News

<p>Researchers at the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center have been awarded a three-year, $480,000 grant under the NASA Exoplanets Research Program to search for radio and laser signals from alien civilizations.</p>

December 19, 2024

Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center awarded NASA grant

<p>Despite their reputation as buzzing nuisances, flies serve a critical role as some of the Earth’s most prolific pollinators — and new research led by Penn State scientists suggests they are increasingly at risk due to rising global temperatures.</p>

December 19, 2024

Pollinators most vulnerable to rising global temperatures are flies, study shows

<p>Due to its massive scale of production, concrete’s environmental impact is significant: It accounts for 8% of the globe’s total annual carbon dioxide emissions. In the Penn State College of Engineering, researchers are working to reduce that number through innovations in manufacturing and carbon capture and storage.</p>

December 19, 2024

WATCH: Mixing up carbon-neutral concrete solutions in the College of Engineering

<p>Two new studies led by Penn State researchers analyzed the experiences of residents in a rural Pennsylvania community after the closure of several essential places.</p>

December 18, 2024

Rural communities may be especially impacted by essential places closing

<p>Teams from universities across the nation competed to solve a real-world industry challenge, retaining a multi-generational nursing staff, sponsored by the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.</p>

December 17, 2024

Health Administration Case Competition challenged students across the US

<p>A multi-national, multi-institutional team led by Penn State researchers developed a new tool that enables doctors to examine placentas right at the bedside using just a phone. The tool could make placental examination more accessible, saving lives and improving health outcomes, the team said. </p>
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December 17, 2024

Placenta assessment tool aims to improve neonatal, maternal care

<p>As part of our regular "We Are!” feature, we recognize 14 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University. </p>

December 16, 2024

Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters — Dec. 16

<p>New studies by researchers at Penn State show that subtle activation of a small subset of neurons in one region of the brain can make male mice resilient to, and even reverse, the detrimental effects of chronic stress and that the changes involved are highly sex-specific.</p>

December 16, 2024

Brain regions that relieve effects of chronic stress in mice differ based on sex

<p>Matthew Krull, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at Penn State, was recently awarded a four-year fellowship with NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program.</p>
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December 13, 2024

Propelling forward: Mechanical engineering grad student awarded NASA fellowship

<p>Ayse Akyildiz, a doctoral student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, recently returned from a research training trip to the Arctic, during which she and the other participants learned more about the region and the complex challenges it faces in a warming world.</p>

December 12, 2024

Ag student travels to Arctic for research training in a climate-changed region

<p>Prioritizing closing coal-fired power plants near vulnerable communities could significantly improve air quality and public health outcomes, according to a new multi-institutional study co-led by researchers at Penn State. </p>

December 11, 2024

Targeted coal plant closures may boost environmental, health outcomes

<p>Chelsea Russ, who graduated from Penn State in the spring of 2024 with a master’s degree in landscape architecture, will continue her research on the effects of climate change on the environment as a finalist for the 2025 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Knauss Fellowship. </p>

December 11, 2024

Stuckeman landscape architecture alumna follows passion for environmental issues

<p>The genome of a once-endangered songbird shows extensive signs of inbreeding, according to a new study by Penn State researchers. Because inbreeding can negatively impact survival and reproduction, the results could guide continuing conservation efforts for Kirtland’s warblers.</p>

December 11, 2024

Once-endangered Kirtland’s warblers show extensive signs of inbreeding in genome

<p>Starting in summer 2025, the National Taipei University of Technology in Taiwan will provide up to 10 scholarships annually for Penn State graduate students to engage in research and education collaboration at Taipei Tech. Applications for the graduate scholarship opportunities are open until Feb. 10, 2025. </p>

December 10, 2024

Penn State, Taipei Tech announce graduate scholarship opportunities

<p>Higher incomes are often correlated with healthier pregnancies and babies, but is it really the money that matters? Sedimentary rocks that formed 390 million years ago, surprisingly, help provide the answer, at least for those who live above the Marcellus Shale formation, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State.</p>

December 10, 2024

Increased area income improves birthweight rates, researchers find

<p>For the first time, scientists have observed a collection of particles, also known as a quasiparticle, that's massless when moving one direction but has mass in the other direction. The quasiparticle, called a semi-Dirac fermion, was first theorized 16 years ago, but was only recently spotted inside a crystal of semi-metal material called ZrSiS. The observation of the quasiparticle opens the door to future advances in a range of emerging technologies from batteries to sensors, according to researchers at Penn State.</p>

