“Mark is a committed team builder and experienced leader who brings deep expertise at a pivotal moment for higher education and an important time for the college, as we launch our strategic plan,” said Tracy Langkilde, Verne M. Willaman Dean. “He brings nearly three decades of higher education leadership, a wealth of institutional knowledge, and valuable connections to this role. We are pleased to welcome Mark to the college.”

Read the full announcement on the Eberly College website.

Through bold inquiry, fundamental discovery, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, our researchers are shaping the future of science, health, and humanity. As the heart of Penn State's research engine, we are helping to answer some of society's biggest questions. Simply put, science matters.

As part of the college’s Science Matters campaign and our goal to elevate our college’s excellence and impact, we’ve produced a new “sizzle reel” video that shares our strengths and showcases our labs and classrooms at their finest. 

The video will be shared on the college’s website, at events, on social media and elsewhere, and we encourage you to use it for your own purposes, for example to share on your social media channels and at conferences and other events you are planning.

Thank you to the many researchers, students and staff who participated in the filming last semester. The additional video and photography captured will continue to be used to highlight our college.

View the sizzle reel by clicking on the image above or visiting bit.ly/2026EberlySizzle. Enjoy!

On Friday, February 6, the college recognized the recipients of the Dean’s Climate and Diversity Award and Seed Grant.

Read more about the awards and recipients on the Eberly College website.

Hearty congratulations to the following individuals on their recent standout accomplishments:

• Kim Fanucci, greenhouse manager in the college’s Botany Greenhouse, on being recognized with a Penn State “We Are” shout-out

February 9–13: Lab Safety Awareness Week Aims to Promote Safe Labs on Campuses

Penn State’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team will host virtual and in-person events for the University’s research and academic community as part of its Lab Safety Awareness Week initiative, February 9–13. This year’s Lab Safety Week theme is “I Heart Lab Safety.”   

Lab Safety Awareness Week is a national initiative organized by the Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association and aims to promote lab health and safety programs on college campuses across the country. 

The Laboratory and Research Safety division of EHS, in partnership with the EHS Coordinator Team, invites Penn State researchers from all colleges, departments and campuses to attend outreach events throughout the week and throughout the month. Join EHS employees for engaging conversation and demonstrations, enjoy refreshments, and have a chance to win fun prizes as the community works together to foster a culture of safety.

Read the full announcement, including a list of Lab Safety Awareness Week activities at University Park, on Penn State News.

A Lab Safety Awareness Week flyer is also available to download, print, and share.

February 12: College Town Hall Will Focus on Blackout Period, February 17–24, for Finance OST Transition

Eberly College leadership will hold a town hall from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on February 12, in 301A Benkovic Building and via Zoom, to address the upcoming blackout period, February 17–24, for the Finance Optimized Service Teams (OST) transition.

During the blackout period, nothing new can be done in PSUBuy, SIMBA, or SAPConcur. Penn State Purchasing Card (pcard) purchases can continue.

Any new SAP travel reports and noncatalog purchase orders must be submitted by Thursday, February 12; new non-purchase-order invoices, SAP goods and services (G&S) reports, and journal entries (JEs) must be submitted by Friday, February 13.

These deadlines will ensure that the finance team can get everything approved through the central office before the OST blackout dates. If the above items are not through the approval path before the OST blackout dates, they will be rejected and will need to go through the new approval paths that will be set up starting on the 24th.

More information will be presented, and questions addressed, at the February 12 town hall.

And, in case you missed it, please see this college-wide email—"Finance OST Initiative: Eberly Preparation for Go-Live”—sent Monday early afternoon, with more details.

February 12: Town Hall to Address Research Environment

Penn State’s research community is invited to attend a Research Town Hall on Thursday, February 12, at 2:00 p.m., focused on key issues affecting the University’s research enterprise, including the current research funding environment and guidance related to international collaborations. The event will be hosted by Penn State Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read.

