SU to host annual science conference

Southern University will open its doors to the Louisiana Academy of Sciences on Friday, March 16 for the 81st annual conference for scientific research.
The conference invites members of the academy, composed of professors and students from area public and private colleges and universities, to present the results from years worth of research conducted by the members on various topics and science related fields of study.
According to organizers, topics can range from such common studies as K-12 and higher education to more complex subjects like molecular/biomedical biology and materials science to engineering.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity of having the meeting here at SU,” said Moustapha Diack, a Southern University chemistry professor and the Science Education division director of LAS. “It’s always good to host something of this magnitude in your own backyard.”
According to a press release by LAS, the agenda will consist roughly on a comprehensive base.
There will be a keynote speaker of the day, along with several discipline-focused breakout sessions. The event will include student paper and poster competitions and awards, and there are plans to have a member social during the luncheon.
There is a lengthy list of schools planning to attend this year’s event, including Louisiana State University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, UL at Monroe, Grambling State University and McNeese State University, just to name a few.
“It’s a very positive thing to see how many people are coming to the conference this year,” Diack said. “In years past, the numbers in terms of participation and attendance were much smaller.”
Organizers said Southern has an impressive number of representatives who will be addressing many of the various topics discussed during the conference, most notably in the fields of physics and social sciences.
Vanessa Ferchaud, a Ph.D. student in urban forestry at Southern, and a presenter at the conference, said she is eager to see what the conference will be about on a personal level.
“I really want to share my research,” said Ferchaud, who will be presenting a poster on the comparative wood anatomy of selected southern broadleaf trees. “But I’m more excited that I have a chance to be among colleagues from other universities.”
Something which means fun to anyone interested in science, Diack said.
“The conference serves as a hub for all of the scientific minds across the state of Louisiana to congregate and talk about what we love,” he said. “I’m glad this week has finally arrived.”