Student innovation competitions, exhibitions and training programs are a crucial part of the university environment because they provide students with valuable experience that isn’t always achieved in the classroom. Researchers from Penn State Berks and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University recently received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation for a project focused on advancing equity among underrepresented students in STEM-related innovation competitions and programs.
According to the 2020 census, the Hispanic and Latino population of the City of Reading is nearly 69%, up from 58% in 2010. To meet the needs of this growing population, Penn State Berks is expanding its efforts to engage with and support the local Hispanic and Latino communities with several new initiatives.
With approximately 12% of the population in Berks and Schuylkill Counties living in poverty, food banks are a critical resource for those who face hunger issues. Penn State Berks faculty are collaborating with faculty at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local food banks. The team has recently received a seed grant from the Penn State Institute for Computational Data Sciences as part of the Inter-Institutional Program for Diversifying Research to explore this issue.
The Berks LaunchBox recently announced the first five recipients of the “IMAGINE Your Business” grant. Funded by the County of Berks Imagine Berks Fund, this grant provides up to $2,000 to early-stage entrepreneurs to support various business needs such as prototyping, marketing and product development. The initiative aims to foster innovation and economic growth within Berks County.
Applications are now being accepted for the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania (TCCP) Women in Mentoring program. Students, faculty and staff across all Penn State campuses have free access to virtual technology programming thanks to a partnership with TCCP spearheaded by Penn State Harrisburg, a longtime member of the council.
Penn State announced the recipients of the inaugural Commonwealth Campus Undergraduate Community-Engaged Research Awards, a new program designed for faculty who specifically support undergraduate student participation in research that aims to improve community well-being.
Six Penn State Commonwealth Campuses recently named faculty members as Open Champions, recognizing their work with open education in the third year of Penn State's Open and Affordable Educational Resources Champion Awards.
Six Penn State student startups have been selected into the 2024 Invent Penn State Summer Founders Program. The Summer Founders Program provides teams with at least one Penn State student founder a $15,000 grant to work on their startup, social good, or nonprofit idea over the summer at Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank.
As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 13 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.
Penn State Berks is currently accepting proposals for the Creative AI Minds Challenge, an event for high school students, through April 22. The challenge is open to all high school student teams who aim to make the world a better place using artificial intelligence and machine learning, regardless of their technical skills.
