Recent Events

December 13, 2024 - Round 2 of Shristi's seafood waste valorization project! A big thank you to Erik for all the help and guidance in setting up these trials.

December 5-6, 2024 - We start our quarterly Sea Grant meeting today! It's always great for the team to get together and discuss recent events in our respective areas. I presented new opportunities for the BlueBoat and coastal research! 

December 4, 2024 - Mason and I went to check on the floating solar panel today in Hammond. They are still floating! We will be changing the orientation to optimize the energy generation for the engineering team to model. 

November 22, 2024 - Great day for a BlueBoat demo with some fantastic company! 

November 13-14, 2024 - We had such a great meeting in Alexandria at the LSU AgCenter Extension Summit! So many good conversations with agents and faculty from around the state on potential collaboration in water. 

November 6, 2024 - A big thank you to Pinnacle Polymer for hosting our team and teaching us about sustainable manufacturing! It is great to see companies so interested in water and energy conservation. 

November 5, 2024 - I had a great day at the Hammond Research Station working with the Southwest ANR agents. Today's water quality lecture topic was "Understanding Pond Health through Water Quality Parameters".  We also were able to show the agents our floating solar modules and new BlueBoat with YSI Water Quality Sensors! 

November 4, 2024 - Thank you Dr. Walsh for the invite (and pictures) to speak with the Ag Residents College for opportunities in agricultural water quality. It was a fun presentation to showcase how interesting agricultural research can be! 

November 4, 2024 - I had a great morning at the Pontchartrain Restoration Program Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan working group session! A big thank you to Dr. John White for the invite to participate and be a part of the group moving forward. 

October 30, 2024 - Mason and Nick are getting closer to a field trip to crawfish farms. They testing the sonde and boat today in LSU Lake! 

October 17, 2024 - A big thank you to Dr. Stacia Conger for the invite to the Louisiana Irrigation Association continued education workshop. I enjoyed talking about some of our lab's research projects and how they will impact the water quality around the state. 

October 17, 2024 - Great day in Crowley with LDH and the sanitarians from around the state. This was the last Onsite Wastewater Installers Workshop for the year. *Update: I officially passed the test and am technically a certified installer! 

October 15, 2024 - I had such a great opportunity to meet and learn from Dr. Shalamar Armstrong (Purdue University) about his research in the Soil Ecosystem and Nutrient Dynamics (SEND) Lab! Dr. Armstrong came and toured the Water Quality Extension Lab and discussed overlaps for future collaborations. I am looking forward to the many opportunities to come! 

October 11, 2024 - A big thanks to Southern University Environmental Toxicology and Dr. Welsey Gray for letting me come over and give a guest lecture to their seminar class. We had a great turnout at the seminar and had very inquisitive questions. I hope the presentation sparked some interest in our upcoming EPA P2 Pilot Program. 

October 10, 2024 - Great news...The BlueBoat made its maiden voyage (with Nick and Mason) and the software ran great! Bad news...we broke a prop and cut the day short. Great first day on the water and an easy fix for the team! 

October 8, 2024 - I had a great experience today at the Adopt-a-Pond workshop in St. Tammany Parish. A really big thank you to Carol Franze for the invite! I am excited to continue participating in these events and promote water quality to local school networks. 

September 30, 2024 - A big thanks to Nicholls State University Chemistry Department and Dr. Darcey Wayment for letting me come down and give a guest lecture to their seminar class. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet the students and faculty, while also sneaking in a tour! I hope the presentation was enlightening for the students who are exploring future careers in water quality. 

September 25, 2024 - The Sea Grant team took a trip to Avery Island to talk about sustainable agricultural practices with the Tabasco Factory. A big thank you to Kip and Christian for taking the time to talk with us and walk us around the ponds!

September 24, 2024 - I had a great opportunity to speak as a panelist for the USDA State Directors meeting at South Port in Reserve! Big thank you to the USDA (Deidre Robert, Chaston Price, Whey McGrew, and Matt Seaton) for the invitation to speak. It was great to meet my fellow panelists as well: Greg Richardson - Port of Columbia, Roger Timoteo - CEO NextEnergy Group, and Paul Matthews - Executive Director Port of South Louisiana (not pictured). Photo taken by Portia Langley.

September 18, 2024 - Nick and Mysha had the opportunity to visit NATCO Food Service today for a water conservation assessment. We would like to thank the NATCO team, especially Will and Martin for hosting our team and teaching us about day-to-day operations in the meat processing business.  

