The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy recently marked a milestone: 30 years of pioneering work in bioethics. In 2025, that legacy was nationally recognized with the prestigious Cornerstone Award from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH).
In some ways, though, it is more than a department-it is a culture driver, a trendsetter, an archetype.
Each year, the department's leaders select a word that captures the spirit and values of the program-what makes it special, what it prides itself on, and what sets it apart, for its annual "word of the year" mug.
Past words include: Trailblazing, Transformative, Timeless.
The mugs have become coveted items at the national ASBH annual conference, drawing attendees to the Penn Bioethics table to collect the latest emblem of excellence.
As Holly Fernandez Lynch, JD, MBE-an alumna, faculty member, and national leader in research ethics-shared, "Penn Bioethics kind of runs deep in the community. You look out for each other. Because we're one of the oldest programs, the people doing bioethics-lots of them got trained here."
