Research collaboration launches civil rights in education initiative
A new civil rights in education initiative, called AdvancED Equity, that focuses on advancing research to inform policy related to civil rights protections in the field of education, was recently established with contributions from Penn State.
Funded in part by Penn State’s Social Science…
2025 IEE Seed Grant Program accepting energy, environmental project proposals
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Proposals are now being accepted for Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment’s (IEE) 2025 Seed Grant Program. All proposals must align with at least one of IEE’s research themes: climate and natural systems; health and the environment; integrated energy systems;…
New module to support caregivers of children who are neurodivergent
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (Clearinghouse), in partnership with the Department of Defense, has launched a new parent-education module designed to help parents and caregivers navigate the journey with their children who are neurodivergent or…
Students who feel more university connection may be more likely to binge drink
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Students who feel a sense of belonging at their university are more likely to binge drink than those who do not feel the same connection, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State, the University of California, Santa Cruz and University of Oregon.
In the study,…
New immigration and families publication available
Following Penn State’s 31st National Symposium on Family Issues, Springer has released the latest edition in the book series based on the symposium, “Immigration Policy and Immigrant Families.”
Jennifer Van Hook, director of Population Research Institute (PRI) and distinguished professor of…
Why Social Science? - Because It Can Help Prepare Students for Employment
This month's Why Social Science? post comes from The Conversation, where Dr. Sandra Lapointe writes about how social sciences and humanities programs can help prepare students for employment and navigating their next professional steps.
Future graduates face complex global…
Penn State joins national initiative to support public impact research
Seeking to increase the societal impact of university research, Penn State has joined a multi-year collaborative effort led by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) to identify and promote new approaches to support faculty and researchers undertaking public impact research.…
$3.1M grant to fund study on early signs and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
A four-year, $3,148,346 National Institute of Aging (NIA)-funded project aims to use computational models and psychology to study the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias (ADRD) that may appear approximately 20 years before an official diagnosis, according to Zita Oravecz,…
Expert in promoting well-being of diverse communities to speak at Penn State
The Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center at Penn State will honor Phillip W. Graham, a principal scientist at the nonprofit research institute RTI International, with the title of 2024 Bennett Lecturer in Prevention Science. Graham, a leading expert in conducting community-level research…
York student finds support, mentorship in Fostering Lions Program
When filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, Charlie Keller-Golden took special note of box 52 — the box applicants should check indicating whether they are an orphan, foster youth or ward of the court.
Keller-Golden, now a third-year student majoring in…
Berks faculty receive grant to advance equity for underrepresented STEM students
Student innovation competitions, exhibitions and training programs are a crucial part of the university environment because they provide students with valuable experience that isn’t always achieved in the classroom. Researchers from Penn State Berks and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical…
New project to learn from, support Indigenous communities facing climate change
Natural disasters due to climate change have impacted over 2 billion people since the year 2000, with those in Arctic and Pacific communities disproportionally affected. An international team, including researchers from Penn State, has been awarded $1 million to compare climate risks and…
19th annual De Jong Lecture in Social Demography taking place Oct. 15
Dean Spears, associate professor of economics at the University of Texas-Austin, will be presenting the 19th annual De Jong Lecture in Social Demography on Oct. 15, 9 a.m.-noon, in the HUB-Robeson Center Room 233B and on Zoom.
Spears talk, “The World’s Population May Peak in Your Lifetime. What…
Recovery community centers linked to support factors for substance use recovery
More than 46 million people in the U.S. suffered from substance use disorders and more than 100,000 died by overdose in 2001, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. To address this crisis, recovery community centers (RCCs) have emerged in cities across the U.S.…
Connell appointed The Ken Young Family Professor for Healthy Children
Christian M. Connell, professor of human development and family studies, was recently named The Ken Young Family Professor for Healthy Children in the College of Health and Human Development.
The professorship is part of a $1 million gift to support a faculty member focused on enhancing the health…
Byun part of team awarded $3.5 million grant
A Penn State College of Education faculty member is part of a multidisciplinary team across several universities that has been awarded a $3.5 million Transformative Research Grant from the Spencer Foundation to conduct a large-scale, five-year study on community-driven initiatives to teach Asian…
Center for Socially Responsible AI invites seed funding proposals
Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) invites short proposals for its annual seed funding program. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 1, with projects expected to start in spring 2024 and last up to two years.
Complete details on the program…
Penn State Berks faculty receive inter-institutional research seed grant
With approximately 12% of the population in Berks and Schuylkill Counties living in poverty, food banks are a critical resource for those who face hunger issues. Penn State Berks faculty are collaborating with faculty at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCAT) to improve…
SSRI Seed Funding now open
SSRI invites proposals for its seed funding mechanisms to provide research support for investigators from diverse fields in the social and behavioral sciences. SSRI funding opportunities also help support research collaborations across disciplinary boundaries, colleges, and research centers.
SSRI…
Why Social Science? Because People Can’t Be Represented If We Don’t Know What They Think
This month’s Why Social Science? post comes from Josh Pasek (University of Michigan) who discusses the importance of using public opinion polling as a key approach to understand the desires of the public. Read on for more.
Nine new faculty join Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute
The Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) is welcoming nine new co-funded faculty members to Penn State. By helping to support co-funded faculty members, SSRI is demonstrating its commitment to interdisciplinary research within the social and behavioral sciences.
Mark Ortiz, assistant professor…
Child Maltreatment Solutions Network conference to be held in November
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Social Science Research Institute’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network is hosting an in-person conference, “Biological Embedding of Caregiving Adversity,” in 129 HUB (HUB-Robeson Center) at the University Park campus on Friday, November 15 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.…
Harm reduction education, tools access may help women prevent opioid overdose
Woman with opioid use disorder and who are also involved with the criminal legal system face unique challenges and stigmas that may keep them from seeking substance use treatment and harm reduction tools that could prevent overdose deaths, according to new research led by a team from Penn State.…
New Child Study Center co-directors to continue collaborative research mission
Over the past five years, Rina Das Eiden and Jenae Neiderhiser have forged a close working relationship as colleagues in Penn State’s Department of Psychology. Recently, their collaboration began a significant new phase when they were appointed co-directors of the College…
Survey Research Center helps to support Corrections Innovation Day
Recently, staff from Penn State’s Survey Research Center supported the inaugural “Pennsylvania Corrections Innovation Day” as facilitators. Innovation Day 2024, co-hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) and Penn State’s Criminal Justice Research Center (CJRC), was a one-day…