Penn State Energy and Environment News

Penn State finalizing plans for major renovations to Sackett Building, Hammond Building demolition

| statecollege.com

Penn State plans to begin work late this year for a project that will significantly renovate the historic Sackett Building and, eventually, demolish the much-maligned Hammond Building.

March 18 EarthTalks: Heat adaptation actions for cities to improve public health

| psu.edu

Benjamin Hobbs, Theodore M. and Kay W. Schad Professor of Environmental Management, Rui Shi, doctoral student, and Ali Eyni, doctoral student, all at Johns Hopkins University, will give the talk, “City-HEAT (Heat Equity Adaptation Tool): A multi-objective, uncertainty-based planning framework for urban heat adaptation and management,” at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 18, in 112 Walker Building on the University Park campus.

Forest, stream habitats keep energy exchanges in balance, global team finds

| psu.edu

Forests and streams are separate but linked ecosystems, existing side by side, with energy and nutrients crossing their porous borders and flowing back and forth between them. For example, leaves fall from trees, enter streams, decay and feed aquatic insects. Those insects emerge from the waters and are eaten by birds and bats. An international team led by Penn State researchers has now found that these ecosystems appear to keep the energy exchanges in balance — a finding that the scientists called surprising. 

Call for ambassadors for Research-to-Policy Collaboration program

| psu.edu

Research findings can often be underutilized in policymaking, leading to limited public benefit from taxpayer-funded research. A program at Penn State is offering scholars from across the country the opportunity to engage with policymakers to help research evidence and expertise inform policy decisions.

Knappenberger named chemistry department head

| psu.edu

Kenneth Knappenberger Jr., professor of chemistry, has been named the new head of the Penn State Department of Chemistry, effective July 1. Knappenberger succeeds Phil Bevilacqua, who has served as the head of the department since 2018.         

Robert J. Kumpf to present 2024 Richard E. Tressler Lecture on March 14

| psu.edu

The 2024 Richard E. Tressler Lecture in Materials will be held at 3:05 p.m. Thursday, March 14, in 111 Wartik Laboratory on the Penn State University Park campus. Robert J. Kumpf, managing director at Deloitte, will deliver the lecture, “The long history and bright future of applied materials science.”

2024 Climate Solutions Symposium registration open

| psu.edu

Registration is open for the 2024 Climate Solutions Symposium, which is designed to bring people together to stimulate projects and partnerships where Penn State’s interdisciplinary research strengths can inform and transform climate solutions.

Eco-poet ties narratives of protecting insects to larger themes of resilience

| psu.edu

Penn State Sustainability is hosting eco-poet and author Heather Swan, March 20-23, to explore the importance of insects and the work of those trying to protect them, as well as how these efforts can model more productive narratives about our global future.  

AI discovers how Arctic warming influences U.S. weather patterns

| earth.com

The consequences of the diminishing Arctic sea ice, particularly its effects on daily weather patterns across the U.S., are now more clear. This article quotes Assistant Professor of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, Melissa Gervais.

Penn State ranks first in Big Ten in sustainability performance

| onwardstate.com

The university jumped from a 2021 score of 74.49 to a 2024 score of 76.41, which is the highest rating among participating Big Ten universities.

Penn State rates highly in the STARS sustainability performance rating

| psu.edu

Penn State’s University Park campus recently received notice of its fifth Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, with an improved gold rating — from a score of 74.49 in 2021, to 76.41 in 2024. This latest rating places Penn State at the top of participating Big Ten institutions in sustainability performance.

What winter? Erie area is 'abnormally dry' due to lack of snow, rain

| goerie.com

Not all of Erie County is included under the designation of "abnormally dry" by the U.S. Drought Monitor. This article quotes Joey Akins, a field and forage crops educator with Penn State Extension.