives the £150 Runner-Up prize. Read it here.

Email: [email protected]

BSNR Address: The British Society of Neuroradiologists Royal College of Radiologists, 63 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3JW, UK.

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Prizes for students

The RSM has numerous prizes and awards aimed at students. By submitting an application, you will have the chance to present at a meeting, add to your CV and open up more career opportunities.

Please note this page is updated regularly.

All submissions must be sent in by 11.59pm on the stated deadline date.

Generally prizes, awards or travel grants must be claimed before the end of the academic year in which they are gained (30 September).

For more information or help please contact [email protected]

General Practice with Primary Healthcare

John Fry prize

Deadline:   Thursday 1 August 2024

Open to:   Medical, nursing and allied healthcare students with an interest in general practice and primary care

CAIPE John Horder Team Award and John Horder Student Award

Deadline: Wednesday 31 July 2024

Open to: Individuals or teams working within the community who can demonstrate outstanding principles of collaborative working and the Student annual essay award offered to a student who has been involved with interprofessional learning or working, within the community.

Team Award prize:  Certificate of achievement and £600, Student Award prize:  Certificate of achievement and £150

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Dame Josephine Barnes Award

Deadline: Tuesday 1 August 2024 at 11:59pm

Open to: All medical undergraduate students

Prize: £100

BSHNI annual oral presentation

Submission deadline: Sunday 12 May 2024

Open to: All delegates. The presenting author should register for the meeting and  will receive a complimentary conference dinner invitation.

Paediatrics & Child Health Section: Overseas bursary

Deadline: Tuesday 28 May 2024

Open to:  RSM Paediatrics & Child Health Section members of all grades

Prize: C overs the registration fee plus a contribution of £500 towards travel and hotel costs

Students Section: Doubleday Prize

Submission Deadline: Friday 21 June 2024

Open to: Medical Students attending UK Medical Schools

Student section: Tomorrow's Doctors Conference Poster Prize 2024

Open to: Medical Students, entrants must register for the Tomorrow's Doctors Conference to be considered

Student section: Tomorrow's Doctors Conference Oral Presentations 2024

"It’s a great privilege for our team to have been recognised by this prestigious award from the RSM Surgery Section and reflects the dedicated work behind this exciting innovation."

See more from prizes and awards  or hear from  previous prize winners.

Professor David Zeitlyn wins Curl Essay Prize 2023

For his essay 'on anthropological trading zones and thin description'.

Professor David Zeitlyn has been award the Royal Anthropological Institute's Curl Essay Prize for his essay  The judges praised it as a "sophisticated and well-written essay on an important debate within anthropology".

A "sophisticated and well-written essay on an important debate within anthropology"

In the essay Zeitlyn uses the work of the historian of science Peter Galison to suggest that anthropology must use thin description as well as thick description. Thin accounts provide the scaffolding within which thick descriptions sit. Galison uses the idea of a 'trading zone' between different communities who despite their differences (possibly including different ontologies) manage to coordinate joint activity. This works well for anthropological accounts of many societies, not least the instance of silent trade in which exchange occurs without direct communication so there is literally no sharing of meanings!  Anthropology consists of mosaics of thick descriptions, held in thin structures, interacting as trading zones. Ideas from complexity theory, emergence and autopoiesis, can help avoid forms of positivistic reductionism. Finally Zeitlyn gives a summary account of change in Mambila traditional religion in terms of sparsity and a trading zone of influences.

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IOE Master’s student awarded the Harry Hodson Prize for essay on language preservation in Gibraltar

13 May 2024

Sophie Macdonald (Intercultural Communication MA) has been named a joint winner of the 2023 Harry Hodson Prize of The Round Table journal for her essay on Llanito, the local language variety of Gibraltar.

Her piece was titled ‘In defence of Llanito: Gibraltar in a state of linguistic transition’. 

Sophie's research interests lie in language endangerment, decolonisation and translingualism – stemming from a desire to protect Llanito from language loss in Gibraltar, her birthplace. 

Before her time at IOE, Sophie studied English at the University of Cambridge, where her dissertation explored the use of Llanito in Gibraltarian literature. 

Sophie’s essay will be published in a future issue of The Round Table. 

The Round Table was founded in 1910 and is the oldest English-language international affairs journal. It analyses and provides commentary on aspects of international affairs, including policy issues concerning the contemporary Commonwealth. 

The prize is named after Harry Hodson, the journal’s editor in the 1930s, and is awarded annually to candidates under 30 writing on any aspect of the Commonwealth.

We asked Sophie...

Your winning essay discusses llanito in gibraltarian literature, why did you choose to write about this can you talk about the significance of language endangerment / language loss in your research.

When I was studying towards my undergraduate (UG) degree in English at Cambridge, I came across a lot of South American literature and African literature, which uses a lot of local varieties as expressions of identity. Being from Gibraltar, I began to think about how Llanito, our own local variety, is used an identity marker in our literature. 

After researching this, which included interviewing politicians, I found there was increasing concern that Llanito is dying out among younger generations. From this, an interest in language loss and endangerment spurred and has been present in my research since!

Tell us about your field of study. What do you find interesting about it and what inspires you?

Intercultural Communication allows me to keep writing about Llanito and to help raise academic awareness about its loss. Efforts for language preservation inspire me, and it's been fascinating to study them and see how they could be applied to Gibraltar.

What did your journey to IOE look like, and why did you choose to study here? How has the experience developed your practice?

I chose to study here because of its rankings on the league tables and because London is such an exciting hub. IOE has helped to expose me to interesting new theories and practices and has changed my way of thinking about languages and Englishes.

Related links

• Intercultural Communication MA
• Department of Culture, Communication and Media
• More about the Harry Hodson prize

Permission via Sophie Macdonald.

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May 14, 2024 Volume 70 Issue 34

From the interim president, provost, and senior evp: ending the encampment, $5.5 million national institutes of health grant to support chronic disease self-management among philadelphia residents, mitchell schnall: inaugural senior vice president for data and technology solutions for university of pennsylvania health system, tyshawn sorey: 2024 pulitzer prize for music, penn medicine signs national health sector climate pledge, penn medicine and the philadelphia union sponsor a community fridge, penn libraries announces new book prize in sustainability sponsored by the lynn family, wharton launches executive online education program strategies for accountable ai, joel conarroe, english, from the senate office: faculty senate executive committee special meeting actions, from the senate office: may 15, 2024 faculty senate executive meeting agenda.

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Faculty Senate Reports

Arielle xena alterwaite and katherine scahill: 2024 newcombe doctoral dissertation fellowship, sharon y. irving: vice president of aspen, brigitte keslinke: rome prize, valentina proust, taylor smith and azsaneé truss: james d. woods award, psom’s master’s and certificate program’s excellence in teaching awards and master’s student colloquium, kyle vining: hartwell foundation award, daniel a. wagner: fulbright award, joey wu: 2024 udall scholar, karen xu: 2024 p.e.o. scholar award, the state of university city 2024 report from the university city district, retirement information sessions in may, wxpn board meeting: may 22, update: may at penn, weekly crime reports, flexible spending accounts updates and reminders, call for papers: narratives of struggle and hope: ethnography, education, and democracy at a crossroads, spring 2025 stavros niarchos foundation (snf) paideia designated course proposals: requested by may 24, gapsa 2023-2024 annual report.

