Penn balances research and teaching

Though Penn frequently publicizes the research efforts of students and faculty, the emphasis on cultivating research at highly ranked universities is coming under siege.

Articles were published in the prominent journals Nature and Science last week that criticized top United States universities for focusing too much of their resources on scientific research and not enough on the quality of education students receive.

Penn President Amy Gutmann said that at Penn, “we are not a research institute, we are a research university, which means we do research and teaching together.”

In the last five years, Penn has more than quadrupled the amount of funding for students teaming with faculty in research programs, she added.

According to Provost Vincent Price, that research funding does not pull money from other resources, including those which Penn uses to provide quality teaching resources such as professors.

Penn’s research power attracts many prospective students hoping to be taught by “some of the world’s greatest researchers,” Gutmann said.

Vice Provost for Research Steven Fluharty said research is “fundamental” to Penn as a university, adding that the connection between research and education is one of the “distinguishing qualities” of Penn among its peers.

Fluharty added that when it comes to having professors conduct research with students, “it’s not a tough sell at all,” and most professors are “very receptive” to undergraduates in research.

However, some members of the student population may not agree.

College sophomore Suvidha Polu said that while she has repeatedly tried contacting professors in the sciences about possible research opportunities, many of them seem “too busy, and they never get back to me.”

However, many who go through the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships or their major advisors have gotten to work on individual projects.

College senior Ryna Frankel, who conducted research through CURF in Visual Studies, said that her major advisors “made it really easy” to get involved. She sought application advice from her roommate, who had also worked on an independent project through CURF.

Fluharty emphasized that through the Center for Teaching and Learning, CURF, Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring, Penn Integrates Knowledge professors, major advisors and classes, there is a “concerted effort to bring the research experience to undergraduates.”

Many students are also exposed to research through their professors who teach and conduct research simultaneously.

While some appreciate this practice, Polu said she and her classmates in introductory level science classes would have appreciated more enthusiasm and communication from some of their professors.

Polu added that in a few classes, some of her and her friends’ professors did not seem as concentrated on their classes because of their laboratory research, setting up office hours by appointment only or relying on teaching assistants to interact with students outside of class.

Nevertheless, Gutmann emphasized that Penn is “committed to hiring dedicated faculty who are also dedicated teachers.”

Price agreed, adding “I think the faculty has never been stronger at Penn.”

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