Penn State 3rd in US and 40th globally in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
| psu.edu
Penn State remained in the top three in the U.S. and moved up globally from No. 47 to No. 40 out of nearly 1,600 international institutions that participated in the 2023 Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings. This ranking, which assesses universities against the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, places Penn State in the top 2.5% of higher education institutions worldwide.
Anti-abortion advocates turn to the environment: Is mifepristone in wastewater a threat?
| politifact.com
Abortion opponents are using a new argument in their efforts to restrict abortion access: the environment. This article quotes Heather Preisendanz, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering.
Ancient ocean on Mars? Chinese rover finds marine sediments
| earthsky.org
We know that Mars had rivers and lakes in the distant past. But what about oceans? There is indeed tentative evidence for an ancient ocean in the northern hemisphere. However, scientists have been debating that evidence for decades. This article mentions Penn State research.
Coal: A renewable resource? Unlocking hydrogen storage possibilities
| interestingengineering.com
Discover how scientists have unlocked coal's potential as a hydrogen storage solution, revolutionizing the clean energy landscape. This article quotes Shimin Liu, Associate Professor, and Joseph Kreutzberger Early Career Professorship, John and Willie Leone Department of Energy & Mineral Engineering.
Researchers encouraged to take ideas from the lab to the marketplace
| psu.edu
Penn State’s I-Corps Short Course is accepting applications for its June cohort. The no-cost program helps researchers test a startup idea through customer discovery and lean startup methodology.
Harrisburg students awarded for 2023 Capstone Design projects
| psu.edu
Outstanding student projects were recognized during the Penn State Harrisburg School of Science, Engineering, and Technology Capstone Design Conference held in April. The conference was the culmination of students’ undergraduate studies and provided the opportunity to combine classroom learning with real-life applications and collaborate with industry sponsors.
Penn State Harrisburg team investigates the cause, impact of Middletown flooding
| psu.edu
Through a $120,000 Pennsylvania Sea Grant, Clark, along with Anthony Buccitelli, associate professor of American studies and communications, and Jeffrey Tolbert, assistant professor of American studies and folklore, are pursuing an interdisciplinary research project combining engineering and ethnography to examine flooding in the Middletown community.
AI in the Sky
| pennstatermag.com
Engineering professor Chaopeng Shen’s AI-based hydrological models helped PlantVillage teams in Africa combat a powerful locust plague and save the crops of thousands of farmers.
Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses Kelly Austin announces departure
| psu.edu
Kelly Austin, Penn State vice president for Commonwealth Campuses, announced his departure from the University in July 2023.
Fowler named director of Sustainability Institute, chief sustainability officer
| psu.edu
Lara B. Fowler, teaching professor of law at Penn State Law and researcher with expertise centering on water, energy, agriculture and dispute resolution, has been named director of the Sustainability Institute at Penn State and the University’s chief sustainability officer, effective May 15. Fowler has served in both roles on an interim basis since July 1, 2022.
Registration now open for 2023 Graduate Women in Science National Conference
| psu.edu
Registration is now open for the 2023 Graduate Women in Science National Conference, titled “Come Together: The Importance of Connection," which will be held June 22–24 at the HUB-Robeson Center. Undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, faculty, staff and professionals of all genders are invited to attend.
New program launches STEM majors into patent law career path
| psu.edu
A new program, known as the the Patent Agent Career Pathway, is launching this summer to expose Penn State STEM majors to a nontraditional career path in patent practice. The program is for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students seeking to learn about patent law and explore the possibility of taking the patent bar exam, which does not require a law degree, to become a patent agent.
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.
Join Our Mailing List
IEE publishes a weekly email newsletter and event guide during most of the year containing featured news stories, events, and other announcements.