Three Penn State-led projects have received more than $1.6 million in combined research and development grants from the U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy University Programs.

The department would like to congratulate Seth Berbano, PhD student advised by Professors Michael Lanagan and Clive Randall. Seth is receiving the 2011 Alfred R. Cooper Young Scholar Award for his written summary Formation and Structure of Na2S + P2S5 Amorphous Materials Prepared by Melt-Quenching and Mechanical Milling. At the 2011 MS&T Conference, Seth will discuss his research summary during the Alfred R. Cooper Session on Monday, October 17 from 4:00-4:15 in Room C111 of the Columbus Ohio Convention Center, followed by the award presentation.

Two basics of life—clean water and energy—help keep Mike Hickner highly motivated in his Steidle Building labs. One of his goals is to develop technology that allows consumers to recycle water from their homes and decrease their reliance on the power grid.

Professor Clive Randall received the "International Award of Ferroelectric Materials and Their Applications" at the 28th Meeting of the Ferroelectric Materials and Their Applications Conference on May 26, 2011 held in Kyoto, Japan. This award, previously known as the Ikeda Award is given annually for outstanding contributions in the research of ferroelectric materials. Professor Randall's citation reads "for contribution to the progress in Defect Chemistry and Thermodynamics of Perovskite Ferroelectrics.

As a young student in pursuit of a career in materials science, my first priority was to delve into the research that is propelling the field forward.  More>>

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 was a busy, yet momentous, day for MatSE graduate student and U.S. Marine, Brandy Soublet.

Please join the department in congratulating Professors Engel-Herbert, Kimel and Liu for receiving awards at the 2011 College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Wilson Banquet:

Dr. Roman Engel-Herbert for receiving the Wilson Research Initiation Grant for his proposal titled "Towards Current Induced Domain".

Dr. Allen Kimel received a Gladys Snyder Education Grant for his proposal titled "New Course Focused on Sustainability in Materials".

We would like to thank all who attended the awards banquet and congratulations to all the award winners! It was, once again, another successful banquet!

2011 Awards Banquet
Monday, April 18, 2011
Nittany Lion Inn
5:30 pm

Masters of Ceremony - Stephanie Petrina, Laura Schell

Presentation of Undergraduate Awards:

Guy and Rae Rindone Award for Academic Excellence in Materials Science and Engineering
Daniel Magagnosc

It is my pleasure to let you know that our first year graduate student Maria Monica Castellanos Montilla will receive the prestigious Ponce de Leon award in Colombia.

Penn State researchers discovered a new process to help extract bitumen — a thick oil — from tar sands in an environmentally friendly way, which can help to clean sands stained by the BP oil spill.  More>>