September 17, 2024 - Our team got a shoutout from the EPA Region 6 Facebook for our work at a local manufacturer! 

September 3, 2024 - There is something new coming to this spot in the near future! A new toy thanks to the USDA Equipment Grant Program and a great group of AgCenter and Southern Univeristy collaborators. Stay tuned to find out what it is! 

August 28, 2024 - Congrats Nick for getting funded through the LSU Discover Program to Develop the Framework for Agricultural Energy Optimization at Crawfish Farms using Water Quality Sensing. He will work with our lab this year to build a foundation for his future research endeavors.

August 24, 2024 - Headed to Natchez today to present Best Practices for Meat Processors Water Quality Enhancement at the Louisiana Meat Processors Association General Meeting. A big thank you to Matt, Joe, and all the LAMPA members in attendance for the invitation and listening to the talk. 

August 22, 2024 - After a long day on Wednesday of picking up waste, Shristi was able to start her project today for seafood waste valorization! A big thank you to Erik and Tori for all the help and guidance in setting up the preliminary trials.

August 20, 2024 - I had a great opportunity to present the progress from the LSU Institute of Energy Innovation-funded Floating Solar Project to Veolia North America. This project has the perfect blend of research and extension to showcase sustainable agricultural practices for long-term community resiliency. 

August 19, 2024 - It was a great day in the field with these guys deploying our Ag solar units at the Hammond Research Station! Big thanks to Mason and Nick for their hard work to get these things up today. 

August 15, 2024 - We had to get a bigger room! It was a great workshop with all the attendees at the Baton Rouge Onsite Wastewater Installers Course. I even got to take this go around, so fingers crossed I passed! 

August 14, 2024 - I want to say thank you to ECU's Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering (CSE3) Program for letting me present to their manufacturing network on Water Conservation Practices in Louisiana Industries. It was a great opportunity to showcase our state's diverse manufacturing landscape and dedication to pollution prevention! 

August 8, 2024 - Congrats Karrie for presenting your post at the LSU Gulf Scholars Research Poster Session! Great work this summer and thank you Gulf Scholar for the opportunity to do this research. Picture by Ella Magerl. 

August 5, 2024 - We have a ton of samples from our first collaboration! Mysha is working to get them processed and run on her instrument! 

August 1, 2024 - Shristi has been working on a method for fluorescence amino acid detection on the HPLC for a few weeks now and was able to isolate the initial peaks today!!! A huge research win after some long hours of method development. 

July 24, 2024 - Thank you Omega Protein (especially Byran, Hannah, and Dalton) for letting our students come down to learn about your facility and sustainability initiative! We have some really great projects aligned for the future at this facility. Big shout out to Mark Shirley and Thu Bui for getting us connected with the facility. 

July 19, 2024 - Today we had the opportunity to present the floating solar panels at the 2024 Hammond Research Station Horticulture Field Day. It was great to talk to stakeholders in the nursery and gardening industry. Thank you to the Hammond Research Team (Jeb, Damon, and all the staff) and the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association for hosting and letting us speak at the event. 

July 17, 2024 - A rainy day in the field, but the floating units are officially deployed! Big shout out to Mason for the design and build on this project (and bonus points for the stellar picture)!  

July 12, 2024 - Hard to explain exactly what we do in the lab, but this picture sums it up...a little bit of everything. From left to right: Mysha is working on the Gallery for her nutrient sorption project, Mason is finalizing his floating solar platforms, and Shrisit is preparing the HPLC for amino acid method development. You never know what type of project our team will be working on! 

July 11, 2024 - Thanks to Alyssa, Kyle, and Purdin Koi Farms for having our undergraduate team on the farm today! It was a great experience to see such a unique Louisiana industry and Shristi was also able to get some samples for her Master's project. 

July 3, 2024 - What a researcher will do for science...Mason and I are finalizing the design for the floating solar units!

June 26, 2024 - We had a great Rainwater Catchment and Water Quality Workshop yesterday in St. Bernard Parish. A big thank you to participants, Anna Timmerman, Dominique Seibert, Heather Kirk-Ballard, and the Docville Farms Team for putting the event together! 

June 19, 2024 - A big thanks to one of the local food processors our team has worked with during an assessment for donating these 55-gallon blue drums for our research and extension work! Rainwater harvesting? Pontoons for floating solar? Digestion chambers for shrimp shells? The possibilities are endless! 

