The Penn State Eberly College of Science hosted a free screening of the award-winning film “Contact” on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the State Theatre. A Q&A featuring experts in the field of extraterrestrial intelligence, moderated by Jennifer Macalady, geomicrobiologist in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and director of the Penn State Ecology Institute, was immediately after the film’s screening.

Elisa Alonso, assistant chief for the Minerals Intelligence Research Section at the U.S. Geological Survey, delivered a public talk, titled “Increasing Transparency for Critical Mineral Commodity Supply Chains from Deposit to End-use in an Uncertain and Opaque Market,” on Monday, Nov. 17, as part of the EarthTalks seminar series.

Penn State researchers and collaborators are forging a reforestation plan to counter climate-related disasters: deadly rainstorms, landslides and mudslides that have ravaged infrastructure, homes, farmland and livestock in recent years.

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences has announced the appointment of two new members to the Graduates of Earth and Mineral Sciences (GEMS) board of directors, and four new members to the college’s Development Council.

Christina Lopano from the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Research and Innovation Center, presented “Characterizing the Critical: REE and CM Speciation in Fossil Energy Waste Materials,” on Monday, Dec 1st as part of the EarthTalks series.

Gale Blackmer, the Pennsylvania state geologist and director of the Bureau of Geological Survey in the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, delivered a public talk on Monday, Dec. 8. as part of EarthTalks seminar series.

The sudden extinction of the dinosaurs dramatically altered the North American landscape, according to a recent study published by a multi-institutional team including researchers from Penn State. 

As humanity prepares to take its first steps on Mars, a comprehensive report released Dec. 9 from the National Academies and steered by scientists including James Kasting lays out a detailed science strategy to guide the initial human missions to the red planet.

Jennifer Macalady, professor of geosciences and director of the Astrobiology Research Center, moderated a panel of experts for a discussion about SETI after a free screening of the 1997 award-winning film “Contact” on Dec 3.

ICDS' Mid-Scale Seed Grant Program has awarded over $540,000 in total to 24 Penn State faculty members across eight teams representing six colleges and three campuses.