Read the latest news about research conducted by investigators in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Our faculty and students are continually advancing technology, creating solutions and expanding knowledge with new and innovative research.
Research links shale gas, legacy energy development to groundwater contamination
09/20/2022
09/20/2022
Fracking for natural gas in parts of Pennsylvania with a legacy of energy extraction may increase the risk of groundwater contamination, according to a team led by Penn State scientists.
Materials faculty part of two new DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers
09/20/2022
09/20/2022
Five faculty in Penn State’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) are members of research teams selected for two recently funded Energy Frontier Research Centers.
Penn State shares $25M DOE grant to study climate change impacts and adaptation
09/19/2022
09/19/2022
Penn State was named a collaborating institution in a $66 million U.S. Department of Energy Urban Integrated Field (Urban IFL) Program designed to study the impacts of climate change on American cities.
Grant funds research that could help certification of organic honey bee products
09/16/2022
09/16/2022
A $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will enable a team of researchers — led by Penn State entomologists — to assess foraging patterns of honey bees on organic farms, with an eye toward creating opportunities for beekeepers to produce certified-organic apiary products.
Novel implantable sensor sniffs out possible signals of osteoarthritis
09/14/2022
09/14/2022
Penn State reserachers have developed a flexible biosensor for monitoring nitric oxide signals, which could catch possible early onset osteoarthritis following some knee injuries, according to Penn State scientists.
Designed to Adapt: Living materials are the future of sustainable building
09/13/2022
09/13/2022
Working together across disciplines, researchers from Penn State and the University of Freiburg are applying materials that adapt, respond to the environment, self-power, and regenerate to meet the challenges of adaptive architecture.
Penn State leads project to improve air quality models for state decision makers
09/13/2022
09/13/2022
Improving states’ ability to address air quality issues is the focus of a new $1 million, Penn State-led project funded by NASA.
New model to help reframe the transition to low-carbon electric power
09/13/2022
09/13/2022
Mort Webster and a team of Penn State researchers developed a model to help reframe energy transition discussions.
Unique ferroelectric microstructure revealed for first time
09/08/2022
09/08/2022
A team of researchers have observed and reported for the first time the unique microstructure of a novel ferroelectric material, enabling the development of lead-free piezoelectric materials for electronics, sensors, and energy storage that are safer for human use.
Ceramic material could improve MRIs by enabling faster times, better images
09/07/2022
09/07/2022
An academic/enterprise partnership that includes Penn State researchers is developing a new dielectric material to enable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines with shorter scan times and higher image resolutions, good news for cutting the cost of MRI scans for the hospitals and for patients who struggle with MRI-related anxiety.