Earth, Energy and Materials Science
at PennState
Twenty-thirteen • Volume Three
2 from.the.dean
From.the.Dean Now that we’ve taken our first full steps into the 21st century, the time is right to comment on how EMS has grown into its 21st century responsibility to educate students and advance discoveries in the earth, energy and material sciences. The mission of the College is to develop fundamental new knowledge about the complexities of the earth system, practical ways to deliver affordable energy to society, to visualize and produce materials with breathtaking new properties, and to impart that knowledge to students in preparing them for the grand challenges that lay ahead—lofty goals, indeed. So, what are some of those grand challenges likely to be? Well, let’s take an educated look. A little while ago, the U.S. National Intelligence Council assembled some of the nation’s top scientists, scholars and business leaders in a major effort to project the trends that will transform the world by 2025—only 12 years hence, now. Those trends are the product of forces so powerful that few scholars doubt the likelihood of their outcomes. Below, I list five of the trends, each trend accompanied by a short synopsis of what we are doing to prepare students to engage head-on with its consequences. By 2025: 1. Trend—the unprecedented shift in relative wealth and economic power roughly from West to East now under way will continue. How EMS is Engaging—one of the driving forces of economic competitiveness is ability to innovate with new products and services that cannot be produced anywhere else. At the heart of those innovations is scientific discovery and technical know-how that delivers an unbroken stream of new ideas. This requires constant replenishment, even growth of highly trained scientists and engineers. EMS is doing its part to provide those scientists and engineers. In six years, the College’s undergraduate enrollment has more than doubled and its graduate student enrollment has increased to record levels. The College is now graduating large numbers of well-trained scientists and engineers. EMS’ placement of graduates into jobs is nearly 100%. 2. Trend—continued economic growth—coupled with 1.2 billion more people by 2025—will put pressure on energy, food, and water resources. How EMS is Engaging—the College is emerging from a 5-year strategic plan that emphasized reinforcement of its strengths in energy science and engineering. Over the past 5 years, EMS has hired more than 15 new faculty members whose specialties are in renewable and nonrenewable energy production, business and finance, and policy. Many of these new faculty members are among the best young minds in the game. Looking to its next 5-year strategic plan, the College is very likely to emphasize growing more strength in water science and engineering. The interplay of water and energy will be especially important to address. 3. Trend—with high oil and gas prices eventually arriving (you thought they were already high), major exporters such as Russia and Iran will substantially augment their levels of national power, with Russia’s GDP potentially approaching that of the UK and France although substantially behind the United States. How EMS is Engaging—the path the College has taken is to invest in technical research that lowers the cost barriers to more widespread use of renewable energy while providing solutions to producing cheap but clean nonrenewable energy. With the help of industry partners such as Baker Hughes, Chevron and Haliburton, EMS has joined with the College of Engineering to form the Institute of Natural Gas Research (INGaR). INGaR will engage with its industry partners to develop novel technologies for discovery, extraction, conversion, distribution and consumption of natural gas. CONTINUED ON PAGE 27
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In.this.Issue 4 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 24 25 26 27
Info-Graphics EMS Boasts Five Student Entrants and Keynote Speaker at the Capitol Meteo Students Receive Last-Minute Lesson in Real-World Ventures An Interview with Kimberly Grant Penn State’s new Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk aims to limit weather concerns Undergraduate Researches the Human Aspects of the Urban Landscape Geography Students Gain Experience Abroad in the Big Data Social Science Traineeship Program EMS Thon Energy Available Within U.S. Borders Shale Network: What the Frack? SCRiM - A Multi-Institutional Project Lead by EMS Faculty 30 Years of Weather World The Game Changer: Penn State’s Institute for Natural Gas Research EMS Continues to Build Faculty Strength and Capacity Riparia’s 20th Anniversary Robertson Award for EMS Breakthrough of the Year and New Leadership in Energy and Mineral Engineering PSU Meteorology Grads on Frontlines of U.S. Homeland Security EMS Faculty - World Class Scientists and Engineers Upcoming Events
The Earth, Energy and Materials Science magazine is a publication of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State.
Natural Gas Q&A
Editorial Director: William E. Easterling, Dean Editor: Kelly O. Henry, Director of Communications and Marketing Designer: Morgann E. McAfee, Communications and Marketing Specialist Contributing Authors: Kimberly Del Bright, Ryan Family Student Center Anne Danahy, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute Anna Morrison, Energy and Mineral Engineering Angela Rogers, Geography Colleen Swetland, Alumni Relations Martha Traverse, Ryan Family Student Center
Q. How much natural gas does the United States have and how long will it last? A. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that there are 2,203 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas that is technically recoverable in the United States. At the rate of U.S. natural gas consumption in 2011 of about 24 Tcf per year, 2,203 Tcf of natural gas is enough to last about 92 years.
Contact Information: 116 Deike Building, University Park, PA 16828 814-865-6546 (Office) • 814-863-7708 (Fax) contact@ems.psu.edu www.ems.psu.edu This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. U.Ed. EMS 14-10.
Q. What percentage of homes in the U.S. use natural gas? A. In 2009, about 50% of all households (residential sector) used natural gas, accounting for about 21% of total natural gas consumed in the United States.
Q. How much shale gas is produced in the United States? A. EIA estimates that in 2011, about 7.85 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of dry natural gas was produced directly from shale deposits in the United States. This was about 34% of total U.S. dry natural gas production in 2011. Source: http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=907&t=8
4 info.graphics
â–ş ITEM NO. 001 Fall enrollment has increased by 154% over the past 10 years
GEOG 100 students
EME 1305 students
METEO 205 students GEOSC 139 students MATSE 193 students ITEM NO. 003 2013 University Park enrollment
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total enrollment
EMS @ University Park enrollment over the past three years FA12 FA11 FA10
students
ITEM NO. 005
meteo
Fall 2002
Fall 2012
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering has the highest undergradudate enrollment out of all the EMS majors
matse
ITEM NO. 004 Estimated department enrollment from 2002 to 2012
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6 undergrad.student.news
EMS Boasts Five Student Entrants and Keynote Speaker at the Capitol By Martha Traverse Richard Alley, Nobel Prize Laureate and Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences knows how to inspire. And that’s just what he did as keynote speaker for the Undergraduate Research at the Capitol Poster Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He shared his passion about learning, teaching and sharing as key tools for sustaining civilization. “He talked about the importance of taking what we learn today and carrying it into the future; he talked about how every human makes an imprint, and the responsibility we have as citizens of planet Earth,” said Kelleen Lanagan (B.S. GEOSC ‘13). “He told us that scientists must discover what no one else knows; that we must commit our efforts to help future generations” added Andrea Karelitz (B.S. METEO ‘13). “At the URC-PA conference, I was delighted to share the concept of space weather with people who had never heard of it; I am also very excited about contributing to the offering of the first space weather course at Penn State!” Andrea’s cutting-edge research project, “Advances in Forecasting of Solar Energetic Particle Events based on Coronal Mass Ejections” seeks to avert potential damage to satellites, the power grid, GPS and groundbased aviation by forecasting dangerous SEP events (Solar Energy Particles) caused by CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections), highly ionized earth-bound particles from the sun. The conference featured top-achieving students from universities and colleges throughout Pennsylvania, showcasing their research projects to state legislators, legislative staff, educators and students. Penn State was granted eight coveted entrant spots; the
students were selected by the Office of Undergraduate Education. Five of those selected were from EMS. In addition to Lanagan and Karelitz, Jamey Gigliotti (B.S. MATSE ‘13), Patrick Ritsko (B.S. EBF ‘13), and Daniel Tauriello (B.S. GEOG ‘13) presented their research. Jamey Gigliotti is carrying his research findings into the future for medical imaging and diagnostics with Miniaturized Medical Ultrasound Transducers. “This research touches the lives of most everyone. While many of the students, educators and legislators with whom I spoke had no previous knowledge of medical imaging transducers, microfabrication or scientific research, they could see the scope of my project and others like it impacting medical care in the future.” Kelleen Lanagan is intrigued by natural disasters, and she is making her mark studying how the after-effects from great earthquakes above magnitude 5 may trigger activity of nearby volcanoes. She hopes to answer how the shifting of the earth’s crust (subduction) may play a significant role in volcanic activity. “With more research, this
relationship will be useful in predicting which earthquakes can trigger which volcanoes, and ultimately save human lives. Representative Scott Conklin and a staff member of Senator Jake Corman were among the people who stopped by to ask about my research poster, Exploring Interactions between Subduction Zone Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity in the South Central Alaskan Subduction Zone.” Patrick Ritsko’s research is a result of a summer spent living and working with earth scientists in the Florida Everglades National Park, at a spot very close to the Gulf of Mexico coast. Tidal Effects on Carbon Dioxide Storage and Mixing Ratios within a Florida Everglades Mangrove Forest provides data that point to significant changes in carbon dioxide storage levels with changes in water levels due to ocean tides. The importance of Patrick’s research is easily correlated with the prospect of climate change bringing about higher worldwide water levels, affecting carbon dioxide exchange rates. An up-close photograph of culex pipiens—a really nasty disease-transmitting mosquito –caught the eye of anyone passing by Daniel Tauriello’s poster, A Spatio-Temporal Analysis of West Nile Virus in Pennsylvania. “This research is important because it is the first of its kind to combine human infection data with temperature and precipitation data; this lays the groundwork for further studies in Pennsylvania and surrounding states.” Dan’s poster depicted a comparison study of the outbreaks of West Nile Virus in Pennsylvania in 2003 and 2012—a year that saw 243 WNV fatalities in the U.S. The College continues to thrive on the cutting edge of research in earth sciences and engineering materials; thank you, Dr. Alley, for your inspiration to our future leaders in scientific discovery.
