News: 2012 - 2013
Fall 2012 | Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Student’s Work in Brain Awareness Leads to Service Award May 14, 2013
The human brain always has fascinated graduate Melissa Herman. In her first year of college, she joined the Tulane University Neuroscience Association (TUNA), a special-interest group. When she was a sophomore, Herman found a way to share enthusiasm about neuroscience with high school students by launching an after-school neuroscience teaching program at the New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School, rotating a half-dozen Tulane students as tutors.
Public Service Leads to Her Future Career May 13, 2013
It was a fluke that Michelle Liu, soon to be a graduate of Tulane University, discovered that her passion is elder care. As a first-year student, Liu attended an activities expo on campus and signed up to volunteer at a home for the elderly.
Posse Scholar Preps for Life After Tulane May 9, 2013
In 2009, Chris Hanuscin entered Tulane University after receiving a full-tuition scholarship from the Posse Foundation. This spring, Hanuscin and 11 other students from public high schools in the Los Angeles area will become the first Posse class to graduate from Tulane.
Not Your Average Student-Athlete: A Feature Story About Joanna Lapucha
May 8, 2013
Her academic pedigree alone speaks for itself; Lapucha is currently pursuing a double major in Chemistry and French, and has maintained a GPA of 3.905 through her three years at Tulane University, earning her three Conference USA Academic Medals and a spot on the Conference USA Honor Roll during her freshman, sophomore and junior years.
Expert on Safety Receives Distinguished Achievement Award May 7, 2013
Houston businessman Ken Arnold is the 2013 recipient of the Offshore Technology Conference's Distinguished Achievement Award, given for technological, humanitarian, environmental and leadership contributions to the industry.
Alumni are Honored for Support of Tulane and Contributions to Science and Engineering April 11, 2013
The Tulane School of Science and Engineering was proud to hold its fifth annual Alumni Awards celebration on April 11th, in the Lavin-Bernick Center – 1834 Club on the university’s Uptown campus. Approximately one-hundred science and engineering alumni, guests, and faculty attended the event to honor the three distinguished science and engineering alumni, who were recognized for their immense and ongoing contributions to their fields of study, as well as the school.
Tulane SSE Honors Outstanding Faculty Researcher and Showcases Student Research Achievements April 11, 2013
On April 11, the Tulane University School of Science and Engineering held its seventh annual Research Day, recognizing the academic contributions and influential achievements of its faculty and students. Held in the Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life, the gathering commenced with a presentation of the Seventh Annual Outstanding Researcher Award to Dr. Lisa Fauci of the Mathematics department, as well as student awards for exceptional research efforts.
Tulane Dean to Lead National Engineering Education Group April 10, 2013
Nicholas J. Altiero, dean of the Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, has been elected president-elect of the American Society for Engineering Education.
Kim O'Connor Received the 2013 Elmer Gaden Award April 8, 2013
Kim O'Connor received the 2013 Elmer Gaden Award from Biotechnology and Bioengineering, and presented an award lecture at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Biochemical Technology (BIOT) national meeting on April 8, 2013, entitled, "The heterogeneity of mesenchymal stem cells and its implications for regenerative therapies."
Senior Awarded Whitaker Fellowship April 5, 2013
Gisele Calderon ’13, from Baton Rouge, has been awarded a one-year fellowship as part of the 2013 Whitaker International Fellows and Scholars Program.
Tulane Wins Grant for Depression Study April 4, 2013
Benjamin Hall, an assistant professor of cell and molecular biology and neuroscience at Tulane University, has won a $1.8 million grant that will enable him and his research team to explore questions that could eventually lead to new treatments for chronic depression.
BME Senior Wins Fulbright April 3, 2013
Aubrey Kraft, a Biomedical Engineering Senior from Anchorage, AK, has just been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. The program will place her in a classroom in Malaysia to provide assistance to teachers of English to non-native English-speakers. English Teaching Assistants help teach English language while serving as a cultural ambassador for U.S. culture.
