Routine helps children adjust to school, but harsh parenting may undo benefits
Starting elementary school is a major milestone, but it can be a difficult transition as children can experience separation anxiety or have trouble adapting to school rules and structure. However, a team led by Penn State researchers found that consistent routines in the home can reduce the…
Consortium on Moral Decision-Making grant funding deadline extended
The Consortium on Moral Decision-Making at Penn State is seeking proposals for Ember Grants to support up-start interdisciplinary research related to the conceptual and empirical study of human morality and ethical decision-making. The deadline for submissions is March 6 at 5 p.m.…
Community-Engaged Research Partnership Development Seed Grant Program Now Open
The Community-Engaged Research, Action, and Partnerships (CERAP) unit has launched their Community-Engaged Research Partnership Development Seed Grant Program! Level 1 awards to provide a maximum of $5,000, while Level 2 awards will provide a maximum of $20,000.
Request for proposals can be…
Dual-language programs may reduce school segregation, study finds
Two-way dual language immersion programs — which bring native English speakers and students who speak another language at home together in the same classroom — may modestly reduce school segregation, according to a new study led by a Penn State College of Education researcher.
In a large-scale…
PAMT (Prevention and Methodology Training) NIDA T32 Training fellowships are open
Applications are now open for two-year pre-doctoral fellowships through the Prevention and Methodology Training (PAMT) Program (NIDA T32 Training fellowships). The program will begin on July 1, 2026. Please note that the T32 renewal is pending an NIH Council decision in late March, so…
Registration open for American Statistical Association DataFest 2026
Registration is now open for the American Statistical Association DataFest 2026 at Penn State, to be held March 20-22 at University Park. DataFest, sponsored by the American Statistical Association (ASA) and Celonis, is a weekend-long data analysis competition. Over the course of two intense days,…
Daniel F. Perkins in College of Ag Sciences named distinguished professor
Daniel F. Perkins, professor of family and youth resiliency and policy in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named a distinguished professor by Penn State’s Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
The title of distinguished professor at Penn State recognizes the…
Promoting adult wellness through community music
Recreational music’s impact on adult wellness is the focus of a new research workgroup funded by the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) at Penn State.
The group, led by Bryan Nichols, head of graduate studies in Music Education in the College of Arts & Architecture, and Jennifer…
SSRI part of Interactive map showcasing statewide community impact
At Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, elementary school students participate in Outdoor School programs that immerse them in hands-on environmental learning. In South Williamsport, Penn College paramedic students steady gurneys and radios during the crush of the Little League Baseball World…
Penn State names new distinguished professors for 2026
Penn State's Office of Faculty Affairs has named 14 new distinguished professors for 2026, including:
SSRI Cofunded Faculty Member Daniel Perkins, distinguished professor of youth and family resiliency and policy and founding principal scientist of the Clearinghouse for Military Family…
Consortium on Moral Decision-Making announces grant funding
The Consortium on Moral Decision-Making at Penn State is seeking proposals for Ember Grants to support up-start interdisciplinary research related to the conceptual and empirical study of human morality and ethical decision-making.
The grant program is open to faculty-led teams…
Consortium on Moral Decision-Making Spring Reception
SSRI's Consortium on Moral Decision-Making is hosting a spring kick-off reception Feb. 10, 4 - 5:30 p.m., in the Atrium of Moore Building.
All are welcome to attend, whether they are returning affiliates or new researchers who want to learn more about ethical and moral decision-making through an…
Sustain Penn State to screen ‘Devil Put the Coal in the Ground’ on Feb. 11
Sustain Penn State will host a virtual screening of “Devil Put the Coal in the Ground” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, as part of its Intersections Film Series. The screening will be followed by a moderated panel discussion exploring the connections between coal, economic development, public…
Why Social Science? - Because Psychology Can Help Reduce Police Violence
This month's Why Social Science? post comes from Dr. Kimberly Kahn from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) about how psychology can help us build safer, fairer communities by finding solutions rooted in evidence, empathy, and mutual responsibility.
By…
Lloyd Prize for Innovative Health Research seeks proposals
Penn State emeritus professor Tom Lloyd and the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) invite proposals for the annual Lloyd Prize for Innovative Health Research at Penn State.
The Lloyd Prize is funded by an endowment of more than $500,000 for an annual prize that will…
Burkhouse and Veturi receive early career professorship awards
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Katie Burkhouse, associate professor of psychology, and Yogasudha Veturi, assistant professor of biobehavioral health and statistics, were recently named as recipients of the Dr. Frances Keesler Graham Early Career Professorship by the Social Science Research Institute at…
Annual Substance Use and Addiction Conference to be held on May 4
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Social Science Research Institute’s Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction will host its seventh annual conference, in-person and via Zoom on Monday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Barron Innovation Hub at the University Park campus.
The all-day event is free, but…
Penn State’s Child Study Center to host 2026 Innovation Hub Symposium
“Community Engaged Research for Public Impact: Process to Policy” is the theme of the Penn State Child Study Center’s (CSC) 2026 Innovation Hub Symposium taking place on Friday, Feb. 6, in the Nittany Lion Inn Ballroom at University Park.
CSC’s Innovation Hub Symposium is a biennial event designed…
Buxton featured on “Sleep Quality, Not Quantity” Podcast
Orfeu Buxton, SSRI cofunded faculty member and associate director at SSRI and CTSI, was featured on The Last Show with David Cooper Podcast in an episode titled “Sleep Quality, Not Quantity” released January 16.
In this 11-minute episode, Buxton, a professor of biobehavioral health and a…
Online gambling participation increased in Pennsylvania in 2025, report finds
Online gambling in Pennsylvania continues to increase, according to the 2025 Pennsylvania Interactive Gaming Assessment: Online Gambling Report. The assessment was co-authored by researchers in Penn State’s Criminal Justice Research Center and developed under contract with the…
Contest puts AI-ready teaching to the test
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the “Teach-a-thon,” a competition celebrating innovative teaching practices in response to the rise of large language models and generative AI. The virtual event is open to all Penn…
New Penn State Cores Facility Website
Penn State Research has recently launched a new website for core facilities. These facilities offer critical specialized instrumentation, services, and guidance to researchers and businesses. The goal is to supplement projects with resources and expertise that may be cost-prohibitive for direct…
Fathers’ early interactions with babies may affect child health years later
How a new father behaves toward his baby can change family dynamics in a way that affects the child’s heart and metabolic health years later, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development.
In the study, recently published in Health Psychology, the…
Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to seven diverse projects - 2026
The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the results of its most recent seed-funding competition. The center awarded more than $152,000 to seven interdisciplinary research projects representing six colleges.
Each proposal was evaluated by peers…
Estate commitment to enhance resources for students from foster care system
Building on her early career advocacy on behalf of abused and neglected children, Penn State graduate Rosemary Katchmar has come forward with a $200,000 estate commitment that will benefit the Fostering Lions Program. The gift will bolster services and programming designed to improve postsecondary…