NASA's Swift satellite, whose science and flight operations are controlled from Penn State's Mission Operations Center in State College, Pa., has detected its 500th gamma-ray burst -- a type of explosion that is the biggest and most mysterious in the cosmos. Swift's X-ray telescope and ultraviolet/optical telescope were developed and built by international teams led by Penn State.
CSI notwithstanding, forensics experts cannot always retrieve fingerprints from objects, but a conformal coating process developed by Penn State professors can reveal hard-to-develop fingerprints on nonporous surfaces without altering the chemistry of the print. "As prints dry or age, the common techniques used to develop latent fingerprints, such as dusting or cyanoacrylate -- SuperGlue -- fuming often fail," said Robert Shaler, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and director of Penn State's forensic sciences program.
Penn State Laureate Linda Patterson Miller, professor of English at Penn State Abington, will begin her journeys into western Pennsylvania, serving as a "laureate-in-residence" as she interacts with the campus communities at Penn State DuBois (Sept. 13); Penn State Erie, The Behrend College (Sept. 14); Penn State Shenango (Sept. 15); and Penn State Beaver (Sept. 16). Miller will be participating in individual classes and symposiums along with engaging larger audiences in public forums at these locations. "I invite anyone in these geographical areas to join with us for these public presentation as we variously explore the art of American diary-keeping, the lives and art of the 1920s Lost Generation, and the art of Ernest Hemingway as discovered in his letters and early prose," said Miller.
Check in with Miller's travels and follow her literary dialogue, "Literary Landings," at http://laureate.psu.edu/Linda_Miller online. Today, Miller discusses how encounters with art can change lives, as it did for Miller when she first read Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms" (1929). To watch a short video of Miller as she provides some background for understanding the transformative power of Hemingway's art, go to http://bit.ly/nVOzuO online.
After more than 42 years with the University, Fredric Leeds will be retiring as chancellor of Penn State Shenango on Dec. 31.
Jo Anne Carrick will assume leadership of Penn State Shenango on Jan. 1. The announcement of her appointment as campus director was made by Madlyn Hanes, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses.
Roxanne Atterholt, instructor in HDFS at Penn State Shenango, with Jack Luchette, senior HDFS major at Penn State Shenango, at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College's annual research conference. Atterholt was one of Luchette's mentors and collaborators for the poster presentation at the research conference.
Penn State Shenango Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) senior Jack Luchette took first place at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College – Sigma XI 23rd annual Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Accomplishment Conference on Saturday, April 12. His poster abstract was titled “Childhood Neglect as a Predictor of Violent Behavior.”
