An Evening with Penn: Washington, D.C.

J. Larry Jameson was named President of the University of Pennsylvania in March 2025 after serving as Interim President since December 2023. Previously, he spent 12 years as EVP for the Health System and Dean of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine. As President, Jameson champions Penn’s values and leads the implementation of Penn Forward, its strategic planning initiative. Milestones to date include a new home for interdisciplinary data science; new leadership roles to advance Penn’s work in artificial intelligence, climate science, and the arts; and pioneering academic programs and initiatives. As a physician-scientist, Jameson has studied the genetic basis of hormonal disorders, authored more than 350 articles and chapters, and edited the foremost internal medicine textbook. He holds medical and doctoral degrees from the University of North Carolina.

Dorit Aviv is an expert in sustainable design and environmental performance. Her interdisciplinary research combines thermodynamics, material science, and architectural form—focused on decarbonizing the built environment and improving energy efficiency. A licensed architect, Aviv has developed innovative prototypes including passive cooling systems, a solar-powered mobile cooling station for urban heat islands, and off-grid climate-adaptive structures. Her award-winning work has received international recognition and is supported by federal, foundation, and university funding. She earned PhD and master’s degrees from Princeton University and a bachelor’s degree from The Cooper Union.

R. Jisung Park’s research sits at the intersection of environmental and labor economics, with a focus on climate change, economic inequality, and public policy. He examines how environmental conditions—such as extreme heat, air pollution, and natural disasters—shape learning outcomes, labor productivity, health, and long-run economic opportunity. Park is the author of Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World, which documents the unequal and often overlooked human impacts of climate change. He earned his PhD in economics from Harvard University and holds master’s degrees from the University of Oxford.