Skip To Content Skip To Left Navigation
NSF Logo Search GraphicGuide To Programs GraphicImage Library GraphicSite Map GraphicHelp GraphicPrivacy Policy Graphic
OLPA Header Graphic
 
     
 

NSF Partnership Information by State

 

Louisiana

Louisiana's State Flag

NSF and Louisiana

In FY 2002 the NSF provided 175 awards totaling approximately $31 million to 21 institutions in the State of Louisiana.

Institutions in Louisiana that received NSF support in FY 2002 include, Tulane University, University of New Orleans, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Tech University, Xavier University, Southern University, and the Elaine P. Nunez Community College.

.

Projects Currently Funded By NSF In Louisiana Include:

  • Laser Inferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory — Louisiana is home to one half of the largest project ever funded by the National Science Foundation, the $365 million Laser Inferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO). The Louisiana LIGO site in Livingston Parish works in unison with a sister site in the State of Washington to explore the fundamental nature of gravity through the detection of gravitational waves, helping to validate a key theory of nature proposed by Albert Einstein. LIGO has the potential to open an entirely new frontier of scientific research. To be able to detect previously undetectable gravitational waves LIGO will have some of the most sensitive scientific instrumentation and powerful supercomputing capabilities in the world.


  • Microbial and Nutrient Controls in Mangrove Ecosystems — This project at the National Wetlands Research Center conducts research on mangrove forests, which dominate the world's tropical and subtropical coasts. Ecological processes here are influenced by inputs from the land, sea, and sky, which result in extreme fluctuations of flooding, salinity, temperature, light, and nutrient availability. Mangrove-associated organisms have specialized physiological and structural adaptations that sustain them in this variable environment. Human-caused enrichment is one of the major global threats to these coastal ecosystems. This study will explore the relationships among physical and chemical factors, nutrients, microbes, trees, and elemental cycling on offshore mangrove islands.


  • Effects of Cationic Substituents on the Cope Rearrangement — This Research at Undergraduate Institutions award to Xavier University of Louisiana supports a study of the Cope Rearrangement, which is a reaction where new carbon-carbon bonds are made with high regio- and sterio selectivity, via the reorganization of a 1,5-hexadiene. The goal of this study is to determine whether the reaction rate can be accelerated with the attachment of cationic substituents on the reactive core of the system. The formation of carbon-carbon bonds is at the heart of organic chemistry, yet there are a limited number of ways to construct them. The creation of the carbon-based skeleton often represents much of the challenge in synthesis. The project will provide undergraduates with the opportunity to participate in all aspects of this research.


  • Nanoengineered Shells for Encapsulation and Controlled Release — This project at Louisiana Tech University targets the synthesis of nanoscale functional materials and their potential for applications in medical and biological areas. The research team has been assembled to develop methods for fabrication of useful composite materials based on principles of self-assembly and includes researchers in chemistry, physics, engineering, biomaterials, and pharmacology. The nano-encapsulation method to be elaborated involves the formation of a colloidal core with defined composition and size and the preparation of an outer shell providing the required stability, permeability, compatibility, release of core material, and catalytic of affinity properties.

For more information on Louisiana and NSF, please contact the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs at 703-292-8070.

Useful Links:

Louisiana's Home Page

Louisiana Governor's Office

Louisiana Department of Economic Development


 
 
     
 

 
National Science Foundation
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22230, USA
Tel: 703-292-8070
FIRS: 800-877-8339 | TDD: 703-292-5090
 

NSF Logo Graphic