December 10, 2024

Particle that only has mass when moving in one direction observed for first time

<p>The shift from an awake state to unconsciousness is a phenomenon that has long captured the interest of scientists and philosophers alike, but how it happens has remained a mystery — until now. Through studies on rats, a team of researchers at Penn State has pinpointed the exact moment of loss of consciousness due to anesthesia, mapping what happens in different brain regions during that moment.</p>

December 10, 2024

Brain mechanisms underpinning loss of consciousness identified

<p>An exhibition "Defining the New Negro: Voices of the Harlem Renaissance a Century Later"<em> </em>invites visitors to explore the works of featured Black authors and artists and their efforts to redefine Black identity, life and culture. The exhibition will be on view until Apr. 7, 2025.</p>

December 09, 2024

Harlem Renaissance is focus of new Libraries Exhibition

<p>Older adults in India who reported low-quality sleep were three times more likely to be frail, according to a new study led by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development.</p>

December 09, 2024

Could a good night’s sleep help protect people from becoming frail?

<p>Kartik Khurana, a graduate student in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, leveraged networking and internships to land a full-time position. He will begin his cybersecurity career following graduation this December. </p>

December 05, 2024

IST graduate student offers job search tips for international students

December 05, 2024

Applications open for clinical and translational science training programs

<p>What’s the best way to precisely manipulate a material’s properties to the desired state? It may be straining the material’s very atoms, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State. The team discovered that “spray painting” atoms of potassium niobate, a material used in advanced electronics, could tune the resulting thin films with exquisite control. The finding, published in Advanced Materials, could drive environmentally friendly advancements in consumer electronics, medical devices and quantum computing, the researchers said. </p>

December 05, 2024

Straining a material’s atomic arrangement may make for cleaner, smarter devices

<p>Ten graduate students from eight academic programs have been selected for the final round of the 2024-25 Penn State Three Minute Thesis competition, which is designed to help graduate students communicate their research to a general audience. The final in-person round will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025, both livestreamed online and in person at the Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park campus.</p>

December 04, 2024

Finalists named for Penn State 2024-25 Three Minute Thesis competition

December 04, 2024

Student Leadership and Involvement seeking Student Achievement Award nominations

<p>Six Penn State materials researchers have received the 2024 Rustum and Della Roy Innovation in Materials Research Award, recognizing a wide range of research with societal impact. The award is presented by the Materials Research Institute and recognizes recent interdisciplinary materials research at Penn State that yields innovative and unexpected results. </p>

December 03, 2024

Materials Research Institute names 2024 Roy Award winners

<p>The Penn State Smeal College of Business is adding a dynamic hybrid MBA to its portfolio of graduate programs. Scheduled to launch in Fall 2025, prospective students are now able to apply for consideration for admission in the inaugural class.</p>

December 02, 2024

Penn State Smeal introduces dynamic hybrid MBA program

<p>An economic analysis led by researchers at Penn State found that the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail Connector generated over $23.5 million in economic revenue for area businesses over a two-year period.</p>

December 02, 2024

Pennsylvania ATV trail connector generated $23.5M in revenue over two years

<p>A delegation of Penn State faculty and graduate students who attended the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference, known as COP16, in Cali, Colombia, share about the event and their experiences.</p>

December 02, 2024

Q&A: Penn State COP16 delegation contributes to biodiversity efforts

<p>Brief scientific literacy interventions like short videos focused on critical thinking skills can help to undermine conspiracy beliefs and behaviors, according to a study led by Penn State researchers.</p>

December 02, 2024

Brief scientific literacy interventions may quash new conspiracy theories

<p>Penn State and the U.S. National Science Foundation celebrated the official launch of the U.S. National Science Foundation National Synthesis Center for Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences with a ribbon cutting and ceremony at the Verne M. Willaman Gateway to the Life Sciences bridge in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences on Nov. 18. The event marked the physical dedication of the federally funded center, which was first announced in April.</p>

November 27, 2024

Heard on Campus: Launch of new center in molecular and cellular sciences, NCEMS

November 26, 2024

Better habitats for forest farming wild leeks could help future foraging demands

<p>Lydia Cowher has a passion to serve others, a big part of why she is working toward her second graduate degree online through Penn State World Campus.</p>

November 26, 2024

Spirit of service inspires this World Campus student’s academic journey

<p>Jack Carroll, distinguished professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, has published a new book on innovative teaching practices. Twenty faculty members from the College of IST, and seven alumni or current students contributed to the book.</p>

