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Chelsea Kyler in ash plantation

Forest science major immersed in emerald ash borer research

5/31/13

Forest Science major Chelsea Kyler is conducting research in an ash tree plantation on the University Park campus, which was established years before she was born, focusing on the effects of the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle native to Asia.

Mike Lohr student story

Student Stories: 'Bird scientist' does unique work in Hawaii

5/8/13

Mike Lohr early on knew exactly what he wanted to be. When he was a kid, he called it a "bird scientist." Now he knows the proper title is avian ecologist. The 2005 Penn State alumnus currently is involved in a groundbreaking conservation project at the Ka'ena Point Coastal Reserve in Hawaii.

Tyler Yost pauses on a hillside above a German village with the mountains in the background.

Student Stories: Environmental major experiences the Alps

4/26/13

Environmental resource management might sound like a white-collar desk job to most, but to Tyler Yost, it is much more. Last summer he studied abroad in Germany, where he had the opportunity to put his Penn State education to practical use.

Photo of student Darcy Lester

Student Stories: Forest science major studies Aussie ecosystem

3/28/13

Darcy McKinley Lester does not like baked beans and spaghetti on toast for breakfast, but she said that dish is hard to avoid when you study abroad in Australia. The Mechanicsburg, Pa., native studied at the Australian National University in Canberra last spring.

Environmental major has Mozambique memory

Student Stories: Environmental major has Mozambique memory

3/1/13

Laura Davis had dreamed of traveling to Africa for years. So in May 2012, she jumped at the chance to embark on a journey to South Africa and Mozambique offered through a Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences natural resources embedded course. The trip was a life-changing experience.

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Student Stories: Landscaping students admire Irish gardens, scenery

1/31/13

Twelve students in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences recently discovered some of Ireland's greatest natural treasures in a two-credit course that included a nine-day trip.

The students were exposed to different cultural practices and technologies while increasing their awareness and respect for diverse cultures.

Beginning in one of the liveliest capitals in Europe, the students explored Dublin, pondering the cultural differences between Ireland and the United States. From there, they traveled to the Hill of Tara to see where the High Kings of Ireland reigned and to explore huge circles of earthworks.

Untitled

Student Stories: Dream trip Down Under becomes a reality

1/22/13

Ever since she was little, Jeanette Blank dreamed about traveling to Australia. After years of dreaming, Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences helped her get there at last.

When she finally arrived, she was determined to learn as much as she could and take any opportunity presented to her. "Before I left on the trip, someone told me that if I came home and said ,'I wished I had done something there,' they'd kick my butt," Blank said. "So I was on a mission!"

Blank, a senior majoring in agricultural and extension education, traveled to Australia with a small group of students. Their goal was to learn more about the differences in natural resources and tourism between Australia and the United States.

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Student Stories: 'Ant whisperer' studies a bug's life

1/7/13

Turns out, watching ants is actually pretty entertaining, according to Spencer Malloy. Good thing for him, because it was one of the most important parts of his job last summer.

The Penn State senior with a double major in agroecology and philosophy recently completed an internship at the University Park campus investigating how the presence of nematode parasites can affect carpenter ants.

"My adviser always was telling me about the importance of just watching the ants to set a baseline for behavioral studies," said Malloy, who hails from Levittown, Pa. "He joked that to become a good myrmecologist -- ant scientist -- you need to become the 'ant whisperer.'"

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Student Stories: The wildlife awaits for senior

12/17/12

Penn State student Megan Davis has always loved the outdoors and knew from an early age she wanted to dedicate her career to her love for nature.

The wildlife and fisheries science major spent the summer of 2011 doing just that. From May to August, Davis completed a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service internship, splitting her time between Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, Mass., and Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newington, N.H.

Davis, of Warsaw, Va., spent four days a week at Parker River and one day a week at Great Bay. Her days started at 8 a.m., but her duties varied depending on which wildlife refuge she was stationed at that day.

Untitled

Student Stories: Environmental major removes exotics in Illinois

11/28/12

When you're closely involved with something, it's easy to take for granted how good it is. But for junior Veronica Pasi, spending 10 weeks last summer managing invasive species as part of a hands-on internship in Illinois's Glacial Park provided a new appreciation for her Penn State education.

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Student Stories: Costa Rica is fertile ground for learning

11/13/12

Allison Hoover didn't quite know what she was getting herself into last spring when she traveled to Costa Rica with Penn State's Spanish for Agricultural Sciences program. The Agricultural and Extension Education major went with 10 other Penn State students to the city of Turrialba to learn the Spanish language and explore the diverse agriculture of Costa Rica's central valley. With her minors in international agriculture and Spanish, this was the perfect environment for Hoover. She also added unique experiences there related to her honors thesis research and her academic future.

