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September 2025 | Issue 77
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THIS MONTH IN INJURY SCIENCE @ PENN
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The latest Science, Communications, Opportunities, & Outputs from the Penn Injury Science Center
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Incubator is back in session
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The Incubator is a venue for discussion and collaboration. Presenters have found sessions helpful in discussing new ideas, participating in dialogue on emerging research concepts; refining their research proposal, questions or manuscripts; and receiving input about analytic approaches or interpretation of findings.
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On October 21, 2025, the Incubator returns for the academic year, with sessions scheduled 2:30-4:00pm every third Tuesday of the month via Zoom until summer.
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Trainee, early career, and faculty presenters alike have benefited from the collaborative environment of the Incubator - with fresh ideas, collaborations, and connections being common takeaways.
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Risks of Driving with Moderate BAC Need to be Communicated, New Study Finds
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A recent study with pilot funding from the Penn Injury Science Center found that when individuals with a moderate blood alcohol concentration (BACs ≥ 0.04% and < 0.08%) learned their BAC from a smartphone breathalyzer app, they perceived themselves to be less intoxicated and more able / willing to drive, compared to individuals who were blinded to their BAC reading.
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The research team, including Jeff Ebert, Kit Delgado, and Evan Spencer recommends - since crash risk begins to increase at 0.04% - breathalyzer apps should provide salient feedback on the risks of driving in the moderately intoxicated range.
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"Satellite SAVIR" on Penn's Campus
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The Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) hosted a week of virtual programming, called the SAVIR Fall Forum. This mini-SAVIR conference offered daily opportunities to participate in science sessions, skill-building labs, and networking events.
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The Penn Injury Science Center hosted a "satellite SAVIR" for the Flash Science session, to connect colleagues from PISC and the CHOP Center for Injury Research and Prevention.
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October 10, 2025, 8:30am-5:00pm | Virtual (livestreamed from Cambridge, MA)
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The National Bureau of Economic Research is hosting a one-day, invitation-only conference in Cambridge, MA but you are invited to join the live-stream via Youtube!
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The full agenda is available on the conference webpage, including the link to join which you can save to your calendar.
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October 15-18, 2025 | National Harbor, MD
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The Safe Kids Worldwide Childhood Injury Prevention Convention (PrevCon) is one of the largest gatherings of safety professionals in the world dedicated solely to the field of childhood injury prevention. It brings together leading experts, advocates, academics, and partners to share best practices and experiences with the aim of increasing our collective impact.
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October 17, 2025, 9am-12pm | Smilow Center for Translational Research (Philadelphia, PA)
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Join the Penn Center for Public Health and its gathering of cross-sector leaders for an in-person, powerful conversation on the urgent need for healthy, affordable housing - and how we can take collective action to protect public health.
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The event will feature a keynote talk, a panel discussion with cross-sector experts, and a networking and open brainstorm session. There will also be an opportunity to join a post-event working group for those interested.
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October 21, 2025, 12-1pm | Virtual
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Emerging challenges and advocacy approaches with technology-facilitated abuse
The Texas Violence and Injury Prevention Research Center (VIPR) invites you to join Morgan PettyJohn, PhD and Rachel Voth Schrag, LCSW, PhD, for an insightful discussion on their community-based research and practice experience addressing technology-facilitated abuse in North Texas. Drs. PettyJohn and Voth Schrag are co-founders of the Mavericks Ending Technology-Facilitated Abuse (MAVS ETA) project at The University of Texas at Arlington.
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Drs. PettyJohn and Voth Schrag seek to improve prevention and community-based response services for interpersonal violence. They are particularly interested in how digital technologies intersect with survivors experiences of violence, both as risk factors for victimization as well as tools for help-seeking and empowerment.
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November 19-21, 2025 | Tempe, AZ
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The 2025 National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm Related Harms will highlight the current state of science and research on firearm injury prevention across the lifespan.
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December 5th, 2025, 12-1pm Eastern | Virtual
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The Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy offers this free, virtual overdose reversal training to the entire Penn community, uniting students, faculty, health care staff and others around a common goal - to end the overdose epidemic in our communities.
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Trainings will take place via Microsoft Teams from 12pm - 1pm.
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This training is appropriate for persons with no medical background, but is led by trained emergency responders from Penn Medicine and/or the University of Pennsylvania who can answer more advanced questions.
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December 11, 2025 | Virtual
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Join us for this year’s Midwest Injury Prevention Alliance Conference, as injury professionals from states in Federal Health and Human Services Region V (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI) gather to work toward reducing injury- and violence- related death and disability.
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This year's theme is Connectedness: Staying True to Our Mission of Safety and Prevention.
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We hope to highlight topics that inspire, inform, and demonstrate the power of partnerships, the passion behind programs that serve individuals and communities, and the impact of policy in shaping the future of injury and violence prevention across our states.
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April 13-15, 2026 | Providence, RI
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The SAVIR 2026 Conference promises the latest science, top-notch networking, inspiring keynotes, and the opportunity to find new collaborators and re-energize your work in the community of injury and violence prevention researchers.