June 11, 2024 - Nothing like a hot summer day for Mason to do a field calibration on our YSI Sondes! 

June 10, 2024 - Elbow deep in wastewater effluent and knowledge! Took a few students to collect wastewater and shells from local seafood processors. Summer research is moving full throttle.  

May 29, 2024 - The team had a great trip to LeMoyen Lumber Mill yesterday! Thank you to our host Andre Herpin for showing us around the facility and detailing the milling process for pine. We are excited to continue partnering with their team on projects in the near future. 

May 24, 2024 - I didn't know the Water Quality Extension Lab could get any cooler...but it did! Now I just need to hire a captain to start our team's deployable dissolved oxygen and nutrient reduction research! 

May 22, 2024 - Tara, Nick, and Mason from the Water Quality Extension Lab had a great opportunity to see a very unique manufacturer yesterday. A big thank you to the Samson Rope team for having us at the site and working toward a more sustainable future! 

May 16, 2024  - The Water Quality Extension Lab hosted our second Onsite Wastewater Installers Workshop in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health for sanitarians to be certified and licensed. A big thanks to the Dean Lee Research Station for letting me host, Paula and Shane from LDH for support, and the workshop participants for their active participation throughout the workshop! 

May 15, 2024 - Our team had a great trip to Supreme Rice for a USDA water and energy conservation assessment! A big thanks to Danny, Brad, and Matt for educating our team on such an advanced agricultural business. We look forward to a continued partnership with the Surpeme Rice team.  

May 11, 2024 - Congrats Thao for finishing up exams! The Water Quality Extension Lab wishes you the best in your new position at Exxon! 

May 10, 2024 - A big thanks to the Louisiana Meat Processors Association Board for inviting me to their meeting to discuss sustainability resources. Our team is excited to work with processors in your network! 

May 2, 2024 - The team was able to take a trip to an alligator processor and talk with them about sustainability recommendations. Hopefully, this is the start of a great partnership!

April 30, 2024 - Great day at the Sugar Research Station doing a demo for the Agricultural Career Day. Today's topic was implementing water quality technology in agriculture. A big thank you to Lanette Hebert and Dr. Kiki Fontenot for inviting me to career day and to YSI (for letting me borrow a demo since mine is deployed).

April 29, 2024 - Just a professor and his YSI EXO2 Sonde...We went and grabbed the next set of data from our wastewater treatment partners. This marks the first full month of data from our two deployable units. 

April 25, 2024 -  Lion Elastomers in Giesmar hosted our team for a sustainability assessment to end the week! Mysha was all able to see what able to tour the polymers facility and see where the water quality team could make recommendations. 

April 19th, 2024 - We are getting close to deployment!!! More images to come.

April 17, 2024 - The team spent the day with the Algiers Drink Water facility in New Orleans learning about the West Banks drinking water treatment process! Mason and Thao made the trip to see how Mississippi River Water is processed for clean drinking water. 

April 15, 2024 - Our first data set for the wastewater treatment partnership! The YSI Sondes survived 2 weeks in the ponds and gave us solid data sets. 50 more weeks to go! 

April 9, 2024 - I had a great opportunity to present LSU AgCenter's Water and Energy Conservation Program at the Louisiana Alligator Farmers and Ranchers Association meeting today!  A big thank you to Mark Shirley for inviting me down to speak. 

March 28, 2024 - Sensors have officially been deployed and Mason's project has begun! Thank you to both of our partners Gonzales Wastewater Treatment (Darren, Mark, and Jackie) and the Xylem Team (especially Megan and Lisa) for helping us get this project going. There should be a lot of great data opportunities in the near future. 

March 27, 2024 - The Water Quality Extension Lab hosted our first Onsite Wastewater Installers Workshop in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health for sanitarians to be certified and licensed. A big thanks to the Hammond Research Station for letting me host, Richard and Paula from LDH for support, and the workshop participants for their active participation throughout the workshop! 

March 26, 2024 - USDA announces renewable energy grant for rural parishes! Thank you to LSU Agcenter for hosting and USDA Rural Development Director Dr. Deidre Robert, Business Program Director Whew McGrew, and Business Cooperative Programs Specialist Chaston Price for making the trip down to help promote our program.

