Penn State-hosted summit highlighted collaboration on climate-smart ag projects

At the inaugural “Pennsylvania Partners for Climate Smart Commodities Summit,” held in February on Penn State’s University Park campus, a diverse group of stakeholders came together to discuss how climate-smart agriculture offers innovative solutions to help farmers adapt and safeguard their livelihoods.

Hidden Gems: Frost Entomological Museum

The wide world of insects is open for exploration at the Frost Entomological Museum at Penn State. Visitors to the facilities can get up-close and personal with weird and wonderful creatures from around the world, ranging from Pennsylvania pollinators to fossils or invasive species.

Cyber-physical heating system may protect apple blossoms in orchards

Spring frosts can have devastating effects on apple production, and a warming climate may be causing trees to blossom early, making them more susceptible to the damaging effects of extreme cold events. Growers’ attempts to prevent the flowers from freezing by attempting to heat the canopies of their orchards largely have been inefficient. To deal with the worsening problem, Penn State researchers devised a frost protection cyber-physical system, which makes heating decisions based on real-time temperature and wind-direction data.

No place like Antarctica: Students take study abroad trip of a lifetime

For the first time, Penn State students could experience Antarctica’s wonders through an embedded course, “Antarctica: Human Impacts on a Fragile Environment,” offered this past fall.

Novel, interdisciplinary training program launched for doctoral degree students

A team comprised of faculty from five departments in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences and the Department of Biology in the Eberly College of Science, funded by a $262,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has created a novel program to train doctoral degree students to conduct interdisciplinary research on the relationship between soils, plants and consumers.

Why are bees making less honey? Study reveals clues in five decades of data

Honey yields in the U.S. have been declining since the 1990s, with honey producers and scientists unsure why, but a new study by Penn State researchers has uncovered clues in the mystery of the missing honey.

Penn State students secure first place at national entomology games

A team of Penn State graduate students recently secured first place in the national 2023 Entomology Games, marking the first time a school from the eastern division earned the honor.

USDA grant to support training for beginning farmers in Pennsylvania

A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will enable Penn State Extension to offer a program designed to bring together beginning and retiring farmers in Pennsylvania, with an eye toward facilitating the transition of farms from one generation to the next.

Penn State senior aims to create positive impact through agricultural education

Senior Brandon Bixler has packed a lot of experiences into his four years at Penn State. From conducting undergraduate research in Nepal to being named a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, Bixler credits the support of faculty in the College of Agricultural Sciences and the agricultural and extension education major with making his journey possible.

NSF program takes environmental resource management student to Montana

Second-year student Sylvie Alexander, an environmental resource management major in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, spent last summer conducting research on the Flathead Indian Reservation located in western Montana. Her work was sponsored by the National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates program.

College of Ag Sciences team receives $1.9 million grant for dairy cattle study

Researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and collaborators from the University of Minnesota have received a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study parasite issues related to organic dairy cattle.

Food pantry in the College of Ag Sciences aims to curb food insecurity on campus

Food insecurity often remains a hidden struggle among college students, including those attending Penn State. However, a new initiative in the College of Agricultural Sciences is aimed at tackling this issue — a food pantry designed to provide support.

College of Agricultural Sciences names 2023 Harbaugh Scholars

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has awarded three faculty members with funding to support the development of innovative course curricula through the college’s Harbaugh Faculty Scholars program.

Penn State-led team to study climate-threatened Colombian Paramos’ soil microbes

Some scientists believe the Paramos, a grassland ecosystem found in the northern Andes Mountains of South America, are “the world’s fastest evolving and coolest biodiversity hotspot,” according to Estelle Couradeau, assistant professor of soils and environmental microbiology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. This ecosystem — which is the prime headwater for lower tropical ecosystems and downstream urban centers in the Andean and the Orinoco-Amazon regions — is in jeopardy, she explained. Couradeau will lead a National Science Foundation-funded international team conducting research on how climate change will affect soil microbes in the ecologically fragile and important Paramos ecosystem in Colombia’s Andes Mountains.

