Junot Diaz is not would you’d expect from a Pulitzer Prize winner. He’s not what you’d expect from a MacArthur Fellow, either, or a professor at MIT, though he teaches creative writing at the storied institution. He’s not even, come to think of it, what you’d expect from a Dominican immigrant, though he moved from Santo Domingo to New Jersey when he was a boy. He is equal parts sociological jargon and foul-mouthed hood-speak, comic book nerd and academic elite. Without even reading a word of his prose, it is clear what Diaz is all about: blurring the lines and bringing the fringes to the center.

The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia is pleased to announce that it has appointed Craig Snyder as its new President and CEO. Snyder replaces Claudia McBride, who is stepping down after 25 years with the Council, the last six as President. Snyder’s appointment follows a six-month search by the Board.

This autumn, Penn Museum premiered a new exhibit called "In the Artifact Lab: Conserving Egyptian Mummies." The exhibit invites visitors to the museum's third floor to view the scientists at work through a glass-enclosed laboratory for an amazing educational experience.

Philadelphia is expanding. It’s busy, whirring, as full of life, culture, business, and talent as its cousins to the north and south, New York and Washington. It’s a city that’s home to three major universities, not to mention the many just beyond its limits. There’s a thriving music scene, a growing art community, and plenty of young professionals flocking to reasonably-priced apartments. Here at Global Philadelphia Association, we celebrate the city’s diversity and wealth of global assets. And now, Philadelphia is striving for greater competition in the start-up community and international trade.