Gareth Mitchell is a geologist. As an associate researcher at Penn State, the 61-year-old can still be found out in the field, collecting samples and doing research on coal. 

“I'm a hands-on kind of fellow," he says. "I don’t mind getting dirty and doing the hard work.” 

He also likes working with his feet. On ice, particularly.

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.

Bringing together one of the largest contingents of natural gas experts in the United States, Penn State has established an Institute for Natural Gas Research (INGaR), which is expected to provide much-needed study into this important form of energy.

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.

On Thursday, February 21, the EMS Energy Institute hosted Michael T. Klein for the 2013 Peter H. Given Lectureship in Coal Science. Klein is currently the Director of the University of Delaware Energy Institute and the Dan Rich Chair of Energy. Previously, he was the dean of engineering and the Board of Governors Professor of Chemical Engineering at Rutgers.

Klein delivered two lectures sponsored by the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering. His lecture “Chemical Modeling of Direct Coal Liquefaction” was held at the Institute.

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?