Recycling rates could rise significantly with this simple tweak
| theconversation.com
Consumers are much more likely to recycle their waste after viewing messages showing the products it might turn into.
New AI app predicts climate change stress for farmers in Africa
| psu.edu
A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool available for free in a smartphone app can predict near-term crop productivity for farmers in Africa and may help them protect their staple crops — such as maize, cassava and beans — in the face of climate warming, according to Penn State researchers. The team will unveil the new tool — which will work with their existing AI assistant, called “PlantVillage Nuru” — to coincide with the United Nations Climate Action Summit held today (Sept. 23) at the U.N. Headquarters in New York City.
The new geographers: Six faculty hires are driving the future of the field
| psu.edu
Six new tenure-line geography faculty started this fall in the Department of Geography. They conduct research on a wide variety of subjects including water, climate change, natural hazards, remote sensing, social networks, data mining, economics, and inequality and diversity.
How the Borland Project Space emphasizes sustainability practices through arts research
| collegian.psu.edu
Room 125 of the Borland Building brings Penn State students, faculty and community members together to witness non-traditional art forms focused on sustainability practices in research.
Building materials researcher joins architectural engineering
| psu.edu
Juan Pablo “JP” Gevaudan, an experimental cement chemist and current Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow, joined Penn State’s Department of Architectural Engineering on Aug. 16 as an affiliate professor. A member of the department’s structural engineering group, he will become a tenure-track assistant professor on July 1, 2021.
Engineering faculty, staff, alumni to be honored for exceptional contributions
| psu.edu
Faculty, staff and alumni of the Penn State College of Engineering will be recognized for their outstanding teaching, research, advising and service at a 2 p.m. ceremony on Oct. 21 in the Hintz Family Alumni Center on Penn State's University Park campus.
Researchers seek to revolutionize catalyst design with machine learning
| psu.edu
Researchers from Penn State and Carnegie Mellon University have received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to use machine learning — a form of artificial intelligence — and data science to design more effective catalysts for chemical processing. The grant is part of a new initiative by the DOE to provide $27.6 million in grants for data science research in chemical and materials sciences.
Energy and mineral engineering to host annual research showcase Oct. 3
| psu.edu
The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences’ John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering will host its annual research showcase, “Rising to the Challenge,” from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Graduate State College Regency Ballroom in State College.
Hurricane Dorian devastates Bahamas; scientists explain storm's unique evolution
| psu.edu
Hurricane Dorian's unusual evolution represented a worst-case scenario for the Bahamas, according to experts at Penn State.
Penn State entomologists join project to track historical parasite populations
| psu.edu
Supported by a $4.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation, a multi-institutional project will draw on Penn State entomological expertise and collections to document and digitize the historical population dynamics of arthropod parasites, such as ticks, lice and mosquitoes.
Two Penn State researchers join Institutes of Energy and the Environment
| psu.edu
Penn State researchers Jose D. Fuentes, professor of meteorology, and Feifei Shi, assistant professor of energy engineering, have joined the Institutes of Energy and the Environment. Both are faculty members in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Penn State researchers lead the way in Water-Energy-Food research in Africa
| psu.edu
Three Penn State researchers — Rachel Brennan, in the College of Engineering, and Mike Jacobson and Brian Thiede, in the College of Agricultural Sciences — recently received $250,000 in University Strategic Plan seed funding to address global Water-Energy-Food challenges.
Flooding is the world's most devastating natural disaster, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Millions of Americans live in high-risk flood zones, with the threat amplified by climate change and aging infrastructure. This episode explores how innovative computer modeling and visualizations can help communities plan for future flood risks and develop effective response strategies. Listen to the podcast.
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