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Engineering alumni society recognizes awardee’s outstanding contributions

11/20/2023

At its annual awards ceremony, the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society (PSEAS) recognized engineering faculty, staff and alumni members for outstanding teaching, research, advising and service.

Five engineering students receive NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

10/26/2023

The Graduate School at Penn State welcomed 20 new National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program recipients for the 2023-24 academic year. Five College of Engineering graduate students received the fellowship, and two engineering graduate students were recognized as honorable mentions.

Adapting to climate change: Individuals take action while governments plan

10/24/2023

A new study co-authored by Christine Kirchhoff, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and of law, policy and engineering at Penn State, details why individuals are more likely than governments to implement actions to adapt to climate change.

Nine newly promoted engineering faculty honored through library books

10/11/2023

Nine newly tenured or promoted faculty members in the College of Engineering were asked to select a book title for the University Libraries’ permanent collection and to submit a personal statement explaining why they chose that book.

Engineering graduate students recognized with University fellowships

10/5/2023

The Graduate School at Penn State recognized 114 students as recipients of the 2023-24 University Graduate Fellowships and Distinguished Graduate Fellowships, including 22 students from the College of Engineering.

Former DuPont Laureate Theresa Weston highlights innovation in Hankin Lecture

10/4/2023

Theresa Weston, founder of The Holt Weston Consultancy and a building science research professional specializing in the durability and energy efficiency of buildings, will deliver the 2023 Hankin Distinguished Lecture on November 1 at 4 p.m.

Penn State partners with Monash University for Australia water quality research

10/4/2023

A group of Penn State students recently traveled to Australia as part of a partnership between Penn State and Monash University to conduct research aimed at better understanding sources of decreased water quality in watersheds, in addition to finding possible solutions.

'Growing Impact' podcast explores solar energy at wastewater treatment plants

10/2/2023

Christine Kirchhoff, associate professor in the School of Engineering Design and Innovation and of civil and environmental engineering, discusses her research into the implementation of solar power at wastewater treatment plants on the latest episode of "Growing Impact," a podcast by Penn States' Institute of Energy and the Environment.

Penn State work featured in upcoming long-term Franklin Institute space exhibit

9/29/2023

A video that highlights the work a Penn State team is doing to?3D print houses that can sustain life on Mars?is featured in a new $8.5 million core exhibit opening Nov. 4 at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

Media mention: ‘Rivers Are Losing Oxygen Faster Than Oceans — Wake Up Call’

9/14/2023

Li Li, Barry and Shirley Isett Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was quoted in an article by Newsweek. In the article, Li discusses her recent research that found rivers are warming and rapidly losing oxygen, which may lead to “acute death” in rivers across the southern regions of the U.S.

Rivers rapidly warming, losing oxygen; aquatic life may be at risk, study finds

9/14/2023

Rivers are warming and losing oxygen faster than oceans, according to study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. The study, led by Li Li, Isett Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, shows that of nearly 800 rivers, warming occurred in 87% and oxygen loss occurred in 70%.

Microplastics may increase riverbed sediment movement, erosion

8/30/2023

Microplastics impact how sand travels along riverbeds, suggesting microplastics could increase riverbed erosion, according to an international team of researchers. Roberto Fernández, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and project team member, said this could have effects on river habitats. The team’s findings were published in Nature’s Communications Earth & Environment.

Five engineering student teams honored in national airport design competition

8/11/2023

Five student teams from Penn State’s Engineering Leadership Development program in the School of Engineering Design and Innovation earned recognition in the 17th-annual University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs, sponsored by the Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program.

Vikash Gayah named interim director of Larson Transportation Institute

8/11/2023

Vikash Gayah, professor of civil engineering at Penn State, has been named interim director of the Penn State Larson Transportation Institute, effective Aug. 1.

Farshad Rajabipour named interim head of civil and environmental engineering

7/25/2023

Professor Farshad Rajabipour has been named interim head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, effective July 1. Rajabipour assumes leadership of the department following the appointment of Patrick Fox as dean of engineering at Ohio University.

Media mention: ‘Here’s what worries engineers the most about U.S. infrastructure’

7/17/2023

Christine J. Kirchoff, associate professor and associate director of law, policy and engineering and associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, shared her perspectives with National Geographic on the dire state of the nation’s infrastructure.

