Penn State Energy and Environment News

$500,000 gift supports creation of engineering entrepreneurship hub

| psu.edu

Peter and Angela Dal Pezzo believe engineers make great entrepreneurs. This personal principle motivated the couple to contribute to the College of Engineering West Campus expansion. Their $500,000 gift will name the Entrepreneurship Office Suite and Conference Room in the West 2 building, slated to open in 2023.  

Adding sound to electric cars can improve safety for hearing, visually impaired

| studyfinds.org

Adding sound to electric cars will make them safer for pedestrians, according to new research from Michael Roan from Penn State University and Luke Neurauter from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, who worked with a team of researchers to test how well people detect electric vehicle sounds. 

Institute accepting seed grant proposals for AI, computational science projects

| psu.edu

Penn State faculty from all campuses can apply now through Jan. 23, 2022, for seed grants through the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences. Special consideration will be given to projects focusing on artificial intelligence, predictive modeling, AI for computing infrastructure, human-centered AI or responsible data science. 

Air accessibility: Most commercial planes could accommodate personal wheelchairs

| psu.edu

A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine summarizes a preliminary assessment on the feasibility of wheelchair restraint systems in passenger aircraft by an expert committee, which included George Lesieutre, associate dean for research and graduate programs in the College of Engineering at Penn State.

Professor named fellow of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society

| psu.edu

Zi-Kui Liu, Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been named a fellow of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, the society's highest honor.

Energy and sustainability policy student balances education, disaster response

| psu.edu

When the storms roll in, Alex Swithers’ professors know he might be a little late on his assignments. That’s just a fact of life for the 32-year-old Penn State World Campus student majoring in energy and sustainability policy while simultaneously working as a first responder for areas devastated by natural disasters and raising a young family.

Penn State Global recognized for sustainability by the Forum on Education Abroad

| psu.edu

Penn State Global has been selected as the recipient of the Forum on Education Abroad’s first Award for Advancing the UN SDGs through Education Abroad.

Biology professor awarded inaugural Maskalick Biodiversity Seed Grant

| psu.edu

Tomás A. Carlo Joglar, associate professor of biology at Penn State, has been awarded the inaugural David G. Maskalick and Kathleen A. Maskalick Biodiversity Healthcare Seed Grant by the Eberly College of Science Office for Innovation.

ICDS Fall Symposium speakers offer insights on digital fairness

| psu.edu

Experts from industry and academia offered their insights and led panel discussions on ways to improve digital fairness at the recent Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Fall Symposium.

The world of energy is changing before our eyes

| by Kenneth Davis

The world of energy generation is changing. The industry is more aware of climate change and interested in renewables. Researchers are determined to find new solutions and build them collectively. And students are passionate about learning and impacting the future. In short, there is hope.

Penn State Behrend opens new major in interdisciplinary science and business

| psu.edu

A new major at Penn State Behrend will prepare students for careers in the business, sales and marketing offices of science-based organizations. "Our graduates will have a foundation in key scientific concepts, plus have the skills needed to handle the business aspects of their roles," said Michael Rutter, co-chair of the new program.

Penn State DuBois engineering student presents research on international stage

| psu.edu

While still in her fourth year of undergraduate studies in the Penn State DuBois engineering program, Nicolette Brossard has already completed research that has attracted international interest.