Several Penn State labs receive UN-endorsed sustainability certification
| psu.edu
Penn State's inaugural Sustainable Labs Program resulted in 15 labs across units completing the United Nations-endorsed My Green Lab Certification process, scoring at the gold ranking or above — the three highest levels. As a result of their success "greening" daily research lab practices, 25 new labs from across the commonwealth are being recruited for a second-year pilot.
Max Crowley appointed new director of the Prevention Research Center
| psu.edu
Max Crowley, professor of human development and family studies and public policy, has been appointed director of Penn State's Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, beginning Aug. 15.
Penn State-created LionGlass will cut carbon emissions in half, create energy-efficient options
| happyvalleyindustry.com
One of the largest challenges facing the glass industry today is the immense amount of carbon emissions produced by the production of glass. At least 86 million tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere each year from glass manufacturing. LionGlass engineered and researched at Penn State - named after the Nittany Lion mascot - has a solution to shaving carbon emissions by half, effectively revolutionizing the glass industry.
Earth is at its hottest in thousands of years. Here's how we know
| washingtonpost.com
In recent days, as Earth hit its highest average temperatures in recorded history, scientists made a bolder claim: It may well be warmer than any time in the last 125,000 years. This article quotes Richard Alley, Evan Pugh University Professor, Geosciences.
MatSE establishes 115th Anniversary Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund
| psu.edu
To help support its commitment to creating an environment that promotes diversity in the field so that the next generation of experts tasked with creating and improving materials incorporates all perspectives, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) at Penn State established the 115th Anniversary Materials Science and Engineering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund.
Andrea Tapia named interim dean of College of IST
| psu.edu
Andrea Tapia, associate dean for research and professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), has been named interim dean for the college, effective Aug. 1. She will assume the role following the departure of Andrew Sears, as announced on June 28.
Engineering graduate student selected as ‘rising star’ in cyber-physical systems
| psu.edu
Zahra Ghorbani, an architectural engineering doctoral candidate at Penn State, was of 34 people selected nationally to participate in the 2023 Cyber-Physical Systems Rising Stars Workshop, held at the University of Virginia and funded by the National Science Foundation. The workshop is held annually for doctoral students and postdocs who are interested in pursuing academic careers in cyber-physical systems.
Climate watch: What climate models can teach us about heat
| newsbreak.com
Climate models predict that severe heat waves should become more common as the climate warms and that the most severe of them will become even more deadly. This article was written by James Kasting, Evan Pugh University Professor Emeritus of Geosciences.
Drought Task Force maintains drought watch status for all of Pennsylvania
| news.yahoo.com
Following a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force this week, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will maintain a statewide drought watch. This article mentions Penn State.
Columbia darkens bridge lights to prepare for mayflies
| lancasteronline.com
With recent hot weather expected to accelerate the mayfly hatch along the Susquehanna River, lights at the Veterans Memorial Bridge between Columbia and Wrightsville have been turned off in order to keep the masses of insects from causing unsafe driving conditions. This article mentions Penn State research.
Allegheny County is no longer in ‘moderate drought’ designation; observers say current trends good for crops, greenery
| post-gazette.com
After a spat of heavy storms in the last week, the drought situation in Allegheny County has been downgraded to “abnormally dry” — but close observers of weather say it’s not yet known if the trend holds in the coming weeks. This article quotes Brian Wolyniak, renewable natural resources and urban forestry educator with Penn State Extension.
Where are the Spotted Lanternflies in Pennsylvania?
| abc27.com
Spotted lanternflies. Usually, we’d be killing them right now, but have you seen any yet? This article quotes Amy Korman, horticulture educator with Penn State Extension.
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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