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Register early to take advantage of discounted rates—and rest easy knowing that your registration is fully transferable. If your plans change, you can simply transfer your registration to a colleague or friend at no extra cost.
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Have science to share? The Call for Submissions will be open through October 10.
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Affiliates of the Penn Injury Science Center receive a discount on their SAVIR membership!
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List the Penn Injury Science Center in the "Center Affiliation" field in your profile. Reach out to SAVIR or reply to the membership invoice email if you do not see the discount reflected. Contact andrew.belfiglio@pennmedicine.upenn.edu if you need help troubleshooting.
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April 19-21, 2026 | Baltimore, MD
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Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety Traffic Safety Scholars & Fellows Program (TSSF).
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The 2026 Lifesavers Traffic Safety Scholars & Fellows (TSSF) Program provides awards of up to $1,300 to participants to help defray the cost of attending the Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety, at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland, April 19-21, 2026. Scholars and Fellows will receive an exclusive reduced registration rate and will also earn a Lifesavers Conference Accreditation Letter.
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A flyer detailing the application process can be found HERE.
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There is also a short video; please help us get the word out by sharing it with students, posting it on social media, and/or forwarding it to others in your network who may know of a worthy applicant.
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The application deadline is November 1, 2025.
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A new study reveals U.S. children are facing worsening mortality and chronic health challenges compared to peers in other high-income countries. Between 2001–2019, there were more than 315,000 excess child and adolescent deaths in the U.S., with firearm violence, substance use, and motor vehicle crashes driving much of the disparity.
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Rachel Myers discusses how CHOP’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) is tackling these urgent threats head-on: advancing firearm safety through clinical education, school-based prevention, and hospital-community partnerships; and driving innovations in child passenger protection, vehicle safety, and teen driver training.
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New research led by Kristy Arbogast explores how Guardian Cap soft-shell helmet covers are making strides in concussion prevention for pro football players. Discover the latest advancements in player safety and what they could mean for the future of the game. Read more from the CIRP Research in Action blog.
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Pediatric emergency departments are making strides in firearm safety with a new EMR-based standardized screening and resource initiative - combining screening for unsafe storage practices with the provision of educational materials and a means of safe storage. The approach, studied by Joel Fein and team, offers a model for hospitals nationwide. Read more.
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A new study led by Katie Hoskins finds that Black Americans’ pandemic-era gun purchases were fueled by fear of rising crime, racial tensions, and distrust in policing. For many, firearms symbolized protection and agency in uncertain times—even as ownership brought lingering unease and risk. Read more.
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Barriers remain for those seeking buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder, despite rapid access in some Philadelphia clinics. A recent study led by Maggie Lowenstein, Shoshana Aronowitz, and team highlights gaps in communication that leave patients without crucial information. Improving transparency is essential for informed care decisions.
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Support from PISC Outreach Core
The Penn Injury Science Center’s Outreach Core puts research into action through community-academic partnerships, translation, and dissemination.
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- Communications and dissemination support
- Partnership matchmaking
- Advisement from the Community Action Board
- Technical assistance
- Stakeholder convening
- and more...
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Support from PISC Training & Education Core
The Penn Injury Science Center’s Training & Education core is building the field through training and supporting injury scientists; coursework, training materials, & mentorship; and connection & capacity building.
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- Mentee-mentor matchmaking and programming, mentorship, and mentor training
- A professional and intellectual community for trainees and early career investigators/faculty
- Tailored programming for all levels of trainees
- Course and certificate support
- Trainings, workshops, scholarly forums & educational material support
- and more...
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Statistical Consultation Support for PISC Affiliates from the BECCA Lab
The PISC is committed to developing future generations of injury scientists from across disciplines and providing statistical support for projects that are focused on the core mission of the PISC and for when extramural resources are not currently available.
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Who qualifies for support: This program supports two groups of PISC-affiliates.
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- PISC-affiliated post-doctoral and clinical fellows conducting a research project aimed at publication in a peer-reviewed journal and/or to provide preliminary data for an extramural grant application
- PISC senior scholars who are early-stage faculty without research or discretionary account funding to secure statistical consultation.
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Restored Philly Gun Violence Map
The Civic Coalition to Save Lives is now hosting a trusted interactive map that tracks gun violence in Philadelphia—giving residents, advocates, and decision-makers direct access to real-time data. Originally maintained by the City Controller’s Office, the map was taken offline earlier this year during a website update. Data scientist and dashboard creator Nick Hand independently restored it. Now, in partnership with him, the Civic Coalition to Save Lives is making it publicly available at SavePhillyLives.org.
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This tool shows daily updates of shootings across the city and includes filters for time, location, and victim demographics. It supports efforts to reach those at the highest risk, deploy resources quickly, prevent retaliation, and evaluate what’s working.
