LSU Experimental

LSU alumna, Tiffany Simms Lindsey, puts skills learned in her intro biology course to good use - crafting unique and tasty beers at Fighting Hand Brewery in Pineville, Louisiana. Tiffany and her husband opened the brewery in May 2021 and it is here where her expertise as a lab manager, chemical engineer, and food chemist merge to bring hoppy-beverages to life. In this episode, Tiffany shares how her experience in science led her on this path, how she's gone “all in”, and upcoming inspirations for creating a welcoming space for her customers. You can learn more about Tiffany and her story on Science Next, the official blog of the LSU College of Science.

COVID-19 has upended our lives in how we interact and function. As of September 2021, the Centers for Disease Control estimate over 40 million people have been sick and approximately 652,000 people have died in the United States. We see that vaccines and mask-wearing are effective in controlling the spread, but people are still getting sick. We can't fully eradicate COVID, but what if we could more effectively treat the symptoms of those infected and shorten the duration of their illness? LSU alumna, Darnisha Harrison, the Founder, President & CEO of Ennaid Therapeutics is working to answer that question. In this episode, Darnisha shares the inception of her company and the driving, divine mission to tackle diseases and identify treatments suitable for all of society. Catch more of Darnisha Harrison's story on a previous post on Science Next, "Will it take more than a vaccine to beat the Coronavirus?" Learn about Ennaid Therapeutics: https://ennaidthera.com/

What information does the biodiversity of your area hold? Potentially, it tells a story about the mechanisms, processes, and traits of organisms that inhabit the space. In this episode, we are talking to Kyle Harms from LSU College of Science Department of Biological Sciences about biodiversity. From deep in the Panamanian rainforest to right in our Louisiana Pine savannas, Kyle has travelled to many locations in pursuit of understanding the relationships of biodiversity and evolution in how they shape ecosystems.

Has there been a time where you’ve had to push through frustration, panic, or fear? Most likely the answer is yes! And this is also true for our researchers because keeping your cool is crucial for both your research AND your own safe. In this minisode of Craziest, Weirdest, and Most Dangerous (recorded in the summer of 2020), we spotlight Prosanta Chakrabarty’s tight squeezes during his cave explorations and Meagan Moore’s NASA payload recovery adventures as moments when calm, patience and creativity were needed to face fears and collect the data.

Details are key to research, but what happens when those small details are overlooked, or worse, ignored? We are back with another mini episode of Craziest, Weirdest and Most Dangerous and this time we are exploring those particular, small details that are critical to research. That’s right we are talking about the Minute Detail and it’s a Post-it Note Apocalypse involving governmental records! We’re revisiting the experience of our LSU Research Librarians, Hayley Johnson and Sarah Simms, at the National Archives where they were researching Japanese Internment Camps.

Sometimes our head gets the best of us, causing us to panic, hallucinate, or give us pause about what is happening. This mini episode of Craziest Weirdest, and Most Dangerous is all about those moments where our thoughts and even dreams have created a hiccup in our study process. We feature Valerie Stampley and Heidi Novokowski and when their wondering minds resulted in some exciting moments.

By now you’ve heard all about COVID-19—the insidious virus responsible for the global pandemic—from its severe symptoms to the demographics of those at risk. The statistics are frightening, but they’re not as relatable as a personal account. After contracting the virus in early March, Cindy Nguyen, a medical student at LSU Health New Orleans and graduate from the College of Science and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, joined us for an interview—even with lingering COVID-19 effects. In this episode she describes the testing process she went through along with her symptoms, like water tasting sweet, and how she’s recovering. We also catch-up on her medical school program, her exciting internship and ways this experience is influencing the physician she aspires to become.

What happens when you include art in science, technology, engineering and math? You create STEAM or, in this case, Meagan the Maker. Meagan Moore, a senior in biological engineering at LSU, is a creative force using her wealth of unique artistic and problem-solving talents to find solutions for everything from prototyping PPE for healthcare professionals during the pandemic to fabricating life sizes 3D phantoms used in breast cancer research. She joins me via Zoom where we dive into her research projects and what she aspires to tackle next.

