URCAF 2021

The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Fair has become a highlight of every spring semester at Penn State Altoona—even the Zoom format this year could not dampen the experience. Students in four categories— Performance and Exhibition; Nursing, Behavioral, and Social Sciences; STEM: Engineering, Computing/Information Technology, Physical, and Health & Life … Continue reading

The Work of Art

Sarah E. Jenkins enrolled at Penn State Altoona intending to major in engineering, she says, because she “loves environmental science,” and she thought it would bring job security. But one art course changed her trajectory. She could not resist the siren call of the arts and—after a distinguished college experience, … Continue reading

Stories from the Field

Students can only learn so much from textbooks. Having a professional visit a class—sharing knowledge, engaging students in a conversation, answering questions—can be invaluable. The Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), a part of the University of the West Indies (UWI), has invited Shaheed Nick Mohammed, associate professor of … Continue reading

Dedicated to Research

“In one of the most sophisticated and perhaps largest hacks in more than five years, email systems were breached at the Treasury and Commerce Departments,” wrote David Sanger in the New York Times last month about massive, ongoing hacks on federal computers. While the extent of the hack is still … Continue reading

Letters from a Pandemic

In 1918 a strain of H1N1 virus spread across the globe, assisted by humans’ movements in World War I. For those who fell ill, there was no cure, only care for fevers and quarantine to protect others; for those who managed to avoid it, there was no vaccine, only masks … Continue reading

A Sense-ational Summer

Summer camp—so much fun! And there’s a camp for nearly everyone. Some camps feature sports or arts or religion. Others are made for children dealing with cancer or grief or diabetes. And of course there are camps for children with special needs. For the past nine years Penn State Altoona … Continue reading

Got Energy for Undergraduate Research?

Many articles extol the rewards of undergraduate research. A simple web search brings up “5 Reasons Why Undergraduates Should Do Research,” “Why Undergraduate Research Matters in College,” and—by former Penn State president Rodney Erickson—“Why Involve Students in Research.” Students benefit in many ways, including learning how to research and how … Continue reading

The Future of Learning

If there ever was a time for exploring “innovative learning environments” (ILEs), that time is now. March 2020 brought closed schools and both instructors and students working to connect and complete the school year. Fall 2020 meant a reconfiguration of the very definition of “classroom” The concept of innovative learning … Continue reading