Penn State announces fixed-term faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2017

May 22, 2017

The following is a list of Penn State fixed-term faculty promotions, effective July 1.

Penn State promotions in academic rank, effective July 1, 2017

May 22, 2017

The following is a list of academic promotions for tenured and tenure-line faculty members at Penn State, effective July 1.

Penn State startup Phospholutions demonstrates product on White Course

May 19, 2017

Penn State President Eric Barron joined providers of entrepreneurship resources in celebrating innovative Penn State startup, Phospholutions, on Thursday, May 18, at the Penn State Golf Course in State College.

Baker gift to support College of Agricultural Sciences LGBTQA student club

May 19, 2017

Generous support from MeeCee Baker, a respected alumna of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, will support Students for Cultivating Change.

Kang elected Fellow of American Phytopathological Society

May 18, 2017

Seogchan Kang, professor of plant pathology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society, an honor given to members in recognition of distinguished contributions to the discipline of plant pathology.

'An Apple a Day' event to give research view into apple microbiomes May 24

May 18, 2017

Do the microbes associated with apples help keep the doctor away? This is one of the many questions that will be investigated at a May 24 workshop titled "An Apple a Day!" The event, hosted by the Microbiome Center at Penn State, will enable participants to learn about and discuss the "apple microbiome," from seed to soil to the human gut and beyond.

Penn State to launch undergraduate Ag Stewardship and Conservation certificate

May 17, 2017

A new undergraduate certificate program offered by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences will give students interested in agricultural stewardship an opportunity for classroom and hands-on learning in the sustainability of agricultural soil and water resources. The Agricultural Stewardship and Conservation Certificate program will provide critical coursework and practical experience that will help make students marketable for jobs in the public and private sector.

Grant aimed at solving agricultural water issues through community engagement

May 17, 2017

A group of institutions led by Penn State has received nearly $2.2 million for the first year of a planned four-year, $5 million project aimed at developing a model for engaging communities and stakeholders to ensure adequate supplies of good-quality water both for and from agriculture. Partners include the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Arizona State University and the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

Innovating Abroad

May 17, 2017

Robinson Laventure, Penn State student in biological engineering, spent three months helping to redesign 3D-printed prosthetics for TakeaHand, a biotechnology company located in Santiago, Chile.

American chestnut rescue will succeed, but slower than expected

May 16, 2017

The nearly century-old effort to employ selective breeding to rescue the American chestnut, which has been rendered functionally extinct by an introduced disease — Chestnut blight, eventually will succeed, but it will take longer than many people expect.

From Coca to Cacao

May 15, 2017

As Colombia emerges from 50 years of violence, Penn State scientists are helping poor farmers switch from growing coca, the stuff of cocaine, to growing cacao, the principal ingredient in chocolate. Cacao for Peace, the international partnership they are a part of, seeks to transform Colombia's rural Caribbean coast in a cacao-growing hotspot.

Penn State researchers hope to extend berry growing season in Northeast

May 15, 2017

Researchers at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences are among a group of researchers examining how the use of high and low tunnels and plastic coverings extend the growing season for strawberries and raspberries, and as a result, increase yields while also reducing pesticide use and improving berry quality and shelf-life.

Penn State Dairy Products Evaluation team members win awards at contest

May 9, 2017

A student team representing the Food Science Department in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences took first place in the Yogurt category of the 95th Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held April 12 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Webinar to compare state and local oil and gas revenues across the country

May 9, 2017

Comparing revenues from oil and gas production across 16 states and describing major impacts in regions such as the Marcellus, Bakken and Permian will be the focus of a web-based seminar to be presented by Penn State Extension.

Penn State Extension names six to oversee program units

May 9, 2017

Penn State Extension has named six assistant directors to oversee statewide educational programs addressing a variety of subject-matter areas of importance to Pennsylvania. The appointments are part of recently announced changes to the organization's structure, product development and program delivery.

Schreyer Honors College presents graduating scholars with awards

May 9, 2017

The Schreyer Honors College distributed four annual senior awards to Scholars at a reception in the HUB-Robeson Center's Alumni Hall.