We’ve heard some amazing stories from our LSU researchers, but we’ve also heard stories that have tested our guests’ resolve and ability to keep their cool in order to collect that data. Over the next few months, we will look back at the different stories in this special series: Craziest, Weirdest, and Most Dangerous Things Done in the Name of Research. Get ready, because in the second episode we explore dangerous encounters with people from Peter Clift’s tea time interruption to the aggressive Coast Guard that approached Heather McKillop’s team. We’re also sharing our own people experiences, as Kyle and I discuss some of the dangers of research that are not alway anticipated.

We’ve heard some amazing stories from our LSU researchers, but we’ve also heard stories that have tested our guests’ resolve and ability to keep their cool in order to collect that data. Over the next few months, we will look back at the different stories in this special series: Craziest, Weirdest, and Most Dangerous Things Done in the Name of Research. When asked about their craziest, weirdest, and most dangerous moments, Zack Rodriguez, Allison Barbato, and Whitney Kroschel all had one thing in common - racing toward their target or high tailing it outta there. That’s why the first episode in this miniseries is all about The Runners. Kyle and I share our reactions to these wild experiences and share a couple of our own too.

Are you wondering how to get into medical school and what it will be like once you make it? What better than to hear from someone who just completed their first semester in med program! We are featuring LSU students at different stages in their medical career, from getting accepted to entering rotations. We begin with Heidi Nowakowski, LSU Spring 2019 College of Science graduate. Heidi is currently in her 2nd year in med school at LSU New Orleans, but we caught her in the middle of her first semester! She shared her insights into what it takes to get into medical school, the first semester transition struggles, and her advice on how to cope with med school stress.

In nature, hybrid zones are where two species or varieties meet and cross-fertilize, such as the classic donkey + horse = mule. A single hybrid zone is scientifically important for understanding how species diverge. So imagine the excitement of finding not just one, but two hybrid zones in the Andes of South America. And even cooler, the hybrid zone is the home of a special type of bird, flowerpiercers, who steal nectar from plants using their pirate-hooked bills. Anna Hiller, LSU Museum of Natural Science PhD candidate, tells us what hybrid zones are, what we can learn from them, and how she is using the flowerpiercers as her model. She also shares adventures from her previous expeditions and how her passion to include women in science is informing her upcoming field trips to Peru and Bolivia.

At this very moment, the ice sheets covering and surrounding Antarctica are dynamic, moving and receding in response to temperature and other factors. Some of the changes are abrupt and quite apparent, like calving events where large chunks of ice break off of glaciers and plunge into the ocean. Others are more subtle because the movement of the ice is occurring slowly, like it has done for over thousands of years. Dr. Phil Bart, LSU College of Science Geology & Geophysics professor, invites us to learn about the evolution of Antarctic ice sheets and how he investigates the movement of ice sheets and ice rises over geologic time to aid in predicting their future behavior.

What’s it like to launch an SUV-sized rover to another planet and ensure that, on arrival, the rover will be able to complete scientific missions AND be controlled from Earth? This is exactly what Dr. Keith Comeaux, Deputy Chief Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and his team are tackling for the Mars 2020 Mission. In this episode, Dr. Comeaux leads us through the complexities involved in designing Mars rovers his career path from LSU to NASA, and the potential prospects of discovery for the Mars 2020 Mission.

Who is responsible for creating a bridge between the scientists asking questions and the curious public? The answer, Outreach Specialists. In this episode we speak with Valerie Derouen, the LSU Museum of Natural Science’s very own outreach coordinator. Valerie is tasked with packaging the hardcore science and conservation efforts done by museum researchers into activities that engange audiences of all ages. We learn what a typical day looks like for an Outreach Specialist, how to develop activities for public events and spaces, the curves in Valerie’s science career that led her to the museum, and how she hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists.

