LSU Hosts City, Business Leaders and Executives
May 01, 2023
Nearly 30 Baton Rouge influencers, including elected officials, business owners, industry leaders, and non-profit organizers, visited LSU for a showcase of the university’s efforts to support the local economy through research, scholarship, and talent development.
The group, which previously participated in a BRAC-organized canvas visit to Greenville, S.C., to explore ways to improve the Baton Rouge area, met with faculty experts from the E.J. Ourso College of Business, College of Engineering, College of the Coast and Environment, College of Agriculture and the LSU AgCenter, and the College of Art and Design.
“The tour was very well organized and, I think, the group really enjoyed learning just how much LSU has to offer in terms of the diversity of its curriculum," said Trent Bondy, the Director of Compliance for LUBA Workers' Comp. "What was very interesting to learn, just for one example, is that the College of Engineering is doing tons of research work that can be deployed right here in our home state of Louisiana.
"If we are diligent and intentional, visits and partnerships such as this, between
LSU and the Baton Rouge business community, could be a huge component in allowing
students to visualize the next phase of their life, and their home, right here in
Louisiana.”
"Visiting LSU's campus, talking with deeply engaged faculty members and hearing from students doing phenomenal work was inspiring. I left with a renewed sense of hope for our city and our state," said Laurie Adams, East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council Member for District 11. "It was exciting to gain a better understanding of the research and student work taking place at LSU! There are so many ways the government, business and LSU can collaborate to solve today's problems and build a better future together."
“As the Director of Economic Development at Ochsner Health, I appreciated the ability to witness the types of real world business exposure that LSU students receive during their time in school. From internships to investment portfolio management, these students are being equipped for the world that awaits them after graduation. We have a duty as business leaders to create career opportunities for these students in our community and I am dedicated to finding ways of connecting LSU students with businesses across the parish," said Tre Nelson.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that we had the opportunity to showcase the extensive range of academic and development programs the E. J. Ourso College of Business offers its students and the business community," said Jared Llorens, dean of the E. J. Ourso College of Business. "The college proudly serves as a catalyst for innovation, economic growth, and community development in Baton Rouge.
"Outreach efforts like the BRAC’s Canvas team are a critical reminder of our guiding mission to develop and advance leaders that are prepared to tackle the crucial issues facing the Capital Region and beyond.”
Z. George Xue, an associate professor in the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences and one of this year’s class of LSU Rainmakers also holds a joint appointment in the Center for Computational Technology. Xue uses computer modeling to build the state’s coastal resiliency. He has pioneered the use of the coupled model, a modeling approach giving scientists a more accurate model of flood potential during a weather event..
Bryan Snyder, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences, spoke about biomass slurry injection, or BSFI, a new form of carbon capture. BSFI takes the carbon capture process already being utilized by heavy industry and puts it to work using materials familiar to Louisiana: agricultural waste such as sugar cane bagasse, energy cane, and rice straw, for example.
Jyotsna Sharma, the Devon Energy Career Development Professor in the Craft and Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering, presented her research that utilizes fiberoptic sensors for pipeline monitoring that are 100 times more sensitive than sensors currently used in the field.
"The opportunity to increase awareness of critical real-world problems that LSU is tackling, and for us to hear questions and concerns posed from the community, will help ensure that these advances are put to use in ways that make a positive difference," Karsten Thompson, chair and professor in the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering, said.
"We would like to thank the BRAC canvas group for visiting with us to learn about LSU's expertise in energy and the environment," said Karsten Thompson, chair and professor in the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering. "The opportunity to increase awareness of critical real-world problems that LSU is tackling, and for us to hear questions and concerns posed from the community, will help ensure that these advances are put to use in ways that make a positive difference."
A visit to Hill Memorial Library concluded the tour, including a tour of the Special Collections and presentations from Foodii Incubator clients Richard Hanley of Hanley’s Foods and Ebony and Bailey McCallister of Posh Pop, who successfully launched businesses with the support of the incubator staff, as well as a presentation by Joshua Crawford, landscape architecture senior, on improving the interface between the North Gates and the community just beyond the campus.
