Latest News

August 8, 2023

Four students in the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences were recently awarded the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to advance their research ambitions. The Schreyer Honors Scholars  are Jackie Kiszka, Asha Spencer and Mallory Wickline, all third-year students majoring in meteorology and atmospheric science, and Bridget Reheard, who is also a third-year student and double majoring in geosciences and wildlife and fisheries science.

August 3, 2023

Using a novel method to detect microbial activity in biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, after they are wetted, a Penn State-led research team in a new study uncovered clues that may lead to a better understanding of the role microbes play in forming a living skin over many semi-arid ecosystems around the world. The tiny organisms — and the microbiomes they create — are threatened by climate change.

July 26, 2023

The presence of a second species of ramp, Allium burdickii — commonly known as narrow-leaved wild leek — has been documented in southwest Pennsylvania by a team of Penn State researchers in a new study. This plant species never before has been documented in the state, and the researchers suggest the discovery shows a need to protect remaining populations of the plant.

July 21, 2023

A variety of topics related to agriculture and natural resources will be in the spotlight on several research and educational tours offered during Penn State's Ag Progress Days, set for Aug. 8-10 at Rock Springs.

July 21, 2023

Initial findings from a soil testing project launched a year ago in Philadelphia indicate positive news for urban growers — low levels of contaminants and higher than expected levels of nutrients. The project is aimed at helping to ensure safe and productive urban gardening.

July 20, 2023

 At a time when Pennsylvania is actively working to achieve water-quality improvements to meet the state’s obligations for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, a multidisciplinary Penn State research team is studying whether agricultural pollution-prevention devices called riparian buffers are working properly. 

July 19, 2023

Investigating how environmental chemical exposure impacts the gut microbiome to exacerbate inflammatory conditions and chronic diseases is the goal of a new $7 million grant awarded to Andrew Patterson, professor of molecular toxicology and the John T. and Paige S. Smith Professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

July 19, 2023

A researcher in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has received a $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to lead a multi-university team in a study focused on the anatomical, physiological and genetic factors underlying phosphorus-stress-induced reprogramming of storage root architecture. 

July 13, 2023

Monitoring dairy calves with precision technologies based on the “internet of things,” or IoT, leads to the earlier diagnosis of calf-killing bovine respiratory disease, according to a new study. The novel approach — a result of crosscutting collaboration by a team of researchers from Penn State, University of Kentucky and University of Vermont —will offer dairy producers an opportunity to improve the economies of their farms, according to researchers.   

July 12, 2023

The perfect pairing for certain fine vines may be grasses. A new study by Penn State researchers shows that in regions with fertile soils that receive plenty of rainfall, growing cover crops under the vines so that the vineyard floor is completely covered with vegetation is a sustainability strategy.

July 11, 2023

Penn State Extension Master Gardeners triumphed at the International Master Gardener Conference held June 18-22 in Overland Park, Kansas, earning first place in the research category of the David Gibby Search for Excellence Awards for their exceptional volunteer work and dedication to bee monitoring.

July 7, 2023

The latest episode of the "Growing Impact" podcast explores the world of substance use and addiction through the lens of environmental disasters, specifically how flooding in rural areas can affect drug use and the support needed by those impacted by substance use disorder.

July 4, 2023

As tick season gets into full swing, we spoke with two experts who study them to learn about the latest in tick research and how to stay protected.

June 29, 2023

A new study, by an international team of scientists that included millions of tree-year observations worldwide, for the first time documents and analyzes the intricate balance between seed defense and dispersal by forest trees at a global scale. 

June 28, 2023

Experiencing household “shocks” — sudden, traumatic events such as the death of a parent, loss of family income or a natural disaster — may negatively affect not just a child’s well-being but their academic progress as well, according to Penn State researchers.

June 22, 2023

In an attempt to rescue a rare darter in the lower Susquehanna River, a Penn State research team, working with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, has determined that the fish is a distinct subspecies found nowhere else. The fish’s rarity makes the effort to restore its population even more important, the researchers say.

June 22, 2023

Researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences are studying the effects of beech leaf disease, spearheading efforts to learn more about the disease and how to combat it.

June 20, 2023

In an attempt to rescue a rare darter in the lower Susquehanna River, a Penn State research team, working with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, has determined that the fish is a distinct subspecies found nowhere else. The fish’s rarity makes the effort to restore its population even more important, the researchers say.

June 15, 2023

A Penn State animal scientist has received a $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to lead a team conducting research on reproductive dysfunction in cattle.

June 14, 2023

In the fall of 2020, when Chad Dechow, Penn State associate professor of dairy cattle genetics, got a call from veterinarians in New York describing a strange condition affecting Holstein calves on two farms under their care, he was unfamiliar with the condition that came to be known as calf recumbency. Since then, he and his collaborators identified the underlying genetic mutation and devised a simple genetic test to identify Holsteins that harbor the mutation. 

June 12, 2023

Troy Ott , professor of reproductive physiology and associate director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, has been selected to serve as acting director of the Huck Institutes during the appointment of Andrew Read as interim senior vice president of research at Penn State. Ott’s position will be effective July 1.  

June 9, 2023

Cloud-based computing directly contributes to business innovation, but rural businesses lacking sufficient broadband capacity to access cloud services are missing out on their innovation-boosting potential, according to a team of researchers from Penn State and the National Science Foundation. The findings can be used by policymakers and business-support organizations to foster greater opportunities for rural innovation.

June 7, 2023

As part of an ongoing effort to promote soil and water conservation on farms, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has launched the Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training in partnership with the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

June 1, 2023

Feral swine are considered one of the top invasive species of concern in North America because of the damage they do to agricultural and natural systems. To best manage them, resource management agencies need to know more precisely where and when to implement control methods. A new study by a Penn State-led research team developed a method to help guide control efforts in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  

May 31, 2023

Penn State researchers have developed a low-cost, RNA-based technology to detect and measure biomarkers, which can help decode the body’s physiology. The presence of protein biomarkers can indicate chronic or acute conditions, from arthritis to cancer to bacterial infections, for which conventional tests can cost anywhere from $100 to upwards of $1,000. The new technology can perform the same measurement for about a dollar.

May 23, 2023

New Penn State research suggests that certain urban factors can reduce the tendency of cities to trap heat — a phenomenon called the “urban heat island.”

May 18, 2023

Catherine Nettles Cutter, Penn State Extension assistant director for food safety and quality programs, received the prestigious Fellow Award from the International Association for Food Protection in recognition of her exceptional contributions to food safety.

May 17, 2023

Mariah Kidd, a Penn State student earning her master’s degree in plant pathology in the College of Agricultural Sciences, recently was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program grant for her research in nematology.