College of the Liberal Arts elevates four faculty to named professorships
Four faculty members in the College of the Liberal Arts have been awarded named professorships in the college, effective July 1, 2018. They include:
Amy Greenberg, George Winfree Professor of History and Women’s Studies. Greenberg is a noted historian of antebellum America, with a…
New research to identify what makes conversations supportive
People going through hard times often find assistance by talking about their problems with others, and the support people receive has documented health benefits. However, the quality of support can vary and what happens during conversations can determine whether or not the support is actually…
New tool helps researchers with data discovery and study feasibility
TriNetX Live, a tool to help clinical researchers with data discovery and study feasibility, is now available through Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Training sessions are available on Thursday, June 14, at University Park, and Friday, June 15, at Hershey. …
Opioid crisis requires social and behavioral research solutions
Each day, more Americans die from drug overdoses (175) than from motor vehicle accidents (110). Many of these overdoses are accidental, and some are intentional, but nearly all are the result of social and behavioral factors. In response to the opioid crisis, the NIH convened a meeting on March 5-6…
Holding on to stress-related emotions negatively effects health a decade later
by PRI Affiliate David Almeida
Stress and an individual’s reaction to it are known to impact health, yet less is known about whether lingering emotions after a stressor effects long-term health.This was the focus of a recent study by NIA-funded investigators.
Analyses were conducted using data from…
Kai Schafft among Center for Global Studies Awards
The Center for Global Studies (CGS) recently presented $73,800 in awards to faculty members and students whose work advances research and projects in global studies. The principal mission of the center is to “cross boundaries and build bridges” by linking themes of sustainability, social justice…
Penn State delegation advocates for social sciences in Washington, DC
A group of Penn State researchers recently attended the Consortium of Social Science Association’s (COSSA) 2018 Science Policy Conference and Social Science Advocacy Day in Washington, DC.
The conference and advocacy day brought together COSSA members and other stakeholders for a day of discussion…
Love hurts: Spats with spouse may worsen chronic pain, other symptoms
A fight with a spouse may end in hurt feelings, but for those with chronic conditions like arthritis or diabetes, those arguments may have physical repercussions as well, according to researchers.
They found that in two groups of older individuals — one group with arthritis and one with diabetes —…
Felmlee and Kreager bring together social science subfields in new publication
PRI research associates Diane Felmlee, professor of sociology, and Derek Kreager, director of the Justice Center for Research and professor of sociology and criminology, along with their colleague Duane Alwin, director of the Center for Life Course and Longitudinal Studies and McCourtney Professor…
Frankenberg's research featured in The Washington Post
Back to the future: A new school district secession movement is gaining steam
by Valerie Strauss
After the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling, declaring as unconstitutional state laws permitting separate public schools for black and white…
Frasier recognized with Helfer Society Award
Dr. Lori Frasier, director of the Center for the Protection of Children at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, has been honored for her contributions to the field of child abuse pediatrics with the Helfer Society Award.
Frasier received the award at the society’s annual meeting and…
Schafft elected Rural Sociology Society president
SSRI co-fund Kai Schafft has been elected president-elect of the Rural Sociology Society (RSS) for the upcoming year. The RSS is a professional social science association that promotes the generation, application and dissemination of sociological knowledge. It seeks to enhance the quality of rural…
Co-fund Miyamoto, Smeal students team up to address business challenges for SAFE-T Center
When the Penn State College of Nursing launched the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth (SAFE-T) Center in 2016, it envisioned a solution to enhance access to compassionate sexual assault care in underserved communities. What they still needed: a plan to sustain the center’s operations…
Facing adversity early in life linked with more physical pain in adulthood
Experiencing trauma as a child may influence how much pain an individual feels in adulthood, according to Penn State researchers. Gaining insight about who feels more pain and why is important as issues like the opioid crisis continue to escalate.
The researchers found that experiencing trauma or…
Van Hook talks U.S. census on McCourtney Institute podcast
The next U.S. census won’t happen until 2020, but it’s already a hot topic of conversation as controversy builds over a proposed question on citizenship.
Jennifer Van Hook, Roy C. Buck Professor of Sociology and Demography in the College of the Liberal Arts, recently discussed the…
Long-lasting Effects of Newspaper Op-Eds on Public Opinion
In a recent study published in the Quarterly Journal of Political Science, researchers found that op-eds were persuasive to both the mass public and elites, but marginally more persuasive among the mass public. The researchers conducted two randomized panel survey experiments on elite and mass…
Study on deficits in executive functions most read
A write up on a study by Paul Morgan, CEDR director and PRI affiliate, was the most read Association for Supervison and Curriculum Developers "Smart Brief" last week. In the study, researchers found that deficits in executive functions increase the risk for repeated academic difficulties…
Penn State is represented at congressional briefing addressing opioid epidemic
Penn State researcher Stephanie Bradley, director of the Evidence-Based Prevention & Intervention Support Center (EPISCenter), was one of five experts on a panel who recently briefed Congress on the rising opioid epidemic and efforts to combat the problem through evidence-based prevention…
Sterner's work in communities featured in Journal of Change
Glenn Sterner, postdoctoral scholar in the Justice Center for Research, was recently featured in the Journal of Change as one of the journal's "2018 Community Champions for Positive Change." The article, written by Theodore Alter, professor of agricultural, environmental, and regional economics,…
Parents may help prep kids for healthier, less violent relationships
Warm, nurturing parents may pass along strategies for building and maintaining positive relationships to their kids, setting them up for healthier, less-violent romantic relationships as young adults, according to researchers.
Researchers found that when adolescents reported a positive family…
Solutions Network Awareness Event focuses on the foster care system
Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network recently hosted “Building Resilience and Hope,” and brought together researchers, advocates, public servants, and foster youth to discuss Pennsylvania’s foster care system and strategies for supporting youth in pursuit of a college education.
Jennie…
SSRI co-fund Jennifer Frank among those who serve students across University
At any university, it is common to see faculty and staff working with students. After all, it is part of most job descriptions. But oftentimes, faculty and staff go above and beyond their job descriptions in what they do for students.
In the College of Education, more than a dozen faculty and staff…
New data collection and storage tool helps studies manage regulatory documents
Keeping track of research-related regulatory paperwork just got easier thanks to use of REDCap, Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s data collection and storage tool. Penn State modified a similar project developed through partner members in the Clinical and Translational…
Iceland receives Raymond Lombra Award
John Iceland, PRI associate and professor of sociology and demography, was recently awarded the Raymond Lombra Award for Distinction in the Social Sciences for his work in this area.
Iceland’s research interests include demography, social inequality, immigration and incorporation, and urban…
NIH’s Single IRB Policy: Contact the IRB First
If you’re planning to submit a grant that involves a multi-site study to NIH, it’s important to know that you must now contact the IRB before you submit your grant. A new NIH policy requires the use of a Single IRB for the review of multi-site, non-exempt human research studies, with few exceptions…