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Research in Action

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    Research in Action

    A magazine about discovery and innovation at Temple University

A professional headshot of Vice President for Research Josh Gladden

A Message From Vice President for Research
Josh Gladden

At Temple University, research is driven by people. As I look across our university, I see faculty and researchers who are asking hard questions, pursuing new knowledge and applying their expertise to some of the most pressing challenges facing society.

President John Fry and Vice President of Research Josh Gladden sit for a conversation.

A Conversation with President Fry and Vice President Gladden

“We need to provide our faculty with an environment where they have the support, space and funding to do their best work, because discovery is such a fundamental part of our mission. And we need to put discovery out in front of everything...”

—President John Fry

Watch the conversation

In This Issue

Flipping the Script

What if an opioid could deliver pain relief without the addictive side effects? New research from Professor of Neuroscience Anjali Rajadhyaksha suggests this might soon be possible.

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek (secKathy Hirsh-Pasek and collaborator Roberta Michnick Golinkoff talking to George Stephanopolous about their new book.

Not just child’s play

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek advocates for the power of joy to enrich early childhood education.

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An illustration of a scale with people on one side and books on the other

Justice reimagined

Rachel López believes that justice cannot be fully realized unless those most affected by the legal system help shape it.

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An illustration of a square cartoon face wearing headphones with a stressed out expression on its face

Stress less at the dentist

Kornberg School of Dentistry researchers are exploring the origins of dental anxiety and identifying ways to alleviate it.

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An illustration of the globe with a red dot marking the location of Africa

Improving pharmaceutical training

Lewis Katz School of Medicine and School of Pharmacy students travel to Ghana, where they help build systems that strengthen healthcare delivery in the region.

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Double Agents

Through her study of two progressive public high schools in Philadelphia, Associate Professor of Urban Education Maia Cucchiara has found that promoting student agency leads to success.

A comic illustration of a pickleball raquet and ball, with the word Pop! for the sound effect

Turn down that racket

A pickleball court in Philadelphia led Temple researchers to study noise reduction solutions in the form of an absorptive sound barrier.

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A professional image of College of Liberal Arts assistant professor Vlad Ayzenberg

More than meets the eye

Vlad Ayzenberg, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts, explores how cognitive and neural insights from children can be used to improve current AI models.

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a close up image of concrete steps

A concrete solution

Recent scholarly research from Mehdi Khanzadeh Moradllo, associate professor in the College of Engineering, could help expand the use of a more eco-friendly concrete alternative.

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Klein College of Media and Communication Professor of Instruction Sherri Hope Culver

Media matters

Klein College of Media and Communication Professor of Instruction Sherri Hope Culver has developed guidelines for children’s media creators to consider when producing content.

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Smarter Robots

Philip Dames is turning machines into team players. The associate professor of mechanical engineering is teaching robots how to interact with humans and each other in real-world settings.

An illustration of RNA and a broom

Healing mode: on

Katz School of Medicine researchers have discovered that a new type of genetic material called circular RNAs may help a heart recover after a heart attack.

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A cartoon laptop with a smiling robot face on the screen

AI won’t take your job; it will make you better at it

Fox School of Business Professor Xueming Luo studies how AI could enhance employee creativity.

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An illustration of musical notes

Striking a chord

Music Therapy Professor Wendy Magee at the Boyer College of Music and Dance uses music to assess consciousness in children and youth with brain injuries.

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The Engine You Cannot See

Diving into deep waters, Professor of Biology Erik Cordes explores how we might benefit from the ocean’s vast resources without destroying the ecosystems that regulate our planet.

Top 20%

research expenditures among public institutions nationally

R1

Carnegie Classification

No. 83

for U.S. patents 2024 (NAI Top 100 U.S. Universities)

$349M+

startup funding raised

The cover of the Research in Action spring 2026 print magazine featuring the profile of a human face and illustrating the nervous system of the brain. The text Research in Action is placed at the top.

Spring/Summer 2026

Download the full print edition to explore each story and feature.

Support Research at Temple

Temple University’s impact begins with the faculty and student researchers who are expanding opportunities and tackling real-world challenges. Philanthropy helps make it possible. You can be a part of this impact by making a gift to the Research and Innovation Fund, supporting Temple’s continued momentum and how we grow our research initiatives at the university.

Three researchers from the Katz School of Medicine's CSAR lab collaborating on research together