Water fern gains more evidence as safe potential global food insecurity solution
| psu.edu
Is the floating freshwater fern commonly called Carolina azolla the potential answer to global food insecurity or a possible threat to humanity? On the heels of a study published earlier this year by researchers at Penn State on the plant’s nutrition and digestibility, the team learned of concerns about the plant’s potential toxin content. The researchers joined an international effort to test Azolla and found that it does not contain cyanotoxins, potent toxins produced by a type of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, associated with the plant.
Recycling plastic might sound like a no-brainer. Some environmentalists disagree.
| aol.com
Mitch Hecht, CEO of International Recycling Group, hopes to have money raised for recycling plant by the end of the year. This article quotes Gamini Mendis, assistant professor of engineering, plastics engineering technology and polymer engineering and science programs at Penn State Behrend.
Q&A: How to predict the behavior of dynamical systems
| psu.edu
Romit Maulik, an assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, was granted a three-year, $360,000 Early Career Program Award from the Army Research Office.
Celebrating 100 years of excellence in chemical engineering
| psu.edu
From the Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building on Shortlidge Road to offices, labs and classrooms around the globe, nearly 10,000 alumni, 500 undergraduate and graduate students, and 45 faculty, post-doctoral candidates and staff call the Penn State Department of Chemical Engineering home. This year, the department is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of a chemical engineering degree program at Penn State in 1924-25 and the first 11 chemical engineering bachelor’s degrees granted in May 1925.
Penn State hosting community engagement and applied research symposium Nov. 7–8
| psu.edu
A symposium centering around community engagement and applied research will take place Nov. 7–8 at Penn State University Park.
Q&A: 'HumIn Focus' series considers the societal value of higher education
| psu.edu
The next episode of "HumIn Focus," a web series from Penn State’s Humanities Institute, will focus on “Teaching Humanity: The Social Value of Higher Education.” It premieres at 9 p.m. on Oct. 24 on WPSU TV and will be available for streaming.
University Libraries seeks entries for 2025 BTAA Data Visualization Championship
| psu.edu
Penn State University Libraries will participate in the 2025 Big Ten Academic Alliance Data Visualization Championship, to be part of International Love Data Week in February. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to submit entries that showcase their data visualization skills. Submissions are due by Jan. 17, 2025.
$1.05 million estate gift to establish graduate fellowship in civil engineering
| psu.edu
Margery E. Hoffman, widow of 1982 Penn State civil engineering doctoral alumnus Paul C. Hoffman, has committed a $1.05 million estate gift to establish an endowment to benefit graduate students in civil engineering in her husband's memory.
Penn State GIS Day activities focus on the theme “Geographers Take Action”
| psu.edu
Penn State University Libraries will observe GIS Day — an annual event celebrating the technology of geographic information systems — on Nov. 18 and 19. This year’s sessions focus on geospatial presentation, networking opportunities and student engagement, with the theme “Geographers Take Action.” The event is co-sponsored with the Department of Geography.
Penn State Climate Consortium seeks workshop proposals for 2025 Accelerator
| psu.edu
The Penn State Climate Consortium has announced its 2025 call for level one workshop proposals for its Climate Solutions Accelerator, which seeks to establish and/or advance research teams aligned with the consortium's themes. The deadline for workshop proposals is Nov. 18.
Penn State’s research expenditures reach record $1.337 billion
| psu.edu
Penn State’s total research expenditures reached a record high of $1.337 billion in fiscal year 2023-24, an 8% increase or $99 million jump from the previous year, bringing the research expenditures of external and internal funding to the largest total in the University’s history. For the first time in Penn State’s history, external funding from sponsored grants and contracts surpassed $1 billion — a nearly 11% increase over the last fiscal year.
Andrew Read leads conversation with community on research enterprise
| psu.edu
Penn State Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read recently hosted a conversation with the community on the University’s research enterprise. It was an opportunity for Penn State faculty, staff and students to learn more about current initiatives to strengthen the University’s research enterprise and engage with Read about the challenges and opportunities Penn State faces in today’s research landscape.