The town hall will be held in-person in 603 Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub and will also be live-streamed via Microsoft Teams for Penn Staters who are unable to attend in person. 

The event will provide an opportunity for faculty, staff, and researchers to hear updates, ask questions and engage in discussion as Penn State navigates a rapidly evolving research landscape. Questions may be submitted in advance using this form, and additional questions will be taken live from in‑person attendees during the event and through the Teams Q&A chat for those remotely participating.

Registration is not required. Penn State faculty and staff may join the live stream through Microsoft Teams. Those without Teams access may select the “Watch on the web” option to view the event. 

Members of the research community are encouraged to attend in person when possible.

February 18: Innovators’ Coffee Hour, Featuring Mauricio Terrones and Nestor Perea-Lopez

Join the college’s Office for Innovation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18, for an Innovators' Coffee Hour with Mauricio Terrones, George A. and Margaret M. Downsbrough Head of the Department of Physics, Evan Pugh University Professor, and professor of chemistry and of materials science and engineering, and Nestor Perea-Lopez, assistant research professor of physics, as they share their journey from lab discovery to startup founders. 

Terrones and Perea-Lopez will discuss how a Lab Bench to Commercialization (LB2C) award helped launch Virolock Technologies—a company developing a portable, antibody-free platform for virus enrichment to improve diagnostic testing—as well as the benefits and challenges of launching a startup as Penn State employees, and lessons learned from the commercialization process.

This session is intended for faculty, researchers, and trainees interested in entrepreneurship, technology translation, and the practical realities of building a company alongside an academic career.

February 19: Grove Center Spring Seminar, “AI in Education—Present and Future,” by Greg Kestin

The Grove Center for Excellence in Science Education, in collaboration with the Department of Physics, will present Greg Kestin as their Spring Seminar speaker on Thursday, February 19, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in 117 Osmond Laboratory.  

Greg Kestin is the associate director of science education and a lecturer on physics at Harvard University, where he earned his doctorate in theoretical particle physics and quantum field theory. Over his career, he has conducted research in nuclear physics, particle physics, fusion energy, and gravitational wave physics. His most recent work involves both researching and developing AI-powered technology from education. He also spent nearly a decade as a digital producer at PBS’s NOVA, where he developed award-winning documentaries, created an original video series called What the Physics?!, and developed interactive educational technology.

Our events and programs are open to all individuals regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, or any other protected class. The Eberly College of Science is committed to building a community of belonging for all.

Join Us in Celebrating Black History Month

Throughout the month of February, the Eberly College of Science will be featuring stories from its Black students, faculty, and alumni as part of its celebration of Black History Month.

Led by the college's Climate and Diversity Committee and its events subcommittee in collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Communications, the effort aims to inform and inspire others by shining a light on these individuals’ experiences, their accomplishments, and their motivations for pursuing careers in science.

These stories are being compiled on a rolling basis as part of ongoing efforts to promote diversity, foster inclusivity, and increase representation of those in our community who have historically been underrepresented. The stories will also be featured in the college's social media (links in footer) throughout the month, providing additional opportunities for engagement.

The college encourages all of its Black students, faculty, alumni, postdocs, and staff to continue to share their stories via this Qualtrics survey.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will also be hosting an event on February 25, “Lift Every Voice: A Celebration of Black History Month,” featuring a poster gallery highlighting Black faculty, students, and alumni, an open-mic experience inviting attendees to share songs, poetry, reflections, or stories around the theme “Stories that Connect Us and Strengthen Our Community," and free food. All students, faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome. Anyone interested in signing up for the open mic is asked to complete the registration form.

Reminder: The College’s Staff Advisory Council and Office of Diversity and Inclusion Are Hosting a Lunch-n-Learn on February 11

The Eberly College of Science Staff Advisory Council (Sci-SAC) is excited to launch a new Lunch-n-Learn series in coordination with the college’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. There will be four presentations in this series, based on input from the 2025 Dean’s Climate and Diversity Award Ceremony survey and other submitted ideas. Anyone attending at least three of the four presentations will be recognized at the 2026 Staff Awards Ceremony. 

