When a piece of glass is compromised, the signs of strain can be unmistakable. But understanding that process of deformation before failure in metals is a different matter and a longstanding scientific question that Darren Pagan, the Norris B. McFarlane Faculty Career Development Professorship in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, hopes to help answer through a Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation.

A tedious process of trial and error is normally required to discover ceramic materials that generate electricity under mechanical stress. Known as piezoelectric ceramics, the valuable next-generation materials can be used to replace batteries in powering small electronic devices, like sensors. To streamline the research process, a team led by materials science researchers at Penn State introduced a new framework that combines an existing artificial intelligence (AI) model with human expertise to uncover these materials.

Glass may look uniform, but some of the strongest and most useful glass materials contain carefully controlled crystals. Their size, number and arrangement can determine whether a material is strong enough for a smartphone screen, transparent enough for an optical device or durable enough for a dental crown.

Wearable health monitors can track heart rate, muscle activity, brain signals and other physiological measurements, but many devices are designed to capture only one type of signal at a time. Recording multiple signals simultaneously is more difficult because sensors must maintain reliable contact with the body even through hair, sweat and everyday movement.

The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded Penn State’s Two-Dimensional Crystal Consortium (2DCC) $4.6 million over four years to support its transition toward long-term sustainability while the national user facility continues providing researchers across the country with access to specialized materials, equipment and expertise.

Wearable health monitors are designed to move with the body. But for many devices, movement creates a problem: The more a person bends, stretches, reaches or runs, the harder it can be for the device to keep a stable wireless connection.

Penn State was awarded $20 million by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to lead one of 20 teams across the country over the next four years as part of the federal government’s Genesis Mission, a national effort to harness AI for scientific discovery.

Three projects led by Penn State scientists are among those selected for funding under Phase I of the Genesis Mission, a historic national initiative led by the U.S. Department of Energy to build an integrated science discovery platform. In addition, Penn State is a partner on the Prometheus project, led by Idaho National Laboratory, which is the first Genesis Mission Phase II award recipient.

The Penn State AI Hub, one of the five research hubs housed under the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS), has recognized 14 students, faculty and alumni with 2026 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Awards for their AI-related innovations and contributions to society.

When a jet streaks across the sky, pushing the boundaries of physics, or a new electronic device is created, Kaylin Lamaute, a second-year student majoring in materials science and engineering, knows that’s the result of the careful creation of materials.