Geography student secures $150K NASA grant for ice sheet meltwater research
| psu.edu
Mahsa Bahrami, a doctoral student in Penn State’s Department of Geography, has been awarded a NASA Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology grant to fund her research on meltwater lakes at the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet.
Penn State launches new online, non-credit certificate in sustainability
| psu.edu
Penn State Sustainability has partnered with CWC Continuing Education partners at Penn State Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Lehigh Valley to launch a brand new, online, non-credit certificate focused on sustainability. The synchronous, statewide, 12-week course starts on Sept. 9, with registration closing on Sept. 3.
Seminar series to be held on biostatistics, epidemiology, research design methods
| psu.edu
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute announces its Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design Research Methods Seminar Series schedule for the fall semester. The series features lectures on fundamental research methods in the fall semester and covers more advanced topics in the spring semester.
USDA grant to fund project developing AI-powered database on water quality
| psu.edu
Nitrate, a common chemical compound that occurs naturally and is found in plants, water and soil, can break down into molecules harmful to human, animal and ecological health and accumulate as a pollutant. Nitrate contamination in streams, lakes and estuaries is a critical problem in many agricultural watersheds, but water-quality data is limited, making monitoring stream health and making management decisions difficult, according to researchers at Penn State. To enhance available data, the U.S.
NASA image shows Texas reservoir water level after record low
| newsweek.com
The Amistad reservoir between Texas and Mexico saw its water levels drop to a record low of 1,047.15 feet above sea level on July 17. This article quotes Antonia Hadjimichael, assistant professor of geosciences.
Ben Franklin, Phospholutions and Penn State: Making historic innovations in agriculture
| happyvalleyindustry.com
It’s a win for Phospholutions and its ability to continue developing cutting-edge technology. It’s a win for Penn State to showcase public/private partnership that can rapidly build upon the success of both Penn State and Phospholutions. And it’s a win for Pennsylvania to have this amazing research lab developing technology and solutions that will fuel additional entrepreneurial outcomes and drive economic impact to our Commonwealth.”
OriginLabs now offers free makerspace memberships to University Park students
| psu.edu
Makerspace Memberships at OriginLabs are now available at no cost to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at University Park. To register for a free student Makerspace Membership, visit the OriginLabs website and fill out the Free Student Membership registration form.
$1.95M NSF grant to fund novel study of environmental DNA fate in streams
| psu.edu
A bottle of water sampled from a lake or river can reveal what fish, amphibians insects and bacteria are present, thanks to environmental DNA, the genetic material shed by organisms. This way of measuring transforms scientists’ ability to determine the extent of aquatic life in various water bodies, according to a team led by Daniel Allen, assistant professor of aquatic ecology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
Healing the Red Moshannon: The toxic legacy of acid mine drainage
| wpsu.org
Due to the toxic effects of abandoned coal mine drainage, trout have not been seen in Moshannon Creek for generations. “Healing the Red Mo” tells how central Pennsylvania citizens, non-profits, public officials, researchers and students are taking action to clean the water and bring the creek back to life.
‘Worst-case’ disaster for antarctic ice looks less likely, study finds
| nytimes.com
Global warming is putting the continent’s ice at risk of destruction in many forms. But one especially calamitous scenario might be a less pressing concern, a new study found. This article quotes Richard Alley, Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences.
Lab Bench to Commercialization Grant Program accepting 2024-25 proposals
| psu.edu
The Penn State Eberly College of Science’s Lab Bench to Commercialization Grant Program is now accepting applications for its 2024-25 funding cycle. The program provides competitive funds for college researchers and their collaborators to explore translation of their research, for example by testing a novel idea and generating a proof of concept.
Stormwater runoff not an issue in solar fields with proper management, study finds
| stateimpact.npr.org
Researchers measured soil moisture at two solar fields near State College that are built on hillsides. This article quotes Lauren McPhillips, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering.