Conference focuses on latest child maltreatment research methods
Investigating the newest methods for research concerning children was the focus of the 2021 Child Maltreatment Solutions Network Conference, held recently at Penn State’s University Park campus at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, both in person and virtually.
The two-day event featured 17…
Traffic and mobile phone data predict COVID case counts in rural Pennsylvania
How much people moved around town predicted COVID-19 cases in a rural Pennsylvania county in 2020, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State. The researchers approximated movement during the initial stay-at-home orders and subsequent restricted phases by using data from traffic cameras…
Penn State educational and health disparities research featured
This video highlighting work being done at SSRI's Center for Educational Disparities Research and Child Maltreatment Solutions Network features several SSRI cofunded faculty and is currently being broadcast at the annual conference of the American Public Health Association. Research taking place at…
Penn State GIS Day virtual event to take place Nov. 16
Penn State University Libraries will observe GIS Day — an annual event celebrating the technology of geographic information systems (GIS) — with a virtual event from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16.
This year’s programming will highlight the geospatial research activities of…
Using game technology to help adolescents on the autism spectrum
People on the autism spectrum often struggle to interpret facial cues, partially because they are unable to recognize how eye gaze direction is used to predict the actions and intentions of others. This can have huge implications for understanding behavior, language learning, and social interaction…
Researchers use mobile tech, forge partnerships to study home literacy efforts
Penn State scientists are combining their skills in data science and innovative approaches to mobile technology with their ability to forge community partnerships to find ways to support families in their home literacy efforts.
The research team is currently partnering with The Shadow Project…
Center for Socially Responsible AI accepting seed funding proposals
Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) is now inviting short proposals for its annual seed funding program. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 1, with projects expected to start in spring 2022 and last for up to two years.
The center …
Penn State receives $25 million to enhance medical research, human health
Expanded partnerships, access to clinical trials, and new medical and behavioral treatments and interventions reaching individuals more quickly will benefit communities in Pennsylvania and beyond thanks to the renewal of Penn State’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) funded by the…
Filling half of kids' plates with fruits and veggies helps increase consumption
Filling half of a child’s plate with fruits and veggies isn’t just recommended by the United States Dietary Guidelines, it also helps increase the amount of produce that kids end up eating, according to Penn State research.
In a controlled feeding study, the researchers tested two strategies for…
Why Social Science? - Because It Can Help Us Design Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence
By Corinna Turbes, Policy Director, Data Foundation
Much has been written about the promise of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform social systems, but as adoption of these new technologies becomes more widespread, so will their impact on society. This leaves us with new and unique questions…
Penn State receives a five-year, nearly $6 million grant to study factors promoting early childhood development
The effects of genetics, home environment, and prenatal substance use on child health and brain development are largely unknown, even though pregnancy and early childhood are incredibly important periods of growth. To address this knowledge gap, Penn State…
Rural Alaska has a bridge problem as permafrost thaws and crossing river ice gets riskier with climate change
America’s bridges are in rough shape. Of the nearly 620,000 bridges over roads, rivers and other waterways across the U.S., more than 43,500 of them, about 7%, are considered “structurally deficient.”
In Alaska, bridges face a unique and growing set of problems as the planet warms.
Permafrost…
Criminal Justice Research Center announces 2021 seed grant programs
The Criminal Justice Research Center at Penn State (CJRC) is accepting applications to its 2021 Seed Grant Program that support the development of high-quality criminal justice research at the University.
CJRC has for many years offered annual seed funding that allows Penn State…
New NSF requirement to disclose postdocs, students, and visiting scholars
Effective October 4, 2021, the National Science Foundation (NSF) made a number of system updates for proposals submitted in Research.gov, FastLane, and Grants.gov in accordance with the implementation of the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 22-1).…
Taking steps toward more effective fitness trackers, more physical activity
As the popularity of fitness trackers has increased, so have the opportunities to use such devices to not only track fitness goals but also increase the motivation to meet those goals. Researchers in the College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State have…
At-risk teens may face increased online threats
While the Internet has many benefits such as increased access to education, it also has risks like access to pornography and the potential for online victimization and exploitation — and new research has found that certain teens may be at higher risk for these threats.
According to a new study…
Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction seeking applicants for Community Fellows Program
The Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction (CSUA), part of the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) at Penn State, has announced an invitation for its Community Fellows Program.
The Community Fellows Program, a funding mechanism of CSUA and the SSRI, provides support for faculty seeking to…
Two Penn State faculty members named to Governor Wolf's redistricting council
Lee Ann Banaszak, head of the Department of Political Science and professor of political science and women’s, gender and sexuality studies, and PRI Associate Christopher Fowler, associate professor of geography and director of the Peter R. Gould Center for Geography Education and Outreach, have…
New EIC Podcast on healthcare innovations now available
This month on the Evidence-to-Impact Podcast, we explored innovations in healthcare. We dive into how we can get more value out of the country's healthcare system without sacrificing the quality of care as well as lowering barriers for underserved populations.
We spoke to Dr. Doug Jacobs, M.D., M.P…
Penn State announces the formation of a new Center for Racial Justice
As part of ongoing efforts to address the challenges of racism, racial bias and community safety that persist in our nation, Penn State has announced the formation of a new Center for Racial Justice. The center, as part of the initiatives outlined by Penn State President Eric J. Barron in a…
Revised standards for in-person human subjects research
In consultation with Dr. Kevin Black, interim dean of the College of Medicine, we are updating the scope of the Revised Standards for in-person human subjects research. Effective October 1, the Revised Standards are applicable to…
Education project to help improve data on drug overdose deaths
A new Penn State-led project is educating coroners, medical examiners, and others in the death certifier community in Pennsylvania about the reporting of substances associated with accidental overdose.
The project, known as the Death Certifier Education Project, is a collaborative effort with the…
Gatzke-Kopp featured on parenting podcast
SSRI cofund Lisa Gatzke-Kopp was recently interviewed on the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast to explore the issue of how parents can help their child’s emotion regulation development. She shares her research on the synchrony between parent and child from parenting in infancy.
Can mindful yoga reduce opioid dependence?
With more than 100 people dying from opioid overdoses each day in the U.S., new approaches to treating opioid-use disorders are needed. Emma Rose, assistant research professor with Penn State's Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, is leading a study that adds twice-weekly mindfulness-…
Pérez-Edgar named editor-in-chief of psychology journal
Koraly Pérez-Edgar, McCourtney Professor of Child Studies, professor of psychology, and associate director of the Social Science Research Institute, was recently named editor-in-chief of Developmental Psychology, one of the flagship journals of the American Psychological Association.
Her new role…