Dr. Meleis’ scholarship is focused on global health, immigrant and international health, women’s health, and on the theoretical development of the nursing discipline. She is the author of more than 175 articles in social sciences, nursing, and medical journals; over 40 chapters; 7 books; and numerous monographs and proceedings.

So please join the Philomathean Society for tea and crumpets and perhaps other treats this Friday at 4:00.

Despite recent pan-continental political shifts and economic reforms, Africa enters 2012 with many of the world’s poorest countries and severest developmental obstacles. Although rich in natural and human resources, the continent is burdened by widespread economic inequality and the social scars of a colonial past. High child mortality, poor education systems, and endemic diseases threaten Africa’s future progress. How can African markets liberalize and reduce their dependence on foreign aid? How can health care services and education be more effectively deployed to combat malaria and HIV/AIDS and their associated disastrous economic and social consequences? How can African governments reduce poverty, corruption, and the political marginalization of large parts of their respective populations? How can Africa modernize its economy and prevent its exclusion from the information revolution? Please join Professor Lee Cassanelli, Professor Cheikh Anta Babou, Dr. Marton Markovits, and the Philomathean Society for a discussion considering what tools and strategies Africa, as a continent, needs in order to combat the intertwined economic, political, social, and health problems it faces in the 21st century.

Self Control and Success

Thursday, Feb 2, 6pm
400 College Hall, The Philomathean Society
Professor Angela Duckworth

What do certain childhood traits say about our future success as adults? Self-control, or the extent to which we can deny our momentary desires, is a characteristic researched extensively in religion, philosophy, and lately psychology. In predicting adulthood success, defined by factors as disparate as income to physical and mental health, self-control appears to be as strong a predictor as general intelligence. Please join us for a lecture with Dr. Angela Duckworth, an Assistant Professor of Psychology, to discuss self-control in children. 

Dr. Angela Duckworth studies how we achieve professional and academic success. Her specific research interests include grit, or perseverance and sustained interest in long-term goals, and self-control.

Friday January 20th, 4:00pm | 4th floor College Hall

Join the Philomathean society for tea this week with Dean Thomas S. Robertson, the Dean of the Wharton School and Reliance Professor of Management and Private Enterprise.

A seasoned business school administrator and a member of the Wharton faculty from 1971 to 1994, Dean Robertson has long been a champion of international and interdisciplinary education. Since returning to Wharton as Dean, his focus has been to expand Penn’s global footprint while advancing Wharton as a force for social and economic good.

So please join the Philomathean Society for tea and cookies and perhaps other treats this Friday at 4:00.

Dr. Robert Seyfarth (Psychology)
Dr. Elisabeth Camp (Philosophy)
Dr. Charles Yang (Linguistics)

Spectacularly varied in its manifestations and uses, a complex linguistic system remains one of the defining features of the human species. From politics to poetry, language is an indispensable feature of nearly all human endeavors, but its origins remain so poorly understood that the evolution of language has been dubbed by some to be the hardest problem in science. Noam Chomsky, recognized as the father of modern linguistics, has long argued that human language could not have gradually evolved from pre-linguistic systems in our primate ancestors, while renowned psychologist Steven Pinker vehemently argues just the opposite. Research in the field has brought primates like Kanzi the bonobo and Nim Chimpsky to international prominence, but has resolved few major disputes. Although scores of anthropologists, psychologists, linguists, and philosophers, among others, have wrestled with how language could have evolved and produced such tremendous variation in systems of verbal, gestural, and written communication, much remains contested and unanswered. Join the Philomathean Society and Dr. Robert Seyfarth (Psychology), Dr. Elisabeth Camp (Philosophy), and Dr. Charles Yang (Linguistics) as we explore recent empirical and theoretical work on the evolution of language and how it delves into the core of our understanding of culture and the mechanisms of the human mind.

This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

A preview of the topic:

Moderator: Mr Sam Bieler
First Censor: Mr Thadeus Dowad
Second Censor: Ms Amrit Malothra
Scriba: Mr Matthew Chiarello
Recorder: Ms Jennie Shapira
Treasurer: Mr Barlow Holley
Librarian: Mr Johnathan Mell
Archivist: Mr John Gee
*AO Director: Mr Michael-David Mangini
*Continuing in office