Earth and Mineral Sciences

Department of Geography

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Two men in black shirts hold a paper map with red and yellow shaded areas in the middle. The man on the right points to the shaded region

Forum promotes collaboration to address impacts of wildfire in the Eastern US

October 06, 2026

Macro photograph of a mosquito standing on textured human skin against a blurred green background.

Coffee Hour to focus on invasive mosquitoes and changing landscapes

October 05, 2026

Marsella smiles while holding a dark blue graduation cap in front of Old Main. She is wearing a white dress.

Geography research helps shape recent graduate’s path toward law

September 30, 2026

Graphic for the 14th annual Nature and Society Workshop keynote panel, “Current and Future Directions of Nature and Society Geography,” Oct. 2 at The Arboretum at Penn State Overlook Pavilion. Speakers are Jola Ajibade of Emory University, Conor Harrison of the University of South Carolina and Kelly Kay of UCLA. The keynote panel discussion is open to the public from 3:45 to 5 p.m.

Nature-society panel to discuss environmental change, energy and land

September 29, 2026

Shannon speed has long brown hair and bangs wears a blue top and large earrings, standing against a softly blurred green background.

Miller Lecture to examine violence against Indigenous women

September 23, 2026

Two chemistry students work in a lab alongside each other

Thirteen graduate students awarded U.S. National Science Foundation fellowships

September 18, 2026

Portrait of Roberta Mendonça De Carvalho wearing a light blazer, white shirt, and yellow lanyard, facing the camera.

Coffee Hour talk to explore urban expansion in the Amazon

September 16, 2026

A four part map of the continental United States shaded red and blue marking relevant census tracts.

Visits to public points of interest can impact community health measures

September 15, 2026

Student conducts research in lab in Japan

Students take advantage of experiential learning opportunities

September 02, 2026

Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with red-tiled roofs, surrounded by green trees and neatly paved streets, showing several homes and yards.

Penn State geography alumna to kick off fall 2026 Coffee Hour series

August 24, 2026

Four scientists are shown collecting samples from a groundwater well in a grassy field in front of a forest in Southwestern Pennsylvania

Natural gas drilling could raise salt levels, in turn boosting radium in water

August 24, 2026

Nate Cherok in a striped polo shirt listens attentively during a conversation at the All4 company's annual conference, with a blurred woman speaking next to him.

Geography alumnus Nate Cherok launches career in environmental consulting

August 10, 2026

Zhenlong Li, wearing glasses and a green collared shirt, smiles outdoors with blurred greenery in the background.

Geography faculty member earns national research award

July 16, 2026

A man wearing a tan polo shirt.

Penn State announces 2026 LT. Michael P. Murphy Award recipient

July 15, 2026

Three people stand around a table looking at large maps and charts. Myers on the left looks at the map while Lily Houtman and Zhaoxu Sui explain the materials.

Memorial map reflects Bob Myers’ support for Penn State GeoGraphics Lab

June 24, 2026

Sailor Walter in a blue graduation gown and tie stands outdoors. The background features blurred green foliage and a cloudy sky.

Geography research helps undergraduate student connect policy and place

May 12, 2026

Isabel Rivera wearing glasses and a brown jacket stands on a dirt path, holding a small black creature in their hands and smiling. Greenery and cloudy sky are in the background.

Undergraduate research helps launch geography senior’s next chapter

May 06, 2026

Jimmy Kroon is a smiling man with glasses and a beard sits at a desk with a laptop covered in stickers, a map on the wall behind him.

Penn State alumnus brings GIS background to agriculture leadership

May 01, 2026

Zuleima Karpyn presenting Shimin Liu with Wilson Excellence in Research Award

Faculty, student excellence recognized at annual EMS Wilson Awards celebration

April 21, 2026

James Rowley wearing a suit stands beside a scientific poster on supraglacial lake classification in Antarctica. He is smiling and looks confident.

Geography undergraduate researches satellite estimates of Antarctic meltwater

April 15, 2026

Jazmyn Clark wears a black top stands in front of a multicolored map panels that are orange, green, and blue hues.

Penn State geography alumna Jazmyn Clark finds career momentum in GIS

April 09, 2026

Downtown Jackson, Wyoming, near the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with the ski slopes of Snow King Mountain in the background.

Coffee Hour talk to explore gentrification, migration and labor in rural America

April 03, 2026

A detailed road map showing Manchester, Stockport, and surrounding areas, with roads highlighted in red and green. A pencil points to Stockport.