• May 14, 2024
• vol 70 issue 34

May 10, 2024

To the Penn Community,

We have worked with serious intention for nearly two weeks to engage the protestors on College Green, who were notified on April 26—the second day of the encampment—that they were in violation of Penn’s policies. This outreach has been met by unreasonable demands and a dangerous escalation of the encampment.

Our community has been under threat and our campus disrupted for too long. Passion for a cause cannot supersede the safety and operations of our University. Early this morning, we took action, with support from local law enforcement, to remove the encampment. We would like to express our gratitude to the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department for their support. This is an unfortunate but necessary step to prevent violence, restore operations, and return our campus to our community.

Under these extraordinary circumstances, and to provide for the safety of our community, access to the College Green area of campus will be restricted until further notice. Those wishing to enter the area will be required to show a valid PennCard. Those without proper identification will be asked to leave and, if necessary, will be escorted off campus, or considered trespassing.

The protestors refused repeatedly to disband the encampment, to produce identification, to stop threatening, loud, and discriminatory speech and behavior, and to comply with instructions from Penn administrators and Public Safety. Instead, they called for others to join them in escalating their disruptions and expanding their encampment, necessitating that we take action to protect the safety and rights of everyone in our community. We could not allow further disruption of our academic mission. We could not allow students to be prevented from accessing study spaces and resources, attending final exams, or participating in Commencement ceremonies, which for many did not happen during the pandemic.

University leaders met with representatives of the encampment on multiple occasions, for extended periods of time. We hoped that reasonable conversations could address both the concerns of protestors and the needs of the University. We made clear that their proposals were not possible, including their demands that participating students and faculty receive amnesty without proceeding through our due process for conduct and for divestment from entities engaged with Israel. Penn remains unequivocally opposed to divestment, and it is unlawful for institutions receiving funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

We also made clear that the encampment needed to disband and offered ways in which the protestors could continue their demonstration in compliance with our policies. We proposed, and still hope to deploy, Penn’s academic resources to support rebuilding and scholarly programs in Gaza, Israel, and other areas of the Middle East. Despite diligent efforts to find a path forward, the gap between the positions of many in the encampment and the University proved too wide to bridge in this volatile environment, while the risks to our community and our missions continued to increase.

This decision is viewpoint neutral and affirmed by our policies. There are times when our abiding commitment to open expression requires balancing free speech with our responsibility to safety, security, and continuing the operations of the University. This is one of those times and why we have acted. Open expression and peaceful protest are welcome on our campus, but vandalism, trespassing, disruption, and threatening language and actions are not.

—J. Larry Jameson, Interim President —John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost —Craig R. Carnaroli, Senior Executive Vice President

The Philadelphia Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL), funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has announced a new $5.5 million NIH grant focused on chronic disease self-management among Philadelphia residents. The project builds on a sustained strategic partnership between Penn Nursing, the Philly CEAL Community Advisory Coalition, and the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO).

The strategic partnership includes a $3.2 million contribution to sustain and evaluate Philadelphia’s Community Health Worker (CHW) program over the next four years. This program offers personalized support to Philadelphia residents, aiding them with a wide range of psychosocial needs, such as wellness workshops, resource navigation, and scheduling medical appointments. Community health workers will receive training in the DECIDE intervention, which will enhance their skills in group-based chronic disease self-management. Additionally, by intertwining this effort with a structured research program, Philly CEAL aims to generate compelling data for local stakeholders and policymakers, advocating for continued investment and sustainability of the CHW program beyond the study’s conclusion. Together, Philly CEAL, CEO, and Penn Nursing are committed to nurturing a healthier, more resilient community through innovative practices, dedicated care, and a shared vision of equitable health access for all.

“Our long-standing partnership with the city was the foundation to the initial efforts of Philly CEAL—to engage the community to address COVID-19,” said Penn Nursing dean Antonia M. Villarruel. “We are pleased to expand our efforts to address an issue of concern to our communities, chronic illness management. Our collective efforts will bring needed infrastructure support to engage community health workers in this important work. This partnership and project afford great opportunities for our students and faculty at Penn Nursing and beyond.”

“Our collaboration with Penn Nursing and Philly CEAL has been integral in addressing urgent community health issues, from COVID-19 to various social determinants of health (SDoH),” said Orlando Rendon, executive director of CEO. “Together, we’re not just tackling challenges; we’re building a resilient foundation for the future of public health. This partnership exemplifies the city’s commitment to fostering innovative solutions and empowering our communities to thrive.”

Penn Nursing researchers from the department of family and community health are leading a groundbreaking study to improve chronic disease self-management and address the social drivers of health. This project, funded by NIH Community Engagement Alliance, takes a multipronged approach to chronic disease self-management. First, the study will enable community health workers to lead group sessions, equipping residents with the knowledge and skills to manage their cardiovascular health effectively. Second, the research team recognizes that factors like access to healthy food, safe housing, and stress management tools significantly influence health outcomes. They will partner with local organizations to develop solutions and bridge these gaps.

This project, co-led by Penn Nursing’s José Bauermeister, Antonia Villarruel, Carmen Alvarez, Stephen Bonett, and Ashley Clemmons from CEO, holds immense promise for promoting cardiovascular health equity in Philadelphia. By empowering residents and addressing the root causes of health disparities, Penn Nursing and CEO are paving the way for a healthier future for all.

Dr. Schnall will spearhead the health system’s efforts to understand new tools and approaches and determine how best to implement them across UPHS to improve the provider experience, boost health outcomes for patients, and drive efficiency across the health system.

“Penn Medicine is excited to seize emerging opportunities to use technology in ways that will transform the health care industry,” said UPHS CEO Kevin B. Mahoney. “Dr. Schnall is a talented and visionary leader who will help us draw on our institution’s longstanding culture of innovation and continuous learning in this new space and provide a road map for health systems across the nation.”

In his new role, Dr. Schnall will lead the offices of the chief information officer, chief medical information officer, and chief analytics officer. Together, they will analyze the clinical and business impact of innovations, and work to build on Penn Medicine’s success with tools for automating patient access, monitoring, and self-serve transactions.

During his two terms as chair of radiology, Dr. Schnall doubled both the size of the department and its research funding portfolio. He developed training programs and funding pathways for clinician-scientists in radiology, unified academic programs across UPHS’s Philadelphia hospitals, and created a single Penn Medicine radiology residency that has been named as the top radiology program in the nation. Dr. Schnall also developed a strong collaboration between the department’s community-based physicians and its academic programs. Additionally, he built a framework for “One Penn Medicine Radiology,” which he will continue to lead as he assumes his new role. He will continue to serve in a leadership role in the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group.

Dr. Schnall has a strong national reputation, having been elected as a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the National Academy of Medicine.

Presidential Assistant Professor of music Tyshawn Sorey, a multi-instrumentalist and composer who has performed around the world, won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Music for “Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith).” The saxophone concerto was commissioned by the Lucerne Festival and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and premiered on March 16, 2023, at Atlanta Symphony Hall. Winners in this Pulitzer category are honored for “distinguished musical composition by an American that has had its first performance or recording in the United States during the year.”

“Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith)”—which Mr. Sorey calls an “anti-concerto”—is dedicated to Mr. Smith, a trumpeter with whom Mr.  Sorey has performed and recorded. As Mr. Sorey himself described the concerto, “it is more about introversion than extroversion…the work unfolds slowly and quietly with beautiful, sustained harmonies and only slightly less sustained melodies introduced via the orchestra or intermittently by the saxophone soloist. This stately but understated work is a welcome respite from the chaos and intrusiveness of modern life.”

Mr. Sorey’s composition “Monochromatic Light (Afterlife)” was a finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Music. That same year, he and Brooke O’Harra, a senior lecturer in creative writing at Penn, debuted a musical collaboration with percussion ensemble Yarn/Wire titled “Be Holding,” a multimedia adaptation of the book-length poem by Ross Gay about Julius Erving’s momentous sky hook dunk during the 1980 NBA Finals. Mr. Sorey was a 2018 United States Artists Fellow and a 2017 MacArthur Fellow. He has released 13 critically acclaimed recordings as a composer and bandleader, and has received support for his creative projects from the Jerome Foundation and the Shifting Foundation, among others.

In a public commitment to lead among healthcare organizations in reducing the industry’s outsized impact on climate change, Penn Medicine has signed an ambitious national pledge promising to significantly cut and, eventually, eliminate its carbon emissions.

The Health Sector Climate Pledge is a voluntary commitment by healthcare organizations to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Since it was created by the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2022, the pledge has been signed by more than 130 organizations representing nearly 1,000 hospitals, health centers, suppliers, insurers, and others. It constitutes a united effort against climate change by the healthcare sector, which is responsible for an estimated 8.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

Signing the pledge is the latest part of Penn Medicine’s commitment to a wide-reaching goal articulated in the organization’s strategic plan: to become the most environmentally friendly healthcare organization in the nation. The health system is also part of the University of Pennsylvania’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan , which includes reaching 100 percent carbon neutrality by 2042—eight years ahead of the Health Sector Climate Pledge.

“Advancing sustainability is an investment in the future,” said Kevin B. Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. “As an industry, healthcare has played a role in the changing climate. We’re taking a step back now to consider how to best deliver care while also balancing the ecological impact for the long-term health of our patients, the communities we serve, and the generations that will follow.”

Penn Medicine’s plan to fulfill the objectives of the national pledge involved a year-long assessment of the carbon emissions of the health system’s six hospitals and more than 150 properties. The “carbon baseline” report found that UPHS produces more than 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Efforts to halve that number by 2030—one of the goals of the pledge—are already underway. A significant step came in December 2023, when Great Cove Solar Energy Facilities, a massive solar array in Central Pennsylvania, began producing 220 megawatts of electricity each year. The energy, purchased by the University and the health system, will supply about 70 percent of the total electricity demand of the downtown Philadelphia university- and UPHS-owned properties. This renewable power purchase agreement is estimated to cut 50,000 metric tons from the health system’s carbon footprint annually.

Penn Medicine is also taking steps to reduce the carbon emissions generated by employees commuting to and from work. The health system offers employees discounted public transportation passes—costing $10, compared to the standard $96 for a monthly pass from SEPTA. Switching from driving to riding public transit can cut each employee’s annual carbon emissions by more than two tons. Electric vehicle charging stations are being added at the Princeton Medical Center campus to complement those already available on the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) campus.

The health system has also committed to ensuring that all new building projects are designed to incorporate recycled materials, integrate expansive greenery, use less water, use less energy, and qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver, or better, certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. In 2021, Penn Medicine’s newest hospital, the 1.5 million-square-foot Pavilion on the HUP campus, marked a healthcare first when it received the prestigious LEED Gold Building Certification for Sustainability.

In an effort to jointly target food insecurity to boost the health of the communities around them, Penn Medicine and Philadelphia Union have opened a community refrigerator, located at the Boys & Girls Club of Chester, Pennsylvania. The first project of its kind in Chester, the community refrigerator is accompanied by a deep freezer and pantry shelving to offer a variety of filling and nutritious foods.

“At Penn Medicine, our work has shown the importance of food access for the health of the wider community, and helping establish a program that makes gains in this area brings us great pride,” said Kevin Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. “Everything we do is with an eye toward the communities we serve, and it’s thrilling to have a partner like the Union that shares those priorities. We’re only in the first year of this partnership and already we’re working on projects to benefit the community. I’m excited for what the future holds and what our organizations can achieve together.”

“The Philadelphia Union remains committed to prioritizing our community’s well-being, and in doing so must address the on-going issue of food insecurity,” said Tim McDermott, president of Philadelphia Union. “Together with Penn Medicine, our collective focus on the health and wellness of the community is at the forefront, and we look forward to the ongoing efforts and impact our partnership brings.”

At the unveiling, the refrigerator was full of fresh items that included, grapes, avocados, tomatoes, raspberries, green beans, and oat milk. The pantry shelves held canned tomato sauce, dry pasta, and apple sauce, while the deep freezer chest sitting opposite the shelves held a variety of cuts of beef and steak.

The community refrigerator will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and available for anyone facing food insecurity. There is a no-questions-asked policy. The refrigerator and pantry shelves will continually be re-stocked weekly through deliveries by the non-profit, food donation facilitator Sharing Excess. The Union will supplement stock with partner donations and provide U-serve opportunities for volunteers to donate food and earn rewards. Additionally, Penn Medicine will conduct volunteer days with their staff to stock the pantry.

In addition to the fridge unveiling on May 4, members of the community attended a free farmers market, where they could collect produce and other essential products provided from Sharing Excess. Residents leaving games at the Boys & Girls Club’s gym with basketballs tucked at their hips grabbed fresh tomatoes and red peppers with their free hands. Other residents danced to a DJ’s music and played tailgate-style games.

The University of Pennsylvania Libraries have announced the launch of the Penn Libraries Book Prize in Sustainability, presented by the Lynn Family. This new annual award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the global discourse on environmental sustainability, with a specific focus on books that have a substantial impact on the public’s understanding of these crucial issues.

The winning author will receive an $8,000 cash prize and will present their award-winning research during a formal award ceremony on September 26, 2024.

“The Penn Libraries Book Prize in Sustainability is a call to action, encouraging authors and thinkers to contribute to the vital discourse on sustaining our planet for future generations,” said Brigitte Weinsteiger, interim director of the Penn Libraries and Gershwind & Bennett Family Senior Associate Vice Provost for Collections and Scholarly Communications. “In fostering a deeper public understanding of environmental sustainability, the Penn Libraries continues our tradition of advancing knowledge for the public good, echoing Penn’s broader mission to contribute to a better and more sustainable future for all.”  

Penn’s new strategic framework, In Principle and Practice , urges the Penn community to play a leading role in addressing the existential challenge of climate change, stating, “We must, in an all-in University effort, do more.” The framework notes that Penn will seek additional ways to fuel and support a variety of initiatives, including those that advance understanding and promise solutions.  

“As the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion loom large, the need for informed public discourse has never been greater,” said Michael E. Mann, director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability & the Media, and a Presidential Distinguished Professor in the department of Earth & environmental science and in the Annenberg School for Communication. “This prize seeks to elevate books that not only address these critical issues but also inspire actionable insights and solutions and elucidate the interconnectedness of economic progress, social equity, environmental stewardship, and sustainable development, thereby fostering a more informed and proactive global citizenry.”

