Penn State Extension offers webinar on food safety for volunteers

June 1, 2022

Volunteers who help prepare and serve food for their nonprofit organizations are encouraged to attend a webinar on food safety offered by Penn State Extension on June 15.

SSRI funding boosts interdisciplinary research

May 31, 2022

Three Penn State research teams were recently awarded Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) pilot funding to foster interdisciplinary research that addresses human and social problems. The large pilot awards enable the development of new collaborations to pursue novel and high impact research in preparation of securing extramural funding.

Seth Bordenstein named director of the Penn State Microbiome Center

May 26, 2022

Seth Bordenstein, Centennial Endowed Professor of Biological Sciences; professor of biological sciences and pathology, microbiology and immunology; associate director of the Vanderbilt Institute of Infection, Immunology and Inflammation; and director of the Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center, Vanderbilt University, will take the reins of the Penn State Microbiome Center in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences in the fall of 2022. 

USDA grant to aid Penn State scientists in exploring postharvest fruit rot

May 26, 2022

Scientists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have received a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant of nearly $313,000 to study the effects of postharvest fruit decay.  

Graduate student selected for Young Scientists Cohort at World Food Forum

May 26, 2022

Ram Neupane, a graduate student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, will be one of 20 members of the inaugural Young Scientists Cohort at the World Food Forum.

Penn State staff reminded to take spotted lanternfly training, check vehicles

May 24, 2022

With the spotted lanternfly hatch now reported across Pennsylvania, officials at Penn State are reminding employees to take the spotted lanternfly training required by the University and inspect their vehicles when traveling within and outside of the quarantine zone.

Interactive art installation highlights power of interdisciplinary collaboration

May 23, 2022

Hanging in the hallway of the newly renovated Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building is “Augmented Encounters,” a 10-foot-long and 6-foot-wide, quilt-like, interactive art installation. As users engage with the piece, they learn of a unconventional collaboration that employed ancient art techniques in celebration of diversity, equity and inclusion.

College of Engineering Research Symposium announces 2022 winners

May 20, 2022

The Penn State Engineering Graduate Student Council hosted its annual College of Engineering Research Symposium on April 6 at the Hyatt Place in downtown State College. 

Kuchipudi receives College of Ag Sciences award for research innovation

May 19, 2022

Suresh Kuchipudi, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Emerging Infectious Diseases, is the 2022 recipient of the Research Innovator of the Year Award, given by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences to recognize faculty and staff who have made notable efforts to commercialize their Penn State research.  

Experts discuss critical infrastructure protection at annual Penn State workshop

May 18, 2022

Twenty-eight experts from various fields participated as panelists and presenters at the 2022 Critical Infrastructure Protection Workshop, jointly hosted by the Penn State Center for Security Research and Education; Center for Energy Law and Policy; and the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Science.

Penn State chemistry instructor named 4-H Northeast Volunteer of the Year

May 18, 2022

Susan Swope, an adjunct chemistry instructor at Penn State DuBois and a Penn State alumna, was named 4-H Northeast Volunteer of the Year in the annual 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards announced recently by the National 4-H Council.

Ethnobotanist gets grant to improve conservation of Pa. medicinal, edible plant

May 18, 2022

Eric Burkhart, associate teaching professor of ecosystem science and management, has received a $31,600 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to study and compile wild plant use by foragers in the state.

World Campus student balances academics and being agriculture royalty

May 17, 2022

Penn State World Campus student Mikayla Davis serves as the 2021-22 Pennsylvania State Dairy Princess.

Environmental efforts earn Master Watershed Steward program high honors

May 17, 2022

The Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward program played a significant role in two of the 15 projects recently honored with a 2022 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

Internet-based precision irrigation system shows promise for fresh-market tomato

May 17, 2022

An “internet of things” — or IoT — system monitoring real-time data from soil-based sensors to activate an automated precision irrigation setup can conserve water and boost crop production, according to a team of Penn State researchers.

Advancing global food security education one classroom at a time

May 17, 2022

Penn State students were among those selected for an immersive teaching experience offered through a partnership among Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the University of Idaho, and the World Food Prize Foundation, funded by a $280,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Plant pathology professor remembered for impact on turfgrass industry, students

May 16, 2022

Wakar Uddin, professor of plant pathology and turfgrass disease specialist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, is being remembered as a respected mentor and friend who had a profound impact on plant pathology and the turfgrass industry.  

