Dr. Allyn Schoeffler, assistant professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Earl and Gertrude Vicknair Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, received $89,000 from the Louisiana Board of Regents' Research Competitiveness Subprogram that will support undergraduate research in biochemistry for three years. Her project, "Molecular Determinants of Specialization in Bacterial Topoisomerases from Extreme Environments," will study adaptations in enzymes controlling DNA topology.
Aaron Wiseman ’17 recently started work as an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish. His initial work will be in the civil rights division.
In 2017 the Political Science Outstanding Academic Achievement Award was presented to Aaron Wiseman at the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Convocation.
Mark Tobler is a plant ecologist in the laboratory of Dr. Paul Barnes where they study plant and ecosystem responses to global climate change. In addition, he oversees the Azby rooftop greenhouse that supports teaching, student research and faculty-student collaborations. He is always seeking student volunteers interested in fostering a lifelong passion for plants.
Jaime Jimenez is a senior in the environmental studies and journalism department. He is currently working on his capstone project which involves creating standing snags in Picayune, MS. This conservation project hopes to create habitats to draw in more bird and insect species. He has special consideration of invasive Tung trees in the area. When Jaime isn’t girdling trees you can find him working on a story for The Maroon, cycling on the levee or trying new recipes.
Professor Everett Fulmer presented at a panel about mob violence in the US Capitol. Dr. Fulmer discussed the role of social media in the insurrection. Other members of the panels included Loyola University Professors Mitchell Crusto, John Lovett, Isabel Media, and Justin Nystrom.
Raquel Zumaeta received the Access Path (AP) to Psychology and Law Award for her research project titled, " Community Based De-escalation and Crisis Intervention." The award includes a $3,600 stipend across two semesters, $100 to cover research expenses, and a reimbursement to attend the 2022 AP-LS conference. Raquel's project aims to examine what the Loyola community knows about mental health crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.
Loyola Law school professor, Robert Verchick, who worked in the Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama Administration and has conducted research abroad in India, is now onto his next project, representing Loyola in Louisiana’s effort to protect the planet. Louisiana State Governor John Bel Edwards appointed Verchick to the state’s new Climate Emissions Task Force, the first of its kind in the Gulf South. The task force aims to cut the state’s net greenhouse gas emissions, as well as aid in adjusting to climate change.
Frank Jordan and his students study the ecology of freshwater and estuarine systems, with special emphasis on the biology, management, and conservation of fishes. He is also interested in developing and evaluating new methods for monitoring and modeling population dynamics of imperiled and non-native aquatic organisms. He is always seeking highly motivated students to conduct research in his lab.
Victoria Rodrigues is conducting research on an asian species of swamp eel recently discovered in Bayou St. John. She also received two dive certifications through Loyola and hopes to use these experiences to start a career in coral reef conservation and restoration research.
Latin American Studies and sociology major Sasha Solano-McDaniel knew her final research project for her History of Food in America class last fall would be uploaded on Loyola University’s Documentary and Oral History Studio website, but she didn’t know it would be so well received by Loyola’s Languages and Cultures Department. Says Solano-McDaniel of the project, “Our task was to create an article stemming from a historical menu in 1930’s America.” The result was an historical look at the formation of Mexican-American cuisine.