Staff Spotlight: Caroline McLaughlin
Posted on December 17, 2024Caroline McLaughlin, research engineering project manager, recently leaped right into her role at the Penn State Institute for Computational Data Sciences by working on various projects including works on cyberinfrastructure and information sciences and technology. McLaughlin, who started at ICDS on Oct. 14, studied engineering science at Penn State where she worked in a research […] Read more
RISE engineers support cardiology collaboration
Posted on December 10, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published on Penn State News. Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) RISE engineers, with support from the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)’s see grant program, were able to collaborate with University researchers and a team of physicians from the […] Read more
CyberAccelerate workshop elevates computational research at Penn State
Posted on December 9, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — On Oct. 24, the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) hosted the CyberAccelerate workshop, a full-day, hybrid event aimed at enhancing computational research. Held at the HUB-Robeson Center at Penn State University Park, the workshop brought together researchers and experts to explore new opportunities and advanced cyberinfrastructure resources […] Read more
NCEMS celebrates official launch, growth trajectory
Posted on December 3, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was originally published on Penn State News. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Synthesis Center for Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences (NCEMS) recently celebrated their official launch with a ribbon cutting and ceremony at the Verne M. Willaman Gateway to the […] Read more
AlphaFold now more accessible for researchers
Posted on December 2, 2024The ability to infer the 3D structure of a protein knowing only its amino acid composition has been considered the holy grail of structural biology for decades. Advances in applied machine learning and artificial intelligence have resulted in a breakthrough — the AlphaFold AI software published by Google’s DeepMind AI team. This accomplishment was recently […] Read more
ICDS Day showcases interdisciplinary research opportunities, available resources
Posted on November 20, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this article originally appeared on Penn State News. The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) recently hosted ICDS Day MMXXIV: Shaping the Future of Penn State’s Digitial Research, a symposium that aimed to foster innovation and explore the intersection of digital technologies and research on Oct. 23 […] Read more
Staff Spotlight: Derick Haigh
Posted on November 19, 2024After graduating from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, Derick Haigh, R&D engineer, started working at the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) in 2017. Throughout high school, Haigh was interested in music and computers, leading him down his current career path to ICDS. Haigh originally started as […] Read more
Penn State students shine at HackPSU with innovative chatbot solutions for ICDS
Posted on November 18, 2024Two teams of Penn State students recently showcased their technical skills by developing real-time chatbots for the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) at HackPSU on Oct. 12 and 13. The teams, in the ICDS challenge, were tasked with creating a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) chatbot capable of answering client questions based on […] Read more
Penn State’s ICDS team ensures seamless research continuity during scheduled downtime
Posted on November 11, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) technical team showcased exceptional partnership as part of a planned maintenance outage on the Roar supercomputer system over the weekend of Oct. 25 through 27 at the Penn State University Data Center. What is an HPC Outage? A high-performance computing (HPC) […] Read more
Reuben Kraft’s research team utilize ICDS resources to better understand traumatic brain injuries
Posted on November 5, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published on Penn State News. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — According to Reuben Kraft, professor of mechanical engineering at the Penn State College of Engineering, when the human brain experiences an injury, it can be difficult to diagnose a concussion due to the trauma being inside of […] Read more
Soundar Kumara co-organizes digital twinning workshop at University of Connecticut
Posted on November 1, 2024MANSFIELD, Conn. — A hybrid, four-day workshop bringing together industry leaders, researchers and practitioners will highlight the best practices for digital twin technology. Digital twins are virtual models of physical objects that can be used for real-time monitoring of systems, for training purposes or to create simulations for research. The “Workshop on Digital Twins for […] Read more
Chad Hanna’s team at LIGO contributes to gravitational wave research
Posted on October 16, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published on Penn State News. Chad Hanna, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences co-hire, uses computational tools to observe and discover astrophysical events, such as gravitational waves, caused by the merger of two black holes or celestial objects. Hanna, who is also a professor […] Read more
CENSAI aims to tackle the AI ‘grand challenge’ of accelerating science
Posted on October 10, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Bringing together researchers from across various disciplines at Penn State and beyond, the Center for Artificial Intelligence Foundations and Scientific Applications (CENSAI) has its sights set on advancing AI to dramatically transform science, according to Vasant Honavar, CENSAI founding director said in a recent interview with EdgeDiscovery. CENSAI is the result […] Read more
CyberAccelerate workshop aims to elevate computational research
Posted on October 7, 2024Editor’s Note: This event took place on Oct. 24, 2024. A version of this article was originally published on Penn State News. The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) is excited to host “CyberAccelerate: Elevate Research using Collaborative Resources from PA Science DMZ Network and ACCESS CI,” alongside partners, KeystoneREN and the […] Read more
Staff Spotlight: Eric Huyett
Posted on October 4, 2024Each month, the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) recognizes one staff member that has contributed outstanding work to our team. Eric Huyett, R&D engineer, is being acknowledged for working at ICDS for over 10 years in various roles to maintain our HPC cluster. Huyett helps administration with the cluster, but also […] Read more
ICDS Day seeks to amplify interdisciplinary research opportunities
Posted on October 3, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published on Penn State News. The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) aims to bring together faculty, students and industry professionals to foster innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration through the annual symposium event. This year’s event, ICDS Day MMXXIV: Shaping the Future of Penn […] Read more
Co-hire Zita Oravecz leads $3.1M study on early signs, diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
Posted on October 2, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was originally published on Penn State News. Zita Oravecz, associate professor of human development and family studies in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development, is leading a four-year, $3,148,346 National Institute of Aging (NIA)-funded study that aims to use computational models and psychology to detect […] Read more
ICDS welcomes Dana Calacci, Enrico Casella as co-hires
Posted on September 24, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published on Penn State News. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Institute of Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) recently welcomed two new co-hires to their staff. Dana Calacci, assistant professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, and Enrico Casella, assistant professor of data […] Read more
Greybush leads NSF-funded project using AI to better understand weather patterns
Posted on September 17, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was originally published on Penn State News. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Steven Greybush, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire and associate professor of meteorology, is leading a three-year project to better understand and predict extreme weather events on Earth. Greybush, co-lead investigator, David John […] Read more
ICDS presents, wins award at PEARC
Posted on September 10, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was originally published on Penn State News. The annual Practice and Experience in Advanced Research Computing (PEARC) conference allots attendees the space for these connections. Each year faculty and researchers from Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) take part in presenting their work to this […] Read more
ICDS co-hire uses experience to develop fundamental algorithms
Posted on August 22, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was originally published on Penn State News. Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire and professor of mathematics and meteorology John Harlim uses his experience in applied mathematics and data science to design computational algorithms and understand which scientific problems they can and can’t solve. […] Read more
Center for Immersive Experiences supports research avenues across University
Posted on August 21, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was originally published on Penn State News. The Penn State Center for Immersive Experiences (CIE) aims to create a “convergence accelerator of research” across the commonwealth at Penn State, according to Jessica Menold, CIE director, Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire and associate professor of mechanical […] Read more
Project aims to build strong manufacturing workforce with immersive technology
Posted on August 20, 2024Editor’s Note: A version of this story was originally published on Penn State News. McKEESPORT, Pa. — The Richard King Mellon Foundation recently awarded $392,000 to two researchers at Penn State to build a strong science- and technology-focused (STF) workforce in the state’s Mon Valley region through collaboration and virtual, augmented and mixed reality trainings […] Read more
Research tackling climate change with machine learning wins best paper award
Posted on August 15, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Tackling Climate Change with Machine Learning Workshop at the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), which took place in Vienna, Austria, and virtually in May, presented a best paper award to a group researching and using machine learning to forecast weather. Romit Maulik, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire […] Read more
AIMI fellow’s research ‘grounded in what can happen in reality’
Posted on August 14, 2024SCRANTON, Pa. — With more than 25 years of experience in the finance industry and 15-plus years working in academia, Nonna Sorokina, Penn State Center for Applications of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning to Industry (AIMI) fellow, Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) associate member and assistant professor of business/finance, works to bridge the gap between the finance […] Read more
Dave Hunter’s passion for mentorship aids in interdisciplinary mission
Posted on August 13, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With a passion for mentorship and support, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) Associate Director David Hunter combines his experience in academia and statistics to strengthen the interdisciplinary research mission of ICDS and Penn State. “The institute structure is a phenomenal aspect that sets our University apart from […] Read more
ICDS associate director focuses research, initiatives on emerging technologies
Posted on August 8, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Emerging technologies using computer science, engineering and data are on the mind of Penn State Institute of Computational Data Sciences (ICDS) Associate Director Mahmut Kandemir, who is also a distinguished professor of computer science. Kandemir has been a part of ICDS for around six years, first starting as part of the […] Read more
Keith Cheng awarded $3.8M grant from NIH for 3D imaging project
Posted on August 6, 2024Keith Cheng, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire and distinguished professor of pathology, of pharmacology and of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Penn State College of Medicine, has been awarded with a four-year, $3.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant is to further develop novel […] Read more
ICDS associate director’s work driven by unanswered fundamental questions in AI
Posted on August 1, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The work of Vasant Honavar, the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in biomedical data sciences and artificial intelligence (AI) and a professor of data science in the College of Information Sciences and Technology professor of data science, is driven by answering fundamental questions using machine learning. Honavar first came to […] Read more
EXTENDED: Roar Collab “Short Partition” Offers Free 4X Bursting
Posted on July 31, 2024ICDS is pleased to announce the extended availability of the Roar Collab “short partition” which allows users to submit short run jobs utilizing up to 4X the resources available through the Open Queue. This free resource will be available until the October 25 outage. “Users will be able to access a larger number of cores,” […] Read more
Drs. Abdullah Konak and Sadan Kulturel-Konak Receive ICDS-sponsored Research Grant
Posted on July 30, 2024Penn State researchers Dr. Abdullah Konak, Distinguished Professor of Information Sciences and Technology, and Dr. Sadan Kulturel-Konak, Professor of Management Information Systems, both of Penn State Berks, are the 2024 recipients of a grant sponsored by ICDS as part of the Inter-Institutional Program for Diversifying Research (IPDR). Dr. Ryan Hassler, Teaching Professor of mathematics, Penn […] Read more
AI Hub names new director
Posted onThe AI Hub, an inclusive forum for promoting and informing audiences on artificial intelligence (AI) and its use and impact, AI-related activities and events as well as organizing communities across the University, has named a new director. Mehrdad Mahdavi, associate professor of computer science and engineering and associate director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence […] Read more
Projects with ‘real-world relevance’ of priority to ICDS co-hire
Posted on July 23, 2024UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A combination of machine learning and classical physics methods allow Xiaofeng Liu, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire and associate professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, to conduct research that “touches everybody’s life.” Liu’s current works look at constructing and maintaining bridge infrastructure, river hydraulics, flooding and water […] Read more
D.Eng. program seeking researchers interested in advising students
Posted on July 11, 2024The Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.) in Engineering program is seeking researchers interested in advising advanced, highly motivated, post-master’s students who are supported by their organizations. The online, Penn State World Campus 45-credit program will provide researchers the opportunity to advise, mentor and publish with students who are advanced in their careers; research multidisciplinary real-world industry […] Read more
Save the date for ICDS Day MMXXI: Shaping The Future of Penn State’s Digital Research
Posted on July 3, 2024Mark your calendars for the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) ICDS Day MMXXIV: Shaping The Future of Penn State’s Digital Research on Wednesday, Oct. 23 in HUB Alumni Hall. The event aims to bring together researchers, faculty and industry experts to foster innovation, explore the intersection of digital technologies and research […] Read more
New Free Roar Collab Resource- Short Run High Resource Jobs
Posted on May 31, 2024ICDS is pleased to announce a new free offering, available to all Roar Collab users for a limited time. The new Roar Collab “short partition” will allow users to submit short run jobs utilizing up to 4X the resources available through the Open Queue. “Users will be able to access a larger number of cores,” […] Read more
AIMI fellow to moderate session at AI Era in Finance Symposium
Posted on May 30, 2024Financial industry professionals, beginner researchers, and members of upper-level academia are coming together to create connections through the AI Era in Finance Symposium hosted by The Friends of Women in Finance in Greater New York on June 6 at Pace University in New York City. “This is a new organization [The Friends of Women in […] Read more
ICDS co-hire promoted to associate professor
Posted on May 8, 2024Penn State Institute for Computational Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire Dr. Melissa Gervais has been promoted to associate professor of meteorology and atmospheric science effective on July 1. “I feel fantastic,” Gervais said. “I love being here at Penn State, so it was very exciting to get the news.” Gervais started at Penn State in 2017 as […] Read more
Cyberinfrastructure Faculty Advisory Committee to provide input on shared ICDS services
Posted onAn 18-member Cyberinfrastructure Faculty Advisory Committee (CiFAC) was formed earlier this spring to provide input on shared cyberinfrastructure and services offered through Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS). The faculty committee will “provide guidance to ICDS on opportunities for researchers to increase their productivity and impact through the use of ROAR and […] Read more
Wauthier named Associate Director of ICDS
Posted on May 3, 2024Christelle Wauthier, associate professor of geosciences, has been named an Associate Director for the Institute of Computational and Data Sciences, effective April 1. In this new role, Wauthier aims to enhance collaboration between ICDS co-hires, especially those at the junior level. She also aims to grow interdisciplinary research. As a researcher herself, Wauthier has spent […] Read more
ICDS staff involved in establishment of $20M NSF-funded center
Posted on April 26, 2024The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $20 million grant to support the creation and operation of the National Synthesis Center for Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences (NCEMS), which will be led by Penn State and based at Penn State’s University Park campus. The center will “enable research that uses existing, […] Read more
CAREERS Project Seeks Student Research Facilitators
Posted on April 10, 2024Are you a student interested in machine learning? Do you have experience using python? Do you enjoy independent work? CAREERS (Cyberteam to Advance Research and Education in Eastern Regional Schools) Cyberteam, a 3-year initiative led by Yale University and funded by National Science Foundation, is seeking undergraduate and graduate students to assist in one of four […] Read more
AI Week: April 1-5
Posted on March 31, 2024The Penn State Artificial Intelligence (AI) Week is a week-long event to celebrate all of the disparate threads of AI across Penn State. The week is coordinated by the AI Hub and a full schedule of events is set for the inaugural Penn State AI Week during April 1-5,. “Our first AI week offers something for everyone in […] Read more
Cervone Named Interim Director for ICDS
Posted on February 22, 2024The Office of the Senior Vice President for Research has announced a transition at the helm of the Institute for Computational Data Sciences (ICDS): Guido Cervone, a renowned expert in computational science and geoinformatics, will become the interim director of ICDS, effective April 1. He will take over from Jenni Evans, professor of meteorology and […] Read more
2024 ICDS Seed Grants Now Open
Posted on February 15, 2024The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences has launched its 2024-2025 seed grant program. ICDS seed grants foster innovative data science and HPC-enabled research. As seed grants, awards encourage research groups to develop competitive proposals for substantial external funding. This year’s competition is focused on five thematic priorities that will receive preferential consideration: […] Read more
New ICDS Staffer Wrote the Book on Machine Learning for Energy Industry
Posted on February 1, 2024ICDS RISE consultant Daniel Otchere’s new book seeks to bring the power of machine learning to the energy industry. “Data Science and Machine Learning Applications in Subsurface Engineering” will be released by Routledge on February 6. Researchers in academic and commercial settings alike are looking to bring the benefits of machine learning to their work, […] Read more
ICDS Awarded $1.1 Million NSF Grant
Posted on January 10, 2024Researchers at ICDS, together with collaborators at other institutions within Pennsylvania, have been awarded approximately $1.1 million in funding under the U.S. National Science Foundation Campus Cyberinfrastructure program to develop a commonwealth-wide secure network and related cyberinfrastructure to interconnect Pennsylvania colleges and universities. Read more. Read more
ICDS awards seed funding for Inter-Institutional Partnerships for Diversifying Research
Posted on September 12, 2023The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences awarded seed funding for two innovative proposals as part of the Inter-Institutional Partnerships for Diversifying Research (IPDR) Program, in the Computational & Data Science track (ADOPTS). Both proposals will build robust and dynamic cross-institutional scientific partnerships. Dr. Jeremy Blum from the School of Science, Engineering and Technology at […] Read more
