News from 海角社区 Engineering

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New Boyd Professors

Largest Cohort in 海角社区 History: Six Distinguished Faculty Members Named Boyd Professors

The 海角社区 Board of Supervisors unanimously voted on Sept. 5, to designate six 海角社区 faculty members as Boyd Professors. The Boyd Professorship, established by the 海角社区 Board of Supervisors in 1953, is the most distinguished and highest professorial rank awarded by 海角社区.

Digital Lock

海角社区 CSE Professor Receives Grants from NSF, Secret Service

海角社区 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.

海角社区 Boyd Professor Voyiadjis Has Book Published on Damage and Healing Mechanics

海角社区 Boyd Professor Voyiadjis Has Book Published on Damage and Healing Mechanics

海角社区 Civil and Environmental Engineering Chair and Boyd Professor George Z. Voyiadjis recently co-authored a book with 海角社区 CEE alumnus, scholar and educator Peter Kattan that was published by Elsevier. This is Voyiadjis' 24th book.

CERA work screen

海角社区 Innovation Powers the Nation鈥檚 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.

海角社区 Engineering Sees Highest Number of Tenure-Track Faculty in Years

海角社区 Engineering Sees Highest Number of Tenure-Track Faculty in Years

In the past year, 海角社区'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.

Evacuating Cars

海角社区 Engineering Professor Recalls Inception of Contraflow Design Prior to Katrina

These days, seeing cars heading in one direction on the interstate can only mean one thing--a hurricane is approaching. Contraflow, a method of evacuation thought up by 海角社区 Civil & Environmental Engineering Professor Brian Wolshon, is now used all over the world to save lives and was an integral part of getting people out of New Orleans before Katrina made a name for herself.

Gregory D.

In Remembrance of Gregory D. Elliott

It is with deep respect and heavy hearts that we remember Gregory D. "Greg" Elliott, a visionary leader, dedicated engineer, and generous philanthropist whose impact on the petroleum industry, 海角社区, and countless individuals will be felt for generations to come. Our thoughts go out to Greg's family and his wife Missy who was by Greg's side during his visits to Patrick F. Taylor Hall.

Bright Sun

海角社区 Engineering, Architecture Faculty Bring Solar Stations to Campus

It's hard to find the upside of sweltering summer heat in South Louisiana, but one thing it is good for is generating clean energy through sunshine. 海角社区 Construction Management (CM) Assistant Professor Arup Bhattacharya and a team of 海角社区 professors partnered with BASF on a project that combined aesthetics and solar energy to provide 海角社区 students with a place to sit and study in the shade while also charging their electronic devices and enjoying the view.

 network of continuously operating reference stations stretches across Louisiana.

Katrina Proved Louisiana Needed Reliable Elevations鈥敽=巧缜檚 GPS Network Still Provides Them Today

When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, Louisiana faced more than broken levees and flooded neighborhoods鈥攊t faced a broken map. For years, shifting ground and rising seas made the state鈥檚 official elevation benchmarks unreliable.

Welcome Week crowd

海角社区 Cyber Talent Program Awarded $2.4 Million by NSF

海角社区鈥檚 rapidly growing cybersecurity program, which earned the nation鈥檚 top designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) by the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2022, has received a highly competitive $2.4 million award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

海角社区 Community Playground at Marais Park

海角社区 Community Playground Project Completes 50th Build

Over two hot, humid days in Napoleonville, La., 海角社区 Biological Engineering (BE) students and graduates, 海角社区 Biological & Agricultural Engineering Department Chair Marybeth Lima, and Assumption Parish community members worked steadily during the breaks in the rain to construct a new playground at Marais Park. Though the process looks similar to other playgrounds Lima and her students have helped build over the years, this one is special. This is the 50th playground they have constructed as part of the 海角社区 Community Playground Project (海角社区CPP), an engineering community engagement program started by Lima in 1998.

Umar Farooq

海角社区 CSE Professor Receives NSF Grant for Mobile App Security Research

海角社区 Computer Science & Engineering Assistant Professor Umar Farooq recently received a nearly $300,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) SaTC CORE award for his groundbreaking research project that tackles a critical challenge in today's digital age--helping users find mobile apps that meet their needs without compromising their privacy. This competitive award will allow Farooq and his team to develop a novel genre of privacy-aware recommender systems to guide safer app choices.

