New seed funding opportunities available for Commonwealth Campus faculty
| psu.edu
Faculty at Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses are invited to apply for four seed funding programs designed to strengthen research capacity, foster mentorship and expand opportunities for undergraduate students. Offered through the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses, the programs provide support to help faculty advance their scholarship and prepare competitive proposals for external funding.
Penn State petition calls for support of federally funded research
| psu.edu
Petition demonstrates broad support for research that drives innovation, strengthens the economy, and improves everyday life. Click here to add your name to show support.
Great Valley welcomes three new faculty in AI, management, engineering
| psu.edu
Three new faculty members, each with extensive research experience, have joined Penn State Great Valley this fall: Thao Minh Le, assistant professor of artificial intelligence (AI); Thien Dong, assistant professor of management and organization; and Oguz Toragay, assistant professor of engineering management.
Research sheds light on Beech Creek’s struggle with abandoned mine drainage
Pennsylvania has more abandoned mines than any other state, and their impacts are still felt in the state’s waterways. Beech Creek, a 170-square-mile watershed in Clinton and Centre counties, was once a thriving trout fishery.
Looking back at Hurricane Katrina: How meteorology has advanced in 20 years
| witf.org
When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, the storm left a devastating mark on New Orleans and surrounding communities. Nearly two decades later, the storm is remembered not only for its destruction, but also for how it reshaped meteorology and weather forecasting. This article quotes Colin Zarzycki, associate professor of meteorology and climate dynamics.
'Mushroom Mania' workshop connects Pennsylvania educators to global solutions
| psu.edu
More than 20 high school educators recently visited Penn State’s University Park campus as experiential learners for a new program focused on one of Pennsylvania’s highest-producing agricultural commodities: mushrooms.
Nuclear engineering grad student awarded Department of Energy fellowship
| psu.edu
Aiden Ochoa, a nuclear engineering doctoral student at Penn State, has been awarded a University Nuclear Leadership Program fellowship from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), providing $175,000 over three years to support his graduate studies and research. The fellowship aims to develop future leaders in the nuclear energy sector through advanced research aligned with DOE priorities.
Ancient DNA reveals farming spread through migration, locals slow to adopt it
| psu.edu
Roughly 10,000 years ago, humans started shifting from being nomadic hunter-gatherers to building large agricultural settlements, marking one of the greatest transformations in human history. For decades, researchers have debated what drove this change. Did farming spread mainly because farmers themselves moved into new lands, or because hunter-gatherers adopted farming practices? New interdisciplinary research by scientists at Penn State provides the clearest answer to date.
Schedule announced for 2025-26 Promotion and Tenure Workshop Series
| psu.edu
The Office of Faculty Affairs has announced the fall 2025-spring 2026 workshop series on preparing for success in the promotion and tenure process. The series will provide an in-depth exploration of the promotion and tenure process for all Penn State faculty, including tenure-line and non-tenure-line.
Elia Merzari named associate head of Penn State’s nuclear engineering department
| psu.edu
Elia Merzari, a leading expert in reactor thermal-hydraulics and associate professor at Penn State, has been named associate department head of the nuclear engineering department. In this role he will support faculty, advance research and education and guide strategic growth amid expanding national and global demands for nuclear energy.
Urban sustainability, high-performance building design lessons in Pittsburgh
| psu.edu
This summer, 10 Penn State students from diverse majors immersed themselves in urban sustainability and high-performance building design thanks in part to the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State.
Fine-tuning zinc supplementation, light exposure to boost microgreens’ nutrition
| psu.edu
Microgreens, which are young, edible plants that only take one to three weeks to harvest, are more than garnish at trendy restaurants — they could be the answer to global hunger, according to plant scientists at Penn State. Two new studies have revealed that microgreens, already densely packed with nutrients, can be made even more nutritious with a couple of minor growing adjustments.