undergrad.student.news 7
METEO Students Receive Last-Minute Lesson in Real-World Ventures By Anne Danahy In April, when Sean Wolinsky was getting ready to graduate, the Penn State Meteorology major got a last-minute lesson in real-world ventures.
Rachel, who took the class as well as helped run it, said the experience reaching out to businesses and getting them to respond was a lesson in and of itself. Her project focused on the Penn State Golf Course and included options for ways to respond to the rainy season, such as offering non-refundable flat rate reservations a few days ahead of expected wet weather. Doing so could help attract customers, while offering the business protection if stormy weather did strike. “This was a great opportunity to get my foot in the door. It let me see how I can affect business with my knowledge of the weather,” said Rachel, who had a double major in Meteorology and Psychology with a minor in the College’s Energy, Business and Finance program.
Wolinsky was one of seven students in “Analysis of Businesses’ Weather Sensitivities,” a one-credit Meteorology class that a faculty member and local businessman, with help from a student, piloted in the spring. Wolinsky, like other students in the class, had to find a business willing to be a client, research the impact weather could have on that business, then make the pitch — backed by data — about how customized meteorological information could make for a better-run and more profitable business operation.
Other students’ projects focused on weather risk analyses for a car dealership, a transportation authority, Penn State club sports and Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. Young said the class was designed to offer “learning through doing in a community environment.”
“It was nice to have this class before getting shoved out into the real world,” Wolinsky said. His project focused on the impact of weather on a movie theater in his hometown, Bloomsburg. The best part about the class, he said, was getting the chance to practice communicating technical meteorology information to a not necessarily tech-savvy audience. That was one of the ideas behind METEO 494: Analysis of Businesses’ Weather Sensitivities, a half-semester independent study class that gave students hands-on experience in researching the economic impacts weather has on the business world, developing plans for how businesses can respond to those changing variables and presenting those findings in ways that made sense to their clients. Arthur A. Small III, president and CEO of Venti Risk Management in State College, co-taught the course with George S. Young, professor of meteorology, with help from Rachel Lupold, a senior at the time who served as course coordinator.
“This was a great opportunity to get my foot in the door. It let me see how I can affect business with my knowledge of the weather.”
-- Rachel Lupold
Young said the job market in the weather risk management field is growing, particularly in the financial sector. Weather risk management, he said, is how society benefits from the skills of meteorologists and climatologists. “Weather risk managers are the people who make weather and climate forecasts ‘actionable’ by the corporate and governmental decision makers,” he said.
8 undergrad.student.news
An Interview with Kimberly Grant By Martha Traverse We are celebrating a momentous occasion. The College proudly lauds the first African American woman to graduate in Mining Engineering at Penn State: Ms. Kimberly J. Grant. Professor Larry Grayson, recently retired and long-time Undergraduate Program Officer for Mining Engineering, and an encouraging mentor to Kimberly since she began her studies in 2009. “I will always remember Kimberly for her passion about workers’ safety and health and the need for strong compliance with both safety and environmental regulations. She has quiet passion for important issues and worked very hard for her grades, always doing a very professional job on her assignments and projects. Kimberly will be a true and dedicated professional, and I am very proud of her and her family for supporting her.” The following is an excerpt of a delightful conversation with Ms. Grant:
My placement tests weren’t good. The curriculum followed by inner city high schools in Philadelphia just can’t provide the level of preparedness needed to test well for an engineering program. I was already behind, even before classes started. But when I got to Penn State and talked to my college adviser, Jonathan Merritt, I told him how much I wanted to pursue Mining Engineering. He listened. Although he was probably skeptical, he still listened and gave me an honest appraisal of the work required and the difficulties ahead.
Q: Why Mining Engineering? That’s an unusual goal, isn’t it?
A: Coming from inner city Philadelphia, I didn’t know anything about mines. But I’ll never forget seeing reports of mining disasters on the news, depicting the lives lost, and the grieving families, and I was determined to work one day to be a part of improving health and safety in the mining industry.
Q: What was the most difficult aspect of the road to your B.S. in Mining Engineering?
Q: Have there been obstacles for you,
A: The going has been tough, but I’ve
A: Oh yes. Sometimes, guys don’t take women seriously, and I can tell you it’s even worse for a Black woman. When I first walked into a mining engineering class, the guys’ first reaction was, ‘Who are you, where are you from, and what are you doing here?’ They weren’t mean about it, just really surprised and curious. They all laughed and shook their heads. On a
been really determined. Everyone except my family was telling me no. ‘No, you can’t get into Penn State.’ ‘No, you can’t be an engineer.’ ‘No, you don’t have the smarts.’ ‘No, you don’t have the grades.’ ‘No, you won’t be able to do the math.’ On paper, they were right.
given that this is a male-dominated field?
A: Don’t be discouraged by males who
don’t think you are fit for the field. You can still maintain your femininity, too. I met a representative from the Matterhorn Mining Boot company at a meeting of the Society of Mining and Metallurgy Exploration (SME) in 2010. I asked her if the company made any boots that weren’t all black, which are very mannish looking. She completely surprised me by express-mailing a pair of pink and black steel-toe mining boots that she had special-ordered just for me.
mentoring assistance you have received in EMS over the years?
A: That’s easy. I would rate it a 10. I have been made to feel really comfortable by all the college’s advisers and faculty mentors. I have never been discouraged from seeking my dream. I have never felt judged as inadequate. We wish Kimberly every success as she takes her next steps into the world, setting an example for others to follow in her footsteps, and serving as an inspiration to her peers.
Way to go, Kimberly!
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women interested in the same path?
Q:How would you rate the advising and
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Q: What would be your advice to other
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Q: Do you have any Penn State honors,
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awards or experiences that you’d like to talk about?
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A: My personal goal is to participate in outreach projects, talking to high school students in inner city schools, encouraging them to work hard and not to take no for an answer.
’ve b
A: I’ve been fortunate to receive a Bunton Waller Scholarship twice, as well as the Robert Stefanko Memorial Scholarship three times. I joined the Silent Praise Mime Ministry as a freshman in 2006, and this was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In Silent Praise, we utilize physical interpretation and movement in Christian worship, reaching out to every age group. The support and friendship from this wonderful fellowship has helped me endure the lows and celebrate the highs. I have also enjoyed playing IM Girls’ Basketball for Penn State since 2007. Basketball—there’s another passion. I played in high school and love it. Q: What are your plans after receiving your degree?
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Oh, and don’t get me wrong about the guys in my mining engineering courses. After that original shock, they have all been really great and we’ve really bonded. We enjoy each other’s company; we have the same passion about our field.
My career goal is to work in the industry and bring about a better public perception of what the mining industry is. I am also very interested in research in mining health and safety; I would love to earn a Master’s degree someday.
ly d
field trip in a coal extraction course, we visited an underground coal mine in West Virginia. The workers there were chuckling and whispering, ‘What’s she doing here?’ But then, once we were in the mine, and I was making observations and answering questions, they shut up pretty quickly. That was a good feeling.
10 weather.and.climate.risk
Penn State’s new Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk aims to limit weather concerns By Jack Small — For the CDT
(their employer) about the best course of action. Establishing this gives Penn State’s meteorology department a competitive advantage.”
