NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans has been active across a range of important areas, including participating in the Model UN National Conference in New York City, participating in the University of Louisiana System 14th Annual Academic Summit at Nicholls State University, winning high-level defense scholarships, and finding innovative ways to promote its MBA program.
Model UN National Conference
The 2025 National Model UN Conference in New York City, one of the largest of its kind in the world, welcomed over 2,500 participants with more than 60% of attendees coming from institutions outside the U.S.
The University of New Orleans Model United Nations team participated in Session B, April 13 to 17, earning an honorable mention award which placed it among the top third of the more than 170 participating teams. As part of the program, 19 UNO students made up the delegation representing the Republic of Austria, a nation with longstanding ties to UNO through Center Austria and the UNO-Innsbruck International Summer School.
The student diplomats engaged in high-level debates and negotiations on global issues such as water pollution, artificial intelligence and international security. Led by president A’ishah Abdalah and Vice President Daniel Abadie, the team students applied skills from their international studies coursework across various simulated UN committees.
Students took part in a diplomatic briefing at the Austrian UN Mission and closing ceremonies at the United Nations General Assembly Hall.
In addition to the delegation’s honorable mention award, students Mahdin Mohammad and Russell Decker earned a position paper award for their contributions in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees committee.
14th Annual Academic Summit
Thirteen UNO students participated in the University of Louisiana System 14th Annual Academic Summit at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux from April 10-11. Each year, the summit invites students to showcase their research, creative endeavors and academic achievements.
Presentations focused on outstanding projects from each university in the areas of research, visual arts and performing arts. Participants from UNO were chosen from the students who performed the best at Innovate UNO, the University of New Orleans’ own annual research symposium.
Department of Defense Scholarship
UNO computer science graduate student Johny Lopez was awarded the Department of Defense’s Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship, a prestigious award that supports top STEM students through full tuition, mentorship, hands-on research and a guaranteed position with the Department of Defense upon graduation. Lopez is a research assistant with UNO’s Gulf States Center for Environmental Informatics (GulfSCEI).
The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program provides recipients with up to five years of full tuition coverage, a $40,000 annual stipend, funding for books and medical expenses and summer internships at leading Department of Defense research facilities across the Army, Navy, Air Force and other agencies. This program not only equips students with advanced technical skills, but also ensures they play a direct role in supporting national security efforts through cutting-edge research.
Lopez’s research focuses on robotic applications in underground infrastructure inspection, specifically in culverts and sewer pipes. His work integrates advanced robotic vision, autonomous navigation and AI-powered analysis to enhance the inspection and maintenance of critical subterranean systems. By improving the way these underground networks are monitored, this research has the potential to increase efficiency, reduce costs and prevent failures in vital infrastructure, a challenge that aligns closely with the Department of Defense’s mission to modernize and secure public and military assets.
“The support from GulfSCEI has been instrumental in my growth, and I’m excited to contribute my skills to the Department of Defense, where I can help advance technologies that improve the safety and efficiency of critical systems,” Lopez said.
MBA Strategic Marketing Management Project
Master of Business Administration students in the Henry Bernstein College of Business Administration at the University of New Orleans blended classroom learning with real-world marketing by creating a social media campaign to promote UNO’s MBA program. The experiential project was part of Elyria Kemp’s Strategic Marketing Management class.
“This was an excellent opportunity for students to participate in an evaluation-based case study where they identified a branding challenge, proposed solutions and were actively involved in implementing those solutions,” said Kemp, a professor of marketing. “Not only did they learn more about the strategic marketing process, but they also saw the tangible impact of their work through measurable key performance indicators.”
The campaign was developed in collaboration with Level Up Filmmaker Collective, a local development lab for aspiring filmmakers. Under the guidance of Gian Francisco Smith, the collective supported the students’ vision through every step of the production process.
