Every semester end at Penn State Altoona means the Student Showcase, where students present the results of their research projects, mainly in the fields of business and engineering. And every spring brings the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Fair (URCAF), which includes a poster session on research projects, presentations of … Continue reading

Involving undergraduate students in research is an important part of the college experience. When they participate in university research projects, they learn how research happens, utilize critical-thinking and communication skills, and often are in contact with established businesses, which could lead to job opportunities upon graduation. The Multi-Campus Research Experience … Continue reading

For the second year in a row, Penn State Altoona faculty and students participated in the International Conference on Software Security and Assurance, technically sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). The 2017 conference had been hosted by Penn State Altoona. In July 2018 the fourth annual … Continue reading

The last summer—after high school, before college—carries so much meaning. A student might be working one last job to earn money, or spending the summer at the beach, or even squeezing in those last few hours with a high school sweetheart before parting in August. Some incoming freshmen at Penn … Continue reading

Luke Skywalker had R2D2. Captain Picard had Data. And 2001: A Space Odyssey had the infamous HAL 9000. These beings were created to serve humans, and they usually did without question. In real life, though, having such a service, a device created to respond to voice commands with an action, … Continue reading

A pregnant woman is admitted to the hospital in the late stages of labor. After she has the baby, the nursing staff asks if she intends to breast-feed or bottle-feed her newborn. The new mother says she has read so many pros and cons on the Internet that she is … Continue reading

“There’s something about putting a tree in the ground and making things right.” –overheard at the Flight 93 Memorial during preparation for Plant a Tree at Flight 93 weekend. Once again—as has happened for the past six years—Penn State Altoona students, faculty, and alumni participated in the annual Plant a … Continue reading

Sometimes seeking an answer to a question takes the researcher in an unexpected direction. Carolyn Mahan, professor of biology and environmental studies at Penn State Altoona, with the help of an initial grant from the Penn State Altoona Advisory Board Fund, started out looking for wild chinchillas in Peru—believed to … Continue reading

The 2018 Earth Week Birding Classic at Penn State Altoona, held the weekend of April 21–22, continued the success of past competitions. “We raised just over $1,200 with 11 teams competing in seven categories,” says Catie Farr, a Penn State Altoona alumna and avid birder who has organized this event … Continue reading

With the advent of spring comes the desire to get outside, into nature. Central Pennsylvania has many places—state and national forests and parks, hiking trails, rivers—for recreation. One of the best places is Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, part of Penn State’s 7,000-acre Stone Valley Experimental Forest. And the perfect introduction … Continue reading