Coffee Hour to explore mapping design and collaboration in practice

March 31, 2026

Amaya wears glasses and a gray turtleneck stands confidently outdoors, brick wall and windows in the background.

Penn State Geography’s new sustainability major draws first declared student

March 24, 2026

A Kichwa person and Sofia Hoffman in a lush rainforest examine a plant sample. The scene is muddy and dense with greenery.

Penn State student bridges Indigenous geography and engineering in the Amazon

March 06, 2026

Shannon speed has long brown hair and bangs wears a blue top and large earrings, standing against a softly blurred green background.

Cancelled: March 27 Miller Lecture to focus on Indigenous women and the violence they face

March 05, 2026

Researchers look at tree saplings after a fire in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Forest exhibits resilience after California mega fire

March 03, 2026

Satellite view of Earth showing the Sahara Desert in the foreground, with a vast plume of dust extending over the Atlantic Ocean under a cloudy sky.

Climate and human health risks of Saharan dust focus of Geography Coffee Hour

February 23, 2026

Students in reflective vests stand in front of large piles of compacted plastic bottles at a recycling facility.

Penn State launches sustainability, society and environmental geography major

February 20, 2026

Lucy Thompson who has curly hair and glasses smiles while giving a presentation. They are standing behind a podium with a laptop.

Geography Coffee Hour on Feb. 20 to highlight graduate student research

February 13, 2026

Dr. Vasudevan with short hair stands by the ocean, wearing a yellow floral top and green shawl.

Geography 'Coffee Hour' to feature talk on race, waste and toxic capitalism

February 04, 2026

Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment, one institute, one world

Institute of Energy and the Environment welcomes 15 new faculty members

January 27, 2026

Heidi Biggs has shoulder-length hair and glasses, wearing a blue shirt with a decorative collar pin.

Biggs talk to share creative approaches to environmental data visualization

January 27, 2026

Christelle Wauthier sits on a rough volcanic rock during fieldwork.

Coffee Hour starts Jan. 23 with talk on volcanic hazards and remote sensing

January 20, 2026

Charring is shown in Michaux State Forest in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, after the Thompson Hollow Fire in April 2025.

$1.74M grant to fund Eastern Fire Network

December 17, 2025

Laura Hendry and Maria Catalano are speaking at a podium.

Undergraduates to present research at Geography’s Coffee Hour on Dec. 5

November 26, 2025

Six new members to alumni boards for College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

New members appointed to Earth and Mineral Sciences alumni boards

November 25, 2025

A group of collaborators including Penn State faculty member Sarah Ivory, center, is photographed on the second day of a three-day trek near Kilembe village, Uganda, on June 26, 2025.

Uganda community collaboration targets climate hazards with reforestation

November 24, 2025

A screenshot of a geographic information system application showing streets and schools.

Mapping a new frontier with AI-integrated geographic information systems

November 06, 2025

Screengrab of video

Adult learner finds ‘antidote to aging’ through geography program

November 04, 2025

Geography alumnus charts new path after decades in federal climate roles

November 03, 2025

Side-by-side portraits of Suraiya Parvin and Naser Lessani

Graduate students to share research at Coffee Hour on Nov. 7

November 03, 2025

Three people stand on a dirt pathway with lush green hills in the background in Malawi.

Penn State undergraduates reflect on Malawi fieldwork with ECODRYFOREST project

October 29, 2025

Naomi Bird analyzes documents on her computer

Geography student’s research shines light on teen vaping boom

October 29, 2025

A Ghanaian farmer carries a bucket of grass in a field

Geography lecture to explore climate change and mental health in Ghana

October 27, 2025

Erica Smithwick is a distinguished professor of geography in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

Erica Smithwick to participate in panel on communicating climate research

October 27, 2025

Three people stand on a dirt pathway with lush green hills in the background in Malawi.

Graduate fieldwork in Malawi connects restoration, data and community

October 23, 2025

Penn State helped shape Harrison Cole’s path to National Geographic Museum

October 22, 2025

people-pushing-school-bus-in-flood

Flood impacts in Global South focus of Geography Coffee Hour

October 21, 2025

A group of five people stand on a step in front of Old Main

Four researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows

October 17, 2025

2025 GIS day identifier, with the date Nov. 17 and theme Amplifying the Possibilities of Geospatial Information

Penn State GIS Day 2025 to take place Nov. 17

October 14, 2025

A group of young people in high-visibility vests attentively observe a solar panel outdoors.

