September 1, 2022
A backyard discovery by 8-year-old Hugo Deans, son of Penn State Professor of Entomology Andrew Deans, eventually led to the revelation that oak galls — plant growth triggered by insects — are part of an elaborate relationship among ants, wasps and oak trees, turning a century of knowledge about plant-insect interactions on its head.
August 31, 2022
Students interested in the study of microbiomes now can apply for the new microbiome sciences dual-title doctoral degree program, administered by Penn State’s Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
August 29, 2022
Over a six-year period in southcentral Pennsylvania, measures of biodiversity among wild bee communities declined and one-third of species experienced decreases in abundance, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers.
August 26, 2022
Professor of Horticulture Richard Marini, who led Penn State’s Horticulture Department as it evolved to become the Department of Plant Science, retired July 1 after a four-decade career that left a huge mark on the fruit tree industry.
August 24, 2022
Military service members who experienced adversity or trauma during childhood, combined with exposure to warfare, including as participants in the military or as bystanders, are more likely than others to experience Military Sexual Trauma during their service, according to new research led by Penn State.
August 24, 2022
Penn State Extension Master Gardeners from Centre County recently debuted “POLLINATORS! The Musical,” a 30-minute production aimed at providing pollinator education in a fun and catchy way. Two upcoming performances will be held on Sept. 11 at the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center.
August 24, 2022
Anyone interested in developing healthy habits and increasing stamina can benefit from a free Penn State Extension virtual walking program called “Everybody Walk Across Pennsylvania.” The statewide program will take place from Sept. 12 to Nov. 7.
August 24, 2022
Leah Welk, a third-year student double-majoring in agricultural science and public relations, has been selected as an ambassador for Agricultural Future of America at Penn State.
August 23, 2022
Flavonoids produced by sorghum leaves have shown promising results in combating fall armyworm larvae. When sprayed on the leaves of corn, sorghum flavonoids stunt the growth of fall armyworm and often kill the pest, Penn State researchers report in a new study.
August 22, 2022
Labels alerting customers that products contain ingredients from genetically engineered plants may reduce sales, at least in the short term, according to a new study from a research team including an agricultural economist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
August 19, 2022
More than 10,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States since May, triggering the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to declare the outbreak a public-health emergency. As the fall semester begins, many are wondering if they should be concerned about monkeypox. Suresh Kuchipudi, the Huck Chair in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Penn State and an expert on emerging and zoonotic viruses, explains what is known about monkeypox and how to protect yourself.
August 19, 2022
Two graduate students who work in the laboratory of an entomology faculty member in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences recently received prestigious fellowships to further their graduate education and research.
August 18, 2022
A research team led by a Penn State plant scientist has received a $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study the functions of key plant genes responsible for regulating the acquisition and use of nitrogen and phosphorus in corn hybrids.
August 18, 2022
To help bolster the workforce for an industry in need of employees and provide a career path for residents of the state’s capital city, Penn State Extension recently offered a course, titled “Tree Climbing School,” in Harrisburg for the first time.
August 18, 2022
Penn State chemical engineering researchers used micro- and nanoparticles created from organic materials like corncobs and tomato peels to capture rare earth elements from aqueous solutions.
August 18, 2022
As doctoral students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Wei-Shu Lin and Parisa Nazemi Ashani are dedicating their academic studies and future careers to improving ecosystems, including the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States.
August 18, 2022
Penn State alumnus-founded startup Phospholutions, a leader in sustainable fertilizer technology, recently announced additional investment from leading global agricultural companies totaling $5.3M. This funding will support the commercialization of their RhizoSorb technology in the U.S. row crop market.
August 17, 2022
With the hopes of increasing awareness and interest in public health and medical entomology, Penn State alumna Alexis Barbarin created an annual award for graduate students pursuing research and degrees in that field. The BEDBUGS Award is being funded by yearly royalties Barbarin receives from a patent for a bedbug pesticide she helped research while pursuing her doctorate.
August 17, 2022
With Penn State’s academic year and football season starting soon, thousands of people will be visiting Happy Valley, and the University wants to make sure they are not spreading the spotted lanternfly — an invasive pest that feeds on more than 100 types of plants.
August 16, 2022
When plants sense environmental challenges such as drought or extended periods of extreme temperatures, they instinctively reprogram their genetic material to survive and even thrive. The chemical code that triggers those changes can be deciphered and then duplicated to breed more vigorous, productive and resilient crops. That’s the conclusion of a team of Penn State molecular plant geneticists that conducted the first-ever study of those reprogramming effects and discovered that “epigenetic reprogramming” code, which results in the expressing and over expressing of some genes and the silencing of others.
August 16, 2022
A light-based food sanitization technique successfully eliminated multiple harmful pathogens in a new study carried out by Penn State researchers.
August 15, 2022
To honor her mother’s legacy, Tina Terrell committed $80,000 to create the Lucille Terrell MANRRS Scholarship in the College of Agricultural Sciences, designate a scarlet oak in The Arboretum at Penn State as “Lucille’s Tree” and name one of the Arboretum’s future Fountain Garden seat walls in her honor.
August 15, 2022
Members of Penn State Extension’s water resources team recently earned a Gold Award from the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals for the publication “Simple Solutions for Your Eroding Backyard Stream,” a resource developed in conjunction with Extension’s Backyard Stream Repair Program.
August 15, 2022
Interested in exploring new fishing, boating or hiking spots? Curious about how water connects throughout the state? A map featuring Pennsylvania’s 86,000 stream miles is available from Penn State Extension.
August 12, 2022
Donald Davis, professor of plant pathology and environmental microbiology, is retiring after a career spanning more than 50 years in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
August 12, 2022
Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the Berkey Creamery have partnered to commemorate the college’s 125th anniversary by sponsoring the popular flavor, “Bittersweet Mint,” as “Earth and MINTeral Sciences Bittersweet Mint” from August to October.
August 11, 2022
Increasingly, local governments and communities are managing contentious and rapidly changing issues, according to Penn State Extension educators, who will offer a webinar at noon, Aug. 17, focused on dealing with difficult issues.
August 2, 2022
Governmental officials and industry representatives will join academic leaders and experts to discuss a wide range of issues and policies affecting Pennsylvania agriculture during several events at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, Aug.9-11.
July 29, 2022
Four summer research programs that task undergraduate students with exploring pressing research related to climate science and solutions are culminating in a combined event that is open to the public. These Penn State programs are hosting their final symposium Thursday, Aug. 4, in the Steidle Building Atrium on the University Park campus.
July 29, 2022
Climate-smart agriculture, animal health issues such as avian influenza, vector-borne diseases and the spread of the spotted lanternfly will be the focus of displays and presentations at the College of Agricultural Sciences Exhibits Building and Theater during Penn State's Ag Progress Days, Aug. 9-11.
