News

Navigate Education in PA, created by the staff at Penn State's Center for Science and the Schools, is an online database that contains information on more than 4,800 Pennsylvania education agencies, including public, private and charter schools; intermediate units; career and technology centers; and higher education institutions.

When Penn State decided to convert its two power plants from their historic use of coal as a source of energy to natural gas, there was concern about radon emissions. Although radon is known to exist in natural gas, now Penn State research indicates that it does not escape from these two power plants in harmful amounts.

Penn State geography student Travis Young is researching why low-income neighborhoods in Houston are the only ones in the area at high risk for flooding. His research interests stem from many factors in his personal and professional life.

A University-wide effort to promote the study of microbiomes at Penn State has led to the creation of a center for microbiome research, a fast-growing area of scientific inquiry. Microbiomes are the communities of microorganisms that live on or in people, plants, soil, oceans and the atmosphere.

Long-Qing Chen, Donald W. Hamer Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, professor of engineering science and mechanics, and professor of mathematics at Penn State, has been named a fellow of The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS), the society's highest honor.

Chris Forest, associate professor of climate dynamics at Penn State, was co-author of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report recommending new methods for estimating the social cost of carbon emissions worldwide. According to the report, new practices would strengthen the scientific basis, provide greater transparency, and improve characterization of uncertainties over the current estimates.

Emma Vetland comes from a long line of nautical experts, but she’s charting a different course for her future. The Penn State senior majoring in materials science and engineering became the first member of her family to go to college rather than continuing her family’s generations-long path as tugboat operators on the Hudson River.

Geosciences doctoral student Claire Cleveland is leveraging the support from a highly competitive National Science Foundation fellowship to create more science-based outreach opportunities geared toward the general public.

Penn State geophysicist Andrew Nyblade spoke with us about a network of seismic monitoring stations across Pennsylvania, the history of earthquakes here, and possible effects of fracking and related activities on seismic events.

Jenni Evans, professor of meteorology at Penn State, has been appointed director of Penn State’s Institute for CyberScience (ICS). Evans had served as interim director of ICS since February 2016.