Understanding agriculture’s impacts on 'the zone where rock meets life'
| news.psu.edu
Penn State researchers working at Cole Farm are studying the effects of agriculture on the critical zone, the porous boundary layer extending from bedrock to treetops where rock, water, soil, air and living organisms interact. Research at the farm is shedding light on critical zone processes, and how to manage boundary-layer resources in environmentally and economically sustainable ways.
Penn State seeks nominations for Earthshot Prize for environmental solutions
| news.psu.edu
In an effort to identify strong examples of promising solutions to environmental challenges, Penn State faculty and staff are encouraged to either self-nominate or to nominate other researchers or projects for the Earthshot Prize, by the internal deadline of Dec. 17.
University endorses climate change letter to world leaders
| news.psu.edu
Penn State was one of 37 international universities that endorsed a letter drafted by the International Universities Climate Alliance that urged world leaders to protect humankind from climate change.
Researchers aim to 'upcycle' nutrient waste on farms using duckweed
| psu.edu
With a $1.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation, Penn State researchers will investigate how duckweed could be grown on Pennsylvania farms to limit nutrient pollution into the Chesapeake Bay.
Four College of Engineering faculty named to 2020 Highly Cited Researchers list
| news.psu.edu
Four faculty members in Penn State’s College of Engineering were recently recognized as “Highly Cited Researchers” by the Web of Science Group in 2020.
New funding program to help advance living multifunctional materials
| news.psu.edu
The Convergence Center for Living Multifunctional Material Systems has announced the inaugural Living Multifunctional Materials Collaborative Research Seed Grant Program 2021, aimed at advancing the discovery of sustainable materials that are biological or inspired by biological principles.
University community invited to participate in energy forum
| news.psu.edu
The first in a series of energy forums on Dec. 11 will discuss how Penn State can continue to strengthen its position as an energy leader. Penn State faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in the forum.
Seven Penn State faculty named AAAS Fellows
| psu.edu
Seven Penn State faculty members in areas ranging from atmospheric science and engineering to medicine and computer science have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society. This year a total of 489 individuals are being recognized with this lifetime honor, bestowed by their peers, for their extraordinary achievements in advancing science.
Chasing science, catching collaborators
| chemistrycommunity.nature.com
Oil droplets in surfactant solutions can chase each other like predators chase prey. How fast the droplets move and whether the predator will catch up can be controlled by varying the droplet's composition. This is the story of how we learned that.
Seminar to examine Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative amid state energy policy
| news.psu.edu
Daniel Mallinson, assistant professor of public policy and administration at Penn State Harrisburg, and graduate student Andrew Bell will discuss how the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative might interact with Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard and Act 129 at noon on Friday, Dec. 4. The seminar, which is free and open to the public, will be held through Zoom. Registration is required.
Architectural engineer on mission to enable zero-carbon buildings
| news.psu.edu
An assistant professor in architectural engineering, Pavlak and his team have focused in recent months on how design and control optimization can lead to benefits both for buildings and the environment in one cohesive process, known as co-design.
MRI grants to seed exploration of transformative materials research
| psu.edu
The Penn State Materials Research Institute (MRI) is offering a variety of seed grants to enable University faculty to establish new collaborations with partners outside their own units for exploration of transformative ideas for high-impact research.
Once a frozen haven, climate-driven rising temperatures are rapidly thawing the Arctic permafrost, posing a major threat to communities and infrastructure. Researchers are investigating how these changes will transform rivers, with potential consequences for erosion, sediment transport, and the entire Arctic landscape. Additionally, their project incorporates art to communicate these critical findings in an engaging way. Listen to the podcast.
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