Dean's Letter - Winter 2026
Dear Friends of the College,
I am excited to welcome you to the winter edition of the Science Journal, where we explore one of the most transformative forces of our time: artificial intelligence (AI). Much like the internet reshaped business, industry, and higher education a generation ago, AI is redefining how we teach, learn, and discover.
At Penn State, and especially within the Eberly College of Science, we see this moment as an opportunity to lead and innovate. Many in our community have already embraced AI as a powerful tool to advance education, accelerate research, and strengthen operations and outreach. As this technology evolves at breathtaking speed, the thoughtful, ethical, and creative approach of those in Eberly will ensure that we remain at the forefront of innovation in higher education.
AI is one of several forces reshaping the higher-education landscape, alongside challenges to federal research funding and the long-anticipated shifts in enrollment patterns. Despite these headwinds, the past year has been marked with extraordinary momentum and progress as a college, thanks to the passion and dedication of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends like you.
Earlier this year, our spring edition of the Science Journal highlighted our college’s strengths in quantum and neuroscience, and we have continued to do great things. Since then, we have
- ranked No. 2 among universities for conferring bachelor’s degrees in the physical sciences;
- launched the Center for Theory of Emergent Quantum Matter (C-TEQ), led by Wolf Prize recipient Jainendra Jain, Evan Pugh University Professor and Eberly Chair in Physics;
- introduced a new Neurobiology major, preparing students to tackle complex interdisciplinary questions about the brain, its health, and interactions with the environment (see page 29);
- created Science Matters Spotlight Sessions, a public engagement series offering candid conversations with our faculty on today’s most pressing scientific questions; this series celebrates big milestones, including the 70th anniversary of seeing an atom for the first time and the 10th anniversary of the LIGO discovery (solving Einstein's last theory) and has explored the neural navigation of decision-making (see page 41);
- ranked No. 20 globally in space science by U.S. News & World Report, reflecting the strength of our Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics; and
- celebrated 7 Eberly faculty of 15 from Penn State being named to the 2025 Clarivite Highly Cited Researchers list, which recognizes scientists worldwide who rank in the top 1 percent by citations for their field.
Our momentum as a college is reflected in the numbers: Undergraduate enrollments remain strong, graduate enrollments have grown for 6 consecutive years (see page 38), and our research expenditures (a national proxy for research activity) have increased annually for 15 years, surpassing $78 million for fiscal year 2025.
Beyond the rankings and accolades, what really defines the Eberly College of Science is discovery. This fall, we welcomed 12 new tenure-line faculty (see page 27), each bringing fresh ideas and energy to our mission of research and teaching excellence.
Looking ahead, we are finalizing our college’s 5-year strategic plan, which prioritizes bold research, transformative education, and lifelong impact. And through it all, we will be leveraging AI to unlock new possibilities for science and society.
I invite you to explore the stories in this issue—stories of innovation, resilience, and vision. Thank you for your partnership and support as we shape the future of science together.
Kind regards,
Tracy Langkilde
Verne M. Willaman Dean
Penn State Eberly College of Science