College of Ag Sciences planning new embedded course with travel to Antarctica

June 29, 2022

Penn State students will have the chance to explore Antarctica through a new embedded course, “Antarctica: Human Impacts on a Fragile Environment,” offered in the fall 2023 semester.

Secrets of reptile and amphibian aging revealed

June 23, 2022

An international team of 114 scientists, led by Penn State and Northeastern Illinois University, reports the most comprehensive study of aging and longevity to date comprising data collected in the wild from 107 populations of 77 species of reptiles and amphibians worldwide.

Forest ecologist Marc Abrams retires from College of Ag Sciences after 35 years

June 14, 2022

Marc Abrams, professor of forest ecology and physiology and the Nancy and John Steimer Professor of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State, will retire at the end of June as one of the world’s leading forest ecologists.

Three honored for their commitment to diversity in College of Ag Sciences

June 2, 2022

Three individuals are the recipients of the 2022 Dr. William Henson Diversity Achievement Award from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, which recognizes distinctive and outstanding teaching, research, extension, or creative work advancing diversity in the college.

Ethnobotanist gets grant to improve conservation of Pa. medicinal, edible plant

May 18, 2022

Eric Burkhart, associate teaching professor of ecosystem science and management, has received a $31,600 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to study and compile wild plant use by foragers in the state.

Future of deer management clouded by coming steep decline in hunter numbers

May 10, 2022

Because so many deer hunters are aging out of the sport — and new hunters are not being recruited to replace them — deer management strategies will need to change to manage populations of whitetails in many states, according to Penn State's Duane Diefenbach, one of the leading white-tailed deer researchers in the country.

Center for Private Forests at Penn State renamed to honor founder Jim Finley

April 28, 2022

Penn State and its College of Agricultural Sciences have renamed the Center for Private Forests at Penn State in honor of its founder, the late James C. (Jim) Finley, an outstanding academic scholar and teacher whose pioneering work at the interface of people and forests reached hundreds of thousands of people.

Student wins award, will present work on water and nutrient management solutions

April 27, 2022

Penn State student Dana Sanchez will advance her interest in environmental education when discussing water and nutrient management solutions for Pennsylvania farms impacting the Chesapeake Bay as a presenter at a national conference. 

SAFES seed funding boosts agricultural research data capabilities

April 25, 2022

Four research teams in the College of Agricultural Sciences have tapped in to the computing and software engineering expertise at the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences' Research Innovations with Scientists and Engineers (RISE) team. Agricultural Sciences faculty are invited to apply for the 2022 SAFES-RISE Seed Grant Program; applications are due May 10.

Novel study of small fish in Icelandic waters sheds new light on adaptive change

April 25, 2022

Innovative research showing that populations of a small fish that live in both Iceland’s lakes and marine waters, respond more quickly and differently to predators after they invade freshwater lakes, demonstrating how some animals can adapt rapidly to changes in their environments and may be able to adapt to climate change.

Leites earns 2022 Rosemary Schraer Mentoring Award

April 11, 2022

Laura Leites, associate research professor of quantitative forest ecology in the College of Agricultural Sciences, is the recipient of the 2022 Rosemary Schraer Mentoring Award.

Gamma Sigma Delta lauds outstanding College of Ag Sciences faculty, students

April 5, 2022

The Penn State chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the agricultural honor society, recognized Penn State faculty and students during its annual meeting, which was held March 31.

How would a nuclear winter impact food production?

March 29, 2022

Effects of a nuclear winter or other sky-darkening global catastrophes on farming and agriculture make it "imperative that we better understand our food production, supply and value chains to make them less vulnerable and more adaptable in times of crises," according to Penn State researchers who recently published a timely study on "Food Resilience in a Dark Catastrophe."

Penn State's 'Living Filter' to be the focus of wastewater reuse conference

March 28, 2022

More than a half-century of research on the use of treated wastewater for irrigation and groundwater recharge will be the focus of a three-day conference hosted by Penn State April 5-7 at the Wyndham Garden hotel in Boalsburg. The conference will highlight Penn State's "Living Filter," a year-round spray irrigation system that recycles the University's treated effluent.

Red-backed salamanders possess only limited ability to adjust to warming climate

March 25, 2022

If average temperatures rise as projected in eastern North America in coming decades, at least one widespread amphibian species likely will be unable to adjust, and its range may shift northward, according to a new study led by Penn State scientists.

