Wood is an amazing biomaterial and can be used to produce paper, energy, and construction materials. Can we engineer wood to meet or even surpass the toughness and durability of carbon-intensive products like concrete and steel? I will discuss ongoing collaborative research that seeks to generate and characterize advanced materials from Northeastern hardwoods, which cover much of Pennsylvania and represent carbon sinks that can help build the bioeconomy.
Charlie Anderson | Biology
The scale of the CO2 emissions is such that any mitigation process must generate minimal waste byproducts. Molecular hydrogen (H2) could – in principle – reduce CO2 in a waste-free manner. Here, I will discuss the thermodynamic landscape for CO2 hydrogenation and how that landscape impacts catalyst design. This thermochemical viewpoint on catalysis represents our team’s approach in developing more sustainable chemical processes.
Jonathan Kuo | Chemistry
This talk will introduce the new political-industrial ecology research initiative at the Earth and Environmental Sciences Institute. Political-industrial ecology aims to better embed the resource flows supporting industrial systems, such as energy and agriculture, in their broader political economic and specific geographic contexts. By better understanding the specific ‘ecosystem’ of industrial society, political-industrial ecology can contribute to crafting more environmentally just industrial futures.
Jennifer Baka | Geography
In this first climate solutions talk I will discuss how climate change and the push for clean energy might worsen dust-related health problems for miners and look for ways to fill the gaps in knowledge on how mining dust affects health. This study presents an incontrovertible visual proof of prevalence of nano-sized mineral dust during raw material extraction, utilizing advanced techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The intricate elemental composition of nano-sized particulate identified through EDS analysis reveals the presence of elements such as silica and iron, which are known to contribute to lung pathologies when inhaled over prolonged periods. The outcomes of the statistical analyses reveal significant relationships between particle size and elemental composition, highlighting that smaller particles tend to have higher carbon content, while larger particles exhibit increased concentrations of elements like silica and aluminum.
Shimin Liu | Energy & Mineral Engineering
I will introduce the Center for Gas Turbine Research, Education, and Outreach (GTREO). Gas turbine engines are one of the largest contributors to the U.S. electric power grid, and are the dominant means of aircraft propulsion. Did you know the temperatures inside some parts of a gas turbine engine are hotter than lava, and that we have two of them at University Park that can produce about 40% of our campus electricity? Come learn about how Penn State’s Center for Gas Turbine Research, Education, and Outreach (GTREO) supports this critical infrastructure machine and learn about opportunities to get involved with the center.
Steve Lynch | Mechanical Engineering
The Millennium Café will return October 1, 2024.