Administrator
Imagine, Summer 2020 MatSE newsletter
When students left campus for spring break this year, they had no idea that they would not be returning to campus on March 16. Students, faculty and staff all embarked on a brave new world of learning which included all instruction moving to remote learning for the remainder of the semester, continuing into the summer semester, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
For MatSE students, faculty and staff it meant adapting to a quick change in the way of everyday life. All student instruction was transitioned to remote learning, all but essential research halted, and faculty and staff were required to work remotely from their homes — no one was performing business as usual.
Over the last three months, MatSE has faced the challenges of implementing so many changes such as the University Faculty Senate approving a pass/fail grading system for spring 2020; providing all teaching, labs advising remotely; transitioning events including the spring awards ceremony and graduation to online experiences, and many more. But through it all, teamwork and the spirit of the MatSE family has made overcoming the challenges possible.
Now, we take the first steps on the road back into our labs and our new normal. In an effort to reduce exposure and transmission of the COVID-19, return to research procedures have been developed and are under continuous development by the MatSE Safety Committee under guidance from the College of Earth and Mineral Science and Penn State leadership teams. The recommendations will evolve in response to new information as it emerges. The recommendations are intended for time periods when Penn State is operating under conditions Red, Orange, Yellow-1, and Yellow-2.
The next generation of solar cells, made from flexible, wearable material, may soon charge our devices on the go, or provide critical electricity when other power sources are not available, like during a natural disaster.
Two projects involving MatSE professors are included in the new Penn State research projects that have been funded by Institute for Computational and Data Sciences seed grants, in conjunction with supplemental funding from the colleges of Arts and Architecture, Earth and Mineral Sciences; Information Sciences and Technology; Education; and Engineering.
Tom Nigl, doctoral candidate in materials science and engineering (MatSE) at Penn State, was awarded the Intercollege Graduate Student Outreach Achievement Award from the Graduate School for outreach efforts that promote science within society.
Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences recognized exceptional students and faculty for their academic excellence, service and leadership during its annual Wilson Awards Presentation, held virtually on Sunday, April 26.
Celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2020
Penn State held its spring 2020 commencement ceremony via livestream on May 9, 2020 to recognize all undergraduate students at University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses, and all graduate students in the Graduate School, who are receiving their degrees from the University. The full recording of the spring 2020 University-wide commencement ceremony is available for viewing at https://spring2020.commencement.psu.edu.
The Penn State Center for Structural Oncology (CSO) is shifting some of its focus from fighting cancer to fighting COVID-19, with three projects.
A few years ago, Hannah Patel felt overwhelmed. Like many first-year college students, Patel struggled to adjust to her college classes and was unsure of how to get involved in her major. Now a Penn State senior majoring in earth science and policy in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS), Patel has spent the last four years finding her place on campus – and is ready to help current underclass students do the same.
In retirement, Penn State Professor Gary Messing hasn’t moved far at all from a material that’s defined his 40-year career. He’s just seeing it from a different point of view.