Heard on Campus: Tanya Berger-Wolf on AI for nature

April 29, 2026

Tanya Berger-Wolf, professor of computer science engineering; of electrical and computer engineering; and of evolution, ecology and organismal biology at Ohio State University, gave a lecture titled “AI for Nature: From Science to Action" as part of the Distinguished Lectures in Life Sciences series presented by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.

College of Ag Sciences alumna’s legacy: research and growing global impact

April 17, 2026

Long before she led reforestation efforts in her native Lebanon, Maya Nehme was a graduate student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, researching ways to combat invasive species threatening forests. Even then, her vision extended beyond the lab — helping to inspire what would become the college’s international agriculture and development graduate dual-title degree program, known as INTAD.

Former Ag Sciences dean creates student experience funds

April 16, 2026

Bruce McPheron and his wife, Marilyn, have made both a future pledge and an outright gift to support student experience opportunities in the College of Agricultural Sciences Department of Entomology and at the Frost Entomological Museum.

Three alumni honored with 2026 Fox Graduate School Alumni Society awards

April 15, 2026

The Penn State Fox Graduate School Alumni Society has announced the recipients of its 2026 alumni awards, recognizing three graduates whose achievements exemplify the values of leadership, service and professional excellence.

‘Night at the Museums’ to feature exhibits April 23, including Old Coaly

April 13, 2026

A wide variety of Penn State museums and special galleries will be open to the public during the spring “Night at the Museums” event, from 4 to 8 p.m. on April 23.

Communication, Science & Society Initiative awards four interdisciplinary grants

April 13, 2026

The Communication, Science & Society Initiative, a research partnership between Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts, has announced the grant recipients from its 2025 request for proposals.

Predictably unpredictable: Building resilient crops for a changing world

April 9, 2026

As climate change accelerates and threats from pests and diseases intensify, a growing cohort of Penn State researchers is developing innovative solutions to help crops not only survive but also thrive.

Four Penn State faculty members elected AAAS Fellows

April 6, 2026

Four Penn State faculty members in the biological sciences, engineering and statistics have been elected to the latest cohort of fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. 

Molecular entomologist Jason Rasgon named AAAS Fellow

April 1, 2026

Jason L. Rasgon, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair in Disease Epidemiology and Biotechnology, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Seth Bordenstein named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

March 26, 2026

Bordenstein was honored for "distinguished contributions to the microbiome sciences, particularly for advancing our knowledge of host-associated microbiomes across the animal kingdom."

Inaugural Penn State-Ghana Seed Grant Program awardees announced

March 5, 2026

The inaugural Penn State-Ghana Research Partnerships Seed Grant Program has awarded nine projects to fuel global impact, including crop disease surveillance, removing heavy metals from mining wastewater and understanding multimodal traffic streams.

College of Agricultural Sciences celebrates faculty, staff of 25 years

February 6, 2026

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences recently celebrated 26 faculty and staff members who have been with the college for 25 years.

Entomology Newsletter - February 2026

February 4, 2026

Bridge funding for global research, changing chemicals used to attract squash bees, Penn State Extension's new AI tool, awards and grants, publications, and more in this month's newsletter from The Department of Entomology.

College of Ag Sciences Awards Bridge Funding for Global Research Collaborations

January 30, 2026

Domestication has changed the chemicals squash flowers use to attract bees

January 22, 2026

Domestication has changed the chemicals squash flowers use to attract bees, according to a new study from researchers at Penn State.

Student Spotlight: Anju Poudel

January 21, 2026

Penn State Entomology's Student Spotlights highlight the work being done by students. In her spotlight, Anju Poudel, a Ph.D student, talks about her time in the Jared Ali lab researching cover crops.

Penn State Extension AI tool, Tilva, expands access to research-based guidance

January 14, 2026

Penn State Extension has unveiled a new artificial intelligence-powered tool, called Tilva, at the 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show, aimed at giving farmers around-the-clock access to research-based guidance.

Entomology Newsletter - December 2025

December 12, 2025

Science storytelling, a new addition to the animal diagnostic lab, frozen slugs, and more are in this newsletter edition. Awards have been granted, EGSA Graduate Presentations are recognized, and some publications in this newsletter from The Department of Entomology.

Faculty Spotlight: Kara Fikrig

November 13, 2025

Kara Fikrig is an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology who seeks to understand the crossroad of entomology and public health, and to better protect public health. She primarily studies mosquitoes and how the diseases they carry affect people.

Penn State’s College of Ag Sciences recognizes faculty for research impact

November 12, 2025

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recognized exceptional achievements in research during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

Salty soil, scrappy bugs and shared ideas drive graduate student’s research

October 30, 2025

Penn State doctoral candidate Sahil Pawar studies how environmental stressors, primarily salty soil — a problem often overlooked in agriculture — affect the relationships between plants and insects.

Spotted lanternfly may use ‘toxic shield’ to fend off bird predators

October 27, 2025

Spotted lanternflies may season themselves to the distaste of potential bird predators, according to a new study led by entomologists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Four researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows

October 17, 2025

Four Penn State researchers have been selected as 2025 IEE Fellows for their efforts to significantly advance energy and environmental research.

Wild lupine genetics could be key to conservation of species

October 9, 2025

Penn State researchers studying declining populations of sundial lupines in the eastern part of the United States are closer to determining how an understanding of the plant genetics could be used to inform reseeding strategies to help with conservation efforts.

New microorganism survival commission aims to fill critical conservation gap

October 1, 2025

For the first time, the International Union for Conservation of Nature is formally including all microbial life in its framework by establishing a Microbial Conservation Specialist Group, which includes Seth Bordenstein, the director of Penn State’s One Health Microbiome Center, and will focus on the survival of species — even the smallest ones on the planet.

Organic beekeeping can be even more profitable than conventional methods

September 18, 2025

Organic beekeeping can support healthy and productive honey bee colonies, and a new study led by researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences found that adopting organic honey bee colony management is not only profitable, but in some cases, it can be even more profitable than conventional management.

Women scientists, love of nature inspire donor’s gift to the Ag Sciences

September 9, 2025

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and its Department of Entomology are benefiting from a $1.5 million gift from a donor who has chosen to remain anonymous. The gift, split into two parts, supports the creation of the Maria Sibylla Merian Endowed Faculty Position and the Rachel Carson Graduate Training Program.

Explore the wonderful world of insects at Penn State’s Great Insect Fair

September 8, 2025

Learn about the diverse world of insects at this year’s Great Insect Fair, the annual Penn State event that celebrates insects with a variety of activities, games, crafts and more.

Geography lecture to spotlight pollinator conservation and technology

August 29, 2025

Christina M. Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology at Penn State, will deliver a talk titled “Leveraging Technology to Conserve Pollinator Biodiversity” on Sept. 12 as part of the Penn State Department of Geography's Coffee Hour lecture series.

Penn State releases new guide on identifying bees in Pennsylvania

August 20, 2025

A new Penn State Extension publication, "Bees of Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Genera," is intended for those interested in learning to identify and learn about the diversity of over 440 bee species in Pennsylvania ecosystems.