Students take advantage of experiential learning opportunities

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This summer was a time for travel, research, internships and expanding classroom lessons for many students in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

Zain Mohammed Alabbad, majoring in petroleum and natural gas engineering, worked in the research and development upstream technical support department at Aramco Americas, benchmarking successful development strategies in the Permian Basin and the Bakken Formation. He also built an artificial intelligence (AI) copilot during a hackathon and engineered a robot to solve simulated oil rig problems. Alabbad is a member of the American Association of Drilling Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Fatimah Alhejji, majoring in materials science and engineering, interned with Aramco. One highlight was attending the FIFA Fan Festival at the Aramco Arena in Houston, where she helped support the event, played soccer and connected with employees, executives and interns from across Aramco Americas. She even got to see the original FIFA World Cup trophy and attend the Saudi Arabia versus Cape Verde match in person. She was also among a team that won a robotics challenge that combined engineering, programming and teamwork. And she visited an offshore oil rig.

Juliet Biscotti, double majoring in meteorology and atmospheric science and journalism, was a fill-in forecaster at 28/22 News (WBRE/WYOU), which serves Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania out of Wilkes-Barre. Biscotti first appeared on the show last fall. Weather fans might recognize Biscotti from her work with “Weather World.” She’s also active in Penn State’s Weather Outreach and Education Club and previously engaged in research with the MARE (MArine REsearch) group in the meteorology department at Penn State.

Connor Caswell, majoring in mining engineering with a minor in environmental health and safety, traveled across Pennsylvania this summer, gathering water and soil samples at more than fifteen remediation sites and meeting with government agencies and municipalities to discuss test results. He is an active member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration and the International Society of Explosives Engineers student groups and recently won an undergraduate merit award at the 2026 EME Awards Banquet.

Dalton Blackwelder, majoring in meteorology and atmospheric science, didn’t have to travel far for experiential learning. He stayed on campus to assist with the production of Penn State’s “Weather World.” Blackwelder produced graphics and segments for the show. He’s building skills for a career in oceanography research. But he said he’s enjoying the chance to expand his skill set. Before this, he spent four years in the U.S. Navy, helping to forecast weather for ships and planes.

Kaitlin Coorey, majoring in meteorology and atmospheric science, also stayed on campus to hone her weather communications skills working on “Weather World.” Coorey profiled a typical day assisting with show editing and special projects behind-the-scenes.

Declan Goldhawk, majoring in Earth science and policy, spent the summer on a U.S. National Science Foundation funded internship at The Alaska Center for Energy and Power. Goldhawk was among a team looking for sustainable solutions for Alaska’s energy concerns. Specifically, he researched geothermal energy.

“The intersection of both parts of my major and the fact that my research may be able to help with the impending Alaskan energy crisis makes this internship especially gratifying,” Goldhawk said.

Sierra Hill, a master’s degree student in meteorology and atmospheric science, traveled to Indiana to complete FluxCourse — an intensive program focused on how carbon, water and energy move between land and the atmosphere. Hill's work is helping scientists better understand carbon sources and sinks — research that matters for climate science and for communities responding to environmental change. According to Hill, the experience provided new skills, new ideas and a sharper approach for future research.

Tom Gallogly, a geography major, spent part of his summer traveling through Amsterdam, Belgium and France. Highlights of the trip included visiting Strasbourg along the Rhine River near the German border, experiencing the food and culture of Lyon and seeing the European countryside while traveling by train. Gallogly said the trip was an opportunity to experience new places firsthand and that he was grateful for the chance to travel abroad.

Catherine Gladbach, a geography major, spent the summer as Penn State’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Intern through a PepsiCo-sponsored partnership with Penn State Sustainability. A major part of the internship involved updating a map of indoor waste stations across University Park. By visiting buildings and documenting each location, Gladbach developed a database that will inform future waste reduction efforts across campus. Throughout the summer, she also attended the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania Conference, where she had the opportunity to speak with professionals in the field and learn about waste management practices across the state. She also toured Penn State athletic venues to see how waste is handled during major events and visited the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority to learn more about waste management on a regional scale.

