National foundation grant to support study on amphibian health at Penn State
| psu.edu
Research in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences aimed at helping amphibians fight fungal disease by strengthening their natural defenses has received a $120,000 grant from the Morris Animal Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing animal health through scientific research.
Understanding and preventing tick-borne disease in Pennsylvania
| by Erika Machtinger
Pennsylvania is one of the top states in the U.S. for reported cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. To better understand the risks and how to stay safe, we spoke with Erika Machtinger, a Penn State researcher who studies tick ecology, disease transmission, and prevention strategies.
Penn State Extension team earns national award for work on intergenerational living
| psu.edu
A Penn State Extension team won a 2025 Cross-Program award from the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals for their project, “Intergenerational Living: The Ridgway and Freeport Pilot Projects.”
Director named for College of Engineering’s Larson Transportation Institute
| psu.edu
Vikash Gayah, professor of civil and environmental engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, has been named director of the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, effective July 1. He has served as interim director of the institute since 2023 and his involvement with the institute extends to when he was first hired as assistant professor of CEE in 2012.
New play in the chemical-reaction playbook uncovered
| psu.edu
Speeding up chemical reactions is key to improving industrial processes or mitigating unwanted or harmful waste. Realizing these improvements requires that chemists design around documented reaction pathways. Now, a team of Penn State researchers has found that a fundamental reaction called oxidative addition can follow a different path to achieve the same ends, raising the question of whether this new order of events has been occurring all along and potentially opening up new space for chemical design.
Gold clusters show promise as scalable options for quantum computers, sensors
| psu.edu
A team of researchers from Penn State and Colorado State has demonstrated how gold clusters can mimic key properties of the most accurate systems currently used in quantum applications, showing promise for a tunable, scalable option for quantum devices.
Master Watershed Steward Rose Johnson brings a green thumb to Philadelphia
| psu.edu
Rose Johnson has always loved gardening. As part of the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward volunteer program in Philadelphia County, Johnson has been able to take her gardening out into the community.
Simulating the unthinkable: Models show nuclear winter food production plunge
| psu.edu
A team led by researchers at Penn State have modeled precisely how various nuclear winter scenarios could impact global production of corn — the most widely planted grain crop in the world. They also recommended preparing “agricultural resilience kits” with seeds for faster-growing varieties better adapted to colder temperatures that could potentially help offset the impact of nuclear winter, as well as natural disasters like volcanic eruptions.
Q&A: Professor emeritus reflects on his research, teaching career in geosciences
| psu.edu
Peter Heaney, professor emeritus of geosciences, retired on June 30 after a 27-year career at Penn State. During his career, he inspired many students, including Mara Grigore, a rising senior in Earth science and policy, who interviewed him about his teaching and research.
Carly Sunseri named assistant vice provost for Institutional Research
| psu.edu
Penn State has announced the appointment of Carly Sunseri as the new assistant vice provost for Institutional Research in the Office of Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research. She will oversee the University’s institutional research functions, including the development of analyses, reports and models that support strategic initiatives across Penn State’s academic, administrative and operational domains.
Health and wellness at the heart of Family Room activities at Ag Progress Days
| psu.edu
Visitors to the Family Room building at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days can explore hands-on exhibits and demonstrations designed to help them build healthier habits. Educators from Penn State Extension’s food, families and communities and pesticide education teams will coordinate the activities.
For 25 years, Weather Camp offers home to high-school-aged enthusiasts
| psu.edu
Penn State’s Weather Camp has been a summer staple for self-professed “weather geeks” for 25 years. Since 2000, about 1,400 high school students have taken part in the camp, with roughly one in five of those students later enrolling at Penn State's highly ranked meteorology and atmospheric science program. It's long been a place where students can see if their passion for weather could become a career, a fulfilled goal, say longtime camp creators.