Community factors influence how long you’ll live, study shows
While lifestyle choices and genetics go a long way toward predicting longevity, a new study shows that certain community characteristics also play important roles. American communities with more fast food restaurants, a larger share of extraction industry-based jobs, or higher population density…
Device helps deliver electronic cigarette vapors for research
The increased use of electronic cigarettes and vaping products has increased the need to better understand how and if addiction to these products is different than in traditional cigarettes. One way to objectively measure addictive potential is through changes in the brain, but researchers say a…
Coronavirus Research Seed Fund call for proposals
The emergence of COVID-19 has reminded the world of our hyper-connectivity and susceptibility to pandemics. An effective response to SARS-CoV-2 and other future emerging pathogens, requires the scientific community to rapidly assess key knowledge gaps and respond with research to improve prevention…
Penn State stands out as 'exception' for team research collaboration
The faculty at Penn State may view their extensive interdisciplinary research collaborations as normal, but it turns out that Penn State’s successful culture of innovation through interdisciplinary collaborations is anything but normal. It is an exception.
In December 2019, a research team led by…
TEDxPSU Talk with Nate Brown
Penn State hosted its tenth-annual TEDxPSU Conference recently with 11 speakers, including Nate Brown, professor of mathematics and principal investigator of the STEM Diversity Lab.
This year’s TEDxPSU focused on continuum — a sequence of events that don’t appear to be different from one…
Emotion expression database new resource for researchers
The ability to understand facial expressions is an important part of social communication. However, little is known about how complex facial expression signal emotions related to social behavior and inner thoughts. To answer these questions, Penn State researchers developed the Complex Emotion…
NIH seeking input on simplifying review criteria
The NIH Center for Scientific Review Is seeking your input on simplifying review criteria. Get the Details on the NIH Peer Review Matters blog.
Stress may drive people to give as well as receive emotional support
Stress has a justifiably bad reputation for making people feel crummy. But new research suggests that despite its negative side effects, it may also lead to a surprising social benefit.
In a study, a team of scientists including Penn State researchers found that experiencing stress made people both…
Speakers for 2020 'Expanding Empathy' lecture series announced
After an engaging and successful inaugural run last academic year, the Rock Ethics Institute’s (REI) “Expanding Empathy” lecture series schedule has been set for spring 2020, with the first lecture to be presented March 5.
The lectures are hosted through the REI’s Moral Agency and Moral Development…
Research suggests adults, not just teens, like electronic cigarette flavors
On Feb. 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began to enforce a previously issued policy on unauthorized, flavored, cartridge-based e-cigarette products with the goal of addressing the current epidemic of youth use of e-cigarettes. A new study by researchers at Penn State finds that…
Multi-year concussion research study underway
Researchers at Penn State are in the midst of a multi-year research study that seeks to examine the consequences of head acceleration events and their relationship to the disruption of normal brain development.
The investigators also seek to identify any critical threshold between subconcussive…
Categorical inequalities between Black and white students are common in US schools—but they don’t have to be
By Kenneth Shores, Ha Eun Kim, and Mela Still for Brookings
The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) reports large, persistent gaps between Black and white students on educational outcomes such as school suspensions, uptake of AP classes, assignment to special education and gifted and talented…
Huck Institutes' HITS fund will support scientific risk-takers
Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences has relaunched a program to encourage more risk-taking across Penn State’s scientific community. Dubbed the Huck Innovative and Transformational Seed Fund— or HITS — the initiative will provide financial support for bold ideas that promise…
Planning grants support researcher-community collaborations
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute's Community-Engaged Research Core awarded three planning grants to faculty and community-based organization teams. These planning grants are laying the foundation for projects that affect a variety of communities.
“We are delighted to…
Columbia University researchers to present talk based on sexual-assault research
Columbia University professors Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Khan will share their research into what college students want out of sexual encounters and how misunderstandings about sexual encounters may potentially translate into sexual assault, at a free, public talk taking place 6:30-7:30 p.m.,…
Parents and communities can help prevent teen vaping, experts say
As vaping becomes more prevalent in high schools and middle schools, parents and communities can take steps to help prevent teens from vaping or engaging in other risky behaviors, according to experts at Penn State.
Melissa Tomascik, prevention coordinator for the PROSPER (PROmoting School-…
IRB training sessions to be held
Understanding Single IRB: 20-Minute Overview will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. on March 5 in 102 Kern at Penn State University Park or via online streaming. Researchers conducting federally funded research, who have an NIH grant or who are collaborating with other institutions may fall under the…
Penn State tops NSF Rankings for Breadth of Research Expertise
The breadth of Penn State’s research expertise surpasses that of any university in the country, according to the latest National Science Foundation rankings of Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) research expenditures by key fields and subfields, released in November 2019.
The rankings…
Registration open for awareness event on preventing child neglect
Penn State's Child Maltreatment Solutions Network is hosting an awareness event, “Preventing Child Neglect,” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 4, in the ballroom of the Nittany Lion Inn.
Child maltreatment can take many forms, but the most common cases nationwide are that of child neglect.…
Underemployment affects African American parents and their relationships
Penn State researchers have found that perceived underemployment among African American parents may have an effect on their careers, their mental and physical health, and their relationships.
Conducted by Xiaoran Sun, former Penn State graduate student in human development and family studies and…
PROSPER featured in White House "Rural Community Action Guide: Building Stronger, Healthy Drug-Free Rural Communities"
PROSPER is featured on page 43 of this new tool released by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), to assist rural community leaders in building an effective local response to the crisis of addiction.The Rural Community Action Guide includes background information, recommended action…
New WPSU podcast highlights Penn State researchers' work, community impact
A new podcast that highlights the work of Penn State researchers and how their findings impact communities near and far is now available through central Pennsylvania’s public media station.
WPSU Penn State’s Reach podcast tells the stories of Penn State researchers, their studies and how their work…
Fighting coronavirus fear with empathy: Lessons learned from how Africans got blamed for Ebola
This article was originally written for The Conversation by Kevin Thomas, professor of sociology, demography, and African studies.
With coronavirus cases exploding in China, the U.S. is once again responding to a global epidemic. Five years ago, when the Ebola virus infected more than 28,000 people…
Lower protein diet may lessen risk for cardiovascular disease
A plant-based diet may be key to lowering risk for heart disease. Penn State researchers determined that diets with reduced sulfur amino acids — which occur in protein-rich foods, such as meats, dairy, nuts and soy — were associated with a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease. The team also…
University Libraries offers workshops for Open Access policy, copyright issues
Penn State students, faculty and staff can participate in free online workshops that cover Penn State’s new Open Access policy as well as copyright issues and funder policies for public access to research.
The workshops, which will take place Feb. 12 through April 15, are offered by the…