Engineering team wins top prize in entrepreneur program for flex heal product
A team of four College of Engineering students, one College of Earth and Mineral Sciences student and one engineering faculty member recently won the top prize in the Ben Franklin (BF) TechCelerator @ State College program.
Application of machine learning can optimize hurricane track forecast
When a hurricane approaches, providing a few extra hours’ notice can be the difference between life and death. Now, Penn State researchers report that applying a machine learning technique to a group of possible storm paths could help meteorologists provide more accurate medium-term forecasts and issue timely warnings to communities in the path of these potentially deadly storms.
Room temperature superconductivity creeping toward possibility
The possibility of achieving room temperature superconductivity took a tiny step forward with a recent discovery by a team of Penn State physicists and materials scientists.
Doctoral candidate's research explores human, agricultural interactions in Nepal
Marie Louis Ryan, doctoral candidate in Penn State's Department of Geography, received the Graduate Student International Research Award from the Graduate School for her research exploring human and agricultural interactions in Nepal.
Open education website connects teachers, learners with quality resources
OPEN.ED is a website hosting high-quality learning materials written by faculty in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences that are free for educators and learners under a creative commons license.
Seismic waves help scientists 'see' chemical changes beneath a watershed
Chemical reactions deep below ground affect water quality, but methods for “seeing” them are time-consuming, expensive and limited in scope. A Penn State-led research team found that seismic waves can help to identify these reactions under an entire watershed and protect groundwater resources.
Enhanced water repellent surfaces discovered in nature
Through the investigation of insect surfaces, Penn State researchers have detailed a previously unidentified nanostructure that can be used to engineer stronger, more resilient water repellent coatings.
Penn State professor receives AAG award for service to women in geography
Lorraine Dowler, Penn State professor of geography and women's, gender and sexuality studies, is the 2020 recipient of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Feminist Geographies specialty group’s Jan Monk Service Award.
Greenland bedrock drilling project to understand past, future ice sheet melting
The Greenland Ice Sheet holds enough water to raise sea levels nearly 24 feet, yet it remains difficult to predict the rate of melt and possible tipping points in the stability of the ice sheet.
Photos may improve understanding of volcanic processes
The shape of volcanoes and their craters provide critical information on their formation and eruptive history. Techniques applied to photographs — photogrammetry — show promise and utility in correlating shape change to volcanic background and eruption activity.