New Penn State geography course examines what sustainability means

October 09, 2025

Kirk Goldsberry, wearing glasses and a light blazer, poses with a globe-print basketball in front of maps and charts.

Penn State alum delivers lecture on maps, basketball and the power of geography

October 07, 2025

A young child walks on a dirt path through green agricultural fields in Cambodia, holding food in hand.

Children’s diet quality linked to distance from protected conservation areas

October 03, 2025

Kirk Goldsberry is a man with short brown hair and a beard, wearing a black collared shirt over a white t-shirt, poses against a plain light gray background.

Geography Coffee Hour to host NBA analyst, alumnus Kirk Goldsberry

September 11, 2025

A bee collects pollen from the center of a purple daisy-like flower, with a blurred background of similar flowers.

Geography lecture to spotlight pollinator conservation and technology

August 29, 2025

Green trees line the shore of Beech Creek under a blue sky

Research sheds light on Beech Creek’s struggle with abandoned mine drainage

August 27, 2025

Researchers team up with Indigenous communities in Ecuador to study oil pollution

August 04, 2025

Guido Cervone, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) interim director, poses for a photo on a boat.

Guido Cervone named Institute for Computational and Data Sciences director

July 30, 2025

Graphic for Penn State's 25th anniversary symposium featuring headshots of six speakers for the online geospatial program.

25 years of online geospatial education to be celebrated at Esri User Conference

July 08, 2025

A professional photo of a woman against a blue background.

Penn State announces 2025 Lt. Michael P. Murphy Award recipient

June 25, 2025

Dana Cuomo and Lily Houtman display a city map, part of their Harm Mapping Project to visualize gender-based violence on campus at Lafayette College.

Penn State alumna, graduate student partner on campus safety mapping project

June 20, 2025

Graduate student Harman and undergraduates Laura and Maria work together at a computer on a research project about waste management.

Graduate student mentorship helps undergraduates build research skills

May 20, 2025

Cristina Elena Mihalache presents her research poster at the AAG conference

Romanian Fulbright scholar reflects on experience with Department of Geography

May 14, 2025

Geography Coffee Hour to feature Jessica Omukuti on inclusive Net Zero

April 21, 2025

Erica Smithwick

Geography and ecology professor receives Kopp International Achievement Award

April 14, 2025

Latest News

Penn State News RSS Feed

Two men in black shirts hold a paper map with red and yellow shaded areas in the middle. The man on the right points to the shaded region

Forum promotes collaboration to address impacts of wildfire in the Eastern US

October 06, 2026

Macro photograph of a mosquito standing on textured human skin against a blurred green background.

Coffee Hour to focus on invasive mosquitoes and changing landscapes

October 05, 2026

Marsella smiles while holding a dark blue graduation cap in front of Old Main. She is wearing a white dress.

Geography research helps shape recent graduate’s path toward law

September 30, 2026

Graphic for the 14th annual Nature and Society Workshop keynote panel, “Current and Future Directions of Nature and Society Geography,” Oct. 2 at The Arboretum at Penn State Overlook Pavilion. Speakers are Jola Ajibade of Emory University, Conor Harrison of the University of South Carolina and Kelly Kay of UCLA. The keynote panel discussion is open to the public from 3:45 to 5 p.m.

Nature-society panel to discuss environmental change, energy and land

September 29, 2026

Shannon speed has long brown hair and bangs wears a blue top and large earrings, standing against a softly blurred green background.

Miller Lecture to examine violence against Indigenous women

September 23, 2026

Two chemistry students work in a lab alongside each other

Thirteen graduate students awarded U.S. National Science Foundation fellowships

September 18, 2026

Portrait of Roberta Mendonça De Carvalho wearing a light blazer, white shirt, and yellow lanyard, facing the camera.

Coffee Hour talk to explore urban expansion in the Amazon

September 16, 2026

A four part map of the continental United States shaded red and blue marking relevant census tracts.

Visits to public points of interest can impact community health measures

September 15, 2026

Student conducts research in lab in Japan

Students take advantage of experiential learning opportunities

September 02, 2026

Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with red-tiled roofs, surrounded by green trees and neatly paved streets, showing several homes and yards.

Penn State geography alumna to kick off fall 2026 Coffee Hour series

August 24, 2026

Four scientists are shown collecting samples from a groundwater well in a grassy field in front of a forest in Southwestern Pennsylvania

Natural gas drilling could raise salt levels, in turn boosting radium in water

August 24, 2026

Nate Cherok in a striped polo shirt listens attentively during a conversation at the All4 company's annual conference, with a blurred woman speaking next to him.