Mosquitos can cause more than an itchy welt. They are vectors of arboviruses. But what is an arbovirus? Dr. Rebecca Christofferson, Assistant Professor of Pathobiological Sciences from the School of Veterinary Medicine, presented her research on the transmission of these harmful viruses and how we can protect ourselves from them during LSU’s Science Cafe Talk in July 2017. Following her presentation, we continued all things mosquitoes and dove into a range of topics including vector borne disease spread, the systematic spraying of Deet, mosquito trivia, and the vulnerability of different countries to these rapid outbreaks.

Get ready for the weird! We’re learning all about Green-blooded lizards - not from a sci-fi movie, but straight out of nature! Papua New Guinea to be exact. We’re joined by Zack Rodriguez, PhD Candidate in the College of Science’s Museum of Natural Sciences, to learn all about green-blooded lizards, the importance of studying green blood, and how Zack is preparing for an upcoming expedition to Papua New Guinea to discover more.

How can the problematic science stereotypes be dismantled? With selfies! It’s National Selfie Day and we’re marking the occasion with my co-author, Dr. Paige Brown Jarreau. Paige and I along with Lance Porter from the LSU Manship School, Imogene Cancellare from the University of New Hampshire, Dr. Samantha Yammine from the University of Toronto, and Daniel Toker from the University of California Berkeley, explored the role of science self portraits play in addressing problematic stereotypes. The project was crowdfunded through Experiment.com and launched the #ScientistsWhoSelfie hashtag. The hashtag has been used over 14k times on Instagram and formed a community of scientists and science enthusiasts sharing discoveries! Check out @ScientistSeflies on Instagram to see more! Paige and I discuss the inspiration behind the project, the results, and the next steps for changing stereotypes of scientists. The study, “Using selfies to challenge public stereotypes of scientists” in PLOS One (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216625)

What composes a community and the cultures within? In Southern Louisiana, communities are constructed by the people and the ecosystems that surround. Michael Pasquier, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and History and the Jaak Seynaeve Professor of Christian Studies, begins our conversation with Our Lady of Prompt Succor and the prayers offered to protect the people of Southern Louisiana from approaching storms. The connections of the people to the land and water shape the culture of those that call Louisiana home. We explore these connections and how the stories of the past can help us prepare for the future.

Did you know that over 1000 Japanese men were interned in Louisiana during WWII? Hayley Johnson and Sarah Simms, passionate librarians from LSU Libraries, explore this buried history in our own backyard. We discuss who these Japanese men and their families were, the conditions at the Louisiana internment camps, and the crucial lessons we need to remember in order to fight against the discrimination of those who are different.

Happy World Penguin Day! Penguins almost exclusively live in the Southern Hemisphere, most notably in Antarctica. So how do those cute, tuxedo wearing birds survive and what is it like to study penguins in the coldest place on Earth? We’re featuring an April 2017 LSU Science Cafe talk by Dr. Mike Polito, Assistant Professor Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, where he shared all things penguin - from what they eat to how they respond to environmental stresses. We then sat down with Dr. Polito to learn more about his research in the southern continent and why science collaborations so important for his work.

Are you wondering how to get into medical school? What better than to hear from someone who was just accepted into an MD-MPH program! We are featuring LSU students at different stages in their medical career, from getting accepted to entering rotations. We begin with Cindy Nguyen, recent graduate with Bachelors of Science in Biological Sciences and Bachelors of Arts in Sociology. Cindy shares her insights from early academic struggles, identifying the right career path, prepping for the MCAT, medical school interviews, and general tips on making it into med school.

How do you discover ancient Maya artifacts buried underwater? And what do you do with the artifacts once you discover them? Heather McKillop, Thomas & Lillian Landrum Alumni Professor in the Department of Geography and Anthropology, presented her research on ancient Mayan civilizations during LSU’s Science Cafe in September 2017. We later sat down with Dr. McKillop, where she shared how her team has been able to study submerged Mayan villages, excavate artifacts and preserve those artifacts through 3D printing so we can better understand the livelihood of the Maya. Learn more about what is happening with Dr. McKillop on Twitter @underwatermaya or by heading over to underwatermaya.com to catch the latest adventures in science from the DIVA lab!

