Millennium Café

Penn State's definition of sustainability is "the simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality, and economic well-being for current and future generations." I will provide a brief update on what is happening with sustainability at Penn State and how this definition has translated into real solutions for real challenges. I will also highlight opportunities for faculty, students, and staff to get involved, including through education, research, operations, and helping to meet the land-grant mission. For more on sustainability action at Penn State, see the 2022-24 State of Sustainability report.

Lara Fowler
Penn State Chief Sustainability Officer

The SAFES Institute provides a welcoming and dynamic platform for interdisciplinary research through engagement in our Critical Issue Initiatives (CIIs). Housed in the College of Agricultural Science, SAFES is uniquely positioned to integrate the three pillars of the land grant mission – research, education, and Extension. Come hear more about the SAFES vision, resources we have to support you, and ways to become involved!  

Heather Preisendanz
Director, SAFES

Materials characterization is often performed under standard laboratory conditions. However, this can lead to an incomplete view of the structure, chemistry, and overall properties of a material system under its eventual “real-world operating conditions.”  To address this gap, researchers may employ strategies to collect their data under “in situ” conditions where temperature, pressure, and chemical composition of the atmosphere are controlled. This talk will present examples where in situ molecular spectroscopy methods are used to develop a deeper understanding across problems in polymer science, catalysis, applied materials, and civil engineering.

Jordan Meyet
MCL Molecular Spectroscopy Group

The built environment impacts nearly every area of our lives, from the air we breathe and the natural light we enjoy to the resources we consume and the spaces we inhabit. However, the future of real estate faces significant challenges in adapting to the demands of a rapidly changing world including growing energy demands, extreme weather events, urbanization, resource scarcity, and the need for resilient infrastructure. The Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation was developed to bring together diverse faculty across the university and leverage, integrate, and expand interdisciplinary research to solve real estate’s most pressing challenges. Learn more about how our faculty are developing and integrating cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the future of real estate, creating healthier, more resilient communities through cross-disciplinary collaboration and find ways to engage.

Scarlett R. Miller Director, Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation Paul Morrow Professor of Engineering Design and Manufacturing

The Center for Nanoscale Science, Penn State’s NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, will compete for renewal in 2025, with the preproposal due at NSF in June.   I will briefly describe  (1) the internal down-select competition to become one of the Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) in the renewal proposal, (2) the events, people, and resources that will be available through the winter and early spring to help teams in generating compelling IRG white papers, and (3) the key measures of a successful IRG proposal.  This presentation will be immediately followed by ~45 minutes of further discussion in the Cafe Commons.

Vin Crespi PSU MRSEC

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Save the Date: January 21, 2025 is when the Millennium Café returns.