Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Thirteen graduate students received the Penn State Alumni Association Dissertation Award, Distinguished Doctoral Scholar Medal, in recognition of their outstanding professional accomplishment and achievement in scholarly research in any of the disciplinary areas of fine arts and humanities; social sciences — applied and basic; physical and computational sciences — applied and basic; life and health sciences; and engineering. The graduate students were honored during the Graduate Student Awards Luncheon held on April 18 at the Nittany Lion Inn.

Spring 2017 produced a record-breaking number of applications for Global Programs Travel Grants.

Amina Grant has spent much of her time as a Penn State undergraduate studying sustainability in the U.S., Jamaica and Peru, and using that research to make a positive impact on communities. And, other times, she has made a difference just by dressing as a superhero.

Five graduate students in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences were recognized for their research and presentation skills during the 32nd annual Graduate Exhibition, held March 24 and 26 on Penn State's University Park campus.

The science advocacy group WE ARE for Science, started by two graduate students, organized three buses to take 150 people to the March for Science on April 22 in Washington, D.C. The group seeks to promote science diversity, outreach and policy.

The structural properties of proteins that could eventually become important materials for manufacturing and medicine are revealed by a novel optical technique that works rapidly to sort through amino acid sequences even inside living bacteria, according to a team of engineers.

Ten Penn State students taking a special three-credit course offered by Derek Elsworth, professor of energy and geo-environmental engineering, spent spring break touring the iconic landscape of New Zealand while surveying measures it has taken to power itself using about 80 percent renewable energy.

In response to increased industry demand for experts in the growing field of additive manufacturing, Penn State will offer residential and online master’s degrees in additive manufacturing and design beginning in fall 2017.

The Engineering Graduate Student Council has announced the winners of the 14th annual College of Engineering Research Symposium, held on Tuesday, April 4, at the Nittany Lion Inn.

The Institute for CyberScience (ICS) has announced that 20 Penn State faculty are recipients of 2017 ICS Seed Grant Program awards. The awards, ranging from $4,000 to $25,000, support researchers doing innovative interdisciplinary research, laying the groundwork needed to apply for large external funding awards.