Floodplains. The term conjures up images of iconic Louisiana swamps- cypress trees, alligators, and areas inundated with water. But what a floodplain really is, is a wetland ecosystem which periodically experiences pulses of floodwaters, bringing nutrients and sediment to the land. While these cyclic events can be beneficial to wetland communities, continuous flooding may be deleterious to the native species. Whitney Kroschel, Ph.D. candidate in the School of Renewable Natural Resources in the College of Agriculture takes us on an ecological journey through the floodplains to give us a perspective of how flooding is influencing Louisiana cypress swamps and the inhabitants within. Connect with Whitney about her research on Twitter (@WhitneyKroschel) or Instagram (@whitneykroschel).

Plankton provide the single largest source of oxygen and carbon sequestration on this planet all while nourishing the largest mammal on Earth, the blue whale. With the rise in temperature and acidity in the ocean an urgent question emerges; how will the environmental changes affect the plankton’s ability to maintain these global processes and provide the foundation of the world’s food web? Join us in our conversation with Dr. Malinda Sutor, from the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences in the College of Coast & Environment, as we cover a range of topics including the challenges of quantifying zooplankton to her research into this puzzling question to the importance of quantifying these organisms from a national defense perspective.

When you look in the mirror, do you see a star? Of course you do! Your body is composed of the elements of stars. We met with Dr. Catherine Deibel, Assistant Professor of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, to learn about her research in experimental nuclear astrophysics and explain how we are all made from the ashes of stars.

How do scientists learn how to teach? With science of course! Maria F. G. Wallace, 2017 PhD graduate of the School of Education in the College of Human Sciences & Education at Louisiana State University and current Assistant Professor of Education at Millsaps College, discusses her research on education of science teachers, both as undergraduates and as early career professionals, to highlight how science education involves a community process of shared experience and investigation among students and instructors.

In 2016, the Gulf of Mexico churned out one of the most active hurricane seasons on record. Devastation from powerful winds and life-threatening flooding left many homeless and distressed. We joined Carol Friedland, an Assistant Professor in the Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management in the College of Engineering at LSU's Science Cafe in August 2017, where she shared with us strategies for protecting homes against natural disaster effects, how to use flood maps, and what you should know about building codes.

What connects frontal polymerizations, amphiumas, and pocket protectors? They are all aspects of Dr. John Pojman’s research! John A. Pojman, Professor in the Department of Chemistry and President and CEO of Pojman Polymer Products, LLC., joins us in the School of Library and Information Sciences recording lab to share his journey through research, invention, and collaborations as well as advice to those starting their science careers. We discuss zero-gravity experiments, the development of 3P QuickCure Clay, and how the high density of amphiuma salamanders here in Southern Louisiana may help scientists understand the toxic chytrid fungus!

How do the largest mountains on Earth drive one of the greatest climatic events witnessed by humans? Peter Clift, the Charles T. McCord Endowed Professor and Dr. Henry V. Howe Distinguished Professorship recipient in the LSU Department of Geology and Geophysics, shares how he uses sediment samples from oceans, rivers, and land to link the development of the Himalayas to the intensity of the Asian monsoon and even connections to the rise and fall of civilizations within the region.

What information about Mars is locked in minerals on Earth? How can we learn about possible life on Mars from these Earth minerals? Don Hood, PhD Candidate and Allison Barbato, B.S.,members of LSU’s Planetary Science Lab in the Department of Geology & Geophysics, are heading to Sri Lanka to investigate serpentine mineral deposits to learn more about their formation and possible links to the serpentine minerals discovered on Mars. They share with us aspects of their upcoming research trip, why your support is needed, and skills they have each gained along their geology careers to ensure a successful mission.

Have you ever heard sixty metronomes slowly going out of sync? What about a line the size of a telephone wire being plucked like a string? Listen to how Edgar Berdahl, Assistant Professor of Experimental Music and Digital Media in the LSU School of Music and the Center for Computation & Technology, takes seemingly impossible ideas and make them a musical reality. Additional works can be heard at Experimental Music & Digital Media (emdm.music.lsu.edu), including upcoming performances and projects.

