Penn State Energy and Environment News

Climate Solutions Symposium announces call for climate posters

| psu.edu

The Penn State Climate Solutions Symposium will host a poster session, offering a platform to showcase climate change efforts and highlight innovative solutions.

Critical minerals’ role in green energy topic of 2024 Shoemaker Lecture

| psu.edu

Edward  C. Dowling Jr., president and chief executive officer and board of directors member at Compass Minerals, will give the 2024 G. Albert Shoemaker Lecture in Mineral Engineering at Penn State. His talk, “Challenges and Opportunities of the Critical Minerals Revolution,” will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 19, in the Hub-Robeson Center’s Freeman Auditorium and online via Zoom. A reception will follow the lecture at 5:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Research Support Transformation Project moves forward, feedback solicited

| psu.edu

Over the past several months, the Research Support Transformation Project core team and its executive sponsors have been documenting and analyzing current processes and engaging stakeholders, including faculty and staff members, through a series of interviews to learn about their experiences. Now, they are sharing progress to date and inviting all faculty and staff members to provide input to help inform the project’s future directions. 

Stuckeman architecture graduate awarded international dissertation prize

| psu.edu

Farzad Hashemi, who graduated in 2023 from Penn State with a doctorate in architecture, was recently named the recipient of the Architectural Research Centers Consortium Dissertation Award. He is the second recipient of the prestigious research award in as many years from the Stuckeman School.

Feds funding large solar project in Clearfield County

| post-gazette.com

The federal government is goosing Pennsylvania’s solar energy footprint, sending $90 million to create the largest solar project in the state. This article mentions Penn State.

Penn State Altoona lecture to feature physics professor and student researcher

| psu.edu

Penn State Altoona’s Spotlight on Teaching and Research lecture series continues with a presentation by Professor of Physics Kofi Adu and mathematics student Philip Chamberlin. The pair will present their research, "Estimating Bandgap Energy of Nanoarchitectured Nonconforming Heterostructures for Solar Cell Application," at 12:05 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, in the Fireside Lounge of the Slep Student Center.

Pterofin's sustainable alternative to turbines is revolutionizing the future of renewable energy

| ibtimes.com

Pterofin's technology operates through an oscillating fin controlled by a counterbalance that changes the pitch of the wind. This article mentions Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory (ARL).

Penn State to host second annual Sustainability Summit

| psu.edu

Penn State Sustainability and the University Park Undergraduate Association are partnering again to gather students and others together in visioning and planning for a more sustainable Penn State at the second annual Sustainability Summit from 3 to 8 p.m. on Monday, April 1, in Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center. Margaret Klein Salamon, a clinical psychologist and executive director of the Climate Emergency Fund, will provide the summit’s opening keynote.

Jennifer Lalli to present 2024 Richard E. Tressler Lecture on March 28

| psu.edu

The second 2024 Richard E. Tressler Lectures in Materials will be held at 3:05 p.m. Thursday, March 28, in 111 Wartik Laboratory on the Penn State University Park campus. Jennifer Lalli, president at NanoSonic Inc., will deliver the lecture “A Penn State polymer chemist’s role in the commercialization of green nanotechnology.”

Engineering science and mechanics researcher Christian Peco awarded NSF CAREER

| psu.edu

Christian Peco, assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics in the Penn State College of Engineering, earned a five-year, $549,445 U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER Award for a project that will examine biological organisms like slime molds and fungi for inspiration in designing decentralized intelligent collaboration algorithms.

Penn State takes next step in Hammond Building demolition, Sackett Building renovations

| radio.wpsu.org

The State College Planning Commission heard the final university plans for the demolition of the Hammond Building and future Sackett Building renovations.

Wilkes-Barre faculty member receives Geospatial Professor of the Year award

| psu.edu

Dimitrios Bolkas, associate professor of surveying engineering at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, received a leadership award during an industry conference for his work with virtual reality. Bolkas, who is the coordinator of the surveying engineering program at the campus, was presented with the Younger Geospatial Professional award during the Geo Week conference in Denver, Colorado.