When the Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk opened in late August, Penn State’s department of meteorology accomplished a goal it had been working on “The combination of weather, climate and for more than a decade. decision-making is the new major direction in meteorology,” Brune said. “Jobs in the The center’s purpose is to minimize the risk weather service alone are shrinking. Privatethat weather and climate pose to business, sector businesses are increasingly hiring government and society, primarily by weather professionals. educating students to use the technology the center has, its new director, David Titley, said. “I like to say we’re counting the cards in Mother Nature’s casino,” Titley said. “We have great weather prediction capabilities; now we’re working on using it to help people make decisions.” Bill Brune, the head of the meteorology department for 15 years, said it took more than a decade to get together all the necessary pieces of the center, including the weather prediction technology and funding. “The hardest piece in putting the center together was finding the right person to run the center,” Brune said. “Dr. David Titley served on an external advisory board for the meteorology department, and he is “We want to teach our students how to a perfect fit. He’s a natural leader, he has great connections, and he understands how help a company predict how the weather can affect their business and then be able weather and society interact.” to tell them the best course of action. We’re Titley is a retired rear admiral who served in working on making sure our students will the Navy for 32 years. After serving 10 years get employed in these emerging fields by keeping our department on the forefront.” at sea as a navigator and oceanographer, The only staff unique to the center is Titley, he commanded the Fleet Numerical Meteorological and Oceanographic Center but he said a number of the department’s faculty are working closely with him, and he and was the first commanding officer said faculty in the colleges of engineering of the Naval Oceanography Operations and science are interested in participating. Command. He received his bachelor’s degree in meteorology from Penn State and The center is working with similar weather his doctorate in meteorology from the Naval risk centers at other colleges, in particular at Columbia and Princeton, to examine Postgraduate School. how to best sell their services to the private “We want to train students to make better sector, according to Titley. Startup funding was provided by the College of Earth and decisions faster,” said Titley. “This is more Mineral Sciences and the department, and than just training students how to read there is a $4 million fundraising goal. the climate; this is training them so they can read the climate and then advise
“The long-term vision of the center is a mixture of the $4 million endowment, with additional contributions for services and membership by the private sector, foundations, government grants and services,” Titley said. He offered an example of how the center’s work could be applied in an emergency. “If there’s a hurricane coming in, using our technology we can tell where the worst damage will most likely be so health professionals can focus their efforts there,” he said. “The technology would allow emergency organizations to adjust their strategy and most effectively respond to the situation.” The work will be similar to what Titley did in the Navy. In 2005, there was an increase in piracy off the coast of Somalia. Many international organizations, like the United Nations, and navies around the world were concerned about the risk to shipping in the area. “Through weather technology similar to what the center has, the United States Navy was able to figure out what conditions the pirates would attack in,” he said. “We made the business model of piracy. For example, we knew that if wave levels got above a certain height, the pirates would not be able to attack ships. Through what we found, we could predict with varying levels of confidence what routes were safest depending on the weather conditions.” Varying levels of confidence is a theme whenever climate is involved, according to Titley. “No matter how sophisticated our models are, they’re just that — models,” he said. “We can predict things with a very high confidence, but never with certainty.” Jack Small is a Penn State journalism student. This story is being reprinted with the permission of the Centre Daily Times and Jack Small.
http://solutions2wxrisk.psu.edu/
undergrad.student.news 11
Undergraduate researches the human aspects of the urban landscape by Angela Rogers Ariel B. Alvarez, a senior in human geography and a scholar in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, was inspired by her class on Comparative Urbanism to write a paper comparing New York City's High Line and Philadelphia's Reading Viaduct, two abandoned urban railroad right-of-ways in the process of being redeveloped into parks. On June 7, 2011 a ribbon was cut to open the second High Line section from 20th Street to 30th Street. As of summer 2013, no ground has been broken on the Reading Viaduct, but the neighborhood association, City of Philadelphia, and Reading International, and other stakeholders continue to work on the project. “After comparing the process and existing resources of the two cities, I thought that it
g Viaduct
ia's Readin
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New York C
ity's High Li
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would be interesting to further investigate how the Friends of the High Line planning organization engaged with the West Chelsea community. The High Line is stunning, but who exactly in the community helped with its completion? That seemed like a question no one had asked or sought to answer,” Alvarez explains.
to reach out to all people, planning groups and nonprofits should still use traditional methods of canvasing and door-to-door introductions. Social media and email are fantastic ways of keeping the public updated, but consideration for those who do not have easy access to the Internet should be given, Alvarez concludes.
From her textual analysis, Alvarez observed that the Friends of the High Line appeared to be an influential and affluent group. Their methods of planning may have unintentionally excluded working class community members who may not have had access to email —a primary means of communication about the project and announcing public forums.
“Inclusive planning methods are important for a project meant to enjoyed by the entire community. No one is left out and all community members can take pride in a new park they helped establish.”
“Participatory planning and successful inclusive community outreach is a tremendous undertaking that requires time and commitment, however in order
Alvarez says she learned two things about herself in the process of completing this research project. First, she says, the project “made me realize how much I enjoy learning about city issues and the ways in which organizations and public groups can interact to create public amenities for a community.” Second, she says she enjoyed learning about the details of the High Line redevelopment. “I would love to be part of a such a project one day.”
Geography Students Gain Experience Abroad in the Big Data Social Science Traineeship Program
12 grad.student.news By Krista Kahler
Penn State was awarded an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) grant from the National Science Foundation, which brought together a diverse interdisciplinary team of researchers to create a new training program in the emerging field of social data analytics. Massive new sources of big data—from human interactions that are increasingly recorded via web, mobile device, and distributed sensors—provide great challenges and opportunities for extracting new scientific, economic, and social value. Big Data Social Science (http://bdss.psu.edu/), the collaborative effort of over 80 faculty from across the Penn State campus, uniquely prepares students to meet those challenges through a new curriculum, training in advanced technologies of data science and analytics, and a series of research rotations.
in a project last spring semester, I worked with another graduate student, Yan Huang from the Communications department, comparing different ways to visualize hurricane uncertainty, both its location and magnitude, to assess how it impacts people and their subsequent decisions.”
Geography graduate students Jennifer Smith Mason and Joshua Stevens, two of the seven trainees accepted in the Big Data Social Science program’s first year, travelled abroad this summer to complete research rotations in London and Zurich, respectively.
With this new training, Jennifer worked on a research project that extends her hurricane visualization from the spring, to develop novel and intuitive visualizations to better support hurricane uncertainty. Jenny hopes to publish the results of her project. “We will run the evaluation through Amazon Mechanical Turk and hope to, at minimum, develop a poster or presentation for submission at an upcoming conference and at best, end with a project that can be published in a relevant journal. The evaluation will look at the cognitive factors of the visualization to determine how it affects users.”
Jennifer Smith Mason is a second year Ph.D. candidate in the Geography department with a specialization in GIScience. Her research addresses the complexity of geospatial data uncertainty from socially relevant datasets. “I am studying uncertainty with regards to the data and user, specifically focusing on how to better visualize uncertainty in order to assist users through reasoning and decision-making processes. For example,
This summer Jennifer spent 10 weeks at the giCentre at City University London, where she worked with Jason Dykes and Jo Woods. The giCentre is engaged in high quality research and education into the role and design of graphical techniques for exploring and analyzing data and disseminating information. Jennifer explains, “Jason Dykes wanted to make sure that I have other tangible training that will be useful and I can take back to Penn State, so I am learning the processing programming language to do all of my visualizations.”
Joshua Stevens is a Ph.D. student in Geography with an emphasis on
geovisualization and visual analytics. Of his research, he says, “I'm primarily interested in the way humans view, interpret, and interact with mapped information - especially within the domains of scientific geovisualization and big data. As a result, my research focuses on bridging the gap between computational systems that are necessarily becoming more sophisticated, and human interfaces that must maintain simplicity and usability. The goal of geovisualization has always been to leverage the processing power of computers with the cognitive abilities of humans. I believe making interactivity salient and intuitive strengthens the human-computer connection and gets us closer to that goal.” Joshua travelled to Switzerland to work within the Geographic Information Visualization and Analysis (GIVA) unit at the University of Zurich. There he developed an application called GMotions Explorer. Josh explains, “This tool combines an enormous amount of eye tracking data, video recordings, GPS tracks, and skin conductivity measurements to help researchers understand how users view, reason about, and emotionally respond to visual stimuli. The combination of multimedia, geography, and statistical techniques used by GMotions Explorer requires rethinking traditional interactive methods. By addressing the computational and perceptual challenges of visualizing so much data from so many disparate sources, we hope to uncover new techniques that not only make the system easier to use, but also tell us more about why the techniques work and the cognitive processes that are involved.”
Joshua Stevens in Lucerne, Switzerland this summer. Photo Credit: Nicole Stevens
Jennifer at the Borough Market in London. Jennifer at the City University London.
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EMS THON EMS undergraduates are more than just students—they are champion fundraisers in the battle against pediatric cancer. EMS THON contributed a record-breaking fundraising total of $92,000 toward the overall THON total of $12.4 million benefiting the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Shown here are “Before” and “After” photos of the mighty EMS dancers: Chris DiMisa, Alyson Hoegg, Julianna Ganter, Brittany Eckert, Sarah Bademan, and Jacqueline Layer.
