More than 100 middle and high school students and teachers from throughout the state learned valuable lessons during the recent Cyber Challenge Day at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Paul Frank Baum, Evan Pugh University Professor of Mathematics at Penn State, has been honored by Penn State with the title of Atherton Professor. The University created the Atherton Professorship to recognize the continuing high level of scholarly or creative activity Evan Pugh Professors may pursue after their retirement.

David Radice, associate professor of physics and of astronomy and astrophysics, has been selected to receive a Sustainment Award from NASA to advance an open-source code called AthenaK for computational astrophysicists. The grant will provide nearly $920,000 over three years.

Using a new method to turn stripped-down plant cells into other types of cells, Penn State biologists explored how structural banding patterns increase the stability of cell walls. They also explored how their assembly goes astray in mutant plant cells, which could inform methods to break down plant cells for biofuels.

A new method, developed by Penn State researchers, can test the activity of thousands of RNA enzymes, called ribozymes, in a single experiment.

Lu "Lucy" Bai, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and of physics has been selected as the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Penn State announced the recipients of the inaugural Commonwealth Campus Undergraduate Community-Engaged Research Awards, a new program designed for faculty who specifically support undergraduate student participation in research that aims to improve community well-being.

Penn State Hazleton Benefiting THON, the campus’ THON chapter, will host a designer purse and gift card bingo on Sunday, Oct. 20. Doors open at 1 p.m. and games will start at 2 p.m. in the Dr. Thomas M. Caccese Gymnasium in the Physical Education Building. The event is open to the public. 

Flathead catfish — native to the Mississippi River basin — were first detected in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania in 2002, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In the two decades since then, the invasive species has spread throughout the river basin. The impact of the large predator on the waterway’s food webs and ecology was unknown, but now a team including researchers from Penn State is beginning to understand what Susquehanna flatheads are eating and how their presence is affecting native aquatic species in the river.

At the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona, a garden yields fresh produce such as corn, tomatoes, strawberries, zucchini and peppers. It is part of the Seed to Supper program, a Penn State Extension Master Gardener initiative that teaches adults on a limited budget how to grow their own food. For one veteran in hospice care, the garden became a lifeline.

One of the most traditionally time-consuming, labor-intensive processes of apple production is blossom thinning, which involves manually pruning flowers so that remaining blooms can reclaim the plant’s resources to grow better fruit. More recently, the process has shifted to broad chemical spraying, which can have harmful environmental impacts. To assist producers and mitigate environmental harm, the USDA has awarded a three-year, $601,125 grant to a team of Penn State researchers for the development of a robotic precision spraying system.

U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, was honored with the 2024 Leadership Award presented by the Penn State Ag Council at its fall meeting in State College. Also recognized were members of the Pennsylvania in the Balance initiative and undergraduate student Jessica Herr.

In 2014, Jane Cook joined the second-ever training class of Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward volunteers. She was already active in the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association, but since then, she has logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours educating the public and restoring local watersheds.

Jonathan Lynch, distinguished professor of plant nutrition, retired this fall after an innovative and impactful 33-year career in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, focused on conducting research to alleviate world hunger and enhance crop production by subsistence farmers in developing countries.

The effectiveness of national voluntary programs asking companies to pledge to lower their pollution and greenhouse gas emissions depends on pressure from the public, according to a new study led by a Penn State researcher.

A Penn State Extension land-use webinar on Nov. 20 will guide local officials on the ins and outs of implementing “active transportation plans.”
 

Michael Barasch and Dr. Ravi Shah were part of different sections during their time in the Blue Band, but today they are giving back in the same way, by establishing scholarships for Blue Band instrumentalists. They have pledged funds to establish five scholarships each to be awarded annually over the next five years.

Longtime School of Music faculty member Daryl Durran and his wife, Lois Durran, a violinist, have made an estate commitment of $750,000 to establish the Daryl and Lois Durran Endowment for the School of Music, which will provide scholarship support to undergraduate and graduate students in the school. Daryl Durran, professor emeritus of pedagogy and performance in bassoon, retired in 2022 after 39 years on the faculty.

The latest episode of "Growing Impact" explores how a research team is using computer modeling and animations to visualize future flood and levee failure scenarios.

Penn State’s Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research has designated its inaugural cohort of Assessment Champions for 2024-25. This new program recognizes individuals who are deeply committed to enhancing student learning through learning assessment.

