Penn State Energy and Environment News

Hurricane Dorian devastates Bahamas; scientists explain storm's unique evolution

| psu.edu

Hurricane Dorian's unusual evolution represented a worst-case scenario for the Bahamas, according to experts at Penn State.

Penn State researchers lead the way in Water-Energy-Food research in Africa

| psu.edu

Three Penn State researchers — Rachel Brennan, in the College of Engineering, and Mike Jacobson and Brian Thiede, in the College of Agricultural Sciences — recently received $250,000 in University Strategic Plan seed funding to address global Water-Energy-Food challenges.

Data assimilation method offers improved hurricane forecasting

| psu.edu

Operational models for severe weather forecasting predicted Hurricane Harvey would become a Category 1 hurricane in 2017, according to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Instead, it became a massive Category 4 just before it made landfall, tying Hurricane Katrina for the costliest hurricane on record.

Researchers develop novel process to fabricate battery materials

| psu.edu

By discovering a way to combine lithium salts with ceramics, researchers in the Penn State College of Engineering and the Penn State Materials Research Institute may have created a new class of materials for longer-lasting batteries. According to researchers, the composite nature of the batteries could make recycling easier, reducing landfill waste.

Historic Greenland melt is a "glimpse of the future"

| scientificamerican.com

A major heat wave pushed melting into areas of the ice sheet that normally stay frozen year-round

Extreme ice melt in Greenland threatens coastal communities across the world, scientists warn

| cnbc.com

Greenland is the biggest contributor to sea level rise, which threatens to destroy property value in coastal regions, displace residents and eventually impact global markets.

How to restore a coral reef

| psu.edu

New guidelines drafted by a consortium of concerned experts could enable corals to adapt to changing environments and help restore declining coral populations in the Caribbean. The guidelines provide a definitive plan for collecting, raising and replanting corals that maximizes their potential for adaptation.

Accomplished plastics pollution researcher joins Penn State Behrend

| psu.edu

Sam Mason joined Penn State Behrend at the start of the spring 2019 semester as the college's sustainability coordinator. The Texas native is known for her groundbreaking research on plastics pollution.

New IEE leaders mindful of energy, environmental challenges

| psu.edu

Bruce Logan and Erica Smithwick have been named associate directors for the Institutes of Energy and the Environment.

Strategic plan seed grant supports green stormwater infrastructure research

| news.psu.edu

A proposal that will support the development of a living laboratory for green stormwater infrastructure research, education and innovation at Penn State is among the latest initiatives to receive funding through the University’s Strategic Plan Seed Grant program.

Penn State promotions in academic rank, effective July 1, 2019

| psu.edu

The following is a list of academic promotions for tenured and tenure-line faculty members at Penn State, effective July 1.

Civil and environmental engineering announces tenure for five faculty members

| psu.edu

Five Penn State Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty members have been selected for promotion and/or tenure, effective July 1, 2019.