Penn State chemist receives 2026 Schmidt Science Polymath Award
| psu.edu
Lauren Zarzar, professor of chemistry and materials science and engineering, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Schmidt Science Polymath Award.
Master Watershed Steward’s decade-long service demonstrates impact
| psu.edu
Geoffrey Selling has spent the past decade volunteering with Penn State Extension’s Montgomery County Master Watershed Steward program, dedicating more than 3,000 hours to service projects, both as a project manager and program leader.
Sept. 25 talk to highlight importance of resilient water infrastructure
| psu.edu
Roberto Fernández, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Penn State, will give the talk “Living with Water” on Sept. 25 in the Earth and Engineering Sciences Building at University Park. The talk will also be available via Zoom.
Recycled concrete aggregate may help treat acid mine drainage
A study led by Penn State researchers suggests that recycled concrete aggregate and an iron-rich byproduct of steel production could help treat acid mine drainage, the toxic runoff that pollutes thousands of miles of streams in Pennsylvania and other coal-mining regions.
Sept. 18 talk to discuss improved models of earthquake-induced soil liquefaction
| psu.edu
Kaleigh Yost, assistant professor of geotechnical engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State, will give the talk “Improving liquefaction modeling for partially saturated soils under fluctuating groundwater conditions” at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, in 117 Earth and Engineering Sciences Building at University Park. The talk will able be available via Zoom.
Double dip: Sampling contaminants of emerging concern two ways improves accuracy
Two are better than one when it comes to sampling methods for tracking the location and timing of toxic chemical contamination in waterways, according to researchers at Penn State. The team tested two typical sampling approaches and found that both are needed to accurately assess both the variety and concentration of contaminants of emerging concern — pharmaceuticals, personal care products, livestock manure-borne hormones, veterinary antibiotics and pesticides — in a watershed.
Pennsylvania’s aging levees are under pressure from scarce funding and severe weather
| by Kaleigh Yost
Pennsylvania has over 180 levees that span approximately 155 miles (255 kilometers) and keep its rivers from flooding. They protect about 158,000 people and US$26.2 billion in property across the state, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.However, those levees are aging, and funding to maintain and improve them is becoming scarcer.
Opportunity Grant applications open for non-tenure-line faculty
| psu.edu
Non-tenure-line clinical, teaching and research faculty and professors of practice can now apply to the Opportunity Grant Professional Development Program for the 2027-28 academic year.
Grand Canyon water supply to be restored in weeks, not months
| apnews.com
National Park Service officials expect to restore a reliable water supply in the Grand Canyon in weeks — not months — as the deadly flash flood didn’t damage most of a near-complete pipeline project, they said Tuesday.
Huck Institutes mark 30 years of interdisciplinary life sciences research
| psu.edu
The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences celebrated 30 years since its 1996 founding as the Life Sciences Consortium with a reception at the Bryce Jordan Center’s 1855 Club.
Climate Consortium announces fall events
The Penn State Climate Consortium will host a series of fall events examining some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities associated with a changing climate.
Prepare PA to host webinar on statewide climate resilience network
Prepare PA will host a webinar at noon Wednesday, Sept. 16, to introduce a new statewide network focused on helping Pennsylvania communities prepare for and respond to a changing climate.The webinar, titled “Prepare PA 101,” will provide an overview of the network’s goals, membership benefits and plans for its first year. Prepare PA aims to equip communities across the Commonwealth with knowledge, tools and resources to build climate resilience, respond to environmental uncertainty and protect their social and economic well-being.