2019 Science Next Year in Review
Happy Holidays from the LSU College of Science!
2019 came with some changes for us. We adopted a new mantra and doubled down on a call to action through the “Your Question Next” initiative. With this initiative also came the rebranding of our blog from The Pursuit to Science Next.
Our researchers also seized opportunities and made great strides in their research over the last year, some of whom were highlighted on LSU Experimental podcast hosted by the Communications across the Curriculum program. We’ve also featured a number of researchers on the blog who are tackling tough questions, guiding the next generation of scientists and mathematicians through their undergraduate years and beyond, taking their work beyond our borders, and consistently working on improving themselves and advancing their research.
In no particular order, join us as we take a look back on our blog posts from 2019. Enjoy and Geaux Science!
#1 Carol Wilson Explores How to Live Sustainably in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta
Ecogeomorphologist—say that ten times fast! While that word may be a mouthful, what Dr. Carol Wilson spends her days doing is much more accessible and important than you might think. She studies river systems— how they move, how they build and feed wetlands, and how they can be both life-giving and destructive forces.
In this post, Carol discusses her research trip to the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta on the Indian subcontinent. Carol studies both the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta and the Mississippi river delta. Both areas have levee systems that impact the local populations in different ways. During her visits to southern Bangladesh, Carol works with other researchers to understand and hopefully mitigate the impact of cyclones and other severe storms on the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta system and the people who rely on it, many of whom are desperately in need of better ways to cope with natural disasters.
#2 How are We Fighting Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs?
Emily Cambre is not your ordinary 20-year-old LSU student. She is a double major in chemistry and psychology, balancing her time between studying the microscopic world of bacterium and the human psyche.
Emily has spent the past several months as part of the Rivera Research Group, working in LSU chemistry professor Mario Rivera’s lab. In the lab, the team is trying to synthesize a novel treatment to combat bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This particular bacterium is known for its ability to rapidly develop resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics.
#3 Letter to My Younger Self: Dr. Zakiya Wilson-Kennedy
Let’s be real, we all have times in our past which are memorable for being tenacious and empowering, healthy and renewing, painful and difficult. What if we could go back in time and show that past version of ourselves the encouragement, love, and empathy we needed, no matter the moment? What if we could give our past selves the advice we sought back then?
What if you had to write a letter to your younger self? What would you say?
LSU College of Science researchers who share a love of science, mathematics, and technology, who are in different stages of their careers, share with their “young selves” words of encouragement, glimpses into the future, and wisdom that can only be delivered from hindsight.
#4 How Does Real Science Fit into Science Fiction?
What’s better than a good sci-fi thriller? How about one written by an experimental physicist?
LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy Professor Shane Stadler recently had the third installment of his sci-fi series, Exoskeleton, published in October.
The series follows William Thompson, a convicted felon, who is given a choice following his sentencing. Thompson must choose between serving a twenty-five-year conventional prison sentence…or spend 365 days in a new, experimental corrections program. He opts for the latter but quickly realizes the situation he’s walked into.
Beyond the world he’s created, Stadler’s work as an experimental physicist looks into the synthesis and characterization of bulk and thin film materials with an emphasis on magnetic systems with applications in energy and electronics. And it is this experience as a scientist that has provided Stadler with the proper technical insight into the world of science fiction and an element of uncomfortable authenticity to his sci-fi thrillers.
Read more about Shane, his research and his writing process.
#5 The Makings of a Master Mentor
The list of people Dr. Isiah Warner named as important mentors in his life was just as long as the list of people that have named him as an important mentor in their lives. The awards and honors he’s received throughout his career could have easily filled his entire blog post. Yet, he remains appreciative and humble when he talks about his career, even becoming emotional speaking about his students who nominated him for his most recent honor, the Nature Award for Mentoring in Science.
Just like his mentors, Dr. Warner has made—and is still making—lasting impacts on the lives of his students. With retirement on the horizon, Dr. Warner and some of his students took a look back on his impressive career, the people who helped him get there, and how he’s passed down his lessons learned.
Read more about Dr. Warner and what some of his student had to say about his mentoring.
#6 The Young Scientist’s Guide to Career Planning
College can be stressful. Add planning for your career on top of that, and the whole process can seem daunting. But no worries— new to the College of Science team is Career Coach Abigail Brown.
With her office located in the Olinde Career Center, Abigail is fully equipped to help students begin to think about and work towards their career goals while they work on their degrees. Just in her first semester, Abigail has hosted numerous workshops and events to guide students in resume writing, professional etiquette, networking and more.
#7 A Biology Student, a Pilgrimage and a Flock of Genomes
By day, Marquette “Marky” Mutchler studies birds. A junior biology major in the College of Science, Marky prepares bird specimen at the LSU Museum of Natural Science and tries to decipher the mysteries of how birds have evolved over time.
In her downtime, however, Marky leaves the scalpel and thread and enters a different world—her studio space—where drawing books and acrylics await.
But art and science are not always found on opposite ends of the spectrum. Understanding the science behind the specimen allows Marky to capture the true essence of the birds she draws. And working in different artistic mediums aids in her ability to see beyond the biological mechanisms that she so often studies.
#8 Finding My Confidence
Picture this: you’re an undergraduate researcher working in Dr. Michael Hellberg’s lab for about eight months when you receive an invitation to present your work at the 2019 Benthic Ecology Meeting (BEM) international conference in Canada. That’s a lot to take in, right?
That’s exactly how Anna Luchesi felt about the amazing opportunity she was given. In her blog post, Anna writes about her research and the feelings of stress, doubt and nervousness that come with presenting for the first time at an international conference as an undergraduate student.
Read more on how Anna found her confidence and nailed her first scientific conference presentation.
#9 Am I a Microbiologist? Alicia Reigel Presents at ASM
Nerves don’t just get to undergraduate presenters at conferences. They happen to Ph.D. students, like Alicia Reigel, too. In her third post for the blog, Alicia reveals that her confidence levels needed a boost when she was preparing to present at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Microbe meeting for the first time.
As a coral biologist who knew something about microbes that lived in coral, she felt out of place at a conference that was (as far as she knew) for researchers who only studied microbes. The imposter syndrome started to subside once Alicia realized the thousands of research topics being presented at the conference.
Find out more about Alicia’s work and the lessons she learned from presenting at ASM.
#10 How are Earth’s Most Resilient Plants Key to Humanity’s Future?
With an award of $1.5 million from the National Science Foundation in her tool belt and a catalogue filled with research on plant genomes and evolutionary processes, molecular biologist Maheshi Dassanayake has dedicated her life to answering one big question: How can we continue to feed the world’s growing population?
It’s no secret that traditional farming practices are under attack from environmental changes occurring around the world. In Louisiana alone, hurricanes are whipping salty storm surges into rice, cane sugar, and soybean fields, disrupting three of the state’s largest agricultural productions.
Maheshi and her team are working on building a genetic toolkit that can be used to pull data and answer specific research questions regarding certain plants’ ability to survive in harsh conditions.
Learn more about Maheshi’s research and the journey she took to arrive at her research area.
We hope you have a happy holiday season! Subscribe to our blog to keep up with what’s in store for 2020.