14 natural.gas
Energy Available Within U.S. Borders
By Anne Danahy Carbon dioxide emissions from power generation are at a 20-year low. The United States is getting more of its energy from within its own borders. And, a new job market has materialized. Those are a few of the benefits of shale gas development as deep horizontal drilling allows the country to tap into reserves previously inaccessible in the United States. Among those reserves is the Marcellus Shale formation, which crosses Pennsylvania, stretching 95,000 square miles from New York to Virginia. But, the natural gas boom comes with risks and concerns too: surface spills; methane migration from improperly constructed wells; fugitive gas emissions into the air; and forest fragmentation from installation of the well pads where gas drilling takes place. Faculty and researchers in EMS have been at the forefront of those issues — exploring the potential for natural gas to serve as a “bridge fuel” that helps the United States transition to cleaner sources of energy; what negative impacts natural gas is having or could have on the environment; and the best steps to take to prevent migration and other problems.
“In the long run, developing a sustainable energy policy is really important”
David Yoxtheimer, extension associate in the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, said that like all energy development, there are inherent risks with natural gas exploration in the Marcellus Shale formation.
cementing of what is known as a well’s casing.
Methane isn’t toxic, Engelder noted, but can be explosive when concentrated. It’s also a greenhouse gas that is more powerful than carbon dioxide, providing motivation “It’s a matter of how you’re managing those for the development of what are known as risks and mitigating them,” Yoxtheimer said. Green Completions — constructing wells so that any methane that flows back can be For example, Yoxtheimer said there is captured and taken to market. consensus that preventing methane migration — when methane that had Engelder said another key benefit to natural been in the shale escapes during the gas — in addition to being a native source drilling process and possibly migrates to groundwater — comes down to proper well of energy — is the reduction in greenhouse gases and other airborne toxins when construction. compared with coal. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the level When managed properly natural gas of carbon dioxide emissions in the United provides a significant return on the energy States is down to 1995 levels while in input, Yoxtheimer noted. The amount of Pennsylvania sulfur oxide air emissions have energy coming out of one well is 85 times been reduced by over 500,000 tons in the what goes in during drilling, fracturing last three years based on state Department and associated operations, compared with of Environmental Protection records. reported energy return values for wind (20:1), new nuclear (15:1), and photovoltaic “In the long run, developing a sustainable electricity (10:1). energy policy is really important,” Engelder said. “The role of natural gas in this is as a “So, it’s a pretty good energy investment ‘bridge fuel.’ It is going to reduce emissions when you look at it in those terms,” of carbon dioxide on an intermediate time Yoxtheimer said. scale, but it’s certainly not the long-term Terry Engelder, professor of GEOSC, said the solution.” potential of leaking methane is one of the Yoxtheimer agreed that natural gas is an reasons vigilance is needed to make sure there is proper well construction, including important part of the transition. “Natural gas can work quite well with the renewables when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining by meeting that demand.”
-- Terry Engelder
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By Anne Danahy
Shale Network: What the
Frack?
As the Marcellus Shale boom continues, faculty and researchers in EMS are leading a statewide effort to bring more facts to the discussion on fracking. Called Shale Network, the initiative is focused on assembling data about water quality where hydraulic fracturing is taking place. The fracking process used to tap into the gas formations found deep underground involves blasting a mix of water, sand and chemicals into the earth, raising questions about the potential impacts on nearby waterways. Concerns include spills of fracturing fluids and poorly constructed wells. While various groups — state agencies, concerned citizens, universities and private companies — are already conducting water quality testing and gathering data, there continue to be challenges when it comes to storing that data in a format that makes it possible to compare across sources and keeping it in a centralized location that is available to the public.
Susan Brantley, distinguished professor of GEOSC and director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI), said Shale Network is focused on addressing those shortcomings, along with making sure enough data is being collected in the best places to catch any water quality problems caused by natural gas development if and when they do occur. “By pooling our data and making it accessible, we’ll be in a better position to detect water quality problems if they do occur,” she said. “First, we’ll be able to establish a baseline for water quality. By having water quality testing done before fracking, we’ll be in a much better position to see if there are changes that take place after fracking is done, and if there are any indicators that the two things are related.” Shale Network was started in 2011 with support from the National Science Foundation. Along with researchers in EMS, it includes faculty and staff from the University of Pittsburgh, Dickinson College and the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrological Sciences Inc. The initiative continues to grow, including involving students from State College Area High School and Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg, MD, as well as researchers and citizen scientists from around the Commonwealth. In their own project, the Frostburg students have been collecting water samples to establish pre-drilling data sets for waterways near potential drilling sites. The State College students were able to analyze that data and use it to learn about the collection and drilling process. EESI hosted the second Shale Network conference in May 2013, and while Shale Network is currently focused on Pennsylvania, plans include expanding the reach to more of the Marcellus Shale region, which runs from New York to Virginia and holds up to 489 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
16 SCRiM
SCRiM
A Multi-Institutional Project Led by EMS Faculty By Anne Danahy
strategies requires the analysis of complex systems with nontrivial interactions. SCRiM One year after a multi-institution project led activities are designed to analyze and by faculty in EMS received $11.9 million in support decision-making about problems federal funding, the collaborative research such as adaptation to sea-level rise.” focused on climate change is well underway.
ethical questions is integral to the research. For example, research into shortwave geoengineering — reducing the solar energy absorbed at the Earth’s surface by, for example, injecting aerosol particles into the stratosphere — will analyze not only The goal, he said, “is to produce the feasibility and potential effectiveness The Network for Sustainable Climate fundamentally improved analysis of such proposals, but also how they would Risk Management — SCRiM — was frameworks, to develop and mentor the affect people in different parts of the world awarded the five-year grant from the next generation of diverse researchers, and differently and across generations. to inform decisions for managing climateNational Science Foundation in fall related risks in the Anthropocene.” Another area of focus is the potential 2012 to support research into risks impact of climate change on food systems. associated with climate change and the SCRiM brings together faculty and One Penn State graduate student is scientific and ethical questions they researchers from various fields at different studying how rising temperatures and raise. institutions. Along with Penn State, associated changes in monsoons could ten other institutions, including seven impact agricultural productivity and regional The funding through NSF’s Sustainability universities, a tribal college, and two economies in South Asia. Research Networks is supporting a range research institutes, are part of the grant. of projects at Penn State and other Co-principal investigators in the network SCRiM brings together a broad institutions, where researchers analyze are Robert Lempert from RAND Corp.; Chris transdisciplinary team, including EMS topics including the melting of the Forest, associate professor in METEO; Karen climate researchers, through targeted Greenland ice sheet, potential changes in Fisher-Vanden from the Department of computer modeling studies integrated with monsoon systems, economic impacts of Agriculture Economics; and James Edmonds statistical, economic, and ethical analyses to climate-induced changes in agricultural from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. explore potential strategies for addressing productivity, and proposed schemes for the risks associated with human induced deliberately engineering the Earth’s climate. Rob Nicholas, research associate in the climate change. The project reaches out to Klaus Keller, associate professor of GEOSC Earth and Environmental Systems Institute other institutions, teachers and students, and principal investigator on the project, and SCRiM managing director, said the through a variety of collaborations and said “assessing climate risk management project is unique in part because analysis of educational efforts.
scrimhub.org
weather.world 17
30 Years of Weather World By Anne Danahy Who could have forecast that 30 years after Weather World started it would still be running strong? Perhaps the two METEO faculty members who’ve been hosting the show all those years, giving viewers a mix of science-based forecasts, in-depth explanations and quirky facts. Paul Knight and Fred Gadomski’s popular program turns 30 this year, continuing its run as the only statewide TV weather show in the country produced by a university’s meteorology department.
forecasts and mini-lessons in meteorology to the public. “They’ve acquired a legion of followers statewide,” said Jon Nese, Associate Head and Senior Lecturer in Meteorology. “They get recognized all over the place, no matter what corners of Pennsylvania you go to.” With “Sure Bets” viewers get to see how accurate — or off-base — the weather gurus have been with a scoring system for their “home” and “away” picks. The idea of “Sure Bets,” Gadomski explained, is “to eliminate waffle words.”
Charles Gudeman, a producer and director at WPSU who is now retired, said the show has been a trusted source, particularly by farmers, contractors and others in businesses directly affected by the weather. “The key to a good forecast is treating the audience with some intelligence,” Gudeman said. “They give additional information about how the weather is moving and what it is doing.” So, instead of just a “chance of rain,” there’s discussion about what that could mean and when.