Dr. Mann is one of five jurors representing academia, climate activism, and the private sector who will select finalists and, ultimately, the winner of the prize. Other jurors include Daniel Cohan of Rice University; Sara Cronenwett of Comcast; Genevieve Guenther of End Climate Silence and The New School; and Julie DiNatale of FMC; along with Brigitte Weinsteiger, ex officio.

All non-fiction books in English published between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023 are eligible for submission. Successful candidates for the award will focus on environmental sustainability, covering topics including but not limited to climate change, renewable energy, conservation strategies, sustainable agriculture, water resource management, and green technologies.  

Penn Libraries Board of Advisors member Haniel J. Lynn, ENG’91, WG’95, PAR’23, and his wife Anita Hsueh Lynn, ENG’91, PAR’23, generously provided funding to establish the book prize.

“Anita and I are very happy to support this initiative, which spotlights the vital work being done to address the urgent environmental issues of our time,” said Haniel Lynn. “Our hope is that the prize ignites dialogue and discussion and extends the impact of the winning book among researchers, policymakers, and the public.”  

The Penn Libraries began engaging publishers and encouraging submissions for the prize earlier this year, and submissions will be accepted through April 30, 2024. Nominations must be submitted directly by publishers, and each publisher may submit only one title for consideration. Publishers can view the full rules and details of the contest and submit a work for consideration through this form . 

It’s well established that artificial intelligence (AI) has changed and will continue changing the way we work. Yet with so many organizations rapidly adopting AI technologies, risks are growing as well, including well-known concerns such as bias, hallucinations, privacy and intellectual property issues, legal liability, and regulatory penalties. What are companies doing to prepare and protect themselves? Not enough, it appears. A recent BCG survey found that although 84 percent of executives believe responsible AI should be on top management agendas, only 25 percent have comprehensive programs in place.

“Everyone agrees that accountability has to be a part of what implementing AI means,” said Kevin Werbach, Wharton professor and department chairperson of legal studies and business ethics. “So, you’re either going to be one of the leaders in doing AI governance, or you’re going to get pulled along by regulation or catching up to your competitors.”

Mr. Werbach, alongside Wharton’s thought-leading AI faculty, will help executives get ahead of the curve in the new Wharton Executive Education program, Strategies for Accountable AI . Mr. Werbach serves as academic director, accompanied by faculty experts from the renowned research center AI at Wharton. The live online program will run October 16–December 18, 2024.

Strategies for Accountable AI offers participants a real-world, up-to-the-minute roadmap for effective AI oversight, empowering them to build, monitor, and maintain accountable AI solutions. Participants will explore the legal, ethical, and business controversies posed by AI; acquire techniques to mitigate AI risks; discover how fast-changing laws and enforcement across the globe could affect their business; assess their own organization’s responsible AI readiness; and more. The program helps executives win a competitive advantage as they discover how to protect their firm and its reputation while leveraging AI for business success.

The program’s format enables participants’ exposure to Wharton’s up-to-the minute research and teaching about the subject with direct interaction with the faculty via weekly, 90-minute, flipped-classroom, live online sessions. The learning is interspersed with self-paced online video segments and activities. Moreover, participants will engage in team collaboration, case studies, and a capstone project.

The program’s live online sessions will be led by prominent Wharton faculty and AI thought leaders including Kevin Werbach (academic director), Ethan Mollick, Stefano Puntoni, Scott Snyder, Prasanna (Sonny) Tambe, and Lynn Wu. Participants will also get program-exclusive perspectives of industry experts including top responsible AI executives, ethicists, investors, and government officials, among others.

Executives in all industries who are considering, adopting, evaluating, or expanding AI systems will benefit from this program. So will entrepreneurs working in the AI space, as well as developers and marketers seeking a better grasp of AI’s risks and how to mitigate them. The program is also valuable for those working in legal and compliance groups, although Mr. Werbach noted that implementing responsible AI is by no means limited to the general counsel’s office: “People who are actually managing AI projects need to understand this broader set of issues.”

Strategies for Accountable AI is now accepting applications. Prospective participants can learn more and apply at executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu . 

Dr. Conarroe was a 1956 honors graduate of Davidson College. He then earned a master’s degree from Cornell University a year later. He joined Penn’s faculty as an instructor in English in Penn’s Faculty of Arts & Sciences (now SAS) in 1964 and was promoted to assistant professor in 1966. In his first decade at Penn, he helped restructure the undergraduate English curriculum and was named the department’s undergraduate chair in 1970, a role he held for three years. As a special assistant to then-Vice Provost Leo Levin, he was also active in involving faculty in undergraduate life, and in 1968, he won the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. While teaching at Penn, Dr. Conarroe earned a PhD from New York University in 1966. In 1971, Dr. Conarroe was promoted to associate professor.

Also in 1971, then-Penn president Martin Myerson named Dr. Conarroe Penn’s first ombudsman ( Almanac July 15, 1971 ), a newly created role. According to faculty senate chair Henry Abraham, Dr. Conarroe “plunged into the manifold tasks of his two-year tenure with élan and imagination.” In reports he wrote for Almanac ( December 21, 1971 , October 3, 1972 , September 4, 1973 ), he expounded poetically about the joys of meeting a wide swath of faculty, staff, and students from across the University and helping them resolve issues. Dr. Conarroe ceded his position as ombudsman in 1973, returning to teaching in English and to his academic work, which included writing biographies of poets and compiling anthologies of their works. His books included William Carlos Williams’ Paterson: Language and Landscape (1970), John Berryman: An Introduction to the Poetry (1977), and, as editor, the collections Six American Poets: An Anthology (1993) and Eight American Poets: An Anthology (1997). During his time at Penn, he received several fellowships to support his work, serving as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, Cornell Junior Fellow, and Danforth Foundation Fellow.In 1977, he was promoted to a full professor at Penn, and during the late 1970s, he also served as the faculty master of Van Pelt College House.

Dr. Conarroe spent 1978 to 1983 on leave from Penn as executive director of the Modern Language Association (MLA), the influential scholarly organization founded in 1883. At the MLA, he edited the influential PMLA Journal and acted as a spokesman for the humanities in the U.S. and abroad, in part as a member of the ACLS-Soviet Academy of Sciences Commission on the Humanities and Sciences. He led an MLA delegation to Moscow for a symposium on Walt Whitman at the Gorky Institute for World Literature. During this era, he also spent four summers at the Yaddo writers’ colony and served as vice president of the National Book Critics Circle.

In 1982, Penn enticed Dr. Conarroe to return as dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science ( Almanac November 30, 1982 ) and as the Thomas S. Gates Professor. As dean, he produced the second-highest yearly fundraising total for the school, which helped fund the Mellon program to develop fresh graduate curricular options, the biology department’s plant sciences initiative, and the Center for Early American Studies. Dr. Conarroe also oversaw the founding of SAS and Wharton’s Lauder Institute, the expansion of the Writing Across the Curriculum initiative, and the formation of SAS’s External Affairs Office, which managed development and fundraising. In 1984, Dr. Conarroe resigned from the deanship ( Almanac November 13, 1984 ).

