Materials Research Institute seed grants aim to spark interdisciplinary research
| psu.edu
The Materials Research Institute (MRI) offers the MRI Interdisciplinary Seed Grant to Penn State researchers that encourage high-risk, high-impact collaborative projects across multiple disciplines with great potential for societal benefit. The call for proposals is now open for 2026-27, with applications due by 5 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 30.
Industry leaders join Penn State to shape the future of Sustainable Labs Program
| psu.edu
Penn State’s Sustainable Labs Program recently hosted its inaugural Industry Day, bringing together industry leaders, graduate researchers, campus partners and undergraduate sustainability consultants. The day strengthened connections between student learning and industry expertise and shaped a long-term vision for sustainable research spaces through hands-on opportunities that build sustainability knowledge and professional skills.
Q&A: Environmental protection benefits the American economy and public health
| psu.edu
The impacts of environmental protection on public health and the economy outweigh the costs of implementing and enforcing environmental regulations, according to Penn State researchers who conducted a cost-benefit analysis using data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Center for Plant Excellence announces grant award recipients
| psu.edu
The Center for Plant Excellence, a new initiative supporting Pennsylvania’s plant industries, announced recipients of its 2025-26 grants, awarding $125,000 across seven projects.
$1.74M grant to fund Eastern Fire Network
| psu.edu
As large wildfires become more frequent in the eastern U.S., a new research initiative based at Penn State will develop big-picture goals for future study. Erica Smithwick, director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute at the University, will lead the effort.
LionGlass windows, windshields in development with Vitro Architectural Glass
| psu.edu
LionGlass — a stronger and more sustainable glass invented at Penn State — may soon be developed for windows and windshields, thanks to a new partnership with North America’s largest architectural glass manufacturer Vitro Architectural Glass. The company signed a multi-year research agreement to scale up the new, patent-pending glass technology for use in flat glass applications across architectural and automotive markets.
Genetic teamwork may be the secret to climate-resilient plants, researchers find
| psu.edu
A plant’s success may depend on how well the three sets of genetic instructions it carries in its cells cooperate, according to a new study led by plant scientists at Penn State. They found that when those genes are better matched in hybrid plants, the plant is more resilient to changing environments.
The next frontier in space is closer than you think – welcome to the world of very low Earth orbit satellites
| theconversation.com
The closer to Earth a satellite flies, the clearer a picture it can take of the surface. But low-flying satellites also have to deal with atmospheric drag.
Bird researchers use virtual reality to bring fieldwork experience to classroom
| psu.edu
A flutter of blue and yellow darts through a field in late May. The blue-winged warbler is just within reach — with one swift motion it can be gently grasped, banded and studied to understand the health and evolution of one of North America’s most colorful birds. A practice once reserved for scientists, this moment is now possible anywhere in the world thanks to a virtual reality experience developed by scientists at Penn State.
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences funds eight mid-scale seed grants
| psu.edu
The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences' Mid-Scale Seed Grant Program has awarded eight teams of Penn State researchers for projects that will contribute to one or more of the institute's research hubs or affiliated centers.
Feedback loops accelerate warming, other atmospheric changes in Arctic
| psu.edu
Using two instrumented planes and ground-based measurements from a two-month long field campaign to compare chemical processes in two regions in the Arctic — and the largest oil field in North America — to surrounding areas, researchers at Penn State have painted a comprehensive picture of the chemical processes taking place in the Arctic and found that there are multiple, separate interactions impacting the atmosphere.
Backyard insect inspires large-scale invisibility particles production
| psu.edu
A team at Penn State has now developed a high-speed platform capable of producing synthetic versions of brochosomes at a rate exceeding 100,000 per second, a technological achievement that could lead to next-generation camouflage, sensors and other advancements for humans.