Enrique Gomez named interim engineering associate dean for equity and inclusion
| psu.edu
Enrique Gomez, professor of chemical engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering and of materials science and engineering in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, has been appointed interim associate dean for equity and inclusion for the College of Engineering, effective July 1.
NASA-funded student team builds microwave system to smelt metal on the moon
| psu.edu
A team of undergraduate students in Penn State’s Student Space Programs Laboratory, housed in the College of Engineering’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, was one of seven university teams selected to receive funding from NASA to build a prototype in the BIG Idea Challenge. The Penn State team received $130,000 to develop a microwave system that can smelt metal on the moon.
Penn State announces tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2023
| psu.edu
The following is a list of academic promotions for tenured and tenure-line faculty members at Penn State, effective July 1, 2023.
Vaccine against deadly chytrid fungus primes frog microbiome for future exposure
| psu.edu
According to a new study led by researchers at Penn State, vaccines can, in some cases, induce a protective shift in the microbiome — the microorganisms that live on or within a host organism. They found that a new vaccine against the deadly chytrid fungus in frogs shifted the microbiome, making the frogs resilient to future exposure to the fungus.
Mission critical: To get critical minerals and rare earth metals from coal waste
| psu.edu
Rare earth metals and critical minerals are vital components of our consumer goods, national defense, and emerging green-energy technologies. The United States is heavily dependent on imports for an adequate supply of these materials. Penn State researchers are looking for ways to use Pennsylvania's coal mine waste as a domestic source for critical minerals and simultaneously reducing the environmental pollution that legacy coal mining has left behind.
Penn State announces non-tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2023
| psu.edu
The following is a list of non-tenure-line faculty promotions at Penn State, effective July 1, 2023.
Masai giraffes more endangered than previously thought
| psu.edu
A new study led by researchers at Penn State reveals that populations of Masai giraffes separated geographically by the Great Rift Valley have not exchanged genetic material in more than a thousand years, and in some cases hundreds of thousands of years, suggesting these giraffes are more endangered than previously thought.
Troy Ott named acting director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
| psu.edu
Troy Ott , professor of reproductive physiology and associate director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, has been selected to serve as acting director of the Huck Institutes during the appointment of Andrew Read as interim senior vice president of research at Penn State. Ott’s position will be effective July 1.
Indo-Pacific corals more resilient to climate change than Atlantic corals
| new.nsf.gov
In the face of global warming and other environmental changes, corals in the Atlantic Ocean have declined precipitously in recent years, while corals in the Pacific and Indian Oceans are faring better.
'This is on our doorstep now': Wildfire smoke a reminder that climate change impacts human health
| jsonline.com
Smoke from Canadian wildfires that turned skies along the East Coast a sickly yellow has become yet another illustration of how changes in our climate foster extreme weather events. This article quotes Erica Smithwick, Distinguished Professor of Geography.
Award-winning architect named head of Penn State Department of Architecture
| psu.edu
Frank Jacobus has been named head of the Department of Architecture in Penn State’s Stuckeman School in the College of Arts and Architecture, effective July 1. An architect, designer, artist and educator, he has spent 16 years in higher education, most recently serving as associate department head in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas.
Digital divide hinders rural innovation, study shows
| psu.edu
Cloud-based computing directly contributes to business innovation, but rural businesses lacking sufficient broadband capacity to access cloud services are missing out on their innovation-boosting potential, according to a team of researchers from Penn State and the National Science Foundation. The findings can be used by policymakers and business-support organizations to foster greater opportunities for rural innovation.
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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