Penn State Energy and Environment News

Penn State to host second annual Sustainability Summit

| psu.edu

Penn State Sustainability and the University Park Undergraduate Association are partnering again to gather students and others together in visioning and planning for a more sustainable Penn State at the second annual Sustainability Summit from 3 to 8 p.m. on Monday, April 1, in Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center. Margaret Klein Salamon, a clinical psychologist and executive director of the Climate Emergency Fund, will provide the summit’s opening keynote.

Engaging locally in water quality planning

| by Erin Trouba

To address pollution concerns in the Chesapeake Bay, communities throughout the watershed have been engaging stakeholders in an effort to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads, which are responsible for harmful algal blooms and turbid waters.

Penn State takes next step in Hammond Building demolition, Sackett Building renovations

| radio.wpsu.org

The State College Planning Commission heard the final university plans for the demolition of the Hammond Building and future Sackett Building renovations.

Wilkes-Barre faculty member receives Geospatial Professor of the Year award

| psu.edu

Dimitrios Bolkas, associate professor of surveying engineering at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, received a leadership award during an industry conference for his work with virtual reality. Bolkas, who is the coordinator of the surveying engineering program at the campus, was presented with the Younger Geospatial Professional award during the Geo Week conference in Denver, Colorado.

Donor creates award to recognize innovative research teams in Ag Sciences

| psu.edu

The Dennis and Janet Scanlon Integrated Team Research Award will recognize an integrated research and outreach faculty team within the College of Agricultural Sciences that demonstrates innovation in translating research to be shared and used through activities leading to partnerships and collaboration within the college and beyond.

Penn State chemist Eric Nacsa receives 2024 NSF CAREER Award

| psu.edu

Eric Nacsa, assistant professor of chemistry, has been honored with a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The CAREER award is NSF’s most prestigious award in support of early-career faculty members who can serve as academic role models in research and education and lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.

Novel method to measure root depth may lead to more resilient crops

| psu.edu

As climate change worsens global drought conditions, hindering crop production, the search for ways to capture and store atmospheric carbon causing the phenomenon has intensified. Penn State researchers have developed a new high-tech tool that could spur changes in how crops withstand drought, acquire nitrogen and store carbon deeper in soil.

Virtual reality better than video for evoking fear, spurring climate action

| psu.edu

Experiencing worst-case climate scenarios in virtual reality may better motivate people to support environmental policies, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers.

Penn State Radiation Science & Engineering Center receives new neutron science device

| onwardstate.com

The device was a donation from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, a research institution in Germany.

Calling researchers: Join Penn State's NSF I-Corps April cohort

| psu.edu

Penn State’s U.S. National Science Foundation I-Corps Short Course is accepting applications for its virtual April cohort. Participants must apply and complete a self-guided I-Corps prep mini-course by Friday, April 12.  

St. Tammany's ditches are fouled with untreated sewage. The mosquitoes are loving it.

| nola.com

All the sewage in the drainage ditches makes it so that the St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District can't kill mosquitoes faster than they can reproduce, according to a new study. This article quotes Jason Rasgon, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair in Disease Epidemiology and Biotechnology.

Penn State advancing Implementation Science through education and research

| psu.edu

The next Implementation Science Seminar will be held on Thursday, March 28, 1–3 p.m. in the Smeal Business Building, Room 217, and on Zoom. As part of the two-part, interactive seminar, Erika Crable will provide a 1-hour presentation describing the foundations of implementation science.