Then & Now
The 15-minute program, now broadcast by PCN weekdays and carried by WPSU, is unique not only in its longevity but in its formatting. Along with the expected weather forecasts, the show offers features including “Sure Bets,” “Long Shots,” “Weather Whys” and the monthly “Climate Watch.” Weather World’s roots go back to the 1950s when Charles Hosler, a professor of meteorology at the time who went on to become dean of EMS and then Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School, began bringing meteorology and useful information about the forecast to the television public. The program has changed shape over the years, but almost continuously since 1983, Gadomski and Knight have been delivering a mix of
So, on Thursday night viewers get a forecast — free of hedging — for Saturday through Wednesday for one place in Pennsylvania (home) and another from around the world (away). A show about rain included a discussion and map of soil moisture in the United States, showing what Gadomski said was residual dryness in parts of Pennsylvania —a level of detail not found in many forecasts. “We think we’re going to continue to have showers and chip away at any dryness,” he explained. Another feature, “12-Day Trends,” offers what Gadomski called a “look into that misty distant future.” There’s also “Long Shots” — a glimpse at what might be in the pike months down the road.
Nese said Knight and Gadomski bring a unique mix of professionalism and humor to the job, the same way they are in the classroom. “They know their stuff,” Nese said. “If I drop-dead needed to know whether it was going to rain on my party tomorrow, I’d walk upstairs,” he said, referring to Walker Building, home to METEO and Weather World’s studio. While most people can’t walk upstairs to get an accurate forecast, they can get an insightful and interesting discussion on meteorological conditions by tuning into Weather World every weekday.
18 feature
Bringing together one of the largest contingents of natural gas experts in the United States, Penn State has established the Institute for Natural Gas Research (INGaR), a world premier academic Institute focused on the full breadth of research related to the development and utilization of natural gas including: discovery and exploration, production, stimulation, transmission, storage, processing, chemical conversion, utilization, infrastructure, water and environmental issues.
The dramatic and continued increase in the discovery and production of natural gas from unconventional formations has created exciting new opportunities in energy, fuels, chemicals, and manufacturing. At the same time, these developments have heightened public concern regarding the infrastructure and environmental impact of natural gas development, including a myriad of issues related to water. These events have created unique opportunities for universities: there is a tremendous need for educating a talented workforce able to lead and to support the continued development of a natural gas-based economy, and there are critical research questions associated with the development of new and improved technologies.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects U.S. natural gas production will increase 44 percent by 2040.
The Game Changer: Penn State’s Institute for Natural Gas Research
In order to advance research and education while providing important service to both industry and the public, the Institute for Natural Gas Research at Penn State will span all areas of science, technology, and engineering related to natural gas and the development of unconventional oil and gas resources. The faculty, research staff, and students within the Institute will be committed fully to working collaboratively with government agencies and industrial partners to identify critical research needs and opportunities that face the natural gas industry. This will insure that the research activities within the Institute will meet the needs of government, industry, and the public in a comprehensive and fully integrated manner, while at the same time insuring that students working on these problems will develop the required skills and expertise to join the growing workforce in support of a natural gas-based economy.
feature 19 The overall goal of the Institute is to identify new opportunities for enhancing the economic development of natural gas and its related products using environmentally responsible methods. The Institute will fill the gaps in current industry and government research portfolios by combining the development of transformative new knowledge with innovative and practical engineering solutions to current and future challenges. The Institute’s scientific vision is to be a global leader in natural gas research and education. Faculty and staff will be drawn from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the College of Engineering. It is expected that other Penn State colleges such as business, agricultural sciences, information science and technology and science will also participate intensely in the Institute’s research development program. With expertise from these diverse disciplines integrated into a seamless, comprehensive core of faculty and facilities, the Institute will serve as a global leader in natural gas research and education. The Institute will be organized around four primary thrust areas:
Discovery and Exploration: creation of
new approaches for identifying and characterizing natural gas fields and gas flow dynamics in porous media, including the integration of seismologic, magnetic, and gravimetric measurements with modern statistical and computational methods
Extraction and Stimulation:
development of environmentally conscious methods for drilling, hydraulic stimulation, and enhanced extraction of natural gas from unconventional formations, including the development of new stimulation fluids, proppants, etc.
energy production, chemical conversion to generate value-added products, and integration of natural gas usage into a range of energy systems Over the next four years, new faculty will be hired to strengthen key areas and to produce the needed joint information and knowledge that will solve some of the complex challenges related to the exploration and use of natural gas. While the prospects for shale gas production are promising, particularly in Pennsylvania, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding various aspects of this resource and its overall impact, including environmental concerns. Penn State has a long history of providing strong scientific service to Pennsylvania on myriad matters of economic importance, including natural gas science and engineering. In fact, in 2010 Penn State established the Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research (MCOR) to look specifically at unconventional gas plays and their impacts. MCOR will continue to inform stakeholders on important matters concerning the Marcellus Shale play. MCOR will partner with INGaR to provide the most comprehensive body of expertise on natural gas, especially the Marcellus play, in any university. Through INGaR, Penn State can lead the nation in world-class expertise that can help Pennsylvania retain a strong competitive advantage in natural gas for decades to come. This will translate into more high-paying jobs and a stronger state economy. It also provides novel solutions to environmental management and water resources challenges in mining shale gas.
In areas across the University, Penn State energy researchers are supported by various agencies interested in natural gas. The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Pennsylvania is supporting the development of smart proppant materials used in fracking to keep gas flowing through shale fractures. The U.S. evaluation and Department of Energy is funding research development of the required infrastructure that characterizes rock mechanics, including to support the production, transmission, induced seismicity, in gas reservoirs under storage, purification, and distribution of stimulation. Quantum Reservoir Impact, natural gas, including issues related to water a Houston-based company, is supporting resources, treatment, and disposal research on the design and implementation of advanced well structures to investigate the possibility of producing natural gas and liquids from unconventional reservoirs development of new technologies for the without hydraulic fracturing. In a recent utilization of natural gas and natural gas study for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Comliquids in transportation systems, electrical
Infrastructure and Water:
Utilization and Chemical Conversion:
mission, the feasibility and possible locations of liquefied natural gas fueling stations were examined for long-haul commercial vehicles. Those are just a few of the many sponsored research projects that will continue under INGaR. Several companies in Pennsylvania and elsewhere have pledged support for INGaR, with gifts for laboratory renovations totaling $3 million to date, with more expected. While an international search for a permanent director for the Institute is underway, INGaR will be co-directed by Turgay Ertekin, professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering, and Andrew Zydney, professor of chemical engineering. INGaR will be overseen by an external advisory board consisting of academic, government and industry experts who will help guide INGaR research toward topics that provide maximum benefit to companies; promote scientific excellence; and help educate the public on the facts of natural gas. “While the scientists of the Institute work on research programs covering from cradle to grave, the enormous power of the Institute will become apparent when the existing synergy among the existing natural gas research programs is uncovered.” Turgay Ertekin, Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, INGaR Co-Director, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
“INGaR is quite unique as a stand-alone Institute focused on natural gas, as opposed to being a small effort within a broader energy institute. The Institute will focus broadly on both upstream and downstream issues related to natural gas discovery, exploration, extraction, processing, storage, and end-use, both as a chemical feedstock and for energy.” Andrew Zydney, Professor of Chemical Engineering, INGaR Co-Director, College of Engineering
“The Institute for Natural Gas Research will have the depth and breadth of expertise to tackle comprehensive problems encountered in the exploration, drilling, transport and use of natural gas, including the environmental challenges of extraction.” William E. Easterling, Dean, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
20 alumni.and.development
EMS Continues to Build Faculty Strength and Capacity Students choose Penn State for the opportunity to work with faculty members who can stimulate their own potential to succeed. These leaders are among the world’s top researchers and scholars, but they are also educators who devote themselves to building an academic community in which every student can flourish. Our reputation as an institution depends upon our faculty’s achievements and their commitment to both creating
Two anonymous donors made a $2.2 million gift to the College’s Department of Geosciences to create a faculty chair. The couple is remembering Penn State through a bequest that will leave a lasting legacy and support the department’s work in geochemistry. Both of these individuals hold doctorates and have an intimate understanding of the need for faculty support. “Penn State is internationally recognized as a leader in the field of geochemistry, with cutting-edge research, effective educational programs, and strong societal outreach at the intersection of geological processes and the chemistry of rocks, minerals, ocean, atmosphere and life,” said Lee Kump, head of the Department of Geosciences. “Having an endowed chair in this area will ensure that we can attract and retain the absolute leaders in the field and support their research and that of their students in perpetuity.”
and sharing the knowledge that shapes the world. The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences faculty have submitted over 200 invention patents and disclosures since 1990, and they have received over 125 appointments to peer-reviewed journal boards and an average of $65-70 million per year in sponsored research funding—figures that testify to the pool of knowledge they bring
James J. Bryja (’79 Mining Engineering) and his wife, Coral, established the Joseph Kreutzberger Early Career Professorship. This professorship is intended to encourage and support young faculty in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering during the critical first ten years of their academic career. The Bryja’s gift fulfills the matching requirement of the Penn State Faculty Endowment Challenge for an endowed fund that totals $500,000. “Private giving such as this ensures that EMS remains home for those researchers and educators who can best prepare our students for careers in the earth, energy and mineral sciences,” said Bill Easterling, dean. Our faculty are among the world’s top researchers and scholars, but they are also educators who devote themselves to building an academic community in which every student can flourish.”
to the classroom. Alumni and friends of the College recently created four new endowed faculty positions. This support allows us to recruit and retain both established luminaries and some of the world’s most promising emerging scientists. Securing these additional resources ensure that EMS remains a home for those researchers and educators who can best prepare our student for careers in the earth, energy and materials science.