ICDS co-hire Guido Cervone co-authors national report on ethical artificial intelligence use
Posted on June 21, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — From facial recognition on smart phones to digital voice assistants like Siri to tools like ChatGPT, artificial intelligence and machine learning are part of our everyday lives. Their benefits are many, but their rapid rise is also spurring questions about their risks. The ethical use of artificial intelligence and machine learning […] Read more
Machine learning technology boosts analog weather forecasting
Posted on June 20, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Machine learning technology that can recognize human faces may also help to improve weather forecasts, according to a team of scientists. “The idea behind this work comes from Google’s FaceNet, but instead of comparing your picture to images of faces in a database, we are comparing weather to historical forecasts,” said […] Read more
$3 million grant to aid researchers testing pregnancy weight-management platform
Posted on June 13, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For women whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is high before they get pregnant, gaining excessive weight during pregnancy is associated with serious health problems for them and their babies, according to the Institute of Medicine. To help women with high BMI stay within healthy weight-gain ranges, a team of interdisciplinary researchers […] Read more
Wrist-worn mobile alcohol sensor may boost real-world alcohol-use research
Posted on June 7, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A wrist-worn sensor that gathers data on alcohol use in a less obtrusive manner than current methods could one day pave the way for real-time interventions, among other benefits, according to a team of researchers. In a study, the researchers reported that wrist-worn alcohol sensors collected data that agreed with information […] Read more
The Conversation: Gravitational wave detector LIGO is back online after 3 years of upgrades – how the world’s most sensitive yardstick reveals secrets of the universe
Posted on May 30, 2023By Chad Hanna, professor of physics and astronomy and astrophysics, for The Conversation After a three-year hiatus, scientists in the U.S. have just turned on detectors capable of measuring gravitational waves – tiny ripples in space itself that travel through the universe. Unlike light waves, gravitational waves are nearly unimpeded by the galaxies, stars, gas […] Read more
Uncovering universal physics in the dynamics of a quantum system
Posted on May 24, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — New experiments using one-dimensional gases of ultra-cold atoms reveal a universality in how quantum systems composed of many particles change over time following a large influx of energy that throws the system out of equilibrium. A team of physicists at Penn State showed that these gases immediately respond, “evolving” with features […] Read more
Penn State’s Jean Paul Allain to lead DOE Fusion Energy Sciences program
Posted on May 17, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jean Paul Allain, head of the Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering at Penn State, has been appointed associate director for fusion energy sciences (FES) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Over a two-year term, in accordance with the provisions of the Intergovernmental Personnel […] Read more
ICDS teams host and co-host meetings to promote AI in business while considering ethical challenges
Posted onPenn State Institute of Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) hosted two spring semester events to inform researchers, business leaders and policymakers on the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence. The Center for Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Industry (AIMI) held its Spring Workshop for faculty members and business leaders to explore AI opportunities. […] Read more
More research is needed to spread the benefits of electric vehicles equitably
Posted on May 15, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Electric vehicles, or EVs, promise to reduce carbon emissions and serve as a tool to help mitigate climate change, but a team of Penn State researchers report there has been little research to determine how equitable the benefits of EVs are and, in fact, whether the technology may unfairly harm some […] Read more
PennTAP releases 2022 annual report documenting $11.4 million in economic benefit
Posted on May 12, 2023In 2022, PennTAP, a key partner of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, provided $11.4 million in economic benefit and trained more than 1,000 individuals across 40 Pennsylvania counties. The organization just released its 2022 annual report, which demonstrates ways it has supported small to mid-sized businesses across the state, from improving energy efficiency […] Read more
Standalone sensor system uses human movement to monitor health and environment
Posted on May 10, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For mere dollars, a Penn State-led international collaboration has fabricated a self-powered, standalone sensor system capable of monitoring gas molecules in the environment or in human breath. The system combines nanogenerators with micro-supercapacitors to harvest and story energy generated by human movement. The researchers published their approach, which costs up to […] Read more
ICDS co-hire Zoltan Fodor named to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Posted on May 4, 2023Zoltan Fodor, professor of physics and Institute for Computational and Data Sciences co-hire, was one of the three Penn State scientists named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2023, according to Penn State News. The 269 new members elected in 2023 come from academia, the arts, industry, policy, research and science. They […] Read more
Impact of sea ice loss on weather, cold air outbreaks focus of NSF CAREER Award
Posted on April 27, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Melissa Gervais, assistant professor of meteorology and atmospheric science, received a five-year $874,000 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation to investigate the impact of sea ice loss on large-scale patterns of atmospheric variability and cold air outbreaks. “Arctic sea ice plays a critical role in the […] Read more
App users wary of health and fitness recommendations based on social media data
Posted on April 25, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People may appreciate online apps that provide advice on health and fitness, but they seem to draw the line when those apps use their social media networks for data, according to researchers. In a study, users showed a strong preference for fitness recommendations that were personalized for them based on their self-reported preferences. […] Read more
Transparent labeling of training data may boost trust in artificial intelligence
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Showing users that visual data fed into artificial intelligence (AI) systems was labeled correctly might make people trust AI more, according to researchers. The findings may also pave the way to help scientists better measure the connection between labeling credibility, AI performance, and trust, the team added. In a study, the […] Read more
What is ChatGPT and what can it be used for? An interview with S. Shyam Sundar and Shamir Wilson
Posted on April 24, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — ChatGPT, a natural language processing tool driven by artificial intelligence (AI) technology, has been driving headlines since it was developed and released by OpenAI in November 2022. Since then, the technology has raised many questions, including what unintended consequences might arise and how ChatGPT can be used ethically. S. Shyam Sundar, […] Read more
Expertise, data resources build CTSI informatics core’s infrastructure
Posted on April 19, 2023HERSHEY, Pa.— One challenge researchers face is in accessing and analyzing big data, modern artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) methodologies to answer important clinical research questions necessary for larger studies. Up until recently, large sets of data from biomedical and health research, such as electronic health records (EHR), were out of reach as […] Read more
Mehran Sahami to discuss artificial intelligence ethics at distinguished lecture
Posted on April 11, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s AI (artificial intelligence) Hub will host Mehran Sahami, the James and Ellenor Chesebrough Professor and Tencent Chair of the Computer Science department, Stanford University, as the next speaker in its AI Distinguished lecture series. Sahami’s lecture will explore the potential promise and perils of machine learning, a technology with […] Read more
Convenience, control among benefits that inspire automated feature use
Posted on April 6, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People often complain about the occasional misfires of automated features, such as autocorrect, but users generally enjoy interacting with the tools, according to researchers. They added that focusing on certain benefits of automated features may help developers build automated tools that people use more and complain about less. In a study, […] Read more
Climate-related projects awarded seed grant funding through RISE support
Posted on April 4, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Two climate-related projects received seed grant funding through high-performance computing support and consultation. The goal of the Climate Seed Grant Program is to help Penn State researchers gain new insights that push forward their best scientific questions, enhancing the University’s opportunity for larger research grants and creating impacts in society. The program […] Read more
AIMI Spring Workshop to explore artificial intelligence, machine learning for industry
Posted on March 30, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State experts and Pennsylvania industry leaders are invited to attend a workshop to explore opportunities for bringing innovative artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions to the marketplace. The workshop will be held April 19 at Penn State’s Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in downtown State College. The Institute […] Read more
Brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded may be 1-in-10,000-year event
Posted on March 29, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — On Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, a pulse of intense radiation swept through the solar system. It was so exceptional that astronomers quickly dubbed it the “BOAT” — the brightest of all time. The source was a gamma-ray burst (GRB), the most powerful class of explosions in the universe. The burst triggered […] Read more
Habitat will dictate whether ground beetles win or lose against climate change
Posted on March 23, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The success of North American crops from corn to Christmas trees partly depends on a relatively invisible component of the food web — ground beetles. Nearly 2,000 species of ground beetle live in North America. New research led by Penn State shows that some of these insects could thrive while others […] Read more
David Hunter announced as new director of the Penn State AI Hub
Posted on March 21, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Office of the Senior Vice President for Research has announced that David Hunter has been appointed director for the cross-functional Penn State AI Hub. Hosted by the Institute for Computational Data Science (ICDS), the hub is designed with the vision of creating a collaborative and creative ecosystem across our university […] Read more
Thousands of new cosmic explosions discovered by Young Supernova Experiment
Posted on March 17, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Thousands of new cosmic explosions and other astrophysical events, dozens of them discovered just days or hours after their explosion, have been revealed in the first data release from the Young Supernova Experiment (YSE), which began in 2019. The Young Supernova Experiment, which includes Penn State astrophysicist V. Ashley Villar, aims […] Read more
Machine learning takes starring role in exploring the universe
Posted on March 16, 2023ICDS co-hires use machine learning to vastly improve astronomical analyses UNIVERSITY PARK — The intricate, beautiful images of the universe streaming from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are more than just pretty pixels that find their way onto computer or smartphone screens. These images represent data — lots and lots of data; in fact, […] Read more
Penn State chemist Ed O’Brien named Kavli Fellow
Posted on March 15, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Ed O’Brien, professor of chemistry and co-hire of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, has been selected to participate in the National Academy of Sciences’ 33rd annual Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium as a newly inducted Kavli Fellow. The symposium is to be held this month in Irvine, California. The […] Read more
Penn State research-based startup completes NSF I-Corps National Teams program
Posted on March 14, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The amount of raw data generated by devices is increasing at an exponential rate. New units of measurement were recently created to account for this overflow of data — but current analysis tools are not designed to handle this scale of data. Through his software startup Lightscline, Penn State industrial engineering doctoral candidate […] Read more
New study finds early warning signs prior to 2002 Antarctic ice shelf collapse
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In 2002, an area of ice about the size of Rhode Island dramatically broke away from Antarctica as the Larsen B ice shelf collapsed. A new study of the conditions that led to the collapse may reveal warning signs to watch for future Antarctic ice shelf retreat, according to a Penn […] Read more
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences’ Wayne Figurelle concludes term as Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation’s executive committee chair, plans to continue service as coalition’s past chair
Posted on February 27, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK — Wayne Figurelle, assistant director of Institute for Computational Data Sciences, recently concluded his two-year term as chair of the executive committee of Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC). “Penn State continues its dedication to advance computational and data science research through its membership in national organizations, such as CASC,” said Figurelle. “This […] Read more
Discovery of massive early galaxies defies prior understanding of the universe
Posted on February 23, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Six massive galaxies discovered in the early universe are upending what scientists previously understood about the origins of galaxies in the universe. “These objects are way more massive than anyone expected,” said Joel Leja, assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State, who modeled light from these galaxies. “We expected […] Read more
Beyond memorization: Text generators may plagiarize beyond ‘copy and paste’
Posted on February 17, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Students may want to think twice before using a chatbot to complete their next assignment. Language models that generate text in response to user prompts plagiarize content in more ways than one, according to a Penn State-led research team that conducted the first study to directly examine the phenomenon. “Plagiarism comes […] Read more
Researchers propose ‘troll for good’ approach to guide ethical use of AI
Posted on February 16, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK – Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies are emerging and expanding so quickly that regulations and policies to guide use are lagging far behind, according to a team of researchers. In an article in the current issue of Science, the team suggests merging two radical approaches – copyleft and patent trolling […] Read more
ICDS co-hire Eric Ford named one of Penn State’s Distinguished Professors
Posted onPenn State’s Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs has named seven distinguished professors for 2023, including an Institute for Computational Data Sciences’ (ICDS) co-hire. Eric Ford, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, Eberly College of Science, and ICDS co-hire, was one of the professors who received that recognition this year. According to the Vice Provost […] Read more
Demographers identify the causes, challenges of a rapidly aging Puerto Rico
Posted on February 13, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Puerto Rican population is aging rapidly, with the percentage of older adults on the island the 10th highest in the world. Penn State researchers are discovering, for the first time, the causes of population aging and how it will negatively impact Puerto Rico. Amílcar Matos-Moreno, postdoctoral scholar in the Social Science […] Read more
Improving heart health by diversifying genetic data
Posted on February 6, 2023UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — On the first Friday of February, many Americans wear red to kick off American Heart Month and bring attention to the prevalence of heart disease — the leading cause of death in the United States. Many factors can contribute to a person’s risk of developing heart disease, including high blood pressure, […] Read more
Three Penn State researchers awarded scientific grants from Kaufman Foundation
Posted on January 23, 2023The Charles E. Kaufman Foundation — a supporting organization of The Pittsburgh Foundation, which works to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region — has selected three researchers from the Eberly College of Science to receive research grants this year. The foundation awards grants to scientists at institutes of higher learning in Pennsylvania who are […] Read more
ICDS Systems Integration Engineer Named Internet2 Inclusivity Scholarship Recipient
Posted on January 19, 2023By Solomon Obeng-Ayirebi Internet2 recently announced four recipients of the 2022 Internet2 Inclusivity (I2I) Scholarship, with the ultimate goal of increasing the meaningful participation of women information technology professionals in the research and education (R&E) community. This announcement was made a week before the organization’s annual technical event, the 2022 Internet2 Technology Exchange, which took place in […] Read more
People open up more to smart speakers that listen actively
Posted on December 21, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK — Adding random, short expressions of understanding in a conversation may turn smart speakers, such as Alexa and Siri, into robot therapists that allow people to open up more without violating their privacy, according to a team of researchers. In a study, the team programmed a smart speaker to respond with backchannels — […] Read more
From Rust Belt to Green Belt: Penn State leads nuclear research alliance
Posted on December 14, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Led by Penn State, academia, national laboratories and industry have formed the Post-Industrial Midwest and Appalachia (PIMA) Nuclear Alliance to harness carbon-free energy while educating and training the future energy workforce. The alliance will host a workshop to continue establishing their team, conceptualizing their goals and developing their project plans at Penn State […] Read more
Turning video on and seeing others may boost remote class experience
Posted on December 7, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Turning the camera on during a remote class — and seeing more students with their own cameras on — may improve factors critical to a better class experience, according to a team of Penn State researchers. In two studies on classes using videoconferencing technology, students who turned their cameras on tended […] Read more
Why synonymous mutations are not always silent
Posted on December 6, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — New modeling shows how synonymous mutations — those that change the DNA sequence of a gene but not the sequence of the encoded protein — can still impact protein production and function. A team of researchers led by Penn State chemists modeled how genetic changes that alter the speed of protein […] Read more
Architectural Engineering Student joins ICDS as JEDI graduate fellow
Posted on December 5, 2022Solomon Obeng-Ayirebi, a master’s student in Architectural Engineering at Penn State, has joined the justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) committee of ICDS as a graduate fellow for the 2022-23 academic year. Solomon, who grew up in Obo Kwahu in the eastern region of Ghana, worked for nearly five years as a professional quantity surveyor […] Read more
Scalable model makes for more efficient, smarter grid use, researchers report
Posted on November 30, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Buildings consume roughly 75% of the electricity used in the United States, and, without significant changes, the number is expected to rise in the coming decades. An answer potentially exists in renewable resources, but they are plagued with the uncertainty of when the sun might shine, when the wind might blow and how […] Read more
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences declares poster session winners
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences announced the winners for the 2022 ICDS Symposium’s poster session and lighting talks. The winning submissions covered research on analyzing traumatic brain injury, understanding the media’s role in shaping discussions on water infrastructure and investigating the use of pebble fuels for nuclear power. Winning submissions include: Analyzing […] Read more
