Teaching excellence recognized in College of Agricultural Sciences

March 7, 2024

Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has recognized seven faculty members for outstanding teaching in 2023.

Child Safety Awareness Program draws a large crowd

March 7, 2024

'Growing Impact' examines PFAS water contamination, evaluation of existing tech

March 4, 2024

The latest episode of the "Growing Impact" podcast examines the challenges and potential negative health outcomes of PFAS in drinking water, highlighting efforts to evaluate decontamination technologies for safer community water sources.

Preisendanz to direct Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences institute

March 1, 2024

Heather Preisendanz, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named director of the Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science.

Cyber-physical heating system may protect apple blossoms in orchards

February 28, 2024

Spring frosts can have devastating effects on apple production, and a warming climate may be causing trees to blossom early, making them more susceptible to the damaging effects of extreme cold events. Growers’ attempts to prevent the flowers from freezing by attempting to heat the canopies of their orchards largely have been inefficient. To deal with the worsening problem, Penn State researchers devised a frost protection cyber-physical system, which makes heating decisions based on real-time temperature and wind-direction data.

TerraSafe Materials and Penn State partner on sustainable packaging solutions

February 27, 2024

TerraSafe has established a lab in State College and entered a licensing agreement with Penn State to commercialize sustainable packaging solutions developed by researchers at Penn State. The agreement is based on technologies invented by a research team led by Jeffrey Catchmark, professor of agricultural and biological engineering and of bioethics in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Catchmark and his team have worked for years developing technology that can replace conventionally used materials with those that are significantly more environmentally friendly.

Penn State Biorenewables Symposium to unveil new opportunities, April 18-19

February 26, 2024

Professionals and researchers spanning biorenewables-related industries and research programs are invited to join Penn State’s 2024 Biorenewables Symposium, April 18-19, which is designed to help them gain insights into cutting-edge research, cultivate partnerships and explore pathways within the field of biobased energy, products and materials.

Assistant/Associate Teaching Professor Opening

February 19, 2024

The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a teaching faculty member to teach several courses and assume the role of Biological Engineering Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

Assistant Teaching Professor-Agricultural Structures and Soil-Water Conservation Practices

February 19, 2024

The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor in agricultural structures and soil-water best management practices teaching and Extension/outreach.

Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Penn State University is currently recruiting 2 fully funded PhD students

February 19, 2024

The Biorefining and Renewable Biomaterials Chemistry Lab is seeking 2 PhD students to study additive manufacturing by 3D printing using plant-based polymers.

Assistant Teaching Professor of BioRenewable Systems

February 19, 2024

The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a teaching faculty member to teach several courses and assume the role of BioRenewable Systems (BRS) Undergraduate Program Advising and work on Extension Programs related to BRSs.

Feb. 21 webinar to focus on harnessing photosynthesis to address climate change

February 9, 2024

Climate change is evident through catastrophic fires in Canada and out West, deadly heat waves in the South, and floods across the mid-Atlantic. According to organizers of a Feb. 21 Penn State Extension land-use webinar, the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and human systems are already tragic and worsening. This session will explore harnessing photosynthesis for a carbon-negative bioeconomy.

Growing Impact podcast discusses how climate, agriculture impact Colorado River

January 3, 2024

The latest episode of Growing Impact discusses how climate change and overuse of the Colorado River have significantly decreased the volume of the fifth largest river in the U.S.

Fall 2023 ABE Graduates

January 2, 2024

ABE Faculty and Staff wish to congratulate our Fall 2023 Graduates

Human Health Hazards from Ag Plastics

January 1, 2024

College of Ag Sciences recognizes faculty, staff for research achievements

November 21, 2023

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences lauded outstanding accomplishments in research during the 2023 Research Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 1 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

$7M grant funds project to develop new ways to protect mushroom crops

November 16, 2023

A new grant for more than $7 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund an upcoming project led by Penn State researchers, who aim to develop new pest management tools for mushroom crops.

$1.45M NSF grant to fund new research into how grasses thrive in dry climates

November 14, 2023

A new $1.45 million grant from the National Science Foundation will allow Penn State researchers, including undergraduate students, to explore how pores on plant surfaces work and might be engineered to enhance photosynthesis and efficient water use.

Penn State Pullers to raise support on GivingTuesday for design competition

November 13, 2023

Penn State will celebrate its ninth GivingTuesday on Tuesday, Nov. 28 — and the Penn State Pullers student-run engineering design team invites alumni and friends to participate by showing support for the club.

Penn State senior selected as Marshall Scholarship finalist

November 8, 2023

Penn State senior Vancie Peacock recently was selected as finalist for a 2024 Marshall Scholarship. Peacock, of Memphis, Tennessee, is a biological engineering major in the College of Agricultural Sciences and a Schreyer Scholar. 

Plant polymers as plastic alternatives

October 26, 2023

Professor Jeffrey Catchmark and his team believe they have a solution to plastic alternatives using common plant-based materials to create sustainable food packaging.

Predicting nationwide crop water availability by understanding soil influences

October 24, 2023

A team of researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to generate knowledge and tools, such as national-level predictive models, to develop a better understanding of how changes in soil texture and structure influence the availability of water for crops.

Replacing 3D printing plastics with plant-derived materials

October 20, 2023

A sustainable resin material comprising agriculturally derived components could potentially replace plastics used in large-format 3D printing, which can produce furniture, boats and other similarly sized objects, according to a team of Penn State agricultural and biological engineers.

Penn State partners with Monash University for Australia water quality research

October 4, 2023

A group of Penn State students recently traveled to Australia as part of a partnership between Penn State and Monash University to conduct research aimed at better understanding sources of decreased water quality in watersheds, in addition to finding possible solutions.

Penn State work featured in upcoming long-term Franklin Institute space exhibit

September 29, 2023

A video that highlights the work a Penn State team is doing to 3D print houses that can sustain life on Mars is featured in a new $8.5 million core exhibit opening Nov. 4 at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. 

Grain bin and silo safety tips for National Farm Safety and Health Week

September 24, 2023

With harvest season here and National Farm Safety and Health Week happening from Sept. 17 to Sept. 23, farm safety and agricultural experts from Ohio State University and Penn State University are reminding people how to operate grain bins and silos safely.

Penn State Pullers engineering design team wins two international awards

August 14, 2023

The Penn State Pullers, a student engineering design team in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, won the Test and Development Award and Sportsmanship Award at the International Quarter Scale Tractor Student Design Competition in Peoria, Illinois, this June.

Rye the Right Crop for “Nabbing” Nitrates, Capturing Carbon and Generating Bioenergy

August 13, 2023

Recent USDA news release of study in with Dr. Thomas Richard, Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and former graduate student Steph Herbstritt.

USDA grant funds study of effectiveness of vegetation to curb water pollution

July 20, 2023

 At a time when Pennsylvania is actively working to achieve water-quality improvements to meet the state’s obligations for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, a multidisciplinary Penn State research team is studying whether agricultural pollution-prevention devices called riparian buffers are working properly. 

Ag Progress Days farm safety demonstrations focus on ATV hazards

July 5, 2023

Visitors to the Farm Safety Demonstration Area at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 8-10, can learn about the hazards of all-terrain vehicles and ways to minimize the risk of rollovers. Free health screenings and pesticide safety classes also will be available.