College of Earth and Mineral Sciences mourns loss of Dean Emeritus John Dutton
Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences mourn the loss of John A. Dutton, who died on Feb. 13, at the age of 89.
Kump to conclude deanship, legacy marked by new presidential award
Lee Kump, the John Leone Dean of the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, has announced that he will step down from his role as dean at the end of June 2026. Kump has served as dean for nine years and is celebrating 40 years of service to the college and Penn State in 2026. Kump will remain on the faculty of the College of EMS as professor of geosciences.
Science-minded student charts research, service path at Penn State
When Eva SinhaRoy arrived at University Park a couple years ago, she was a little overwhelmed at the possibilities. The science-minded student knew she wanted to focus on research, but she also wanted to build skills in other areas such as leadership.
'Teach-a-thon' contest identifies best uses of artificial intelligence in teaching
Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the winners of its 2026 Teach-a-thon. Liz Hajek, professor of geosciences, and Anastasia Piliouras, assistant professor of geosciences, received honorable mention.
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences staff recognized at annual luncheon
EMS recognized exceptional staff at its annual Dean’s Staff Appreciation Luncheon held in December 2025 at the Nittany Lion Inn. The awards program consists of three annual awards, the Future Star Award, Circle of Excellence, and the EMS Ambassador. The Charles Hosler Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Staff Award was also recognized.
Building blocks of life discovered in Bennu asteroid rewrite origin story
Allison Baczynski, assistant research professor of geosciences at Penn State, (left) led the study alongside Ophélie McIntosh, postdoctoral researcher in Penn State’s Department of Geosciences. They used specialized equipment to study the sample and detect glycine, the simplest amino acid, a tiny two‑carbon molecule that serves as one of life’s basic building blocks
New species emerged faster than thought after dinosaur extinction, study finds
New research has implications for understanding ongoing extinctions, revealing that new species emerged within several thousand years of the mass extinction.
Distance-learning expert elected to leadership post for professional association
Ann Taylor, senior assistant dean for distance learning and director of the John A. Dutton Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence selected as senate chair for the Online and Professional Education Association.
Ask a scientist: What happens to animals during a volcanic eruption?
Christelle Wauthier and Julian Avery answer questions about volcanic eruptions submitted by elementary school students.
Coffee Hour starts Jan. 23 with talk on volcanic hazards and remote sensing
Christelle Wauthier, associate professor of geosciences, will deliver a talk titled “Imaging Deformation Processes in Areas Prone to Natural Hazards with Satellite Geodesy” at noon on Friday, Jan. 23.