Grant to explore using computers to help groups make better decisions
Posted on November 11, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — A $299,992 National Science Foundation grant to Penn State, together with a $299,176 grant to Iowa State, could lead to an interactive, computer-aided, decision-support tool that can help groups of people make better choices. Computer programs for individual decision-making are already on the market, but sorting out the preferences and priorities […] Read more
Event introduces Penn State Behrend faculty to supercomputing-powered research
Posted on November 4, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) will host an informational open house focused on how Penn State Behrend researchers can leverage the power of supercomputing. The event will be held in room 236 in Burke Center on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The open house will offer Penn […] Read more
Penn State researchers to explore using quantum computers to design new drugs
Posted on October 27, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The time it takes medicines to move from discovery to approved use for patients can take decades and cost billions of dollars. Now, a $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant will help a team of Penn State researchers study the use of quantum computer-based artificial intelligence (AI) to see if quantum […] Read more
Researchers to use $1.2 million grant to study early Alzheimer’s detection
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — A team of Penn State-led researchers received a $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to help fund a project to develop a machine learning system for early Alzheimer’s disease detection. Alzheimer’s disease, a neurological condition and the most common form of dementia, affects nearly 6 million Americans, according […] Read more
Witzig new director of Center for Security Research and Education
Posted on October 26, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Lisa Witzig has been appointed director of Penn State’s Center for Security Research and Education. With a career that spans over 40 years of working with the U.S. Intelligence Community and in the private sector, Witzig’s new responsibilities will include securing funding for interdisciplinary research on security-related topics and organizing opportunities to […] Read more
Warm and cold: Interactive media tools shape political feelings and attitudes
Posted on October 25, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Tools that invite interaction with political news online — such as liking and commenting buttons — can change users’ feelings toward those who hold opposing political views. In a study, researchers found that when online users saw the comment buttons, they felt warmer toward people across the political divide. However, when […] Read more
Project aims to use artificial intelligence to turn health data into predictions
Posted on October 12, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — A $599,883 grant from the National Science Foundation could help scientists use machine learning (ML) algorithms to use large amounts of data to guide decisions on a range of issues, from disease spread to economic meltdowns to social unrest. The grant is focused on developing algorithms that can analyze longitudinal data, which is […] Read more
Saltier sea water may predict heavy summer rains in the U.S. corn belt
Posted on October 11, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Farmers in the Midwest should care about the saltiness of ocean water thousands of miles from their fields, according to a team of scientists. The researchers found ocean salinity may better predict heavy summer rainfall a season in advance in the Midwest. The findings could allow farmers and officials to make […] Read more
Research center will help industries connect with Penn State’s AI prowess
Posted on October 7, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In a world of increasingly complex supply chains, quickly shifting workforce trends, a deepening need for productivity, and a need for addressing societal challenges, organizations are looking at artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) (collectively AI/ML) as an ally to navigate the competitive landscape and deliver needed goods and services […] Read more
Architecture professor earns international innovative research award
Posted on October 6, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Felecia Davis, associate professor of architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School, has been recognized by the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) for her work exploring the use of computational textiles as the recipient of the 2022 Innovative Research Award of Excellence. The award, which recognizes […] Read more
Workshop explores artificial intelligence for biomedical, health research
Posted on October 3, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) will co-host a workshop, “Harnessing the Power of EHR Data and AI to Advance Biomedical Research,” that will focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for biomedical and health record research. Registration is now open for the virtual event, […] Read more
New grant continues Arctic research addressing climate change and communities
Posted on September 22, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Climate change in the Arctic is evident as temperatures rise and Alaskan coastal Indigenous communities face severe, urgent, and complex social and infrastructural challenges. A collection of Penn State research in the region, being driven by social sciences and in collaboration with engineering and natural sciences, will address these challenges. Building […] Read more
Users trust AI as much as humans for flagging problematic content
Posted on September 16, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Social media users may trust artificial intelligence — AI — as much as human editors to flag hate speech and harmful content, according to researchers at Penn State. The researchers said that when users think about positive attributes of machines, like their accuracy and objectivity, they show more faith in AI. […] Read more
Novel implantable sensor sniffs out possible signals of osteoarthritis
Posted on September 15, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — If smoke indicates a fire, nitric oxide signals inflammation. The chemical mediator promotes inflammation, but researchers suspect it can do its job too well after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures and related injuries and initiate early onset osteoarthritis. Typically, the degenerative disease is only diagnosed after progressive symptoms, but it potentially […] Read more
Designed to Adapt: Living materials are the future of sustainable building
Posted on September 14, 2022The coming decades present a host of challenges for our built environments: a rising global population combined with increasing urbanization; crumbling infrastructure and dwindling resources to rebuild it; and the growing pressures of a changing climate, to name a few. To become more livable for more people, cities themselves will need to become smarter, with […] Read more
Immersive experiences open up new worlds of teaching, learning and research
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Immersive, interactive technologies are changing the way we learn, teach and conduct research and the Center for Immersive Experiences — CIE — is helping prepare the Penn State community to take advantage of the opportunities emerging from this brave new virtual world. CIE is part of the Institute for Computational and Data Science (ICDS) and […] Read more
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences opens 2022 Symposium registration
Posted on September 1, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) announced the opening of registration for its fall symposium aimed at exploring the role data science and artificial intelligence (AI) plays in creating a sustainable, resilient and equitable future. The symposium will bring together a community of researchers, students, scholars, industry representatives and governmental […] Read more
Summer workshops focus on artificial intelligence in science
Posted on August 30, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Team members from the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) offered their expertise, experience, and even their office space to host a series of summer workshops and camps focused on advanced statistical and computational tools that scientists are using to explore everything from astronomy to zoology. The institute helped out with the […] Read more
Spatial-network modeling may offer new path to monitoring political hotspots
Posted on August 19, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — An improvement to a computer model may help scientists better predict the future moves of political factions and locate where they might interact with other — often rival — groups, according to Penn State researchers. Predicting those moves could provide an early warning system for potential civil conflicts and violence, they […] Read more
Lessons on nutrition easy to digest in virtual reality spaces
Posted on August 9, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — Virtual reality (VR) may provide nutrition teachers and dietitians with an entirely new way to serve real lessons on healthy eating, according to a team of Penn State researchers. In a study, students learned about nutrition both through an interactive VR lesson, as well as during a more traditional lecture that […] Read more
New options for health, environmental monitoring with water-resistant gas sensor
Posted on August 3, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Accurate, continuous monitoring of nitrogen dioxide and other gases in humid environments is now possible, thanks to a new water-resistant gas sensor developed by Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, the James L. Henderson Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics, and his team. The sensor detects nitrogen dioxide in breath, the […] Read more
Seed grants to fund projects that tackle huge scientific, societal challenges
Posted on July 22, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences awarded this year’s seed grant program, offering more funds to help Penn State scientists kickstart research projects. The seed grants will fund 14 different proposals from researchers who represent five different colleges and 11 different departments, including several interdisciplinary collaborations that stretch across […] Read more
Saltier seas mean heavy summer rain for the the US Midwest
Posted on July 14, 2022WASHINGTON—Farmers and city managers across the Midwest need to know how heavy summer rains will be to plan planting, fertilizer application and floodwater management, but predicting extreme rain events is difficult, especially months to a season in advance. A new study, published today in AGU’s Geophysical Research Letters, reports how saltier ocean surface thousands of miles away are […] Read more
Good, bad, fair: New algorithms could help fairly distribute goods or chores
Posted on July 6, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When organizations need to divvy up indivisible items among multiple parties with different needs and preferences — such as providing limited COVID-19 vaccines to medical facilities or distributing food bank donations to families with varying dietary restrictions — how can they ensure that everyone gets their fair share? To ensure fair […] Read more
Turning phones on silent may increase phone checking
Posted on June 30, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — Telling people to turn their smartphones off, or set them on silent as a strategy to ease distractions or avoid addictive internet behaviors may backfire on some folks, according to Penn State researchers. In a study, the researchers report that people checked their phones more often when their devices were in […] Read more
Cervone named to inaugural cohort of AGU Local Science Partners program
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has named Guido Cervone, professor of geography, meteorology and atmospheric science and associate director of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences at Penn State, to the inaugural cohort of the organization’s Local Science Partners program. Cervone is one of 55 AGU members from across the […] Read more
Suicide vulnerability index, machine learning model help predict counties’ risk
Posted on June 28, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, but the models that have been used to predict suicide rates weight risk factors equally and rely on data for large geographic areas, limiting the precision of the predictions, according to Penn State researchers. Now, the researchers have developed a machine learning-based […] Read more
Online platform designed to improve reproducibility, scientific collaborations
Posted on June 27, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For centuries, scientists relied on a pen or pencil and trusty lab notebook to make sure their experiments could be understood and replicated by colleagues. Now, as experiments may involve dozens of steps and hundreds of materials, produce gigabytes of data that require supercomputers to process and are shared with collaborators […] Read more
Losing a grandmother may trigger rise in depression for some of her survivors
Posted on June 21, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Losing a beloved family member is never easy, but a new study suggests the loss of a grandmother in particular may have repercussions for the loved ones she leaves behind. The researchers found that for up to seven years after the death of their grandmother, adolescent boys had a 50% increase […] Read more
IEE, ICDS partner on seed grants to promote computational climate research
Posted on June 17, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE) and the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences’ (ICDS) Research Innovations with Scientists and Engineers (RISE) team are working together to use computational power and human expertise to support research projects that can help create solutions affecting the climate and environment. Penn State faculty investigating the climate are encouraged […] Read more
ICDS hires engineers to help researchers use AI to advance science
Posted on June 14, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Recognizing the growing opportunities to use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to power scientific investigations, Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) has added two more AI specialists to its team. ICDS announced that Anudha Mittal and Simon Delattre will join the institute’s Research Innovations with Scientists and Engineers […] Read more
IST assistant professor Hadi Hosseini receives NSF CAREER award
Posted on May 24, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Hadi Hosseini, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), is the recipient of a 2022 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The CAREER award is the most prestigious award given by the NSF in support of junior faculty members who exemplify […] Read more
Westinghouse and Penn State to explore advancing sustainable micro-reactors
Posted on May 23, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State and Westinghouse announced that they will partner on research and development efforts focused on exploring and applying nuclear engineering and science innovations to societal needs. They will also begin discussions about siting Westinghouse’s eVinci micro-reactor, a next-generation, small modular reactor designed to address sustainable power needs from immediate use in […] Read more
Penn State, IBM team up to boost data engineering skills
Posted on May 17, 2022IBM’s new Data Engineering Center of Excellence based in Innovation Park will pair students with experts in data engineering, benefiting students and businesses worldwide UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The digital transformation and proliferation of “big data” has revolutionized how businesses and organizations operate today. Data can provide a window into growth opportunities, consumer behavior and […] Read more
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences announces Mahmut Kandemir named new associate director
Posted on May 11, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences announced that Mahmut Kandemir, distinguished professor of electrical engineering and computer science, has been named an associate director of the institute. Kandemir is one of the world’s foremost experts on cyberinfrastructure and is leading the institute’s efforts to make the University a global resource for artificial intelligence […] Read more
Institute awards seed grants for computational, data science projects
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) has awarded eight new seed grants to bolster computational and data science research projects throughout the University. The support will benefit researchers from five Penn State campuses studying topics ranging from weather prediction, to forecasting mortgage loan closures, to exploring engineering approaches for battery […] Read more
Outage outrage: Facebook outage may reveal depth of social media dependency
Posted on May 5, 2022NEW ORLEANS — Users typically react to social media outages with angry tirades and barbed jokes. But researchers suggest that this lack of social media access offers a glimpse into the importance of social media not just as a tool to socialize and entertain, but as a utility comparable to gas and electricity. In a […] Read more
Interactive tools may help people become their own big data journalists
Posted on May 4, 2022NEW ORLEANS — Interactive tools that allow online media users to navigate, save and customize graphs and charts may help them make better sense of the deluge of data that is available online, according to a team of researchers. These tools may help users identify personally relevant information, and check on misinformation, they added. In […] Read more
Interactivity improves transparency, deepens trust of AI symptom checkers
Posted onNEW ORLEANS — Just as good doctors establish rapport with their patients, health chatbots programmed for conversational back-and-forth with patients may earn more trust from users and help them better understand their health assessments, according to Penn State researchers. In a study, researchers said that people were significantly more likely to find an online symptom […] Read more
Industrial engineering professor named outstanding alumnus by alma mater
Posted on May 3, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Soundar Kumara, Allen E. Pearce and Allen M. Pearce Professor of Industrial Engineering at Penn State, received a 2021 Outstanding Industrial Engineering Alumni Award from his alma mater, Purdue University’s School of Industrial Engineering. This award is given to Purdue University industrial engineering alumni that have demonstrated exemplary achievement and leadership […] Read more
Subtle signals can influence whether people trust online recommendations
Posted onNEW ORLEANS — Subtle labels that tip off how online recommendation systems choose their selections, such as book and movie choices, may influence whether people trust those systems, according to a team of researchers. They may also tip off people on whom to blame when those recommendations go awry. In a study, the researchers investigated […] Read more
SAFES seed funding boosts agricultural research data capabilities
Posted on April 26, 2022Originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four research teams in the College of Agricultural Sciences have tapped in to the computing and software engineering expertise at the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) to improve research workflows. Seed funding from the Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) at […] Read more
Two ICDS-affiliated faculty receive 2022 Faculty Scholar Medals for Outstanding Achievement
Posted on April 13, 2022Two ICDS-affiliated faculty members received recognition as 2022 Faculty Scholar Medals for Outstanding Achievement, according to Penn State News. Susan Sinnott, professor of materials science and engineering (MatSE) and chemistry and head of the Department of MatSE and Jonathan Lynch, distinguished professor of plant nutrition in the College of Agricultural Sciences were both awarded with the […] Read more
Cloud server leasing can leave sensitive data up for grabs
Posted on April 12, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Renting space and IP addresses on a public server has become standard business practice, but according to a team of Penn State computer scientists, current industry practices can lead to “cloud squatting,” which can create a security risk, endangering sensitive customer and organization data intended to remain private. Cloud squatting occurs […] Read more
Penn State joins $360 million national water research effort
Posted onPenn State will join a national consortium led by the University of Alabama to translate water research into operations that improve the country’s ability to predict weather-related hazards and effectively manage water resources. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has funded the effort with $360 million — a portion of which of which will support […] Read more
First European farmers’ heights did not meet expectations
Posted on April 8, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A combined study of genetics and skeletal remains show that the switch from primarily hunting, gathering and foraging to farming about 12,000 years ago in Europe may have had negative health effects as indicated by shorter than expected heights in the earliest farmers, according to an international team of researchers. “Recent […] Read more
Are egg cells in aging primates protected from mutations?