Student landscaping team builds outdoor space for local Stormbreak house

May 9, 2017

Penn State’s landscape design and landscape construction classes are known for their incredible community projects. But with this year’s undertaking, the courses have gone above and beyond.

Recovering lost genetic diversity in Holsteins is focus of professors' research

May 8, 2017

Holstein calves recently born at Penn State may help to reintroduce valuable genetic variance thanks to research conducted by Chad Dechow and Wansheng Liu, researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Dr. Andrew Read gives Graduate School Commencement Speech

May 8, 2017

Andrew F. Read, Ph.D., Evan Pugh Professor of Biology and Entomology and Eberly Professor of Biotechnology, was the keynote speaker for this year's Graduate School commencement ceremony held on May 7, 2017.

Entrepreneurs battle in 'Shark Tank'-style contest on WPSU’s ‘The Investment’

May 4, 2017

Penn State undergraduate students and local entrepreneurs will compete for $30,000 in funding to help grow their businesses in a student-pitch competition, “The Investment,” that will air at 8 p.m. on today (May 4) on WPSU-TV.

Record 83 undergraduates receive 2017 Erickson Discovery Grants

May 4, 2017

Eighty-three students from across Penn State’s campuses will each be awarded a $3,500 Erickson Discovery Grant for summer 2017 through the Office of Undergraduate Education. The students will use the funds to immerse themselves in original research, scholarship, and creative work under the direct supervision of a faculty member.

Invent Penn State’s Fund for Innovation awards $75,000 to Persea Naturals

May 4, 2017

A team of food science researchers from Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences are launching a promising new venture to produce a line of all-natural, vibrant food colors, dubbed AvoColor, using a compound derived from the seed of the avocado.

Team of PSU Smeal students wins 2017 Supply Chain Entrepreneurship Pitch Contest

May 2, 2017

A team of four Penn State Smeal students — Cameron Stevens, senior finance, economics, and international politics triple major; Karen Burlingame, senior supply chain and information systems; Yue Shen, senior supply chain and information systems; and Tasha Burman, sophomore business — calling themselves Team DropLocker, was selected as the winner of the 2017 Supply Chain Entrepreneurship Pitch Contest and awarded $6,500.

Legally blind golf pro earns turfgrass management degree through World Campus

May 2, 2017

A legally blind man from Toledo, Ohio, earned his bachelor’s degree online through Penn State World Campus and will graduate May 6, 2017.

Webinar to focus on reverse fiscal impact analysis in hazard mitigation planning

April 28, 2017

A webinar on how local municipalities can use reverse fiscal impact analysis to assist in hazard mitigation planning will be the topic of a web-based seminar offered by Penn State Extension on May 17.

If some hemlock trees can just hang on, birds that need them may be OK

April 27, 2017

In 2000, when a team of scientists led by Robert Ross studied the response of birds to the beginning of hemlock tree decline in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Matt Toenies was just seven years old, and the ecological havoc wreaked by invasive species was the farthest thing from his mind.

Plant sciences student helps research natural fungicide

April 27, 2017

Cullen Dixon, a plant sciences major, participates in a lab that tests the effectiveness of secondary metabolite compounds produced by sorghum as potential biopesticides in combating foliar diseases of Zea mays, or corn.

Ingesting soy protein may ease severity of inflammatory bowel disease

April 26, 2017

A diet supplemented with soy protein may be an effective adjunct therapy for inflammatory bowel diseases, Penn State researchers reported after completing a study that included mice and cultured human colon cells.

Ag Sciences graduate students win prestigious research fellowships

April 25, 2017

Three graduate students in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences -- Phillip Martin, Ismaiel Szink and Rachel Rozum -- recently received prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.

Three graduate students honored with Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award

April 24, 2017

Three Penn State graduate students -- Vasiliy Lakoba, Andrew Morris and Shanti Nachtergaele -- have been awarded the Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award. The award recognizes excellence in master’s-level thesis research in any of the disciplinary areas of fine arts and humanities; social sciences - applied and basic; physical and computational sciences - applied and basic; life and health sciences; and engineering.

Media Contacts

  • Senior Public Relations Specialist/News Editor
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  • 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)