March 22, 2024 - The team traveled to Community Coffee today to see another unique manufacturing facility! Thank you to the entire Community Coffee team for taking the time to show students the process! 

March 18-19, 2024 - We are down in Crowley at the Rice Station to have our quarterly Sea Grant meeting this week! It's always great to see everyone and hear about what is going on around the state. 

March 15, 2024 - Pod Packs International in Baton Rouge hosted our team for a sustainability assessment to end the week! Mason, Mysha, and Shristi were all able to see what a packaging plant looks like and found some unique ways that water plays a role in ground coffee packaging. 

March 11, 2024 - A big thank you to Todd and Henry at Windmill Nursery for taking the time to show our team one of the most sustainable Ag operations in Louisiana. Our students had an amazing learning experience and look forward to the upcoming collaboration! 

March 7, 2024 - Blue Runner Beans in Gonzales was an awesome host for your team today! Mysha was able to see the processors to make and package local beans. 

March 6, 2024 - The team spent the morning with the Fluker's Farm team learning about insect farming in Port Allen! We want to thank Erik, Damian, and Tori for taking the time to discuss the process and insect farming operation. 

March 5, 2024 - A big thank you to Chris Smith for letting me come speak to his Urban Tree Physiology students today about research and extension opportunities with the LSU Water Quality Extension Lab. This could be a spark for some great student researchers in the near future! 

March 5, 2024 - Our team had a great trip to Bergerons Pecans in New Roads for a USDA water and energy conservation assessment! A big thanks to Andre and his team for educating us on a unique agricultural business. There will be many more collaborations to come from this partnership! 

March 4, 2024 - Another one installed! The Shimadzu Nexera HPLC has been officially moved into the lab. Our team will have a training session later this month and then...research begins! 

February 28, 2024 - The team visited Deltech Monomers today! Mason and Thao were able to experience a great example of sustainable wastewater processing at a chemical facility. There should be an interesting water recommendation in the works! 

February 27, 2024 - A big thank you to the entire Thermo Fisher Scientific team (AJ, Hannah, and Larry) for helping our team get the new Gallery Discrete Analyzer installed and operational! Also, shout out the Dr. Adbi and Ashely for making the trip over to see that training.  Plenty of great collaborations on the horizon!

February 22, 2024 - Another great day at the Hammond Research Station working with Dr. Abdi and the Landscape Pest Management Workshop. Today's water quality lecture topic was "Fate and Transport of Pesticide in Waterways". 

February 8, 2024 - Today is the day! The Thermo Scientific Galler Discrete Analyzer has been installed. Our team will have a training session later this month and then...research begins! 

February 7, 2024 - Mysha and Thao were able to visit USALCO plant in Port Allen for a sustainability assessment today!

February 1, 2024 - The team spent the day with the Sewage & Water Board in New Orleans learning about the drinking water treatment process! Shristi and Mysha made the trip to see the surface water processing for Orleans Parish.

January 31, 2024 - Mason, Thao, and Mysha had the opportunity to visit EMR Recycling today for a water conservation assessment. We would like to thank the EMR team, especially Winston and Tony for hosting our team and teaching us about day-to-day operations. 

January 24, 2024 - Our team had a great trip to Purdin Koi Farms for a USDA water and energy conservation assessment! A big thanks to Alyssa and Kyle for educating our team on such a unique agricultural business. We look forward to a continued partnership with the Purdin team.  

January 8th, 2024 - The LSU Water Quality Extension Lab had our first official team meeting yesterday. Be prepared for great research/extension work to come from the lab and these students in the next few semesters! 

December 18, 2023 - We took a trip to Gonzales to visit a waste stabilization pond and municipal facility to finalize the framework for 2024 projects! There is some great extension and research on the horizon! 

December 14-15, 2023 - We start our quarterly Sea Grant meeting today! It's always great for the team to get together and discuss recent events in our respective areas. Dr. Hayes will be giving a presentation tomorrow on sources of water quality for south Louisiana communities. 

December 4, 2023 - Today was our team's first USDA water and energy conservation assessment with Chris & Camille's Family Farm. A big thanks to Mike Veal and his family for hosting our team as we look for opportunities to help their microgreen and leafy vegetable farm continue to grow! 

December 1, 2023 - Great day at the Hammond Research Station working with the new ANR agents. Today's water quality lecture topic was "Identifying the sources of agricultural water quality for Louisiana communities".