Dean's Message Spring 2013
In 2006, the School of Science and Engineering (SSE) was established under the post-Katrina “Tulane University Plan for Renewal.” During its first year, 2006-07, a vision for this new school was articulated and a strategic plan was outlined for the achievement of that vision. It was a ten-year plan with clear objectives and with defined metrics to measure progress. We are now entering the final quarter of the 2012-13 fiscal year, the SSE’s seventh year, and by every measure we have exceeded expectations regarding where we would be at this point in the implementation of the plan.
Engineering Alumnus Creates Endowment for New Computer Science Program Spring 2013
James Mead (E ’81) understands the value of launching a new program at a university. As one of the first graduates of biomedical engineering at Tulane, Mead used the analytical skills he gained as an undergraduate to pursue a highly successful career in investment banking.
Debby Grimm of the Coordinated Instrumentation Facility Spring 2013
For 20 years now, Debby Grimm has made her home among the world-class microscopes, X-ray machines and other devices of SSE's Coordinated Instrumentation Facility, solving problems posed by the latest questions in scientific research and engaging a regional community by serving corporate customers.
A Good Place for Business March 21, 2013
The fifth annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week shined a spotlight on the city’s fast-growing startup scene this week, but the head of the Levy-Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship at Tulane University told attendees that the event also was a testament to the important role Tulane plays in the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Children Taught About Brains March 11, 2013
Neuroscience Professor Protests NOLA Snub March 6, 2013
As director of neuroscience at Tulane University, Jeffrey Tasker always looked forward to the Society for Neuroscience’s annual conference each fall. New Orleans was on the group’s three-city rotation, giving his students an opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the field.
A Tale of Two Fungi March 4, 2013
In the February issue of New Phytologist, Tulane University biologists examine why leaf-cutting ants target some plants and avoid others, concluding that high levels of friendly fungi in the leaves of some plants protect them from destruction by ants.
Young Scientists' Interests Wide March 3, 2013
Young Girls Embrace Science, Technology Through
Campus Program February 27, 2013
It was a typical winter morning with only the occasional sunbeam breaking through the drizzle, but the occupants of many of the science classrooms and labs at Tulane University were anything but typical. Gone for the weekend were the usual harried undergrads, and in their place were 120 middle school girls, hailing from 39 area schools, here to take part in the inaugural GIST (Girls in STEM at Tulane) program, held on Saturday.
Norvin Leroy Pellerin February 11, 2013
Tulane graduate, Norvin Leroy Pellerin passed away on February 11th.
Endowed Chair Pioneers New Path for Engineering at Tulane February 8, 2013
The School of Science and Engineering welcomed Douglas Chrisey as the new Cornelia and Arthur L. Jung Chair in Materials Engineering during an investiture ceremony inside Freeman Auditorium on Jan. 30.
Tulane Offering One-Day Workshop for Girls To Study Science, Technology, Engineering and Math February 5, 2013
School Officials Learn to Prepare for Trauma January 31, 2013
Alumnus Introduces Chocolate-Flavored Toothpaste for Kids January 30, 2013
Children around the world have a new reason to smile thanks to the latest product from Tulane alumnus Arman Sadeghpour, president and CEO of Theodent, a New Orleans-based biotechnology company known for its cocoa-based toothpaste.
Tulane University Psychologists to Train New Orleans Schools in
Crisis Planning January 24, 2013
“Prevention and Preparedness: Comprehensive School Safety Planning,” a day-long workshop to better prepare New Orleans public school personnel for traumatic events that may occur on their campuses or in the community such as student death, school shooting, natural disaster, neighborhood tragedy, health epidemic or terrorism.
Summer Course in Ecuador will put Theory into Practice January 18, 2013
Some courses are suited to a classroom environment, while others are best out in the field, where hands can be dirtied and theories put into practice. Jordan Karubian, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Tulane University, tends to subscribe to the latter school. He will be taking a group of students to Ecuador for an intensive field course this summer.
Delegation Works to Expand Studies in Cuba January 15, 2013
A successful trip to Cuba in December by a Tulane delegation will expand the university’s ongoing relationship with the University of Havana and other Cuban institutions into public health and scientific arenas.