Posted on April 5, 2022A new study shows that mutation frequencies in mitochondrial DNA are lower, and increase less with age, in the precursors of egg cells than in the cells of other tissues in a primate Story originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — New mutations occur at increasing rates in the mitochondrial genomes of […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Andrew Shaughnessy
Posted on March 31, 2022What’s the elevator pitch for your research? Understanding processes that impact water quality and quantity is pivotal in maintaining the safety and security of our water resources in the future. My research focuses on using machine learning to link the changes in the hydrologic cycle to anthropogenic perturbations. I integrate data science and geoscience […] Read more
Penn State to hold NSF-funded machine learning symposium on water resources
Posted on March 30, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State will hold the first National Science Foundation-funded symposium on how machine learning can contribute to the field of hydrology. The event, titled “HydroML Symposium on Big Data Machine Learning in Hydrology and Water Resources,” will be held May 18-20 in person at University Park and online. Early registration ends on April […] Read more
Geosciences doctoral student receives Outstanding Student Presentation Award
Posted on March 28, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Judit Gonzalez-Santana, a doctoral student in geosciences, was awarded an Outstanding Student Presentation Award (OSPA) from the American Geophysical Union (AGU) for her talk “Contrasting flank instability behaviors and volcanic activity styles at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala.” OSPAs are awarded to “promote, recognize and reward undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. students for quality research […] Read more
Penn State Smeal’s Liechty leading DARPA-funded project to study financial disruptions
Posted on March 24, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When most people think of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), they think of inventions relating to national defense such as military attacks. However, a team recently granted a DARPA grant and led by a Penn State Smeal College of Business faculty member is demonstrating that disruptions to the U.S. […] Read more
Biodegradable implant could help doctors monitor brain chemistry
Posted on March 22, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A wireless, biodegradable sensor could offer doctors a way to monitor changes in brain chemistry without requiring a second operation to remove the implant, according to an international team of researchers. In a minimally invasive procedure on mice, the researchers inserted a wireless, biodegradable device into the deep brain region of […] Read more
Scientists tap AI betting agents to help solve research reproducibility concerns
Posted on March 16, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Scientists are increasingly concerned that the lack of reproducibility in research may lead to, among other things, inaccuracies that slow scientific output and diminished public trust in science. Now, a team of researchers reports that creating a prediction market, where artificially intelligent — AI – agents make predictions — or bet […] Read more
U.S. DOE awards nuclear engineer coveted supercomputing time
Posted on March 10, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science announced allocations of supercomputer access to 51 high-impact computational science projects for 2022 through its Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program. Elia Merzari, associate professor of nuclear engineering at Penn State, will lead one of these projects in collaboration […] Read more
Machine learning offers shortcut to optimal HVAC operation
Posted on March 3, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Control mechanisms for heating, ventilation and air conditioning in buildings follow set parameters to make conditions in a building more comfortable, but what they save on time can reduce efficiency and increase energy costs, according to Gregory Pavlak, assistant professor of architectural engineering. More sophisticated control models, known as model predictive […] Read more
ICDS associate receives College of Eberly Science’s Climate and Diversity Award
Posted onAn Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) associate was one of three individuals selected by The College of Eberly Science to receive an award for displaying extraordinary commitment to enhancing the environment of mutual respect and diversity in the college over the past year. Murali Haran, professor and head of the Department of Statistics […] Read more
Statistical association datafest competition to be held March 25-27
Posted on February 22, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Department of Statistics will host its seventh annual American Statistical Association DataFest competition in partnership with Nittany Data Labs (NDL) on the weekend of March 25-27, 2022. During the event, teams work to analyze a large, real-world dataset provided by an external organization. Students from undergraduate and master’s degree […] Read more
Supercomputers help scientists tune into lingo of jazz improv
Posted on February 18, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Anyone who has listened to jazz artists weave in and out of improvised solos can sense that the musicians share a secret language. Even jazz greats sense there is a secret behind this musical conversation. Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis said, “In jazz, improvisation isn’t a matter of just making any ol’ […] Read more
Science federation highlights Penn State proposal to combat diseases of despair
Posted on February 17, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Federation of American Scientists has chosen to highlight a proposal by Penn State researchers for the U.S. government to spearhead a nationwide effort to use innovative artificial intelligence and data science techniques to tackle the epidemic of diseases of despair, a term that is used to collectively refer to substance abuse, alcohol dependence and suicidal […] Read more
Grant to help scientists use AI to better measure Antarctic surface ice, climate
Posted on February 9, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A $300,000 National Science Foundation grant will help scientists develop artificial intelligence (AI) to better analyze imagery from satellites and other remote sensing devices that are currently monitoring surface ice in the Antarctic, according to a team of researchers. They add that better monitoring of this region for melting ice is […] Read more
Libraries, ICDS host February workshops on lab computing skills for researchers
Posted on February 2, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries and the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) will co-host two online workshops based on the training offered by The Carpentries, a global community that provides instruction and instructional resources on topics related to computational research. The workshops to be offered are: Introduction to the Unix Shell — Feb. 21, 1–4 […] Read more
Increased storminess may give rise to North Atlantic’s ‘cold blob’
Posted on February 1, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — While climate change is making much of the world warmer, temperatures in a subpolar region of the North Atlantic are getting cooler. A team of researchers report that changes in the wind pattern, among other factors, may be contributing to this “cold blob.” In a study published in Climate Dynamics, the researchers […] Read more
Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to seven projects
Posted on January 28, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) recently announced the results of its second seed funding competition, awarding more than $96,000 to advance seven interdisciplinary research projects that feature researchers from 11 colleges and institutes. Each proposal was evaluated for its connection to the center’s mission, intellectual merit, and potential for […] Read more
‘Black box gaslighting’ challenges social-media algorithm accountability
Posted on January 20, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Social media algorithms drive what content users see and when they see it. These complex systems aim to ensure a positive user experience by amplifying relevant posts and eliminating or limiting the reach of hateful or inappropriate content. But sometimes, social media influencers claim to experience unexplained drops in the reach […] Read more
Quasars, black holes and a cosmological conundrum
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Astrophysicist Yuexing Li’s quest began with quasars, luminous galaxies powered by supermassive black holes actively devouring matter and releasing enormous amounts of electromagnetic radiation so hot and bright we can see it more than 13 billion light years away. These colossal objects, formed less than a billion years after the Big Bang […] Read more
Latest NSF rankings show breadth and depth of Penn State research
Posted on January 19, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s research enterprise ranks 22nd in the country in total research expenditures, according to the latest National Science Foundation rankings of Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) research expenditures, released in January 2022. The rankings, for the 2020 fiscal year, show Penn State rising from 23rd place in 2019. In […] Read more
Penn State awarded $3.4 million contract to target plastic waste
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has been awarded a $3.4 million contract from the REMADE Institute, a public-private partnership established by the United States Department of Energy, to fund research targeting the inefficient methods currently used to process and upcycle mixed plastic waste. The project is one of 22 projects recently funded by REMADE. […] Read more
Integrated modeling of climate impacts on electricity demand and cost
Posted on January 18, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Around the world, energy systems are increasingly impacted by the effects of a changing climate. Energy systems, especially the electric-power system, are vulnerable to natural stressors such as wildfires, severe storms, extreme temperatures and long-term disruptions of the hydrological cycle. “As we have experienced in recent years, there have been more […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Ahmed Alrawi
Posted on January 13, 2022Ahmed Al Rawi, a doctoral student in mass communication, says his goal is to both better understand how information technology affects our world and to help find solutions to drive meaningful change. He relies on investigations into communications law, surveillance and big data to tackle issues in communications and mass media. In 40 words […] Read more
New approach can help identify young children most at risk for obesity
Posted on January 11, 2022UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. — Newly developed risk scores synthesize genetic information into an easy-to-interpret metric that could help clinicians identify young children most at risk of developing obesity. The study, led by researchers at Penn State, used novel statistical methods to establish scoring criteria using data collected from young children. The research also demonstrates that […] Read more
Coronal rain on a cold star?
Posted on January 3, 2022Observations of a distant stellar flare could contain the first evidence of coronal rain on a cool, small M-dwarf star UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — High-resolution spectroscopic observations of a stellar flare on a small, cool star indicate the possibility of coronal rain, a phenomenon that has been observed on our sun but not yet confirmed […] Read more
Penn State names Neeli Bendapudi as next president
Posted on December 9, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Neeli Bendapudi, currently president and professor of marketing at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, has been unanimously named Penn State’s next president by the Penn State Board of Trustees on Dec. 9. When she begins her appointment as Penn State’s 19th president in spring 2022, she will make history as the […] Read more
Researchers study hedge fund model for complex societal problems
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A hedge fund designed to pool money together for the public good could tackle a niche of problems that governments, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies all struggle with solving, according to Penn State researchers. In a study, a pair of Smeal College of Business researchers outlined a hedge fund model that features an ever-growing prize and patent repository. They said the money raised through the hedge fund — an actively managed […] Read more
Institute accepting seed grant proposals for AI, computational science projects
Posted on December 1, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) is accepting proposals for its seed grant program designed to help research groups get projects off the ground, and equip them with initial results needed to seek major external funding. Penn State faculty from any campus or college can submit applications now […] Read more
ICDS Fall Symposium speakers offer insights on digital fairness
Posted on November 30, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Experts from industry and academia offered their insights and led panel discussions on ways to improve digital fairness at the recent Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) Fall Symposium. The event was held virtually and included an interdisciplinary group of Penn State scientists who served as speakers and moderators, along with experts […] Read more
Biomedical engineers find neural activity during rest is highly organized
Posted on November 29, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When mice rest, individual neurons fire in seconds-long, coordinated cascades, triggering activity across the brain, according to research from Penn State and the National Institutes of Health. Previously, this was thought to be a relatively random process — single neurons firing spontaneously at random times without external stimulations. The finding, published […] Read more
Coronavirus Updates
Posted on November 12, 2021To keep up with the latest from Penn State about the global coronavirus outbreak, visit https://virusinfo.psu.edu. All members of the Penn State community are encouraged to take CDC-recommended health and safety precautions, available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html; contact their healthcare provider by phone if they have questions or feel ill; and review additional information from state and national health authorities at https://bit.ly/2UOGTg2. Read more
Featured Researcher: Harman Singh
Posted on November 9, 2021In an era of increasingly volatile weather patterns brought on by climate change, scientists are using data and innovative experimental methods to better predict floods and help guide policymakers. That’s just what Harman Singh, a graduate student in geography, is hoping to do with her mixed-method approach in investigating complex urban flooding in Kerala, India. In […] Read more
AI behind deepfakes may power materials design innovations, scientists say
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The person staring back from the computer screen may not actually exist, thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) capable of generating convincing but ultimately fake images of human faces. Now this same technology may power the next wave of innovations in materials design, according to Penn State scientists. “We hear a lot […] Read more
Symposium’s poster winners’ research investigates autism, flooding
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) at Penn State announced the two winners for the 2021 ICDS Fall Symposium’s virtual poster presentation. The winning posters included research on autism detection and urban flooding. The first-place award for $500 went to Yu-Hsin Chen, doctoral student in industrial and manufacturing engineering. Chen […] Read more
Black holes of all shapes and sizes in new gravitational wave catalog
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The largest catalog of gravitational wave events ever assembled has been released by an international collaboration that includes Penn State researchers. Gravitational waves are ripples in space time produced as aftershocks of huge astronomical events, such as the collision of two black holes. Using a global network of detectors, the research […] Read more
Penn State research expenditures total $993 million
Posted on November 3, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s research expenditures reached a total of $993.1 million in fiscal year 2020-21, an overall 1.5% decrease from the previous year, according to Senior Vice President for Research Lora Weiss. “Despite this slight decrease, we were able to maintain a solid research portfolio during the pandemic, even while we curtailed […] Read more
Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month at Penn State
Posted onThis story originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State student organizations and units at campuses across the commonwealth will be holding events in honor of National Native American Heritage Month, celebrated during the month of November. Here’s a look at some of the events taking place at the University’s campuses. Please […] Read more
ICDS RISE engineer ‘digs deep’ with President Eric Barron about the role of technology in immersive learning
Posted on November 1, 2021Patrick Dudas, a data visualization research and development engineer for Penn State’s Institute for Computation and Data Sciences (ICDS) and member of the RISE team, appeared on Digging Deeper, Penn State President Eric Barron’s podcast. Dudas, who is also an ICDS affiliate and interim director of the Center for Immersive Experiences, and Barron discussed how […] Read more
Vasant Honavar named Huck Chair in Biomedical Data Sciences and AI
Posted on October 27, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Vasant Honavar, professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, has been named the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Biomedical Data Sciences and Artificial Intelligence by the University’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. “I’m delighted we can recognize Vasant,” said Andrew Read, director of the Huck Institutes. […] Read more
Researchers use mobile tech, forge partnerships to study home literacy efforts
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State scientists are combining their skills in data science and innovative approaches to mobile technology with their ability to forge community partnerships to find ways to support families in their home literacy efforts. The research team is currently partnering with The Shadow Project on a study to analyze possible challenges […] Read more
Scientists uncover the genetic pathway that colors bumble bee stripes
Posted on October 22, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — While most people in the U.S. may think of bumble bees as the standard yellow and black variety, there are an estimated 260 bee species that sport about 400 different color patterns. One reason many people associate bumble bees with distinct colors is because evolution can influence multiple bee species to […] Read more
Supporting Purple Thursday for Domestic Violence Awareness
Posted on October 21, 2021It’s time to get your purple on! ICDS supports and promotes Purple Thursday, a domestic violence awareness activity coordinated by Penn State’s Gender Equity Center. The participatory action campaign known as Purple Thursday raises awareness about intimate partner violence and domestic violence by highlighting support for survivors and the efforts that have been made to […] Read more
Penn State-led team awarded $17 million to study climate risk and adaptation strategies
Posted on October 20, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A multi-institutional research team led by Penn State has been awarded a $17 million, five-year cooperative research agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science to understand how interconnected systems are exposed to natural hazards that create vulnerabilities and risks for society and how societies respond and adapt to […] Read more
Monitoring glucose levels, no needles required
Posted on October 15, 2021Penn State researchers develop first-of-its-kind wearable, noninvasive glucose monitoring device prototype by Gabrielle Stewart; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Noninvasive glucose monitoring devices are not currently commercially available in the United States, so people with diabetes must collect blood samples or use sensors embedded under the skin to measure their […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Hannah Merseal
Posted onA lifelong musician, Hannah Merseal is interested in the psychology of creativity, especially for jazz musicians who rely on improvisation. After double majoring in music and psychology, she came to Penn State pursue her Ph.D. in psychology, joining the Cognitive Neuroscience of Creativity Lab with Dr. Roger Beaty. Using sophisticated imaging techniques, Hannah is exploring […] Read more
Search engine could help researchers scour internet for privacy documents
Posted on October 14, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A search engine that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to “read” through millions of online documents could help privacy researchers find ones that are related to online privacy. The researchers who designed the search engine suggest it could be an important tool for researchers trying to find ways to design a safer […] Read more
Newly discovered gas giant moving closer to its star
Posted on October 13, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A newly discovered gas giant planet with an elliptical, comet-like orbit is closing in on its host star, according to new research by a Penn State graduate student and a team of collaborators. The researchers believe the planet, discovered using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Satellite Survey (TESS), will eventually become […] Read more
Cancer costs U.S. more than $156 billion, with drugs a leading expense
Posted on October 6, 2021HERSHEY, Pa. — Care for the 15 most prevalent types of cancer in the U.S. cost approximately $156.2 billion in 2018, according to a team of Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The team also found that medication was the biggest expense and that medication expense for breast, lung, lymphoma and colorectal cancers incurred the most costs. […] Read more
New way to image whole organisms in 3D brings key skin color pigment into focus
Posted on October 5, 2021HERSHEY, Pa. — To understand the biological underpinnings of skin and hair pigmentation and related diseases such as albinism or melanoma, scientists and doctors need quantitative, three-dimensional information about the architecture, content and location of pigment cells. Penn State College of Medicine researchers have developed a new technique that allows scientists to visualize every cell containing melanin […] Read more
What was really the secret behind Van Gogh’s success? AI helps discover whether artistic “hot streaks” exist
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Before developing his famed “drip technique,” abstract artist Jackson Pollock dabbled in drawing, print making and surrealist paintings of humans, animals and nature. According to a new study involving researchers at the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, this period of exploration followed by exploitation of his new drip technique […] Read more
New tool predicts changes that may make COVID variants more infectious
