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.
Institutes of Energy and the Environment to hold food-energy-water workshop
08/09/2018
08/09/2018
The Institutes of Energy and the Environment has announced a food-energy-water (FEW) workshop. The purpose of the event is to build a community of practice around the Food-Energy-Water Nexus, where the sectors of food, energy and water connect.
Radar better than weather balloon for measuring boundary layer
08/02/2018
08/02/2018
Improving forecasting for a host of severe weather events may be possible thanks to a more comprehensive method for measuring the Earth's boundary layer depth, developed by Penn State researchers.
Plate tectonics not needed to sustain life
07/30/2018
07/30/2018
There may be more habitable planets in the universe than we previously thought, according to Penn State geoscientists, who suggest that plate tectonics -- long assumed to be a requirement for suitable conditions for life -- are in fact not necessary.
Penn State New Kensington awarded $75,000 grant
07/24/2018
07/24/2018
The West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund(WPPSEF) has awarded Penn State New Kensington $75,000 to aid in incorporating sustainability and best practices to the campus-led Corridor of Innovation and revitalization efforts in the city of New Kensington.
Graduate student pursues research passions with help of scholarships
07/23/2018
07/23/2018
Jason Munro, a doctoral student in materials science and engineering, credits two recent scholarships with allowing him to pursue research that's both his passion and relevant to advancing the needs of society.
Researcher draws from physics to make labs, workplaces safer
07/18/2018
07/18/2018
According to research by John Mauro power-law distribution explains accidents in the workplace and how best to minimize them.
Fantastic plastics: Research collaboration could reshape injection molding
07/17/2018
07/17/2018
Ralph Colby has partnered with two other Penn State researchers to get a better basic understanding of how plastics cool from a liquid to solid shape in injection molding.
Faculty wins NSF CAREER Award to model structure of extreme weather events
07/16/2018
07/16/2018
One Penn State professor is seeking to create spatial statistical models for extreme events such as large forest fires, floods and heavy rainstorms to help make better decisions on infrastructure, preparation and mitigation.
Researcher tackling loss of healthy traditional diets in Morocco
07/12/2018
07/12/2018
Morocco's food landscape has been undergoing a major shift: Obesity is on the rise while traditional, healthy food is becoming more scarce. Penn State geography researcher Bronwen Powell wants to know what's driving these trends.
Study sheds new light on forests' response to atmospheric pollution
07/12/2018
07/12/2018
How forests respond to elevated nitrogen levels from atmospheric pollution is not always the same. While a forest is filtering nitrogen as expected, a higher percentage than previously seen is leaving the system again as the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, say researchers.