Webinar: What’s behind rising oil and gas prices?
| psu.edu
A panel of energy experts from Penn State and industry will discuss the reasons behind rising oil and gas prices; what it means for heating bills this winter; potential policy responses to keep energy prices in check; and how rising prices might encourage or thwart a transition to alternative sources of energy.
Can defects turn inert materials into useful, active ones?
| psu.edu
Demonstrating that a material thought to be always chemically inert — hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) — can be turned chemically active holds potential for a new class of catalysts with a wide range of applications, according to an international team of researchers.
Climate uncertainty colors flood risk assessment
| psu.edu
Understanding how climate change will affect the flooding of rivers may become easier with a new framework for assessing flood risk that's been developed by an interdisciplinary team from Penn State.
Study challenges standard ideas about piezoelectricity in ferroelectric crystals
| psu.edu
For years, researchers believed that the smaller the domain size in a ferroelectric crystal, the greater the piezoelectric properties of the material. However, recent findings by Penn State researchers have raised questions about this standard rule.
Bridges to Translation offers funding for pilot projects
| psu.edu
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute is accepting letters of intent for its Bridges to Translation award program. The translation of biomedical and health discoveries to application is a long and complex process with high costs and substantial failure rates. The institute now seeks to fund pilot projects that build linkages and overcome roadblocks at any stage in the translational process.
Penn State professor helps spearhead global plant-health conference in France
| psu.edu
If action isn’t taken to protect the health of the world’s plants, the prognosis for some species is poor, especially in regions that lack plant protection policies and extension services, according to scientists who participated in an international workshop and conference that was co-led by a plant pathologist at Penn State.
Gov. Tom Wolf Proclaims November 15-19, 2021 Rural Health Week in Pennsylvania
| psu.edu
Gov. Tom Wolf has declared Nov. 15-19, 2021, as Rural Health in Pennsylvania week at the request of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Association and the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health.
Does PFAS exposure affect COVID-19 illness and vaccine effectiveness? Researchers want to know
| stateimpact.npr.org
Studies at Rutgers and elsewhere are looking at possible links. The chemicals can cause serious health problems, including immune system effects.
Women in energy and water research seminars to feature Jennifer Dunn on Nov. 18
| psu.edu
The Celebrating Women in Energy and Water Research lecture series will host two talks on Thursday, Nov. 18, featuring Jennifer Dunn, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University. The free lectures are open to Penn State faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students. Registration is required.
New tool weighs costs and benefits of managing evolution of pathogens and pests
| psu.edu
A new economic tool can help physicians, farmers and other people whose activities may influence the evolution of biological organisms, such as pathogens and insects, decide when they should invest in evolution management strategies.
Penn State researchers look to build on Deines legacy in lab named in his honor
| psu.edu
A recently dedicated lab at Penn State bears the name of a longtime geosciences faculty member who used isotope geochemistry to better understand processes deep within the Earth. The Peter Deines Isotope Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, which is housed in a newly renovated portion of the basement of the Deike Building, features state-of-the-art equipment designed to benefit the research of the geosciences department at Penn State, and beyond. The lab features a large suite of instruments that can analyze isotopes within a wide array of molecules and minerals.
New nuclear engineering professor plans to inspire students, progress department
| psu.edu
Martin de Jesus Nieto-Perez, who joined the Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering in August, plans to use his passion for nuclear engineering to inspire his students and help grow the department.
Lacking a standard unit for light measurement, scientists devised a spectral sensitivity curve in the early 20th century. This graph, representing an "average human observer," mathematically quantifies light. Though imperfect, it remains the standard today, but an update could significantly improve the energy efficiency of lighting. Listen to the podcast.
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