Posted on September 30, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, new variants are expected to arise that may have an increased ability to infect their hosts and evade the hosts’ immune systems. The first key step in infection is when the virus’ spike protein binds to the ACE2 receptor on human cells. Researchers at Penn State […] Read more
Mitigating carbon may have unintended consequences
Posted on September 28, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Controlling carbon release into the atmosphere will reduce carbon dioxide and slow global warming, but could there be unintended consequences for human health? Now, thanks to a three-year grant of about $400,000 from the National Science Foundation, researchers at Penn State will investigate potential positives and negatives of decarbonization. “There can […] Read more
S. Shyam Sundar named director of the Center for Socially Responsible AI
Posted on September 27, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — S. Shyam Sundar, James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, has been named director of the Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI). His appointment became effective Sept. 1. In this role, Sundar leads the center, which advances the thoughtful development and […] Read more
Increasing linguistic diversity to advance human-technology interaction
Posted on September 23, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People are becoming increasingly dependent on human technologies such as smart voice assistants and computer-based tutoring for access to governmental, community, health, and educational services. However, the technology is largely based on standard American English and conflicts with the diversity of many English-speaking users. A nearly $3 million grant from the […] Read more
Early, massive galaxies running on empty
Posted on September 22, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A longstanding question about why some galaxies stopped producing stars during a period of the early universe otherwise noted for prolific star birth has now been answered, thanks to new research by an international team that includes a Penn State astronomer. The team discovered six of these early, massive “dead” galaxies […] Read more
ICDS sponsors four co-funded faculty positions in AI and data science
Posted on September 20, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS), in partnership with four academic colleges — the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Information Sciences and Technology, the College of Engineering and the Eberly College of Science — will sponsor four co-funded faculty positions focused on the development of novel methods or advanced applications in data science. […] Read more
Trustees shown strategies to strengthen Penn State’s research enterprise
Posted on September 17, 2021Originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State’s multi-dimensional approach to research has allowed the University to experience steady growth and to remain aligned with national priorities in a variety of research areas. Lora Weiss, senior vice president for Research, presented “Strategies for Strengthening the Research Enterprise at Penn State” to the […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Jordan Rozum
Posted on September 15, 2021Cracking the code of whole genome-scale models could lead to cutting-edge medical treatments for diseases like cancer and gain new insights into biology and health. However, researchers face computational problems probing the whole genome models because of their incredible complexity. Jordan is hoping to find ways to reduce this vast sea of possibilities to help […] Read more
Video fake news believed more, shared more than text and audio versions
Posted on September 9, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People are more likely to believe fake news in a video format compared to text and audio forms of the same story, according to a team of researchers. They added that people are also more willing to share these videos with people in their network. In a study, about 58% of […] Read more
Engineer to measure the power of comfortable, useful lighting
Posted on September 8, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Does a light shine if no one sees it? Yes, and it wastes a lot of power, according to Dorukalp Durmus, assistant professor in the Penn State Department of Architectural Engineering, who was recently awarded a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) grant. With […] Read more
Dual grants totaling $2.25 million help students take a byte out of data science
Posted on September 3, 2021Originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — All of the data produced or used in 2020 was estimated to be about 59 zettabytes, each of which equals a billion terabytes. If each terabyte represents a mile, 59 zettabytes would allow for almost 10 full round trips from Earth to Pluto. Understanding and managing […] Read more
Putting a new theory of many-particle quantum systems to the test
Posted onOriginally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — New experiments using trapped one-dimensional gases — atoms cooled to the coldest temperatures in the universe and confined so that they can only move in a line — fit with the predictions of the recently developed theory of “generalized hydrodynamics.” Quantum mechanics is necessary to […] Read more
Graphene made with lasers for wearable health devices
Posted on September 2, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Graphene, hexagonally arranged carbon atoms in a single layer with superior pliability and high conductivity, could advance flexible electronics according to a Penn State-led international research team. Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, Dorothy Quiggle Career Development Professor in Penn State’s Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM), heads the collaboration, which recently published […] Read more
Penn State Law in University Park faculty spotlight introduces ICDS Co-Hire Margaret Hu
Posted on September 1, 2021Penn State Law in University Park introduced Professor Margaret Hu in this video faculty spotlight. Hu is a constitutional law scholar in the era of artificial intelligene and Big Data. Her expertise is at the intersection of immigration policy, national security, cybersurveillance and civil rights. She offers insights on her research, the motivation behind her […] Read more
Penn State Berks takes first place in the Anthem AI hackathon
Posted on August 19, 2021WYOMISSING, Pa. — The Penn State Berks Data Lions team recently took first place in the Anthem AI ‘Substance Use Disorder and Whole Health of the Person’ Hackathon, a competition to identify risk factors related to substance use, and conditions indicative of underlying substance abuse. The team, one of 19 that entered the competition, took the […] Read more
Study of structural variants in cacao genomes yields clues about plant diversity
Posted on August 18, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An exhaustive and painstaking comparison of the genomes of multiple strains of the cacao tree by a team of researchers has provided insights into the role genomic structural variants play in the regulation of gene expression and chromosome evolution, giving rise to the differences within populations of the plant. The research, […] Read more
$3.4 million NSF grant aims to make LIGO multimessenger discoveries commonplace
Posted on August 13, 2021Multi-messenger astronomy requires the coordination of observations from diverse sources — such as neutrinos and gravity waves — to study the universe UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A $3.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will help develop software and services to discover gravitational waves from black holes and neutron stars in real-time in […] Read more
Block by block: Researchers use Minecraft to advance artificial intelligence
Posted onby Mariah Chuprinski; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Steve may be able to saw wood, make tools, explore caves or dig for precious stones, but the Minecraft avatar cannot understand that each of these steps build to the ultimate goal of obtaining diamonds. Alan Wagner, assistant professor of aerospace engineering […] Read more
Gender, personality influence use of interactive tools online
Posted on August 10, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People’s personality — such as how extroverted or introverted they are — and their gender can be linked to how they interact online, and whether they prefer interacting with a system rather than with other people. In a study, a team of researchers found that people considered websites more interactive if […] Read more
New multi-institution hub to explore nuclear physics and cosmic mergers
Posted on August 9, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A $3.25 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation will support a multi-institution collaboration, which includes Penn State, that will take an interdisciplinary approach to studying the properties of hot, dense nuclear matter like that found in neutron stars. The Nuclear Physics from Multi-Messenger Mergers (NP3M) Focus Research Hub will […] Read more
World-renowned data science experts to discuss the future of digital fairness
Posted on August 4, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The ever-growing power of data requires an ever-deepening responsibility on the part of data scientists to use that power fairly and equitably. Recognizing this, Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) will host a symposium this fall aimed at fostering digital fairness. The two-day ICDS Fall Symposium will be […] Read more
Algorithm helps probe connections between stream chemistry and environment
Posted on August 3, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Machine learning techniques may help scientists better understand the intricate chemistry of streams and monitor broader environmental conditions, according to a team of researchers. In a study, the researchers report on the novel application of a machine learning algorithm to analyze how the chemical makeup of streams changes over time, particularly […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Joe Molnar
Posted on July 27, 2021Diagnostics are an important part in research into understanding propulsion and energy generation, however monitoring performance and gathering diagnostic information can be challenging because data is often minimal and collected in noisy environments. The research mission of Joe Molnar, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering, is to develop tools and diagnostics equipment that can help […] Read more
The ethics of remote sensing in archaeology
Posted on July 26, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Remote sensing — beginning with aerial photography — has been used for decades in one form or another in archaeology, but, the discussion on the ethical use of the information gathered through these methods is a newer topic, according to a team of researchers. Dylan Davis, doctoral student in archaeology at […] Read more
Monash University honors ICDS director Evans with fellowship
Posted on July 23, 2021This story originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Jenni L. Evans, director of Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, professor of meteorology and atmospheric science, and faculty associate of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, has been recognized as a university fellow by Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Evans […] Read more
Celebrating IceCube Neutrino Observatory’s first decade of discovery
Posted onStory originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the last 10 years, the unconventional IceCube Neutrino Observatory has been watching the cosmos, looking for signals of passing astrophysical neutrinos. These mysterious, tiny, extremely lightweight particles are created by some of the most energetic and distant phenomena in the cosmos. By identifying […] Read more
Professor of Geosciences Jennifer Macalady named Ecology Institute director
Posted on July 21, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jennifer Macalady, professor of geosciences, has been appointed director of Penn State’s Ecology Institute, effective July 1. She holds an appointment in the Department of Geosciences in Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. “Dr. Macalady’s research experience, collaborative approach, and creative energy will make her an excellent leader of the Ecology […] Read more
From genes to memes: Algorithm may help scientists demystify complex networks
Posted on July 16, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — From biochemical reactions that produce cancers, to the latest memes virally spreading across social media, simple actions can generate complex behaviors. For researchers trying to understand these emergent behaviors, however, the complexity can tax current computational methods. Now, a team of researchers have developed a new algorithm that can serve as […] Read more
Interactive media reduce negative reactions to health messages, boost compliance
Posted on July 14, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People often react negatively to health messages because they tend to dictate what we can and cannot do, but new research reveals that interactive media can soften negative reactions — or reactance — to health messages that are distributed online. In a study, Penn State and Stony Brook University researchers found […] Read more
Black hairstyles will inspire innovative building materials in new research
Posted on July 12, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Natural Black hair texture and styling practices – such a braiding, locking and crocheting – will help inspire and generate novel building materials and architecture structures using computational design processes in new research funded by the prestigious Graham Foundation. The team of researchers includes Felecia Davis, associate professor of architecture and […] Read more
Student creates software solutions to help users be more efficient
Posted on July 6, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — While growing up in State College, Jason Nucciarone always felt a part of Penn State. Much of that had to do with his dad, a Penn State alumnus and former cybersecurity engineer for the Applied Research Lab who currently works as a research and development engineer with the University. Although Nucciarone […] Read more
Elusive mergers of black holes with neutron stars confirmed for first time
Posted on June 30, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the first time, researchers have confirmed the detection of a collision between a black hole and a neutron star. In fact, the research team, which includes scientists from Penn State, detected not one but two such events occurring just 10 days apart in January 2020. The extreme events made splashes […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Ben Beck
Posted on June 29, 2021Meet our new Featured Researcher, Ben Beck, a graduate student at the Smeal College of Business. With 10 years in the industry behind him, Ben recognized that businesses were missing an opportunity to use the power of supercomputers to improve their long-term marketing efforts. Ben is leveraging Penn State’s Roar supercomputer to through the large […] Read more
$1.2 million NSF grant to create search engine for online privacy research
Posted on June 24, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A team of Penn State-led researchers recently received a $1.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to build a search engine and other resources that can make the web safer for users by helping scientists scour billions of online documents to more efficiently collect and classify privacy documentation. The search engine […] Read more
Clickbait headlines might not lure readers as much, may confuse AI
Posted on June 21, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Clickbait headlines might not be as enticing to readers as once thought, according to a team of researchers. They added that artificial intelligence — AI — may also come up short when it comes to correctly determining whether a headline is clickbait. In a series of studies, the researchers found that […] Read more
Computers help researchers find materials to turn solar power into hydrogen
Posted on June 16, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Using solar energy to inexpensively harvest hydrogen from water could help replace carbon-based fuel sources and shrink the world’s carbon footprint. However, finding materials that could boost hydrogen production so that it could compete economically with carbon-based fuels has been, as yet, an insurmountable challenge. In a study, a Penn State-led […] Read more
Essential workers’ tweets show surprising positivity during pandemic
Posted on June 10, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people turned to social media platforms to share their feelings about the changes happening in the world around them. Essential workers — such as medical providers, retail and food service employees, and public transportation workers — tweeted less often than general users about COVID-19 but more […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Nick Tusay
Posted on June 2, 2021Get to know, Nick Tusay, our new Featured Researcher. Nick is a graduate student at the astronomy and astrophysics department at Penn State and his research is out of this world. Nick’s current research area is focused in SETI, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, and he uses Roar to scan the universe for signs of life […] Read more
Coupled brain activity, cerebrospinal fluid flow could indicate Alzheimer’s risk
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State researchers may have discovered a potential marker to clinically evaluate patients’ risk for Alzheimer’s disease through non-invasive imaging tests, according to a study published today (June 1) in PLOS Biology. The finding may have implications for diagnosis and treatment of the disease that results in significant cognitive decline, the researchers […] Read more
Institute awards 14 computational and data sciences seed grants
Posted onInstitute for Computational and Data Sciences seed grants help scientists use AI and cutting-edge technology to power interdisciplinary research innovations UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — From making our roads safer to paving the way to exoplanet discovery, the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) seed grants have funded 14 projects backed by researchers from across […] Read more
ICDS computational scientists help enable, scale agricultural research
Posted on May 24, 2021Researchers’ positive experience with ICDS team led to creation of new seed-grant program UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In her 20 years of bee research, Christina Grozinger had not faced a data management problem quite like the one she encountered in 2020. Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology at Penn State, studies ways to counteract declining bee […] Read more
Artificial intelligence predicts river water quality with weather data
Posted on May 20, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The difficulty and expense of collecting river water samples in remote areas has led to significant — and in some cases, decades-long — gaps in available water chemistry data, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers. The team is using artificial intelligence (AI) to predict water quality and fill the […] Read more
Two statistics professors named Institute of Mathematical Statistics Fellows
Posted on May 19, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Two faculty members from the Penn State Department of Statistics have been named Fellows of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. Nicole Lazar, professor of statistics, and Aleksandra “Seša” Slavković, professor of statistics and associate dean for graduate education for the Eberly College of Science, have been recognized for their distinction in […] Read more
How AIs ask for personal information is important for gaining user trust
Posted on May 13, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People may be reluctant to give their personal information to artificial intelligence (AI) systems even though it is needed by the systems for providing more accurate and personalized services, but a new study reveals that the manner in which the systems ask for information from users can make a difference. In […] Read more
How are solar systems born? Spinning disks and oddball stars and planets help astronomers test theories about the formation of planetary systems
Posted on May 12, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Many of us remember those school-room models of our Solar System, with tiny wooden planets rotating at the ends of their wires around a bright-orange painted sun. But how accurate is the model? Do the planets really align in a plane, or do their orbits crisscross around the sun at different […] Read more
Patients may not take advice from AI doctors who know their names
Posted on May 11, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health applications grows, health providers are looking for ways to improve patients’ experience with their machine doctors. Researchers from Penn State and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) found that people may be less likely to take health advice from an AI doctor […] Read more
Using data science to boost diversity, using diversity to boost data science
Posted on May 6, 2021Institute for Computational and Data Sciences-led symposium explores challenges, opportunities to improve data science equity UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Data science can only be data science for good when it can be data science for all. That was the message of “Harnessing the Data Revolution to Enhance Diversity,” a symposium that explored the issues of […] Read more
Workshop to offer R computer language intro, foundational lessons in programming
Posted on May 5, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The R computer language is a powerful tool that scientists and research teams rely on to investigate complex phenomena across fields and disciplines. The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences will hold a hands-on workshop to teach R, as well as offer key programming concepts, according to Carrie Brown, advanced cyberinfrastructure […] Read more
Featured Researcher: Weiming Hu
Posted on April 30, 2021With an interest in geography, machine learning, and data-intensive research, Weiming Hu considers himself lucky to have been admitted into Penn State’s Geography Ph.D. program, where he works on ensemble weather forecast models with his advisor, Guido Cervone. Weiming hopes his research can impact renewable energy forecasts, and he hopes to one day collaborate with […] Read more
AI Hub to help enhance Penn State’s global leadership in artificial intelligence
Posted on April 23, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has launched an expanded initiative in artificial intelligence (AI), termed the AI Hub. It will bring together the University’s considerable resources and talent in AI to further advance its position as a global leader developing fundamental innovations in AI, in using AI and machine learning (ML) to solve the […] Read more
Penn State center to advance AI tools to accelerate scientific progress
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A recently approved research center will unite Penn State researchers to explore the use of artificial intelligence as a tool to dramatically accelerate the scientific process, an initiative that the center’s organizers say could rapidly accelerate scientific progress. The Center for Artificial Intelligence Foundations and Scientific Applications (CENSAI) will be housed […] Read more
Penn State launches new artificial intelligence center for engineered systems
