Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES)
An interdisciplinary, science-to-practice platform to study landscape-level challenges
The Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) establishes a novel environment for accelerating solutions to persistently "wicked" landscape-level challenges centered on agriculture, food, and the environment. The science of agricultural sustainability underpins the mission of SAFES and provides a comprehensive approach to the complexity of challenges which integrates natural and social sciences with technological advancements, human behavior, economics, and policy.
SAFES integrates agriculturally and environmentally related disciplines to develop holistic approaches for tackling "wicked" challenges.
SAFES trains the next generation of researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers in integrating information from across domains and using science-based data for decision making.
SAFES shortens the distance between science and practice by actively connecting biophysical scientists with sociologists, communication scientists and educators. This work is led by the Agriculture and Environment Center through a shared discovery engagement process.
Upcoming Events
Water Insights Seminar: Can freshwater mussels monitor water quality?
March 9, 2021
Water Insights Seminar: The shallow and deep hypothesis: linking flow paths, biogeochemical reactions, and stream chemistry in the Critical Zone
March 16, 2021
Interdisciplinary Proposal Support at Penn State
March 18, 2021
Water Insights Seminar: The Pennsylvania Environmental Monitoring Network
March 23, 2021
Latest News
March 4, 2021
Kaye Named Distinguished Professor
Faculty who are awarded the Distinguished Professor title are acknowledged leaders in their fields of research or creative activity, have demonstrated significant leadership in raising the standards of the University, and have demonstrated excellent teaching skills, contributing significantly to the education of students who subsequently have achieved recognition of excellence in their own careers.
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March 1, 2021
Thriving Agricultural Systems in Urbanized Landscapes
The Thriving Agricultural Systems in Urbanized Landscapes project, funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, is working to create economically thriving and environmentally beneficial agricultural systems in urbanized landscapes. Using the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a case study, project researchers from Penn State, the University of Maryland, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Utah State, and the Stroud Water Research Center are working to achieve these goals with input from key stakeholders who are part of the agricultural and environmental communities. Members of the Thriving Ag project team are pleased to announce the launch of their new project website, https://thrivingag.org/. If you know of anyone who may be interested in the topics addressed by the project, we would greatly appreciate it if you shared the link with them. Interested individuals also can follow the project on Twitter at @thrivingag.
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February 26, 2021
Chiques Creek, Conewago watershed in Lancaster County to undergo extensive cleanup effort
As Dellinger Run wends its way toward Chiques Creek, it stretches through 56 acres of farmland in Rapho Township, where owner Mark Heller enjoys watching the ducks and fish that swim in the stream.
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February 26, 2021
Ambitious Conservation Program Covers Total Costs for Farmland Improvements
A million-dollar grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will pay the total costs of riparian buffers and other conservation practices on farms in three contiguous watersheds in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster, Lebanon and Dauphin counties.
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