NEW ORLEANS – LSU New Orleans faculty have received two National Science Foundation (NSF) awards that highlight the university’s growing research enterprise, supporting both immersive undergraduate research experiences in coastal science and groundbreaking work in quantum networking.
Included among the awards is a $372,396 NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site grant supporting NOLA–Next Gen, an interdisciplinary summer research program that will prepare undergraduate students to address some of Louisiana’s most pressing coastal and environmental challenges.
LSU New Orleans – Preparing Future Coastal Scientists
The three-year award will support NOLA–Next Gen, an eight-week summer research program that will provide immersive research experiences for 30 undergraduate students from 2027 through 2029. The program will recruit approximately 10 students each summer, with a particular emphasis on first- and second-year students from community colleges and primarily undergraduate institutions who have little or no previous research experience.
Led by principal investigator Dr. Wendy Schluchter and co-principal investigator Dr. Erin Cox, the REU program brings together faculty mentors from the departments of biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, mechanical engineering and physics. In addition to conducting research, participants will engage with scientists from academia, government, industry and nonprofit organizations, participate in professional development activities and visit coastal sites throughout the region to better understand the environmental challenges facing Louisiana.
“As LSU New Orleans embarks on this new chapter, this award demonstrates the caliber of research taking place across our campus and the impact our faculty are making through nationally competitive funding,” said Jeanette Weiland, interim chancellor and chief administrative officer of LSU New Orleans. “From preparing the next generation of coastal scientists to advancing groundbreaking research in fields like quantum science, our faculty are tackling complex challenges while creating meaningful opportunities for students. This award is another example of the innovation and collaboration that define LSU New Orleans.”
Louisiana’s coastal region faces complex environmental issues, including coastal flooding, erosion and subsidence resulting in land loss, and the impacts of pollution on marine ecosystems and local communities. The NOLA–Next Gen program is designed to equip students with the scientific knowledge, research experience and interdisciplinary perspective needed to help develop solutions to these challenges.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this program is the opportunity to introduce students to research early in their academic careers,” said Dr. Wendy Schluchter, principal investigator of the project. “Many participants will be conducting research for the first time, and we hope this experience will inspire them to pursue careers in coastal science and related fields.”
“This program gives students the opportunity to work alongside researchers from a variety of scientific and engineering fields while connecting with professionals in academia, government, industry and nonprofit organizations,” said Dr. Erin Cox, co-principal investigator. “These experiences will help prepare them for the collaborative workforce needed to address complex coastal issues and make a lasting impact.”
Students participating in the program will conduct faculty-mentored research, present their findings at scientific conferences and explore career pathways in coastal science through networking opportunities, ethics and safety seminars, and interactions with professionals working across the public and private sectors.
The NSF REU program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in areas funded by the National Science Foundation. Through programs such as NOLA–Next Gen, the foundation helps strengthen the nation’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce by providing students with meaningful, hands-on research experiences.
A second NSF award further demonstrates the breadth of research underway at LSU New Orleans. Mathematics professor Dr. Peter Bierhorst is a co-principal investigator on the NSF’s National Quantum Virtual Laboratory initiative, a collaborative effort among leading universities, federal laboratories and industry partners to advance the future of quantum networking. As part of the initiative’s recent competitive renewal, the project will receive $4 million over two years, including $190,000 to support Bierhorst’s research at LSU New Orleans.
