Penn State molecular biologist named Don Bryant Chair in Microbial Physiology
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Paul Babitzke, Stanley R. Person Professor of Molecular Biology and director of the Center for RNA Molecular Biology at Penn State, has been named the Don Bryant Chair in Microbial Physiology in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
$3M NSF grant to fund sustainable materials design graduate training program
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A team of researchers at Penn State was awarded a $3 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation to establish a graduate training program designed to equip the next generation of engineers and scientists with the tools required to affect transformative change in sustainable materials processing.
Skin cancer cluster found in 15 Pennsylvania counties with or near farmland
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Counties in Pennsylvania that contained or were near cultivated cropland had significantly higher melanoma rates compared to other regions, according to a new study led by scientists at Penn State.
Q&A: Can drinking tap water reduce how many calories children drink?
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Providing safe tap water and promoting its consumption alongside food security may be a key step in achieving further reductions in children’s consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages because children who drink tap water and live in food secure houses consume fewer calories from sugary drinks, according to a new study led by Asher Rosinger, associate professor of biobehavioral health and anthropology.
Katsuhiko Murakami named Stanley Person Professor of Molecular Biology
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Katsuhiko Murakami, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Penn State Eberly College of Science, has been named the Stanley Person Professor of Molecular Biology.
World Food Prize event on rebuilding Ukraine co-hosted by College of Ag Sciences
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Leaders from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences helped to lead discussions on rebuilding Ukraine’s agricultural sector during the 2025 World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue, held Oct. 19-25 in Des Moines, Iowa.
New environmental health and safety minor now available
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Environmental Health and Safety is a new minor offered by Penn State’s John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, open to any undergraduate student interested in addressing the problems that impact the safety and health of their communities.
EarthTalks: Models can assess supply-chain risks around critical minerals
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Elisa Alonso, assistant chief for the Minerals Intelligence Research Section at the U.S. Geological Survey, will speak Monday, Nov. 17, as part of the fall 2025 EarthTalks seminar series. The title of her free presentation is “Increasing Transparency for Critical Mineral Commodity Supply Chains from Deposit to End-use in an Uncertain and Opaque Market."
Nov. 19 talk to address carbon dioxide removal at sea
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Wil Burns, co-founding director of the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University, is the featured speaker for the next Climate Conversation Café. Set for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, in 134 HUB-Robeson Center on Penn State's University Park campus, the free presentation will be hosted by the Penn State Climate Consortium and the Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy Initiative.
Penn State Altoona professor speaks at 'Extractive Natures' forum in England
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Brian Black, distinguished professor of history and environmental studies at Penn State Altoona, was a presenter at the Extractive Natures/Natures of Extraction workshop held at the University of Bristol in Bristol, England, in early November.
Penn State’s College of Ag Sciences recognizes faculty for research impact
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Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recognized exceptional achievements in research during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.
It’s not just in your head: Stress may lead to altered blood flow in the brain
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While the exact causes of neurodegenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia are still largely unknown, researchers have been able to identify a key characteristic in affected brains: reduced blood flow. A team at Penn State, led by Patrick Drew, professor of engineering science and mechanics, recently found that a rare neuron that is extremely vulnerable to anxiety-induced stress appears to be responsible for regulating blood flow and coordinating neural activity in mice.