Posted onby Sarah Small; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A newly founded, interdisciplinary research center established to further foundational and applied artificial intelligence (AI) in engineered systems will bring together expertise from 75 researchers representing 24 academic units across Penn State. The center, funded and supported by the University and housed […] Read more
Penn State among top US, international institutions in 2021 THE Impact Rankings
Posted on April 22, 2021Times Higher Education’s rankings — based on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals — place Penn State in the top 3% of universities worldwide UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State ranked fourth in the U.S. and 32nd in the world out of 1115 international institutions that participated in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings, released today […] Read more
Dual degrees shape research interests for IST assistant professor
Posted onBy Jessica Hallman UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — “I firmly believe that good research comes when you’re having fun.” Those are the words of Justin Silverman on what motivates him in his work. And, judging from his research output, he’s been having quite a bit of fun. Silverman, who joined the College of Information Sciences and […] Read more
Consumers make decisions based on how and why products are recommended online
Posted on April 21, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As more people go online for shopping, understanding how they rely on e-commerce recommendation systems to make purchases is increasingly important. Penn State researchers now suggest that it’s not just what is recommended, but how and why it’s recommended, that helps to shape consumers’ opinions. In a study, the researchers investigated […] Read more
The muon’s magnetic moment fits just fine
Posted on April 15, 2021A new estimate of the strength of the sub-atomic particle’s magnetic field aligns with the standard model of particle physics By Sam Sholtis UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An extensive new calculation of the strength of the magnetic field around the muon — a sub-atomic particle similar to, but heavier than, an electron — closes the […] Read more
Four projects receive research computing support through institute’s seed grants
Posted onICDS program funds projects ranging from aiding in the search for exoplanets to improving neuroimaging UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) has awarded the first round of RISE seed grants, made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation. RISE — Research Innovations with Scientists and Engineers — is […] Read more
GIS technology helps map out how America’s mafia networks were ‘connected’
Posted on April 13, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — At its height in the mid-20th century, American organized crime groups, often called the mafia, grossed approximately $40 billion each year, typically raising that money through illegal or untaxed activities, such as extortion and gambling. A team of researchers used geographic information systems — a collection of tools for geographic mapping […] Read more
Perceptions of barriers may keep budding entrepreneurs from building businesses
Posted on April 7, 2021WYOMISSING, Pa. — Teaching people to become entrepreneurs requires more than just passing on entrepreneurial skills, according to a team of Penn State Berks-led researchers. Would-be entrepreneurs also need to understand — and negotiate — the barriers that they might face. In a study, researchers built a multidimensional model to measure the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education. […] Read more
Nearly 40,000 kids who lost a parent to COVID-19 need immediate support
Posted on April 5, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Approximately 40,000 children in the United States may have lost a parent to COVID-19 since February 2020, according to a statistical model created by a team of researchers. The researchers anticipate that without immediate interventions, the trauma from losing a parent could cast a shadow of mental health and economic problems […] Read more
Smart materials could pose solution for big-data bottleneck in future cities
Posted on March 26, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In smart cities of the future, sensors distributed throughout buildings and bridges could monitor infrastructure health. Cloud-based computing could decrease traffic with real-time analysis available to commuters. Windows could tint themselves darker on sunny days or lighten to brighten a room on cloudy ones. None of these innovations, however, can materialize […] Read more
Diversity Symposium Recordings Available
Posted on March 19, 2021The recording for the ICDS Symposium, “Harnessing the Data Revolution to Enhance Diversity,” is now available. You can access them on the ICDS YouTube channel or view the recordings below. Read more
Health ads in users’ customized online sites may evoke negative reactions
Posted on March 16, 2021Tweaking the look of a social media profile may subtly alter a person’s reaction to the health messages that appear on that site, according to researchers. They add that these reactions could influence whether the users heed the advice of those messages. Read more
Featured Researcher: Shahrad Shakerian
Posted on March 12, 2021Meet our new featured researcher, Shahrad Shakerian. Shahrad is doctoral student in architectural engineering who aims to predict failures in facility maintenance before they happen. His research focuses on reducing expenses of material and human resources by using predictive maintenance with the help of data science. What is your academic background? I’ve got a bachelor’s […] Read more
The 3Rs of the genome: Reading, writing and regulating
Posted on March 10, 2021The study reveals two distinct gene regulatory architectures, expanding the traditional model of gene regulation. So-called constitutive genes, those that perform basic "housekeeping" functions and are nearly always active at low levels, require only a basic set of regulatory controls; whereas those that that are activated by environmental signals, known as inducible genes, have a more specialized architecture. Read more
Deaths in the family can shape kids’ educational attainment in unexpected ways
Posted on March 9, 2021A team of researchers found that deaths in the family can affect the educational attainment of children. That impact most often is negative, but, in certain cases, a family death can improve the chances that children will further their education. Read more
Figurelle appointed chair of Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation
Posted on March 1, 2021University Park, PA — Wayne Figurelle, assistant director of Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS), has been elected executive committee chair of the Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC). Figurelle’s two-year appointment began on January 1, 2021. Founded in 1989, CASC is a network of more than 90 U.S. institutions that provide […] Read more
Penn State tied for first nationally in NSF rankings reflecting research breadth
Posted on February 26, 2021Penn State’s research enterprise ranks first nationally, tied with Johns Hopkins University, in the breadth and depth of its expertise, according to the latest National Science Foundation rankings of Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) research expenditures by key fields and subfields in science and engineering, released in January 2021 Read more
ICDS Associates, Affiliates Named Distinguished Professors for 2021
Posted on February 18, 2021Penn State's Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs has named 13 distinguished professors for 2021, among them are seven Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) faculty affiliates and associates. Read more
Symposium aimed at leveraging the power of data science for promoting diversity
Posted on February 17, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Data science can be a useful tool and powerful ally in enhancing diversity. A group of data scientists are holding “Harnessing the Data Revolution to Enhance Diversity,” a symposium aimed at discussing the issues, identifying opportunities and initiating the next steps toward improving equity and diversity in academia at the undergraduate […] Read more
Deep learning may help doctors choose better lung cancer treatments
Posted onICDS's Roar supercomputer helped Penn State Great Valley researchers develop a deep learning model that, in certain conditions, was more than 71% accurate in predicting survival expectancy of lung cancer patients, significantly better than traditional machine learning models that the team tested. Read more
Featured Researcher: Aria Khademi
Posted on February 12, 2021Get to know Aria Khademi. Aria is a doctoral candidate in informatics and is pursuing a graduate minor in statistics and a master’s degree in information sciences and technology. Advised by Vasant Honavar (IST/ICDS) and Aleksandra Slavkovic (Statistics), Aria researches ways to use artificial intelligence to make the world more equitable and fair. How did you get into this […] Read more
Data Science Community announces spring 2021 talks
Posted on February 11, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Data Science Community will host a slate of speakers during the spring 2021 semester. Each topic will focus on the use of data science techniques to investigate a particular subject. Topics for the spring include social media use, additive manufacturing, the exploration of genetics and the role of […] Read more
Machine learning algorithm may be the key to timely, inexpensive cyber-defense
Posted on February 4, 2021UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Attacks on vulnerable computer networks and cyber-infrastructure — often called zero-day attacks — can quickly overwhelm traditional defenses, resulting in billions of dollars of damage and requiring weeks of manual patching work to shore up the systems after the intrusion. A Penn State-led team of researchers used a machine learning approach, based on a technique known as reinforcement learning, to create an adaptive cyber defense against these attacks. Read more
$500,000 grant funds creation of institute to advance AI for materials science
Posted on January 27, 2021A National Science Foundation (NSF) grant will help lay the foundation for an interdisciplinary institute that encourages the use of artificial intelligence-enabled materials discovery, design and synthesis, according to a team of researchers. Read more
Scientists identify flank instability at a volcano with history of collapse
Posted on January 26, 2021Landslides caused by the collapse of unstable volcanoes are one of the major dangers of volcanic eruptions. A method to detect long-term movements of these mountains using satellite images could help identify previously overlooked instability at some volcanoes, according to Penn State scientists. Read more
For older adults, specific Facebook activities more important than overall use
Posted onIn a study conducted by a team that included researchers from Penn State, older adults experienced different levels of competence, relatedness and autonomy on Facebook based on the types of their activities on the site. Read more
Seed Grants intended to plant success for interdisciplinary research projects
Posted on January 19, 2021Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences is accepting proposals for its seed grant program to offer researchers an initial boost of funding to help them explore the world’s most pressing social and scientific challenges. The program is designed to nurture research ideas into full-blown research programs and, eventually, lead to real-world solutions to pressing challenges. Read more
$541K Office of Naval Research grant could enhance aircraft performance
Posted on January 15, 2021Researchers in the Penn State Department of Mechanical Engineering received $541,167 to accelerate the designs of higher performing, more efficient and safer aircraft for the United States Navy. Read more
Study suggests smart assistant design improvements for deaf users
Posted on January 14, 2021by Jessica Hallman; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Despite the inherent challenges that voice-interaction may create, researchers at the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology recently found that deaf and hard-of-hearing users regularly use smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri in homes, workplaces and mobile devices. The work […] Read more
Cervone elected to lead AGU natural hazards section
Posted on January 8, 2021Guido Cervone, associate director of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, professor of geography, meteorology and atmospheric science and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI) associate, was elected as president-elect of the Natural Hazards Section of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and begins a two-year term as president-elect on Jan. 1, 2021, and a two-year term as president on January 1, 2023. Read more
Emotional dependency on smoking-vaping combo differs from just smoking
Posted on January 7, 2021Researchers have known that emotions play a critical, but complex role in shaping dependency on smoking and vaping. Now, a team of researchers report that emotions that trigger dependency for people who both smoke and vape may be different from people who just smoke, a finding that may one day help scientists create more personalized programs to help people quit tobacco smoking and vaping. Read more
Putting on the pressure improves glass for fiber optics
Posted on January 5, 2021by A’ndrea Messer; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Rapid, accurate communication worldwide is possible via fiber optic cables, but as good as they are, they are not perfect. Now, researchers from Penn State and AGC Inc. in Japan suggest that the silica glass used for these cables would have less […] Read more
Wearable device may help shine light on health benefits of outdoor lighting
Posted on December 15, 2020Taking an interdisciplinary approach — and mixing in a little do-it-yourself initiative — a team of Penn State Berks researchers developed a wearable device that can tell the difference between indoor and outdoor lighting. The team adds that the device could help scientists better understand the health benefits of outdoor lighting and, in the future, lead to wearables that could nudge users to get more outdoor time. Read more
Researchers encouraged to apply for ICDS’s 2021-2022 Seed Grant Program
Posted on December 14, 2020The ICDS 2021-22 seed grant program is aimed at funding projects that can leverage artificial intelligence -- AI -- to advance transformative research, as well as use the technology to enhance the process of scientific discovery itself. Read more
Researchers receive Hall of Fame award for seminal paper on smartphone security
Posted on December 11, 2020by Sarah Small; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A multi-institution team of researchers recently received a Hall of Fame Award from the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Operating Systems (SIGOPS) for their 2010 paper that was the first to expose the ways in which smartphone applications use […] Read more
$1.2 million grant to develop high-temperature alloys for gas turbines
Posted on December 8, 2020An integrated computational and experimental framework for the design and manufacturing of ultrahigh-temperature refractory alloys may become possible thanks to a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) awarded to a team of Penn State materials scientists. Read more
Symposium builds collaborations across disciplines and industries
Posted on December 2, 2020The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences’ 2020 virtual symposium brought together researchers, computational experts, government officials and industry specialists who are working to build interdisciplinary communities that can transform this deluge of data into a stream of solutions for the world’s most pressing scientific and societal challenges. Read more
Astronomers develop model for the distribution of inner planetary systems
Posted on November 30, 2020Data from the Kepler space telescope, launched more than a decade ago, is still helping astronomers who study planets outside of our own solar system — exoplanets — and unravel the mysteries of planetary systems. Initially, astronomers were surprised that Kepler found so many exoplanets, including hundreds of planetary systems with multiple planets orbiting close to their host star. As astronomers developed models to explain the abundance of inner exoplanets, they encountered a new mystery: “Why did Kepler detect just one planet around so many stars, instead of planetary systems with multiple planets?" Read more
Air quality data during COVID-19 may help improve models, guide interventions
Posted on November 12, 2020The scientists examined the pandemic’s effects on two key pollutants – nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter -– and human mobility. They found that as individuals limited their travel, nitrogen dioxide levels fell significantly while levels of fine particulate matter rose in certain parts of the country. Read more
‘Smart Wrap’ implant may help people better control their bladders
Posted onIn a study, an implant, which combines sensors and a polymer wrap, is an integrated device that can detect when the bladder needs to be completely emptied and then send a signal to a polymer web with an electronic thread that expands or contracts with the bladder. After the bladder is emptied, the band returns to its initial formation. Read more
Implantable sensor could measure bodily functions — and then safely biodegrade
Posted on November 9, 2020In a study, the researchers reported they designed a flexible and implantable sensor that can monitor various forms of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas in the body. Read more
AI model could help patients predict disease risk with electronic health records
Posted on November 6, 2020Electronic health records contain critical information for both medical providers and patients. But these records also contain information that could interfere with an artificial intelligence algorithm’s ability to predict patients’ risk for future disease. Read more
University center advances energy, environmental knowledge via virtual reality
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For many, seeing is believing. That is what Alex Klippel and his team have been investing in since the creation of the Penn State’s Center for Immersive Experiences. It is also what some energy and environment researchers have been exploring to better communicate their science. “Immersive technologies extend opportunities to not only […] Read more
Researchers develop sensors that detect human biomarkers and toxic gas
Posted on November 5, 2020A new understanding of nanomaterials, sensor design and fabrication approaches could help advance stretchable, wearable gas sensors that monitor gaseous biomarkers in humans and toxic gas in an exposed environment, according to Penn State researchers. Read more
Model for acid-tolerant yeast helps guide industrial organic acid production
Posted on November 4, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Microbes and other microscopic organisms could serve as sustainable “factories” to create many types of industrial materials because they naturally convert nutrients such as sugars into byproducts. However, creating industrial amounts of organic acids from renewable resources poses a challenge, because not many organisms can grow in highly acidic environments. With […] Read more
Seed grants for computational, data science expertise open to all faculty
Posted on October 27, 2020Faculty from all Penn State campuses encouraged to apply by Nov. 20 for team member support with cyberinfrastructure, data science, and computational science needs UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When conducting research with a computational or data science component, it can be challenging to find team members with the right skills and disciplinary background. Penn State’s Institute […] Read more
Volcano watching, wearable health monitoring research earn best poster awards
Posted on October 23, 2020The winning posters included research on better ways to monitor volcanoes and how wearables could be used to make sure construction workers are safe from heat stress. Read more
Researchers use NSF Convergence Accelerator to shorten drug discovery timeline
Posted on October 22, 2020A $960,000, nine-month National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator grant has been awarded to Penn State researchers to explore faster and more cost-efficient methods of discovering pharmaceuticals using quantum artificial intelligence. Read more
Healthy skepticism: People may be wary of health articles on crowdsourced sites
Posted on October 15, 2020People may be skeptical about medical and health articles they encounter on crowdsourced websites, such as Wikipedia and Wikihealth, according to researchers. While that may be good news for health officials who are worried that these sites allow non-experts to easily add and edit health information, the researchers added that having medical professionals curate content on those sites may not reduce the skepticism. Read more
Deep learning artificial intelligence keeps an eye on volcano movements
Posted on October 14, 2020Penn State researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to clear up that noise, drastically facilitating and improving near real-time observation of volcanic movements and the detection of volcanic activity and unrest. Read more
Penn State ICDS welcomes 2020 co-hires
Posted onThe 2020 cohort Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) Faculty Fellows — formerly known as faculty co-hires — includes an interdisciplinary group of researchers who will use the University’s computational resources to probe the world’s biggest societal and social challenges. Their expertise ranges from investigating the inner workings of quantum mechanics to understanding the creation of galaxies. Read more
Engineers print wearable sensors directly on skin without heat
Posted on October 9, 2020Wearable sensors are evolving from watches and electrodes to bendable devices that provide far more precise biometric measurements and comfort for users. Now, an international team of researchers has taken the evolution one step further by printing sensors directly on human skin without the use of heat. Read more
‘Enabling Remote Research’ series announced for fall 2020
Posted on October 7, 2020The Penn State University Libraries Department of Research Informatics and Publishing, in collaboration with the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) and the Office of the Associate CIO for Research, will present a series of free virtual seminars to assist researchers with shifting their research from onsite to offsite. Read more
Grant to help researchers augment their teams with computational experts
Posted on October 6, 2020A $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation, awarded to Chad Hanna, associate professor of physics and astronomy & astrophysics, Edward O’Brien, associate professor of chemistry and Jenni Evans, professor of meteorology and atmospheric science and director of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, will extend the reach of Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences’ expertise across the University. Read more
Scientists take a step toward understanding ‘jumping genes’ effect on the genome
Posted on October 1, 2020A team of researchers said they may have taken a leap closer to understanding a class of jumping genes, sequences that move to different locations in the human genome, which is the body’s complete set of DNA. They added that the work could lead to insights into the evolution of the human genome, as well as have implications for several diseases, including cancer. Read more
Protocols to make data on kids secure, shareable eventually may help families