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Co-sponsored by Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the Undergraduate Assembly, the photo booth is open during regular Career Services business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located in the Career Services office, the first come, first serve photo booth — called the Iris Booth — can be used by Penn undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, alumni, faculty, and staff for high-quality headshots.
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Have you received funding support or infrastructure support from the Penn Injury Science Center? If yes, the CDC funding needs to be acknowledged! Refer to this guide to know when and how you should cite the PISC R49 Center grant (R49CE003083 for 2019-2024 cycle and R49CE003566 for 2024-2029 cycle).
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Penn / CHOP Provost Postdoctoral Fellowship
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This is a reminder that nominations are open for the SAVIR Fellows Program, recognizing members who’ve made outstanding contributions to injury and violence prevention.
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- Deadline: September 1, 2025
- Who’s Eligible: 5+ years of membership, strong contributions, active involvement
- Benefits: Conference recognition, “Fellow of SAVIR” title, leadership & mentoring roles
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We encourage all eligible members to apply or nominate a colleague. Self-nominations are encouraged.
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Postdoctoral Fellow, DRIVER Study (Penn and CHOP)
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A new Postdoctoral Fellowship is available on the DRIVER Study, a Phase III randomized trial testing the efficacy of modern online and in-person driver training for reducing young new driver crash risk. The position focuses on predictive analytics with a large, longitudinal dataset that integrates virtual driving assessments, cognitive measures, phone app-based driver monitoring, and real-world crash risk outcomes. This role offers the chance to publish widely and shape future driver safety policies and clinical practices.
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Find out more about the position here.
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Research Associate, Emergency Medicine
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The PhD Research Associate is responsible for developing impactful, sustainable research program in collaboration with core faculty, residents, and hospital network to advance knowledge and implementation of practices especially pertaining to acute emergent conditions particularly in vulnerable populations. The position applies expertise in implementation science, epidemiology, biostatistics, emergency and health policy, health education and related fields to generate evidence that informs clinical decisions in emergency medicine and improves health outcomes in emergency services.
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The IES Research Institute is an academic research division embedded within the Emergency Medicine Department at John Peter Smith (JPS) Health Network, a public safety-net health system with a 3-year emergency medicine residency program. The goal of the Institute is to develop and support scholarly activity, research, and grants to improve health outcomes and healthcare delivery for vulnerable emergency medicine populations through discovery and innovation.
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Safe States Seed Grants
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Safe States is now accepting applications to award up to four seed grants of $20,000 each to implement innovative injury and violence prevention (IVP) approaches, including fostering cross-sector partnerships, addressing shared risk and protective factors, and upstream approaches.
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The field of IVP continues to evolve with new technologies, values, and ideas. Strategies such as blending and braiding funds for shared risk and protective factor approaches and partnering across sectors allows for a much more comprehensive approach and enhance IVP outcomes. Work to advance innovative approaches such as these, in alignment with upstream prevention strategies, under the seed grant awards, must be completed by September 2026. Additional details, including explanations and examples of upstream and innovative approaches can be found here.
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Eligible applicants include state, local, and territorial health, hospitals/health care organizations, academic institutions, city and municipal governments, community-based organizations, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations.
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Learn more about the Innovative and Upstream Approaches for IVP seed grants and how to apply here. Questions can be directed to info@safestates.org.
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*The awarding and implementation of this seed grant program is contingent upon Safe States’ receipt of a notice of award for a cooperative agreement from the CDC by September 30, 2025.
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Occupational Safety & Injury Grants
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PAR-18-812 - Occupational Safety and Health Research (R01)
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PAR-18-798 - NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21)
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Closing Date for Applications: Nov 21, 2025
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Tools for Finding and Securing Funding
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University of Pennsylvania investigators have been given access to two helpful tools to find and secure research funding.
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Pivot-RP enhances the discovery of sponsored research opportunities, making the
process faster, more targeted, and more efficient. Pivot-RP also simplifies
communication with potential collaborators by offering seamless ways to share
opportunities.
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RAMPART helps assess the risks in a proposal of being flagged as inconsistent with current federal priorities. It is available for optional use by all Penn faculty, trainees, and staff interested in understanding the level of risk their grant proposals and awards may face in terms of not being reviewed, not being funded, or having funding withdrawn.
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Clinician Blog and Visual Abstract: Sport Concussion Symptom Profiles and Recovery
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In this blog post, authors explain how collegiate student-athletes with concussion fit into four distinct ‘symptom profile’ groups. The study, recently published in BJSM, included sport-related concussions (SRC) across five academic years 2015-2016/2019–2020 (n=1160) from the Ivy League–Big Ten Epidemiology of Concussion Study (Ivy-B1G Study).
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"Science isn't finished until it's communicated"
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About Us
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The Penn Injury Science Center is funded by a grant from the CDC and brings together university, community, and government partners around injury and violence intervention programs with the greatest potential for impact. We promote and perform the highest quality research, training and translation of scientific discoveries into practice and policy in order to reduce injuries, violence, and their impact to our region, the US, and locations around the world.
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