Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES)
An interdisciplinary, science-to-practice platform to study landscape-level challenges
The Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) establishes a novel environment for accelerating solutions to persistently "wicked" landscape-level challenges centered on agriculture, food, and the environment. The science of agricultural sustainability underpins the mission of SAFES and provides a comprehensive approach to the complexity of challenges which integrates natural and social sciences with technological advancements, human behavior, economics, and policy.
SAFES integrates agriculturally and environmentally related disciplines to develop holistic approaches for tackling "wicked" challenges.
SAFES trains the next generation of researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers in integrating information from across domains and using science-based data for decision making.
SAFES shortens the distance between science and practice by actively connecting biophysical scientists with sociologists, communication scientists and educators. This work is led by the Agriculture and Environment Center through a shared discovery engagement process.
Latest News
September 13, 2024
Nine researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows
Nine Penn State researchers have been named fellows of the Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE) for 2024. The program recognizes and assists the exceptional achievements and unparalleled research impacts of highly successful researchers in the areas of energy and the environment. Nominees for the fellowship were submitted by the University community.
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August 26, 2024
USDA grant to fund project developing AI-powered database on water quality
Nitrate, a common chemical compound that occurs naturally and is found in plants, water and soil, can break down into molecules harmful to human, animal and ecological health and accumulate as a pollutant. Nitrate contamination in streams, lakes and estuaries is a critical problem in many agricultural watersheds, but water-quality data is limited, making monitoring stream health and making management decisions difficult, according to researchers at Penn State. To enhance available data, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a four-year, $650,000 grant to a research team at Penn State.
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August 26, 2024
College of Ag Sciences faculty, students lauded at annual national conference
Several faculty members and graduate students associated with Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recently received awards at the 70th annual North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference (NACTA) in Wooster, Ohio.
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August 22, 2024
Program awarded $750,000 to train future educators in global food security
A project aimed at helping prepare undergraduate students to serve as future agricultural educators has received $750,000 in renewed funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
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