Our graduate students are integral to the research we conduct, and they also are dedicated to making a difference in communities. Learn more about their research, outreach efforts, and other projects below.
News
Screening of 'Contact' and expert discussion to be held at the State Theatre
The Penn State Eberly College of Science is hosting a free screening of the award-winning film “Contact” on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the State Theatre. A Q&A featuring experts in the field of extraterrestrial intelligence, moderated by Jennifer Macalady, geomicrobiologist in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and director of the Penn State Ecology Institute, will immediately follow the film’s screening.
Defunct Pennsylvania oil and gas wells may leak methane, metals into water
Left uncapped and exposed to air and erosion, legacy oil and gas wells from the 1800s break down, leaching harmful chemicals like methane and dissolved metals into the atmosphere and the groundwater, geosciences researchers found.
Verallia taps LionGlass for low-carbon glass packaging for consumer products
Verallia, the world’s third largest producer of glass containers for food and beverages, has announced a partnership with Penn State to scale up the use of LionGlass, a new family of glass developed by researchers at the University.
Ice Age trees helped stabilize Earth's atmosphere by suffocating
A new study examined chemical fingerprints in subfossil wood, or preserved trees, from across North America to understand how plants responded to the low carbon dioxide levels and cooler temperatures of the last glacial period, about 20,000 years ago.
Adult learner finds ‘antidote to aging’ through geography program
Geography alumnus Bob Myers, who has worked for decades as an attorney, continues to take courses at Penn State. He earned a master's degree in Geographic Information Systems and a master of science in spatial data science. He also recently toured Penn State's Geographics Lab, which he contracted to assist on a project in honor of his late brother.
Fermentation waste used to make natural fabric
A fermentation byproduct might help to solve two major global challenges: world hunger and the environmental impact of fast fashion. The leftover yeast from brewing beer, wine or even to make some pharmaceuticals can be repurposed to produce high-performance fibers stronger than natural fibers with significantly less environmental impact.
Graduate students to share research at Coffee Hour on Nov. 7
Suraiya Parvin and Naser Lessani, two doctoral candidates in Penn State’s Department of Geography, will deliver research talks as part of the department’s Graduate Student “Coffee Hour” series at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7.
Fox Graduate School accepting submissions for 'Three Minute Thesis' until Dec. 5
The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School encourages all graduate students, including those from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, to submit videos to the first round of the 2025-26 Three Minute Thesis competition until Dec. 5.
Good vibrations: Ceramic material harvests electricity from waste energy
Some tech companies have already begun to harvest electricity from waste vibrations to power lights and recharge batteries using a class of piezoelectric ceramic materials, which emit electrical charges when stepped on or manipulated. Now, a team led by materials scientists at Penn State has expanded these early efforts of energy harvesting by improving the structure and chemistry of a piezoelectric material made of potassium sodium niobate.
Multidisciplinary team gains real-world experiences in energy exploration
A multidisciplinary team of Penn State students participated in the 2025 Society of Exploration Geophysicists' EVOLVE program, a mentor-guided, six-month virtual internship that uses commercial data to give students real-world experiences on energy exploration and carbon solutions. The team presented their results on a prospective gas reservoir at the SEG IMAGE Conference, held Aug. 25-28, in Houston, Texas.