Donald W. Hamer (’68 Electrical Engineering) and his wife, Marie Bednar, created an endowed professorship committing $1 million to establish the Hamer Professorship in Materials Science and Engineering. Hamer is the chairman and founder of State of the Art Inc., in State College, Pa, a leading supplier of film resistive components to the biomedical, communications, aerospace and defense industries. Gary Messing, head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering stated, “The achievements of the faculty members who hold a named position enhance the prestige of the endowment and the reputation of our institution as a whole. We seek individuals who can integrate their teaching and research interests and engage students in this process while serving as international leaders in materials. This endowed professorship creates an enormous opportunity to further improve our department in a way that no other honor can match.”
Rudy L. Slingerland, professor of geology in the Department of Geosciences, was recently honored by Roland P. Sauermann (‘91 Geology) and his wife Debra, who established and early career professorship in his name—The Rudy L. Slingerland Early Career Professorship in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. “I am humbled by Roland and Debra’s gesture and know that the professorship will continue to enhance the excellent scientific work within Geosciences and throughout the College,” Slingerland said. “The funds and recognition will enable a rising faculty star to establish a vigorous research program in emerging areas of their discipline while also energizing students in the classroom. This type of endowment creates neverending opportunities.”
00s
Nathan Sanfilippo (’02 MATSE) was named Policy Advisor for Nuclear Reactors. He serves as an advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Regulatory Commission on policy and technical matters pertaining to nuclear power safety and lessons learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident in Japan. Immediately following the Fukushima accident, he was appointed as a member of the government’s task force that made recommendations for enhancements to nuclear power plants in the U.S. Kevin M. Fox (’03 and ’05 MATSE) was named recipient of the inaugural Du-Co Ceramics Young Professional Award. He was recognized for his exceptional leadership and service to the American Ceramic Society. Gavin P. Hayes (’07 GEOSC) was named the 2013 Penn State Alumni Association Alumni Achievement Award Recipient. Hayes is a geophysicist with the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Golden, Colorado. He is recognized for his profound impact on society through his activities aimed at improving the understanding of earthquakes; and for developing and implementing the tools used in rapid, mission-critical response. Chelsea Nestel (Gilliam) (’13 GEOG) was awarded a Fellowship by the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi—the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Nestel is among 57 students nationwide to receive a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship that is given to deserving students for first-year graduate or professional study.
90s
Todd Krause (’96 GEOEE) promoted to Vice President of Sales at EnerNOC, Inc. EnerNOC is changing the way the world uses energy. Their goal is to make energy management as integral as accounting to the operation of every organization. They help commercial, institutional, and industrial organizations use energy more intelligently, pay less for it, and generate cash flow that benefits the bottom line through our complete suite of technology-enabled energy management solutions.
80s
Tell us your news @ www.ems.psu.edu/success
Michael Weber (’82 GEOSC) was appointed as the Deputy Executive Director for Operations at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) responsible for materials, waste, research, state, tribal, and compliance programs. In this position, he will lead the NRC staff and serve as a key advisor on agency policy and programs. Wayne Higgins (’83 and ’87 METEO) was named director of NOAA’s Climate Program Office. He has spent much of his career at the forefront of weather and climate prediction for NOAA’s National Weather Service. The NOAA Climate Program Office serves as the focal point for climate programs within NOAA, supporting one of NOAA’s primary mission goals: to understand climate variability and change to enhance society’s ability to plan and respond. Martin Schoonen (’89 Geochemistry and Mineralogy), a Stony Brook University geochemistry professor and director of the school’s Sustainability Studies Program, was named chairman of the Environmental Sciences Department at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory. The department’s research focuses on atmospheric physics and chemistry and carbon cycle science related to climate change. Shelley Corman (’85 MINEC) was promoted to Senior Vice President, Commercial and Regulatory Affair for the Energy Transfer Interstate Pipeline Group. She will be responsible for marketing, business development, and regulatory matters for Energy Transfer’s Interstate Pipelines.
70s
Alumni Achievements – FA13
alumni.achievements 21
Charles Boyer (’76 GEOSC) was awarded the Gordon H. Wood, Jr. Memorial Award by the Eastern Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists in recognition of outstanding contributions to the geology of coal and other energy minerals, and the goals of the Association’s Energy Mineral Division in the Eastern Section. Anthony J. Sadar (’76 METEO) published a second book titled, In Global Warming We Trust: A Heretic’s Guide to Climate Science (Telescope Books, St. Louis). Ronald J. Stouffer (’76, ‘77g EMS) senior research climatologist and head of the Climate and ecosystems Group at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was honored with the lifelong title of Penn State Alumni Fellow. He is recognized for his outstanding and crucial contributions to the understanding and communication of the behavior of the climate system. Joseph L. Scarpaci (’78 GEOG) was appointed chair of the Department of Marketing and Management at the Gary E. West College of Business, West Liberty University in West Liberty, West Virginia. He also recently co-authored, “Marketing Without Advertising: Brand Preference and Consumer Choice in Cuba” (London: Routledge).
OBITUARIES Margaret Wilma “Willie” Leone (1935-2013), wife of John Leone (’56 PNGE). Willie was an important source of strength for John as he advanced in his career as a petroleum engineer and entrepreneur. She believed in him intensely, giving him the confidence to succeed. With Willie’s support, John acquired Bonney Forge Corp, which has manufacturing operations in Mt. Union, PA; Houston, TX; Bergamo, Italy; and Shanghai, China. She also fully supported the family’s considerable philanthropy that includes their leadership gift to endow the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State. Wilbur Zelinsky was professor of geography at Penn State for fifty years. He served as the department head of geography from 1970-76, and became a professor emeritus in 1987. He passed peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, after a short illness. Remembered as warm, funny, and always curious, Zelinsky’s legacy of indefatigable scholarship continues to inspire. Associate of American Geographers (AAG) dedication to Wilbur Zelinsky: http://www.aag.org/cs/membership/tributes_memorials/sz/zelinsky_wilbur.
22 riparia Sustainability Institute).
1. What is Riparia? The features that make wetlands fascinating places also contribute to their controversial status. No other land type is regulated as intensively, and few other habitats offer such a wide range of ecological services – flood storage, nutrient transformation, valued biodiversity. Wetlands are part of a larger hydrologic system composed of other wetlands, streams, and riparian areas of an encompassing watershed. Research conducted by Riparia at Penn State is directed at understanding how these integrated systems function and how they are perturbed by human activities. Riparia is a Center where science informs policy and practice in wetlands ecology, landscape hydrology, and watershed management (www.riparia.psu.edu).
2. How did Riparia get started? Riparia has proven to be a productive and collaborative venture for 20 years (19932013). In the early 1990s, the Center’s founder and director, Rob Brooks, Professor of Geography and Ecology, envisioned an umbrella center under which all of his graduate student research projects could flourish, building upon the work of preceding projects. At the time, he was an Associate Professor in the former School of Forest Resources, in the College of Agricultural Sciences. A small grant from Region III of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a long-time supporter and collaborator, was used to establish what was first known as the Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center in the predecessor to the Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment (PSIEE). During the summer of 1993 Brooks was joined by Andy Cole, now on the faculty in Landscape Architecture, and several graduate students for the initial selection of and sampling of reference wetlands. While waiting to hear about a NSF/EPA grant, they planned to sample at least three wetlands – they received the grant, and sampled 20 wetlands that summer. One of those graduate students was Denice Wardrop, a returning adult student who earned her doctorate with Brooks as her major advisor, and is now Associate Director of Riparia (as well as the Interim Director of the
3. When and why did you change the name from Cooperative Wetlands Center to Riparia? Throughout the Center’s history, faculty, staff, and students have sought to promote the integration of wetlands with other waters – streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Collaborating with many colleagues from multiple colleges across the University, and with numerous academic institutions, agencies, and organizations beyond Penn State’s boundaries, the Center broadened its mission and expertise to encompass all features of a watershed, aquatic, terrestrial, and human. In 2003, the Center became integrated into the Department of Geography of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS). Shortly thereafter, the name was changed to Riparia to reflect the higher level of integration across the water cycle. Riparia continues to be generously supported by Geography, EMS, the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI), and PSIEE. To further support the Center’s graduate and undergraduate students, and programs, Rob and Becky Brooks established an endowment in 2005 within EMS, and that continues to seek funds to strengthen Riparia’s future.
