Read the latest news about research conducted by investigators in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Our faculty and students are continually advancing technology, creating solutions and expanding knowledge with new and innovative research.
News
NSF CAREER Award to study impact of petrochemical plant in western Pa.
Jenn Baka, associate professor of geography at Penn State, received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award to examine a new cracker plant’s impact on humans’ relationship to the environment and environmental policymaking.
Electric discharges on leaves during thunderstorms may impact nearby air quality
When thunderstorms rumble overhead, weak electrical discharges — called corona — can occur on tree leaves. A new study found coronas create large amounts of atmospheric chemicals that could impact air quality around forests, according to a team of Penn State scientists.
DOE-funded project investigates climate change effects on low-income housing
Coastal cities such as Baltimore expect to see increased impacts of climate change, such as severe flooding, heat stress and increased energy consumption, particularly in low-income communities.
Computer games may be a key to ecological learning, study says
Computer games are an effective way to teach ecological issues and build pro-environment policy support, according to published research by an interdisciplinary group of Penn State scholars.
Saltier sea water may predict heavy summer rains in the U.S. corn belt
Farmers in the Midwest should care about the saltiness of ocean water thousands of miles from their fields, according to a team of scientists.
Corning honored as Penn State’s Corporate Partner of the Year
Penn State has named Corning Inc., one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, as its 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year.
Lack of naloxone led to increased overdose deaths in rural Pa., study finds
Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose in the nation, and, according to Penn State researchers, one’s chances of surviving that overdose can depend on where the person lives.
Scientists improve process for turning hard-to-recycle plastic waste into fuel
A new study may improve the ability of pyrolysis to process hard-to-recycle mixed plastics — like multilayer food packaging — and generate fuel as a byproduct, the scientists said.
Research links shale gas, legacy energy development to groundwater contamination
Fracking for natural gas in parts of Pennsylvania with a legacy of energy extraction may increase the risk of groundwater contamination, according to a team led by Penn State scientists.
Penn State shares $25M DOE grant to study climate change impacts and adaptation
Penn State was named a collaborating institution in a $66 million U.S. Department of Energy Urban Integrated Field (Urban IFL) Program designed to study the impacts of climate change on American cities.