News from LSU Engineering
Keep up with the College of Engineering on social media by following us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Instagram. You'll hear about the recent accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni as well as important updates and information.
Interdisciplinary LSU Team Helps Keep Valuable Military Assets Safe with $2.5M CREATED Grant
The CREATED project represents the latest step in the series – a one year $2.5 million effort to test-run specific ecosystem designs in landscapes designated to represent areas of concern for the military. Matt Hiatt, an associate professor in the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, or DOCS, will serve as project head. Clint Willson, Dean of LSU CC&E, and Robert Twilley, a DOCS professor and LSU vice president of Research and Economic Development, are serving as co-PIs, as are Matthew Brand and Chris Kees, both faculty in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Traci Birch of the LSU School of Architecture.
The New Battlefield: Veteran, LSU Student Still Serving Through Cybersecurity
Coming back to LSU felt full circle for Scott Sonnier. He first attended the university in 2001, but after the events of 9/11, he made the life-changing decision to join the Navy.
LSU’s Nuclear Engineering Program Prepares Students for the Big Energy Era
To meet growing energy needs, the United States plans to triple its nuclear capacity by 2050. Meanwhile, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are investing in small nuclear reactor technology to help meet the enormous energy needs of AI data centers. More than 30 companies have announced plans for advanced reactors, which are evolutions of those that have been powering nuclear submarines for 70 years.
Just Doing It: How an LSU Engineer Made His Mark at Nike
When Colby Faust, a mechanical engineering major graduating in May 2026, landed his internship at Nike’s North America Distribution Center (NADC) in Memphis, Tennessee, he knew he was stepping into something special. Out of more than 70,000 applicants, only about 200 were chosen — and Colby was one of them.
LSU Research Bites: Malware-Detecting Large Language Model a Game-Changer for Cybersecurity
To detect, remove, and prevent malware on your devices, cyber experts have to figure out where the code came from and what it’s doing. But dissecting malware’s code and behaviors to understand its mechanisms is becoming a find-a-needle-in-a-haystack problem. Modern malware is complex and adept at “hiding” on your devices.
Real Cyber Threats. Real Skills. Real Impact.
A single cyberattack can shut down a hospital, lock up a university’s data, or drain a company’s bank account overnight. With hackers growing more sophisticated and cybersecurity professionals in short supply, many U.S. organizations find themselves vulnerable and underprotected. At LSU, student cyber defenders are stepping up to help—staffing LSU-run security operations centers (SOCs) where they gain hands-on experience while protecting organizations and people from digital threats.
LSU Board of Supervisors Names Wade Rousse, Ph.D., President of the LSU System and James Dalton, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of the LSU System & Chancellor of the A&M Campus
BATON ROUGE–The LSU Board of Supervisors has appointed Wade Rousse, Ph.D., as the President of the Louisiana State University System, and James Dalton, Ph.D., as Executive Vice President of the LSU System and Chancellor of the Flagship A&M campus in Baton Rouge.
LSU CEE Professor Mohammad Receives ASCE Lifetime Achievement Award
LSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Louay Mohammad recently selected as a recipient of the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Louisiana Section Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Louisiana Section of the ASCE.
Dean's Distinguished Lecture Series Launches Now
LSU Engineering Dean Vicki Colvin this fall debuts a new lecture series to bring exceptional scholars, inventors, and entrepreneurs in engineering, computer science, and construction management to campus.
LSU Biological and Agricultural Engineering Honors Alumni and Students at Annual Scholarship Banquet
The LSU Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) recently hosted its annual Scholarship and Alumni Awards Banquet at the Lod Cook Alumni Center, bringing together students, alumni, faculty, staff, and donors to celebrate academic excellence, professional achievement, and the department’s long-standing tradition of support.
LSU CSE Professor Receives NIMH Grant for ADHD Research
LSU Division of Computer Science and Engineering Associate Professor David Shepherd was recently awarded $675,000 from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for his research on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The overall grant is for $1.8 million for three years in collaboration with Rutgers University Chief Wellness Officer and Department of Clinical Psychology Professor Joshua Langberg.
LSU EVEG Students Visit Netherlands, London
Over the course of six weeks in June and July, six LSU Environmental Engineering students, two LSU AgCenter Environmental Management Systems students, and five Rice University Civil Engineering students visited London and the Netherlands as part of LSU CEE's study abroad program "Water, Environment and Sustainability." The program, which began in 2019 and is led by LSU CEE Associate Professor and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Program Coordinator John Pardue, teaches the students about flood disaster management and environmental sustainability.
