Penn State names 21 new distinguished professors for 2022

February 15, 2022

Penn State's Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs has named 21 distinguished professors for 2022.

World’s first gene editing tools for ticks may help decrease tick-borne diseases

February 15, 2022

Reducing tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, may now be possible thanks to two new gene editing methods developed by researchers at Penn State; the University of Nevada, Reno; and the University of Maryland. The methods could allow scientists to alter parts of the tick genome that are involved in harboring and transmitting pathogens.

Study examines connection between availability of healthy food options, health

February 15, 2022

Limited availability of affordable and healthy foods can contribute to poor health outcomes, especially for residents of rural and low-income regions, according to an agricultural economist at Penn State who examined the food environment for residents in the Mississippi Delta, a region that has one of the highest obesity rates in the U.S.

Ag. Sciences students top all US universities with $1.1M in USDA funding

February 14, 2022

Seven students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have received predoctoral fellowships from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The students received a combined total of nearly $1.1 million — the most received for this year's fellowships among U.S. universities.

Student receives Fulbright to study honey bee health, behavior in Kenya

February 14, 2022

Darcy Gray, a graduate student in Penn State's intercollege graduate degree program in ecology, has received a Fulbright Study/Research Award to help beekeepers by examining how habitat and weather patterns drive bee migration and honey production in Kenya.

Penn State Extension holds ‘Farrowing Induction and Your Sows’ workshop/webinar

February 11, 2022

Penn State Extension invites pig producers and other agricultural industries to join the “Farrowing Induction and Your Sows” hybrid workshop/webinar event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 24 in Greensburg.

Penn State Berkey Creamery debuts new coffee flavors

February 10, 2022

There’s arguably no better way to start the morning than with a fresh cup of coffee. Luckily, the Penn State Berkey Creamery has various options, including three new flavors, “Waffle Shop,” “Blueberry Scone” and “Black Jack,” plus a fresh, updated look to its packaging.

New committee to oversee strategy to better manage resources and control costs

February 9, 2022

The Strategic Procurement Transformation project announced the launch of the Strategic Procurement Leadership Council as part of its long-term strategy to manage resources better and more effectively control costs. The newly formed council will support the University's procurement operations by overseeing key institutional procurement transformations and identifying opportunities for efficiency and cost savings. 

Geneticists close to grasping how plant communities may adapt to climate change

February 8, 2022

A century after scientists first noted that the environment contributes to the evolution of adaptive differences among plant populations, scientists are on the verge of figuring out how that adaptation happens — by combining results from huge “common garden” experiments with genomic sequencing.

Soil tillage reduces availability of ‘longevity vitamin’ ergothioneine in crops

February 7, 2022

Soil tillage on farms may significantly reduce the availability in crops of ergothioneine, an amino acid produced by certain types of soil-borne fungi and bacteria that is known as a “longevity vitamin” due to its potent antioxidant properties, according to new research by an interdisciplinary team at Penn State.

Golf Course Turfgrass Management alumnus Frank Dobie honored by USGA

February 4, 2022

The U.S. Golf Association recently bestowed its Green Section Award on Penn State alumnus David Franklin “Frank” Dobie, who graduated from the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Golf Course Turfgrass Management Certificate Program in 1960.

Consumer support of food-waste solutions focus of agricultural economist's study

February 2, 2022

When it comes to reducing food waste, consumers most favor solutions that involve making food donations easier and establishing standards for food date labels. That is one finding of a study — among the first to examine support and perceived effectiveness for popular food waste solutions — led by an agricultural economist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Webinar to focus on COVID-19 and residential property sales

February 2, 2022

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on residential property sales in rural Pennsylvania will be the focus of a web-based seminar offered by Penn State Extension at noon Feb. 16.

Dope Labs podcast creators to host science communication workshops at Penn State

February 1, 2022

Dope Labs podcast creators and hosts Titi Shodiya and Zakiya Whatley will present Dope Labs Science Communication Week at Penn State, a four-day remote event that will introduce researchers to the broader science communication community and teach them to use social media, storytelling and a web presence to network with other scientists and engage with broad audiences. The event takes place Feb. 7-10.