Researchers to devise new, innovative strategies to manage Philadelphia’s soils

March 21, 2022

A team of Penn State researchers will develop a long-term solution for the testing and management of urban soils for the safe production of garden and food crops in urban settings, funded by a $100,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

New Goddard Chair finding Pennsylvania connections to his international work

March 3, 2022

Christopher Scott's vast experience and expertise in water, climate change, energy, policy, sustainability and agriculture has led to Scott’s appointment to the Maurice K. Goddard Chair of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Penn State.

Youngs pledge estate gift to create scholarship, support Arboretum at Penn State

February 23, 2022

Tom and Mary Jo Young pledged a $3.2 million estate gift to create the Woodland Gardens at The Arboretum at Penn State with a supporting endowment, as well as an undergraduate scholarship in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.

Ag. Sciences students top all US universities with $1.1M in USDA funding

February 14, 2022

Seven students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have received predoctoral fellowships from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The students received a combined total of nearly $1.1 million — the most received for this year's fellowships among U.S. universities.

Geneticists close to grasping how plant communities may adapt to climate change

February 8, 2022

A century after scientists first noted that the environment contributes to the evolution of adaptive differences among plant populations, scientists are on the verge of figuring out how that adaptation happens — by combining results from huge “common garden” experiments with genomic sequencing.

Ash trees may be more resilient to warming climate than previously believed

January 26, 2022

Since the 1990s, scientists have been predicting that North American tree species will disappear from portions of their ranges within the next 50 to 100 years because of projected changes in climate. A new study led by Penn State forest biologists found that when transplanted to warmer environments, ash trees can survive increased temperatures of 7 degrees Fahrenheit and sometimes even up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting that these trees may be more resilient to climate warming than previously believed.

Five Penn State faculty named AAAS Fellows

January 26, 2022

Five Penn State faculty members in areas ranging from the ecology and evolution of fish and coral reef ecology to bone regeneration and intrinsically disordered proteins have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest general scientific society. This year a total of 564 individuals are being recognized with this lifetime honor, bestowed by their peers, for their extraordinary achievements in advancing science.

Agroforests in the tropics provide key conservation landscapes for amphibians

January 25, 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 21, 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 will help private forests owners adapt to and mitigate climate change.

Noted ornithologist Margaret Brittingham retires from Penn State after 33 years

January 7, 2022

Margaret Brittingham, professor of wildlife resources, extension wildlife specialist and one of the state’s leading ornithologists, recently retired from Penn State after a 33-year, innovative career in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

Although most support avian conservation, few recognize current plight of birds

December 15, 2021

The vast majority of Pennsylvanians responding to a recent survey conducted by Penn State researchers said they strongly support bird conservation and indicated they believe future efforts will be needed to protect avian species. But there is good and bad news in those responses to questionnaires that were part of a study to examine public attitudes toward bird conservation, government involvement in private lands issues, and private forest management.

Libraries announces 'Through the Woods' Short Stories fall contest winners

December 14, 2021

The winning selections from Penn State University Libraries Short Stories’ “Through the Woods” fall 2021 contest have been announced, representing five Penn State campuses. Each of the four Editorial Board winners and the People’s Choice winner will receive a $100 Visa gift card. All winning entries, including nine honorable mentions, will be added to the Libraries’ Short Edition short-story dispensers

Penn State Schuylkill Alumni Society announces 2021 Alumni Award winners

December 7, 2021

Each fall, the Penn State Schuylkill Alumni Society announces the Alumni Award winners for that year. Honorees are selected based upon the impact they have in their communities, outstanding professional achievements, and embodiment of Penn State values. This year’s cohort includes Michael G. Messina (class of 1979), Scott C. Price (class of 1985), and Abigayle Kaiser (class of 2020).

Forestry extension educator wins Presidential Field Forester Award

November 3, 2021

The Society of American Foresters recently named David Jackson, a forest resources educator with Penn State Extension, as a 2021 Presidential Field Forester Award recipient. He will be recognized at the virtual SAF National Convention, Nov. 3-6.

New faculty fellowship to help advance diversity, equity, inclusion

November 1, 2021

Laura Leites, associate research professor of quantitative forest ecology, has been named Penn State's inaugural Equity Leadership Fellow. The new fellowship in Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity aims to help faculty members develop as leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion while creating opportunities to make a positive impact at Penn State.