IEE faculty, staff, and projects in the news
The role of porous materials in the energy transition
In order to decrease carbon emissions while not only maintaining, but growing, quality of life will require a reimagining of the energy and building sector, and a key element in that reimagining is porous materials, objects with tiny holes in them.
Authors
Spurge purge: Plant fossils reveal ancient South America-to-Asia ‘escape route’
| psu.edu
Climatic and continental changes over millions of years likely drove a well-known group of spurge plants out of southern South America to southeast Asia and beyond, as evidenced by newly identified 52-million-year-old fossils found in Argentina. Penn State led the international research team.
Mentions
There is still hope for coral reefs amid record-warm sea surface temperatures, studies show
| news.yahoo.com
For decades biologists have been searching for ways to help coral reefs survive record-warm sea surface temperatures and a changing climate. This article quotes Todd LaJeunesse, Professor, Biology.
Mentions
USDA grant funds study of effectiveness of vegetation to curb water pollution
| psu.edu
At a time when Pennsylvania is actively working to achieve water-quality improvements to meet the state’s obligations for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, a multidisciplinary Penn State research team is studying whether agricultural pollution-prevention devices called riparian buffers are working properly.
Mentions
-
Heather Preisendanz
-
Patrick Drohan
-
Cibin Raj
-
Katherine Zipp
-
Daniel Brent
-
Tyler Groh
-
Tamie L. Veith
Agricultural Engineer, USDA-ARS-Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit
Penn State study aims to help Pa. dairy farmers cut methane — and show carbon offsets are real
| stateimpact.npr.org
A federal grant will help farms use climate measures to reduce a potent greenhouse gas.
Mentions
Seed Grant Projects
Penn State researchers examine how environmental chemicals affect gut microbiome
| psu.edu
Investigating how environmental chemical exposure impacts the gut microbiome to exacerbate inflammatory conditions and chronic diseases is the goal of a new $7 million grant awarded to Andrew Patterson, professor of molecular toxicology and the John T. and Paige S. Smith Professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Mentions
This pacific coral can withstand warming waters with the help of algae
| smithsonianmag.com
The heat-resistant organism in antler coral may help it adapt as ocean temperatures increase
Mentions
Some corals may survive climate change without paying a metabolic price
| psu.edu
The prevailing belief among scientists has been that corals must suffer reduced growth or other tradeoffs when they partner with symbiotic algae that help them tolerate warmer water. Yet, new research led by Penn State demonstrates that certain corals can be resilient to climate change without paying a metabolic price, and these coral-symbiont partnerships may come to dominate reef ecosystems in a climate-changed future.
Mentions
A Penn State expert on learning to live with wildfires, as climate change heats up
| radio.wpsu.org
Wildfires in Canada are breaking records this year, and one effect has been days of haze and unhealthy air in Pennsylvania. WPSU spoke with Erica Smithwick, a fire ecology expert and distinguished professor of geography at Penn State, about the fires and what role climate change is playing.
Mentions
EnvironMentors recognized at competition while building STEM skills for future
| psu.edu
Five high school students in the Penn State chapter of the EnvironMentors received awards at the 2023 EnvironMentors National Science Fair and Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Mentions
-
Kathy Shaffer
-
J. Mitchell Spear
-
Natasha Miles
-
Jeremy Gernand
Associate Professor, John and Willie Leone Department of Energy & Mineral Engineering (EME) -
Gregory Jenkins
Symposium to feature student research on climate science and solutions
| psu.edu
Penn State’s Climate Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates program and the Drawdown Scholars program are hosting their final poster symposium from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3, in the Steidle Building Atrium on the University Park campus, which is open to the public.
Mentions
Philly has had a rainy summer. So why is Pa. still under a drought watch?
| whyy.org
Drought declarations are not just based on rain. They also consider soil moisture, stream flow, and groundwater, which tends to lag behind rain. This article quotes Gregory Jenkins, professor of meteorology and atmospheric science.
Mentions