<p>A new technique allows astronomers to home in on planets beyond our solar system that are in line with each other and with Earth to search for radio signals similar, for example, to ones used to communicate with the rovers on Mars. Penn State astronomers and scientists at the SETI Institute spent 28 hours scanning the TRAPPIST-1 star system for these signs of alien technology with the Allen Telescope Array. Although the team didn’t find any evidence of extraterrestrial technology, their work introduced a new way to search for signals in the future.</p>

Are nearby planets sending radio signals to each other?

<p>A rare, extremely luminous X-ray outburst has been observed in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is a close neighbor of our own Milky Way galaxy. The observations, made by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and other telescopes, were described by an international team of astronomers led Penn State scientists on the Swift team.</p>

Rare, ultra-luminous nova spotted in the Small Magellanic Cloud

<p>With cold and flu season on the horizon, University Health Services encourages students to stay current on COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Both vaccines are available by appointment at UHS.</p>

Students are encouraged to get updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines

<p>Three projects from researchers in the Penn State Stuckeman School that focus on the use of mycelium, the root of fungus, as sustainable architectural components are featured in the “Fungi Futures: Exploring Mycelium in Product Design and Crafts” exhibition in the gallery of the (con)Temporary CRAFTS STUDIO in Bremen, Germany.</p>

Fungi Futures exhibition showcases work of Stuckeman architecture researchers

Upcoming events supporting graduate student success, Oct. 16-22

<p>People who experience depression and concussions simultaneously have significantly worse symptoms for both conditions and disruptions to brain connectivity, according to a study by researchers at Penn State.</p>

Co-occurrence of depression and concussions amplify symptoms of both conditions

<p>A team of researchers from Penn State College of Medicine found that misfolded versions of a protein exhibit tissue-specific toxicity linked to cell degeneration that may be linked to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study is a step forward in understanding the physiological processes that may contribute to ALS development and progression and identifies a potential therapeutic target, the researchers said.</p>

Toxic protein may contribute to ALS development

<p>The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State named 110 graduate students as recipients of the 2024-25 University Graduate Fellowships and Distinguished Graduate Fellowships. The students were honored on Oct. 3 at a reception held at the Bryce Jordan Center.  </p>

University fellowships awarded to 110 graduate students

<p>Graduate students took away positive experiences participating in Penn State’s inaugural Three Minute Thesis competition this past spring. </p>

Three Minute Thesis competition provides lasting impact for graduate students

<p>A team led by Penn State researchers recently developed an electronic tongue capable of identifying differences in similar liquids, such as milk with varying water content; diverse products, including soda types and coffee blends; signs of spoilage in fruit juices; and instances of food safety concerns. They found that results were even more accurate when artificial intelligence used its own assessment parameters to interpret the data generated by the electronic tongue.</p>

A matter of taste: Electronic tongue reveals AI inner thoughts

<p>Several graphic design students from the Stuckeman School were recognized for their designs in the University and College Designers Association's 2024 Design Awards competition, which honors designers, design educators, photographers and illustrators across the United States.</p>

Stuckeman graphic design students win multiple national design awards

<p>Rates of babesiosis, a tick-borne parasitic disease, increased an average of 9% per year in the United States between 2015 and 2022 and four in 10 patients were found to be co-infected with another tick-borne illness such as Lyme disease, according to a new study led by researchers at the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the Penn State College of Medicine.</p>

Rates of a tick-borne parasitic disease are on the rise

Upcoming events supporting graduate student success, Oct. 9-15

<p>Graduate students attended the Global Careers Institute on Sept. 27 and 28, co-hosted by Penn State Global and Penn State Great Valley. At this professional development event, prominent Penn State alumni shared about their work experience in various countries and networked with students to help them prepare for success in the global marketplace.</p>

Highlights from the Global Careers Institute for grad students at Great Valley

<p>Liam Geyer, a fifth-year Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations, leveraged his involvement in the Competitive Cybersecurity Organization at Penn State to land internships and full-time employment. </p>

Student engagement leads to career opportunity for IST graduate student

<p>Honey bees are not native to the U.S., leading to concerns that managed honey bee populations might negatively impact wild bees. However, a Penn State research team found that of the 33 genera of native bees studied, only a small number seemed to be negatively affected by the presence of honey bees.</p>

