Penn State Energy and Environment News

Penn State hosts delegation from, signs agreement with Satbayev University

| psu.edu

Penn State hosted a delegation of senior administrators and faculty Feb. 1-2 from Kazakhstan's Satbayev University. The visit, coordinated by Penn State Global, marked a milestone in the evolving relationship between the two universities that was first established in 2018.

Feb. 21 webinar to focus on harnessing photosynthesis to address climate change

| psu.edu

Climate change is evident through catastrophic fires in Canada and out West, deadly heat waves in the South, and floods across the mid-Atlantic. According to organizers of a Feb. 21 Penn State Extension land-use webinar, the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and human systems are already tragic and worsening. This session will explore harnessing photosynthesis for a carbon-negative bioeconomy.

Attention Penn State inventors: GAP Fund program applications due Feb. 16

| psu.edu

The Penn State Commercialization GAP Fund program is still open and accepting applications from full-time faculty, staff and researchers with promising ideas for new products or technologies. The GAP Fund provides funding and support to help move research closer to market. The deadline to apply is Feb. 16.

Events to be held at University Park as part of Lab Safety Week, Feb. 12-16

| psu.edu

Penn State’s Environmental Health and Safety team will host in-person events at the University Park campus as part of national Lab Safety Week, Feb. 12-16, an initiative of CSHEMA, the Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association, to promote laboratory health and safety programs on college campuses.

Promotion and tenure process workshops offered this spring for faculty

| psu.edu

The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs is offering a 2023-24 Promotion and Tenure workshop series for faculty on how to prepare for success in the promotion and tenure process.

Berks student team developing EV charging stations receives national recognition

| psu.edu

Penn State Berks student startup team Streamline Charging LLC has received national and University-wide recognition for its flexible and affordable electric vehicle (EV) charging solution that transforms the charging experience for apartment dwellers and service station customers.

Combining materials may support unique superconductivity for quantum computing

| psu.edu

A new fusion of materials, each with special electrical properties, has all the components required for a unique type of superconductivity that could provide the basis for more robust quantum computing. A team led by researchers at Penn State published their work in Science. 

Modified soft material promises better bioelectronics, researchers say

| psu.edu

Soft bioelectronic devices hold potential for many advances in the health care field, but researchers have faced hurdles in identifying materials that are biocompatible while still maintaining all necessary characteristics to operate effectively. A team co-led by Penn State researchers has now taken a step toward achieving such a material.

Enrique Gomez selected as fellow for polymeric materials division of chemical society

| news.engr.psu.edu

Enrique Gomez, interim associate dean for equity and inclusion and professor of chemical engineering, was selected as a 2024 fellow by The American Chemical Society Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE). 

Reflecting on COP28 — and humanity’s progress toward meeting global climate goals

| news.mit.edu

Students, faculty, and staff from MIT attended the COP28 U.N. climate change conference in Dubai. At a forum hosted by the MIT Center for International Studies in January, MIT community members shared their experiences and insights from the conference. This article mentions Penn State. 

Search launched for new dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences

| psu.edu

Penn State is seeking nominations and candidates for the next dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences.

Penn State Global announces faculty and staff Travel Awards Program for 2024

| psu.edu

Penn State Global is announcing Faculty and Staff Travel Awards for 2024. These awards are given on a rolling basis and are meant to support faculty and staff travel related to developing or expanding collaboration with select Penn State global partner universities and organizations.