Fall 2012
Chester Arthur Peyronnin Jr. December 14, 2012
Tulane graduate and professor, Chester Arthur Peyronnin, Jr. passed away on December 12th, following a distinguished engineering career.
Dedication Opens Flower Hall for Innovative Research December 12, 2012
A new era of scientific discovery is under way at Tulane University thanks to the opening of Donna and Paul Flower Hall for Research and Innovation. A dedication ceremony on Tuesday (December 11) commemorated the significance of this historic moment in science and engineering education at Tulane.
Tulane Dedicates New Research Facility December 12, 2012
Tulane University to Dedicate a Center of Research, Entrepreneurship
December 11, 2012Article By John Pope, The Times-Picayune
Tulane University on Tuesday will dedicate a four-story building that is expected to be not only a center of scientific and engineering research but also an incubator for fledgling companies.
Snow Business December 10, 2012
The guys from Pelican Ice arrive on campus to blow "snow" onto the Lavin-Bernick Center quad. The event is sponsored by the Science and Engineering Council of Students (the undergraduate student government of the School of Science and Engineering) in conjunction with Fridays at the Quad.
Cooking With Love From Tanzania December 7, 2012
Never had the opportunity to savor the cuisine of Tanzania? Tulane University senior Angela Czesak wants to fix that. She’s bringing the flavor of that East African nation to the rest of the world in her self-published cookbook, Kupikia Tanzania.
Tulane Professor Wins NIH Award to Study How Salt Helps Molecules Mix
December 3, 2012
Bruce Gibb, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Tulane University, hopes to solve a 120-year-old mystery with the help of a more than $1.1 million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Physics Professor Gets Top Materials Theory Award November 30, 2012
The Materials Research Society awarded Tulane professor John P. Perdew the Materials Theory Award for his “pioneering contributions to the fundamental development and nonempirical approximations in density functional theory” on Wednesday (Nov. 28) at the organization's fall meeting in Boston.
Obama Taps Dr. Norma Jean Mattei for Post November 29, 2012
Renowned Researcher Mead Allison Returns to Tulane November 28, 2012
Mead Allison, one of the nation’s leading experts on land-creating sediment in the Mississippi River and Louisiana’s continental shelf, will join Tulane University as a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, effective Fall 2013.
To Antarctica, and Back Again November 26, 2012
A scientific journey to the Antarctic Peninsula to study the history of ice shelves is one that Tulane professor Brad Rosenheim will not soon forget. Hurricane-like conditions on rolling seas, iceberg-dodging, dogged exhaustion and seasickness for the crew, and of course, science happening in the spectacular glacial landscapes, were all part of the adventures he will share at a public lecture in Freeman Auditorium at 6 p.m. on Tuesday (Nov. 27).
Ricardo Cortez Awarded the 2012 Blackwell-Tapia Prize November 13, 2012
Dr. Cortez has received the 2012 Blackwell-Tapia Prize in recognition of his contributions to the mathematics, as well as for his continued dedication to addressing the under-representation of minorities amongst scientists and students in his field...
SSE Event Celebrates the Impact of Endowed Gifts November 13, 2012
Each year, the Distinguished Leadership Council Reception brings together board members, donors, professors, and students to learn about SSE and the impact of their support...
SfN Returns to New Orleans with a Howl November 6, 2012
The annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience (SfN) made its return to New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Katrina, seeping over 25,000 neuroscientists into the city this past October.
Professor John P. Perdew Awarded 2012 Materials Theory Award November 1, 2012
Tulane University Researcher Receives NIH Transformative Research Award October 31, 2012
Sergey Shevkoplyas, the Ken and Ruth Arnold Early Career Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Tulane University, has received a $2 million National Institutes of Health Director’s Transformative Research Award to make red blood cell transfusions safer.
High School Students Bone Up on Science October 15, 2012
The enthusiastic banter of 32 scrubs-wearing high school girls is barely audible over the din of whirring power tools. While using bone models to assess the best methods to repair fractures, the teenagers exchange advice about studying for advanced placement tests in biology.
