News

At a Data Driven Discovery Initiative event, Jesús Fernández-Villaverde shared how he and his team use machine learning to uncover how "dark ships" evade sanctions, illustrating how AI is transforming economic research, reports OMNIA.

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Penn Today highlights Chenyi Ma and Dennis Culhane's research showing that economic hardship—not race alone—drives pandemic-related anxiety disparities across demographic groups.

OMNIA features David Kirk's one-minute lecture, where he discusses his research on Airbnb occupants' vulnerability to crimes such as robbery, burglary, and theft.

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"60-Second Lectures at Quaker Days," OMNIA, April 18, 2025. 

Olivia Mitchell's op-ed in MarketWatch highlights research showing that financial and health literacy decline steadily with age, especially among older, less educated, and lower-income individuals, underscoring the need for early and sustained literacy interventions.

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“Learn how to have productive conversations about difficult topics with people you love.” Alison Buttenheim told SCIAM, “Beliefs and identity are tightly interwoven, so changing beliefs may require a painful—or impossible—shift in identity,” 

Olivia Mitchell advocates for starting financial education at home from an early age to improve financial literacy and reduce economic burdens, reports Al Día.

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"How to Raise Financially Smart Kids, According to a Wharton Economist," Al Día, A M Quevedo, April 16, 2025.

Annenberg highlights that Dolores Albarracín co-authored a study demonstrating how support for harm reduction policies boosts trust in local government in rural US communities.

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Olivia Mitchell emphasizes that early financial literacy education for children fosters lifelong money management skills, reports Knowledge at Wharton.

The Daily Pennsylvanian reports that a new study co-authored by Olivia Mitchell finds older adults' financial and health literacy declines by about one percentage point per year, raising concerns about decision-making in later life.

OMNIA highlights study co-authored by Pilar Gonalons-Pons which examines the high cost of childcare in the U.S. disproportionately reduces income for less-educated women, worsening family income inequality—an effect largely absent in countries with robust childcare support systems.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Dorothy Roberts denounces systemic racism in Philadelphia’s child welfare system, calling for a shift from family surveillance to meaningful support.

PR Newswire reports that Angela Duckworth has launched the "Phones in Focus" initiative to collect educator input on school cell phon More »

Annually, Penn researchers present Papers and Posters, Moderate Talks, act as Discussants, and more at the Population Association of America's Annual Meeting.

See the complete detailed Penn@PAA list of events HERE

Atheendar Venkataramani in a Virtual Health Lab Seminar highlights how targeted economic policies, like tax credits and unemployment support, can reduce health disparities and improve population health, especially for low-income individuals, reports Penn LDI.

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Insights from Wharton features Olivia Mitchell offering practical advice on improving financial literacy at all ages to avoid costly mistakes and enhance long-term financial well-being.

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“It’s really concerning because, to me, what it’s saying is that the set of stressors that are harming the health of Americans is very widespread, to the point where even being wealthy or rich, you’re not going to be able to escape them,” Atheendar Venkataramani told NBC News.

Olivia Mitchell, in Wharton Business Daily, discusses the state of U.S. financial education, the effects of illiteracy, and how parents can teach kids essential money management skills.

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Kevin Volpp in a Q&A with CHIBE discusses leading a national “Food Is Medicine” initiative with the AHA to design effective, scalable nutrition-based health interventions.

Knowledge at Wharton features a study co-authored by Olivia Mitchell revealing that financial and health literacy decline with age, increasing the risk of poor decisions and vulnerability among older adults—especially women.

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STAT Names Dorothy Roberts as One of the 50 Influential People Shaping the Future of Health and Life Sciences on the 2025 STATUS List.

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"The Ultimate List of Leaders in Life Sciences," STAT, 2025.

Dorothy Roberts is featured in Harvard Law Bulletin for her work challenging systems of injustice, particularly in child welfare, reproductive rights, and criminal justice. Awarded a 2024 MacArthur Fellowship, she continues to advocate for radical social change and family support.

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Jesús Fernández-Villaverde discusses the impact of the declining U.S. birth rate in a Newsweek article, warning that it could significantly slow GDP growth and strain social programs.

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Mark Pauly, writing for Penn LDI, cautions that proposed Medicaid cuts could unfairly impact low-income and vulnerable groups. He advocates for wealthier states to contribute more to the program to help preserve equitable access to care.

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In an interview with Stroke, Kevin Volpp explores how integrating food and nutrition into healthcare can improve outcomes, reduce costs, and promote equity through innovative, patient-centered approaches.

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A new study co-authored by Duncan Watts, reported by Annenberg, outlines how social media platforms can be intentionally designed to promote kindness, cooperation, and community support online.

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"Can Social Media Be Less Toxic?" Annenberg, H Reissman, March 27, 2025. 

Kevin Volpp, Angela Lee Duckworth, and Aaron Richterman, in their research reported by CHIBE, highlight techniques such as gamification, incentives, and text-based nudges to help patients make healthier choices.

PSC and PARC Associates Aaron Richterman, Atheendar Venkataramani, and Alison Buttenheim co-authored a study, reported by Penn LDI, evaluating the B-OK tool's effectiveness in improving HIV More »

Penn Today reports that Angela Duckworth and Penn’s Behavior Change for Good Initiative found that simple, low-cost behavioral nudges for teachers can modestly boost student math progress.

