Penn Engineering Weekly 09-07-26
| Date | Event |
| September 8th | Course Selection Period ends |
| October 5th | Drop Period ends |
| October 1st – 4th | Fall Term Break |
| October 5th | Drop Period ends |
| October 12th | Indigenous People’s Day (Classes in session) |
| October 23rd | Grade Mode Change Deadline |
| October 23rd – 25th | Family Weekend |
| October 26th – November 9th | Advance Registration for Spring Term |
| November 2nd | Last day to withdraw from a course |
| November 14th | Homecoming |
Announcements for the week
OAS Academic Advising
Academic planning covers a wide range of topics, including choosing a major, registering for classes, and defining career goals. During the Fall semester, in-person walk-in advising takes place Monday–Thursday from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Towne 109. Please visit Staff-Advising Information and Hours for more information.
Weingarten Center – Study Tools and Strategies
Our learning specialists have developed helpful resources to support your learning. We’ve organized these tools and strategies based on their purpose so that you can select the resources that work for you. Read more here.
Registrar Reminders
Important Fall 2026 deadlines:
- Course Selection Deadline (add/swap): September 8 (11:59 pm ET)
- Course Drop deadline: October 5 (11:59 pm ET)
- Information will be sent out after the Course Selection deadline regarding the collection of Fall 2026 courses being used for the Accelerated Master’s degree.
Please note that there is a new incomplete grade policy beginning with courses taken in Summer 2026:
- Incomplete work must be submitted by the Grade Mode Change Deadline of the following semester in which the student is enrolled. The Grade Mode Change Deadline for Fall 2026 is October 23.
- If work is not submitted by the deadline, the ‘I’ grade will convert to an ‘F’ four weeks into the following semester and may not be changed by the instructor.
- This policy update is for all Engineering undergraduate courses.
Events (Engineering)
PEC Career Coffee Chats
Penn Engineering Council’s Career Coffee Chats connect students with upperclassmen who have experience across a variety of industries and career paths. Browse upperclassmen and their experiences, then sign up to chat over coffee at The Board and Brew!
Various times through September | The Board and Brew, 3200 Chestnut St
Penn Engineering Council – Research Panel
Interested in or considering research as an engineer for the school year/summer? Stop by to learn about various opportunities across all engineering majors! Panelists have participated in PURM as well as other summer research opportunities at Penn and will speak about how they got their research and what they did. There will be food!
September 10, 2026, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm | Towne Building, Raisler Lounge
Penn Society of Women Engineers’ 30th Annual Corporate Dinner
Penn Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is excited to invite you to their 30th Annual Corporate Dinner! As one of their largest professional development events, Corporate Dinner is a great opportunity to connect directly with recruiters and representatives from leading companies like Bloomberg, Capital One, Regeneron, Five Rings, Accenture, and more. Registration includes adding your resume to their Resume Book shared with all participating companies.
September 15, 2026 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm | Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall
Tickets: $10-$14. Register and view participating companies here.
Clark Scholars Book Drive
Help us donate gently used books to a new home while supporting community libraries in Jamaica as they rebuild after Hurricane Melissa. The Clark Scholars Program is collecting books for readers of all ages and reading levels through September 19. Bring your books to one of our on-campus collection locations and help make a difference!
Events (Penn)
Fall Grant-Writing Workshop
Interested in applying for independent research funding from CURF this fall? Come learn how you can better position yourself to be a competitive applicant for the College Alumni Society Research Grant or Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant. This workshop will cover common elements of grant applications, tips for writing a strong research proposal and budget, and common mistakes to avoid. Even if you are not planning to apply for a grant this semester, this is a great opportunity to start learning about the CURF grants and the skills that will make you a stronger writer and communicator of your research
September 7, 2026, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | College Hall G08/09
Research GPS: Utilizing Work-Study to Conduct Research
Do you have work-study funding and an interest in research? Join CURF staff and Research Peer Advisors to learn about how to utilize work study to engage in undergraduate research! More information here.
September 29, 2026, 4:00 pm – 05:00 pm | CURF Office, College Hall G08/09
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Writing Workshop
Undergraduate students applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) are invited to participate in this interactive writing workshop led by the Science Outreach Initiative and CURF. You will learn basic grant writing skills, information about writing for the GRFP specifically, and have the opportunity to workshop your ideas for your proposal. Students will leave knowing what characteristics the NSF is looking for and how to craft a narrative of their personal experiences that highlights those characteristics. Session participants will also receive instructions on how to get one-on-one essay feedback before NSF deadlines. Space is limited, so make sure to register early.
