Penn State Extension offers webinars on mental health

April 25, 2025

Upcoming trainings include "Mental Health First Aid for Adults Working with Youth" and "Mental Health First Aid."

Kinship Café offers space to connect, share and learn with kinship families

April 25, 2025

Those raising children of family members or close friends face unique challenges, according to organizers of Kinship Café, a Penn State Extension program. Monthly live webinars take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the next meeting scheduled for May 21.

Webinar series explores mental health and offers strategies

April 25, 2025

From stress to grief to addiction, understanding mental health is crucial when faced with difficult times, according to organizers of an upcoming Penn State Extension webinar series. The “Mental Wellness Series” will take place from during the month of May. This free, six-part series is designed for concerned citizens, family members, social workers, mental health workers, medical professionals, teachers and college students.

Are drones the future of tree fruit production? Researchers investigate

April 25, 2025

A team of researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences is addressing the growing interest among tree fruit growers in Pennsylvania and the Northeast in adopting drone-based spraying systems for high-density apple and peach orchards. The Northeast Region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recently awarded the team two grants to support the work.

Traditional forest medicinal plant ghost pipe used differently today

April 25, 2025

Despite a long history of traditional medicinal use in the United States, the collection, consumption and efficacy of the peculiar forest plant aptly named ghost pipe, scientific name Monotropa uniflora, remains a mystery. Now, with social media and the internet driving a resurgence in the harvest and economic trade of the parasitic species — which appears strangely white because it is devoid of chlorophyl — a research team from Penn State has taken the first step toward documenting its new status.

Grozinger appointed to National Academies committee on insect declines

April 24, 2025

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently appointed Christina Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State, to an 18-member study committee to examine the status of insects in North America. 

College of IST awards seed grants to six research projects

April 22, 2025

The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology selected six projects to receive funding from the college’s seed grant program, which provides funding to support research activities and generate preliminary results that will eventually lead to bigger projects involving external funding.

‘Communicating With Farmers Under Stress’ webinar aimed at ag professionals

April 22, 2025

An upcoming Penn State Extension webinar, “Communicating With Farmers Under Stress,” is aimed at helping participants learn the signs of stress and how to help. This webinar will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on May 15.

‘Can AI Play?’ workshop explores technology in global agricultural literacy

April 22, 2025

Twelve educators from across the country had the opportunity to explore one technology — artificial intelligence — during a recent immersive workshop at Penn State University Park.

Research key preparation for pursuing doctorate, Penn State undergrad says

April 22, 2025

Seeing the “huge juxtaposition” between streams flowing near her childhood home in Lancaster County impaired by pollution from intensive agriculture and the seemingly pristine creeks tumbling down the forested mountains around her family’s cabin in Mifflin County led Bridget Reheard to study how contaminants in waters affect aquatic organisms and aspirations for a career working to protect natural resources.

Webinar series to focus on successful tree and shrub planting

April 21, 2025

Aimed at anyone interested in planting trees or shrubs on their properties, Penn State Extension’s upcoming Tree Planting webinar series will cover common barriers, installation and maintenance, and case studies.

Penn State Extension to offer a free introduction to home food preservation

April 21, 2025

Penn State Extension will offer the free webinar, “Home Food Preservation: Introduction to Preserving” from noon to 1 p.m. April 24, online.

Penn State Master Gardeners plant seeds for gardening success

April 18, 2025

As spring arrives and gardeners prepare their beds, the Penn State Extension Master Gardener program offers timely support to help them succeed.

‘Pennsylvania AgForum’ focused on farm stress and actionable strategies

April 16, 2025

Held in State College, the “Pennsylvania AgForum: Taking Action Together for Our Agricultural Community” brought together stakeholders in agriculture, health care, finance, mental health, child care and government. Hosted by Penn State Extension, the event was aimed at building partnerships across sectors to address the financial and mental health challenges in the farming community.

Immune system proteins involved in severe parasitic disease identified

April 15, 2025

New insights into the mechanisms that cause more severe cases of schistosomiasis — a disease caused by parasitic worms and second only to malaria in terms of potential harm — have been revealed by researchers at Penn State.

