Penn State Energy and Environment News

Cover crop mixtures must be 'farm-tuned' to provide maximum ecosystem services

| psu.edu

Penn State researchers, in a recent study, were surprised to learn that they could take the exact same number of seeds from the same plants, put them in agricultural fields across the Mid-Atlantic region and get profoundly different stands of cover crops a few months later.

Researchers aim to create thriving agricultural systems in urbanizing landscapes

| psu.edu

A team led by Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences researchers is almost a year into a five-year study aimed at creating economically and environmentally sustainable agricultural systems in the face of development pressures and other challenges of urbanization.

Water-energy-food research event to explore US-Colombian partnership

| psu.edu

As part of Penn State's ongoing support of research in the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus, an online information session focused specifically on WEF nexus efforts in Colombia will be held on Aug. 6.

Custom nanoparticle regresses tumors when exposed to light

| news.psu.edu

A team of Penn State researchers is collaborating on a potential new method to treat cancer by delivering a unique nanoparticle to a localized cancerous area in mice and activating the treatment through light exposure.

How Penn State is 'building' a healthier future

| news.psu.edu

For more than two decades, Esther Obonyo, associate professor of engineering design and architectural engineering and director of the Global Building Network, has served as a global expert on buildings.

'Land and Water Revisited' to livestream for premiere

| psu.edu

"Land and Water Revisited," a look back at a 1962 movie on the ecological impact of people in the Teotihuacan Valley outside of Mexico City, will live stream at 7 p.m. on July 24 on YouTube Live from the State Theatre. The film will be introduced by the producers and followed by a livestreamed, 45-minute question-and-answer session with collaborators and families from the original film.

Center for Security Research and Education announces seed grant awardees

| psu.edu

The Center for Security Research and Education (CSRE) has selected 13 interdisciplinary projects through its spring 2020 seed grant program. CSRE is providing a total of $300,000 in funding for the projects, with an additional $300,000 in matching and supplemental funding from other colleges, departments, and institutes.

Penn State and University of Auckland announce 2020 joint collaboration projects

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In late 2019, Penn State and the University of Auckland launched the Joint Collaboration Development Program, a jointly financed seed-fund program with the aim to foster collaborative research and educational projects. The Office of Global Programs has announced that eight projects have been funded and will officially commence in June.

Research team to study food resilience in the face of catastrophic global events

| news.psu.edu

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all become aware of how a global crisis can affect our access to food. But imagine the food security impacts of an even worse scenario — an all-out nuclear war, a large asteroid strike, or a supervolcano eruption.

Penn State promotions in academic rank, effective July 1, 2020

| psu.edu

The following is a list of academic promotions for tenured and tenure-line faculty members at Penn State, effective July 1.

Battling disease with ultraviolet light

| psu.edu

Bill Bahnfleth, co-principal investigator (PI) and professor of architectural engineering, is joining co-PI Suresh Kuchipudi, clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, to study the ability of optical radiation to disinfect surfaces and reduce transmission of viruses.

Geographers bring expertise on geospatial data, modeling to COVID-19 research

| psu.edu

Penn State geographers are taking part in a variety of projects in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.