Five months later, Dr. Conarroe was named the third president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, a position he held until 2002. As president of the Guggenheim Foundation, he was deeply devoted to the foundation’s mission and worked tirelessly to increase the size of Guggenheim Fellowships (one of which he had received himself in 1977). “He was attuned to changing cultural mores—the twists and turns in dozens of academic and artistic fields—while dealing with the financial challenges and working to raise the amount of fellowships so that people could do their own work,” said Edward Hirsch, the current president of the foundation. Dr. Conarroe was also a trustee of the foundation from 1985 to 2016. While president of the foundation, Dr. Conarroe received honorary degrees from Davidson College, Rhodes College, University Maryland, and Tulane University. He also was a former president of the PEN America Center, chaired the National Book Awards in 1988, served on the Pulitzer Prize Fiction Jury in 1989, and sat on the National Book Foundation from 1991-1994.

Dr. Conarroe is survived by his nephews, Ron, Richard, and Michael Conarroe; a niece, Betty Johnson; and a sister, Harriet.

The following is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives.  Please communicate your comments to Patrick Walsh, executive assistant to the Senate Office, by email at  [email protected] .

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Special Meeting Actions

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Faculty Senate Chair Tulia Falleti   announced a special meeting of SEC by email on Thursday, May 2, to be held on Thursday, May 9, and a meeting agenda was placed in  Almanac  on May 7, 2024. 

Discussion of Current Events on Campus and Resolution Proposals Received.  SEC members discussed the ongoing “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on College Green, sharing information about the status of the encampment, communications that have occurred between University administration and those participating in the encampment, and SEC members’ and their constituencies’ perspectives on next steps that should be taken in reaction to the situation.

A motion was made and seconded on whether SEC should consider passing a resolution in any form in response to the encampment. A quorum of 35 voting members was recognized, and a vote was conducted. By a vote of 12 in favor, 16 opposed, and 7 not voting, the motion did not pass, and discussion regarding passing a resolution ceased.

The May 15, 2024 Faculty Senate Executive Meeting Agenda was revised on May 13 following the resignation of Tulia Falleti as Chair of the Faculty Senate on May 10.

To read the revised agenda, visit https://almanac.upenn.edu/volume-70-number-33#from-the-senate-office-faculty-senate-executive-committee-agenda-v70-n33 .

Read the 2023-2024  Faculty Senate Reports .

Two PhD candidates in the School of Arts & Sciences have been named to the 2024 class of the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, administered by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.

The Newcombe Fellowship, funded by the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation, is the largest and most prestigious award for PhD candidates in the humanities and social sciences addressing questions of ethical and religious values in interesting, original, or significant ways. Fellows receive a 12-month award of $31,000 to support the final year of dissertation writing.

Arielle Xena Alterwaite, a PhD candidate in the department of history, and Katherine Scahill, a PhD candidate in the department of music, were named as 2024 fellows. 

Ms. Alterwaite’s research explores Haiti’s sovereign debt in the aftermath of the Haitian Revolution in her dissertation, “Empire of Debt: Haiti and France in the Nineteenth-Century Atlantic World.”

Ms. Scahill’s dissertation, “The Gendered Politics of Religious Authority in Thai Buddhism: Voice, Embodiment, and Sonic Efficacy in the Movement for Female Monastic Ordination,” is based upon ethnographic fieldwork with three communities of female Buddhist monks (bhikkhunīs) in Thailand. Drawing on the fields of religious studies and music studies, Ms. Scahill’s dissertation investigates the sonic practices bhikkhunīs employ to establish alternate channels of recognition, given that women’s ordination is not accepted at a national level.

Funding at the dissertation stage remains a vital way to support up-and-coming scholars. Since its creation in 1981, the fellowship has supported more than 1,300 doctoral candidates with essential time and resources to complete their writing. Newcombe Fellows have gone on to be noted faculty at domestic and foreign institutions, leaders in their fields of study, Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur Fellows, and more.

Founded in 1976, ASPEN is a multi-professional, interdisciplinary professional organization whose members are involved in the research and provision of clinical nutrition therapies across the lifespan. With members from around the world, ASPEN is a community of dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, scientists, students, and other health professionals from every facet of nutrition support clinical practice, research, and education. Currently, there are 5,500 members in ASPEN.

The vice president of ASPEN has responsibility for monitoring progress in the implementation and updating of the society’s strategic plan. In the absence of the president or the president-elect, or in the event of their inability or refusal to act, the vice president performs the duties of the president. As vice president, Dr. Irving will automatically succeed to the office of president-elect (2025), then president (2026), then immediate past president (2027). Her term on the board will end on May 30, 2028.

“We are incredibly lucky and grateful for Dr. Irving’s guidance and leadership,” noted Wanda Johnson, CEO of ASPEN. “Her vast experience as a nurse practitioner and educator and her unwavering dedication to enhancing patients’ lives provides a unique perspective that will be extremely valuable in ASPEN’s mission to widen and increase our influence as an interprofessional organization.” 

The American Academy in Rome has named Brigitte Keslinke, a PhD candidate in the art and archaeology of the Mediterranean world graduate group at Penn, among 31 winners out of 1,100 applications. Ms. Keslinke’s proposal, “The Making of a Meal: Commensality in the Cult of Mithras,” was awarded the Samuel H. Kress Foundation/Donald and Maria Cox Rome Prize in the category of ancient studies. 

The prize includes a stipend, workspace, and room and board for five to ten months at the academy’s campus in Rome, starting this September. Rome Prize winners are selected annually by juries of distinguished artists and scholars through a national competition.

Annenberg School for Communication doctoral students Valentina Proust, Taylor Smith and Azsaneé Truss have been named co-recipients of the 2024 James D. Woods Award. Named in memory of Annenberg graduate student James D. Woods, the award is given to outstanding graduate teaching assistants.

Valentina Proust was nominated for the award by senior lecturer Kim Woolf for her work as a teaching fellow for Dr. Woolf’s class COMM 2250: Children and Media. Dr. Woolf praised Ms. Proust’s exceptional organizational skills, detailed and constructive feedback to students, and creative teaching style. “Valentina’s guest lecture on gender and media was exceptional,” Dr. Woolf said. “She listened carefully to students’ thoughts regarding the material and handled questions confidently.” Ms. Proust studies collective memory and identity as tools to challenge dominant narratives around gender issues within the Global South.

Taylor Smith was also nominated by Dr. Woolf for her work as a teaching fellow for COMM 2250. Dr. Woolf commended Ms. Smith’s dedication to helping students during office hours, her constructive feedback, and her clear and engaging teaching. “What makes Taylor stand out as a teacher is her commitment to her students and her ability to empathize with the undergraduates while continuing to challenge them,” Dr. Woolf said. “At least two students mentioned to me that meeting with Taylor enabled them to better understand the material and apply both developmental and media theory to content.” In her own research, Ms. Smith explores Black women’s unique contributions to Black textual and visual literacies. 