Posted on September 30, 2020Researchers in developmental psychology face a perplexing challenge: They know that collecting and sharing data about children can lead to real benefits for kids and their families, but they also recognize that some kinds of data like video or audio recordings risk violating the privacy of these vulnerable populations if not carefully protected. Read more
Mechanical engineering assistant professor eyes enhanced diagnostics
Posted on September 29, 2020With the goal of tackling complex measurement problems to improve technology, Samuel Grauer will join the Penn State College of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) as an assistant professor in January 2021. Read more
Penn State community teams up for supercomputer name announcement
Posted on September 23, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A team of Penn State students, staff, faculty, administrators — and a few of the University’s furriest high-performance computing enthusiasts — are helping to celebrate Roar, the new name for Penn State’s supercomputer. Check out the video celebration for the Roar supercomputer. It includes a few familiar faces — and a […] Read more
Grassroots data science initiative seeks to create connections, collaborations
Posted on September 22, 2020by Liam Jackson; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Dave Hunter knows how valuable a serendipitous connection can be. Throughout his career, Hunter, professor of statistics at Penn State, said that “being at the right place at the right time” helped him find new partnerships and projects to advance his science and […] Read more
Penn State’s research expenditures top $1 billion mark
Posted on September 21, 2020Penn State’s research expenditures exceeded the $1 billion mark in fiscal year 2019-20. The total figure, $1.01 billion, places Penn State among a select group of research universities nationally, and reflects the interdisciplinary strength built over three decades. It represents a $40 million increase over last year’s number, and includes a record $633 million in federal funding, as well as $375 million from a combination of private funders, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and University sources. Read more
Wastewater sampling may give advanced warning of potential COVID-19 outbreaks
Posted onWastewater sampling for coronavirus on campus and in the surrounding community could alert University decision makers to a potential outbreak several days before individuals exhibit symptoms of an infection. The initiative — part of Penn State’s multilayered approach to test, monitor and mitigate for COVID-19 — could enable leaders to take swift actions to minimize the virus’s spread with the goal of helping to protect the health and safety of the community. Read more
Self-powered biosensors may open up new paths to medical tracking, treatments
Posted on September 10, 2020Wearable and implantable devices are currently used for a variety of functions, including health tracking and monitoring. However, supplying energy usually requires cumbersome batteries and downtime due to recharging. Now, an international team of researchers suggests that advances in materials and electronic design may be able to convert biomechanical energy into electric energy, paving the way for devices that can be worn and implanted but do not require constant recharging, Read more
NSF funding to bolster research communication strategies project
Posted on September 9, 2020Penn State’s Research-to-Policy Collaboration (RPC) is expanding a project to better respond to legislators’ needs for social and behavioral research related to the coronavirus pandemic with new funding from the National Science Foundation. Read more
Virtual symposium experts offer insights on big data issues, opportunities
Posted on September 2, 2020Registration is now open for Penn State’s Institute of Computational and Data Sciences’ (ICDS) 2020 Symposium. The two-day symposium will be held virtually Oct. 21-22 and will feature an interdisciplinary group of speakers and experts who will focus on both the challenges — and opportunities — of big data and data science. Read more
Algorithm aims to alert consumers before they use illicit online pharmacies
Posted on August 27, 2020In a study, a team of Penn State researchers report that an algorithm they developed may be able to spot illicit online pharmacies that could be providing customers with substandard medications without their knowledge, among other potential problems. Read more
ICDS associate, architectural engineering researcher to study COVID-19 aerosol transmission
Posted onby Mariah Chuprinski; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, does not seem to be disappearing anytime soon. But now research on mechanical systems in buildings may help to better understand how the disease spreads indoors. Donghyun Rim, associate professor of architectural engineering and ICDS associate, […] Read more
New tool for identifying endangered corals could aid conservation efforts
Posted on August 26, 2020ICDS RISE team member Greg Von Kuster is the second author on the Scientific Reports paper mentioned in this story. Congratulations, Greg! by Sam Sholtis; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Coral conservation efforts could get a boost from a newly developed genotyping “chip” — the first of its kind for […] Read more
Grant to enable creation of AI tools to improve adolescents’ diets and nutrition
Posted onby Sara LaJeunnesse; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With a $1.2 million grant from Fondation Botnar, an international team of researchers will assess the feasibility of creating and launching a global-scale artificial-intelligence (AI) app for mobile devices that diagnoses diet-related problems and offers nutritional advice to adolescent girls living in […] Read more
Wauthier awarded NSF CAREER award to investigate volcanic flank instability
Posted on August 25, 2020Christelle Wauthier, associate professor of geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, received a Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation to develop numerical models to characterize volcanic flank instability processes. Read more
Mining Twitter data may help National Parks staff gather feedback faster
Posted on August 21, 2020The National Park system has been referred to as one of America’s national treasures. A team of Penn State researchers in the department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management and the Social Science Research Institute, report that mining tweets about the park may open up a rich vein of information that could lead to better service for park visitors while still protecting these national treasures and their wildlife. Read more
Molecular stress indicator not observed in survivors of child sexual abuse
Posted on August 18, 2020Researchers and medical experts have long known that child sexual abuse has profoundly negative effects on the health of survivors; however, an international team of researchers was not able to find a link between the abuse and telomere length, considered an indicator of cellular aging and health. Read more
Multi-university NSF grant to boost research computing expertise
Posted on August 6, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As researchers become more reliant on the use of big data and sophisticated computing techniques such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, the demand for experts who can wield these tools effectively has grown considerably. A National Science Foundation grant for approximately $1.4 million is convening seven universities, including Penn State, around […] Read more
Application of machine learning can optimize hurricane track forecast
Posted on August 4, 2020When a hurricane approaches, providing a few extra hours’ notice can be the difference between life and death. Now, Penn State researchers report that applying a machine learning technique to a group of possible storm paths could help meteorologists provide more accurate medium-term forecasts and issue timely warnings to communities in the path of these potentially deadly storms. Read more
Climate change-influenced refugee crisis may lead to long-term settlement issues
Posted on July 28, 2020Computer models may show that climate change prompts a more nuanced circular migration pattern UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — While many models suggest that climate change will prompt a substantial number of people to leave their homes, not all research so clearly finds this is the case. Investigating cases where computer models seemed to indicate only […] Read more
University programs catalyze, advance research at Commonwealth Campuses
Posted on July 27, 2020Originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In an effort to catalyze and advance research at Penn State campuses throughout Pennsylvania, the University has developed two programs for faculty members at Commonwealth Campuses. The programs, the Commonwealth Campuses Research Collaboration Development Program (CCRCDP) and the Commonwealth Campus Center Nodes (C3N) Program, offer faculty members at […] Read more
Brain thickness and connectivity, not just location, correlates with behavior
Posted on July 22, 2020In a study, the researchers, using data gathered by the latest neural imaging technology, found that both a specific spatial pattern of cortical thickness and functional connectivity was significantly correlated with certain behaviors. Read more
About nine family members to suffer grief from every COVID-19 fatality
Posted on July 15, 2020Deaths from COVID-19 will have a ripple effect causing impacts on the mental health and health of surviving family members. But the extent of that impact has been hard to assess until now. Every death from COVID-19 will impact approximately nine surviving family members, according to a study. Read more
Custom nanoparticle regresses tumors when exposed to light
Posted on July 8, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A unique nanoparticle to deliver a localized cancer treatment inhibits tumor growth in mice, according to a team of Penn State researchers. The nanoparticles, developed by Daniel Hayes, associate professor of biomedical engineering, have a specific chemistry that allows a microRNA (miRNA) to attach to it. A miRNA is a molecule […] Read more
Engineering professor and ICDS Co-Hire named to DARPA ISAT study group
Posted on July 3, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Gang Tan, professor of computer science and engineering in the Penn State School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), has been selected as a member of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Science and Technology (ISAT) study group. Gang Tan, professor of computer science and engineering in the Penn State School of Electrical Engineering and […] Read more
Center for Security Research and Education announces seed grant awardees
Posted on July 2, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Center for Security Research and Education (CSRE) has selected 13 interdisciplinary projects through its spring 2020 seed grant program. CSRE is providing a total of $300,000 in funding for the projects, with an additional $300,000 in matching and supplemental funding from other colleges, departments, and institutes. “Today’s challenges to global, […] Read more
Penn State-IBM partnership accelerates search for elusive neutrinos
Posted on June 29, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In the “Princess and the Pea” fairy tale, a young woman must prove her status as royalty by detecting whether a pea was placed under dozens of mattresses during her sleep. What if she used deep learning to detect that pea? That’s the approach taken by Doug Cowen, professor of physics […] Read more
Black hole or neutron star? LIGO-Virgo scientists find mystery object in ‘mass gap’
Posted on June 24, 2020Now, in a new study from the National Science Foundation's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the European Virgo detector, scientists have announced the discovery of an object of 2.6 solar masses, placing it firmly in the mass gap. Read more
Design method may boost semiconductor performance by better handling heat
Posted on June 22, 2020Finding ways to manage the flow of heat in silicon could boost the performance of semiconductors, but, so far, discovering the right design has remained elusive. Now, a team of Penn State researchers report that a fabrication technique may offer a path toward mastering the often chaotic flow of heat carriers at the nanoscale in silicon and other semiconductors. Read more
Assistantship helps grad student land supercomputing job with U.S. national lab
Posted on June 18, 2020John Leicht has always been driven by a desire to help others solve problems. Leicht, who graduated with a master’s degree in applied statistics in spring 2020, is now applying his skills to support computational scientists conducting work through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, located in Golden, Colorado. Leicht said he gained the right experience for […] Read more
Researchers aim to help cities prioritize interventions for public transit
Posted on June 10, 2020Researchers at Penn State aim to help minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread by identifying specific subway stations in which intervention resources — such as setting up testing sites, allocating additional personnel to disinfect frequently touched surfaces in subway stations, and distributing masks and hand sanitizer — could be of greatest benefit. Read more
Political ‘oil spill’: Polarization is growing stronger — and getting stickier
Posted onExperts have documented that political polarization is intensifying in the United States. However, a Penn State sociologist now suggests that this separation isn’t just more intense, but it is also growing broader, coagulating into an ideological slick of opinions. Read more
Interdisciplinary team wins Department of Energy Optimization Challenge
Posted on June 9, 2020A team of Penn State researchers is part of the first round of winners for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Optimization (GO) Competition. Presented by the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA‑E), the selective competition presents challenges for the development of optimization algorithms for a crucial set of operational problems faced by the United States’ power grid. Read more
Computer models may add sizzle to plans to make cultivated meat alternatives
Posted on May 21, 2020Penn State chemical engineers suggest that using computers to analyze the metabolic needs of livestock animal growing cells — or genome-scale metabolic modeling — could help food scientists design processes and growth media that produce meat at scales suitable for commercialization. Read more
Penn State’s supercomputer takes on COVID-19 — and its aftermath
Posted on May 20, 2020Penn State researchers will need the power of supercomputers not just to investigate possible treatments and therapies for the novel coronavirus, but also to explore ways to help the world recover socially, economically and psychologically. Read more
Graphene-reinforced carbon fiber may lead to affordable, stronger car materials
Posted on May 18, 2020by Liam Jackson; Originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A new way of creating carbon fibers — which are typically expensive to make — could one day lead to using these lightweight, high-strength materials to improve safety and reduce the cost of producing cars, according to a team of researchers. Using a mix of […] Read more
Institute awards 32 computational and data sciences seed grants
Posted on May 15, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Understanding polarized political opinions, predicting Arctic Sea ice levels, and accelerating quantum computing with machine learning — these are just a few focuses of the dozens of new Penn State research projects that have been funded by Institute for Computational and Data Sciences seed grants, in conjunction with supplemental funding from […] Read more
Civil engineering faculty receives CAREER Award to enhance fracture simulation
Posted on May 14, 2020by Tim Schley; originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Michael Hillman, L. Robert and Mary L. Kimball Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State, will develop new computational methods to simulate how materials and structures fracture, thanks to a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program […] Read more
Do privacy controls lead to more trust in Alexa? Not necessarily, research finds
Posted onGiving users of smart assistants the option to adjust settings for privacy or content delivery, or both, doesn’t necessarily increase their trust in the platform, according to a team of Penn State researchers. In fact, for some users, it could have an unfavorable effect. Read more
Web of psychological cues may tempt people to reveal more online
Posted onIn a study published in the latest Proceedings of Computer-Human Interaction (CHI 2020), a team of Penn State researchers identified a dozen subtle — but powerful — reasons that may shed light on why people talk a good game about privacy, but fail to follow up in real life. Read more
Anxious about public speaking? Your smart speaker could help
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Individuals who fear talking in front of a crowd could soon have a new tool to ease public speaking anxiety: their smart speaker. A team of researchers at Penn State has developed a public-speaking tutor on the Amazon Alexa platform. The tutor enables users to engage in cognitive restructuring exercise – […] Read more
Privacy worries prevent use of social media account for signing up for apps
Posted onIn a study, the researchers said participants were willing to use their Facebook ID to access relationship apps, such as class reunion and matchmaking apps, but balked at using the same feature for an app that arranges extramarital affairs. Read more
Human and AI annotations aim to improve scholarly results in COVID-19 searches
Posted on April 22, 2020To help scholars more quickly and accurately access scientific literature related to the novel coronavirus, two teams of researchers in Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology are exploring how artificial-intelligence-based tools can help to provide instantaneous and up-to-date information about the rapidly evolving nature of the global pandemic. Read more
Penn State engineer receives DARPA grant to strengthen cybersecurity
Posted on April 16, 2020A multi-institute group of researchers that includes Gang Tan, James F. Will Career Development Associate Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at Penn State and ICDS co-hire, has received an $8 million grant that allots $1 million for Penn State’s part of the research to increase computer security by developing more secure parsers. Read more
Seed grants jump-start 47 interdisciplinary teams to conduct COVID-19 research
Posted on April 15, 2020With speed and ingenuity, more than 100 researchers across Penn State are shifting their research programs to address the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to funding from a seed grant initiative led by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. In total, the initiative awarded $2.25 million to 47 teams of researchers from three campuses, eight colleges and more than 25 departments. Read more
Twitter data may offer policy makers a glimpse into demand for renewable energy
Posted on April 14, 2020Tweets could one day help policy makers and energy companies better communicate in near real-time to help customers make better sustainable energy choices, according to a team of researchers. Read more
Grief from COVID-19 impact may trigger secondary health and mental health crisis
Posted on April 13, 2020The loss of life caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic may just be the first tragic wave to hit the country, according to researchers. Grief from the deaths of close relatives and a sudden loss of support could create serious health, mental health and economic issues for grieving family members, they said. Read more
AI advice as influential as humans’, but positive crowd opinion still overpowers
Posted on April 10, 2020Advice from artificial intelligence (AI) experts may be just as influential as from human experts, according to a team of Penn State researchers. However, both human and robotic bearers of bad news may find that they lose influence when their negative opinions run contrary to a positive crowd. Read more
New Remote Research seminar series to begin April 14
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The University Libraries, in collaboration with Penn State Information Technology, the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) and the Office of the Associate CIO for Research, is presenting a series of free webinars to assist researchers with shifting their research from onsite to offsite. The “Enabling Remote Research” Seminar Series highlights various University services […] Read more
Teams’ technology tools may give researchers a boost in quest to stop COVID-19
Posted on April 9, 2020Teams of Penn State data scientists and students, including ones led by the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) and the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL), recently developed tools that they hope will help researchers better understand — and potentially stop — the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Read more
Followers may tune out when municipalities tweet too much
Posted on April 3, 2020Researchers suggest ‘focused, credible and direct’ messaging strategy, especially about health issues by Matt Swayne. Originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Municipalities don’t need to unleash a tweet storm to keep their citizens informed on the social network Twitter. In fact, according to Penn State researchers, municipalities that tweeted less-frequent, but […] Read more
Explore Grants to help researchers search for COVID-19 solutions
Posted onPenn State researchers interested in using computational resources to address the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to apply for support through the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences’ (ICDS) Explore Grant program. Read more
Using cues and actions to help people get along with artificial intelligence
Posted on March 31, 2020Learning how people interact with artificial intelligence-enabled machines — and using that knowledge to improve people’s trust in AI — may help us live in harmony with the ever-increasing number of robots, chatbots and other smart machines in our midst, according to a Penn State researcher. Read more
Researchers mobilize to study COVID-19 from multiple angles
Posted on March 27, 2020As COVID-19 spreads throughout the world, researchers across Penn State are searching for solutions that may save lives, thanks to a multi-institute seed-grant fund. Read more
Wearable biosensors may pave the way for personalized health and wellness
Posted on March 20, 2020Bulky, buzzing and beeping hospital rooms demonstrate that monitoring a patient’s health status is an invasive and uncomfortable process, at best, and a dangerous process, at worst. Penn State researchers want to change that and make biosensors that could make health monitoring less bulky, more accurate — and much safer. Read more
Penn State stands out as ‘exception’ for team research collaboration
Posted on March 5, 2020Originally published on Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The faculty at Penn State may view their extensive interdisciplinary research collaborations as normal, but it turns out that Penn State’s successful culture of innovation through interdisciplinary collaborations is anything but normal. It is an exception. In December 2019, a research team led by Steve […] Read more
Audience size and comments may affect enjoyment of social television
Posted onThe presence of a large audience boosts enjoyment, but it takes just a few haters to ruin a TV show or movie, according to a study of social television, the practice of simultaneously watching television programs while seeing the social media “tweets” of other viewers displayed on the same screen. Read more
Designing plastic to break down in the ocean is possible, but is it practical?