Robert Brooks samples soil in a reference wetland. Photo provided by Robert Brooks.
Riparia’s 20th Anniversary 4. What was the first major project you worked on? or Who are some of your major clients? Through the years, Riparia's research has taken an arc of becoming progressively more complex and more comprehensive in the scope of our investigations, beginning with the first characterizations of wetlands in the Commonwealth, to theoretical advances in the effects of disturbances in the physical geography of aquatic systems, the measurement of biogeochemical processes at multiple scales, to contributing to advances in mitigation policy and practice. Our “bread and butter” has been establishing a collection of 222 natural reference wetlands throughout the major ecoregions of Pennsylvania. We have leveraged the data from these sites for many grants and contracts, and more than a dozen graduate students have added to the value of these reference wetlands as a long-term, dispersed research set. Currently, we are making these data available, along with reference data from other Mid-Atlantic states through a publiclyaccessible, interactive database, with the intent of improving wetlands restoration and mitigation. Frequently, the Riparia team has served in leadership roles in directing and managing complex, interdisciplinary, geographicallydispersed research projects, including the Atlantic Slope Consortium (Brooks and Wardrop, EPA, 2001-2006), Bog Turtle Habitat Conservation Plan (Brooks, USDIFWS, 2006-09), Best Management Practices for Agricultural Watersheds (Brooks, USDANRCS, 2007-10), Forecasting Hydrologic Changes in the Susquehanna River Basin (Wardrop, EPA, 2008-2011), and the MidAtlantic Wetlands Work Group (Wardrop and Chamberlain, EPA, 2003-present). Today, several more research proposals are in the works.
riparia 23
5. Where do you see Riparia's work going in the future? As regional, national, and global demands for freshwater water continue to grow, water science and policy will continue to drive and inform issues of critical scientific, technological, and societal importance. Riparia intends to remain a long-term, valued asset to the Department, College, and University, and maintain its role as a leader in understanding and assessing freshwater ecosystems. The reference wetland collection of Riparia has proven its value in numerous research and funding scenarios. A program of sampling selected sites every 10 years has led to increased value for this dataset. In 2014, we’ll return to 10 of the original sites for the first round of a 3rd sampling period of these reference wetlands. Our efforts to re-design Riparia’s website to enhance the value and utility of datasets are being welcomed by federal and state agencies. An interactive web-interface will serve out wetlands data, collected from across the Mid-Atlantic states, to numerous potential users. When combined with value-added services, such as the newly released Floristic Quality Assessment Index calculator, we will continue to play a vital role in the region. In the immediate future, we hope to serve as a primary node in a network of waterbased faculty across campus. We’ll continue our commitment to offering quality wetland and water courses in the University resident education program, with new forays into offering similar courses online in World Campus programs. For more information about Riparia, please visit our website (www.riparia.psu.edu) and/or contact Rob Brooks at rpb2@psu.edu.
Check out a Coffee Hour Lecture
Coffee Hour is a weekly lecture hosted by the Department of Geography celebrating interdisciplinary scholarship and collegiality. Topics range from innovations in GIScience, to food security, to land use and justice issues, among others. All members of the Geography, Penn State, and Centre County community are invited to attend.
riparia.psu.edu
www.geog.psu.edu/news/coffee-hour
242 4 breakthrough.of.the.year section.title
Robertson Award for EMS Breakthrough of the Year The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, with the support from a generous gift by EMS alumnus Paul F. Robertson announces the 2013 Robertson EMS Research Breakthrough of the Year. Established in 2012 the Robertson Award recognizes achievements for a singular breakthrough in research or in the scholarship of teaching communicated in one or a series of related articles, reports, or presentations. The 2013 recipient of the Robertson Award is James H. Adair, professor of materials science and engineering. Adair is recognized for the excellence of his research in nanomedicine. The video—Penn State Inspiring Researchers—emphasizes the fact that "small" breakthroughs can have big impacts, impacts that can save lives. Jim Adair and his team at Penn State are transforming the way we treat and detect cancer through their nanoscience research with a new drug delivery and imaging system utilizing nanojackets. Changing the way that drugs are delivered to cancer patients is reducing the impact on patients and their families. Witness for yourself the heartfelt video that was produced to highlight the research breakthrough of James H. Adair at http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=NiOJupoRd08.
New Leadership in Energy and Mineral Engineering By Anna Morrison Turgay Ertekin was named the new head of the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME) at Penn State effective July 1. Ertekin is a professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering and holds the George E. Trimble Chair in Earth and Mineral Sciences. He also serves as a co-director of the newly formed Penn State Institute for Natural Gas Research at Penn State. “Turgay is well-known across the University and throughout his profession, and is a recognized expert by industry scientists and engineers,” said Bill Easterling, dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. “Not only is he an esteemed scholar, he also is a distinguished teacher known and respected by nearly every graduate of energy and mineral engineering.” The EME department is one of the few places in the United States that houses integrated engineering and business programs related to energy and mineral resources under one academic roof. As department head, Ertekin will oversee six undergraduate programs and one graduate program with five specialty options. “Turgay understands the multifaceted mission of EME and is the right person to promote balance growth and development of all the department’s programs.” Easterling said.
www.eme.psu.edu/dept-head.
meteo.grads.and.home.security 25
PSU Meteorology Grads on Frontlines of U.S. Homeland Security By Regis Walter On a Washington, D.C., campus where World War II code breakers plied their expertise to thwart enemy plans, Penn State meteorology graduates are now using theirs in the name of a newer type of U.S. protection: homeland security. As recent as this summer, three of the five National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists assigned to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Operations Center were Penn State meteorology graduates. Regis Walter (‘80) and Lt. Christine Schultz (‘06), of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, continue to staff the NOAA desk. The third, Matthew Glazewski (‘05), is now a graduate student in public administration at the University of Portland.
threats to homeland security.
Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.
NOAA established a presence at the DHS operations center in 2004, when it assigned a full-time meteorologist to the DHS headquarters site. Shortly after, it began accepting volunteers from throughout NOAA to periodically staff the NOAA desk while remaining in their primary jobs. Today, Walter is assigned to the NOAA desk full-time. Other assignees, like Schultz, work one to two 8-hour shifts a month and are on-call two to four days a month:
In addition to the printed reports, the meteorologists participate in the daily DHS senior leadership briefing, in which members of the National Operations Center present their key findings in person.
Meterologists’ Role The meteorologists’ main goal is to serve as the focal point between DHS and NOAA. Their job is to sort through the massive
“You definitely need a firm grasp of meteorology for this position,” Schultz said. “The biggest part is being able to boil down the constant influx of meteorological information into hazards and conditions that matter the most.” For DHS, having meteorologists onsite is vital to the department’s efforts to respond quickly and appropriately in emergency situations, said Richard Chavez, director of Operations Coordination and Planning for DHS.
The meteorologists’ job at DHS is to keep the DHS Secretary and her immediate staff abreast of current, pertinent NOAAproduced weather data that could impact the management of domestic incidents. These “incidents” range from major storm systems and air dispersion quality concerns to predicted weather conditions at various national events, such as political conventions and national holiday celebrations. “We’ve seen our share of natural and human-made disasters,” said Walter, the lead person for the NOAA desk at DHS. He cites as examples the hurricanes Ike, Irene and Sandy; the Deep Water Horizon oil spill; the Fukushima tsunami and resulting nuclear plant meltdown, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. “The variety of work certainly puts our meteorology know-how to the test.” National Operations Center at DHS The meteorologists are not alone in representing their federal agency in the DHS National Operations Center. In all, the center hosts representatives for 35 federal, state, territorial, tribal, local, and private sector agencies. The representatives monitor the homeland by coordinating incidents’ and response activities, and issuing advisories and bulletins about
The NOAA team also participates in one-onone briefings and group tele- and videoconferences with other DHS components, including senior DHS personnel, as needed.
weather and climate data produced daily by NOAA and determine which is most pertinent for homeland security. The results of the NOAA team’s data review are reported early each work day in the DHS Secretary’s daily briefing book, a printed summary of all National Operations Center’s reports. The results also are included in a report of expected weather conditions across the continental United States for the next three days. The reports highlight current weather conditions, including severe weather possibilities, critical fire weather conditions, and anticipated precipitation for the next one to seven days. During hurricane season, the meteorologists also prepare a report on tropical systems in the Atlantic
“Weather is the one variable impacting our preparedness and response efforts that is beyond our control,” he said. “We consider the timely forecasts we receive from the NOAA team essential to our goal of minimizing the loss of life and property, as well as human suffering.”
