December 4, 2025
To help apple growers achieve such precise management, researchers at Penn State are developing an automated, robotic weed-management system.
December 3, 2025
Drew Trostle, of Mercersburg, is looking forward to a career in the agricultural equipment industry. The fourth-year student is pursuing a major in biological engineering and a minor in off-road equipment, both in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Trostle said he credits the Penn State Pullers club with providing real-world knowledge beyond the classroom.
November 20, 2025
In this video, join President Neeli Bendapudi as she visits the College of Agricultural Sciences to learn about an experiential learning experience made possible through the power of partnership that is connecting ag students with a hands-on opportunity in sustainable farming. Watch the video for a behind-the-scenes look at this unique student opportunity.
November 18, 2025
Students from across Penn State had the opportunity to engage directly with engineers, alumni and recruiters from CNH, an equipment and services company focused on agriculture and construction, during CNH Engineering Day, held Oct. 7 at Penn State University Park. The event highlighted real-world applications of engineering, hands-on problem-solving and pathways to careers in sustainable technology and equipment design.
November 12, 2025
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recognized exceptional achievements in research during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.
October 14, 2025
In spring 2026, the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering will launch ABSM 497: Conservation Management, a course designed to help students understand natural resource concerns across Pennsylvania’s landscape, with an emphasis on soil and water conservation.
October 6, 2025
Roughly a quarter of adults in the U.S. are caring for elderly family members or children with an illness or disability — and sometimes both at the same time. Researchers at Penn State led an expansive study of caregiver well-being and found that the type of geographic location and individual circumstances can impact a caregiver’s health, comfort and happiness even more than their state’s family care policies.
September 19, 2025
Fall is the time of year when thousands of Pennsylvania residents head to forests and woodlots with chainsaws to cut firewood to heat and enhance their homes over the coming winter months. Judd Michael, professor of agricultural and biological engineering, who recently published a study on chainsaw injuries, recommended precautions for those who use the powerful, dangerous tools in this Q&A.
August 22, 2025
Faculty and students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences will soon have expanded opportunities for hands-on learning and research with the addition of New Holland’s fully methane-powered tractor.
August 19, 2025
Congratulations to all of our 2025 Summer Graduates!
August 8, 2025
Florence Becot, Nationwide Insurance Early Career Professor in Agricultural Safety and Health in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, received the Jim Williams Early Career Achievement Award from the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health at the organization’s recent conference in Portland, Maine.
August 1, 2025
Engineering students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and College of Engineering stood out at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers annual international conference held recently in Toronto.
August 1, 2025
Sibel Irmak, research professor of agricultural and biological engineering, received the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) Award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers for her efforts helping and encouraging young scientists and underrepresented minority students, making significant contributions to creating a welcoming and equitable environment in academia.
July 28, 2025
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has launched the Land Grant Research Impact Fellows program. This new initiative recognizes and supports faculty whose research addresses pressing challenges in Pennsylvania and beyond.
July 16, 2025
A grant program in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences aims to enhance student learning by empowering faculty and students to design immersive, hands-on projects that bridge classroom knowledge with real-world partnerships.
July 14, 2025
Visitors to Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 12-14, can learn about agricultural safety topics during a full schedule of demonstrations and hands-on educational programming at the Farm Safety Demonstration Area and the Rural Health and Safety Tent.
June 25, 2025
The Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health Program in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering — which also is affiliated with Penn State Extension — released the annual “Pennsylvania Farm Fatal Injury Summary” for 2024 this spring. Researchers and extension educators use these data to identify hazards and risks associated with agricultural production and to inform the development of trainings and resources.
June 16, 2025
To better understand potential contamination of the groundwater feeding the 3.5 million people served by private well systems in Pennsylvania, a team of researchers from Penn State conducted a novel three-year citizen science study of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — often referred to as forever chemicals — in 167 private wells across the commonwealth.
June 11, 2025
This position has been created to enable student success in interdisciplinary education and lead a nationally recognized research program in the area of natural resources and conservation. This tenure-track faculty position will be on a 36-week academic year appointment, with 40% Teaching and 60% Research responsibilities.
May 21, 2025
Since 2012, the Student Sustainability Advisory Council recognizes a Penn State University Park student every spring semester, for their overall leadership in sustainability initiatives and for making a difference in the campus community. This year’s 2025 SSAC Tree Award recipient is agricultural engineering student Gavin Maxson.
May 20, 2025
Faculty and Staff congratulate our Spring 2025 Graduates
April 29, 2025
Students from across the University are being honored for their extraordinary contributions to sustainability initiatives.
April 29, 2025
Graduate students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences were recognized for their accomplishments during the 2025 Graduate Student Award Celebration, hosted by the Office for Research and Graduate Education and held recently on the University Park campus.
April 16, 2025
Held in State College, the “Pennsylvania AgForum: Taking Action Together for Our Agricultural Community” brought together stakeholders in agriculture, health care, finance, mental health, child care and government. Hosted by Penn State Extension, the event was aimed at building partnerships across sectors to address the financial and mental health challenges in the farming community.
April 3, 2025
Suat Irmak, professor and head of agricultural and biological engineering in the College of Agricultural Sciences, has been elected to the latest cohort of fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science.
April 2, 2025
Penn State students interested in agricultural conservation will have a new opportunity to gain hands-on experience in fall 2025. The College of Agricultural Sciences’ Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is launching “ABSM 497-002: Ag structures: conservation,” a course designed to equip students with the technical knowledge and skills to identify and plan conservation structures on farms.
April 2, 2025
At the intersection of technology and agriculture, Penn State’s Agribot Club in the College of Agricultural Sciences aims to shape the future of farming through robotics.
March 27, 2025
Four Penn State faculty members have been elected to the most recent cohort of fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
March 26, 2025
Landis Crawford, a Schreyer Scholar and agricultural engineering major, has developed a passion for agricultural leadership from Penn State Behrend to University Park.
February 27, 2025
Soilless growing systems inside greenhouses, known as controlled environment agriculture, promise to advance the year-round production of high-quality specialty crops, according to an interdisciplinary research team at Penn State. But to be competitive and sustainable, this advanced farming method will require the development and implementation of precision agriculture techniques. To meet that demand, the team developed an automated crop-monitoring system capable of providing continuous and frequent data about plant growth and needs, allowing for informed crop management.