Geography alumnus Nate Cherok launches career in environmental consulting

August 10, 2026

Zhenlong Li, wearing glasses and a green collared shirt, smiles outdoors with blurred greenery in the background.

Geography faculty member earns national research award

July 16, 2026

A man wearing a tan polo shirt.

Penn State announces 2026 LT. Michael P. Murphy Award recipient

July 15, 2026

Three people stand around a table looking at large maps and charts. Myers on the left looks at the map while Lily Houtman and Zhaoxu Sui explain the materials.

Memorial map reflects Bob Myers’ support for Penn State GeoGraphics Lab

June 24, 2026

Sailor Walter in a blue graduation gown and tie stands outdoors. The background features blurred green foliage and a cloudy sky.

Geography research helps undergraduate student connect policy and place

May 12, 2026

Isabel Rivera wearing glasses and a brown jacket stands on a dirt path, holding a small black creature in their hands and smiling. Greenery and cloudy sky are in the background.

Undergraduate research helps launch geography senior’s next chapter

May 06, 2026

Jimmy Kroon is a smiling man with glasses and a beard sits at a desk with a laptop covered in stickers, a map on the wall behind him.

Penn State alumnus brings GIS background to agriculture leadership

May 01, 2026

Zuleima Karpyn presenting Shimin Liu with Wilson Excellence in Research Award

Faculty, student excellence recognized at annual EMS Wilson Awards celebration

April 21, 2026

James Rowley wearing a suit stands beside a scientific poster on supraglacial lake classification in Antarctica. He is smiling and looks confident.

Geography undergraduate researches satellite estimates of Antarctic meltwater

April 15, 2026

Jazmyn Clark wears a black top stands in front of a multicolored map panels that are orange, green, and blue hues.

Penn State geography alumna Jazmyn Clark finds career momentum in GIS

April 09, 2026

Downtown Jackson, Wyoming, near the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with the ski slopes of Snow King Mountain in the background.

Coffee Hour talk to explore gentrification, migration and labor in rural America

April 03, 2026

A detailed road map showing Manchester, Stockport, and surrounding areas, with roads highlighted in red and green. A pencil points to Stockport.

Coffee Hour to explore mapping design and collaboration in practice

March 31, 2026

Amaya wears glasses and a gray turtleneck stands confidently outdoors, brick wall and windows in the background.

Penn State Geography’s new sustainability major draws first declared student

March 24, 2026

A Kichwa person and Sofia Hoffman in a lush rainforest examine a plant sample. The scene is muddy and dense with greenery.

Penn State student bridges Indigenous geography and engineering in the Amazon

March 06, 2026

Shannon speed has long brown hair and bangs wears a blue top and large earrings, standing against a softly blurred green background.

Cancelled: March 27 Miller Lecture to focus on Indigenous women and the violence they face

March 05, 2026

Researchers look at tree saplings after a fire in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Forest exhibits resilience after California mega fire

March 03, 2026

Satellite view of Earth showing the Sahara Desert in the foreground, with a vast plume of dust extending over the Atlantic Ocean under a cloudy sky.

Climate and human health risks of Saharan dust focus of Geography Coffee Hour

February 23, 2026

Students in reflective vests stand in front of large piles of compacted plastic bottles at a recycling facility.

Penn State launches sustainability, society and environmental geography major

February 20, 2026

Lucy Thompson who has curly hair and glasses smiles while giving a presentation. They are standing behind a podium with a laptop.

Geography Coffee Hour on Feb. 20 to highlight graduate student research

February 13, 2026

Dr. Vasudevan with short hair stands by the ocean, wearing a yellow floral top and green shawl.

Geography 'Coffee Hour' to feature talk on race, waste and toxic capitalism

February 04, 2026

Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment, one institute, one world

Institute of Energy and the Environment welcomes 15 new faculty members

January 27, 2026

Heidi Biggs has shoulder-length hair and glasses, wearing a blue shirt with a decorative collar pin.

Biggs talk to share creative approaches to environmental data visualization

January 27, 2026

Christelle Wauthier sits on a rough volcanic rock during fieldwork.

Coffee Hour starts Jan. 23 with talk on volcanic hazards and remote sensing

January 20, 2026

Charring is shown in Michaux State Forest in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, after the Thompson Hollow Fire in April 2025.

$1.74M grant to fund Eastern Fire Network

December 17, 2025

Laura Hendry and Maria Catalano are speaking at a podium.

