Faculty meeting on Water Initiative to be held May 11
| news.psu.edu
Penn State launched a University-wide water initiative in the fall to help elevate Penn State’s impact and prominence as a center of excellence in water. One of the initiative’s first University-wide meetings will be held on Monday, May 11, running from 2 until 4 p.m. via Zoom.
Gene-editing protocol for whitefly pest opens door to control
| news.psu.edu
Whiteflies are among the most important agricultural pests in the world, yet they have been difficult to genetically manipulate and control, in part, because of their small size. An international team of researchers has overcome this roadblock by developing a CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing protocol that could lead to novel control methods for this devastating pest.
Iron deficiency in corals?
| psu.edu
When iron is limited, the tiny algae that live within coral cells change how they take in other trace metals, which could have cascading effects on vital biological functions and perhaps exacerbate the effects of climate change on corals.
Stuckeman School professor receives funding for renewable energy art, design
| psu.edu
Mihyun Kang, research professor in the Stuckeman School and the assistant director for sustainability in the College of Arts and Architecture, is the principal investigator on an interdisciplinary proposal titled “Renewable Energy Art and Design,” which was awarded a seed grant from the Institutes of Energy and the Environment.
Architectural engineering professor receives NSF CAREER grant
| psu.edu
Donghyun Rim, assistant professor of architectural engineering, was recently awarded a $500,000, five-year Early Career Development Program grant from the National Science Foundation. With this grant, Rim will study modeling and experimental validation of airborne nanoparticles in indoor environments.
Dickinson Law professor earns IEE seed grant for project
| psu.edu
Penn State Dickinson Law Assistant Professor of Law Mohamed Rali Badissy is embarking on a research project to assess the barriers facing African governments trying to move forward with decarbonization.
Two faculty members join the Institutes of Energy and the Environment
| psu.edu
Two researchers have become cofunded faculty members in the Institutes of Energy and the Environment: Hee Jeung Oh, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering, and Hilal Ezgi Toraman, an assistant professor in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences with a joint appointment in the College of Engineering.
Efforts to control livestock disease should focus on management style, not age
| psu.edu
An animal's age does not affect its risk of transmitting PPRV, which produces a highly infectious and often fatal disease in sheep and goats. New research by an international team including researchers at Penn State has important implications for control of this widespread virus.
Indigenous knowledge could reveal ways to weather climate change on islands
| news.psu.edu
Some islands have such low elevation, that mere inches of sea-level rise will flood them, but higher, larger islands will also be affected by changes in climate and an understanding of ancient practices in times of climate change might help populations survive, according to researchers.
A forest and its history, threatened
| psu.edu
The recent wildfires in Australia have impacted ecologically sensitive regions, including an area called the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Site, a region that is a living museum of paleo-Antarctic plants that are found nowhere else on Earth.
Assistant professor recognized for green stormwater infrastructure research
| psu.edu
Lauren McPhillips, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Penn State, was recently named a recipient of the 2020 Best Paper award from the ASCE Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment.
Guertin recognized with 2020 President’s Award for academic integration
| psu.edu
Laura Guertin, professor of earth science at Penn State Brandywine, has been awarded the 2020 President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Integration.
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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