Port Fouchon

鈥榃in-Win鈥 for Students, 海角社区 and the Future of Louisiana鈥檚 Coast and Energy Industry

A collaborative team of researchers in the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences at 海角社区 has won a first-of-its-kind grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to bring 10 of the country鈥檚 most brilliant research students to 海角社区 to pursue a Ph.D. and emerge as leaders in energy and environmental science.

2025 Longwell Award Winners Announced

2025 Longwell Award Winners Announced

The College of Engineering recently presented its Award for Instructor Excellence to nine faculty members in recognition of those who make significant contributions to the early years of a student's journey through quality instruction in entry-level engineering courses.

海角社区 Computer Science Professor Receives NSF Grant for Graph Data Research

海角社区 Computer Science Professor Receives NSF Grant for Graph Data Research聽

海角社区 Computer Science and Engineering Associate Professor Kisung Lee was recently awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, which totals $569,000, to continue his research on efficiently analyzing large-scale graph data in AI.聽

Newton Thomas, Proud Alumnus and Founder of the Dean's Advisory Council, Passes Away at Age 81

Newton Thomas, Proud Alumnus and Founder of the Dean's Advisory Council, Passes Away at Age 81

In 1973, with two fellow 海角社区 electrical engineering graduates, former Tiger catcher Newton Thomas founded what is now the Newtron Group, one of the country鈥檚 largest privately owned specialty industrial construction companies. Thomas in 2015 was named 海角社区 Alumnus of the Year and inducted into the 海角社区 Alumni Hall of Distinction.

Brennen Calato

Four Days, Two Dogs, One Bunny鈥擜nd a Cybersecurity Dream Job

Cyber competitions, industry connections, and a full-ride scholarship offered through 海角社区 enabled cybersecurity graduate Brennen Calato from Mandeville, Louisiana, to turn a dream internship at Idaho National Laboratory into a dream job.

Lillian Beck

海角社区 Student Shares How a Top Cybersecurity Lab Internship Renewed her Passion to Protect America

Foreign adversaries are actively trying to disrupt critical infrastructure鈥攍ike power grids and water systems鈥攊n the United States. Such attacks could endanger hospitals, transportation, public safety, and more.

Marybeth Lima

海角社区 BAE Chair Marybeth Lima Inducted As Fellow Into ASABE

海角社区 Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering Chair Marybeth Lima was recently inducted as a Fellow into the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). Lima has been a member of ASABE for 27 years and has served on a number of ASABE award committees.

Keith Mills

鈥淒o You Know What It Means鈥︹ To Train a Machine Learning Model?

Joining 海角社区 as an assistant professor of computer science and engineering this fall, Keith G. Mills shares his thoughts on 海角社区 and the future of AI. From his point of view, AI is intrinsically good when viewed as a tool, same as a microscope or any other instrument used to magnify human ingenuity and creativity.

Capstone group photo

海角社区 BAE Seniors Design Wearable Device to Detect Heat Exhaustion

The summer heat in South Louisiana and other states can be unbearable for those who work outdoors. While some signs of heat exhaustion are obvious, other symptoms such as cool and moist skin or a fast heart rate can sneak up on someone. In order to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke, five 海角社区 Biological Engineering seniors designed a wearable device that can detect symptoms of heat exhaustion to prevent heat stroke.

Sugarcane Bagasse

海角社区-led Team Wins $7M E-RISE Award From the National Science Foundation

First E-RISE grant to Louisiana will create jobs and solutions to transform agricultural wastes into liquid fuels for transportation, opening new revenue streams for Louisiana鈥檚 farmers and the state鈥檚 chemical industry.

Hurricane flooded houses with a Red X

海角社区 AgCenter Research Enables Better Flood Protection for Homes

Ten years of 海角社区 research has created stronger national standards for construction that will radically change how communities in Louisiana and across the United States can protect homes and buildings from flooding.

The Main Event: 海角社区 Cyber Students Invited to Teach at DEF CON

The Main Event: 海角社区 Cyber Students Invited to Teach at DEF CON

When the annual hacker convention DEF CON kicks off in Las Vegas, Nevada, in August, an 海角社区 cybersecurity team might be the only university-based team to host a workshop for some of the nation鈥檚 foremost cybersecurity experts.

Recipients holding trophies

海角社区 Students Build Device to Protect Children from Hot Car Deaths

Each summer, an unbearable statistic repeats itself. On average, 37 children die in hot cars every year in the United States, about two lives lost every week during the summer months, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.