Undergraduates to present research at Geography’s Coffee Hour on Dec. 5

November 26, 2025

Six new members to alumni boards for College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

New members appointed to Earth and Mineral Sciences alumni boards

November 25, 2025

A group of collaborators including Penn State faculty member Sarah Ivory, center, is photographed on the second day of a three-day trek near Kilembe village, Uganda, on June 26, 2025.

Uganda community collaboration targets climate hazards with reforestation

November 24, 2025

A screenshot of a geographic information system application showing streets and schools.

Mapping a new frontier with AI-integrated geographic information systems

November 06, 2025

Screengrab of video

Adult learner finds ‘antidote to aging’ through geography program

November 04, 2025

Geography alumnus charts new path after decades in federal climate roles

November 03, 2025

Side-by-side portraits of Suraiya Parvin and Naser Lessani

Graduate students to share research at Coffee Hour on Nov. 7

November 03, 2025

Three people stand on a dirt pathway with lush green hills in the background in Malawi.

Penn State undergraduates reflect on Malawi fieldwork with ECODRYFOREST project

October 29, 2025

Naomi Bird analyzes documents on her computer

Geography student’s research shines light on teen vaping boom

October 29, 2025

A Ghanaian farmer carries a bucket of grass in a field

Geography lecture to explore climate change and mental health in Ghana

October 27, 2025

Erica Smithwick is a distinguished professor of geography in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

Erica Smithwick to participate in panel on communicating climate research

October 27, 2025

Three people stand on a dirt pathway with lush green hills in the background in Malawi.

Graduate fieldwork in Malawi connects restoration, data and community

October 23, 2025

Penn State helped shape Harrison Cole’s path to National Geographic Museum

October 22, 2025

people-pushing-school-bus-in-flood

Flood impacts in Global South focus of Geography Coffee Hour

October 21, 2025

A group of five people stand on a step in front of Old Main

Four researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows

October 17, 2025

2025 GIS day identifier, with the date Nov. 17 and theme Amplifying the Possibilities of Geospatial Information

Penn State GIS Day 2025 to take place Nov. 17

October 14, 2025

A group of young people in high-visibility vests attentively observe a solar panel outdoors.

New Penn State geography course examines what sustainability means

October 09, 2025

Kirk Goldsberry, wearing glasses and a light blazer, poses with a globe-print basketball in front of maps and charts.

Penn State alum delivers lecture on maps, basketball and the power of geography

October 07, 2025

A young child walks on a dirt path through green agricultural fields in Cambodia, holding food in hand.

Children’s diet quality linked to distance from protected conservation areas

October 03, 2025

Kirk Goldsberry is a man with short brown hair and a beard, wearing a black collared shirt over a white t-shirt, poses against a plain light gray background.

Geography Coffee Hour to host NBA analyst, alumnus Kirk Goldsberry

September 11, 2025

A bee collects pollen from the center of a purple daisy-like flower, with a blurred background of similar flowers.

Geography lecture to spotlight pollinator conservation and technology

August 29, 2025

Green trees line the shore of Beech Creek under a blue sky

Research sheds light on Beech Creek’s struggle with abandoned mine drainage

August 27, 2025

Researchers team up with Indigenous communities in Ecuador to study oil pollution

August 04, 2025

Guido Cervone, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) interim director, poses for a photo on a boat.

Guido Cervone named Institute for Computational and Data Sciences director

July 30, 2025

Graphic for Penn State's 25th anniversary symposium featuring headshots of six speakers for the online geospatial program.

25 years of online geospatial education to be celebrated at Esri User Conference

July 08, 2025

A professional photo of a woman against a blue background.

Penn State announces 2025 Lt. Michael P. Murphy Award recipient

June 25, 2025

Dana Cuomo and Lily Houtman display a city map, part of their Harm Mapping Project to visualize gender-based violence on campus at Lafayette College.

Penn State alumna, graduate student partner on campus safety mapping project

June 20, 2025

Graduate student Harman and undergraduates Laura and Maria work together at a computer on a research project about waste management.

Graduate student mentorship helps undergraduates build research skills

May 20, 2025

Cristina Elena Mihalache presents her research poster at the AAG conference

Romanian Fulbright scholar reflects on experience with Department of Geography

May 14, 2025

Geography Coffee Hour to feature Jessica Omukuti on inclusive Net Zero

April 21, 2025

Erica Smithwick

Geography and ecology professor receives Kopp International Achievement Award

April 14, 2025

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