Traditional forest medicinal plant ghost pipe used differently today
| psu.edu
Despite a long history of traditional medicinal use in the United States, the collection, consumption and efficacy of the peculiar forest plant aptly named ghost pipe, scientific name Monotropa uniflora, remains a mystery. Now, with social media and the internet driving a resurgence in the harvest and economic trade of the parasitic species — which appears strangely white because it is devoid of chlorophyl — a research team from Penn State has taken the first step toward documenting its new status.
Penn State celebrates the 2025 student sustainability award winners
| psu.edu
Penn State Sustainability has announced the 2025 recipients of its sustainability awards. These accolades, including the John Roe Sustainability Impact Award, the Student Sustainability Advisory Council Tree Award and the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium Campus Sustainability Champion Award, commend the extraordinary contributions of students in spearheading sustainability initiatives.
Two Penn State students help Allentown create city's first climate action plan
| psu.edu
Two Penn State students are playing an instrumental role in helping the city of Allentown, Pennsylvania, develop its first climate action plan.
Students to present solar design project at expo on April 30
| psu.edu
Students in Assistant Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering Nelson Dzade’s "EGEE 437: Design of Solar Energy Conversion Systems" class worked with Greenwood Furnace State Park this spring semester as part of a Sustainable Communities Collaborative (SCC) project in partnership with Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' (DCNR) Think Outside Program. They presented the results of their work to DCNR leadership on April 23 and will also share at the Campus and Community Sustainability Expo on April 30 at the Palmer Museum of Art.
Are drones the future of tree fruit production? Researchers investigate
| psu.edu
A team of researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences is addressing the growing interest among tree fruit growers in Pennsylvania and the Northeast in adopting drone-based spraying systems for high-density apple and peach orchards. The Northeast Region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recently awarded the team two grants to support the work.
Cooking up a science experiment with the Science Moms | Take Your Child to Work Day
| cbsnews.com
Dr. Erica Smithwick, of Science Moms, joined us on Take Your Child to Work Day to lead us through a cool science experiment.
Public support matters for sustainable energy investments, researchers find
| psu.edu
Penn State Scranton Assistant Professor of Business Nonna Sorokina gave a presentation on her research exploring sustainable energy investments.
Grozinger appointed to National Academies committee on insect declines
| psu.edu
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently appointed Christina Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State, to an 18-member study committee to examine the status of insects in North America.
Beyond the double helix: Alternative DNA conformations in ape genomes
| psu.edu
A team of researchers, led by Penn State biologists, has comprehensively predicted the location of DNA that forms structures other than the canonical double helix in great apes. It’s the first step in understanding functions and evolution of such structures, known to contribute to genetic diseases and cancer, the team said.
$8.5 million estate pledge crowns legacy of chemical engineering alumnus
| psu.edu
A Penn State alumnus, who earned their degree in the 1960s and has since built a successful career in the chemical industry, has pledged an $8.5 million estate commitment to the Department of Chemical Engineering, funding multiple initiatives that will support the growth of students and faculty in the department for generations to come. The donor has chosen to remain anonymous.
A New Jersey wildfire tore through thousands of acres—right after the state cut back on prescribed burns
| fastcompany.com
With near-drought conditions, fire officials reduced prescribed burns this spring even as they worried about ‘quite a fire season’ ahead. This article quotes Erica Smithwick, Distinguished Professor of Geography and Ecology.
‘Cold’ manufacturing approach to make next-gen batteries
| psu.edu
Lithium-ion batteries have been a staple in device manufacturing for years, but the liquid electrolytes they rely on to function are quite unstable, leading to fire hazards and safety concerns. Now, researchers at Penn State are pursuing a reliable alternative energy storage solution for use in laptops, phones and electric vehicles: solid-state electrolytes. Led by Hongtao Sun, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering, the team published the approach using an advanced manufacturing technology to develop solid-state batteries.