Feeling salty? Increased salt stress reduces tomato pest activity

April 15, 2025

Increased soil salinity can reduce damage from prominent tomato pests such as the tomato fruitworm, according to researchers at Penn State.

Let's hear a 'We Are!' for these Penn Staters — April 15

April 15, 2025

As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 17 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.   

Agricultural honor society Gamma Sigma Delta recognizes faculty and students

April 15, 2025

The Penn State chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the agricultural honor society, recognized faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars and students from the College of Agricultural Sciences during its annual meeting April 3.

College of Agricultural Sciences honors six with Outstanding Alumni awards

April 15, 2025

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences honored six alumni with 2025 Outstanding Alumni awards in a ceremony on April 10 in State College. The six honorees were also inducted into the college’s Armsby Honor Society alongside four other inductees.

New partnership brings evidence-based parenting support to Air Force families

April 14, 2025

The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State has received $1.4 million from the  U.S. Air Force for a major initiative to expand access for airmen and their families to evidence-informed parenting programs to strengthen military family resilience and well-being.

Project to ranch sea urchins as a food source named 2025 Ag Springboard winner

April 14, 2025

Penn State students had the opportunity to showcase their entrepreneurial aspirations at the 2025 Ag Springboard student business pitch contest, which took place earlier this month in State College.

Penn State Extension to offer webinar series on parenting 5- to 10-year-olds

April 10, 2025

What is developmentally appropriate behavior for children between the ages of 5 and 10? Penn State Extension will offer a program called “Thrive: Grow,” designed for families and caregivers of children 5 to 10 years old.

College of Agricultural Sciences celebrates National Ag Day with outreach event

April 9, 2025

On March 18, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and the University Park Undergraduate Association marked National Ag Day, an event designed to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of the agricultural industry.

Even sublethal insecticide dose may disrupt pollinator mating process

April 9, 2025

Insecticides can help protect crops against troublesome pests, but they also pose a risk for beneficial insects such as pollinators. A new study led by researchers at Penn State provided insight into how even sublethal doses of insecticides can negatively affect pollinators by disrupting the mating process.

Feeding dairy cows whole cottonseed byproduct boosts milk fat, researchers find

April 8, 2025

Despite U.S. per capita-milk consumption falling significantly in recent decades, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultural, Americans are consuming a record amount of dairy in butter and cheese — products made from milk fat. In a new study, a team led by researchers at Penn State demonstrated that supplementing dairy cattle feed with 15% whole cottonseed, a byproduct of processing cotton for fiber, can increase milk fat concentration and yield.

Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters — April 7

April 7, 2025

As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 19 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.  

Penn State Global announces 2024-25 awards recipients

April 7, 2025

Penn State Global has announced the 2024-25 recipients of its annual awards that recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and academic programs at Penn State who have contributed to advancing the University’s global engagement goals.

'LGBTQ+ in STEM' event set for April 16

April 7, 2025

Hosted by the Penn State Eberly College of Science, with support from the Rainbow Science Network and the colleges of Information Sciences and Technology, Engineering, Earth and Mineral Sciences, and Agricultural Sciences, the event will feature LGBTQ+ faculty, trainee scientists, and engineers taking pride in their successes while navigating their careers.

Thirty-one students receive awards at 2025 Graduate Exhibition

April 4, 2025

Thirty-one graduate students received awards at the 2025 Graduate Exhibition, a professional development event designed to help graduate students hone their skills with communicating research and creative scholarship to a general audience. 

Forty-two graduate students recognized with University awards

April 4, 2025

Forty-two graduate students received Penn State's annual recognition awards that celebrate students' impact in research, scholarship, teaching, outreach, mentoring and more.

Media Contacts

  • Senior Public Relations Specialist/News Editor
  • Associate Director of Communications
  • Public Relations Specialist/Science Writer
  • Science and News Writer
  • Penn State Extension Writer (Marketing Communications Specialist)

Media Contacts

  • Senior Public Relations Specialist/News Editor
  • Associate Director of Communications
  • Public Relations Specialist/Science Writer
  • Science and News Writer
  • Penn State Extension Writer (Marketing Communications Specialist)