26 faculty.awards
Katherine Haines Freeman, professor of
EMS Faculty World Class Scientists and Engineers Richard B. Alley, Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences, was named the recipient of the 2012 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Public Engagement in Science Award. Allison Beese, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, received the Norris B. McFarlane Faculty Career Development Professorship. She joined Penn State in July 2013. Her research focuses on experimental and computational multi-scale mechanics of materials ranging from metals to composites, with an emphasis on designing experimental techniques to elucidate the connections between the initial and evolving microstructures of materials and their macroscopic plasticity and fracture behavior.
geosciences, has been elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences for her excellence in original scientific research. Membership in the NAS is one of the highest honors given to a scientist/engineer in the United States.
Michael E. Mann, professor of meteorology, was conferred the status of distinguished professor. Mann is an acknowledged leader in the climate change community. Gary L. Messing, distinguished professor of ceramic science and engineering and head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has been named a Distinguished Life Member of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS). This lifetime award is the highest honor accorded members of the scientific and technical organization, recognizing their eminent contributions to the ceramic and glass profession.
Susan Brantley, distinguished professor of geosciences and director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, was awarded the Presidential Award from the Soil Science Society of America. Brantley was recognized for her influence and practice of soil science. The impact of her efforts will be enduring on the future of the science, as well as the profession.
Jon Nese, senior lecturer in meteorology and Marisa Ferger, lecturer in meteorology, received an Emmy nomination by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for their weekly educational series WeatherWhys, which highlights timely topics in meteorology and related environmental and astronomical sciences.
Robert P. Brooks, professor of geography and ecology and director and founder of Riparia, received the 2013 National Wetland Award for Science Research sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute.
Andrew Nyblade, professor of geosciences, was selected to receive the 2012 Paul G. Silver Award sponsored by the American Geophysical Union. Nyblade was recognized for outstanding scientific contributions in his efforts in establishing and sustaining AfricaArray, an innovative program to promote, strengthen and maintain a workforce of highly trained African geoscientists and researchers for Africa.
Long-Qing Chen, professor of materials science and engineering, was conferred the status of distinguished professor. Chen has earned worldwide recognition and acclaim for his leadership in computational materials science. Zuliema Karpyn, associate professor and Quentin E. and Louise L. Wood Faculty Fellow in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, will serve as interim director of the EMS Energy Institute effective July 1, 2013 while Director Chunshan Song is on sabbatical leave. James Kelly, R & D Engineer at Penn State’s Applied Research Lab, joined the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences on June 1, 2013 as the new math tutor in the Ryan Family Student Center. Zi-Kui Liu, professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Center for Computational Materials Design, was awarded the Materials Information Society’s 2014 International Medal in honor of J. Willard Gibbs Phase Equilibria. He was recognized for his contributions in computational thermodynamics through integrated first-principles calculations and the CALPHAD method and for the advancement of phase equilibria theory, database development, materials design and promotion of thermodynamics. Digby MacDonald, emeritus professor of materials science and engineering, received the Frumkin Memorial Metal, the most prestigious award given by the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE). He was recognized for his outstanding life contributions to the field of fundamental electrochemistry.
Joshua Robinson, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, received the Corning Faculty Fellowship in Materials Science and Engineering. His research interests span a wide range of electronic materials capable of integration into many different technologies. Recently, materials for electronic and optoelectronic, as well as, radiation detection have become the primary focus of his research. Rudy L. Slingerland, professor of geosciences, was presented with the G. K. Gilbert Award for Geomorphology by the American Geophysical Union’s Earth and Planetary Surface Process Focus Group. Slingerland was recognized for promoting an environment of unselfish cooperation in research and the inclusion of young scientists into the field of earth and planetary surface processes. Karl Zimmerer, professor and head of the Department of Geography, was named Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Randy Vander Wal, professor of energy and mineral engineering and materials science and engineering, and Chung-Hsuan Huang, a doctoral student in energy and mineral engineering, were part of the NASA Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment Team who received their second NASA Group Achievement Award for “outstanding achievement in establishing the impact of hydro-treated renewable jet fuels on commercial aircraft engine performance and pollutant emissions.”
Upcoming Events
upcoming.events
27
Below is a listing of upcoming events for the 2013-14 academic year that may provide you with an opportunity to visit Penn State and/or to reconnect with the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at an event in your area. November 13
Alumni & Friends Regional Reception in Pittsburgh Rolling Hills Country Club - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. CONTACT: Colleen Swetland, clw2@psu.edu
December 9-13
American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (AGU) San Francisco, CA Penn State AGU Reception TBA CONTACT: Colleen Swetland, clw2@psu.edu
February 2-6
American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting Atlanta, Georgia Penn State AMS Reception CONTACT: Lynn Persing, persing@ems.psu.edu
February 23-26
Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Annual Meeting Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah Penn State SME Reception – 5:30-7:00 p.m. CONTACT: Rachel Altemus, rla7@psu.edu
March 29
EMEX – Earth & Mineral Sciences Exposition Deike Building Lobby University Park Campus - 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. CONTACT: Linda Spangler, spangler@ems.psu.edu
April
Hussey Lecture in Meteorology - TBA
April 6
Wilson Banquet and Awards Presentation Ballroom, Nittany Lion Inn Reception – 5:00 p.m. • Dinner—6:00 p.m. CONTACT: Morgann McAfee, mes44@psu.edu
April 6-9
AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition Houston, Texas AAPG/PSU Reception
April 8-12
AAG Annual Meeting Tampa, Florida Penn State AAG Reception CONTACT: Angela Rogers, aar115@psu.edu
April 12
Penn State Blue-White Game
May 9
GEMS Penn State Commencement Reception Alumni Hall, HUB—5:30-7:00 p.m. CONTACT: Colleen Swetland, clw2@psu.edu
June 5-8
Traditional Reunion Weekend
June 6
EMS Traditional Reunion Luncheon Assembly Room, Nittany Lion Inn—noon-1:30 p.m. CONTACT: Colleen Swetland, clw2@psu.edu
While making arrangements to attend one of these events, don’t forget to contact our Assistant Director of Alumni Relations:
Colleen Swetland,
swetland@ems.psu.edu (e-mail) • 814-863-4660 (office)
“from the Dean” continued from page 2 4. Trend—climate change is likely to exacerbate resource scarcities, particularly water scarcities. How EMS is Engaging—the College has a long history of excellence in climate change science and weather risk management. Not only are the faculty so well respected internationally in these areas that they are routinely invited into important climate science policy activities such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, but also they are at the forefront of an emerging area of high importance: understanding and quantifying weather and climate risk as a way of decreasing the vulnerability of business to weather and climate variability and change. A new Center for Solutions to Climate and Weather Risk was established in the Department of Meteorology this past summer that will cement Penn State’s leadership in this area. 5. Trend—nation-states will no longer be the only—and often not the most important—actors on the world stage, and the “international system” will have morphed to accommodate the new reality. But the transformation will be incomplete and uneven. Although states will not disappear from the international scene, the relative power of various nonstate actors—including businesses, tribes, religious organizations, and even criminal networks—will grow as these groups influence decisions on a widening range of social, economic, and political issues. How EMS is Engaging—for the past 5 years, EMS has emphasized the “internationalization” of its undergraduates. We do this by providing courses that engage students and faculty in other countries, encouraging study abroad opportunities, and offering courses with significant international travel experiences. This emphasis will continue because the likelihood that our graduates will live and work outside of the US for some part of their careers has never been greater. EMS is extremely fortunate to blend the physical sciences and engineering with the social sciences. Geography is a world class department that is seeking to understand how this trend toward more powerful nonstate actors is likely to shape the international world order and, more importantly, how social institutions are apt to function in that world order. The above trends will shape the world that our children and grandchildren will live out most of their lives. With that in mind, EMS has pivoted to embrace a set of research and teaching initiatives that will prepare our students to develop new technologies and new scientific knowledge that will help citizens of the US and the world confront some of these future challenges. It is these kinds of ingenious and farsighted programs and initiatives that will provide the pathways to a more virtuous and productive world of 2025. EMS will be at the forefront.
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