NIH Funds Tulane Scientist to Study Effects of Estrogen on the Aging Female Brain October 10, 2012
NIH funds Tulane scientist to show how estrogen therapy for middle-aged women can stave off cognitive decline and dementia.
Alumnus Joins Gulf Water Institute October 9, 2012
The Water Institute of the Gulf has hired veteran researcher and Tulane University alumnus Ernst Peebles as director of coastal systems ecology. Peebles has studied coastal ecology and estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean for more than 30 years.
Mathematically Solving Ecological Problems October 8, 2012
Carrie Manore, a postdoctoral fellow in the in the Center for Computational Science and Department of Mathematics, at Tulane University, is making waves as a promising early career scientist.
Dean's Message Fall 2012
In the last issue of this Newsletter, I reported that the School of Science and Engineering was anticipating a record number of incoming students in Fall 2012 and that it appeared that fiscal year 2011-12 would end with record numbers for the School in research funding and publication/patent activity. I am now pleased to report the results. This Fall, Tulane University welcomed 1651 first time freshmen. Of that number, 476 have declared majors in science or engineering disciplines, more than 34% of the incoming undergraduate students who have declared majors to date. At the graduate level this fall, the number of doctoral students in SSE has increased by 6%, to 320, and the number of masters students by 12%, to 120.
Scott Heape and Bob Marshall: A Legacy of Teamwork Fall 2012
In the summer of 1968, freshmen recruits Bob Marshall from New Orleans and Scott Heape of Dallas walked onto the football practice field at Tulane University, becoming close friends, as they both learned to balance the rigors of football practice with a demanding geology curriculum, ultimately winning Tulane a Liberty Bowl championship in 1970 and then going on to successful careers in the energy industry.
Kat Engleman: Developing New Vision Fall 2012
As the first-ever development officer for the newly-formed School of Science and Engineering, Kat Engleman faced the daunting task of building an alumni community out of a disparate group of graduates, some of whom were upset about the changes at their alma mater and others who were unfamiliar with what an integrated school encompassing all of Tulane’s science and engineering curricula was going to involve.
Tulane Cell & Molecular Biology Students Volunteer Help to Storm Victims in Braithwaite September 30, 2012
Read the Full Story and Watch the Video on WWL-TV »
Symbiotic Survival of Rare Birds and Rain Forests September 28, 2012
On the coast of Ecuador, along the Pacific Ocean, on the western side of the Andes Mountains, lies the Choco rain forest. Here, Jordan Karubian, his students and local residents, whom he’s enlisted as “environmental ambassadors,” study an endangered species of bird — the long-wattled umbrellabird.
The Guardian: Choosy Females Speed Speciation of Poison Dart Frogs
September 27, 2012
Molecular Bonding September 25, 2012
W.T. Godbey, associate professor of chemical and bimolecular engineering, sketches a molecular formula onto McAlister Place on the Tulane uptown campus. Students in Godbey's Applied Biochemistry course requested that class be held outside.
Biomaterials Expert Appointed to Jung Chair September 24, 2012
This fall the School of Science and Engineering appointed Douglas Chrisey to the Cornelia and Arthur Jung Chair in Materials Engineering. Chrisey, who also serves as adjunct professor of biomedical engineering, joins the Tulane faculty after teaching at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.
Tulane’s Ian Terry wins “Big Brother” September 20, 2012
Whip-smart Ian Terry, a 21-year-old Tulane University engineering student, went from reality TV underdog to series champ this summer, winning $500,000 in season 14 of CBS’s “Big Brother.”
Watch His Interview on WWL-TV »
Seeking Scientists With Business Sense September 18, 2012
Donald P. Gaver is looking for serious science students who possess a penchant for taking entrepreneurial risks. Gaver, the Alden J. “Doc” Laborde professor and chair of biomedical engineering, is directing a new interdisciplinary PhD program in bioinnovation at Tulane University.
School of Science and Engineering, 201 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 504-865-5764 sse@tulane.edu