As a teaching fellow for COMM 2640: “Media Culture & Society in Contemporary China,” doctoral candidate Azsaneé Truss’s rapport with students, enthusiasm, and dedication to teaching earned her a nomination from professor Guobin Yang. “It was a big class with 75 enrolled students,” Dr. Yang said. “Azsaneé always came to class with infectious energy and very soon became beloved by the students. I would count Azsaneé as one of the top teaching fellows I have had in my decade of teaching at Penn.” Ms. Truss’s research focuses on Black feminism and how it connects with different forms of expression, drawing from fields like cultural studies, performance studies, critical media studies, and Black studies.

Ms. Proust, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Truss will receive the award at Annenberg’s PhD/MA graduation ceremony on May 20.

Emma Meagher, associate dean for the PSOM master’s & certificate (MaC) programs, delivered opening remarks and announced the awardees for student poster presentations and the teaching awards. Dr. Meagher then introduced Carl June, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy in the department of pathology and laboratory medicine, who is one of the pioneers of CAR T-cell immunotherapy, as the keynote speaker. The two discussed Dr. June’s career journey and his insights from his historic work in the form of a fireside chat. To conclude the event, master’s students then gathered in Smilow Commons for a poster presentation session.  

The 2024 Excellence in Teaching awardees are:

• Rafe McBeth, assistant professor of clinical radiation oncology, Master of Science in Medical Physics Program
• Laura Conway, associate director, Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program
• Marilyn Schapira, professor of medicine, Master of Science in Health Policy Research Program

More information, including poster presentation awardees and an event recording can be found on the colloquium website .

Each year, the Hartwell Foundation invites a select group of biomedical research institutions to nominate faculty for its highly competitive awards, which provide significant financial support for three years, specifically for early-stage, innovative, and cutting-edge biomedical research that has not yet received outside funding. Research proposals must focus on improving the lives of children in the United States.

To date, cellular immunotherapy has shown great promise in treating childhood leukemia by engineering immune cells to target cancerous tissue. However, many patients suffer relapses and require additional treatments, risking serious side effects. One reason that some children do not respond to immunotherapy or relapse after treatment may be changes in their bone marrow itself. Dr. Vining’s team recently identified fibrotic tissue—that is, tissue that has hardened or scarred—in the bone marrow of such children. With the support of the Hartwell Foundation, Dr. Vining’s lab will undertake two research projects to investigate whether structural changes in these children’s bone marrow is suppressing the effectiveness of immunotherapies.

Dr. Wagner’s selection recognizes his notable academic and professional contributions, along with his ability to drive long-term collaboration between international institutions. His project aligns with the Fulbright Program’s mission to create enduring global connections through educational exchanges that benefit communities in the U.S. and abroad.

Mr. Wu, who is studying bioengineering and environmental science in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research, has been named a 2024 Udall Scholar by the Udall Foundation. Scholars, who receive as much as $7,000 each, are recognized for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to the environment or to Native American nations. Mr. Wu is the 10th student from Penn to be named a Udall Scholar since Congress established the foundation in 1992.

Mr. Wu is the founder and international director of Waterroots, a nonprofit environmental education project that uses climate storytelling to combat water insecurity in more than 20 countries. He is also a researcher in Penn Engineering’s McBride Lab, where he works as a plant specialist for a project that promotes environmental stability and sustainable agriculture.

The P.E.O. Scholar Awards were established in 1991 to provide substantial merit-based awards for women of the United States and Canada who are pursuing a doctoral-level degree at an accredited college or university. P.E.O. Scholar Awards recipients are a select group of women chosen for their high level of academic achievement and their potential for having a positive impact on society.

The P.E.O., founded January 21, 1869, at Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, is a philanthropic educational organization dedicated to supporting higher education for women. There are approximately 6,000 local chapters in the United States and Canada with nearly a quarter of a million active members.

Spotlight on University City: University City is the region’s leader in education, science, and innovation. The 2.4 square mile neighborhood boasts world-class institutions that have catalyzed nearly 80,000 jobs in fields including medicine, higher education, technology, real estate, and hospitality. University City is a destination for culture seekers and food lovers, a transportation hub with some of the most bicycle-and pedestrian friendly streets in the city, and is home to some of the most significant development projects and life sciences breakthroughs in the region. With diverse demographics, a blend of housing and rental options, top-notch schools and hospitals, and amenities galore, University City is one of Greater Philadelphia’s neighborhoods of choice.

Real Estate Development: In a time of flux for real estate developers across the country due to high interest rates, increased construction and land costs, and a lack of debt capital, University City continues to persevere, due in large part to the ongoing demand for life science office and laboratory spaces. University City is on pace to reach a projected 2.525 million square feet of new development valued at over $710 million, both record highs for the neighborhood. Progress on major residential, institutional, public space, and mixed-use projects marked another busy year of groundbreakings, topping outs, and ribbon cuttings in the neighborhood. In the past year, significant progress has been made on three major long-term projects: uCity Square; Schuylkill Yards; and the 30th Street Master Plan. Other key developments, including the next phase of expansion of the Provident Building campus at 4601 Market Street, the new headquarters for Spark Therapeutics at 3001 Chestnut, and over 4,000 units of multi-family housing planned to arrive by 2027, point toward University City’s continued growth, with an additional 2.77 million square feet in the pipeline expected to be completed in 2024.

Employment: New development, institutional expansions, and a burgeoning life sciences scene contribute to University City’s continued status as a top regional employment hub. In 2023, over 18,000 jobs from our neighborhood’s main employers were posted. More than 70% of University City’s 78,000+ jobs pay over $40,000 a year, compared to just under 60% for Philadelphia as a whole. University City accounts for approximately 11% of all jobs within Philadelphia, despite representing only 1.69% of the city’s total footprint. A large percentage of jobs are found at the local hospitals and universities, but growth associated with nascent technology firms and commercialization of research is also creating more employment opportunities at every rung of the career ladder. Leaders at the local, regional, and national level are taking note of the existing jobs and those on the horizon, and are actively working to invest in and accelerate our status as a regional leader in life sciences and biotech, including the newly created Keystone LifeSci Collaborative resulting from a U.S. Economic Development Administration Good Jobs Challenge grant.

Office: University City is home to ample office and lab space. Since 2000, over 4.5 million square feet of office space has been developed within our neighborhood. Recently, developers have altered their priorities when creating new inventory as a reaction to shifting workplace conditions in a post-COVID world, and new projects instead seek to add to the 3.3 million square feet of lab space instead of traditional offices. The asking lease rate in 2023 increased more than 19% over last year’s figure to $58.71 per square foot, the highest rate among regional submarkets. Coupled with the region’s 4th lowest vacancy rate of 15.40%, our accelerating life sciences and technology sector is spurring continued investment that can be felt through the city and beyond.

Higher Education: True to its name, University City offers top options in the region and nation for undergraduate and graduate studies. Over 50,000 students are enrolled in the neighborhood’s institutions of higher education, and whether they’re coming from around the city or around the world, scholars are drawn to the proximity to employment opportunities, the beautiful urban campuses, and the vitality of the surrounding community. Both the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University fared well in recent U.S. News & World Report rankings, with Penn ranked the 6th best national university and the top business program in the country, while Drexel excelled in similar lists for most innovative schools (#18) and finished #2 for its co-ops and internships.

