Each day, MatSE students, faculty, and staff demonstrate how safety shapes everything they do. In the fall of 2024, many MatSE supporters answered the call to help preserve our safety-first culture. Over the years, through partnerships with academic, industry, research, and alumni communities, MatSE has built one of the strongest safety programs in academia.
This program emphasizes the importance of safety in a fun and engaging way—through student awards, comprehensive training, and the provision of personal protective equipment. A memorable example of how enjoyable promoting safety can be is the MatSE Safety Dance Video. Though it may be hard to believe it debuted over a decade ago, it remains a fan favorite and a classic.
One-way MatSE celebrates student commitment to safety excellence is through the Outstanding Safety Award. This year’s recipient, Agatha O’Connell, graduate student, was recognized for her dedication to safety—consistently asking questions, identifying safety concerns, and responding to incidents with clarity and action. O’Connell is Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certified through Penn State’s Environmental Health and Safety’s ten-hour course and has served as a laboratory safety manager for more than two years. One nominator praised her as “committed to the highest standard of lab safety, not only for themself but for our department as a whole.”
Our continued efforts are possible because of our alumni, friends, and partners who answered the call and made the MatSE fall appeal a success through contributions to the MatSE Laboratory Annual Safety Fund. The 1:1 $1,000 challenge match from alumna and retired faculty member Libby Kupp has been met, and we’re thrilled to share that a donor has come forward to permanently endow our safety fund.
If you’d like to keep the momentum going, there’s still time to support this vital initiative. Your gift, no matter the size, helps ensure that safety remains at the forefront of everything we do.
Thank you!