Banish botulism and safely preserve food at home with 'can-along' webinars

May 11, 2022

Home food preservation has seen a renewed interest in recent years. But along with numerous benefits, the activity carries food safety risks. To provide guidance on up-to-date and science-based methods for home food preservation, Penn State Extension educators are offering a series of “can-along” webinars in June and July.

Food safety from farm to fork: Resources for farmers markets vendors

May 11, 2022

As farmers markets kick off this season, vendors and producers may benefit from Penn State Extension educational materials on controlling food safety risks from farm to fork — including a resource guide and an online course.

Existing technologies can help world meet agricultural methane targets by 2030

May 10, 2022

Amid the frequent bad news about climate change, some potentially good news has emerged: Existing technologies, diligently applied, could enable the world to meet the target set for reducing agricultural methane emissions by 2030, say researchers.

Avian flu outbreak exacerbates concerns for farmers’ mental health

May 10, 2022

The devastating outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza that has slammed Pennsylvania’s $7.1 billion poultry industry in recent weeks has caused the loss of nearly 4 million birds in nine commercial flocks in the state. But besides its impact on producers’ bottom lines, avian flu also could affect their mental health and well-being, according to a Penn State Extension educator.

Future of deer management clouded by coming steep decline in hunter numbers

May 10, 2022

Because so many deer hunters are aging out of the sport — and new hunters are not being recruited to replace them — deer management strategies will need to change to manage populations of whitetails in many states, according to Penn State's Duane Diefenbach, one of the leading white-tailed deer researchers in the country.

No sour grapes here: App launches for Pennsylvania grape growers and wine makers

May 9, 2022

Penn State Extension recently launched a new web application, “Cultivars in the Commonwealth,” aimed at empowering grape growers and wine makers throughout Pennsylvania. The app gives detailed information on various cultivars, or types of grapes — e.g., pinot noir or chardonnay — grown across the state.  

Penn State to host national energy and sustainability extension conference

May 6, 2022

Extension natural resources, energy and sustainability professionals from around the country will converge on Penn State's University Park campus May 15-18 for the joint 2022 National Extension Energy Summit and National Sustainability Summit. Hosted by Penn State Extension at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, the event is open to all who have professional interest in learning more about current best practices around sustainability and climate solutions.

Penn State Extension offers farm safety trainings and demonstrations

May 5, 2022

Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States, and agricultural emergencies require specialized knowledge and training for first responders. To prepare emergency responders, Penn State Extension offers numerous trainings and demonstrations designed for fire and rescue services, emergency medical services, law enforcement personnel, and farm community members.

New Penn State Extension endowment honors the ‘Siri’ of Lebanon County

May 5, 2022

Volunteers in Lebanon County may benefit from a Penn State Extension award honoring Alletta “Letie” Schadler, a retired extension educator and the first female county extension director in Pennsylvania. The Alletta Schadler Community Service/Engagement Award will provide educational support for a volunteer in the family and consumer sciences program area.

Clearinghouse provides searchable database of evidence-based programs

May 4, 2022

The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State has created a Continuum of Evidence to assist individuals in identifying evidence-based programs that can be used to improve the health and well-being of military and civilian families.

Microbiologists get grant to study biofilms guarding foodborne pathogen Listeria

April 29, 2022

Microbiologists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have received a $605,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study how microbial biofilms protect Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes the deadly foodborne illness listeriosis. 

It's tick season: Learn to protect yourself and your animals with free webinars

April 29, 2022

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease, caused by a tick-borne pathogen, affects more than 400,000 people each year. To educate the public about tick risk and tick bite prevention for people and their animals, Penn State Extension will offer the spring 2022 “Tick Webinar Series.”

Community, Environment and Development Club helps break world record

April 28, 2022

As part of a nationwide Earth Day celebration, members of the Community, Environment and Development Club in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences helped break a Guinness World Record on NBC’s “Today” show.

Media Contacts

  • Senior Public Relations Specialist/News Editor
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  • Public Relations Specialist/Science Writer
  • Science and News Writer
  • Penn State Extension Writer (Marketing Communications Specialist)

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)