Mary Grace Kiker, double majoring in geography and Earth science and policy, was among a group of students who visited Japan and the Pacific Northwest through the CAUSE program to learn how communities recover from disasters and build resilience for the future. The Center for Advanced Undergraduate Studies and Experience (CAUSE) is a unique center that promotes undergraduate research and study abroad/study away. CAUSE-sponsored courses provide real world experiences for students, a chance to leave the classroom behind and spend time tackling a topic of contemporary importance in the field.

Kaylin Lamaute, majoring in materials science and engineering, traveled to Japan to conduct research through the Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) program, an international initiative primarily driven by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. It funds collaborative research between Japanese institutions and partners in advanced nations. Her research builds on the undergraduate research she takes part in at Penn State. Lamaute also minors in Japanese. Lamaute recently shared her experience on Instagram.

Kaleah Moran, a Penn State alumna and graduate student in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, interned at Rio Tinto’s Kennecott Copper Mine, where she helped monitor environmental systems, study water quality and learn how mining operations protect surrounding ecosystems. Growing up in a coal mining town inspired her to pursue a career improving the sustainability of mineral extraction.

“I hope to build a career in extraction sustainability, managing projects that improve reclamation and balance environmental responsibility with economic viability,” Moran said.

Matias Moreno, majoring in materials science and engineering, visited Switzerland through the ThinkSwiss Research Ambassador program. He’s been an undergraduate researcher at Penn State for years and this summer he expanded on that. From semiconductors and hydrogen technologies to fuel cells and thermoelectric materials, Moreno said he has taken advantage of every opportunity to grow as a researcher and future engineer.

Veer Nagda, majoring in mining engineering with a minor in energy business and finance, joined Mohammad Rezaee’s research-based startup to remove critical minerals from e-waste, such as cell phones and solar panels. Nagda helped prepare and photograph samples, learned how to use an XRF machine, and even helped dilute samples for ICP analysis. Nagda is interested in e-waste recycling to reduce hazardous waste and for its investment potential.

Ayodele Olusesan, a graduate student in energy and mineral engineering, said he joined Penn State’s highly ranked graduate mining program to expand his knowledge and make an even bigger impact in his field. He worked in the industry before returning to advance his education. He conducted research to reduce the health risks of mine dust while gaining hands-on experience as a Hydromet Intern with Freeport-McMoRan in New Mexico.

Samrin Sumaiya Sauda, a doctoral candidate in geography, attended the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology DevCon 2026 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Sauda presented her research on compound coastal flooding along the Southeast and Gulf coasts of the United States and learned about emerging approaches in machine learning and remote sensing for hydrological forecasting. The conference also gave her an opportunity to connect with researchers and others in the water science community.

Tara Staresinic, majoring in meteorology and atmospheric science, interned with Unidata at University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). Staresinic gained hands‑on experience working with real‑world atmospheric and data tools, an exciting opportunity to apply what she’s learned in the classroom to national‑scale science infrastructure. Staresinic collaborated with experts, built technical skills and saw how research and data systems support the broader weather and climate community.

Penn State’s Storm Chase Team spent 10 days traveling across the Midwest, putting what they’ve learned in the classroom into practice in the field. Along the way, the team observed supercells, lightning, mammatus clouds, and storm structures unlike what they typically experience in Pennsylvania. A highlight of the journey, the team said, was witnessing an EF3 tornado in Nebraska, the team’s first tornado observation since 2018. The experience gave students a front-row look at severe weather and the atmospheric conditions behind it.

Jenna Young spent the summer as a corporate environment, health and safety intern with Lincoln Electric. During the internship, she created a Global EHS SharePoint site designed to centralize resources, improve accessibility and support collaboration across teams. Young presented the project as part of her final internship showcase and said she was proud to create something that will continue to support the company after her internship.