Adding fall blooming plants may help both managed and wild bees in cities

<p>Batteries power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles, with their performance hinging on the critical interface between the electrode and electrolyte. Penn State and industry researchers have developed a method to observe this interface at a higher resolution, which could potentially reveal new ways to improve battery efficiency and lifespan.  </p>

Revamping an old technique to see battery design in a new way

<p>A compound found in African wormwood — a plant used medicinally for thousands of years to treat many types of illness — could be effective against tuberculosis, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State.</p>

Plant compound used in traditional medicine may help fight tuberculosis

Upcoming events supporting graduate student success, Oct. 2-8

<p>Zita Oravecz, associate professor of human development and family studies in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development, is leading a four-year, $3.1 million National Institute of Aging-funded study to study the early signs of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias that may appear approximately 20 years before an official diagnosis.</p>

$3.1M grant to fund study on early signs and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Industry job search workshop series to highlight tips for graduate students

<p>Rates of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the immediate pre-pandemic period, according to new research led by a team from the Penn State College of Medicine. The pronounced increase in SUID cases correlated with a resurgence of seasonal respiratory viruses, particularly RSV, suggesting that the shift in SUID rates may be associated with altered infectious disease transmission.</p>

Rates of sudden unexpected infant death changed during the COVID-19 pandemic

<p>Beginning Oct. 8, Penn State University Libraries will offer three free workshops for students and employees on maps, GIS, aerial imagery and data visualization. No previous knowledge of maps or GIS is required.</p>
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Libraries to offer fall workshops on maps and GIS topics

<p>Using high<strong>-</strong>speed X-ray imaging, a team of researchers led by Christopher Kube, associate professor of engineering science and of acoustics at Penn State, captured footage of a cross-section of liquid metal as it cooled. Their results confirmed longstanding hypotheses in the field that through local pressure changes, ultrasonic vibrations encourage air bubbles to increase in number, enlarge, migrate to the surface of a melt pool and pop — increasing the quality of the finished product.</p>
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Bubbling up: Uncovering melt pool dynamics in metal manufacturing

<p>The sixth annual Penn State Health Administration Virtual Case Competition will take place Oct. 21-24 via Zoom. The competition is designed to help students in health administration, health policy, public health or related fields develop public speaking skills, gain experience working in teams, practice problem solving, engage in strategic thinking, practice and demonstrate professionalism, build networks and gain leadership experience.</p>

Health administration case competition to challenge students across the U.S.

<p>Recreation, park and tourism management researchers at Penn State conducted a survey of 267 households near Mkomazi National Park in northern Tanzania and found that food security was much more important than financial or educational security in motivating people to engage in poaching or illegal grazing in the park.</p>

Lack of food — not money — drives poaching in East African national parks

<p>To better guide farmers managing nitrogen in the soil, a team of Penn State agricultural scientists conducted a new study on dairy manure management strategies for ecosystem services in no-till crop systems. In findings recently published in Agronomy Journal, they report a new strategy that achieves multiple conservation goals while maintaining corn yield: injecting manure into a growing cover crop in early spring.</p>

Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops

<p>Using high-entropy materials, a team led by Penn State scientists created more efficient thermoelectric materials than previously possible, and the advancement could someday help make the technology as efficient as other renewable energy sources like solar. </p>

Waste heat to green energy: Approach boosts thermoelectric generator efficiency

<p>Praharsh Patel, doctoral candidate in energy, environmental, and food economics at Penn State, will give the talk, “Behavioral responses to two-part tariffs: evidence from the introduction of volumetric water pricing,” at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 25, in 157 Hosler Building at Penn State University Park.</p>

Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy seminar series continues Sept. 25

<p>Penn State researchers have developed a new nanoparticle that can prevent mineral buildup in oil extraction equipment and stabilize a commonly used emulsion, or liquid mixture. This development has the potential to make the oil extraction processes more efficient and less harmful to the environment, according to the team.</p>

