Institute of Energy and the Environment

Four researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows

From left to right: Wangda Zuo, Jennifer Baka, Christine Kirchhoff, Ken Davis and Margarita Lopez-Uribe. Zuo, Baka, Kirchhoff and Lopez-Uribe were named 2025 IEE Fellows. Davis, IEE’s 2024 Person of the Year, is an automatic fellow. Credit: Kevin Sliman. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four Penn State researchers have been selected as 2025 fellows of the Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE). The IEE Fellowship Program recognizes researchers whose work has significantly advanced energy and environmental research and provides support to further their efforts. Nominees for the fellowship were submitted by University deans and department heads. 

“IEE Fellows exemplify Penn State’s innovative and productive research community,” said Bruce Logan, director of the Institute of Energy and the Environment. “Through recognition and support, the fellowship empowers these researchers to advance their vital work on complex energy and environmental challenges and to develop solutions for a sustainable future.” 

The 2025 Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows are:  

  • Jennifer Baka, associate professor, Department of Geography 
  • Christine Kirchhoff, associate professor, Department of Law, Policy, and Engineering; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering 
  • Margarita Lopez-Uribe, Lorenzo L. Langstroth Early Career Professor; associate professor, Department of Entomology 
  • Wangda Zuo, professor, Department of Architectural Engineering  

At Penn State, recipients of the IEE Person of the Year award are automatically recognized as IEE Fellows. Kenneth Davis, professor of meteorology and atmospheric sciences, received the 2024 IEE Person of the Year award, which also conferred IEE Fellow status. 

The IEE Fellowship Program provides discretionary funding for three years in support of the groundbreaking energy and environmental work performed by fellows. IEE plans to continue this program and anticipates adding Fellows to the program each year.   

In addition, IEE supports collaborative research through the IEE Research Awards, which provide recognition and discretionary funding. A call for nominations was released in October, and nominations are due by Nov. 21.

Last Updated October 17, 2025

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