The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has announced it has selected Penn State Behrend in Erie as a lead partner for developing business and market opportunities created by the $6 billion Shell Chemicals ethane “cracker” plant in Beaver County. A Penn State news release said the strength of Erie’s plastics industry and success of Behrend’s School of Engineering, which offers one of only six accredited U.S. plastics undergraduate programs, makes “Erie of particular interest to DCED." For more, read the full news release.