Registration is now open to attend the first annual Penn State Cocoziello Institute Built Environment Showcase, happening Monday, April 27, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Nittany Lion Inn.
The event will bring together a diverse mix of students, researchers and industry professionals, indicative of the Cocoziello's Institute for Real Estate Innovations's interdisciplinary approach to addressing the challenges of contemporary real estate and the built environment. Established in 2022 by Peter and Sharon Cocoziello, the institute supports research enabling a more resilient, sustainable and innovative real estate industry.
"Launching this showcase is an exciting milestone for the Cocoziello Institute," said Institute Director Scarlett Miller, who is also the Paul Morrow Professor of Engineering Design and Manufacturing at Penn State. "Our goal is to create a space where bold ideas, emerging research and real‑world industry needs meet. The projects featured this year reflect exactly why the Institute was founded - to spark innovation, support interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerate solutions that strengthen the built environment. We're thrilled to bring together students, researchers and professionals who are shaping the future of real estate."
The itinerary for the event is divided into three parts:
1:00-2:30 p.m. - Innovation Showcase: Seed Grant Spotlight
3:00-4:30 p.m. - Student Research Poster Showcase
4:30-6:00 p.m. - Industry networking mixer
A year of research breakthroughs in the spotlight
Central to the institute's mission is seed grant funding, spurring innovative research targeting real estate's most pressing challenges. The showcase will kick off by announcing the winners of this year's seed grant competition. In addition to projects aligned with the institute's standing research areas, this year's call included a segment - co-sponsored by Penn State Harrisburg - focused on research related to smart and connected homes.
Following the announcement, the recipients of the 2025 Cocoziello Seed Grants will share dynamic "TED-Talk" style presentations detailing the advancements made possible through the grant. The funded projects include:
"Community-centric design of smart amphibious residential buildings for strengthening flood resilience and the SUD recovery ecosystem in the Appalachian region"
Principal investigator: Mariantonieta Gutierrez Soto, associate professor of engineering design, Penn State University Park; Co-principal investigators: Kristina Brant, assistant professor of rural sociology, Penn State University Park; Lisa Iulo, professor of architecture, Penn State University Park; Zhen Lei, professor of energy and environmental economics, Penn State University Park; Daniel Whisler, associate professor of engineering design and innovation, Penn State University Park; Shirley E. Clark, professor of environmental engineering, Penn State Harrisburg; James Mutunga, assistant professor of biology, Penn State Harrisburg; Truong Tran, assistant professor of computer science, Penn State Harrisburg; Community partners: Natasha Stout, assistant director, Religious Coalition for Community Renewal (RCCR); Kevin Jones, executive director RCCR; Nicole Intagliata, vice president of programs, Fahe; Angela Stephens, partnerships and programs manager, Fahe; Industry partner: John Thompson, Chuck Consulting LLC
"Integrated Health-Monitoring Smart Homes for Aging in Place"
Principal investigator: Dhananjay Singh, teaching professor of information sciences and technology, Penn State University Park; Co-principal investigator: Sofia M. Vidalis, professor of civil engineering, Penn State Harrisburg
"DECODE: Digital twin Environments for COmprehensive Decarbonization Evaluation of the urban and rural real estate"
Principal investigator: Rahman Azari, associate professor of architecture, Penn State University Park; Co-principal investigators: Katie Fitzsimons, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, Penn State University Park; Tamy Guimaraes, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, Penn State University Park; Julian Wang, associate professor of architectural engineering, Penn State University Park; Lisa Iulo, professor of architecture, Penn State University Park
"Your Next-door Neighbor, Nuclear Reactor: Real Estate and Societal Readiness"
Principal investigator: Nonna Sorokina, assistant professor of business, Penn State Scranton; Co-principal investigator: Brent Ambrose, Jason and Julie Borrelli Faculty Chair in Real Estate, Penn State University Park
"LionGlass: Building a Sustainable Future for Architectural Glazing"
Principal investigator: John Mauro, Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Penn State University Park; Co-principal investigator: Julian Wang, associate professor of architectural engineering, Penn State University Park
Student research showcase
The Cocoziello Institute's focus on education and workforce development will also be on display with the Student Research Poster Showcase. Open to undergraduate and graduate students across all disciplines, the showcase features research, class projects, capstones and other scholarly endeavors connected to the built environment. Attendees are encouraged to engage with student presenters to discuss their work, ask questions and make connections with the next generation of researchers exploring the built environment. Student presenters will vie for honors in several categories including a $500 top prize.
Industry networking mixer
The day concludes with an opportunity for conversation between researchers, students, and industry professionals and to explore opportunities for new collaborations.
"Connection is at the heart of meaningful innovation. The networking mixer is an opportunity for researchers and industry leaders to start conversations that lead to partnerships, pilot projects and long‑term impact," Miller said. "The institute is committed to translational research, and that only happens when ideas move beyond the lab and into practice. We want attendees to leave with new relationships and new possibilities."
