The ICDS/Huck AI Symposium, hosted by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences on Oct. 15, invites researchers from across Penn State and beyond to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the life sciences.
Penn State Energy and Environment Calendar
A collection of upcoming energy and environment events from around Penn State and beyond.
2026 Women Advancing River Research Seminar SeriesHydroclimate Impacts on Human-Water InteractionsMaria Magdalena Warter, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology & Inland Fisheries, Germany Serena Ceola, University of Bologna, Italy
This presentation examines the modeling and optimization of an integrated photovoltaic water distribution system (PVWD) application in Makassar, Indonesia.
Mapping Hydrologically Sensitive Areas to Guide Watershed Stewardship in the Susquehanna River Basin
The College of Ag Sciences' SAFES Institute and Office of Access and Equity invite you to participate this semester in a monthly inter-institutional seminar series featuring talks from faculty at Central State University, University of Puerto Rico, and Penn State University.
Mirna Kassem, Stanford University, presents "Regional-Scale Coupled Hydrological and Hillslope Stability Modeling of Rainfall-Induced Landslides."This is part of a seminar series hosted by the TRAIN center through the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute on Computational Frontiers in Multi-Hazard Forecasting and Risk Assessment.
The Geochemistry Forum hosts Ray Najjar, department of meteorology, presenting "Geochemistry Forum - Excess dissolved inorganic carbon: A new metric for understanding riverine carbonate chemistry."
Lara Fowler, professor of teaching with Penn State Dickinson Law, will give the talk “Multisolving the deluge: building community-led solutions to flooding challenges” at 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, in 112 Walker Building at Penn State University Park. The talk also will be available via Zoom.Fowler will present her perspective on effective community engagement to address potential flooding impacts. As the climate continues to change, natural hazards like flooding become more frequent and intense.
The Department of Architectural Engineering will host Prof. Carol C. Menassa from the University of Michigan for an AE Distinguished Speaker seminar. Food and beverages will be provided.
Retail delivery fees (RDFs) have emerged as a revenue generating mechanism used by policymakers to mitigate the major impacts of last-mile deliveries, particularly on infrastructure. In this study, the authors analyzed how consumers in the US adjust their delivery preferences in response to RDFs, identified the threshold that induces shifts from home to out-of-home delivery alternatives, and examined policy outcomes in major metropolitan areas. Through a three-component, multi-method design behavioral and system responses to RDFs were analyzed.
Beyond Hazard Forecasting: AI Driven Insights into Disaster Impacts and Humanitarian Response presented by Gabriela Gesualdo.This is part of a seminar series hosted by the TRAIN center through the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute on Computational Frontiers in Multi-Hazard Forecasting and Risk Assessment.
The talk will feature Dr. Jasmine Garland from CU Boulder. Dr. Garland develops predictive machine learning frameworks to help energy infrastructure withstand extreme weather, using advanced modeling techniques to improve long-term grid planning and resource adequacy. Her research integrates high-resolution climate data into capacity expansion models, ensuring the power grid can meet demand even during severe climate shocks.
To scale and de-risk community building retrofits, the industry must shift from siloed waterfall practices to integrated planning and virtual testing. Platform-Based Design (PBD) addresses this by separating functionality from implementation, enabling holistic decision-making, de-risking system integration and high degree of component reuse.
Nicolas Choquette-Levy, Penn State, presents "Haunted by Hazards: Investigating the "Long Shadow" of Natural Disturbances through Coupled Human-Biophysical Responses."
Huck Distinguished Lecture Series
Join fellow industry leaders, researchers, students, and faculty for a dynamic day of discovery, collaboration, and innovation. This year’s refreshed format is designed to spark new ideas and connections through engaging, hands-on experiences. What's in store:
Join us in University Park for an interdisciplinary symposium of engineers, architects, scientists, educators, activists, citizens, and civic leaders in a candid and thought-provoking confrontation of issues surrounding AI and data centers. Network with experts across fields. Breakfast and lunch will be provided; no cost to attend.
This presentation explores Modelica-based modeling of variable-air-volume (VAV) systems, covering air handling units, VAV boxes, and their associated controls. Key modeling objectives, techniques, and challenges are highlighted, followed by applications of the models to advanced control and contaminant mitigation studies.The presentation closes with major conclusions, limitations, and directions for future work.
Large-scale solar development has made significant progress in reducing its impacts on land during construction, but effective stormwater and runoff management remains an important consideration. Join Penn State Extension and Lauren McPhillips, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Penn State, to examine how stormwater and runoff can be effectively managed at large-scale solar sites.
The change in the design of data centers has been rapid and extensive. Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) has gone from a new idea in 2023 to standard design. The design and deployment of hyperscale projects have proceeded using cooling technology from 2008. A roof full of air-cooled chillers. A hybrid solution is needed. The deployment of AI has created design issues that never need to be addressed prior. The swings in AI power requirements range from idle to 100% and back to idle in seconds plays havoc with Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) systems.
The Penn State Climate Consortium will host a series of fall events examining some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities associated with a changing climate.