LSU Professor Aims to Transform Plastic Waste and Natural Gas into Valuable Materials
An LSU chemical engineering professor has received a major federal grant to develop technology that could help solve two pressing problems at once: mountains of plastic waste and underutilized natural gas.
LSU Graduate Protects U.S. Energy Industry, Joins Cybersecurity Team at Chevron
Meet Arushi Ghildiyal who recently graduated from LSU with a degree in cybersecurity at 20 years old and is now working for one of the nation’s best cybersecurity teams at Chevron.
LSU ME Professor Leads NASA-Funded Research to Revolutionize Space Structure Assembly
In a bold step toward supporting sustainable human presence on the Moon and future exploration of Mars, a team of Louisiana-based researchers is developing next-generation manufacturing methods to assemble and repair space structures using ultrasonic welding (USW) of multi-material composites.
Easy as PI: LSU-Built Professor Rating App Adds New Features
The Professor Index app, or PI, launched on Pi Day in March last year, was built by an LSU researcher as a secure, fair, and ad-free alternative to Rate My Professors to help students compare courses and provide feedback.
LSU CSE Hosts Inaugural Gala Honoring Technology Leaders
LSU's Division of Computer Science and Engineering hosted its inaugural Silicon Bayou Gala at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center on Sept. 19 to bring together entrepreneurs, faculty, alumni, industry leaders and students in a celebration of technology and innovation across Louisiana.
Robinson Leads LSU Team in Securing NSF Noyce Grant to Advance STEM Teacher Workforce
BATON ROUGE, LA - Petra A. Robinson, PhD, Interim Director of the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development in the College of Human Sciences & Education, has been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program grant, totaling more than $550,000. Robinson will serve as Principal Investigator (PI) on the multi-year project, joined by Co-Principal Investigators Bethany Hager (Louisiana A+ Schools, CHSE) and Zakiya Wilson-Kennedy, PhD (College of Science), with additional support from Golden Richard, PhD, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Director of LSU’s Cyber Center and its Applied Cybersecurity Lab.
Two LSU Engineering Students Receive Clayton Assistantship Awards
LSU Biological Engineering freshman Hobbs McAllister of Austin, Texas, and LSU Chemical Engineering PhD student Gabriela Theis Marchan of Caracas, Venezuela, were chosen to receive the 2025-26 Donald W. Clayton Assistantship Awards for their success in and out of the classroom.
Never Again: Oil Spill Prevention System Sparked by Katrina
Early on the morning of Aug. 29, 2005, the flood waters from Hurricane Katrina cascaded into the Murphy Oil Refinery in Chalmette. An above-ground storage tank holding 65,000 barrels of oil stood in the water’s path. The oil alone weighed 19.5 million pounds, but the flood surge easily shrugged aside the tank. It ruptured, and oil poured into the surrounding neighborhood. More than 1,700 homes were damaged. Cleanup and damages cost Murphy Oil around $500 million.
Largest Cohort in LSU History: Six Distinguished Faculty Members Named Boyd Professors
The LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously voted on Sept. 5, to designate six LSU faculty members as Boyd Professors. The Boyd Professorship, established by the LSU Board of Supervisors in 1953, is the most distinguished and highest professorial rank awarded by LSU.
LSU CSE Professor Receives Grants from NSF, Secret Service
LSU Computer Science Associate Professor Elias Bou-Harb recently received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and a $126,000 grant from the Secret Service for his research in cybersecurity.
LSU Boyd Professor Voyiadjis Has Book Published on Damage and Healing Mechanics
LSU Civil and Environmental Engineering Chair and Boyd Professor George Z. Voyiadjis recently co-authored a book with LSU CEE alumnus, scholar and educator Peter Kattan that was published by Elsevier. This is Voyiadjis' 24th book.
LSU Innovation Powers the Nation’s Most Trusted Hurricane Storm Surge Forecasting Tool
The greatest threat to life during a hurricane often comes in the form of storm surge, ocean water pushed onto shore by powerful winds that can substantially increase water levels in a matter of minutes.
LSU Engineering Sees Highest Number of Tenure-Track Faculty in Years
In the past year, LSU's College of Engineering has onboarded a large cohort of new faculty and has 13 tenure-track hires. As of August 2025, the College has 149 tenure-track faculty, the highest number in 20 years. It's also the first time in the past 10 years at least that the number of tenure-track professors, associate professors, and assistant professors has been almost equal. This year, tenure-track faculty include 49 professors, 49 associate professors, and 51 assistant professors.