Affiliated Researchers

Affiliates are Penn Staters who have a connection to or an interest in the work of the Institute of Energy and the Environment. Currently, 1020 faculty and researchers from across Penn State, including the Commonwealth campuses, are affiliates of IEE.

Ryan Thombs


Assistant Professor, Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education
Top research keywords: Carbon Dioxide, United States, Income Inequality, CO2 Emissions, Economic Growth

Cheryl Thompson


Professor, Interim Vice Chair for Education and Endowed Chair in Cancer Population Sciences Research, Department of Public Health Sciences
Top research keywords: Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer, Neoplasm, Colon, Malignant Neoplasm

Stefan Thynell


Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Top research keywords: Thermolysis, Decomposition, Propellants, Radiation, RDX

Ming Tien


Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Top research keywords: Phanerochaete, Lignin Peroxidase, Manganese Peroxidase, Peroxidase, Lignin

Timothy Tighe


Assistant Research Professor, Materials Characterization Lab
Top research keywords: Surface (Surface Science), Self Assembled Monolayer, Methoxy, Monolayers, Self-assembled Monolayer

Ted Toadvine


Nancy Tuana Director of the Rock Ethics Institute and Associate Professor, Philosophy
Top research keywords: Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology, Limits, Ecological, Environmental Theory

David Toews


Assistant Professor, Biology
Top research keywords: Warbler, Genomics, Hybrid Zone, Genetics, Setophaga

John Tooker


Professor, Entomology
Top research keywords: Host Plant, Herbivore, Plant Defense, Neonicotinoid, Silphium

Hilal Ezgi Toraman


Assistant Professor, John and Willie Leone Department of Energy & Mineral Engineering (EME)
Top research keywords: Pyrolysis, Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography, Two Dimensional Gas Chromatography, Bio-Oil, Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography

Elizabeth Traut



Top research keywords: Public Transit, Charging Infrastructure, Optimal Allocation, Spatial Interaction, Optimal Design

Lorena Tribe


Professor of Chemistry, Division of Science (Berks)
Top research keywords: Computational Chemistry, Surface Complexes, Goethite, Adsorption, Optical Modes

Susan Trolier-McKinstry


Steward S. Flaschen Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Top research keywords: Film, Thin Films, Piezoelectricity, Piezoelectric, Ferroelectric Material

Erin Trouba


Extension Educator

Luke Trusel


Assistant Professor, Geography
Top research keywords: Ice Sheet, Antarctic Region, Antarctic Ice Sheet, Land Ice, Antarctica

Nancy Tuana


DuPont/Class of 1949 Professor, Philosophy
Top research keywords: Climate Change, Ethics, Research, Geoengineering, Epistemic

Kenji Uchino


Professor, Electrical Engineering
Top research keywords: Lead Zirconate Titanate, Ceramic, Ferroelectric Materials, Ceramics, Piezoelectric Ceramics

Md Habib Ullah


Assistant Professor, School of Science, Engineering & Technology (Harrisburg)
Top research keywords: Energy Management System, Alternating Direction Method Of Multipliers, Microgrid, DC Microgrid, Power Engineering

Julie Urban


Associate Research Professor, Entomology
Top research keywords: Hemiptera, Spotted Lanternfly, Fulgoridae, Lycorma Delicatula, Planthopper

Julio Urbina


Professor, Electrical Engineering
Top research keywords: Meteors, Radar Systems, Radar Tracking, Radar Observations, Radar System

Femeena Pandara Valappil


Assistant Professor, Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Top research keywords: Duckweed, Watersheds, Lemna, Water Assessment Tool, Soil Investigation

Adri van Duin


Distinguished Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Top research keywords: ReaxFF, Surface (Surface Science), Computer Simulation, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, ReaxFF Reactive Force Field

Jennifer Van Hook


Roy C. Buck Professor, Sociology and Criminology
Top research keywords: Immigrant, USA, Immigrants, United States, Immigrant Children

Kimberly Van Meter


Assistant Professor, Geography
Top research keywords: Water Quality, Eutrophication, Groundwater, Mississippi, N Input

Kurt Vandegrift


Associate Research Professor, Biology
Top research keywords: Virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, COVID-19, White-tailed Deer, Rodents

John (Jack) Vanden Heuvel


Professor of Veterinary Science, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Top research keywords: Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor, Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor, Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA), Conjugated Linoleic Acid, Gene Expression

Randy L. Vander Wal


Professor, John and Willie Leone Department of Energy & Mineral Engineering (EME)
Top research keywords: Nanomaterial, Soot, Nanostructures, Laser-induced Incandescence, Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)

Juliana Vasco-Correa


Assistant Professor, Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Top research keywords: Pretreatment, Fungal Pretreatment, Miscanthus, Bioproducts, Feedstock

Martina Vecchi


Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education
Top research keywords: Food, Lab Experiment, Local Food, Food Choice, Socioeconomic Status

Tamie L. Veith


Agricultural Engineer, USDA-ARS-Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit
Top research keywords: Watershed, Watersheds, Soil And Water Assessment Tool Model, Soil And Water Assessment Tool, Phosphorus

Darrell Velegol


Distinguished Professor, Chemical Engineering
Top research keywords: Colloidal Particles, Electrophoresis, Non-uniformity, Colloidal Particle, Doublet

Stephanie Butler Velegol


Acting Associate Department Head and Teaching Professor, Chemical Engineering

Jose Ventura


Professor, Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Top research keywords: Supplier Selection, Programming Model, Refuelling Station, Transportation Cost, Price-dependent Demand

Johannes Verlinde


Professor, Meteorology and Atmospheric Science
Top research keywords: Radar, Doppler Radar, Ice, Ice Crystal, Liquid

Victoria Ashley Villar


Assistant Professor, Astronomy & Astrophysics
Top research keywords: Merger, Binary Stars, Supernovae, Neutron Stars, LIGO (observatory)

Bryan Vogt


Professor, Chemical Engineering
Top research keywords: Film, Thin Films, Copolymer, Surface (Surface Science), Polystyrene

Robert Voigt


Professor, Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Top research keywords: Cast Iron, Foundry, Nodular Iron, Ductile Iron, Oxidation Reaction

Jennifer Wagner


Assistant Professor, School of Engineering Design and Innovation
Top research keywords: DNA Testing, Ethical Considerations, United States, Genomic Medicine, Direct-to-consumer