The first presentation in the series, "Flirting with Harassment: Boundaries, Communication, and Sexual Harassment," will take place on February 11, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., in 519 Thomas Building. 

Presented by Sophia Mills, associate director of the Relationship Violence Outreach, Intervention, and Community Education (R-VOICE) Center, the session will provide an in-depth overview of sexual harassment, including the root causes and various forms of harassment, as well as an interactive activity to consider the boundaries between flirting and harassment, how it is normalized, and how to intervene to protect our friends and prevent them from harming and harassing others.

Staff interested in attending should RSVP via the registration form. 

Questions should be emailed to Chrissy Snyder at cos5205@psu.edu.

Notice: HVAC Manual Override for Unoccupied Spaces

Some of the college’s conference rooms—such as 510A Muller Building—are integrated with the University’s Building Automation System (BAS). These rooms are programmed to reset to an unoccupied temperature of 60 degrees when no reservation is scheduled. 

If you are using a conference room without a reservation, please check the thermostat located on the wall near the door to confirm that the green “occupied” indicator light is on. 

If the light is off, you may manually place the system into occupied mode by pressing the black button on the side of the thermostat. Each press adds 30 minutes of occupied time, up to a maximum of two hours (four presses of the button).

The same procedure applies to office spaces during after‑hours periods (i.e., evenings and weekends). If the light is off, simply press the button to activate occupied mode for heating or cooling.

Fall 2026 Commencement at University Park Will Take Place Sunday, December 20

Penn State’s fall 2026 undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies at University Park will take place on Sunday, December 20.

Given the potential conflict with a large-scale event, the NCAA College Football Playoff, on the University Park campus that same weekend, commencement will be held on December 20 to provide dedicated time to honor graduates’ accomplishments and contribute to a smoother experience for families and friends on graduation day. Those who are interested in attending the commencement ceremonies at University Park on December 20 are encouraged to book their accommodations as soon as possible.

The University will host three commencement ceremonies on December 20 honoring graduate and undergraduate students at University Park. Ceremonies at the Commonwealth Campuses are not impacted. The University looks forward to celebrating graduates’ achievements and is committed to making this milestone as enjoyable and memorable as possible.

Visit the Penn State commencement webpage for the schedule of ceremonies and email graduation@psu.edu with any additional questions. As always, commencement ceremonies will also be available to watch on live stream.

Union Facts: Faculty and Graduate Unionization

Penn State values every faculty, student and staff member, and recognizes the critical role they play in our community’s shared mission of supporting the Commonwealth and beyond through integrated teaching, research and service.

Learn more about faculty and graduate unionization at unionfacts.psu.edu.

Grove Center Accessibility Minute: Adding Alt Text to Images in Word and PowerPoint

Alt text is everywhere on the web, even if you can’t see it. Viewing a website? The images often have had alt text added by the creator. Scrolling on social media? There is alt text programmed into the code behind the images. Some websites even have alt text that is automatically added using image recognition and AI.  

Word and PowerPoint have features that allow you to either use AI-generated alt text or write your own to meet accessibility standards. Both programs use the same format and steps for adding alt text.  

Ready to learn more? Read the rest of this Accessibility Minute, “Adding Alt Text to Images in Word and PowerPoint,” provided by the Grove Center for Excellence in Science Education.

Staff and Faculty: Get Support with Accessibility, Communications, Marketing, and More at Grove Center and Communications Office Hours

Did you know? The Grove Center for Excellence in Science Education and the college’s Office of Communications offer support for staff’s and faculty’s accessibility, communications, and marketing efforts through open office hours, shared in each issue of Eberly Pulse and posted on the college’s web calendars.

Need advice on making your digital instructional materials accessible? Check out the open office hours on the Grove Center calendar.