Posted on March 3, 2020In a study, the researchers used a machine learning algorithm to classify more than 110 types of plastics, including commercial and lab-made varieties, to better understand how they might degrade in the ocean, said Robert Mathers, professor of chemistry. Read more
Voting begins for ‘Name Penn State’s Supercomputer’ contest
Posted on February 25, 2020The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) will move to the second phase of its competition to re-name its supercomputer, which is currently called the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Advanced Infrastructure, or ICDS-ACI. Read more
Penn State tops NSF rankings for breadth of research expertise
Posted on February 24, 2020The breadth of Penn State’s research expertise surpasses that of any university in the country, according to the latest National Science Foundation rankings of Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) research expenditures by key fields and subfields, released in November 2019. Read more
Computers scour satellite imagery to unveil Madagascar’s mysteries
Posted on February 19, 2020UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Scientists may be a step closer to solving some of anthropology’s biggest mysteries thanks to a machine learning algorithm that can scour through remote sensing data, such as satellite imagery, looking for signs of human settlements, according to an international team of researchers. In a study of satellite imagery taken of […] Read more
Penn State industrial engineering to host national simulation workshop
Posted onThe Penn State Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME), in collaboration with the Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems (SCIS) in the Smeal College of Business, will host the 2020 INFORMS Simulation Society Workshop (I-SIM) from June 21 to 24 on the University Park campus. The Institute for Computational and Data […] Read more
New research center will focus on socially responsible artificial intelligence
Posted on February 17, 2020Penn State will be well positioned to recognize and interpret the social implications of artificial intelligence (AI), thanks to a new, multi-unit research center launched this spring. Read more
Students, researchers and staff invited to attend AI Immersion with Microsoft
Posted on February 14, 2020Microsoft will headline the next AI Immersion Series presented by the Nittany AI Alliance, Penn State IT and the Institute for Computational Data Sciences at Penn State on Feb. 25–26 in room 233A/B HUB-Robeson Center. The series offers seminars and workshops featuring artificial intelligence, machine learning and its application for the research community in higher […] Read more
Citizen scientists may be an untapped resource for water quality improvement
Posted on February 11, 2020Raising awareness and offering technological tools to the thousands of citizens groups in the U.S. that monitor water quality might help community leaders tap these volunteers as a way to improve access to plentiful, clean water and possibly avoid water-related crises, according to a team of researchers. Read more
Researcher to discuss threats to machine learning and AI applications
Posted on February 7, 2020Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are powering some of the latest advances in self-driving cars, smart speakers and highly personalized, recommendation engines. But these technologies are also vulnerable to potentially dangerous hacks and manipulations, according to Patrick McDaniel, the William L. Weiss Professor of Information and Communications Technology in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Read more
Featured Researchers: Maria Molina and Thai Le
Posted on February 4, 2020et to know Maria Molina, doctoral candidate in mass communications and Thai Le, a doctoral student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State, are part of an interdisciplinary team that working on a system that can automatically detect fake news. The project could have a huge impact on an issue that is harming democracy and discourse. Read more
2020 ICDS Symposium to focus on managing — and mastering — the data deluge
Posted onTo help researchers contend with the challenges -- and the opportunities -- of this data deluge, Penn State’s Institute of Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) is organizing a two-day symposium focused on big data. The symposium, featuring an interdisciplinary team of speakers and experts, will be held March 16 and 17 at the Nittany Lion Inn on Penn State's University Park campus. Read more
Symposium at U.S. Capitol seeks solutions to election security
Posted on January 30, 2020A thriving democracy requires fair elections, but U.S. elections face real threats from multiple sources, including state election infrastructure attacks and social engineering on social media platforms. As the 2020 election approaches, lawmakers, election officials, Congressional staffers, researchers, members of the intelligence communities, academics, candidates and media will come together in the U.S. capital for the first-ever “Hacking the U.S. Election: How Can We Make U.S. Elections More Secure?” symposium to work to secure U.S. elections. Read more
Penn State severe weather expert reflects on advances in the field
Posted on January 28, 2020Ppresident of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), Penn State severe weather expert Jenni Evans addressed more than 5,500 of the society’s members, reflecting on 100 years of advances in the field. Read more
Supercomputer needs a super name: Join the supercomputer naming contest
Posted on January 27, 2020The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) is holding a competition to re-christen its supercomputer, which is currently called the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Advanced Infrastructure, or ICDS-ACI. Read more
LIGO-Virgo network catches another neutron star collision
Posted on January 21, 2020Gravitational waves detected on April 25, 2019, by the LIGO Livingston Observatory were likely produced by a collision of two neutron stars, according to a new study by an international team including Penn State researchers. Read more
Researchers encouraged to apply for ICDS’s 2020-2021 Seed Grant Program
Posted on January 17, 2020The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) is accepting applications for its 2020-21 seed grant program that will help fund projects that leverage Penn State expertise to help advance computation- and data-enabled research. Read more
NSF grant funds research to study nature-based solutions for river restoration
Posted on January 16, 2020River restoration projects utilizing nature-based solutions, like the Big Spring Creek restoration project in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, revitalize their ecosystems by reintroducing natural materials like wood and debris into their design. These materials over time often amass into complex, porous structures that offer many ecological benefits but are not well understood, according to Xiaofeng Liu, associate professor of civil engineering and co-hire of the Institute of Computational and Data Sciences at Penn State.Thanks to a $297,791 grant from the National Science Foundation, Liu will examine the nature-based solution of engineered log jams to quantitatively describe the flow and sediment dynamics around these systems. Read more
ICDS Director named AAAS Fellow for cyclone research, leadership roles
Posted on December 18, 2019UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A Penn State meteorologist who specializes in the study of extreme weather events was recently named an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow. Jenni Evans, professor of meteorology and atmospheric science in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and director of Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data […] Read more
ICDS Now Accepting Seed Grant Proposals
Posted onThe Institute for Computational and Data Sciences is now accepting proposals for its 2020 Seed Grant program. Proposals must be submitted by Monday, February 3, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. for consideration. ICDS anticipates that awards will be announced at the ICDS Symposium on March 16 and 17. Please view the Seed Grant RFP on InfoReady for full […] Read more
Researchers optimize additive manufacturing on a molecular level
Posted on December 17, 2019by Erin Cassidy Hendrick, via Penn State News UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the complexity and applications of additive manufacturing increase, Penn State researchers are digging down to the smallest scales to optimize the technology on a molecular level. “There are still a lot of unknowns about how 3D printing actually works,” said Adri van […] Read more
Center for Security Research and Education announces spring 2020 grant program
Posted onUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Center for Security Research and Education (CSRE) has announced its spring 2020 grant program to support security-related scholarship and educational programs at Penn State. University faculty and researchers are eligible to apply by Feb. 14, 2020. For the first time, CSRE will offer a $50,000 Impact Grant, a $50,000 Homeland […] Read more
Government regimes may be learning new Twitter tactics to quash dissent
Posted on December 13, 2019In a study of Twitter interactions during Venezuela’s 2014 protests, in which citizens voiced opposition to government leaders and called for improvements to their standard of living, the tweets of the protesters focused mainly on the protest itself, while the tweets issued by the ruling regime covered more diverse topics. Read more
Politically extreme counties may act as magnets, migration patterns suggest
Posted on December 2, 2019In a study of county-to-county migration patterns in the U.S., the researchers found that when people migrate, they tend to move to other counties that reflect their political preferences. They added that the pattern also suggests that people moving from moderate partisan counties are just as likely to move to extreme partisan counties as they are to move to other moderate counties. However, people who live in a politically extreme county are significantly likely to move to a similarly extreme county. Read more
Fourteen Penn State faculty recognized with lifetime honor
Posted on November 26, 2019Fourteen Penn State faculty members in areas ranging from physics and engineering to entomology and plant science have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. Read more
Nuclear engineering awarded grant to support early career faculty
Posted onThe United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) awarded Penn State’s Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering a faculty development grant. The award was established to encourage careers and research in nuclear, mechanical and electrical engineering, health physics and related fields to prepare for future workforce needs in society. Read more
All the feels: Feeling loved in everyday life linked with improved well-being
Posted on November 25, 2019In two studies, the researchers found that people who experienced higher “felt love” — brief experiences of love and connection in everyday life — also had significantly higher levels of psychological well-being, which includes feelings of purpose and optimism, compared to those who had lower felt love scores. They also found that people with higher felt love tended to have higher extraversion personality scores, while people with lower felt love scores were more likely to show signs of neuroticism. Read more
Former IST doctoral student oversees software development and research at Adobe
Posted onThanks in part to the innovative research opportunities she had at Penn State, and the ability to focus on an area that no one else was researching, Lu now serves as an engineering manager at Adobe in San Jose, California. In her role, she oversees a team of engineers and researchers that covers every corner of product development and research. Read more
Tracking inheritance of human mitochondrial DNA
Posted on November 19, 2019New insight into how genetic information stored in human mitochondria is passed from one generation to the next could have important implications for genetic counseling of women planning pregnancies. The findings are especially relevant to women carrying disease-causing mutations within their mitochondrial DNA and those suffering from mitochondrial diseases. Read more
Conference explores role of institutions of higher education in extreme weather
Posted on November 18, 2019The “RISE CONFERENCE 2019: Transforming University Engagement In Pre- and Post-Disaster Environments: Lessons from Puerto Rico," to be held at the State University of New York-Albany Nov. 18-20, will bring together researchers and educators from across the nation, including several from Penn State, to explore how higher education can strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery in the face of growing threats posed by climate change and extreme weather. Read more
IBM Watson featured during recent AI Immersion Series Workshop
Posted on November 15, 2019The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, Penn State IT and the Nittany AI Alliance continued the AI Immersion Series for students, faculty and researchers during a two-day workshop featuring IBM. The workshop, held Nov. 13-14, was the second in a series designed to offer the Penn State community unique opportunities to learn the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools. Read more
Researchers identify seven types of fake news, aiding better detection
Posted on November 14, 2019UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — To help people spot fake news, or create technology that can automatically detect misleading content, scholars first need to know exactly what fake news is, according to a team of Penn State researchers. However, they add, that’s not as simple as it sounds. “There is a real crisis in our cultural […] Read more
Individual climate models may not provide the complete picture
Posted on November 13, 2019Equilibrium climate sensitivity — how sensitive the Earth's climate is to changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide — may be underestimated in individual climate models, according to a team of climate scientists. Read more
Penn State ICS now the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences
Posted on November 6, 2019Reflecting the rapid growth and ever-expanding mission of the organization, Penn State’s Institute for CyberScience (ICS) is now the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS). Read more
Multi-institutional team to use AI to evaluate social, behavioral science claims
Posted on October 29, 2019A computer program that could quickly and accurately evaluate the validity of published research claims in social and behavioral sciences literatures will be the focus of a team of researchers from Penn State, Texas A&M, Old Dominion and Microsoft Research — led by C. Lee Giles, the David Reese Professor of Information Sciences and Technology. The team received $1.1 million in competitive funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop this program, and if successful the project is projected to receive $2,930,995 over its 27-month execution. Read more
NSF invests in cyberinfrastructure institute to harness cosmic data
Posted on October 25, 2019To help realize the ambitions of this new field, the NSF has awarded $2.8 million to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and eight collaborating organizations, including Penn State, to further develop their concept for a Scalable Cyberinfrastructure Institute for Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (SCIMMA). Read more
Center for Immersive Experiences set to debut, serving researchers and students
Posted on October 23, 2019Penn State will be equipped to meet the needs of students, faculty, and a society at large that is progressively more reliant on immersive technology with the opening of the Center for Immersive Experiences (CIE) on the University Park campus. Read more
Distant Suns, Distant Worlds
Posted on October 22, 2019Eric Ford, a member of the Kepler science team, studies how planets form and evolve, both in our solar system and in others. Many of the systems found by Kepler are very different from ours, raising new questions about how planetary systems develop and why they occur in such diverse forms. Read more
CyberScience Seminar: Researcher to discuss how AI can help people avoid adverse drug interactions
Posted on October 16, 2019Because machine learning can accurately monitor massive amounts of data, experts in artificial intelligence are investigating how the technology can help improve the safety of medical care and interventions. Read more
AI could offer warnings about serious side effects of drug-drug interactions
Posted on October 15, 2019Researchers at Penn State have developed a machine learning system that may be able to warn doctors and patients about possible negative side effects that might occur when drugs are mixed. Read more
Featured Researcher: Melissa Gervais
Posted on October 14, 2019Get to know Dr. Melissa Gervais, an ICS co-hire with the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Dr. Gervais uses statistical and machine learning approaches to understanding various aspects of climate science. Some of her research has focused on the North Atlantic Warming Hole, a region of […] Read more
Taking RTKI drugs during radiotherapy may not aid survival, worsens side effects
Posted onTaking certain cancer-fighting drugs while undergoing radiation therapy may not increase survival for patients, but may, instead, increase side effects, according to a team of researchers. The drugs, however, may be beneficial for patients who are not undergoing radiation therapy. Read more
Cost-effective cloud research computing options now available for researchers
Posted on October 11, 2019Penn State Institute for CyberScience (ICS) announced that a new cloud computing environment has been added to its suite of high-performance computing offerings. This expanded capability provides Penn State researchers with more versatile, and potentially more cost-effective, computing resource options. Read more
Costs of natural disasters are increasing at the high end
Posted on October 9, 2019The costs of major disasters like hurricanes Katrina, Maria and Dorian or the massive tornado swarms in the Midwest have increased to a disproportionately larger extent than those of lesser events, and these major disasters have become far more expensive, according to an international team of researchers. Read more
Penn State research expenditures again reach record high, topping $968 million
Posted on October 8, 2019By David Pacchioli. Story originally published on Penn State News Penn State’s research expenditures reached a record high for the third year in a row in fiscal year 2018-19, according to incoming Senior Vice President for Research Lora Weiss. The total figure of $968 million represents a $47 million increase over last year’s figure, and […] Read more
Model helps choose wind farm locations, predicts output
Posted on September 25, 2019a team of Penn State researchers have a model that can locate the best place for the wind farm and even help with 24-hour predictions of energy output. Read more
Virus may jump species through ‘rock-and-roll’ motion with receptors
Posted on September 24, 2019Like a janitor thumbing through a keychain to find just the right key to open a lock, the "rock-and-roll" motion of the canine parvovirus during the binding process may help explain how the virus can find the spot on a receptor to infect not just dogs, but multiple species, according to an international team of researchers. The model also could lead to a better understanding of how viruses enter a human body. Read more
Researchers seek to revolutionize catalyst design with machine learning
Posted on September 18, 2019Researchers from Penn State and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have received a $1.2 million grant from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to use machine learning — a form of artificial intelligence — and data science to design more effective catalysts for chemical processing. Read more
Featured Researcher: Hyungsuk Tak
Posted on September 13, 2019Get to know Dr. Hyungsuk Tak, an ICS co-hire with the Eberly College of Science who joined Penn State in fall 2019 in the departments of Statistics and Astronomy and Astrophysics. Dr. Tak is an astro-statistician—he uses complex data analytics methods to understand the Hubble constant, which measures the expansion rate of the universe. How […] Read more
Resilient Resumes team places third in Nittany AI Challenge
Posted on September 12, 2019The Resilient Resumes team took third place in the Nittany AI Challenge, held at Penn State University Park campus on Sept. 10. The team received $5,000 for their web application designed to walk the user through the resume creation process. Read more