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The Milky Way and starry night sky over a Pennsylvania pine forest, illustrating the science of searching for planets with Penn State University scientists.
Pennsylvania

A Week With the Scientists at Penn State University

Program No. 14314RJ
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Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
University Park/State College, PA
Program Concludes
University Park/State College, PA
Meals
13 ( 5B, 4L, 4D )
Activity Level
From
1,599
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The sky is not the limit on this learning adventure! Choose your week to study a specific field: astronomy, meteorology, or material sciences, alongside some of the nation’s leading scientists at Penn State University. Behind-the-scenes excursions and expert-led discussions allow for the exploration of asteroid impacts, weather patterns, and the incredible world of materials, while using the most cutting-edge technology the university has to offer. Learn about detecting black holes, discover how the universe was created, and learn the science behind materials that make modern life possible.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Learn about engaging topics depending on your week: like astronomy, meteorology and material sciences.
  • Spend a week on the Penn State University campus, attending lectures with university professors.
  • Step outside the classroom and view astronomical objects through a variety of telescopes, visit a TV weather studio to learn how to read radar and understand numerical weather prediction, or participate in 3D printing and building your own solar cell.
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Science & Technology
Featured Expert
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Nolan Hines
Nolan Hines is a native Ohioan, born on a farm just south of Columbus. He attended Ohio State University intending to become a veterinarian, the became involved in singing and theatre activities. He spent eight years on the ships of Holland America Line as an entertainer, excursion assistant, and cruise director, then four years aboard The American Queen steamboat. Nolan now lives in Florida and since 2017 has enjoyed discovering the treasures of new places and helping participants to enjoy cultural highlights with Road programs.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Bill Syrett was born in Bristol, Conn. and has been fascinated by weather that most people consider "bad" since he was five years old. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees in meteorology and was then hired by Penn State as a research assistant. In 1995 he began his tenure as the manager of Penn State's University Park weather observatory, now the Joel N. Myers Weather Center. In that position, he oversees the daily recording of official cooperative weather observations for State College, Penn.
Jon is associate head of undergraduate programs and a teaching professor in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science at Penn State, where he teaches a variety of undergraduate courses. He was previously chief meteorologist at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and on-air storm analyst at The Weather Channel. He has co-authored two books: "The Philadelphia Area Weather Book," which received the 2005 Louis J. Battan Author’s Award from the American Meteorological Society, and a college-level introductory textbook, "A World of Weather: Fundamentals of Meteorology."
Nolan Hines is a native Ohioan, born on a farm just south of Columbus. He attended Ohio State University intending to become a veterinarian, the became involved in singing and theatre activities. He spent eight years on the ships of Holland America Line as an entertainer, excursion assistant, and cruise director, then four years aboard The American Queen steamboat. Nolan now lives in Florida and since 2017 has enjoyed discovering the treasures of new places and helping participants to enjoy cultural highlights with Road programs.
Chris Palma is the associate dean for undergraduate students in the Eberly College of Science at Penn State University. He earned a B.S. in astronomy and astrophysics from Penn State and a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Virginia. For his research, he studies dwarf galaxies near the Milky Way as well as educational practices for introductory astronomy. He is actively involved in the training of K-12 science teachers.
Jane Charlton graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1983 with a B.S. in chemistry and physics. She received her Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of Chicago in 1987. After postdoctoral positions at Cornell University and the University of Arizona, she came to Penn State in 1992. She is now a professor of astronomy and astrophysics, working on a variety of topics including galaxy evolution, interacting galaxies, and quasars. Charlton developed a science fiction story-based online course in Astronomy for Penn State undergraduates.
Stephanie Law received her B.S. and Ph.D. in physics from Iowa State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, respectively. She was employed as a postdoctoral researcher in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She joined the University of Delaware as the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in 2014, and joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State University in 2023. She is an associate editor for the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology.
Nolan Hines is a native Ohioan, born on a farm just south of Columbus. He attended Ohio State University intending to become a veterinarian, then became involved in singing and theatre activities. He spent eight years on the ships of Holland America Line as an entertainer, excursion assistant, and cruise director, then four years aboard The American Queen steamboat. Nolan now lives in Florida and since 2017 has enjoyed discovering the treasures of new places and helping participants to enjoy cultural highlights with Road programs.