Lindsay Mitchell, a Penn State World Campus graduate who earned a bachelor's degree in accounting in May, is one of Pennsylvania’s newest auditors after securing a position through an intern-to-hire program. World Campus offers the undergraduate accounting program in partnership with the Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration.

Penn State World Campus is hosting a virtual leadership summit this month and invites students from across the University to attend.

Matthew Gustafson, Robert and Judith Klein Professor of Finance in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State, will give the talk, “The Biodiversity Protection Discount,” at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 30, in 157 Hosler Building on the University Park campus. Lecture is free and open to the public.

Penn State’s Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation has awarded its inaugural seed grants. These grants are designed to support interdisciplinary research projects that foster collaboration led by Penn State researchers, aiming to make a significant impact on the future of the built environment and real estate practice. 

A Kenyan court ruled on Friday that Facebook's parent company Meta could be sued in the East African nation over the dismissal of dozens of content moderators by a contractor.

Many executives have reservations about backing either candidate in the US presidential election.

Berlin must compensate Mozambicans who were not paid for working in the former East Germany, the top official in charge of atoning for the injustices of the communist dictatorship said on Monday.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has become an AI powerhouse after securing Silicon Valley's largest-ever funding round. The company now faces the challenge of delivering on its promise to become the next Apple or Google.

The country’s clothes manufacturers are taking a beating from imported ‘preloved’ clothes and a struggling economy.

Dubai-based airline Emirates has banned pagers and walkie-talkies onboard its planes following sabotage attacks in Lebanon, and extended flight cancellations for Middle East destinations due to regional escalation.

Zimbabwe sought to assure citizens that its gold-backed currency would not suffer another steep devaluation and steps were being taken to assure its defence.

In an extraordinary twist that has upended an already unpredictable election, the world's richest man has become Donald Trump's most influential supporter in his bid to return to the White House.

Indonesia has banned the sale of Google Pixel phones over the tech giant's failure to meet investment regulations, its industry ministry said, days after blocking sales of Apple's iPhone 16.

In a small neon-lit factory in Maputo, a dozen workers are hand-rolling premium cigars intended for the global market, seemingly undisturbed by the pungent tobacco smell.

SINGAPORE, Nov 8 - Asia and even China are shaping up as surprisingly resilient investment markets as Donald Trump returns to the White House, with fund managers optimistic the region can withstand tariffs better than Europe.

Penn State Lehigh Valley criminal justice program adjunct instructor Corallys Fernandez's work in the juvenile probation field was recently recognized on a state level.

Faculty and staff from Penn State Lehigh Valley were among the slate of presenters and panelists at the annual Commonwealth Connections Instructor Days, a virtual event whose goal is to share strategies and tools for success in teaching.

A sweet dessert infused with tropical flavors took home the top prize in the 6th Annual Start Up Lehigh Valley pitch competition held on Oct. 15 at Baker Hall, Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem. The annual event recognizes and encourages new business ventures in the greater Lehigh Valley

Three artists whose work examines the ideas of social justice, civic engagement and democracy will be featured in an exhibition at the Ronald K. DeLong Gallery at Penn State Lehigh Valley from Nov. 18, 2024, to Jan. 23, 2025.

Shifts in how reading is taught have led to declining reading literacy scores on standardized tests across U.S.

The dollar slid on Monday as investors braced for a potential pivot this week for the global economy as the United States chooses a new leader, and as it likely cuts interest rates again with major implications for bond yields.

The latest investment insights and market developments.

The dollar softened on Tuesday as traders squared positions on the day of the US presidential election, after recent polls dented some market bets on a victory for Republican Donald Trump.

The rand fell, while the dollar surged and bitcoin hit a record high Wednesday while most US equity markets advanced as traders bet on a victory for Donald Trump as results for the US presidential election rolled in.

Nov 6 - With Donald Trump heading back to the White House, Wall Street is anticipating the potential for lower taxes, deregulation and a U.S. president who is quick to sound off on everything from the stock market to the dollar. Trump made tariffs a

The dollar edged lower on Thursday, while investors awaited policy decisions from the Federal Reserve and other central banks.

The latest investment insights and market developments.

The rand slumped more than 2% on Monday as renewed concerns about China’s prospects hit metal prices and investors fretted about a possible trade war under US President-elect Donald Trump.

The US dollar rose toward a four-month peak versus major peers on Tuesday, while bitcoin extended its record rally as investors continued to pile into trades seen as benefiting from the incoming Donald Trump administration.

The latest investment insights and market developments.