Penn State Energy and Environment News

Integrative Studies Seed Grants awarded to faculty across University

| psu.edu

The Office for General Education has announced this year’s seed grants to support the development of Integrative Studies courses. The awarded proposals are representative of a wide range of academic disciplines, and include proposals from faculty at Penn State campuses across the Commonwealth.

Sanitizing hospital sewage

| psu.edu

Researchers at Penn State have developed a water filtration system that removes contaminants and reduces toxicity in hospital wastewater.

Josephine Wee joins Penn State Department of Food Science

| psu.edu

The Department of Food Science in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences recently welcomed Josephine Wee, a new assistant professor of food microbiology, whose appointment will enhance educational and research programs in food safety and microbiology.

$2.1 million enables creation of decision-support tools for pollinator health

| psu.edu

The Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State, in collaboration with researchers at the University of California, Davis; the University of Minnesota; and Dickinson College will receive more than $2 million from the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research and the United States Department of Agriculture to translate basic research into online decision support tools to help beekeepers and land managers maintain and expand populations of managed and wild bees.

Penn State researchers tackling mushroom phorid fly infestations

| psu.edu

Working with mushroom growers and residents in southern Chester County, Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences is ramping up ongoing research efforts to alleviate mushroom phorid fly infestations in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Fear and Hoping: Adding hope to health messages may motivate better behaviors

| news.psu.edu

While fear about health concerns may grip people, adding a little hope to a message might make people more willing to take preventative actions, according to researchers. In two studies, hope and self-efficacy — the belief that a person can help themselves — significantly predicted intentions to take actions against skin cancer, such as wearing sunscreen or protective clothing.

Interdisciplinary projects awarded seed grants from IEE

| psu.edu

The 2017–18 Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE) seed grant recipients have recently been awarded to 16 groups of interdisciplinary researchers at Penn State. This year nearly $350,000 have been awarded to more than 40 researchers in five colleges at University Park as well as at four campuses.

Data driven dialogue: Scientists bring groups together on water quality concerns

| news.psu.edu

Shale Network, a team of scientists studying water quality around Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania, has spent the last six years fostering a dialogue between concerned citizens, watershed groups, government regulators and representatives from large energy companies around water quality data in the state.

The travel industry has sparked a backlash against tourists by stressing quantity over quality

| theconversation.com

At many popular destinations, residents are protesting against crowding, rowdy visitors and low wages. With some research, travelers can use their visits to enrich host areas instead of harming them.

The woman who loves the gunk on Neanderthal teeth

| cosmosmagazine.com

Laura Weyrich wanted to be a GP, but switched paths when she discovered the predictive power of microbiology. She talks to Geetanjali Rangnekar.

Public health researcher issues dire warning about ethane cracker

| alleghenyfront.org

The ethane cracker will bring 600 permanent jobs, but a researcher warns of impacts to air quality and health of residents nearby the future facility.

Penn State launches new cancer biology program

| psu.edu

Penn State is launching a new program dedicated to cancer biology. The program will focus on the molecular, cellular and translational aspects of cancer.