December 19, 2024
The Crop Science Society of America recently announced that Michael A. Fidanza, professor of horticulture at Penn State Berks, has been honored with the Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award. The annual awards are presented for outstanding contributions to crop science through education, national and international service, and research.
December 19, 2024
Despite their reputation as buzzing nuisances, flies serve a critical role as some of the Earth’s most prolific pollinators — and new research led by Penn State scientists suggests they are increasingly at risk due to rising global temperatures.
December 18, 2024
A concentrated sugar solution could be just as effective as antibiotics at treating a common infection in dairy cows, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State.
December 18, 2024
Two new studies led by Penn State researchers analyzed the experiences of residents in a rural Pennsylvania community after the closure of several essential places.
December 18, 2024
Members of the National Grape Research Alliance, a national nonprofit organization that supports America’s grape industry, joined Penn State’s spotted lanternfly research and extension team this fall for a two-day field trip to address the growing threat of the invasive pest jeopardizing the U.S. grape industry.
December 17, 2024
Mental Health awareness is an important factor in knowing how to help those in crisis find the help and care they need. With “Mental Health First Aid Training,” participants can increase their comfort level in offering initial support to an adult experiencing a mental health challenge or substance misuse problem and help connect them with appropriate resources. As certified instructors, Penn State Extension educators teach the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s Mental Health First Aid course.
December 17, 2024
A new literature review by Penn State researchers synthesizes findings on nematodes from previous studies, suggesting that implementing advanced biosecurity measures could reduce infestation rates in crops by up to 70%.
December 17, 2024
The Global Teach Ag Network at Penn State has been awarded the "Bringing the World to Pennsylvania: K-16 Collaboration Award" from the Pennsylvania Council for International Education.
December 16, 2024
Penn State Extension educators recently completed a grant-funded project that tackled workforce retention, pesticide safety and food safety challenges for specialty crop farmers.
December 12, 2024
Ayse Akyildiz, a doctoral student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, recently returned from a research training trip to the Arctic, during which she and the other participants learned more about the region and the complex challenges it faces in a warming world.
December 12, 2024
Mental health challenges are a significant and growing concern for the nation’s farmers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As much as farming is often a family affair, programs and resources to support mental health in agriculture have focused on the primary producers, of whom nearly 64% are men. Women have always played a crucial role in agriculture, yet, Penn State Associate Professor Florence Becot said, their mental health and well-being — much like their essential contributions to agriculture — largely have been overlooked.
December 12, 2024
The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, in partnership with the Deputy Chief of Staff and the Installation Management Command, has successfully developed a comprehensive toolkit to support the Army's Relocation Readiness Program. This innovative resource aims to streamline services and provide consistent, high-quality support to soldiers and their families across all Army installations.
December 10, 2024
The Extension Foundation’s AgriProspects Workforce Development Network recently awarded Penn State Extension a competitive mini-grant to support its “Success Skills in Spanish 4 Ag” project, which focuses on workforce development for Spanish-speaking tree-fruit growers and poultry farmers.
December 10, 2024
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences celebrated another year of outstanding success and accomplishments in research during the 2024 Research Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 19 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.
December 9, 2024
Penn State Extension is offering “Introduction to Food Packaging: Materials, Manufacturing and Innovation,” a self-paced online course, aimed at teaching participants to recognize the key elements and the impact of food packaging in the modern world.
December 6, 2024
Three faculty members in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recently were recognized for their exemplary work in teaching as recipients of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2024 National Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences.
December 6, 2024
With a five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, a team led by biomedical engineering researchers at Penn State will apply ultrasound imaging technology to monitor the transport of genetically engineered, cancer-fighting macrophages into brain tumors.
December 4, 2024
Volunteering as a Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward has enabled Tim Matthews to combine his skills and interests and engage with his community to design family-friendly projects aimed at protecting and improving the environment.
December 3, 2024
Representatives from Penn State Extension, the College of Agricultural Sciences, and the Pennsylvania 4-H State Council had the unique opportunity to attend the annual turkey-pardoning ceremony at the White House on Nov. 25.
December 3, 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.
December 2, 2024
An economic analysis led by researchers at Penn State found that the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail Connector generated over $23.5 million in economic revenue for area businesses over a two-year period.
December 2, 2024
A delegation of Penn State faculty and graduate students who attended the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference, known as COP16, in Cali, Colombia, share about the event and their experiences.
December 2, 2024
“Growing Impact” highlights PlantVillage, an innovative project that leverages the power of smartphones, artificial intelligence and cloud computing to help millions of farmers across Africa, Asia and the Americas.
November 27, 2024
The Sustainable Communities Collaborative (SCC) at Penn State Sustainability has coordinated a record number of partnership projects with the Borough of State College this semester. The SCC pairs Penn State classes from across disciplines with communities on partner-identified and defined community projects.
November 27, 2024
In conjunction with National Teach Ag Day, undergraduate students in agricultural and extension education in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recently put their budding teaching skills to work during a pilot career immersion event for high school students.
November 26, 2024
Ramps, also known as wild leeks, and their unique garlic-onion flavor profile, are a popular foraged seasonal food but that demand could drive overharvesting of the native forest plant. In response to excess harvest worries, an interdisciplinary Penn State research team has studied how to grow and harvest ramps as a potential forest crop since 2017. In their latest study, published in the journal Wild, they characterized ramp habitat for the first time in Pennsylvania, offering guidance for the agroforestry practice known as forest farming.
November 26, 2024
Penn State's Global Teach Ag Network is launching a new program focusing on professional development for teachers in agriculture, thanks to new funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
November 26, 2024
The new Opportunity Grant Professional Development Program awarded its first grants to 51 teaching and clinical non-tenure-line faculty.
November 26, 2024
Able to store carbon to offset emissions and prevent soil degradation and pollution, charcoal-like biochar could offer a sustainable solution to a lot of environmental challenges — if its production can be made greener. Supported by a three-year, $799,883 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, an international team led by researchers at Penn State will address the so-called “dark side” of biochar, assessing the threat of organic contaminant residues in biorefinery char products.
November 25, 2024
Ticks are a nuisance across many areas of the U.S., capable of spreading harmful pathogens to both animals and humans. A new study led by researchers at Penn State analyzed the effectiveness of a simple, inexpensive strategy for controlling ticks that homeowners can use in their backyards.
