Feature Story
LSU Researcher Discovers Great Things

From storm surge forecasting and near-instant flood prediction to coastal restoration and advanced weather monitoring, LSU research helps Louisiana prepare for, withstand, and recover from hurricanes and flooding—protecting lives, infrastructure, and the future of our coast.

LSU Health Shreveport’s year-long federal “Simultaneity Challenge” study examined how overlapping disasters strain healthcare systems, offering lessons from Hurricanes Helene and Milton that could reshape national emergency response and medical preparedness strategies.

LSU Health New Orleans has been selected as one of 11 teams to receive funding from the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Transforming Lifelong Learning Through Precision Education Grant Program, a $12 million investment by the AMA to advance physician training through personalized learning and advanced technology. LSU Health New Orleans will receive $1.1 million over four years to fund its project, “Compassion in Motion.”

LSU Health Shreveport researchers A. Wayne Orr, PhD, Professor of Pathology & Translational Pathobiology, and Arif Yurdagul, PhD, Associate Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, received a $2,869,114 NIH R01 award from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to advance research in cardiovascular disease.

LSU has appointed Dr. Sibel Bargu Ates as Vice Provost & Dean of the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School, effective May 25, 2026. Dr. Bargu Ates, a Professor in the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, has served as Interim Dean of the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School since 2025. She was selected for the role on a permanent basis following a search that engaged faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders from across the university.

LSU's Flagship has surpassed $600 million in annual research activity, building on last year's record-setting milestone when the campuses exceeded $500 million for the first time ever. This marks the fifth consecutive year of recording-breaking research wins and generates approximately $1.65 billion in economic impact for Louisiana.