New study: Black bears likely contributing to deer tick explosion in the east
| fieldandstream.com
A new Pennsylvania study indicates that an increase in the bear population may well have led to a tick explosion.
Peter and Ann Tombros endow Ag Sciences dean's chair
| psu.edu
As part of their new $26 million commitment to the University, longtime philanthropic and volunteer leaders Peter and Ann Tombros have created the Peter and Ann Tombros Dean’s Chair in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. The chair, one of only six named dean’s chairs at the University, will provide flexible funding for the college’s leader.
Fossil worm dung shows traces of microscopic ‘miners’ in elemental silver
| psu.edu
Ancient microbial activity likely played a large part in the accumulation of elemental silver found in fossilized worm dung, according to researchers.
Battery metals from mine waste: Potential economic benefits for the commonwealth
| psu.edu
Findings by a team led by Penn State researchers suggest potential economic opportunities from the domestic production of critical minerals. The team evaluated cobalt and manganese from the byproducts of mining and metallurgy from past industrial activities.
What is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and how will it affect Pennsylvania?
| by Emily Pakhtigian
Emily Pakhtigian explains what the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is and how its adoption by Pennsylvania may impact the environment, economics, and wellbeing of PA communities.
Google calls itself green. But it’s still making ad money from climate-change denial.
| washingtonpost.com
In October, ahead of the U.N. COP 26 climate summit, Google pledged to stop displaying ads on websites and YouTube videos that promoted climate misinformation. But in November and December the company ran ads on at least 50 posts undermining climate science, according to new research.
Mechanical engineer awarded grant to investigate supercurrent phenomena in heat
| news.engr.psu.edu
Linxiao Zhu earned one of five “New Investigator” grants, which provides $150,000 over two years. The grants aim to empower scientists at the beginning of their careers who seek to make a mark in their fields and address core principles in biology, physics, and chemistry or across the disciplinary boundaries of these fields.
Society of Women Engineers wins national award for eighth consecutive year
| psu.edu
For the eighth consecutive year, the Penn State Society of Women Engineers (SWE) received the Outstanding Collegiate Section Gold Mission Award at the annual SWE national conference (WE21), the largest conference for women in engineering and technology. The Penn State student section of the national organization was also recognized, for the first time, with an award for Best Practice in Communication: Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion.
Professor to receive media achievement award from geography society
| psu.edu
Joshua Inwood, professor of geography and senior research scientist at the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State, has been selected to receive the Media Achievement Award from the American Association of Geographers. The award is “conferred in recognition of exceptional and outstanding accomplishments in publicizing geographical insights in media of general or mass communication.”
On the ground at COP26: Two experts share their observations
| 10across.com
Listen in as Ten Across founder Duke Reiter talks to Dr. Esther Obonyo and Dr. Christopher Boone who attended the COP26 summit to help us detangle this question and learn more about their first-hand experience and hear their big takeaways.
Connecting community and fostering entrepreneurship through design
| psu.edu
Penn State architecture alumni Jason E. Smith and Marilia Rodrigues, of Philadelphia’s KieranTimberlake, were design leads on the new Innovation Hub building in downtown State College, and say the building is designed to instill a feeling of opportunity, of collaborative making, of being a part of something bigger than oneself.
Where did the lanternflies go? Pa. public reports down 50% in 2021
| triblive.com
Are lanternflies disappearing in Pennsylvania? It's not likely. But there was definitely a change this year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and a Penn State researcher.