Penn State receives $3M grant to address insect biodiversity crisis

A team of Penn State researchers has received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to spearhead a new initiative to create novel monitoring systems for insect populations, many of which are experiencing dramatic changes across the globe due to changes in land use, pollution and climate change.

Microbe-stuffed soil crusts menaced by climate change

Using a novel method to detect microbial activity in biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, after they are wetted, a Penn State-led research team in a new study uncovered clues that may lead to a better understanding of the role microbes play in forming a living skin over many semi-arid ecosystems around the world. The tiny organisms — and the microbiomes they create — are threatened by climate change.

CDC funding propels Penn State as leader in addressing vector-borne diseases

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has named Penn State as the lead institution for one of five new Vector-Borne Disease Regional Training and Evaluation Centers.

Under the canopy: Penn State researchers study beech leaf disease in PA forests

Researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences are studying the effects of beech leaf disease, spearheading efforts to learn more about the disease and how to combat it.

Penn State graduate named 2023 Campus Sustainability Champion

Isabella Briseño, a recent Penn State graduate who double majored in environmental resource management and political science, was selected as a 2023 Campus Sustainability Champion by the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium.

Pa. winemakers uncork new possibilities with help of Penn State researchers

Pennsylvania winemakers are uncorking new possibilities with the help of Penn State Extension and the College of Agricultural Sciences. Their expertise serves as a vital ingredient in elevating wine quality and diversity, while fueling the growth of the state’s $1.4 billion wine industry. A notable area of focus is the exploration of non-Saccharomyces yeasts, which can unlock new flavors and aromas.

Lynch lauded as Research Innovator of the Year by College of Ag Sciences

Jonathan Lynch, distinguished professor of plant nutrition, is the 2023 recipient of the Research Innovator of the Year Award, presented by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences to recognize faculty and staff who have made notable efforts to commercialize their Penn State research.

‘Nature is messy': Pioneers in landscape transcriptomics study genes in the wild

An interdisciplinary team in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences — in an initiative aimed at better understanding the implications of climate change for animal and plant life and agricultural systems — is focusing on an emerging field of study called landscape transcriptomics.

Organic beekeeping rivals conventional methods for bee health, productivity

Honey bee colonies managed using organic methods were as healthy and productive as those managed in conventional systems, while avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides to control pests and pathogens inside the hive, according to newly published research led by Penn State entomologists.

Soil nutrients affect how attractive plants are to bees from the ground up

Pollination is vital for many plants, and nutrients present in the soil before these plants even sprout may affect how attractive they eventually are to pollinators, according to Penn State-led research.

First-gen students explore Costa Rica through College of Ag Sciences course

Studying abroad can be a transformative experience. However, first-generation college students may face additional challenges and feel that international experiences are out of their reach. A course in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences was created to help first-gen students achieve their travel goals.

Spotted lanternfly experts share what research has uncovered about the pest

Since the spotted lanternfly’s unwelcome arrival in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014, researchers have been working tirelessly to learn more about the invasive pest, now confirmed in 45 Pennsylvania counties and reported in surrounding states.

Two College of Ag Sciences faculty among highly cited researchers in 2022

Andrew Patterson and Jonathan Lynch in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences were recognized recently as highly cited researchers by the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science Group.

Sustainable steps: Penn State student promotes sustainability through fashion

The University’s Fashion Society may seem like a fun way to appreciate a passion for fashion, but to Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences student Gabrielle Leach, it’s also a way to promote sustainability and enhance awareness of the impact of fast fashion to consumers.

Experts remind poultry flock owners that avian flu risk remains

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, which struck Pennsylvania in early 2022, have continued into the fall. And that has prompted poultry experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences to emphasize, once again, the importance of sound biosecurity measures for owners of backyard and commercial flocks.

Faculty in College of Ag Sciences recognized for research achievements

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences lauded outstanding accomplishments in research during the college’s inaugural Research Awards Ceremony, held Oct. 25 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

Media Contacts

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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)