Penn State Energy and Environment News

Undergrad research experience leads to advanced opportunities, publication

| psu.edu

The spring of 2020 was shaping up to be a bad time for Eli Vogel to get some research experience outside of his academic home at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The physics major applied for the Penn State Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) that focused on climate science and solutions, but the pandemic put a halt to the in-person summer program at Penn State. In the end, a remote experience worked out for Vogel. He recently turned his REU work into published research.

Get up close and personal with the Materials Research Institute’s latest endeavors

| happyvalleyindustry.com

Penn State’s 2024 Materials Day is coming up! This year’s theme is “Convergence of Materials, Data, Manufacturing, and the Human Dimension” and the event will include keynote speakers, breakout sessions and several networking opportunities, among other highlights.

Did you know Greenland's landscape was a tundra less than 1 million years ago?

| mymodernmet.com

A new study unearthed evidence from the core of a glacier. This article quotes Richard Alley, Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences.

How this one climate fix means a school nurse sees fewer students sick from the heat

| audacy.com

Around 36,000 schools in the U.S. are in need of updated heating and cooling systems, according to the Government Accountability Office. This article quotes Erica Smithwick, Distinguished Professor of Geography.

University Libraries to offer fall workshops on statistical data analysis

| psu.edu

Beginning Sept. 26, the Research Informatics and Publishing department at Penn State University Libraries will offer four workshops on statistical data analysis, to provide an introduction to data analysis planning as well as an overview of two statistical software applications — Minitab and SPSS — that are commonly used for quantitative data analysis.

Penn State, Indian Institute of Science award joint research seed grants

| psu.edu

Penn State and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have announced the awardees for the 2024-25 cycle of their collaboration program. These awardees comprise four joint projects that connect Penn State and IISc researchers. The selected projects combine the unique expertise of each partnering institution to address global challenges or matters of bilateral importance to India and the United States. 

Associate professor of statistics honored with international award

| psu.edu

Ephraim Hanks, associate professor of statistics at Penn State, was honored with the 2024 Abdel El-Shaarawi Early Investigator Award by the International Environmetrics Society. The award acknowledges and honors early investigators who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the development of statistical and quantitative approaches in environmental sciences.

How heat in seas off West Africa is making the Atlantic’s hurricane season a nightmare

| postandcourier.com

Most hurricanes, including large storms Hugo and Irma, form in between West Africa and the Caribbean. Warmer oceans coming from African heat may be to blame. This article quotes Gregory Jenkins, professor of meteorology & atmospheric science and geography.

Penn State leaders outline priorities, including research

| radio.wpsu.org

Penn State leaders spoke about the university’s plans for the future during a livestream presentation Thursday, outlining steps being taken across the campuses and colleges, including growing research.

New responsibilities and leadership promotions in research protections

| psu.edu

The Export Control program has moved to the Penn State Office for Research Protections, and both Rachel Lally and Clint Schmidt — who previously held executive director-level positions overseeing aspects of control and compliance in research — have been promoted to assistant vice presidents for research. 

Registration now open for Penn State’s marquee materials research event

| psu.edu

Registration is open for Penn State’s marquee annual materials event, Materials Day, an opportunity for the University research community to celebrate past achievements, make connections and peer into the future of materials. The event‘s theme is “Convergence of Materials, Data, Manufacturing, and the Human Dimension” and it will be held Oct. 29 through Oct. 30 at the HUB-Robeson Center and the Millennium Science Complex at Penn State University Park. 

Nine researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows

| psu.edu

Nine Penn State researchers have been named fellows of the Institute of Energy and the Environment for 2024. The program recognizes and assists the exceptional achievements and unparalleled research impacts of highly successful researchers in the areas of energy and the environment. Nominees for the fellowship were submitted by the University community.