September 22, 2026, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm | CURF Office, College Hall G08/09
Please RSVP here.
The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability Pilot Study
The Composto Research Group is recruiting an undergraduate team for a pilot study with the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability on CoolSeal, a reflective asphalt sealant being evaluated as an urban heat mitigation tool. For about 3 hours per week, Students take field measurements at the pilot site, work through the public health and policy implications, and present recommendations to city leaders. Prior experience is not required. Open to all class years.
Applications close Sep. 13 at 11:59 PM | Apply Here
CURF’s Fall Expo
CURF’s Fall Expo is an exciting celebration of undergraduate research. Over 350 undergraduates are eager to share their research with you. Enjoy learning about the array of opportunities embraced by students at Penn. Stop by any time!
September 14, 2026, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Houston Hall
Quant Finance Academy
A five-park workshop series led by faculty from Wharton’s Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs Master of Science in Quantitative Finance Program (Jacobs MSQF), designed to introduce students to the ideas, tools, and ways of thinking used in quantitative finance. No prior finance background is required.
Five Weekly Sessions | Wednesdays at 6:00 pm | Steinberg-Dietrich Hall 1206 | Please RSVP here.
Event Dates:
October 21: Dr. Stephan Dieckmann (Fixed Income Securities)
October 28: Dr. Jessica Wachter (Foundations Of Asset Pricing)
November 4: Dr. Jules Van Binsbergen (Investment Management)
November 11: Dr. Winston Dou (Data Science & Ai In Finance)
November 18: Dr. David Musto (Capital Markets)
GEM’s Virtual Philly GRAD Lab
Villanova University is proud to host the next virtual GEM Getting Ready for Advanced Degrees (GRAD) Lab on September 26th. The GEM GRAD Lab offers valuable and timely insight regarding application processes, funding opportunities, and general expectations in graduate school.
September 26, 9:30 am -12:30 pm | Please RSVP here.
Career & Networking Opportunities
2026 CareerLink Career Fair
Join us in person on Thursday, September 10th, for CareerLink 2026! This university-wide career fair covers a range of industries. Enhance your search for full-time postgraduate positions and/or summer internships by taking the opportunity to connect with a variety of employers. This Career Fair is open to all on-campus students, post-docs, and alumni served by the Career Services office.
In-Person: Thursday, September 10 | Click here to register.
Engineering & Technology Career Day
Open to on-campus SEAS and STEM-related majors and alumni from across the University, as well as postdoctoral fellows with an interest in internships, full-time positions, and/or careers related to engineering and/or technology. Click here to register.
September 16, 2026, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm | Houston Hall – Bodek Lounge and Hall of Flags
Penncard required for entry
Grad School OnRamp 2026: Virtual Workshops for STEM Undergrads
Prepare for the upcoming graduate admissions cycle with Penn Career Services’ targeted virtual workshops this September. Designed for STEM undergraduates planning for advanced degrees, these sessions cover critical components of a competitive application. Register for the upcoming sessions on Handshake.
Clubs & Organizations
ESAC Club
The Engineering Student Activities Council (ESAC) is a student organization at the University of Pennsylvania that serves as the umbrella for all student groups within SEAS at Penn. ESAC coordinates the activities of the various undergraduate organizations and acts as a liaison among undergraduate engineering students, SEAS faculty, and administration. The application to join ESAC will open again in Fall 2025. Reach out to pennesac@gmail.com for questions.
Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board
The Engineering Deans’ Advisory Board at the University of Pennsylvania works directly with deans and faculty from Penn Engineering to implement initiatives that enrich the learning and welfare of Engineers. Want to learn more about the Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board? Check it out here.
Penn Engineering Council (PEC)
The Penn Engineering Council (PEC) is the pre-professional branch of the Engineering student government quad-board at the University of Pennsylvania. PEC’s role is to organize events in the domains of academic mentorship and professional development and to serve as a funding organization to its constituent clubs and pre-professional societies within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Read more here.
Engineering Entrepreneurship
More information about Engineering Entrepreneurship
- Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, & X/Twitter.
- Tag on these platforms @PennEngEntrep with your own posts.
- Join their subscription-based semi-monthly email to notify you of entrepreneurship-related events, competitions, opportunities, and more. If you wish to receive this type of information, please visit their Google Group here and then click “ask to join the group.” You have the option to unsubscribe at any time as well, and this is completely optional. Emails will be sent on the second and last Wednesday of every month.
Penn Engineering Weekly – Submissions
Penn Engineering Weekly is published by the Student Affairs Team and the Office of Academic Services. To post an upcoming event or opportunity, complete the SEAS Weekly Request Form before noon on Wednesdays.