Penn State Energy and Environment News

Gorski to use NSF CAREER award to expand access to clean water and electricity

| psu.edu

Christopher Gorski, assistant professor of environmental engineering at Penn State, will develop devices that use electricity to desalinate water and can also generate their own electricity, thanks to an esteemed National Science Foundation Early Career (CAREER) award.

Integrative Studies Seed Grants awarded to faculty across University

| psu.edu

The Office for General Education has announced this year’s seed grants to support the development of Integrative Studies courses. The awarded proposals are representative of a wide range of academic disciplines, and include proposals from faculty at Penn State campuses across the Commonwealth.

One-fifth of carbon entering coastal waters of eastern North America is buried

| psu.edu

Coastal waters play an important role in the carbon cycle by transferring carbon to the open ocean or burying it in wetland soils and ocean sediments, a new study shows.

Sanitizing hospital sewage

| psu.edu

Researchers at Penn State have developed a water filtration system that removes contaminants and reduces toxicity in hospital wastewater.

Interdisciplinary projects awarded seed grants from IEE

| psu.edu

The 2017–18 Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE) seed grant recipients have recently been awarded to 16 groups of interdisciplinary researchers at Penn State. This year nearly $350,000 have been awarded to more than 40 researchers in five colleges at University Park as well as at four campuses.

Presence, persistence of estrogens in vernal pools an emerging concern

| news.psu.edu

Estrogens in treated wastewater that find their way into temporary wetlands known as vernal pools persist for weeks or even months, according to researchers, who suggest that persistence may have implications for these critical aquatic habitats.

Data driven dialogue: Scientists bring groups together on water quality concerns

| news.psu.edu

Shale Network, a team of scientists studying water quality around Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania, has spent the last six years fostering a dialogue between concerned citizens, watershed groups, government regulators and representatives from large energy companies around water quality data in the state.

Brandywine professor uses NSF grant to tell the stories behind earth science

| psu.edu

Laura Guertin, professor of earth science at Penn State Brandywine, is in the business of asking questions — and her most recent inquiry launched a new, creative project to help more people understand the natural world.

New desalination method offers low-energy alternative to purify salty water

| psu.edu

Providing safer drinking water to those in need may be a little easier. According to Penn State researchers, a new desalination technique is able to remove salt from water using less energy than previous methods.

Field conference helps write the book on Pennsylvania geology

| psu.edu

The 82nd annual Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists was held in October at Penn State. Professional geologists from across the state traveled to learn about the latest geology research happening in the state.

Varadero, a story about a resilient reef in Colombia's Bay of Cartagena

| bodhisurfyoga.com

Learn more about the Varadero Reef in the Bay of Cartagena in Colombia and its story of ecological resilience in the face of climate change and other environmental crises.

Report addresses flooding and flood insurance impacts on rural Pennsylvania

| news.psu.edu

A newly released report examines how flooding and recent changes to the federal flood insurance program are impacting rural Pennsylvania in unique ways.