Soil filters out some emerging contaminants before reaching groundwater
| psu.edu
There is considerable uncertainty surrounding emerging contaminants in aquatic ecosystems and groundwater, and a recent Penn State study of compounds from pharmaceuticals and personal care products didn't add much clarity. But it did provide insight into the transport of the chemicals, according to researchers in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Rooftop concentrating photovoltaics win big over silicon in outdoor testing
| psu.edu
A concentrating photovoltaic system with embedded microtracking can produce over 50 percent more energy per day than standard silicon solar cells in a head-to-head competition, according to a team of engineers who field tested a prototype unit over two sunny days last fall.
Recipients of 2017 Human Health and the Environment seed grants announced
| psu.edu
The Human Health and the Environment seed grants for 2017 have been awarded to a pool of interdisciplinary researchers at Penn State. These seed grants were funded by eight separate Penn State research entities and institutes, which collectively contributed more than $500,000. “We had an exceptional pool of proposals from faculty across the university,” Tom Richard, director of the Institutes of Energy and the Environment, said. “The projects address emerging contaminants well as legacy environmental problems that seriously impact human health.”
Office for General Education announces Integrative Studies Seed Grant awards
| psu.edu
The Integrative Studies Seed Grant Program, offered through the Penn State Office for General Education, will support 71 different course development projects this summer. In response to the large volume of highly qualified proposals, the budget was generously increased by more than 50 percent by the Office of the Provost and the Office of Undergraduate Education.
Big data, big science: Students share 'big data' research at poster session
| psu.edu
Data comes in all shapes and sizes -- from text-based tweets to satellite imagery. The variability of that data was on display at the recent Big Data Social Science (BDSS) poster session.
Black History Month Scholar's program highlights faculty research
| psu.edu
Panelists will share their research in three panel discussions for the Black History Month PSU Scholar’s Program, highlighting scholarship by Penn State faculty members of African descent, Feb. 21 and 22 in Pattee Library's Foster Auditorium at University Park.
Giebink to explore new optical materials using NSF CAREER Award
| psu.edu
Electrical engineer Chris Giebink has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his project, “Non-Hermitian Organic Photonics.”
College of Engineering seed grants support multidisciplinary research efforts
| psu.edu
Penn State's College of Engineering recently awarded funding to four projects through its Multidisciplinary Research Seed Grants program.
Researchers look at ways to improve Pennsylvania bridges
| psu.edu
Every day, millions of Pennsylvania motorists drive on or under one of the Commonwealth’s more than 22,000 bridges without ever thinking about its safety and durability. Researchers at Penn State, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, however, are thinking about it and are trying to improve the bridges in the process.
College of Engineering welcomes new faculty, continues expansion
| psu.edu
The College of Engineering proudly welcomes the new faculty members who have joined Penn State for the 2016-17 academic year.
Penn State Harrisburg Summer STEM program wows high school students
| psu.edu
Penn State Harrisburg's two-week Summer STEM Enrichment Program introduced high school students to the different scientific disciplines involved in STEM, helping to give them a better sense of what major they might pursue, what careers are available, and what learning at the university level would be like.
Engineering's Collins, Giebink honored for teaching excellence
| psu.edu
Robert Collins, associate professor of computer science and engineering at Penn State, and Chris Giebink, Charles K. Etner Early Career Professor of Electrical Engineering at Penn State, were recently selected to receive the Joel and Ruth Spira Excellence in Teaching Award. Established with an endowment by the Lutron Foundation in honor of the company's founders, the award recognizes individuals who excel in the classroom by helping students learn, understand and apply the fundamentals of engineering.
Once a frozen haven, climate-driven rising temperatures are rapidly thawing the Arctic permafrost, posing a major threat to communities and infrastructure. Researchers are investigating how these changes will transform rivers, with potential consequences for erosion, sediment transport, and the entire Arctic landscape. Additionally, their project incorporates art to communicate these critical findings in an engaging way. Listen to the podcast.
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