One Health Microbiome Center names next doctoral interns for industry program

April 27, 2026

Two Penn State doctoral students will spend eight weeks in Germany at the headquarters of global biotechnology company QIAGEN. This marks the third year of the program, a partnership between the One Health Microbiome Center and QIAGEN.

Master Watershed Steward program earns regional award

April 24, 2026

Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward Program received the 2026 Special Recognition Award from the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin.

Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center at Penn State Beaver celebrates opening

April 24, 2026

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.

Food science student lands job with Kraft Heinz after global experience

April 23, 2026

When she graduates in May, Katie Rupert will be putting her degree and global experience to use at the Kraft Heinz Co. in Chicago.

Q&A: Does nature have a role in national security?

April 23, 2026

The security of every nation faces an increasingly severe and frequent threat: disruptions to nature. In this Q&A, Bradley J. Cardinale, Penn State professor of ecosystem science and management, discussed his recent study examining how disrupted ecosystems can lead to increased risk for food security, water availability, health and well-being, as well as crime. 

Alumni couple make $3 million estate gift to expand access and affordability

April 22, 2026

Diane and Mike Katzaman have come forward with a $3 million estate commitment designed to lower financial barriers for Penn State students and provide the support they need to thrive.

Penn State Soil Judging Team finishes 10th in national competition

April 22, 2026

The Penn State Soil Judging Team finished second in the Group Judging category and tied for 10th place overall in the 2026 National Collegiate Soil Judging Contest at North Carolina State University on March 22-27.

Three Penn State students present projects at UN food security system meeting

April 22, 2026

Three Penn State students, including two from the College of Agricultural Sciences and one from the Smeal College of Business, recently spoke about their global food security projects at a special meeting of the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council.

New clues for using common fungus to promote crop growth and health

April 22, 2026

Trichoderma species — a common fungus found in soils — have varying abilities to promote tomato plant growth and differentially affect the abundance of certain soil bacteria, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State. 

Connected habitats help wildlife fight disease, strengthen protective microbes

April 20, 2026

In a new study of tropical amphibians, a team led by Penn State biologists found that amphibians in connected natural forests and aquatic habitats were more likely to host beneficial skin microbes that inhibit a deadly fungal pathogen.

Pa. state rep., Penn State alum honors father’s legacy with Ag Sciences scholarship

April 20, 2026

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.

Penn State strengthens water education network

April 17, 2026

As questions about water quality grow more complex across Pennsylvania, Penn State is working to strengthen how research connects with communities. “The Confluence: Water Research and Extension In-Service Day” recently brought together researchers and Penn State Extension educators to learn, plan and network.

College of Ag Sciences alumna’s legacy: research and growing global impact

April 17, 2026

Long before she led reforestation efforts in her native Lebanon, Maya Nehme was a graduate student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, researching ways to combat invasive species threatening forests. Even then, her vision extended beyond the lab — helping to inspire what would become the college’s international agriculture and development graduate dual-title degree program, known as INTAD.

Former Ag Sciences dean creates student experience funds

April 16, 2026

Bruce McPheron and his wife, Marilyn, have made both a future pledge and an outright gift to support student experience opportunities in the College of Agricultural Sciences Department of Entomology and at the Frost Entomological Museum.

Three alumni honored with 2026 Fox Graduate School Alumni Society awards

April 15, 2026

The Penn State Fox Graduate School Alumni Society has announced the recipients of its 2026 alumni awards, recognizing three graduates whose achievements exemplify the values of leadership, service and professional excellence.

Strategies for managing weight the focus of Volumetrics webinars

April 14, 2026

Anyone interested in losing or maintaining weight while eating satisfying, nutritious foods can learn about a science-based way to accomplish those goals by attending a six-part Penn State Extension series, “The Volumetrics Weigh of Life: Weight Management Plan.”

Plant scientists receive $1.96M NIH grant to study plant-bacteria partnerships

April 14, 2026

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.

Seed from Midwest ginseng farms planted in eastern forests raises questions

April 14, 2026

To meet global demand for American ginseng, the medicinal plant traditionally collected in the forests of Appalachia and traded and used internationally, the plant now is commonly cultivated on forest farms in the U.S. Northeast. But new research has revealed that much of the seed for that agroforestry enterprise is coming from field-based, artificial-shade ginseng farms in Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada — and it may be influencing the genetics of naturally occurring ginseng.

Watch: Science graduate students recap international industry internship

April 14, 2026

Penn State graduate students Samantha Seibel and Naomi Huntley discuss their participation in a six-week summer internship program in Germany that was made possible by a partnership between QIAGEN LLC and the University's One Health Microbiome Center.

Community-building, food-initiatives workshop to take place May 1

April 13, 2026

Penn State colleagues and community partners are invited to attend an "Appreciative Inquiry and Asset Mapping" workshop centered around community building and food initiatives.

‘Night at the Museums’ to feature exhibits April 23, including Old Coaly

April 13, 2026

A wide variety of Penn State museums and special galleries will be open to the public during the spring “Night at the Museums” event, from 4 to 8 p.m. on April 23. 

Communication, Science & Society Initiative awards four interdisciplinary grants

April 13, 2026

The Communication, Science & Society Initiative, a research partnership between Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts, has announced the grant recipients from its 2025 request for proposals.

Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters

April 9, 2026

As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 20 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.

Armesto Gómez recognized with Frisbey International Student Award

April 9, 2026

Alejandra Armesto Gómez, a graduate student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, received a 2025-26 Ardeth and Norman Frisbey International Student Award at a recent ceremony hosted by Penn State Global.

Simple vineyard growing practice impacts soil microbiome deep below surface

April 9, 2026

Planting grass groundcovers within the vineyard row can benefit vineyard soils and reduce the need for herbicide applications.

Thirty-one graduate students receive awards at the 2026 Graduate Exhibition

April 9, 2026

Thirty-one Penn State graduate students earned awards at the 2026 Graduate Exhibition — the premier annual community showcase for graduate student research, scholarship and creative activity across the University — hosted by the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School on Friday, March 27, on the University Park campus.

Predictably unpredictable: Building resilient crops for a changing world

April 9, 2026

As climate change accelerates and threats from pests and diseases intensify, a growing cohort of Penn State researchers is developing innovative solutions to help crops not only survive but also thrive.

Woskob family’s philanthropic legacy grows with latest $1M commitment

April 9, 2026

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.

Cocoa Potash wins inaugural Land Grant Startup Launch Competition

April 8, 2026

Cocoa Potash was named the winner of the inaugural Land Grant Startup Launch Competition held in late March in the Dr. Kiko Miwa Ross Atrium of the Business Building.

UC Davis economist will present M.E. John Memorial Lecture on April 17

April 8, 2026

Richard J. Sexton, distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of California, Davis, will present this years M.E. John Memorial Lecture at Penn State University Park on Friday, April 17, from 2 to 3 p.m.

Media Contacts

Amy Duke
  • Associate Director of Communications
Jeff Mulhollem
  • Public Relations Specialist/Science Writer
Katie Bohn
  • Science and News Writer
Alexandra McLaughlin
  • Penn State Extension Writer (Marketing Communications Specialist)
Sean Duke
  • Marketing/Communications Specialist

Media Contacts

Amy Duke
  • Associate Director of Communications
Jeff Mulhollem
  • Public Relations Specialist/Science Writer
Katie Bohn
  • Science and News Writer
Alexandra McLaughlin
  • Penn State Extension Writer (Marketing Communications Specialist)
Sean Duke
  • Marketing/Communications Specialist