A team of Penn State Berks students recieved an award in the Prototype Phase of the Nittany AI Challenge, an annual competition sponsored by the Nittany AI Alliance that provides students from all campuses the opportunity to use AI and machine learning to address pressing global issues while gaining hands on experience. The students' project is B.E.A.N., which stands for Bio Environmentally-friendly Aquatic Navigator.
Jeff Gernsheimer will share the incredible story of his mother’s journey from Germany to England and then to the U.S. to escape the Holocaust, on Monday, March 3, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in the Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room, Penn State Berks. This presentation is free and open to the public.
Penn State Berks is showing support for the members of Berks Benefitting THON who are representing the college at THON, the University’s dance marathon which benefits families battling pediatric cancer. There will be a dancer send-off from noon to 2 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20, in Perkins Student Center Lion’s Den. The campus community will gather to wish the dancers and co-overall chairs well, and the send-off will be open to the public. Philly Pretzel Factory’s Muhlenberg site will provide free soft pretzels for attendees.
On Saturday, Feb. 15, Penn State Berks will hold a Lunar New Year celebration with a live performance of the traditional Asian art form of the Lion Dance by Gong Lung (Steel Dragon) Kung Fu and Lion and Dragon Dance in the Perkins Student Center. There will also be a presentation on Asian culture, an opportunity for questions and answers, activities like face painting and light refreshments. This free event runs from 1 to 4 p.m., and is open to the public.
In December, Penn State Berks hosted its Sustainability Expo, "Connecting Campus and Community," organized and curated by Mahsa Kazempour, associate professor of science education and sustainability council chair. The expo showcased community effort from around Berks County including that of Penn State Berks students, Alvernia University students and organizations around the area.
According to the 2020 census, the Hispanic and Latino population of the City of Reading is nearly 69%, up from 58% in 2010. To meet the needs of this growing population, Penn State Berks is expanding its efforts to engage with and support the local Hispanic and Latino communities with several new initiatives.
With approximately 12% of the population in Berks and Schuylkill Counties living in poverty, food banks are a critical resource for those who face hunger issues. Penn State Berks faculty are collaborating with faculty at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local food banks. The team has recently received a seed grant from the Penn State Institute for Computational Data Sciences as part of the Inter-Institutional Program for Diversifying Research to explore this issue.
The Penn State Berks AIMS (Artificial Intelligence, Modeling and Simulation) Lab will host a lecture titled “Revolutionizing immersive experiences: The synergy of AI, virtual reality and gamification in learning and user engagement,” delivered by Christian Lopez Bencosme, assistant professor of computer science at Lafayette College, at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in Room 121 of the Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building. This event is free and open to the public but advanced registration is required.
As part of the college’s ongoing efforts to engage with and support the local Hispanic and Latino communities, Penn State Berks will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15–Oct. 15, with a variety of vibrant events, educational presentations and cultural showcases. These events include dynamic speakers, Latin cuisine, music, dancing and much more. All events are free and open to the public and most are held at Penn State Berks, except "Enhance Your Customer Service" with Rosa Julia Parra, which will be held at Centro Hispano Daniel Torres in downtown Reading.
