SMART FERTILIZER AIDS GROWTH, REDUCES POLLUTION
A new smart phosphorus fertilizer, developed by Penn State horticultural scientists, improves plant root growth, drought tolerance, shoot quality and flowers while also preventing up to 90 percent of the nutrient run off that can foul waterways. The new fertilizer is currently undergoing its first Pennsylvania field trials with the aid of a grant from the Commonwealth's Department of Agriculture. However, field trials in Florida have been ongoing since 1998 and have shown high performance of ornamentals grown in sandy soils prone to leaching. The fertilizer, which is being patented by the University, was developed by Jonathan Lynch, associate professor of plant nutrition, Kathleen Brown, professor of post harvest physiology, and Robert H. Snyder, research support associate, in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. The inventors say that, besides uses in agriculture and floriculture, the new fertilizer may be useful for stadium fields and golf courses as well. For the full story by Barbara Hale, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/smartfertilizer.html.
PENN STATE BEAVER HELPS LOW-INCOME YOUTH DARE2XL
Among Pennsylvania school districts, the City of Aliquippa ranks second highest in the percentage of school-age children living in poverty, which puts many of its children at risk for depression, drug and alcohol use and low scholastic achievement. An award-winning partnership between the Penn State Beaver campus, the Housing Authority of Beaver County and TAME, Inc. helps students overcome those risks and go on to develop excellent academic performance through the DARE2XL (Dream, Aspire, Reach, and Excel) afterschool program. DARE2XL provides comprehensive prevention, intervention and treatment activities designed to have a positive impact on the public housing communities of Linmar Terrace, Griffith Heights and Linmar Terrace Extension. Donald E. Sheffield, director of Diversity Outreach Programs and affiliate professor of education at Penn State Beaver, developed and directs the program. For the full story by Celena Kusch, and other outreach news, visit http://www.outreach.psu.edu/News/.
MATERIALS SCIENCE TEAMS RECEIVE NANOSCALE FUNDING
The National Science Foundation is providing support for two Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams at Penn State to catalyze research in emerging areas of nanoscale science and technology. Joan Redwing, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, and her team received $1.45 million over four years to develop non-lithographic techniques to construct small dimensional metal-semiconductor-metal nanowires for future high density electronic and photonic devices. Their research is of interest for applications including quantum transistors and nanoscale light emitters. Darrell Schlom, associate professor of materials science and engineering, and his team also received more than $1.5 million over four years to study the fundamental science underlying the structural, dielectric and optical response of artificially-engineered nanoscale ferroelectrics in order to create new functional materials that can be designed to have exceptional properties. For the full story by Joanna Lott, and other materials science news, visit http://www.matse.psu.edu/currentMATSEnews.html.
SMEAL CYBERLAW EXPERT SLICES SPAM LEGISLATION
The sometimes annoying prevalence of e-mail marketing is leading to legislative efforts to reduce the growing number of spam-or junk-e-mail. However, a Penn State expert on cyberlaw and privacy issues cautions Congress to move slowly with the bills currently under review. Some of the anti-spam legislation is a bit of an over-reaction and it can create more lawsuits than it would prevent, says John Bagby, professor of business law in Penn State's Smeal College of Business Administration. Congress, Bagby explains, has to walk a tight-rope between protecting consumers from unsolicited e-mails while also protecting the rights of legitimate marketing efforts by companies. Anti-spam legislation that is written too broadly will likely throttle the business advantages that is the promise of the Internet, he says. Bagby is serving as editor of an upcoming special Cyberlaw issue for The American Business Law Journal. For the full story by Steve Infanti, visit http://www.smeal.psu.edu/news/depth/june01/spam.html.