Symposium to feature student research on climate science and solutions

7/13/2023

Penn State’s Climate Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates program and the Drawdown Scholars program are hosting their final poster symposium from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3, in the Steidle Building Atrium on the University Park campus.

Several Penn State labs receive UN-endorsed sustainability certification

7/10/2023

Fifteen Penn State research labs have earned My Green Lab certifications at one of the three highest levels available: gold, platinum or green. The certification is recognized by the United Nations as a key measure toward the goal of a zero-carbon future.

Penn State takes first in topographic mapping at national surveying championship

7/5/2023

A group of Penn State civil engineering students took first in the topographic mapping category of the American Society of Civil Engineers Surveying Competition Finals, sponsored by the Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute.

Penn State announces non-tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2023

6/30/2023

Non-tenure-line faculty promotions at Penn State, effective July 1, 2023, include more than 20 engineering faculty members.

Penn State Global announces Collaboration Program awards with Auckland

6/28/2023

Penn State and the University of Auckland in New Zealand recently announced the awarded grants of the second round of the Collaboration Program, a jointly financed seed program with the aim to collaborate on research and education projects. Kaleigh Yost, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, received funding.

Penn State Global announces Collaboration Program awards with Monash University

6/28/2023

Penn State and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, announced the awarded grants of the third round of the Collaboration Program, which included funding awarded to Laura Cabrera, associate professor of engineering science and mechanics, and Tong Qiu, professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Penn State rises 10 places in 2024 QS World University Rankings

6/28/2023

Story summary (1-2 sentences; appears as the blurb in Penn State News/COE News and used in social): Penn State ranked No. 83 in the world — a jump of 10 positions from No. 93 last year — in the recently released 2024 QS World University Rankings, placing the University in the top 6% worldwide among the 1,500 institutions ranked by QS.

College of Engineering recognizes 2023 Early Career Award recipients

6/12/2023

The Penn State College of Engineering will recognize 10 alumni with the Early Career Award for their achievements and demonstrated commitment to their professions, communities and Penn State at a ceremony on June 16 at University Park.

NASA-funded student team builds microwave system to smelt metal on the moon

6/12/2023

A team of undergraduate students in Penn State’s Student Space Programs Laboratory, housed in the College of Engineering’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, was one of seven university teams selected to receive funding from NASA to build a prototype in the BIG Idea Challenge. Penn State received $130,000 to develop a microwave system that can smelt metal on the moon.

Penn State announces tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2023

6/12/2023

Tenured and tenure-line faculty promotions at Penn State, effective July 1, 2023, include more than 25 engineering faculty members.

Media mention: ‘AI in the Sky’

5/23/2023

Chaopeng Shen, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, was featured in a PennStater article about his research in artificial intelligence.

New study reveals possible future health impacts related to climate mitigation

5/18/2023

A Penn State-led team of researchers examined the link between fossil fuel reduction and air quality by exploring almost 30,000 simulated future scenarios. They found that some climate mitigation efforts could lead to harmful health impacts in certain geographic areas.

Media mention: ‘Are EVs Fair for Everyone? Surprising Lack of Research Raises Questions’

5/16/2023

Wei Peng, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and of international affairs, was featured in a Tech Times article about the equity implications of electric vehicles.

More research is needed to spread the benefits of electric vehicles equitably

5/12/2023

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 areas and populations.

Penn State students win overall at civil engineering symposium

5/8/2023

Penn State civil engineering students placed first overall for the 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Mid-Atlantic West Symposium, with multiple Penn State teams placing in several categories.

Penn State researchers support Social Science Advocacy Day

5/3/2023

Penn State researchers recently participated in Social Science Advocacy Day, held in Washington, D.C., by the Consortium of Social Science Associations.

Energy, environmental seed grants awarded to interdisciplinary research teams

5/2/2023

Nineteen interdisciplinary research teams received funding through the Institutes of Energy and the Environment’s (IEE) Seed Grant Program for 2023. This includes more than 75 researchers who are affiliated with 10 colleges and research units across seven Penn State campuses.

Projects to advance zero-waste water research, solutions

5/2/2023

A new master agreement with ENOWA, a company tasked with pioneering sustainable energy and water innovations, will support Penn State research efforts in sustainable water solutions.