When you think about a mobile home, what do you picture? Mobile homes may illicit many stereotypes that extend beyond the physical structure, affecting the people that inhabit them. Dr. Annemarie Galeucia, Student & Faculty Development Coordinator with LSU’s Communication across the Curriculum and from the Department of Geography and Anthropology, shares with us her dissertation research on mobile home communities and the common misconceptions people hold about them.

When an animal’s home conditions change, they have four options: move, acclimate, evolve, or die. Dr. Melissa DeBiasse, former postdoc in Dr. Morgan Kelly’s lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University, shares how genetics can help determine which option they will choose, how she studies copepods and their adaptations, and what she’d tell her younger self now that’s she’s a postdoc in the Ryan Lab at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida.

Can plant promiscuity address the 1.4 trillion dollar toll invasive species take on the world each year? Dr. Metha Klock, postdoctorial associate at Cornell University and former member of the Dr. Kyle Harms lab in the Department of Biological Sciences, shares how the mutualism between plants and fungi can unlock the patterns behind species invasion.

Coyotes vs wolves; how do we know which animal dominated the southeast U.S. 1000 years ago? Historic DNA of course! Dr. Sabrina Taylor Associate Professor from the School of Renewable Natural Resources shares how she uses historic DNA to unlock the mysteries surrounding century old changes in species population size, range, and disease susceptibility. Her lab not only answers these puzzling questions, but directly implements them into conservation management for endangered species.

How do you measure things that move really fast? With light, of course! Dr. Mette Gaarde, Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, explains how ultrafast pulses of light - think a billionth of a billionth of a second - can be used to uncover very fast processes, like the early stages of a chemical reaction. Along with her research, we learn about what inspired her to become a physicist.

Not only does Dr. Prosanta Chakrabarty, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Curator of Fishes at Louisiana State University’s Museum of Natural Science, travel the world for science - he is an active science communicator! Prosanta is a past TEDxLSU and TED speaker, he was a TED Fellow - a group of “rising stars in their field” impacting the global community, and was recently named TED 2018 Senior Fellow. We catch up with Prosanta in his office following the announcement of being named TED Senior Fellow to learn more about his TED experiences, recent research adventures, and advice for for sharing your science. Music by PCIII, Bramby at Full Gallop available from Free Music Archive.

We are surrounded by single-use plastic. We dispose of plastic bags, water bottles, and coffee stirrers quickly after their uses, yet their existence remains. These persistent plastics find their way into our waterways, leaching toxic chemicals and breaking down into smaller and smaller microscopic pieces, eventually corrupting the entire food web. Dr. Mark Benfield with the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences in the College of Coast & Environment shares his recent research on microplastics in the Mississippi River, which may soon be known as the river of plastic.

How can small, blind cave fishes aid in uncovering the story of continental movement? Dr. Prosanta Chakrabarty, Associate Professor in Biological Sciences and Curator of Fishes at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, travels the world researching the morphology and DNA of fish species to uncover pieces of the world’s deep evolutionary and geological puzzles.

Gravitational waves were first detected September 14, 2015 and the detections have not stopped! How is this possible to discover gravitational waves and black holes? Jonathan Cripe, a graduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, shares his involvement with LIGO, how detections works, and how he is developing next generation black hole detectors.

What stories are locked inside a tree? Clay Tucker, graduate student in the Department of Geography and Anthropology at Louisiana State University, unlocks the mysteries of past hurricanes by reading tree rings to predict future hurricanes along the Louisiana Gulf Coast and advise residents on becoming more resilient to these natural disasters. Theme music is Brumby at Full Gallop by PCIII.

Dr. LiCata, professor in the Louisiana State Department of Biological Sciences, talks about his biochemistry research and gives us insight on how to get into biology on this inaugural Experimental episode. Theme music is Brumby at Full Gallop by PCIII.