New material prevents mineral buildup in equipment handling water-oil mixtures

Upcoming events supporting graduate student success, Sept. 25-Oct. 1

<p>Findings from an international team of researchers, including those from Penn State, suggest that Earth's natural forces could substantially reduce the melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and its impact on rising sea levels, but only if carbon emissions are swiftly reduced in the coming decades. By the same token, if emissions continue on the current rising trajectory, Antarctic ice loss could lead to more sea level rise in the future than previously thought, according to the researchers.</p>

Earth beneath ice sheet key to predicting sea level rise from warming climate

<p>A team of academic and enterprise researchers, co-led by scientists at Penn State, has developed a synthesis process to produce a “rust-resistant” coating with additional properties ideal for creating faster, more durable electronics.   </p>

Water-free manufacturing approach could help advance 2D electronics integration

<p>More than 46 million people in the U.S. suffered from substance use disorders and more than 100,000 died by overdose in 2001, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. To address this crisis, recovery community centers have emerged in cities across the U.S. A recent study by Penn State researchers has provided evidence that attending these centers support different aspects of their members’ wellbeing and recovery from substance use disorder.</p>

Recovery community centers linked to support factors for substance use recovery

Graduate application workshops scheduled for September, October

<p>Representatives from Penn State’s Department of Applied Linguistics and the Education University of Hong Kong recently gathered at Penn State to sign a memorandum of understanding establishing a partnership between the two entities.</p>

Applied linguistics program forges partnership with Hong Kong university

<p>People are 31.6% more likely to report higher feelings of safety in white light than amber light in nighttime outdoor settings like national parks, but they are willing to reduce lighting once educated about light pollution, according to new findings from researchers in the Penn State Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management.</p>

Shedding light on how to make national park visitors feel safe at night

<p>Penn State has selected Hanover Research to aid with gathering data and providing suggestions to Penn State on the Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR) initiative. </p>

Academic Portfolio and Program Review team announce selection of external consultant

<p>Graduate students looking to highlight their scholarly achievements, compete for monetary awards and recognition, and hone their research communication skills are now able to register for the second annual University-wide Three Minute Thesis competition. The deadline for competitor and community judge registration is Oct. 25.  </p>

Graduate students can now register for annual Three Minute Thesis Competition

Upcoming events supporting graduate student success, Sept. 18-25

University Libraries to offer fall workshops on statistical data analysis

<p>Penn State Eberly College of Science graduate students Šárka Blahnik and Emma Steinebronn have been honored with the inaugural Be More Lovisa Graduate Student Scholarship in Physics. The award honors the life of Lovisa Arnesson-Cronhamre, a graduate student at Penn State who planned to transfer to physics to pursue her passion.</p>

Two physics students honored with Be More Lovisa Graduate Student Scholarship

<p>Family and friends of former Penn State graduate student Lovisa Arnesson-Cronhamre have established the Be More Lovisa Graduate Student Scholarship in Physics in the Eberly College of Science.</p>

New graduate scholarship to honor Lovisa Arnesson-Cronhamre

<p>Households were more likely to relax a vaping ban if someone in the family vaped or smoked or if their teen did not know that there was a vaping ban, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers.  </p>

Understanding what helps families with teens maintain household vaping bans

<p>A new experimental method allows researchers to dissect how certain proteins, called pioneer factors, can bind to selective regions of the genome that are inaccessible to other DNA binding proteins. The approach was developed by a team of researchers at Penn State.</p>

Genomic pioneers collaborate to access the inaccessible

<p>David Rábago, MD, has been named co-director of Penn State CTSI’s Translational Science Fellowship (TSF) program. The TSF program seeks to identify and develop promising medical and doctoral graduate students, with a wide variety of research interests, and across departments and campuses, who are interested in translational research.</p>

Co-director of Translational Science Fellowship named

<p>From yoga and meditation to teaching tips and skills for international students, graduate students are invited to participate in a variety of virtual and in-person opportunities that will provide support and guidance both inside and outside of the classroom this upcoming week.</p>

Graduate Student Event Digest, Sept. 10-17

<p>The Penn State College of IST offers nine integrated graduate-undergraduate degree (IUG) programs. Vinayak Jayaprakash, a fifth-year IUG student pursuing a master's degree in informatics, hopes to encourage more students to follow his path.</p>

Internships and IUG program key to IST student’s career goals