New Goddard Chair finding Pennsylvania connections to his international work

March 4, 2022

Christopher Scott’s career is as varied as the many places he has lived and worked, such as Nepal, Mexico, Argentina and India. His expertise is in water, and much like water, his work connects to many areas, including climate change, energy, policy, sustainability and agriculture.

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

February 28, 2022

Soil tillage on farms may significantly reduce the availability in crops of ergothioneine (ERGO), 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. The study is among the first to demonstrate that soil disturbance can directly impact a key dietary factor associated with long-term human health.

Omicron detected for first time in white-tailed deer

February 24, 2022

Some white-tailed deer living in Staten Island, New York, are actively infected with the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV-2, according to new research led by scientists at Penn State. The team also found neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in one of the Omicron-infected deer, suggesting that, like humans, deer can be reinfected with the virus.

Warming climate to result in reduced corn production; irrigation blunts effect

February 22, 2022

No matter which of the widely accepted global circulation models ultimately comes closest to predicting the amount of warming caused by climate change, corn production will be reduced, according to a new study by Penn State researchers.

Study examines connection between availability of healthy food options, health

February 16, 2022

Limited availability of affordable and healthy foods can contribute to poor health outcomes, especially for residents of rural and low-income regions. That is one of the conclusions of a study conducted by 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.

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. The distinguished professor title recognizes outstanding academic contribution to the University. This special academic title is bestowed upon a limited number of outstanding professors for whom endowed chairs or professorships are otherwise unavailable.

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

February 15, 2022

In East Africa, beekeepers set up empty hives hoping that migrating swarms of honey bees will take up residence and provide them with honey. However, it is difficult for beekeepers to predict when migrating swarms will arrive and leave and when to harvest honey. 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.

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

February 8, 2022

Soil tillage on farms may significantly reduce the availability in crops of ergothioneine (ERGO), 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. The study is among the first to demonstrate that soil disturbance can directly impact a key dietary factor associated with long-term human health.

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

February 4, 2022

Agroforests in the tropics provide key conservation landscapes for amphibians

January 27, 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 24, 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 would help private forests owners adapt to and mitigate climate change.

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

January 19, 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.

Integrated modeling of climate impacts on electricity demand and cost

January 18, 2022

Around the world, energy systems are increasingly impacted by the effects of a changing climate. Energy systems, especially the electric-power system, are vulnerable to natural stressors such as wildfires, severe storms, extreme temperatures and long-term disruptions of the hydrological cycle.

Entomologists to study how climate change may influence pollinator stressors

January 17, 2022

A Penn State-led team of researchers will use a newly awarded $682,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to examine how climate change may influence and interact with various stressors that affect the health of pollinators.

Dairy farmers can adapt to climate change

January 5, 2022

Dairy farmers in the Northeast — facing a warming climate that exacerbates nutrient pollution but lengthens the growing season — can reduce the environmental impact of their operations and maximize revenues by double cropping and injecting manure into the soil, rather than broadcasting it.

College of Ag Sciences helps students offset carbon footprint when traveling

December 2, 2021

A new program in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences is helping students reduce their carbon footprints while studying abroad. The Sustainable and Accessible Study Abroad initiative began last year to encourage students to incorporate sustainable practices into their study abroad experiences by supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

College of Ag Sciences professor elected president of professional association

November 29, 2021

Karen Fisher-Vanden, professor of environmental and resource economics and public policy in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been elected president of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.

Penn State professor helps spearhead global plant-health conference in France

November 18, 2021

If action isn’t taken to protect the health of the world’s plants, the prognosis for some species is poor, especially in regions that lack plant protection policies and extension services, according to scientists who participated in an international workshop and conference that was co-led by a plant pathologist at Penn State.

New tool weighs costs and benefits of managing evolution of pathogens and pests

November 16, 2021

Spend money now on antibiotic stewardship practices or save the money but run the risk of potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria emerging later? A new economic tool can help physicians, farmers and other people whose activities may influence the evolution of biological organisms, such as pathogens and insects, decide when they should invest in evolution management strategies.

Urbanization not always bad for food and land use diversity

November 16, 2021

Widely accepted myths that urbanization negatively impacts food and land use biodiversity are incorrect, according to a team of researchers who developed a framework for evaluating this intersection. Their results could also affect nutrition and food insecurity in urban areas.

Penn State awarded nearly $39M for global research on threats to crops

November 9, 2021

Reducing the negative effects of pests, diseases and weeds on crops in a climate-changed world is the goal of a multi-institution team led by Penn State and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the organization’s initiative to end global hunger. The award was announced today (Nov. 6) by Administrator Samantha Power of the United States Agency for International Development at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Popular perennial flowering plants can attract diverse mix of pollinators

October 28, 2021

Co-author Christina Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and director of Penn State's Center for Pollinator Research, explained that in urban and suburban areas, people often select varieties of ornamental plants for their gardens because of their appearance and growth habits. "Many of these varieties have been developed by breeders to appeal to consumer, rather than pollinator, preference," said Grozinger, who also directs the Insect Biodiversity Center in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. "There has been concern that these plant varieties are no longer attractive to pollinators.

Honey Has Numerous Health Benefits for Bees

October 26, 2021

From pesticide detox to increased longevity, the pros of the sweet stuff go well beyond simply nourishing the hardworking insects in the hive

Penn State-led team awarded $17M to study climate risk and adaptation strategies

October 21, 2021

A multi-institutional research team led by Penn State has been awarded a $17 million, five-year cooperative research agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science to understand how interconnected systems are exposed to natural hazards that create vulnerabilities and risks for society and how societies respond and adapt to these risks.

Novel lighting system designed for machine vision module of agricultural robots

October 12, 2021

A novel camera system using active lighting devised by Penn State researchers may be a crucial step in developing machine vision systems that allow robotic devices to more clearly "see" the agricultural targets with which they will react.

Phase 3 Winners of Nittany AiChallenge guided by SAFES Associate Director of Research

September 29, 2021

Many congratulations to the InsectEye team, who were one of two teams selected for Phase 3 funding in the Nittany AI Challenge!

Urban stormwater study finds little difference between managed, unmanaged flows

September 15, 2021

At a time when many municipalities are seeking to control urban stormwater by investing heavily in green infrastructure — such as water-quality ponds, infiltration basins, porous pavement and riparian plantings — a new study suggests that these expensive efforts may not have much of an impact.

Software tool that finds spots for water-quality devices will work in Northeast

September 15, 2021

A computer software package widely used in the Midwest to strategically position riparian buffers and other structures aimed at protecting water quality on agricultural land can be used effectively in the eastern United States, with some limitations, Penn State researchers report in a new study.

Proposals for energy, environment research projects being accepted

September 13, 2021

The Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE) announced its 2021–22 Seed Grant Program. The funding is intended to foster basic and applied interdisciplinary energy and environmental research that leverages faculty expertise across the University. The deadline to submit proposals is 5 p.m. on Nov. 19.

National society to recognize two Penn State entomologists

September 13, 2021

Two entomologists in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences will receive prestigious awards from the Entomological Society of America during its 2021 annual meeting, which will take place in person and online Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 in Denver, Colorado.