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.
New model that examines materials at mesoscale may be bridge to next-gen devices
08/30/2022
08/30/2022
A newly developed model may serve as a bridge between quantum mechanical calculations at the atomic scale and devices that could enable next-generation quantum technologies, according to a team of Penn State researchers.
Researchers to develop scaffolding for nerve regeneration with $2.14M NIH grant
08/16/2022
08/16/2022
Peripheral nerves are responsible for moving muscles, sensing temperatures and even inhaling and exhaling; yet they comprise fragile fibers vulnerable to disease and injury.
Irreversible declines in freshwater storage projected in parts of Asia by 2060
08/15/2022
08/15/2022
New research led by scientists at Penn State, Tsinghua University and the University of Texas at Austin projects that climate change, under a scenario of weak climate policy, will cause irreversible declines in freshwater storage, constituting a serious threat to the water supply for central Asia, Afghanistan, Northern India, Kashmir and Pakistan by the middle of the century.
Sara Andreoli receives EMS award for excellence in research
08/15/2022
08/15/2022
Sara Andreoli, a postdoctoral researcher who recently completed her appointment with the Earth and Mineral Sciences Energy Institute at Penn State, received the esteemed 2022 EMS Postdoctoral Excellence in Research Award.
Geography student awarded NASA funding to study harmful algal blooms
08/04/2022
08/04/2022
Shuyu Chang, a doctoral candidate in Penn State’s Department of Geography, received a Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) award to study harmful algal blooms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Sloan Foundation grant to help support equitable transition to renewable energy
08/03/2022
08/03/2022
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has awarded a three-year, $500,000 grant to researchers, including from Penn State, to design a framework for creating policies that mitigate the impacts of climate change for a more just transition to renewables, while expanding renewable energy production in the most vulnerable communities with environmental justice considerations.
Nanoparticles increase light scattering, boost solar cell performance
08/02/2022
08/02/2022
As demand for solar energy rises around the world, scientists are working to improve the performance of solar devices — important if the technology is to compete with traditional fuels. But researchers face theoretical limits on how efficient they can make solar cells.
New options for health, environmental monitoring with water-resistant gas sensor
08/01/2022
08/01/2022
Accurate, continuous monitoring of nitrogen dioxide and other gases in humid environments is now possible, thanks to a new water-resistant gas sensor developed a team led by a Penn State researcher.
Penn State scientists join Pacific field campaign to study extreme rainfall
07/27/2022
07/27/2022
Penn State researchers spent their summer in one of the world’s wettest regions as part of an international effort to study extreme rainfall, hazardous weather events that can trigger deadly and damaging events like flooding and landslides.
New type of semiconductor may advance low-energy electronics
07/25/2022
07/25/2022
A research partnership between Penn State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) could enable an improved method to make a new type of semiconductor that is a few atoms thin and interacts with light in an unusual way.