Healthcare: The neighborhood’s medical institutions—Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center—combine to account for over 40% of all jobs in University City, making them an essential component of the local economy. Both CHOP and HUP receive annual accolades for quality of care and as top national workplaces: in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report rankings of hospitals, CHOP finished #4 for top national hospitals for children, while HUP was nationally ranked in 11 adult specialties. Both hospitals landed on Forbes’ list of best large employers for 2023, with Penn Medicine placing at #30 on the list. Our local hospitals are also leading the way in new treatments, procedures, and medical technologies, and with the forthcoming arrival of the Children’s Hospital New Patient Tower and Schuylkill Avenue Research Building, there are more on the horizon.

Innovation: University City is a nationally recognized hub for advances in science, research, and medicine. Cutting-edge innovations originate out of 3.3 million square feet of lab space in research hubs including the Wistar Institute, Pennovation, Drexel’s ic@3401, uCity Square, and Schuylkill Yards. This confluence of labs, benches, and clinics contributed to Philadelphia ranking at #6 in top U.S. metros for life sciences research talent according to CBRE. Discoveries initiated in University City spark billions of dollars in economic growth and attract international attention in fields like biotech, robotics, and medicine. In 2023, 225 patents were issued to University City businesses and institutions, which also accounted for $990 million in NIH funding and over $30 billion in cumulative R&D spending. Since 2021, over 675 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were administered in the United States using messenger RNA delivery, a process developed in 2005 by Penn researchers Dr. Katalin Karikó and Dr. Drew Weissman, who were honored with the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Transportation: Need to get around the neighborhood? You’re in luck. University City boasts excellent options for bicyclists, pedestrians, and commuters using public transit, earning Walkscore.com’s “paradise” status for all three modes of transportation. It’s no surprise, then, that 84% of neighborhood residents also work in University City. In 2023, the Streets Department and PennDOT completed a major repaving project of Walnut Street from 33rd to 63rd Streets to create safer crossings at intersections, to provide traffic calming, and to install parking-separated bike lanes. As more employees return to the office, University City boasts a network of light rail, bus routes, and protected bike lanes to support them, and in 2023, Amtrak reported 4.2 million riders at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, or 93% of the pre-pandemic high in 2019.

People: University City is home to a diverse and growing cross-section of residents. Following a dip in 2020 due to COVID, our population has surpassed 55,000 residents for the first time ever, and with a forthcoming increase in housing options—4,200 units of multi-family housing expected by 2026—this surge will likely continue. Our residents skew young (median age of 27.6), educated (25.2% possess a bachelor’s degree or higher), and ethnically diverse, with nearly 19% of residents born outside of the United States and 24% of households speaking non-English languages within their homes. Our dynamic neighborhood, rich in medical and educational institutions, led to 12% of residents moving here from another state, compared to 3% citywide.

Life in the Neighborhood: How do you define a great place to live? For University City, it’s fantastic amenities, an excellent dining scene, diverse housing options, world-class transit, parks and public spaces aplenty, and communities with distinct and unique personalities. 

Schuylkill Yards: Currently rising in University City, Schuylkill Yards is the $3.5 billion master-planned neighborhood being developed by Brandywine Realty Trust in partnership with Drexel University. Beginning with the development of Cira Centre in 2005, Schuylkill Yards continues today along the Schuylkill riverfront. Schuylkill Yards is a new nexus of knowledge and innovation within the top life science hub of Philadelphia—a 14-acre neighborhood that features striking architecture, 6.5 acres of public greenspace, 70,000 square feet of dynamic retail and entertainment options, 3.9 million square feet of world-class life science and workspace, and 1.5 million square feet of living space. Drexel Square, the first of Schuylkill Yards’ 6.5 acres of planned green spaces, opened to the public in June 2019. The 1.3-acre park features a 12,000-square-foot elliptical lawn, 23 Dawn Redwood trees, and an array of shrubs and perennials in over 9,000 square feet of raised planted beds.

In August 2019, Brandywine unveiled architectural designs for the east and west towers at Schuylkill Yards. Designed to complement one another, the towers artfully merge inspiration from historic building materials with modern architecture and are linked by High Line Park, a welcoming, publicly accessible destination for intimate programmed events, relaxation, collaboration, and community enjoyment.

As Philadelphia continues to grow as one of the leading life science clusters in the nation, Schuylkill Yards solidifies its place as the ecosystem’s heart. Here, directly adjacent to Amtrak’s 30th Street Station, Drexel University, and the University of Pennsylvania, Brandywine is building a connection point to world-class healthcare and academic institutions, top-tier talent, and readily available investment capital.

For the full report, visit https://issuu.com/universitycity/docs/the_state_of_university_city_2024 . 

—University City District

Ready to spring into retirement? To help you prepare for the next phase of your life, Penn will host the next series of Thinking About Retirement presentations on Wednesday, May 29 in Houston Hall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thinking About Retirement offers three different concurrent sessions specially designed for Penn staff and faculty. Each 90-minute presentation covers an important aspect of retirement benefits: Penn Benefits & Medicare , 5 Steps to Creating Your Retirement Income Plan , and Social Security Benefits Planning .

At the Penn Benefits & Medicare session, representatives from Health Advocate and benefits specialists from Human Resources will explain the Rule of 75 , retiree healthcare options, and how they integrate with Medicare.

During the 5 Steps to Creating your Retirement Income Plan session, a TIAA retirement plan counselor will discuss such topics as budgeting in retirement, income options, and investments to help you get the most out of your 403(b) plan.

The Social Security Benefits Planning session, led by a TIAA representative, provides valuable details about how this program impacts your plans for retirement. You will also get an overview of Social Security benefits, eligibility rules, how to apply, benefits for your spouse, and more.

Benefits specialists from Penn Human Resources will be available throughout the event to answer your questions about Penn’s retirement savings plans, healthcare benefits, and other aspects of retiree benefits for you and your dependents.

To register for the presentations, click on the session times in the table below or visit www.hr.upenn.edu/thinkretirement .

Thinking About Retirement, May 29, 2024 Sessions

For more information about retirement, visit the Retiree Benefits webpage . 

An open session of the WXPN Policy Board will meet Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at noon at WXPN. For more information, email  [email protected]  or call (215) 898-0628 during business hours. 

18         Weitzman School 2024 Year End Show ; brings together work from the Class of 2024 in architecture, landscape architecture, city and regional planning, historic preservation, urban spatial analytics, and fine arts; Meyerson Hall. Through June 14 .

Fitness & Learning

16         Executive Program in Design for Sustainability Info Session: Meet XDS Students ; meet current students and instructors and learn how to register at a 30% discount; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/xds-info-session-may-16 (XDS).

17         (deep) listening: Resonance ; features poet and musician Moor Mother with a supporting performance by Delish (featuring exclusive new material) & interstitial sets by DJ Precolumbian; 7 p.m.; Institute of Contemporary Art; register: https://tinyurl.com/deep-listening-may-17 (ICA).

Special Events

18         Penn Women's Center 50th Anniversary Celebration ; help commemorate a half-century of empowerment, advocacy, and community; 2:30-4:30 p.m.; room TBA; the ARCH; register: https://tinyurl.com/pwc-50-may-18 (Penn Women’s Center).

15         Inequities in Severe Maternal and Neonatal Morbidities ; Stephanie Leonard, Stanford University; 9 a.m.; room 701, Blockley Hall, and Zoom webinar; register: https://pennmedicine.zoom.us/j/96442998641 (Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics).