Sales of temporarily renamed creamery flavor to aid breast cancer organization

February 1, 2022

The Penn State Berkey Creamery temporarily will rebrand its traditional strawberry flavor as “PA Pink Zone Strawberry” in honor of the Pennsylvania Pink Zone, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting cancer awareness and empowering survivors.

Penn State Extension offers watershed training for citizens around the state

January 28, 2022

Anyone interested in protecting water quality in local watersheds can benefit from a Penn State Extension program that will offer training around the state this spring.

Penn State Extension offers free webinar on sheep, goats grazing season Feb. 22

January 28, 2022

Penn State Extension invites sheep and goat producers, as well as other agriculture industries, to join the “Wrangling More Days Out of the Grazing Season for Sheep and Goats” web-based seminar Feb. 22. 

EarthTalks: Tom Richard to discuss the path to a carbon-negative bioeconomy

January 27, 2022

Tom Richard, director of the Institutes of Energy and the Environment, will discuss how agriculture, food and forest systems can support a bioeconomy that reverses climate change during a talk at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 31.

Penn State Extension offers free 12-week email journey for heart health

January 26, 2022

February is American Heart Month, a time when the nation brings awareness to heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States. To help make heart health a priority, Penn State Extension is offering a free, 12-week email series — “A Journey to a Healthier Heart” — that focuses on small lifestyle changes to improve heart health.

Ash trees may be more resilient to warming climate than previously believed

January 26, 2022

Since the 1990s, scientists have been predicting that North American tree species will disappear from portions of their ranges within the next 50 to 100 years because of projected changes in climate. A new study led by Penn State forest biologists found that when transplanted to warmer environments, ash trees can survive increased temperatures of 7 degrees Fahrenheit and sometimes even up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting that these trees may be more resilient to climate warming than previously believed.

The Symbiotic Podcast returns live with 'game-changer' David Hughes

January 26, 2022

The Symbiotic Podcast kicks off season three, "Risk-Takers and Game-Changers," with a livestream interview and Q&A with David Hughes at noon on Jan. 27.

Five Penn State faculty named AAAS Fellows

January 26, 2022

Five Penn State faculty members in areas ranging from the ecology and evolution of fish and coral reef ecology to bone regeneration and intrinsically disordered proteins have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest general scientific society. This year a total of 564 individuals are being recognized with this lifetime honor, bestowed by their peers, for their extraordinary achievements in advancing science.

Positive parenting and parenting satisfaction among Post-9/11 veteran fathers

January 25, 2022

A recent Penn State study with a large sample of post-9/11 veteran fathers examined factors that were associated with positive parenting.

Agroforests in the tropics provide key conservation landscapes for amphibians

January 25, 2022

Although tropical forest ecosystems around the world have been modified and fragmented by agroforests planted to produce commodities such as coffee, rubber and areca palm, amphibian communities can survive in those transformed landscapes — if the agroforests are managed to support biodiversity.

Penn State gets grant to teach private forest owners to adapt to climate change

January 21, 2022

Researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences will use a newly awarded $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to work with 13 other land-grant universities in the eastern U.S. to create an education program that will help private forests owners adapt to and mitigate climate change.

Mining for knowledge: Scientists identify bee that can aid black cherry recovery

January 20, 2022

A ground-nesting bee family — commonly known as miner bees — could play a heightened role in rebuilding black cherry populations in Pennsylvania and beyond, according to Penn State entomologists who investigated pollinators’ contributions to the valuable hardwood species.

Penn State offering chocolate short course this summer

January 20, 2022

The Department of Food Science in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences will offer an innovative bean-to-bar course for both craft and industrial chocolate manufacturers June 20-23.

Students gain research, mentoring skills in Penn State-SFU collaboration

January 20, 2022

An innovative partnership between Penn State and Saint Francis University is enabling Penn State entomology graduate students to gain valuable mentoring skills, while Saint Francis undergraduates get research experience at a major land-grant research university.

USDA grant to support study at Penn State on antimicrobial tolerance in plants

January 19, 2022

Kevin Hockett, assistant professor of microbial ecology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, recently received a $682,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study bacterial control methods and their implications for disease prevention in plants.

Farmers in 14 counties will be surveyed on their use of conservation practices

January 17, 2022

If you're a farm operator in 14 central Pennsylvania counties, you now have a chance to highlight what steps you have taken to protect and enhance water quality for your local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

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)

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)