IEE faculty, staff, and projects in the news
Growing Impact: Feeding a changing world (Preview)
| youtu.be
Episode release date: December 1, 2024. Smallholder farmers, despite facing enormous challenges, produce a significant portion of the world's food, especially in regions like Africa and Asia. PlantVillage, a project aimed at empowering these farmers through smartphone technology and machine learning, has grown from a small seed grant into a global initiative with ambitious plans to expand its impact and address the growing threat of climate change.
Authors
Stephanie Butler Velegol wins teaching award from American Institute of Chemical Engineers
| news.engr.psu.edu
Stephanie Butler Velegol, associate department head and teaching professor of chemical engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, received the Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering Teaching Practice from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) at the institute’s annual meeting on Oct. 28 in San Diego.
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Stephanie Butler Velegol
Acting Associate Department Head and Teaching Professor, Chemical Engineering -
Michael Janik
Associate Director & Thematic Area Lead, Integrated Energy Systems, Institute of Energy and the Environment
Soil organic carbon sequestration, the microbial carbon fee, and the microbial premium
While increasing soil organic carbon can help sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide, it's challenging due to microbial respiration and other factors. However, practices that promote soil health and prevent carbon losses, such as avoiding land use conversion, can still be beneficial for both soil and climate.
Authors
Seed Grant Projects
Plastic pollution is in clouds and could sabotage weather forecasts
| yahoo.com
Microplastics are in the Earth’s atmosphere and could be disrupting weather patterns and climate, according to Penn State University (PSU) scientists. In research published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology: Air, the team showed how microplastics can "act as ice nucleating particles" or microscopic aerosols that facilitate the formation of ice crystals in clouds. This article quotes Miriam Freedman, professor of chemistry.
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Microplastics may affect weather and climate by producing clouds, researchers find
| pbs.org
Clouds affect Earth’s weather and climate in many ways. New research suggests that the presence of microplastic particles may affect weather and climate by producing clouds in conditions where they would not form otherwise. This article was originally written for The Conversation by Miriam Freedman, professor of chemistry, and Heidi Busse, doctoral student in chemistry. It was also published by Wired and Yahoo.
Authors
Aerospace engineering graduate students awarded Department of Defense fellowship
| psu.edu
Five Penn State aerospace engineering graduate students, including two brothers, were selected for the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Scholarship-for-Service Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Defense.
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Microplastics promote cloud formation, with likely effects on weather and climate
| theconversation.com
Clouds affect Earth’s weather and climate in many ways. New research suggests that the presence of microplastic particles could alter these processes. This article was written by Miriam Freedman, professor of chemistry and Heidi Busse, PhD student in chemistry.
Authors
Microplastics impact cloud formation, likely affecting weather and climate
| psu.edu
Scientists have spotted microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters, in some of the most pristine environments on Earth, from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the snow on Mt. Everest to the mountaintop clouds of China and Japan. Microplastics have been detected in human brains, the bellies of sea turtles and the roots of plants. Now, new research led by Penn State scientists reveals that microplastics in the atmosphere could be affecting weather and climate.
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Report: Coal-based steelmaking causes hundreds of premature deaths and billions in health costs nationwide
| alleghenyfront.org
The report also found nearly 250,000 cases of asthma annually were caused by air pollution from coal-based steel, such as at U.S. Steel's Mon Valley plants. This article quotes Jennifer Baka, associate professor of geography.
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Jennifer Baka
Associate Professor and John T. Ryan, Jr. Faculty Fellow, College of Earth & Mineral Sciences
Mechanical engineering faculty to contribute to separation materials research
| news.engr.psu.edu
Adri van Duin, distinguished professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State, and Yun Kyung Shin, associate research professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State, are part of a University of Wyoming (UW)-led research team that will study 2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) — a family of materials designed have optimal traits for use in separating out different materials.
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Viewpoint: Catalyzing climate solutions through energy and carbon education
| pubs.acs.org
Global CO2 emissions per capita continue to climb, despite rising climate awareness and advances in renewable energy. Empowering communities with clear, relatable ways to understand energy use and emissions could bridge the gap between knowledge and action.
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Bruce Logan
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Li Li
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Brandi Robinson
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Wei Peng
Wei PengAssistant Professor of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University; Former Penn State researcher
Penn State delegation will head to Azerbaijan for UN's annual climate meeting
| psu.edu
Penn State will be sending its second delegation of students and faculty to COP29, the United Nations’ annual climate meeting, which will be held Baku, Azerbaijan, in November.
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