Erika Machtinger, associate professor of entomology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, discussed the state of the current screwworm outbreak — and what risks the insect poses to Pennsylvania and beyond.
Penn State alumna Nicole Day has worked in a dream career since she graduated in 2016 with a degree in animal science.
For 90 years, the Penn State Flower Trials have helped growers answer a simple question: Which flowers are best worth planting? This summer, the trials are celebrating that legacy by pairing cutting-edge new varieties with “Oldies but Goodies,” classic flowers that have stood the test of time.
Sridhar Komarneni, Penn State distinguished professor of clay mineralogy, marked 50 years with the College of Agricultural Sciences March 1. He came to the University in 1976 in a career move he said he has never regretted.
Quinn Burnett, a fourth-year food science student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, was recognized for her research on how sourdough starter microbiomes affect the digestibility of breads at the IPA World Congress + Probiota 2026 conference.
Tourism affects local populations differently in counties across the U.S., but measuring these effects may now be easier thanks to a new tool developed as part of a study by researchers at Penn State.
Researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have received a grant of nearly $309,000 from the U.S. Geological Survey, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, to study the movement and impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in small agricultural watersheds across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences class of 2026 was encouraged to look beyond their own accomplishments and consider the lasting impact they will have on others, as Jim Ingram returned to his alma mater to deliver a commencement address grounded in resilience, mentorship and service.
For the first time in more than three decades, a Penn Stater has earned one of science’s most competitive graduate fellowships. Charlie Colvin has been named a 2026 Hertz Fellow.
Suat Irmak, professor and head of Penn State’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, received the prestigious Royce J. Tipton Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers at the 2026 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, held April 26-29 in Mobile, Alabama.
Legumes like soybeans, alfalfa, peas, beans, peanuts and many more can mutualistically partner with soil bacteria called rhizobia to benefit both organisms. Not just any rhizobia will do, however, as specific rhizobia match with specific plants for the best crop outcome, according to a team led by Penn State researchers, who recently discovered that plant genes strongly influence which rhizobial strains plants chose from a diverse mixture.
The López-Uribe Lab recently held its sixth annual Pennsylvania Bee Monitoring Workshop, an event in which scientists and Master Gardener volunteers gathered to share updates about data collected in previous years, review monitoring protocols and discuss the focus of the study for the upcoming year.
Leaders from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences joined University, state and local officials to mark the official opening of the Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center at the Penn State Beaver campus in Monaca.
Pennsylvania State Rep. and Penn State alumnus Perry Stambaugh has made a six-figure gift to establish the Harry H. and Perry A. Stambaugh Scholarship in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
A team of plant scientists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has received a $1.96 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund a study of how beneficial plant-bacteria partnerships evolve, persist, and can be harnessed to improve health and agriculture.
George and Nina Woskob are continuing their philanthropic investment in the College of Agricultural Sciences with a new $1 million commitment to the fund. This gift further strengthens a connection their family has long championed.
Hosted by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the Bay in the Balance conference brought together stakeholders from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed to explore solutions that support both productive agriculture and the water quality goals of the nation’s largest estuary.
To learn more about beef production abroad, nine students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences spent their spring break in Brazil.
Excessive salts in soil can restrict a plant’s water and nutrient uptake, hindering crop growth and reducing yields on roughly 30% of U.S. irrigated land. To help growers identify and mitigate salt stress, in a proof-of-concept study, a team led by Penn State researchers built a low-cost sensor system that detects signals released by plants in trouble.
Richard Kralj, a Penn State Extension educator in food safety and quality based in Jefferson County, received the 2025 Northeast Region Excellence in Extension Award for an Individual. The award recognizes extension professionals for excellence in programming, community impact and leadership.
Brenna Fitzpatrick, a third-year student majoring in plant sciences at Penn State, was named a finalist for the Truman Scholarship — considered the premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States — for her work in agricultural education and campus food security.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza once again is threatening Pennsylvania’s poultry industry, but researchers, diagnosticians and extension educators in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences are at the forefront of efforts to slow the virus, support producers and provide science-based guidance.
Emma Uhlman, a junior majoring in animal science in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, is determined to make her time on campus count — supporting fellow students while preparing for a career that improves the health and well-being of animals.
Penn State researchers and their colleagues found that vegetative buffers, like shrubs or grasses, likely reduces the amount of specific pesticides from reaching a stream. However, the buffers are not protective against all pesticides entering waterways.
Daniel F. Perkins, professor of family and youth resiliency and policy in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named a distinguished professor by Penn State’s Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
Recently, students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences earned top honors at two national turfgrass industry competitions, claiming multiple first-place finishes and $25,000 in awards.
Penn State’s Block and Bridle Club won three awards at the National Block and Bridle Club’s 105th Convention, which took place Feb. 3-5 in Nashville, Tennessee. This year’s event was hosted by Middle Tennessee State University in conjunction with CattleCon, the largest annual event and trade show for the U.S. cattle industry.
David Huff, professor of turfgrass breeding and genetics at Penn State, recently earned the Research Innovator Award through the College of Agricultural Sciences for the research and entrepreneurial leadership that led to the founding of his startup, PennPoa. To launch his turfgrass startup, Huff utilized Penn State entrepreneurial resources.
Implementing novel management practices in dairy farming, one of the commonwealth’s major agricultural industries, could help alleviate a large source of both nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, according to a multidisciplinary team led by researchers at Penn State.
Katie McLaughlin, a graduate of the College of Agricultural Sciences, brings with her a lifelong connection to agriculture to her current role in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Transformation and Opportunity.
