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Penn State’s Sustainable Labs Program ushers participating labs through a yearlong certification process, guiding them in implementing sustainable practices across multiple domains, including energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, green chemistry and sustainable purchasing. The 2024-25 Sustainable Labs Program cohort consists of 21 labs — 20 of which are located at Penn State University Park and one at Penn State Behrend — from a breadth of disciplines. Six College of Earth and Mineral Sciences labs: Katherine Freeman, Robert Hickey, Anastasia Piliouras, Hilal Ezgi Toraman, Nutifafa Doumon and Thandazile Moyo

“Ocean volcanoes, when they are unstable, can collapse catastrophically and generate a tsunami,” said Christelle Wauthier, associate professor of geosciences at Penn State and co-author of the study.

New study reveals surprisingly consistent insect feeding damage on fossils from Argentina and modern gum tree leaves from Australia. “The big stunning result is that every type of insect damage on the fossils survives today on Eucalyptus,” said L. Alejandro Giraldo, a doctoral student in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State and lead author of the study.

The latest episode of “Growing Impact” delves into research using fiber optic cables to monitor environmental changes and seismic activity. Originally funded by a 2019 Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE) seed grant, this project explores how fiber optic technology can detect hazards like flooding and sinkholes, with significant implications for geoscience and public safety. 

Nicolas Choquette-Levy, assistant professor in the Penn State Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, has joined the faculty of the Institute of Energy and the Environment. His role will also include collaboration with the Penn State Climate Consortium, which strongly supported his appointment. 

To develop and train the physics-informed neural networks, Prabhav Borate, a graduate student in engineering science, used labquake data collected in the Rock Mechanics Laboratory of co-author Chris Marone, professor of geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. 

The STEM Libraries at Penn State University Park have announced their calendar of workshops and events for graduate students for the spring 2025 semester. The libraries include the Fletcher L. Byrom Earth and Mineral Sciences Library, Engineering Library, Life Sciences Library, Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library and Harrell Health Sciences Library Research and Learning Commons.

Richard Alley, Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences at Penn State, was awarded the National Medal of Science at a White House ceremony on Jan. 3.

Australia's forest ecosystems, renowned for their extraordinary diversity of rare plants and animals, also play a vital role in mitigating climate change by absorbing and storing carbon. However, fossils from these ancient forests are reshaping the understanding of modern forest management practices. According to Peter Wilf, professor of geosciences at Penn State, current methods, including prescribed burning, may be disrupting the delicate ecological balance.

Ava Yurchak is a senior majoring in geosciences and a Millennium Scholar. She wants to earn a master’s or doctoral degree and credits the Millennium Scholars Program with opening doors.