“Philadelphia is still a place that’s attracting young people, professionals forming families and they are having children,” Emilio Parrado told WHYY.

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"Immigration Is Driving Philadelphia’s Population Gains, Census Data Shows," WHYY, K Mosbrucker-Garza, March 24, 2025. 

A study led by Dolores Albarracín and reported by the Annenberg Public Policy Center finds that people tend to share flattering feedback to boost others’ self-image—except when they dislike them or are prompted to prioritize accuracy.

Penn Today features Hanming Fang's study revealing that high-speed rail expansion in China significantly boosted electric vehicle sales, highlighting a model for cleaner, more equitable transportation.

Lance Freeman is featured in Penn Today for his groundbreaking work on urban equity, gentrification, and neighborhood dynamics. Drawing from personal experience and data-driven research, he aims to shape more just and inclusive cities.

Dennis Culhane co-authored a study for the National Alliance to End Homelessness on the cost and policy barriers to fully implementing Housing First for sheltered homelessness.

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Penn Today highlights Dolores Albarracín's receipt of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Social Sciences for her impactful research on attitude change and persuasive messaging.

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The Russell Sage Foundation awarded a grant to Rebecca Anna Schut for her research on how demographic shifts influence U.S. state immigration policies from 1990 to 2025. 

Diana Montoya-Williams co-authors an article discussing the impact of the Dobbs decision on pregnancy and pediatric care. The article highlights five key changes, including reduced abortion access, less availability of critical surgeries, and increased healthcare costs for infants with congenital anomalies, reports Penn LDI. 

Iliana V. Kohler and Hans-Peter Kohler co-authored a study exploring the use of dried plasma spot technology to measure Alzheimer's disease prevalence in Malawi's aging population, addressing global health disparities.

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Olivia Mitchell discusses common retirement regrets and the need for increased savings due to the impending insolvency of the Social Security Trust Fund on Decoding Retirement, as reported by Yahoo Finance.

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Rachel Werner co-authored an issue brief in Penn LDI, offering recommendations to enhance Community Health Centers' participation in value-based payment models and align these efforts with health equity goals.

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“The shelters are not a solution,” Dennis Culhane told Cal Matters, “We have every reason to believe that if we scaled up income support and provided rental assistance, we would probably see the homeless numbers cut in half.”

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In an episode of Decoding Retirement on Yahoo Finance, Olivia Mitchell explains that, due to the projected insolvency of the Social Security Trust Fund, retirement planners will need to increase their personal savings to ensure financial security in retirement. 

Lourii Manovskii's research on local labor market dynamics and unemployment variability was featured in the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

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"The government should restore all the data that had been previously collected and make it available," says Irma Elo. She describes the federal statistical system, which collects population-level census and health data, as "the only independent source of data that we have."

Eric Bressman and Kevin Volpp co-authored a study highlighted in Penn LDI, which examined the effectiveness of BP Pal, a text message-based hypertension management program, revealing high patient engagement but underscoring the need for rigorous te More »

In Penn IUR, Lance Freeman discusses the need for updated comprehensive plans and streamlined approval processes to address the housing shortage and expand affordable housing supply.

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Greg Ridgeway co-founded the Data-Driven Discovery Initiative (DDDI) at Penn to foster collaboration among the university's data scientists. The initiative focuses on breaking down silos and advancing interdisciplinary connections in data science across various fields, as reported by OMNIA.

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A study co-authored by Nazar Khalid, along with PSC Associates Emily Hannum and Jere Behrman, explores how flooding in India exacerbates learning gaps for marginalized children, underscoring climate change’s unequal impact, as reported by OMINA.

Penn Today highlights Michel Guillot's study, which reveals that life expectancy in Gaza has dropped by 46.3% since October 2023, from 75.5 to 40.5 years. The decline is more pronounced in men, and the study cautions that mortality estimates may be underestimated due to incomplete identification and the indirect effects of the war.

Penn LDI features a study on birth certificate data, co-authored by Diana Montoya-Williams, highlighting how refining racial and ethnic categorizations can enhance equity in prete More »

Kevin Volpp Receives AHA’s 2025 Edward S. Cooper Award for Transformative Contributions to Behavioral Economics and Community Health, Reports CHIBE.

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"Dr. Kevin Volpp Receives AHA’s 2025 Edward S. Cooper Award," CHIBE, January 16, 2025.

Penn LDI highlights research by Molly Candon and PSC research associates Rachel Werner and David Mandell, revealing that increased insurance coverage for acupuncture from 2010 to 2019 led t More »

Penn Carey Law highlights Dorothy Roberts' Penn Carey Law course on reproductive justice, exploring legal, ethical, and constitutional issues beyond abortion access, including parenting, contraception, and freedom.

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Dennis Culhane in an interview with The Signal addresses the troubling increase in homelessness across the U.S., focusing on the sharp rise in homelessness among immigrants.

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"Mother of Exiles," The Signal, D Culhane and G Jönsson, January 7, 2025.

Read the PSC 2024 Year In Review annual newsletter and discover all the highlights of the Population Studies Center's work from the past year. Sections include: a letter from PSC Directors Emilio A. More »