News

The 2017–18 Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE) seed grant recipients have recently been awarded to 16 groups of interdisciplinary researchers at Penn State. This year nearly $350,000 have been awarded to more than 40 researchers in five colleges at University Park as well as at four campuses.

When geography doctoral student Xi Liu saw an opportunity to work for Google on a project that involved geographical data analysis — on a project related to his dissertation research — he wasted no time in applying.

Members of the Penn State community took home a slew of honors at the recent 2018 American Meteorological Society meeting.

Since the discovery of the remarkable properties of graphene, scientists have increasingly focused research on the many other two-dimensional materials possible, both those found in nature and those concocted in the lab. However, growing high-quality, crystalline 2-D materials at scale has proven a significant challenge.

Michael Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center, Penn State, will receive the 2018 American Association for the Advancement of Science Public Engagement with Science Award during the annual meeting in Austin, Texas, from Feb. 15 to 19.

When five students met at a first-year student orientation, they did not know their friendships would build through college and positively impact the community. Dan Cooley, Cole Ensminger, Steven Langballe, Peter Scalia and Shannon Stellato began their journey as members of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Student Council Benefiting THON (EMS THON) and emerged as leaders to support fundraising to fight cancer.

Yvette Richardson, professor of meteorology and associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS), and William Easterling III, professor of geography and former dean of EMS, have been elected 2018 Fellows of the American Meteorological Society (AMS).

Richard Alley has a message for scientists: It’s time to revamp the message. In a keynote address to scientists and educators at the 2018 American Meteorological Society Conference, Alley said people may be losing their appreciation for the good they get from science, and it’s up to the scientific community to change that.

Medical devices powered by synthetic proteins created from repeated sequences of proteins may be possible, according to materials science and biotechnology experts, who looked at material inspired by the proteins in squid ring teeth.

A Penn State graduate, who earned his degree online, is leading an FBI team that is charged with overseeing the safety of athletes, spectators and visitors during the Winter Olympics.