August 4, 2026
Five projects designed to enhance student learning and hands-on learning have received grants from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences through its Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) program.
August 4, 2026
Vegetable production from soilless farming, a fast-growing segment of modern agriculture, addresses water scarcity, land limitations and food security, but microbial management remains a challenge, according to a team of researchers at Penn State, who conducted a study of bacteria in five soilless farming systems.
August 3, 2026
Carol Schurman, a retired county extension educator and current volunteer for the Indiana County 4-H program overseen by Penn State Extension, was recently honored with induction into the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Hall of Fame following nearly 50 years of service.
August 3, 2026
Offered by the Department of Food Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Chocolate Short Course brings in attendees from across the globe, including the United States, Canada, South America and Australia.
August 3, 2026
Whether identifying a plant or animal disease, interpreting a soil test, or finding educational resources, users have turned to Tilva more than 40,000 times since the Penn State Extension artificial-intelligence tool launched in January. New features introduced in recent months are designed to help users continue those conversations in English or Spanish and connect with additional sources of trusted, research-based guidance.
August 3, 2026
Whether identifying a plant or animal disease, interpreting a soil test, or finding educational resources, users have turned to Tilva more than 50,000 times since the Penn State Extension artificial-intelligence tool launched in January. New features introduced in recent months are designed to help users continue those conversations in English or Spanish and connect with additional sources of trusted, research-based guidance.
August 3, 2026
Penn State’s Ag Progress Days returns with a full schedule of demonstrations, activities and learning experiences highlighting Pennsylvania agriculture. The expo will take place Aug. 11-13 at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs in Ferguson Township, Centre County.
July 30, 2026
As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 22 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.
July 30, 2026
Penn State Extension’s food, families and communities unit earned two 2026 awards from the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals during the association’s annual conference, held in June in Wichita, Kansas.
July 29, 2026
Honey from the continental U.S. can’t currently be certified organic due to specific land requirements, but farms in the Northeast may still produce honey that is as low in pesticide residue as imported organic honeys, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State, Cornell University and Auburn University.
July 29, 2026
Composed of cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, algae, fungi and bacteria, biocrusts play major roles in storing carbon, cycling nitrogen, preventing erosion and supporting ecosystems on Earth's surface. To better understand the status of these complex biological communities, a team led by researchers at Penn State developed a novel approach for assessing the health and function of biocrusts.
July 29, 2026
Penn State graduate student Kehinde “Kenny” Kolapo is finding innovative ways to make a difference for Pennsylvania agriculture and beyond.
July 28, 2026
Researchers in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences are working with the entrepreneur behind the proposed startup of an innovative woody biomass-to-energy facility planned for north central Pennsylvania to determine if the planned operation will be sustainable and ecologically sound.
July 28, 2026
Megan Brown, a senior agricultural and biorenewable systems management major in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, is spending two months in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. She is part of the International Partnership for Responsive Infrastructure using Sustainable Multifunctional Materials, or iPRISM, and is conducting research at the University of Freiburg.
July 28, 2026
Scientists have long wondered whether loud, human-caused noise interferes with wild animals’ cognition — their ability to think and learn — by causing stress, distraction or making it harder for them to focus. The results of a novel study of Eastern bluebirds conducted by a team of researchers at Penn State suggests that, at least in some cases, short-term noise doesn’t affect them much.
July 28, 2026
Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences has awarded nine research teams seed funding for 2026-27. These grants support high-impact, innovative research projects that align with the Huck’s strategic research priorities and have the potential to drive scientific breakthroughs and generate significant return on investment.
July 28, 2026
Diets rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids — a type of fat that supports brain function, cell growth and heart health — may help protect honey bees against the toxic effects of pesticides, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State.
July 27, 2026
Anyone interested in invasive species in Pennsylvania, including conservation volunteers, educators, green industry professionals and Master Gardeners can learn more about this topic through free webinars hosted by Penn State Extension.
July 27, 2026
Through “Shaping AI in Education: A Pennsylvania Listening and Learning Tour,” Penn State faculty, researchers, outreach staff, evaluators and graduate students have convened with K-12 educators and administrators across the commonwealth to share expert insights and spark meaningful conversation about how AI is and could be used in Pennsylvania’s K-12 education landscape.
July 24, 2026
Snyder County Commissioner Joe Kantz, serving his fifth term and also business and development manager for the North Shore Railroad, said throughout his career he has drawn on skills and values he first developed in Penn State Extension’s 4-H youth development program.
July 24, 2026
Conservation volunteers, educators, green industry professionals, Master Gardeners or anyone interested in learning about invasive species in Pennsylvania, identifying them and strategies to combat their spread can attend free webinars hosted by Penn State Extension.
July 24, 2026
Grace Tiwari, an entomology and international agriculture and development graduate student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been awarded the Future Leaders Fellow Scholarship from the Association of International Agriculture and Rural Development.
July 24, 2026
Penn State researchers will use $2.8 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health’s Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to develop new tools to investigate the genetics underpinning the relationships between mosquitoes and various microbes.
July 23, 2026
Visitors to Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, slated for Aug. 11-13, will have an opportunity to experience the latest advances in agricultural robotics and automation through the debut of the FIRA Robotics Village East Coast, an exhibit of cutting-edge technologies designed to address labor shortages, improve efficiency and support the future of farming.
July 22, 2026
The Pasto Agricultural Museum will feature two new exhibits and one expanded exhibit during Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 11-13, as part of the museum’s engaging, hands-on portrayal of farm and rural life before the widespread use of electricity and gas-powered equipment.
July 22, 2026
Ava Veith doesn’t understand why more athletes, when they finish playing collegiate sports on turfgrass, don’t pursue careers related to taking care of the playing surface that supported their exploits. To her, it’s a natural progression.
July 20, 2026
Severe flooding may contribute to higher mortality rates from opioid use in rural Appalachia, according to a study by researchers at Penn State.
July 20, 2026
Government officials will discuss agricultural innovation and other key issues affecting agriculture during events at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 11-13, at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs.
July 20, 2026
Penn State faculty members Erika Ganda, Jasna Kovac and Wenrui Hao have been named Huck chairs by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences in recognition of their research endeavors and track records of service to key Huck units.
July 20, 2026
The Social Science Research Institute’s Community-Engaged Research, Action and Partnerships unit recently awarded six seed grants to support interdisciplinary community-engaged research.
