2011 Center Funding Support Announced
August 2011
Seven interdisciplinary research initiatives will receive funding support from EESI for three consecutive years, beginning in 2011-12. These centers are committed to collaborative and forward-looking research on the unprecedented environmental challenges facing the earth system.
Included in the seven is the new initiative for Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy to be directed by Seth Blumsack that will unify current collaborations to create a robust University-wide and interdisciplinary research community in energy economics and policy.
Several existing centers also will receive funding and, in some cases, staff support:
- Center for Environmental geoChemistry and Genomics (CECG) led by Jenn Macalady;
- Center for Environmental Informatics (CEI) led by Doug Miller;
- Center for Climate Risk Management (CLIMA) led by Klaus Keller;
- Earth System Science Center (ESSC) led by Michael Mann;
- Penn State Ice and Climate Exploration Center (PSICE) led by Sridhar Anandakrishnan;
- Riparia led by Rob Brooks
The funding awards were decided as a result of the EESI Center Competition held in May which included proposal presentations by center directors who detailed their initiatives, goals and objectives.
In addition to these centers, one EESI-affiliated research center not seeking funds also made a presentation at the competition. The Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, led by Mike Arthur and Tom Murphy, benefits from space and staff support associated with EESI.