THIBODAUX — The Louisiana Board of Regents has awarded ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ $847,120 in grants that will enhance the university’s research opportunities, classroom instruction and community outreach.
Of all state universities applying for Board of Regents funding, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ received the third-highest dollar amount, ranking only behind Louisiana State University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Debi Benoit, director of research and sponsored programs at ÐÓ°É´«Ã½, said this year’s Board of Regents grant total is the largest the university has received in the 10 years she’s overseen campus grants. All nine proposals submitted by ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ were fully funded for the amount that faculty requested.
ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ received grants to fund the following:
- Upgrades to the university’s geomatics computing lab to train students in Global Positioning System (GPS), laser scanning and other geospatial technologies (Dr. Balaji Ramachandran, applied sciences department head);
- A yearlong professional development program to improve the teaching of math among local fourth- through eighth-grade teachers (Dr. DesLey Plaisance, director of graduate studies and assistant professor of mathematics);
- Simulation equipment and supplies for a critical-care nursing laboratory to better prepare nursing students for clinicals (Dr. Amanda Eymard, associate professor of nursing);
- A state-of-the-art ion chromatography system to be used for biology and chemistry teaching and research efforts (Dr. Earl Melancon, professor emeritus of biological sciences);
- Water-quality analysis instruments that will expose students to environmental research techniques used to monitor coastal erosion, oil spills, pollution and more (Dr. Raj Boopathy, professor of biological sciences);
- Simulation equipment to help nursing and dietetics students better learn how to conduct nutritional assessments of older adults (Rebecca Lyons, nursing department head);
- ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ LA GEAR UP science camp to motivate low-income high school students to learn science and ultimately to attend college (Brandie Toups, director of the Bollinger Memorial Student Union);
- A new press and other printmaking equipment and supplies to improve safety, enhance teaching and learning, and bring attention to the printmaking concentration (Ross Jahnke, professor of art); and
- A nursing department initiative to implement innovative teaching and evaluation strategies using technology such as iPads (Angele Davis, assistant professor of nursing).
°ä±«°Õ³¢±õ±··¡:ÌýThe Louisiana Board of Regents funded nine grant proposals from ÐÓ°É´«Ã½, totaling more than $800,000. Pictured standing, from left, are Dr. Stephen T. Hulbert, university president; Dr. Balaji Ramachandran, applied sciences department head; Kimberly Dozar, assistant professor of nursing; Ross Jahnke, professor of art; Dr. Amanda Eymard, associate professor of nursing; Dr. Raj Boopathy, professor of biological sciences; Debi Benoit, director of research and sponsored programs; Dr. DesLey Plaisance; director of graduate studies and assistant professor of math; and Dr. Earl Melancon, professor emeritus of biological sciences. Seated, from left, are Rebecca Lyons, nursing department head; Dr. Darcey Wayment, associate professor of chemistry; and Brandie Toups, director of Bollinger Memorial Student Union.