There are many forms of energy around us: light, heat, vibrations, wind, electromagnetic fields, fluid flow, waves, organic waste, etc. At large scale, many of these energy sources already play a significant role in powering our society and are projected to become dominant contributors by 2040. On the smaller scale, exciting scientific and engineering challenges must be overcome to harness these energy sources.
As we begin the New Year we’ll take a moment to celebrate some recent accomplishments and look towards the future: winners of the 2017 Rustum and Della Roy Awards will be announced, new faculty will be highlighted, and I’ll provide an update on some MRI strategic initiatives.
The Materials Research Institute, Penn State Global and the National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT) have announced the 2025 Collaborative Seed Grant Program to support joint research projects in materials science and engineering. This initiative is designed to spark new international partnerships between faculty at both institutions, with a focus on high-risk, high-reward research in areas such as functional polymer composites, additive manufacturing, sustainable processes and recycling, materials-enabled thermal management, and quantum packaging.
Pioneer in corrosion science and electrochemistry remembered for groundbreaking research and global mentorship
By Jamie Oberdick
By Jamie Oberdick
In the heart of Penn State’s University Park campus stands the Millennium Science Complex (MSC), a striking architectural feat that houses the Materials Research Institute (MRI). Beyond its impressive facade, the MSC is a hub of scientific discovery, education, and collaboration, embodying the University’s commitment to advancing materials science for the greater good.
Researchers made mats from the tiny fibers as a proof-of-concept; report their work holds promise for sustainable food packaging, wound dressings, cosmetics, filtration and more
By Jeff Mulhollem
Researchers at Penn State defy thermal radiation law with unprecedented strength
By Sarah Small
A research team from Penn State has broken a 165-year-old law of thermal radiation with unprecedented strength, setting the stage for more efficient energy harvesting, heat transfer and infrared sensing.
By Ashley WennersHerron
Silicon is king in the semiconductor technology that underpins smartphones, computers, electric vehicles and more, but its crown may be slipping, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State. In a world first, they used two-dimensional (2D) materials, which are only an atom thick and retain their properties at that scale, unlike silicon, to develop a computer capable of simple operations.
As Philadelphia’s first zero-waste certified business, we have earned gold status by diverting at least 90% of the material from our business from becoming landfill waste by creating recycled glass products through various glass making techniques. We are looking forward to partnering with Penn State to enhance possibilities for glass recycling.
