First-generation honor society at University Park inducts inaugural class
| psu.edu
The Eta Psi chapter of Tri-Alpha, a national honor society for first-generation college students, inducted its first members on April 22 at a ceremony in the Pattee and Paterno Library’s Foster Auditorium.
Rock steady: Study reveals new mechanism to explain how continents stabilized
| psu.edu
Ancient, expansive tracts of continental crust called cratons have helped keep Earth’s continents stable for billions of years, even as landmasses shift, mountains rise and oceans form. A new mechanism proposed by Penn State scientists may explain how the cratons formed some 3 billion years ago, an enduring question in the study of Earth’s history. The team published their work in Nature.
$4.99M DOE grant to build domestic supply chain for critical minerals
| psu.edu
A Penn State research team was recently awarded a $4.99 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop and assess advanced separation technologies for the extraction and recovery of rare earth elements and other critical materials from coal, coal wastes and coal by-products.
Becot named Nationwide Insurance Early Career Professor of Agricultural Safety
| psu.edu
Florence Becot recently was appointed Nationwide Insurance Early Career Professor of Agricultural Safety and Health in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. She will oversee research, extension and academic programs in safety and health related to the agricultural and the biorenewable industries.
SustainaLions, new Employee Resource Group announced
| psu.edu
New Employee Resource Group to focus on educating, engaging and connecting with Penn State employees to promote and support sustainability across the University.
University to provide $10.2M to centrally fund faculty promotions in FY25, FY26
| psu.edu
As part of an ongoing commitment to investing in faculty and staff, Penn State will be contributing more than $4.8 million toward faculty promotions in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget and $5.4 million in fiscal year 2025-26. Along with support for tenure-line promotions, the University will now also fund non-tenure-line faculty promotions at all campuses centrally starting in fiscal year 2024-25 — meaning these promotions and salary increases will not be funded out of individual college, institute or campus budgets.
Wonder material "more remarkable" than graphene has medical potential
| newsweek.com
Borophene is already thinner and more conductive than graphene, and scientists have altered it to make it even more special. This article features Penn State research.
Engineering researcher awarded IEE 'Person of the Year' for 2023
| psu.edu
Li Li, the Barry and Shirley Isett Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State, is the 2023 recipient of the Institute of Energy and the Environment’s Person of the Year Award.
Firefly populations at risk due to climate change, urban development
| gettysburgtimes.com
Catching fireflies is an iconic summer experience for many people living in North America, but the flickering beetles are on the decline. This article features Penn State research.
Penn State Extension praised by state for native plant gardens in Philadelphia
| psu.edu
The Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward program in Philadelphia County, in partnership with the Friends of Wharton Square Park, recently received a Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence, presented annually by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Video series shares sustainability lessons from trip to New Zealand, Australia
| psu.edu
If a picture is worth a thousand words, Annie Taylor hopes videos will bring an invaluable experience — an opportunity to learn about sustainability — to everyone, without traveling far from home. Last year, Taylor, senior assistant dean for distance learning in the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and Kaitlin Farnan, a business instructor at Penn State Altoona, led 20 Penn State students on a trip to New Zealand and Australia to learn about sustainable business practices.
Q&A: Decarbonizing steel manufacturing
| psu.edu
David Mazyck, professor and head of Penn State’s School of Engineering Design and Innovation, and Daniel Whisler, associate professor of engineering design, were awarded a three-year, $1.33 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to explore ways to decarbonize the steel and iron manufacturing industry.
Once a frozen haven, climate-driven rising temperatures are rapidly thawing the Arctic permafrost, posing a major threat to communities and infrastructure. Researchers are investigating how these changes will transform rivers, with potential consequences for erosion, sediment transport, and the entire Arctic landscape. Additionally, their project incorporates art to communicate these critical findings in an engaging way. Listen to the podcast.
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