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Chelsea Kyler in ash plantation

Forest science major immersed in emerald ash borer research

5/31/13

Forest Science major Chelsea Kyler is conducting research in an ash tree plantation on the University Park campus, which was established years before she was born, focusing on the effects of the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle native to Asia.

Mike Lohr student story

Student Stories: 'Bird scientist' does unique work in Hawaii

5/8/13

Mike Lohr early on knew exactly what he wanted to be. When he was a kid, he called it a "bird scientist." Now he knows the proper title is avian ecologist. The 2005 Penn State alumnus currently is involved in a groundbreaking conservation project at the Ka'ena Point Coastal Reserve in Hawaii.

Tyler Yost pauses on a hillside above a German village with the mountains in the background.

Student Stories: Environmental major experiences the Alps

4/26/13

Environmental resource management might sound like a white-collar desk job to most, but to Tyler Yost, it is much more. Last summer he studied abroad in Germany, where he had the opportunity to put his Penn State education to practical use.

Photo of student Darcy Lester

Student Stories: Forest science major studies Aussie ecosystem

3/28/13

Darcy McKinley Lester does not like baked beans and spaghetti on toast for breakfast, but she said that dish is hard to avoid when you study abroad in Australia. The Mechanicsburg, Pa., native studied at the Australian National University in Canberra last spring.

Environmental major has Mozambique memory

Student Stories: Environmental major has Mozambique memory

3/1/13

Laura Davis had dreamed of traveling to Africa for years. So in May 2012, she jumped at the chance to embark on a journey to South Africa and Mozambique offered through a Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences natural resources embedded course. The trip was a life-changing experience.

Untitled

Student Stories: Landscaping students admire Irish gardens, scenery

1/31/13

Twelve students in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences recently discovered some of Ireland's greatest natural treasures in a two-credit course that included a nine-day trip.

The students were exposed to different cultural practices and technologies while increasing their awareness and respect for diverse cultures.

Beginning in one of the liveliest capitals in Europe, the students explored Dublin, pondering the cultural differences between Ireland and the United States. From there, they traveled to the Hill of Tara to see where the High Kings of Ireland reigned and to explore huge circles of earthworks.

Untitled

Student Stories: Dream trip Down Under becomes a reality

1/22/13

Ever since she was little, Jeanette Blank dreamed about traveling to Australia. After years of dreaming, Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences helped her get there at last.

When she finally arrived, she was determined to learn as much as she could and take any opportunity presented to her. "Before I left on the trip, someone told me that if I came home and said ,'I wished I had done something there,' they'd kick my butt," Blank said. "So I was on a mission!"

Blank, a senior majoring in agricultural and extension education, traveled to Australia with a small group of students. Their goal was to learn more about the differences in natural resources and tourism between Australia and the United States.

Untitled

Student Stories: 'Ant whisperer' studies a bug's life

1/7/13

Turns out, watching ants is actually pretty entertaining, according to Spencer Malloy. Good thing for him, because it was one of the most important parts of his job last summer.

The Penn State senior with a double major in agroecology and philosophy recently completed an internship at the University Park campus investigating how the presence of nematode parasites can affect carpenter ants.

"My adviser always was telling me about the importance of just watching the ants to set a baseline for behavioral studies," said Malloy, who hails from Levittown, Pa. "He joked that to become a good myrmecologist -- ant scientist -- you need to become the 'ant whisperer.'"

Untitled

Student Stories: The wildlife awaits for senior

12/17/12

Penn State student Megan Davis has always loved the outdoors and knew from an early age she wanted to dedicate her career to her love for nature.

The wildlife and fisheries science major spent the summer of 2011 doing just that. From May to August, Davis completed a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service internship, splitting her time between Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, Mass., and Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newington, N.H.

Davis, of Warsaw, Va., spent four days a week at Parker River and one day a week at Great Bay. Her days started at 8 a.m., but her duties varied depending on which wildlife refuge she was stationed at that day.

Untitled

Student Stories: Environmental major removes exotics in Illinois

11/28/12

When you're closely involved with something, it's easy to take for granted how good it is. But for junior Veronica Pasi, spending 10 weeks last summer managing invasive species as part of a hands-on internship in Illinois's Glacial Park provided a new appreciation for her Penn State education.

Untitled

Student Stories: Costa Rica is fertile ground for learning

11/13/12

Allison Hoover didn't quite know what she was getting herself into last spring when she traveled to Costa Rica with Penn State's Spanish for Agricultural Sciences program. The Agricultural and Extension Education major went with 10 other Penn State students to the city of Turrialba to learn the Spanish language and explore the diverse agriculture of Costa Rica's central valley. With her minors in international agriculture and Spanish, this was the perfect environment for Hoover. She also added unique experiences there related to her honors thesis research and her academic future.