Kevin Luhman received a B.A. in astronomy and a B.S. in physics from the University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Arizona. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and is now an associate professor at Penn State University. Kevin has used optical and infrared telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope to study the birth of stars and planets.
Nairiti Sinha is a tenure-track assistant professor in the department of materials science and engineering at Penn State University and started in her position in Fall 2023. She has studied the soft, sticky, and squishy science of polymers, biopolymers, and other soft materials for over a decade. She is passionate about sustainable polymer research that is inspired by natural biomaterials. In her free time, Dr. Sinha enjoys hiking, wine tasting, and playing tennis.
Saeed Almishal earned a dual degree in mechanical engineering, receiving his BSc from The British University in Egypt and his BEng from London South Bank University in 2019. He completed an MSc in mechanical engineering with a specialization in computational materials science at Penn State Harrisburg in May 2021. He then joined Penn State MATSE to pursue his PhD, which he successfully defended in December 2024. Saeed then transitioned to a research professor role, continuing his work with Road Scholar.
Wesley Reinhart received his B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He attended Princeton University on a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. After completing his Ph.D. in chemical/biological engineering, he worked as a research scientist at Siemens Corporate Technology. He joined Penn State’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering in 2020 and holds an appointment as an Institute for Computational and Data Sciences co-hire.
Urara Hasegawa received her B.S. and M.Eng. in applied chemistry from Waseda University. She earned her Ph.D. in biomedical science from Tokyo Medical and Dental University then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland. She joined the Department of Applied Chemistry at Osaka University as an assistant professor in 2011, then moved to the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kansas State University in 2017. In 2020, she joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State.
Josh Robinson is a professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State University with a focus on the synthesis and properties of 2D materials. He received his B.S. in physics from Towson University in 2001 and his Ph.D. from Penn State in 2005. Following a post-doctoral fellowship at the Naval Research Lab, he returned to Penn State as a research professor in the Applied Research Laboratory in 2007. Subsequently, Prof. Robinson joined MatSE in 2012 as an assistant professor, rising to full professor.
Allen Kimel completed his B.S. in materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University. He then joined the U.S. Peace Corps taught math, chemistry, and physics at the high school level in Swaziland. Upon returning, Dr. Kimel completed an M.S. in chemistry at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. He then proceeded to Penn State University to complete a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering with a focus in ceramics. Dr. Kimel joined the Penn State faculty in the summer of 2002.
Dr. Hojong Kim received his B.S in materials science and engineering from Seoul National University in South Korea. He earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at MIT. After graduate research, Dr. Kim worked as a senior research engineer at Samsung-Corning Precision Glass Co. Ltd. After five years of industrial experience, Dr. Kim returned to MIT as a post-doctoral associate and later as a research scientist to contribute to the growing need for sustainable technology.
Nate Smith is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State. He received a B.S. in physics, a B.S. in mathematics, and a B.A. in ancient studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He completed his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Penn State, focusing on high temperature electrochemical separations of alkaline-earth elements using liquid metals in molten chloride salts. Dr. Smith has also worked as a postdoc at Argonne National Laboratory.
Activity Level
Easy Going
A bus is available to transport participants from the hotel to the campus.
Suggested Books and Resources
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You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
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Call 800-454-5768
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Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

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Assurance Plan

Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

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Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

An illustration of an elderly woman holding a piggy bank, with the Eiffel Tower in the background
Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

An illustration of a hand holding a globe with a small bird flying around it
  • Peace of Mind

    We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

    An illustration of a hand using a pen to check off the final item on a clipboard checklist
  • Assurance Plan

    Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

    An illustration of an elderly man sitting at a computer with a pair of binoculars beside him
  • Want to Protect Your Investment?

    Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

    An illustration of an elderly woman holding a piggy bank, with the Eiffel Tower in the background
  • Sustainable Travel

    We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

    An illustration of a hand holding a globe with a small bird flying around it
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