Want a consult on communications or marketing efforts? Advice on making accessible and on-brand materials? Check out the communications office’s weekly office hours on the Eberly College calendar.

Still have questions? Email the Grove Center at grovecenter@psu.edu, or the Office of Communications at sci-comm@psu.edu.

Faculty Input Requested: Electronic Lab Notebook Assessment Survey

The Office for Research Protections is currently evaluating the use of electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) across the University and exploring the level of interest in adopting or expanding their use. 

As part of this assessment, they are gathering feedback from faculty to better understand current practices, needs, and preferences. Responses will help guide future decisions and ensure that any recommendations align with the needs of Penn State’s teaching and research community.

Take the “Use of Electronic Notebooks (ELNs)” survey.

College and University Resources

For a comprehensive listing of resources available to employees and students through the Eberly College of Science and Penn State, please visit the college’s “Resources” page at science.psu.edu/resources.

New Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities for research faculty are updated on a rolling basis and compiled biweekly. View current funding opportunities.

If you are interested in receiving notifications of research funding opportunities through SharePoint, Teams, or Outlook, please see the setup guide on the Research Office SharePoint site.

Innovators’ Coffee Hour

The Innovators’ Coffee Hour is a gathering for our community to ask questions, get answers, and meet other Eberly innovators. Coffee, tea, treats, and company will be provided! Meetings occur the third Wednesday of each month, alternating between 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Register for an Innovators' Coffee Hour event. Individual event links—for dates up to one month in advance—are included in the Upcoming Events calendar at the top of this newsletter.

Pathways to Impact Workshops and Seminars

The Pathways to Impact series features expert speakers who will explore how intellectual property laws, regulatory frameworks, and prior art influence the journey from discovery to societal benefit. Register for a Pathways to Impact event. Individual event links—for dates up to one month in advance—are included in the Upcoming Events calendar at the top of this newsletter.

Science Innovation LISTSERV

If you are interested in innovation and translational research opportunities, consider subscribing to the Science Innovation LISTSERV for announcements, reminders, and deadlines.

Innovators’ Digest: Summer 2025 Issue

Read more about initiatives to support research for impact in the Innovators’ Digest, a new biannual newsletter from the Office for Innovation.

Science isn’t the only thing that brings us together—our pets do, too! This biweekly photo-sharing series celebrates the furry, feathered, and scaly companions who brighten the lives of our Eberly College of Science community. In each edition, we’ll spotlight one of these beloved pets, share their stories, and spread a little joy across campus.

Whether your pet is a curious cat, a loyal dog, or an exotic friend, we want to see them! Submit your favorite photos and let’s showcase the personalities behind the science.

Today’s Pet: Brandie

Pet type/breed: sprollie (a mix of springer spaniel and border collie)

Pet’s favorite activity: Brandie loves to catch, retrieve, and chew on her Kong frisbee—in any kind of weather!

Owner’s name: Carol-Beth Book

Role in Eberly: education program specialist in the Office of Science Outreach

Favorite part of your role in Eberly: collaborating with my great team to bring exciting and engaging science events to local communities

Submit a photo of your pet for a future edition of Eberly Pulse.

We know you’re doing interesting things, and we’d love to share them with the Eberly College community in an upcoming Eberly Pulse, in a new, recurring feature—“Final Bytes.”

And Charlie Anderson, professor of biology and associate department head of research and faculty success, recently shared some of his nature photography with us. Can you identify these native winter birds?

Now that the Winter Olympics are here—do you participate in an outdoor winter sport or activity? Whether you love to ski, snowshoe, play in a rec hockey league, or anything in between, we'd love to highlight you and your hobby in the college's social media. 

Send us a short video by February 16—at sci-comm@psu.edu—of you participating in your winter activity, for a chance to be featured.

Does your unit have a new faculty or staff member, postdoc, or graduate student?

Forward them this email and have them click the button below to sign up—it's that easy!