News

José Aponte an astrochemist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, will discuss the abundance and molecular distribution of amino acids, and other biologically relevant molecules extracted from meteorites, in a talk titled "Organic Astrochemistry 101: Meteorites, Origins of Life, and Sample-Return Missions" at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30.

As an international perfumer and senior majoring in materials science and engineering at Penn State, Tianyou Lou sees parallels between the two disciplines.

Amanda Hendrix, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, will deliver the talk "Investigating Icy Worlds Using UV Spectroscopy" at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, in 112 Walker Building on Penn State's University Park campus.

When used as wearable medical devices, stretchy, flexible gas sensors can identify health conditions or issues by detecting oxygen or carbon dioxide levels in the breath or sweat. 

Allison Beese, associate professor of materials science and engineering, will serve as co-director of the Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition, effective Jan 1.

Sometimes friction is good, such as the friction between a road and a car’s tires to prevent the vehicle from skidding. But sometimes friction is bad — if you did not put oil in that very same car, there would be so much friction in the bearings of the engine that the car could not operate. 

The 2022 Materials Day event, presented by the Materials Research Institute with the theme “Materials Impacting Society,” featured a look at what might be on the horizon as far as materials research with positive societal impact.   

Given the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute's (EESI) history of understanding the Earth as a system, the spring 2023 EarthTalks speaker series is intended to provide a venue for the expansion of participants' horizons into the solar system.  

A large family of chemicals used for decades to improve our lives — from nonstick cooking pans to waterproof clothing — are now known as "forever chemicals" because they do not easily break down in the environment and pose potential health risks as they build up in our bodies. A new study may improve our understanding of how these chemicals move in the groundwater, according to a team of scientists.

The latest episode of the "Growing Impact" podcast features a project focused on air quality and health concerns in western Pennsylvania