At a University where "global" has become an administrative buzzword, a globetrotting crime specialist will soon join the faculty.
Yesterday University President Amy Gutmann announced that Adrian Raine will become a professor in both the School of Arts and Sciences and the Medical School starting in July.
Raine's joint appointment is the fourth in an initiative known as Penn Integrates Knowledge. PIK professors receive appointments in more than one of Penn's schools and approach their studies with an interdisciplinary bent.
The PIK program was launched last year with an anonymous $10 million donation specifically for interdisciplinary faculty.
Raine said his work focuses on both the social and biological aspects of crime.
"They've not been linked before . not in this way," he said. "It's when we bring together disciplines that we begin to develop new perspectives."
Raine currently holds appointments in the psychology and neuroscience departments at the University of Southern California, where he's taught for the last 20 years.
Raine said he already has labs in Mauritius, China, Hong Kong and India, but he's looking to set up more.
He added that Penn's global thrust suits him perfectly.
Raine, a native of England and graduate of Oxford University, said that in contrast to the sunny skies and palm trees of Southern California, Penn's campus reminds him of his gothic alma mater.
"Just walking through the campus, it really brings me back home," Raine said.
Gutmann, for her part, has nothing but praise for Raine.
"He's got a fascinating background . and he's just a great guy," she said.
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