College of Engineering names student marshals for spring 2023 commencement

4/25/2023

The Penn State College of Engineering has named its student marshals for the spring 2023 commencement ceremony. One student is selected to represent each of the 14 majors associated with the college and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.

Cities can benefit from complex supply chains, Penn State researchers find

4/18/2023

Inspired by complex ecosystems, Penn State researchers developed an algorithm to study the benefits of complexity in city supply chains.

Christine Kirchhoff to collaborate on $5.6M climate resiliency grant

4/12/2023

Christine Kirchhoff, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and of law, policy and engineering at Penn State, will serve as a co-principal investigator on a $5.6 million grant to develop adaptation pathways for island communities vulnerable to rising sea-levels.

Engineering graduate students earn prizes at 2023 Graduate Exhibition

4/11/2023

Seven Penn State engineering graduate students earned first-, second- or third-place prizes at the 2023 Graduate Exhibition, held March 20-24 on the University Park campus and online.

Seven graduate students recognized with University awards

4/6/2023

Forty Penn State graduate students, seven of whom are students in the College of Engineering, were named recipients of Penn State’s annual graduate student awards, administered by the Graduate School in collaboration with several Penn State units.

Temperature is stronger than light and flow as driver of oxygen in US rivers

4/6/2023

With 40 years of data from 580 U.S. rivers, Penn State researchers used a deep learning model to find out if sunlight, temperature or stream flow is the main driver of dissolved oxygen concentrations.

Climate-related projects awarded seed grant funding through RISE support

3/30/2023

Two climate-related projects received seed grant funding through high-performance computing support and consultation. Chris Gorski, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Jonathan Boualavong, doctoral student in environmental engineering, were among the recipients.

Media mention: Flood, drought analysis: Impact reduction is effective – but fails in unprecedented events

3/18/2023

The European Commission published an article sharing the results of a study to which Alfonso Mejia, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, contributed. 

Leonhard Center speaking contest showcases students’ communication skills

3/10/2023

The Penn State College of Engineering’s Leonhard Center for Enhancement of Engineering Education held its biannual speaking contest on Feb. 7, showcasing students’ skills in translating technical knowledge into engaging presentations.

Two engineering graduate students honored with Alumni Association Dissertation Award

3/10/2023

Thirteen graduate students received the Alumni Association Dissertation Award, one of the most prestigious awards given to doctoral candidates at the University, including two from the College of Engineering.

Eleven alumni to receive College of Engineering's highest honor

3/8/2023

Eleven Penn State engineering graduates have been selected to receive the College of Engineering’s Outstanding Engineering Alumni Awards. The ceremony will take place on March 13 at The Penn Stater.

17 new faculty members join the College of Engineering

2/14/2023

Seventeen new faculty members have joined the Penn State College of Engineering since early fall 2022. The 12 tenured or tenure-line faculty and six professional track faculty represent 11 units and departments and include one new department head.

Roberto Fernández joins the Institutes of Energy and the Environment

2/8/2023

Six new Penn State faculty members have joined the Institutes of Energy and the Environment, including Roberto Fernández in the College of Engineering.

Professor Bill Burgos named distinguished alumnus by alma mater

1/24/2023

William Burgos, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Penn State, has been selected for induction as a member of the Academy of Distinguished Alumni for the Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech.

Media Mention: ‘Forever Changed: … when the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed’

1/22/2023

Kostas Papakonstantinou, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, was consulted in an article reflecting on the collapse of Fern Hollow Bridge nearly a year after its collapse.

Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to six projects

1/11/2023

Christine J. Kirchhoff, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and associate director of the Penn State law, policy, and engineering (LPE) initiative, was awarded seed funding from the Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence.

Media Mention: ‘In northernmost Alaska, a battle is on to limit the damages of permafrost thaw’

1/4/2023

A project led by Ming Xiao, Penn State professor of civil and environmental engineering, was highlighted in an article by the Alaska Beacon. The project monitors the behavior of thawing permafrost in Alaska in order to predict future soil conditions and inform infrastructure planning.

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The Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, established in 1881, is internationally recognized for excellence in the preparation of undergraduate and graduate engineers through the integration of education, research, and leadership.

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

212 Sackett Building

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802-1408

Phone: 814-863-3084