Strategic city planning can help reduce urban heat island effect
May 23, 2023
The tendency of cities to trap heat — a phenomenon called the “urban heat island,” often referred to as the UHI effect — can lead to dangerous temperatures in the summer months, but new Penn State research suggests that certain urban factors can reduce this effect.The study found that trees had a…
CTSI research navigator provides guidance to Penn State researchers
May 22, 2023
Penn Staters across the commonwealth have a new resource to help them carry out their research projects. Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s research navigator connects faculty, staff and students with research resources like funding opportunities, using data and informatics…
University Libraries Open Publishing launches 'The Future of Foster Care'
May 22, 2023
Penn State University Libraries’ Open Publishing program recently launched a new Open Access monograph. “The Future of Foster Care: New Science on Old Problems,” edited by Yo Jackson and Sarah Font, is a collection of expanded conference proceedings from the 2019 conference of the Child…
Janet van Hell named Penn State distinguished professor
May 18, 2023
Janet van Hell, a longtime faculty member in the College of the Liberal Arts’ Department of Psychology and director of the Center for Language Science, has been promoted to the rank of distinguished professor of psychology and linguistics by Penn State.Seven University faculty members were…
NIH introduces new resource to aid researchers in grant application
May 17, 2023
The National Institute of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review has developed a resource to help researchers in the NIH grant application process. It highlights institution- and investigator-specific information, including key actions that must be taken well in advance of application…
Rate of Fatal Falls Among U.S. Seniors Doubled in 20 Years
May 16, 2023
By Amy Norton, HealthDay ReporterFRIDAY, May 12, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Older Americans are dying of falls at more than double the rate of 20 years ago -- with women, men and all racial groups showing increases, according to a new study.
n 2020, the study found, just over 36,500 Americans age…
New funding to support child maltreatment research opportunities
May 14, 2023
Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network is supporting a new funding opportunity to support research addressing child maltreament.The funding will support the formation of research groups to develop new research projects and that could lead to development of colloquiums, annual meetings,…
2023 SSRI Spring Celebration
May 11, 2023
Faculty and staff from all of SSRI's units recently gathered at the Hintz Family Alumni Center to celebrate major accomplishments of the year and to announce staff awards.Kristie Auman-Gooding, SSRI communications director, was presented with a Penn State Boston Rocker Chair and certificate of…
Annual substance use conference examines stigma, opioid crisis
May 11, 2023
The Penn State Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction (CSUA) recently hosted its fourth annual conference in the HUB-Robeson Center at the University Park campus.Drawing over 150 attendees throughout the day, including through the Zoom livestream, the conference kicked off with a welcome from…
Understanding Barriers to Reporting Domestic Violence Experiences in Pennsylvania
May 10, 2023
This research study aims to learn more about the experiences of domestic violence victim- survivors in Pennsylvania. The research is being conducted by Emily Strohacker, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg, in partnership with the Center for Rural Pennsylvania,…
New student civil rights project funded
May 10, 2023
SSRI Co-fund, Maithreyi Gopalan (PI) and PRI Faculty Associate, Erica Frankenberg (Co-PI) were recently awarded a grant by the Student Experience Research Network.Project Title: Centering Civil Rights Protections to Support Equitable Student Experiences: An Agenda-setting and Research…
Latest EIC podcast on prevention and partnerships
May 9, 2023
The Evidence-to-Impact Podcast's latest episode focuses on prevention and partnerships and features a discussion about a long-standing collaborative relationship between Penn State and Pennsylvania government and their prevention and intervention work targeting youth and families. The episode…
Penn State research team receives NIH grant to study HIV treatment messaging
May 9, 2023
An interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers have received a $442,750 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to support a multi-faceted, three-part study that observes how gay and bisexual men search and find HIV prevention information — specifically information about pre-…
College of Education faculty, staff and students celebrated at awards ceremony
May 4, 2023
SSRI cofunded faculty member Brandy Henry and PRI associate Erica Frankenberg were among the award winners at the Penn State College of Education's s annual spring awards ceremony on April 20.Cotterill Leadership Enhancement Award
The Cotterill Leadership Enhancement Award was created through an…
Font featured in "The Lost Debate" podcast
May 2, 2023
SSRI cofund Sarah Font, associate professor of sociology and public policy, is interviewed on the podcast special episode "Invisible Kids: America’s Journey From Orphanages To Foster Care" about programs that are meant to care for the country’s most vulnerable children: the child-welfare system.…
Penn State researchers support social science advocacy day
May 2, 2023
Penn State researchers recently participated in Social Science Advocacy Day, held in Washington, D.C., by the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA).The event brought together social and behavioral scientists from across the country to meet with members of Congress and their staff to…
Joint projects in arts, humanities, social & behavioral sciences announced
Apr 27, 2023
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) is pleased to announce the program awardees for joint projects in arts, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences. Co-sponsored by SSRI, the College of the Liberal Arts, and the College of Arts and Architecture, these joint…
EMS honors faculty and student excellence at annual awards celebration
Apr 27, 2023
SSRI cofund Louisa Holmes, assistant professor of geography, was recently awarded a Gladys Snyder Junior Faculty Grant for her proposal, “Spatial and contextual variations in opioid use and co-use across Pennsylvania in the wake of COVID-19.”The award is given out by Penn State's College of Earth…
PAA’s annual meeting features strong Penn State presence
Apr 26, 2023
Researchers from Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) and Population Research Institute (PRI) participated in the Population Association of America’s (PAA) Annual Meeting, which took place recently in New Orleans.This year’s meeting featured several Penn State presenters from a…
New study will partner with Latino families to co-design math educational tools
Apr 26, 2023
The Spanish-speaking population has grown by 24 percent in the United States since 2000, representing one-third of all children ages 8 and under. A new Penn State project will work directly with Latino families to develop new resources to help foster learning of mathematics in the home that are…
It’s not just the shy kids who get nervous in front a crowd, study shows
Apr 25, 2023
SSRI cofund and Associate Director Koraly Pérez-Edgar was quoted in this CNN article.Is shy something you feel or something you are? According to a new study, it could be either.
Whether shyness is part of your child’s personality or just something they feel when they are in front of a group of…
31st Annual National Symposium on Family Issues
Apr 24, 2023
The 31st Annual National Symposium on Family Issues on Immigration Policy and Immigrant Families will be held Oct. 23–24 in the HUB-Robeson Center, room 233B, University Park, in person and virtually.The symposium will bring together an exceptional panel of scholars whose research is devoted to…
Santos receives "We Are!" recognition
Apr 21, 2023
Several Penn State community members recently received a "We Are!" recognition for having gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.Included in this week's selection is SSRI cofund Alexis Santos, assistant professor of human development and family studies, whose…
Environmental impacts on families book published
Apr 19, 2023
"Environmental Impact on Families", the book based on Penn State’s 2021 Family Symposium, has been published and is now available.The book is the 13th volume in Penn State’s Nation Symposium on Family Issues series published by Springer. It is edited by Penn State SSRI and PRI faculty members…
Climate Solutions Symposium to take place at Penn State on May 22 and 23
Apr 19, 2023
Penn State will host the Climate Solutions Symposium on May 22 and 23 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. The two-day event will feature plenaries, panel discussions, breakout sessions, an arts and communication session and a poster session, all focused on developing and elevating…