At Penn State, Janice Light's research program is helping to build a world where everyone can communicate. "Communication is the essence of human life," said Light. "Yet 4 million people in the U.S.
For millions of people with conditions that make speech difficult or nearly impossible, it’s challenging to get an education, perform a job, or build the personal relationships that enrich our lives. That’s why Janice Light has spent more than 30 years building a program at Penn State that helps people with conditions like autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome learn to communicate despite troubles with speech.
Penn State environmental engineer Bruce Logan is turning local water resources into innovative energy sources, so one day communities can power themselves sustainably.
Among renewable sources of energy, humans have long recognized the power of water. At the places where freshwater and saltwater meet, for example, there are vast amounts of potential energy to be tapped — enough, in theory, to supply 40 percent of global electricity needs. The process is called salinity gradient energy, and it’s a new area of focus for environmental engineer Bruce Logan. But it’s also a continuation of the work he’s been doing at Penn State for 20 years.
Penn State anthropologist Nina Jablonski, through her research on skin color, is shifting our understanding of race to prove we're more alike than we are different. "I’m hoping this research gives people the appreciation that their bodies are the products of evolution," said Jablonski.
We inherit our skin color from our ancestors, but what brought about such a diversity of human skin colors? And how can the natural history of skin inform questions surrounding societal notions of skin color and our health? These are questions that form the basis for what Penn State anthropologist Nina Jablonski calls an explanatory framework of the evolution of skin pigmentation.
Backed by the resources of Invent Penn State’s statewide network of innovation hubs, Penn State New Kensington is partnering with Westmoreland County and the city of New Kensington to revive the community through research, education and entrepreneurship.
In the United States, honey bees and wild bees contribute $20 billion each to agriculture and industries that depend on agriculture, meaning that fewer bees could lead to smaller harvests and increased food prices.
Within the past decade, beekeepers across the globe have observed massive declines in managed honey bee populations. Given their critical role in the nation’s agricultural industry, Penn State’s Christina Grozinger and the Center for Pollinator Research are implementing creative approaches to protecting bee populations in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Penn State biology student Shevy Karbasi witnessed firsthand the toll frequent trips for blood work took on his already-exhausted grandfather while he underwent treatment for lung cancer.
Using Penn State’s entrepreneurial resources, recent graduate Sherveen “Shevy” Karbasi is bringing complete blood count testing out of the clinic and onto a smartphone via HemoGO, an app capable of delivering a CBC in less than a minute, all within the comfort and security of one’s own home.
Penn State Law’s Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic is improving Pennsylvania’s economic vitality by helping small businesses and entrepreneurs.
For post-industrial towns throughout Pennsylvania, the departure of major manufacturing brought with it a host of challenges. Yet, for many, it has created a new opportunity — the growth of small businesses and startups. The hope these businesses bring has been a driving force for Tom Sharbaugh, professor of practice in Penn State Law and director of the University’s Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic, which provides free legal resources to small business owners and entrepreneurs around Pennsylvania.
For first-generation college student Josh Maldonado-Santiago, a Penn State telecommunications degree and a future commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force are proof positive that hard work does indeed pay off.
A strong work ethic met with a Penn State education has led first-generation student Josh Maldonado-Santiago to a world of opportunity and a life of service as a future Air Force officer. To learn more about how Maldonado-Santiago has made the most of his Penn State experience to build a bright f
