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- Penn State names new vice president for research
Henry C. "Hank" Foley, dean of Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology, has been named the University's vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School.
- Penn State research expenditures reach $765 million
Penn State's research expenditures in fiscal 2009 reached a record $765 million, a 6.7 percent increase over the previous year and a 74 percent increase since fiscal 2000.
- Glaciers subject of three Penn State grants
Glaciers, water under the glaciers, seismic activity and robotic rovers are all part of three National Science Foundation Polar Program grants awarded to Sridhar Anandakrishnan.
- Penn State presence made major difference in plum pox eradication
When plum pox was discovered in Adams County peach trees in October 1999 -- the first time the disease had been found in North America -- the nation's stone-fruit growers watched anxiously to see how Pennsylvania would respond. Thanks to quick action by state and federal officials, Penn State researchers and extension educators, and local growers, the virus was contained and eventually eliminated.
- Grant to fund exploration of fossil plants in Patagonia
Dinosaurs may be the focus of much Cretaceous fossil hunting, but a Penn State researcher and his colleagues are hot on the trail of fossil plants in Patagonia, Argentina, thanks to a $1.57 million grant from the National Science Foundation as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
- Probing Question: What are wildlife corridors?
Wildlife corridors—narrow strips of habitat linking bigger wild habitat patches—can help affected animals, according to wildlife conservation professor Richard Yahner of Penn State University.
- Modified crops reveal hidden cost of resistance
Genetically modified squash plants that are resistant to a debilitating viral disease become more vulnerable to a fatal bacterial infection, according to biologists.
- ConocoPhillips, Penn State award Energy Prize
ConocoPhillips and Penn State have awarded the 2009 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize to Scott Anderson of Palm Beach, Fla., and Kenai, Alaska, and his team for their innovation, the ECO-Auger.
- Probing Question: Will algae become a fuel source?
Tom Richard, professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Penn State, predicts that, primarily, "we'll be relying on fossil fuels for the next several decades, but algae-based fuels could be a great way to reduce our carbon footprint."
- Penn State awarded $5.5 million in U.S. Department of Energy grants
Penn State will receive two Department of Energy (DOE) grants that place the University at the center of the nation's effort to become energy independent and develop clean energy sources.
- Page Center grants focus on ethics in environmental communication
Since its founding in 2004, the Page Center has awarded approximately $336,000 in grants to academics and professionals making important contributions to knowledge, practice and public understanding of ethics and responsibility in public communication.
- Heard on Campus: Tom Ridge
Ridge delivered the keynote address during the "Nuclear Power: Back on the Table" symposium at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
- Penn State researchers promote pollinator-friendly native gardens
Across the country, pollinators such as honeybees and hummingbirds are declining due to habitat loss, diseases such as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), pests and excessive pesticide use. Penn State researchers and educators are hoping to help combat these issues by promoting ways home gardeners can help pollinator populations thrive.
- O'Keeffe Foundation gift will enhance Penn State honeybee research
Penn State research on honeybee health and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) will receive a boost as a result of a $100,000 gift from the E.B. O'Keeffe Foundation.
- Renowned ichthyologist's research in Africa spans three decades
When Jay Stauffer began studying fish in Africa's huge Lake Malawi back in the early 1980s, it was really all about the finned creatures. He didn't recognize the immense social and economic implications of his research until later.
- PSIEE's FY2008-2009 Annual Report is available
Select research activity and events from the funding year are highlighted.
- E-Corps aims to help homeowners, train students for green-collar work
Many people are talking about home energy these days, but between light bulbs, appliances and all the little things we hear about that can save energy, it can be challenging to know where to start. To address this problem, Penn State’s Center for Sustainability (CfS) has created a new service-learning program -- the Energy Leadership Corps (or “E-Corps”). This program provides students with the skills and tools they need to conduct free basic home energy assessments.
