High school experiences linked to midlife body weight
High schools have long been recognized for shaping students’ futures. According to a new study by researchers from Penn State, the University of Texas, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Minnesota, high schools may even contribute to how much a person weighs later in life.…
Penn State rises in NSF Higher Education Research and Development rankings
Penn State has moved up two spots to No. 26 in the 2023 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, the most recently released rankings. The University also earned top 10 rankings in key research fields, including engineering, mathematics,…
Australia offers lessons for increasing American life expectancy
Despite being home to some of the world’s most dangerous animals, Australia has led the English-speaking world in life expectancy for the last three decades. As for other high-income Anglophone countries, the Irish saw the largest gains in life expectancy, while Americans have finished dead last…
Professor’s new book examines universities’ role in advancing science
The last century has been a remarkable period of scientific discovery. And one of the primary drivers of it? Universities like Penn State, according to Professor of Sociology, Education and Demography David P. Baker. That’s the main takeaway of “Global Mega-Science: Universities, Research…
Assistant professor of sociology and public policy receives Roy C. Buck Award
Sarah Brothers, assistant professor of sociology and public policy and Social Science Research Institute co-funded faculty member, is the recipient of the 2024 College of Liberal Arts' Roy C Buck Award. This award recognizes the best paper accepted or published by…
Van Hook named distinguished professor
Jennifer Van Hook, Roy C. Buck Professor of Sociology and Demography, College of the Liberal Arts, was recently named distinguished professor by Penn State's Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. The distinguished professor or distinguished librarian title recognizes outstanding…
Daw and Shenk complete Penn State Emerging Academic Leaders program
The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs has recognized a select group of faculty members for completing the Penn State Emerging Academic Leaders (PSEAL) program. This initiative, a collaborative effort between Faculty Affairs and Penn State Human Resources Talent Management, is…
Americans will spend half their lives taking prescription drugs, study finds
An American born in 2019 will spend a larger share of their lifetime taking prescription drugs than being married or receiving an education, according to new research by Jessica Ho, associate professor of sociology and demography at Penn State. She found that American males will spend approximately…
Four Penn State Liberal Arts faculty members receive Fulbright Scholar Awards
Four College of the Liberal Arts faculty members recently received Fulbright Scholar Awards for the 2023-24 academic year: Gary Adler Jr.,associate professor of sociology; Jennifer E. Glick, associate director of the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) and…
Lecture to explore how demography influences environmental research and policies
Penn State’s 18th annual De Jong Lecture in Social Demography, “Reflections on Necessary, Next Generation Population & Environment Research Agendas,” will be presented by Sara Curran on Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to noon, in the HUB Robeson Center room 233 B and virtually. Curran is a professor of…
SSRI Welcomes Three New Co-Funded Faculty Members
The Social Science Research Institute welcomes three new co-funded faculty members to Penn State: Cleothia Frazier, asistant professor of sociology in the College of Liberal Arts. Frazier completed her Ph.D. in sociology at Vanderbilt University and MPH at Michigan State University.…
'Topping out' ceremony held for Welch Building construction project
Construction of the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building at Penn State's University Park campus marked another significant milestone this week. The University held a “topping out” ceremony at the construction site on Wednesday, July 26, during which representatives from Penn State’s …
Penn State announces faculty recipients of 2023-24 U.S. Fulbright Scholar awards
Ten Penn State faculty have received Fulbright Scholar Awards for the 2023-24 academic year, according to the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program. Through the program, Penn State faculty…