May 17, 2024
Chad Dechow, associate professor of dairy cattle genetics, is the 2024 recipient of the Research Innovator of the Year Award, given by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences to recognize faculty and staff who have made notable efforts to commercialize their Penn State research.
May 16, 2024
Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle for the first time in the United States in March, with nine states reporting outbreaks by May. While the method of transmission among cattle is currently unknown, new research published in Nature Communications demonstrates that a related strain of H5N1, subtype clade 2.3.4.4b, which caused an outbreak in farmed mink in 2022, could transmit through the air to a limited number of ferrets. This is the first time that a member of the group of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses has been shown to exhibit this ability. According to the Penn State researchers who led the study, the findings suggest these viruses are evolving to infect mammals and with potentially increased risk to humans.
May 16, 2024
Xialing Zhao, a doctoral candidate in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, participated in the college's first-of-its-kind summer fellowship pairing Penn State graduate students with industry mentors to help students navigate the transition from academia to careers in industry.
May 15, 2024
Inspired by the students who helped her when she was new at Penn State, Benelli Risser is paying it forward by participating in the Agricultural Advocates program, where she can apply her schoolwork and passion to help others.
May 14, 2024
Two renowned pollinator scientists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences have co-authored a book that sheds light on one of the Earth’s most invaluable resources: bees. Christina Grozinger, the Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and director of the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State, and Harland Patch, assistant research professor in the Department of Entomology and director of pollinator programming at the Arboretum at Penn State, wrote, “The Lives of Bees: A Natural History of Our Planet’s Bee Life.” The book is the latest in the series, “The Lives of the Natural World.”
May 14, 2024
The Erickson Discovery Grant, which funds independent research projects for undergraduate students, has been awarded to 43 recipients this year.
May 14, 2024
"Research Art Collection," is on display in the Office of Senior Vice President for Research on the third floor in Old Main at University Park. The exhibit showcases the art of research and the research of art and is open to the public.
May 13, 2024
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.
May 13, 2024
With a background as a neuropsychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, Carol Armstrong joined the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward program to address her growing concerns about the environment. In 2019, she became the first Master Watershed Steward statewide to surpass 1,000 volunteer hours.
May 9, 2024
A team led by Penn State researchers reviewed studies from the past 30 years to examine whether climate change is causing people to migrate out of the Arctic — or if, and why, they’re deciding to stay. They found that while individuals are not yet relocating due to climate change, at least one whole community has.
May 9, 2024
Two pollinator experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences discuss No Mow May and whether there's a better alternative to help support pollinators and biodiversity.
May 9, 2024
As communities grapple with issues such as stormwater management, flooding, urban heat loads and air quality issues, presenters during a May 15 Penn State Extension land-use webinar will discuss services provided by green infrastructure that can improve the quality of life, resilience, and environmental and human health in communities.
May 8, 2024
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.
May 8, 2024
Charlene Paquette, undergraduate student services coordinator and academic adviser in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, has received the 2024 Community of Advising Excellence Award from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
May 7, 2024
The Arboretum at Penn State is looking for hundreds of volunteers to help plant more than 100,000 flowering perennial plants and grasses around the new Palmer Museum of Art at the Arboretum in preparation for its public opening on June 1.
May 7, 2024
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.
May 6, 2024
A research team in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has received a grant of nearly $1 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to fund a novel project investigating the molecular and physiological processes that support corn kernel development.
May 3, 2024
The invasive insect emerald ash borer is killing ash trees at an unprecedented rate in the United States, and now five North American species of ash are considered critically endangered, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. But a small percentage are surviving, and research by Forest Service scientists suggests that those trees may hold the key for saving the species. In an effort to unlock the answer, researchers in the Louis W. Schatz Center for Tree Molecular Genetics at Penn State are working with The Nature Conservancy and the USDA Forest Service to conduct genomic analysis of range-wide collections of green ash, white ash and black ash.
May 3, 2024
How well bees tolerate temperature extremes could determine their ability to persist in a changing climate. But heat tolerance varies between and within populations, so a research team led by Penn State entomologists examined bee physical traits — such as sex differences in body mass — to understand how these traits interact with environmental conditions, pathogens and other factors.
May 1, 2024
The Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Program has announced the appointment of Donald DeMackiewicz Jr. as the new PA IPM schools program assistant. DeMackiewicz will offer consulting services to any Pennsylvania schools seeking expertise and advice while developing and implementing their state-mandated IPM plans.
May 1, 2024
The Faculty Senate Committee on Student Life recently awarded six graduating Penn State seniors who will be pursuing graduate-level education with the John W. White Graduate Fellowship. Here are their stories.
April 29, 2024
As part of our regular "We Are!" feature, we recognize 16 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.
April 29, 2024
Seven Schreyer Scholars and two Penn State faculty members have been selected as recipients of Schreyer Honors College awards for the 2022-23 academic year.
April 29, 2024
For most people, biting into a lemon would leave them puckered up and desperate to lose that sour flavor, but a new study by Penn State researchers revealed that roughly one in eight adults like intensely sour sensations. The cross-cultural study, recently published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, demonstrated there is a subset of “sour likers” who enjoy exceptionally sour foods.
April 29, 2024
Catching fireflies is an iconic summer experience for many people living in North America, but the flickering beetles are on the decline. A new study by a team that includes Penn State researchers has identified factors that may be contributing to declining populations.
April 29, 2024
Three Penn Staters have been selected as Goldwater Scholars for 2024-25: Nate Carey, Bridget Reheard and Mabel Tong. Goldwater Scholars are selected for their potential as leaders in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.
April 26, 2024
During the Night at the Museums event, sites around Penn State keep their doors open a little later than usual to welcome visitors who can't make it during the daytime hours.
April 26, 2024
Jacquelin Spring has been named the 2024 student marshal representing the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State’s spring commencement.
April 23, 2024
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has announced the recent hire of Abby Hodder as the assistant clinical professor of canine behavioral welfare in the Department of Animal Science. Hodder’s onboarding marks the beginning of a Penn State Extension canine program designed to support professional dog breeders through education, outreach and applied research focused on canine behavior and welfare.
April 23, 2024
Britta Teller and Evan Stover are the co-founders of Steller Floors, a sustainable hardwood floor startup based out of Tyrone. They are regular users of OriginLabs, Invent Penn State's prototyping and fabrication space in State College.