Thomas Connolly

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The new agreement with Penn State seamlessly aligns our goal of establishing Morgan as a key player in the silicon carbide market — we are not only advancing our own graphite competencies but also contributing to the development of high-value products in the market.

Director, Performance Carbon Technology

Michelle Gallagher

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We were really small, only 25 employees at the time, and so we really needed to partner with some experts in the material science world to understand our new, disruptive technology, we were introduced to the Penn State Materials Characterization Lab (MCL) and they helped us be able to characterize the unique aspects of this surface technology.

Sr Principal R&D Engineer, Technical Fellow

MRI powers optical network innovation through collaboration with Infinera/Nokia

Closeup photo of a materials sample

By Jamie Oberdick

When optical networking company Infinera was acquired by telecommunications giant Nokia in early 2025, it was hailed as a strategic move that would solidify Nokia’s leadership in data transport technology. But behind this $2.3 billion deal lies a story of innovation that’s been quietly unfolding in central Pennsylvania, thanks to a long-standing partnership between Infinera and Penn State’s Materials Research Institute (MRI).

AI Week spotlights student, faculty research on artificial intelligence

AI Group Photo at Poster Session

By Mallorie McIlwain

Penn State’s AI Week showcased the latest research on artificial intelligence (AI) systems and tools, with a specific focus on their applications across K-12 and higher education. 

The annual event, most recently held April 14 through April 17, highlighted Penn State faculty and student research and excellence through panels, research showcases, immersive workshops and a poster session. 

Stability solution brings unique form of carbon closer to practical application

artistic illustration of this research

By Jamie Oberdick

Carbyne, a one-dimensional chain of carbon atoms, is incredibly strong for being so thin, making it an intriguing possibility for use in next-generation electronics, but its extreme instability causing it to bend and snap on itself made it nearly impossible to produce at all, let alone produce enough of it for advanced studies. Now, an international team of researchers, including from Penn State, may have a solution.