NSF CAREER Award funds advanced computing for improved power grid operation
| psu.edu
Yan Li, associate professor of electrical engineering at Penn State, has been awarded a five-year, $519,982 U.S. National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award for her project, "Q-GRID: Transforming Next-Generation Power Grid Computation with a Unified Quantum-Classical Paradigm."
Indianapolis methane assessment sheds new light on urban emissions
| psu.edu
Most natural gas leakage in Indianapolis likely originates from homes and other buildings, not exterior pipelines and large-scale distribution infrastructure that deliver the fossil fuel, according to Penn State researchers who assessed nearly a decade of data. They said the finding could signal similar emissions patterns across the United States.
Engineers at Penn State contribute to national $20M liver bioprinting project
| psu.edu
Xiaojun “Lance” Lian, associate professor of biomedical engineering and of biology at Penn State, will contribute to a nearly $20 million project, funded as part of the Genesis Mission initiative, that seeks to create biocompatible liver tissue for transplants using bioprinting.
Q&A: Upcoming conference continues to connect women across the dairy industry
| psu.edu
For more than two decades, Penn State Extension’s Women in Dairy Conference has provided an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to exchange ideas, gain new knowledge and build professional connections. Ginger Fenton, dairy extension educator who helped organize this year’s conference, discussed the conference’s history and the value of opportunities to learn and connect in this Q&A.
Genome detectives: Students sequence the genome of a harmful plant pathogen
| psu.edu
Graduate students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences contributed to the first complete genome sequence of a harmful plant pathogen from an ornamental Prunus host through an active-learning activity in a plant disease diagnosis course.
Penn State’s College of Ag Sciences launches Regenerative Agriculture Center
| psu.edu
Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences is launching a new Penn State Regenerative Agriculture Center on 125 acres of college-managed property at Rockview in Centre County.
The hidden chemistry beneath our feet: Susan Brantley on the role of rocks in our everyday lives
| nasonline.org
Rocks are the source of many of the materials we rely on every day, but they also play a much broader role in shaping our planet. For Earth Science Week, which this year highlights critical minerals, we spoke with NAS member and geochemist Susan Brantley about her research.
Nepal flood shows why warning systems must watch the mountains, not just the rivers
| by Tejal Shirsat, Christopher Scott, Padmendra Shrestha
The catastrophic flood began with a rock-and-ice collapse high above the river system, showing why monitoring rivers and large glacial lakes alone may not provide enough warning.
Tiny droplets can form soft networks for brain-inspired computing
| psu.edu
A team of researchers and engineers at Penn State is taking inspiration from the natural computer of the human brain to build soft networks of water-based droplets, connected by membranes like those found in the walls of living cells.
Recycled plastic asphalt may boost pavement performance, limit particle release
Asphalt containing recycled plastic held together better than conventional asphalt and showed a lower level of plastic-like particles after combined traffic and moisture-related laboratory testing, according to a study led by Penn State researchers. The findings suggest that improved pavement durability may help limit particle release, the team said, but field studies are needed to determine whether the same pattern occurs on real roads.
Startup from Penn State research to scale-up domestic critical mineral recovery
Old electronics and solar panels could become a new, domestic source for critical and strategic materials through Intel-E-Waste, a startup whose technology builds on foundational research from Penn State.
Oct. 19 EarthTalks seminar to discuss community support to prevent flood impacts
| psu.edu
Laura Fowler, professor of teaching with Penn State Dickinson Law, will give a talk at 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, in 112 Walker Building on the University Park campus. The talk will also be available via Zoom.