November 26, 2024

IST professor publishes second book on innovative teaching practices

<p>Following a career in higher education, Penn State alumna Linda Boehme Reilly recently made a gift of $200,000 to create an endowed graduate assistantship which will enable the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School to support graduate students.</p>

November 25, 2024

Alumna makes $200,000 gift to provide graduate assistantship support

<p>Pollutants known as “contaminants of emerging concern” or chemicals that could potentially harm human health and have been found in the environment, including pesticides, ingredients from personal care products, pharmaceuticals and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are increasingly found in streams and lakes. A team led by researchers at Penn State recently demonstrated the accuracy and utility of a new method to find even very low levels of these substances in surface waters. They reported their findings in the Science of the Total Environment.</p>

November 22, 2024

Alternate stream water-testing method detects emerging contaminants

<p>Augmentative and alternative communication devices that make use of a new approach called visual scene displays have been proven to be an effective communication support for children with speech-related disabilities, according to a study by Penn State College of Education researchers.</p>

November 22, 2024

Q&A: Is video tech effective for children with speech-related disabilities?

<p>With social media platforms for politicians, campaigns and voters alike, pollsters may be able to better predict election results by tracking the buzz around each candidate on social media, according to a new study published by a team of researchers from Penn State, Stanford University and the University of Florida.</p>
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November 21, 2024

Social media buzz may predict election results earlier in tight races

<p>Police radio transmissions contain personally identifiable information that could pose privacy risks for members of the public, especially Black males, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State and the University of Chicago. They also found that a large language model, a widely used artificial intelligence tool, could detect personally identifiable information with high accuracy, highlighting the risk of privacy vulnerability.</p>

November 21, 2024

Broadcast police communications may pose privacy risks, especially to Black men

<p>A two-week food science summer school was hosted by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences this past July, giving undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to learn from experts both internal and external to the University.</p>

November 20, 2024

International food science summer school comes to Penn State

<p>Syed Rafiul Hussain, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Penn State, leads a research team addressing a variety of mobile network vulnerabilities. The team's research focuses on issues in hardware, coding and networking, that leave everyone, from the network providers to the end user of the phone, at risk.</p>

November 19, 2024

Q&A: Addressing vulnerabilities to increase mobile network safety, efficiency

<p>Curiosity and a love of writing drew Lana Medina to a career in journalism. A concern for its future drew her out of it. The fourth-year doctoral student in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communication loved the work, but the profession’s rapid shift to digital platforms, its ongoing financial hurdles and its increased corporate influence were changing the way news was constructed and shared.</p>

November 19, 2024

From the newsroom, doctoral student studies journalism’s modern-day challenges

<p>In an analysis of more than 35 million public posts containing links that were shared billions of times on the social media platform between 2017 and 2020, the researchers at Penn State found that around 75% of the shares were made without the posters clicking the link first. Of these, political content from both ends of the spectrum was shared without clicking more often than politically neutral content.</p>

November 19, 2024

Social media users probably won’t read beyond this headline, researchers say

<p>Phosphorus, a nutrient in soil essential for sustaining most forms of life, is increasingly disappearing from land as it is washed into waterways throughout the United States, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State.</p>

November 18, 2024

American soil losing more crop nutrients due to heavier rainstorms, study shows

<p>The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State and Penn State Global have announced the awardees for the Fall 2024 Graduate Student International Travel Grants. Of 39 applications, seven were selected for $1,500 grants to assist them in presenting their research at international conferences outside the United States. </p>

November 18, 2024

Fox Graduate School names recipients of fall 2024 International Travel Grants

<p>The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) recently hosted their annual symposium, "ICDS Day MMXXIV: Shaping the Future of Penn State’s Digital Research," which highlighted interdisciplinary research in computational and data sciences across the University.</p>

November 18, 2024

ICDS Day 2024 highlights significance of interdisciplinary research

<p>Stephanie Danette Preston, associate dean for graduate educational equity and chief diversity officer for graduate education with the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School, was recently selected as the 2024 Faculty Mentor of Year for the Sloan Scholars Program.</p>

November 18, 2024

Fox Graduate School associate dean honored as Sloan Faculty Mentor of the Year

November 18, 2024

Penn State selected for Council of Graduate Schools STEM Workforce Project

<p>A new approach for modeling important atmospheric chemical reactions, developed by a team led by scientists at Penn State, may improve our understanding of the atmosphere on early Earth and help in the search for habitable conditions on planets beyond our solar system.</p>

November 18, 2024

New approach improves models of atmosphere on early Earth, exo-planets

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