            Computational FSI Modeling of the Cardiovascular System ; Ryan T. Black, mechanical engineering & applied mechanics; 2 p.m.; room 212, Moore Building (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

16         Uncovering COPD Subtypes Via Multimodal Immunoprofiling ; Leigh Marsh, Medical University of Graz; Regulation of Smooth Muscle Cell State Through Heterotypic Cell Signaling ; Slaven Crnkovic, University of Graz; 4 p.m.; room 12-146, Smilow Center (Penn-CHOP Lung Biology Institute).

21         Leveraging Implementation Science to Improve Supports for Students ; Abigail Gray, TRAILS; 11 a.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/gray-talk-may-21 (Penn Implementation Science Center).

This is an update to the May AT PENN calendar , which is online now. To submit events for upcoming AT PENN calendars or weekly updates, email us at [email protected] .

Division of Public Safety University of Pennsylvania Police Department Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons and/or Crimes Against Property from the campus report for April 29-May 5, 2024 . The Crime Reports are available at: https://almanac.upenn.edu/sections/crimes . Prior weeks’ reports are also online. –Eds.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety (DPS) and contains all criminal incidents reported and made known to the Penn Police, including those reported to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) that occurred within our patrol zone, for the dates of April 29-May 5, 2024 . The Penn Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30 th Street to 43 rd Street in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police.

In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call DPS at (215) 898-7297. You may view the daily crime log on the DPS website .

Penn Police Patrol Zone Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30 th Street to 43 rd Street

Philadelphia Police 18th District Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 12 incidents were reported for April 29-May 5, 2024 by the 18 th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

The Division of Public Safety offers resources and support to the Penn community. DPS developed a few helpful risk reduction strategies outlined below. Know that it is never the fault of the person impacted (victim/survivor) by crime.

• See something concerning? Connect with Penn Public Safety 24/7 at (215) -573-3333.
• Worried about a friend’s or colleague’s mental or physical health? Get 24/7 connection to appropriate resources at (215) 898-HELP (4357).
• Seeking support after experiencing a crime? Call Special Services - Support and Advocacy resources at (215) 898-4481 or email an advocate at [email protected]
• Use the Walking Escort and Riding services available to you free of charge.
• Take a moment to update your cellphone information for the UPennAlert Emergency Notification System
• Download the Penn Guardian App which can help Police better find your location when you call in an emergency.
• Access free self-empowerment and defense courses through Penn DPS.
• Stay alert and reduce distractions; using cellphones, ear buds, etc. may limit your awareness.
• Orient yourself to your surroundings. (Identify your location, nearby exits, etc.)
• Keep your valuables out of sight and only carry necessary documents.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are tax-advantaged accounts that let you use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare and dependent care expenses. Using FSAs can save money, however the amount of unused dollars that will roll over—or stay in your account from one plan year to the next—is limited. If you currently have an FSA or you plan to add one to your benefits for 2024-2025, carefully consider your contribution for the new plan year.

Health Care FSA

If you have a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA), you will be able to roll over up to $610 of all unused funds from the 2023-2024 plan year to the 2024-2025 plan year. All unused funds over the $610 limit will be forfeited. The maximum amount you can contribute to the Health Care FSA is increasing from $3,050 to $3,200. The rollover amount will also increase from $610 to $640.

You must incur all expenses between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. Claims must be submitted by September 30, 2025. All rollover funds will be available in November.

Dependent Care FSA

You must use all available funds by the end of the plan year deadline, or you will forfeit any remaining balance. You have until September 15 of the following plan year to incur expenses, and until September 30 of the following plan year to submit eligible claims.

For example, if you enroll in a Dependent Care FSA during the 2024-2025 plan year, you’ll have until September 15, 2025 to incur expenses and until September 30, 2025 to submit eligible expenses for reimbursement.

Visit the Flexible Spending Accounts webpage for more FSA details and single-sign-on access to WageWorks/HealthEquity.

—Division of Human Resources

The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education will host the 2025 Ethnography in Education Research Forum February 7-8, 2025. The topic of the conference is Narratives of Struggle and Hope: Ethnography, Education, and Democracy at a Crossroads. For the conference, the Ethnography in Education Research Forum invites scholars and researchers to submit their qualitative and ethnographic inquiries that interrogate the connection between democracy and education, particularly in uncertain or precarious times. The call for papers seeks to explore the nuanced ways in which educators and educational institutions, broadly defined, may serve as sites for democratic struggle, hope, or something in between.

The conference will discuss the politicized times we live in. The last decade has come to be marked by global crises, political divisions, and economic insecurity, and the approaching 2024 presidential election holds the potential to redress or exacerbate these tensions. As we anticipate the political landscape unfolding, a wide and growing array of issues pose challenges for educators, schools, families, and scholars as they seek to understand and navigate an evolving landscape.

Submissions are encouraged that delve into the multifaceted dimensions of uncertainty, revealing how complex human beings acquiesce, ignore, resist, or challenge their political worlds. Ethnographers, practitioners, students, and scholars are therefore invited to illuminate how university campuses, K-12 schools, and community spaces become dynamic arenas for the negotiation of democratic values, where societal uncertainties are woven into the daily experiences of students, educators, and administrators.

This call for papers goes out to scholars who aim to foster a rich dialogue on schools as (potentially) democratic spaces in uncertain times, challenging researchers to rethink and redefine the boundaries of their ethnographic practice to capture the essence of democratic education in the face of uncertainty.

Papers will be accepted through June 1, 2024. For more information, including submission guidelines, visit https://2025forum.dryfta.com .

SNF Paideia designated courses examine the theory and practice of dialogue across differences from diverse disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. They also explore the interplay among dialogue, citizenship, service, as well as individual and community wellness. Collectively, they are intended to provide students with the scholarly and applied knowledge, skills, ethical orientations, and experiences necessary for integrating their personal, professional, and civic identities—that is, for “educating the whole person.”

Courses are rostered by academic departments. SNF Paideia is not a rostering academic department. Applicants need prior contingent approval from an academic department before they apply for SNF Paideia funding and designation. It is recommended that faculty reach out to their academic department as soon as possible before applying for SNF Paideia funding and designation.

Course proposals will usually be submitted at least eight months before the course will be offered to allow sufficient time to gather all necessary approvals from the SNF Paideia Program and the appropriate departments and schools. Faculty applications to teach in spring 2025 are requested by May 24, 2024.

Proposals can be submitted at https://curf-upenn.smapply.io/prog/snf_paideia_course_proposal/ .

The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) published its 2023-2024 Annual Report in April 2024. The report can be found here . This report summarizes the project work and initiatives of the 2023-2024 GAPSA Executive Board, General Assembly, and committee members. While navigating an unprecedented and challenging year, GAPSA stood steadfast and provided resources for students and student groups, advocated on behalf of the graduate and professional student community, and hosted dozens of programs for students. GAPSA is thankful to our members for their dedication of time and energy outside of their classroom and other extracurricular responsibilities and to our partners throughout the University for engaging in meaningful and productive dialogue throughout the year. For feedback on this report and any inquiries related to GAPSA, please refer to the contact form on our website,  linked here .

—GAPSA