Baton Rouge Playground Outreach Project
The BRPP group works directly with Baton Rouge and area communities to improve the safety and physical/mental development tools of the public and school playgrounds. Playgrounds are designed to meet and exceed the CPSC voluntary safety regulations and engage young people in physical and social health. Coming soon...
Principal Investigator: Marybeth Lima, Ph.D., P.E., Occidental Chemical Corporation Professor
Bioprocessing & Colloidal Systems Laboratory
The BCS group synthesizes and characterizes nanoparticles and nanocolloidal systems designed for efficient delivery of bioactive components (i.e. vitamins, antioxidants, antifungals, etc.). Controlled-release, safety and bioavailability studies are performed to insure that application-specific (i.e. food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical) criteria for the designed delivery system are met.
Principal Investigator: Cristina M. Sabliov, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Coastal Restoration Engineering
The CRE group designs structures that interact with and ideally enhance estuarine ecosystems, biological productivity, and human health and safety in tropical storms. Development of biologically dominated engineered structures, numerical modeling of possible storm or drainage situations, and consideration of how to balance aquatic life, human health, transportation, urban, agricultural and industrial objectives in engineered coastal systems are each aspects of this growing area. Coming soon...
Principal Investigator: Matthew Faust, Extension Associate
Food Process Engineering
The Food Process group designs systems to improve the efficiency and safety of commercial food processing and packaging. Design and development of unit operation for food processing, value-added processing of foods and utilization of agricultural processing wastes are also explored. Coming soon...
Principal Investigator: Subramanian Sathivel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Louisiana Agriclimatic Information System (LAIS)
The LAIS group collects, processes and distributes detailed climatic data relevent to agricultural production, natural resource management, environmental protection and public safety.
Principal Investigator: Jay Grymes, AgCenter Climatologist
Molecular and Cellular Engineering Laboratory
The MCE laboratory designs systems for biomedical/veterinary applications. The research projects focus on topics in biophotonics to control gene expression for therapeutic applications and bio-MEMs (microelectromechanical systems) for molecular and cellular systems. The lab group also designs for biomechanical and orthopedic applications in animals and humans. Coming soon...
Principal Investigator: W. Todd Monroe, Ph.D., P.E., Armstrong Assistant Professor
Natural Resources and Automation Engineering Laboratory
The NRAE laboratory group designs solutions for aquacultural and coastal applications. This lab uses engineering approaches to enhance the production, safety and sustainability of fresh and marine aquaculture systems, including the design of recirculating aquacultural systems and the use of automation technologies to enhance efficiency and productivity. Improvements in water quality and maintenance or restoration of healthy environments are significant areas of research.
Principal Investigator: Steven G. Hall, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor
Precision Agriculture
The Precision Ag group integrates geo-spatial sensors, electronics and geographic information systems (GIS) in farming applications for the analysis and development of new agricultural equipment and techniques. Testing and performance evaluation of yield monitors, variable-rate application systems (aerial and ground) GPS suitability for aerial application, time-delay issues on variable application and definition of quality issues on variable-rate application are explored. Coming soon...
Principal Investigators: D. Keith Morris, Ph.D., Assistant Professor; Roberto Barbosa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Renewable Energy, Environmental, Byproduct Utilization and Biosensors Laboratory
The REEBUB group designs solutions for bioenergy and environmental applications. Use of solar stills for cost-effective drying of wet plant biomass and animal wastes, low-cost biomass gasification research for on-farm use and hydrothermal liquefaction to convert wet biomass slurries (wood chips, animal wastes) into bio-oils are a few research topics. Production of biodiesel from a variety of feedstocks using an integrated approach (from harvesting techniques, storage and post-harvest processing) for non-traditional feedstock (Chinese tallow tree seeds) is also explored in this research group. Also, innovative methods for extraction and trans-esterification of oils into biodiesel using microwave technology are designed at REEBUB. Coming soon...
Principal Investigators: Chandra S. Theegala, Ph.D., Assistant Professor; Michael P. Mailander, Ph.D., Associate Professor; Dorin Boldor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Value-added Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory
The VBE group designs processing systems for biological materials (soybeans, rice) in value-added applications. Milling of new rice varieties and nutrient (i.e. vitamin E, protein, oil) recovery processing are performed by a pilot-scale mill with individual units for cleaning, shelling, milling and grading rice and equipment for rice bran extrusion, stabilization and oil extraction. Extraction of vitamin E from rice bran and isoflavones from soybeans by batch and continuous microwave extraction is also explored. Coming soon...
Principal Investigators: Marybeth Lima, Ph.D., P.E., Occidental Chemical Corporation Professor; Dorin Boldor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Water Resource Engineering
The WRE group designs systems for irrigation, drainage and flow erosion applications. Current projects include irrigation applications with energy efficiency and water conservation improvements, water-quality modeling applications and investigation of drainage-water management system effects on water quality in agricultural systems where elevation changes are low. Coming soon...
Principal Investigators: Daniel L. Thomas, Ph.D., P.E., Professor; Richard L. Bengtson, Ph.D., P.E., Edward McLaughlin Professor for Excellence in Undergraduate Instruction; Ronald E. Sheffield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor