Engineering professor named scholar for collaborative national lab program
| psu.edu
Christopher Kube, associate professor of engineering science and mechanics at Penn State, has been named a 2026 Distinguished Faculty Scholar at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Kube will collaborate with LANL researchers to explore the use of quantum computing to simulate elastic wave propagation, advancing research at the intersection of wave physics and quantum science.
Kump to conclude deanship, legacy marked by new presidential award
| psu.edu
Lee Kump, the John Leone Dean of the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, has announced his decision to step down as dean, effective June 30. Kump, who has served as dean for nearly nine years and is celebrating 40 years of service to the college and University in 2026, will remain at Penn State as professor of geosciences on the College of EMS faculty after his deanship concludes. Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has announced the creation of the Lee Kump Presidential Award in his honor.
Recreation, park, and tourism management faculty receive national honors
| psu.edu
Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management Department Head Lauren Duffy and Suzie and Allen Martin Professor Derrick Taff received national honors, being named fellows at The Academy of Leisure Sciences 2026 conference, held Feb. 11-13 in Philadelphia.
PA DEP says ‘no risk’ to the public from radioactive materials in oil and gas waste sent to landfills
| alleghenyfront.org
A DEP study found that wastewater samples from landfills that take fracking waste were mostly below drinking water guidelines for radioactivity.
Penn State Global announces 2025-26 awards recipients
| psu.edu
Penn State Global has announced the 2025-26 recipients of its annual awards that recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and academic programs at the University who have contributed to advancing its global engagement goals. This includes a new award this year, the Outstanding Global Alum award.
Penn State Altoona earns Level I Arboretum accreditation from ArbNet
| psu.edu
Penn State Altoona has earned Level I Arboretum accreditation from ArbNet, recognizing the campus’ extensive tree inventory and participation in the University’s Commonwealth Arboreta Network.
Engineering Dean Peeples to serve as special adviser to provost on student success
| psu.edu
Tonya L. Peeples, the Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, is stepping down from her role as dean effective July 1 to serve as special adviser to the executive vice president and provost, helping to shape the creation of the University’s new office of student success. Peeples also will continue to serve on the college’s faculty.
Penn State engineers on multiple major projects funded by federal health agency
| psu.edu
Penn State has been named as a sub-awardee on four teams selected for funding by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), with more than $4 million supporting the work at Penn State. Three of the projects are funded through the ARPA-H Building Resilient Environments for Air and Total Health (BREATHE) and aim to enhance indoor air quality, and one of the projects is funded through the ARPA-H Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program and aims to bioprint organs on demand.
Penn State community invited to attend 2026 Graduate Exhibition on March 27
| psu.edu
The Penn State community is invited to attend the 2026 Graduate Exhibition — the premier annual showcase of graduate research, scholarship and creative activity at the University — featuring a research poster, design and art session, as well as a performance night and online video gallery, on Friday, March 27. All events are free and open to the public.
Novel sensing technology 20 times more responsive, even in liquids
| psu.edu
Sensors built with new transistors developed by Penn State researchers were up to 20 times more sensitive to various chemical and biological signals, like hazardous chemicals in water or the levels of dopamine in the brain, than other sensors built with comparable transistor designs.
Climate policies can reduce emissions from economic growth in wealthy nations
| psu.edu
Climate policies can help economies grow without increasing greenhouse gas emissions, but only under strict conditions and mostly for the world’s wealthiest nations, according to a study by a Penn State researcher.
State College Borough, Penn State collaborate on local sustainability efforts
| psucollegian.com
Through borough policies and partnerships with Penn State and other organizations, State College has taken several steps to advance sustainability initiatives over the years.