Four faculty join the Institute of Energy and the Environment
Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE) has welcomed four new faculty members whose research expands the breadth of expertise within its interdisciplinary community.
Can green infrastructure fortify flood-prone Southeast Michigan? 'We're opening the door for projects'
| planetdetroit.org
As intense rainstorms overwhelm Metro Detroit's century-old combined sewer system, residents, nonprofits, and government turn to rain gardens and large-scale green infrastructure to reduce flooding and protect water quality.
New MRI appointments aim to build on research impact and collaboration
| psu.edu
Penn State’s Materials Research Institute (MRI) has made three leadership appointments focused on strengthening research strategy, external engagement and the scientific direction of MRI’s Nanofabrication Laboratory.
How extreme heat takes a toll on herders, from East Africa to the US
| theworld.org
In northern Kenya, livestock is the heartbeat of rural life. Herders guiding their sheep, goats, cattle or camels across parched landscapes now struggle to find pastures with enough water. Each year, they journey farther from home under an unforgiving sun. Their struggle echoes the challenges herders face in the United States.
Penn State scientists recognized for multistate livestock reproduction research
| psu.edu
Two Penn State scientists are part of a national research team recognized with the 2026 agInnovation Excellence in Multistate Research Award for work aimed at improving reproductive performance in cattle and sheep — a challenge that costs U.S. livestock producers billions of dollars each year.
Penn State to host ‘research matchmaking’ workshop on rural health and AI
| psu.edu
The workshop, titled "Frontiers of Rural Health & AI: Planning for Rural Pennsylvania," will take place on Oct. 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the University Conference Center in Hershey. Co-organized by Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, the event aims to identify priority research areas that will directly serve rural communities in Pennsylvania and across the nation.
Zi-Kui Liu receives theory award from Materials Research Society
| psu.edu
Zi-Kui Liu, the Corning Faculty Fellow in Materials Science and Engineering in the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, will receive the 2026 Materials Theory Award from the Materials Research Society.
Penn State chemist Lauren Zarzar receives 2026 Schmidt Science Polymath Award
| onwardstate.com
Zarzar earned a doctorate in chemistry from Harvard in 2013.
Penn State wins multiple awards in NASA’s LunaRecycle Challenge
| psu.edu
A team of students from Penn State’s Student Space Programs Lab received the Most Innovative Prize in both the prototype and the digital twin tracks for their entry in the NASA LunaRecycle Challenge, which supports the design and development of recycling solutions that reduce non-metabolic waste and improve the sustainability of longer-duration lunar missions.
Arctic infrastructure was built on frozen ground – drones and digital twins can help spot the permafrost thaw coming
| by Ming Xiao
From the air, Wainwright, Alaska, looks like a perfectly stable band of homes and roads between the Chukchi Sea and a vast, flat tundra. But just below the surface, the frozen ground that this town was built on contains large bodies of ice. Along the eroding coastal bluffs, that hidden ice is becoming exposed and literally melting away.
Penn State shares information about hunting on University-owned land for 2026-27
| psu.edu
As the fall hunting season begins, Penn State officials are reminding hunters about public hunting opportunities on University-owned lands and highlighting several changes to hunting regulations and access requirements.
Commonwealth Sustainability Week to be held online Oct. 5-9
| psu.edu
Penn State Sustainability and the Pennsylvania GreenGov Council invite the public to the sixth annual Commonwealth Sustainability Week, to be held Oct. 5-9. Join for engaging conversations around the future of sustainability in Pennsylvania and innovative initiatives that are building a more resilient commonwealth for all.