Learning to Walk and Wink: Terrestrial Fish Inspired Design

~ 375 million years ago, early tetrapods began transitioning from life in the water to life on land. To understand how they achieved this major transition, we study the fossil record and the diversity of living fishes. Here I’ll discuss two behaviors that are adaptations to life on land—walking and blinking—and how we are studying the origins of these behaviors to learn about joint mechanics and neural system evolution. These investigations help us to understand how functional innovations originate at evolutionary timescales and reveal new comparative systems for bio-inspired design.

Tom Stewart
Biology

Forcing Atoms into Chaotic, Uncomfortable – but Extraordinary Places

The search for new phases of matter is one of the most thrilling challenges in materials science. Why? Because discovering and designing new materials unlocks groundbreaking technologies—from faster electronics to cleaner energy solutions. But what if, instead of following the conventional rules of stability, we embraced disorder? High-entropy oxides take an unconventional route, challenging the limits of traditional material design. Instead of relying on enthalpy-driven approaches, they harness entropy—deliberately mixing a wide variety of elements in a single crystal structure. This randomness creates materials that defy expectations: chemically disordered yet structurally ordered, and often with surprising new properties. By trapping these chaotic atomic arrangements at room temperature, we force atoms into environments they wouldn’t naturally choose—unlocking possibilities for novel functionalities and next-generation technologies.

Saeed Almishal
Materials Science & Engineering

Sustainability at Penn State: Highlights and Engagement Opportunities

Penn State's definition of sustainability is "the simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality, and economic well-being for current and future generations." I will provide a brief update on what is happening with sustainability at Penn State and how this definition has translated into real solutions for real challenges. I will also highlight opportunities for faculty, students, and staff to get involved, including through education, research, operations, and helping to meet the land-grant mission. For more on sustainability action at Penn State, see the 2022-24 State of Sustainability report.

Lara Fowler
Penn State Chief Sustainability Officer

Talking Plants: How Biosensors can Revolutionize Agriculture

Agricultural sensors are becoming essential tools for monitoring soil moisture, nutrient levels, and crop health. As the global market for these technologies expands, there is a growing interest in developing ways for plants to communicate their needs directly. Beyond measuring environmental conditions, future sensor systems could detect early signs of drought stress, nutrient deficiencies, pest infestations, and disease outbreaks before symptoms become visible. However, significant challenges remain in developing sensors and interpreting plant signals. Primarily, due to their very nature, sensors are either temporarily or spatially removed from the environment in which the plants exist, due to the time required to read the results or the micro-environment the sensor creates in its static position, compared to the changing plants. Our team is seeking collaboration on sensor technology and the use of AI for signal processing and interpretation.

Shiran Ben-Zeev
Postdoctoral Fellow  |  Guojie Wang Laboratory

Don’t Settle for Standard Conditions: The Power of in-situ

Materials characterization is often performed under standard laboratory conditions. However, this can lead to an incomplete view of the structure, chemistry, and overall properties of a material system under its eventual “real-world operating conditions.”  To address this gap, researchers may employ strategies to collect their data under “in situ” conditions where temperature, pressure, and chemical composition of the atmosphere are controlled. This talk will present examples where in situ molecular spectroscopy methods are used to develop a deeper understanding across problems in polymer science, catalysis, applied materials, and civil engineering.

Jordan Meyet
MCL Molecular Spectroscopy Group

The Penn State Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES)

The SAFES Institute provides a welcoming and dynamic platform for interdisciplinary research through engagement in our Critical Issue Initiatives (CIIs). Housed in the College of Agricultural Science, SAFES is uniquely positioned to integrate the three pillars of the land grant mission – research, education, and Extension. Come hear more about the SAFES vision, resources we have to support you, and ways to become involved!  

Heather Preisendanz
Director, SAFES