The Long Game of Our Research
Stories of Impact from the Penn State Research Enterprise
How we bring impact into our Communities
Pillars of Impact
Research impact comes from a chain reaction of iterative successes. One study builds on the next, methodologies are refined, and the boundaries of knowledge are expanded. The cyclical nature of inquiry — where questions lead to discoveries that spark new questions — drives the breakthroughs that change our communities and the world.
The Latest Stories from Penn State Research
- Graphic design student brings her culture into her research
Shalini Prasath, a fifth-year graphic design student in the College of Arts and Architecture's Stuckeman School, studied Tamil design philosophy in India thanks to a Discovery Summer Research Grant.
- Penn State Berks professors study algal blooms to help predict water toxicity
Penn State Berks professors Sarah Princiotta and Justin DiAngelo are taking an interdisciplinary approach to study algal blooms, with the goal of better understanding when public lakes and waterways are safe for tourism and recreation.
- Statistician Susan Murphy to present 2026 Chemerda Lectures in Science Nov. 4, 5
Susan Murphy, Mallinckrodt Professor of Statistics and of Computer Science, and associate faculty in the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University, will present the 2026 John M. Chemerda Lectures in Science on Nov. 4 and 5 at Penn State University Park. The free public lectures are sponsored by the Penn State Eberly College of Science.
- Environmental engineers awarded $2.4M to study how abandoned wells impact health
A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by an engineer from Penn State, has been awarded a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Energy to study the impacts that orphaned natural gas wells might have on the surrounding environment or communities.
- $3.5M contract bolsters statewide weather monitoring, alert system
Rather than visiting multiple websites to get weather and climate information, users can visit the Keystone Mesonet website to view a collection of weather data from over 200 publicly available observation stations The project received a $3.5 million contract from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to continue and expand operations.
- Small but mighty: Helping microgreens pack even more of a nutritional punch
Microgreens are nutritional powerhouses. A team of plant scientists at Penn State conducting research on multiple microgreens aspects recently published three studies reporting progress on multiple fronts, including iron enrichment, productive indoor growth and a faux lightning technique that could improve microgreens growth, yield and nutritional quality.