OSD

Laura Bradley, an alumnus of Penn State and the EMS Energy Institute recently received The National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Award. Bradley is working on her PhD at the University of Southern California. Her work focuses on vapor phase polymer deposition on liquid substrates.

Bradley spent time as an undergraduate working at the EMS Energy Institute. During that time, her paper, The Effect of Fuel Composition on Pyrolysis Kinetics, received a Best Student Paper Award at the 2009 Clearwater Coal Conference.

Sijuola Odumabo, a graduate student in petroleum and natural gas engineering received 3^rd place at the 2013 Graduate Exhibition for her poster. The poster, “Gas Flow Hindrance Fracturing Fluid Invasion in Low Permeability Sandstones,” highlights work she is doing at the EMS Energy Institute. Odumabo’s advisor is Zuleima Karpyn, associate professor, petroleum and natural gas engineering.

Peilin Cao, a PhD candidate working in the EMS Energy Institute, received first place for her poster submitted in the Energy and Engineering category at the 2013 CarbonEARTH Carbon Conference. Cao is part of Dr. Zuleima Karpyn’s Flow in Porus Media research group. Cao’s research focuses on wellbore integrity and degradation of well cement under CO₂ sequestration conditions.

The sun is a source of infinite energy. Atmospheric convection and wind currents are driven perpetually as sunlight warms the earth - the challenge is harnessing as much wind power as possible and integrating that power seamlessly into existing distribution systems. As a renewable source of energy, wind has yet to be fully utilized. Unlike solar energy captured using panels during the day, the wind generally blows at night when electricity demand is already low. What can be done in the mean-time to expand the use of the technology we have now?

The EMS Energy Institute is hosting a new seminar series, Energy Exchange, as part of the Institute's outreach mission. The seminars focuses on highly relevant energy topics, especially in the area of fossil fuels. Energy topics discussed include new innovations in carbon dioxide utilization, clean coal, petroleum and natural gas, fuel cells, and more.

Materials of fictional superheroes, medical mapping, and the Telica Volcano: all are among the variety of topics covered in the posters presented on Dec. 5 at Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) first undergraduate poster exhibition, showcasing the variety of research and creative endeavors of its students. Twenty-six entries from all five departments were unveiled before an enthusiastic audience in the hallway of the Deike Building. Nine EMS faculty judges critiqued the posters based on display, content and oral presentation.