Penn State Behrend-School of Engineering

09/02/2026

09/02/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Jiawei Gong on receiving a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) Award for his project, "Multi-Scale Machine Learning for Mixed-Cation Perovskite Solar Cells: Integrating Materials Data, Device Simulation, and Nanoscale Characterization." The award provides nearly $200,000 in funding over the next two years to advance research at the intersection of machine learning, advanced materials, and next-generation solar energy technologies.

Dr. Gong's research will develop new machine-learning approaches to better understand and improve perovskite solar cells by connecting materials data, device simulations, and nanoscale characterization. Beyond its scientific impact, the project will provide valuable undergraduate research experiences and expand educational outreach in clean-energy innovation.

This award is an outstanding accomplishment for Dr. Gong and a testament to the outstanding research being conducted throughout our School. It also reflects our continued momentum in areas where engineering, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and materials research intersect.

09/01/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended our Gear Up for the Semester event yesterday!

And a special thank you to our sponsors: Wabtec Corporation, Harmac Medical Products, Inc., the Whiting Turner Contracting Company, National Fuel, and Port Erie Plastics.

08/31/2026

TODAY -- Join us for our Gear Up for the Semester event from 4-6pm on the AMIC lawn.

08/27/2026

Today (8/27) and tomorrow (8/28) 'pop' by the School of Engineering from 10am-2pm for free popcorn! Our office staff will be available to answer questions during this time.

08/13/2026

Save the date for our annual Gear Up for the Semester Event on Monday, August 31st from 4-6pm on the AMIC lawn.

We can't wait to see you there!

08/12/2026

The 2nd International Conference on Software Engineering of Emerging Technologies was held at Penn State Behrend August 10 - 11.

Participants joined in-person and virtually for research presentations, keynote speakers, networking, and a student research competition. Behrend students and faculty participated in conference events, with one of our engineering students, Joshua Nallaraja, taking third place in the student research competition.

08/07/2026

Save the date for our Blue & White AlumNight on Friday, October 16th from 7pm-9pm in Dobbin's!

This event will serve as the official kick-off to Families and Alumni Weekend, bringing the opportunity for alumni, faculty, and staff to reconnect. We hope you will join us for a night to celebrate all that makes Behrend special!

More information to come.

08/05/2026

The School of Engineering is currently in the process of identifying additional senior capstone project ideas for the upcoming academic year. In addition to the externally sponsored projects we are seeking, we are looking for project ideas internally from Penn State Behrend that will benefit your research/classroom/club/outreach endeavors while providing our students with valuable practical engineering experience in: Computer Science & Software, Industrial, Electrical & Computer, Mechanical, Plastics and Interdisciplinary Business & Engineering.

Project proposals should be submitted by August 15th and are officially accepted and assigned to students in September, but we usually accept projects through the first week of classes if still needed. Students typically begin working on their senior design projects in September and follow project timelines through late April (note: plastics projects have a 3-semester timeline).

A link with key information for sponsors can be found at https://behrend.psu.edu/school-of-engineering/resources-for/business-industry/senior-design-projects along with a link to the project submission form. We ask for $250 for internal projects to cover the team’s budget, but if you lack funding, please contact me.

We hope that you can identify a project and support our program. For best consideration, project proposals should be submitted by August 15; proposals submitted after that date will be considered if additional projects are still needed. Feel free to email or call me with questions.

We are also still seeking industrial and community partners willing to sponsor a project team. If you are in contact with any individuals who may be a potential sponsor, such as Behrend alumni, please send them the informational link above. They can find more about the scope, timeline, funding, and a sample project submission for reference. Corporate sponsors have a set of rates based on company size to encourage start-ups, and we offer a discounted price for non-profits.

07/31/2026

Our 2025 Cast in Steel Team is featured on episode 4 of the Cast in Steel TV Show. We hope you are as excited as we are to watch it!

Cast in Steel — the competition where minds meet METAL. To take on ...