Our blog features brief essays, expert commentary, op-eds, and Q&As that cover a wide variety of energy and environmental topics. Each entry is written by researchers from around Penn State, including faculty members and graduate students.
From climate to COVID: Effective communication of difficult topics
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NameJessica Myrick
Mass communication is a science, especially when communicating about science. Moreover, subjects like pandemics and climate change can be frightening and stressful for an audience, causing them to disengage. Researchers are exploring how communicators can connect with audiences and how audiences can consume media thoughtfully.
Will wildfires and smoky skies in the East be the new normal?
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Research shows that wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. Generally, these blazes have been in the Western U.S. However, as climate change intensifies and other factors contribute to their development, wildfires are now occurring farther east, in areas that historically have not experienced wildfires or their hazardous air quality.
Underground hydrogen storage to support renewable energy
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Hydrogen is gaining traction as a key player in the transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable energy. When used as a fuel, hydrogen produces only water vapor as a byproduct, making it a low-carbon energy carrier that could replace carbon-intensive fossil fuels in energy-intensive sectors.
Assessing impacts of early warning systems for cholera risk in Bangladesh
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A team of researchers set out to investigate the feasibility of developing an early warning system for cholera risk in Bangladesh, citing existing research that suggests that providing households with early warning of their local cholera risks could reduce potential exposures to cholera.
Improving your science through the IEE labs
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The shared core facilities at Penn State are communal, open-access laboratories, which include the labs of the Institute of Energy and Environment. They provide meaningful and essential support for Penn State’s researchers.
Penn State's role in solving climate change
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The Climate Solutions Symposium will be held on May 22 and 23, 2023. Erica Smithwick, one of the symposium's organizers, shares about the climate crisis and the solutions being developed to improve mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.
Maximizing hydrological and environmental benefits of solar farms
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Name - Profile Photo
Major ground-mounted solar panel installations, often called “solar farms,” are rapidly growing in Pennsylvania and around the world. Solar farms are part of a critical effort to increase our renewable energy portfolio and reduce our carbon footprint. However, due to their size (often covering hundreds of acres), solar farms have the potential to impact natural hydrological and ecological processes.
Understanding transitions to solar energy on Pennsylvania farmland
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Solar energy continues to become more affordable and widely available. However, it requires large areas of land that are often in competition with agricultural, industrial, or residential uses, and this competition makes solar expansion complicated.
Addressing wicked environmental problems through engaging stakeholders
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Complex environmental problems—such as climate change, excess nutrients in waterways, and droughts and wildfires—require collaborative approaches that seek to engage multiple stakeholders in defining and addressing the causes and consequences versus past techniques that pushed top-down solutions.
What does a warming Arctic mean for the future?
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With numerous stories in the news about Arctic ice melting and glaciers collapsing, two Penn State researchers answer questions about warming in the Arctic and what it means for the future.