News Details

St. Joseph’s Academy graduate Savannah Esteve, a 2016 graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy and a 2020 graduate of Louisiana Tech University, has received a national appointment to the United States President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

As a member of PCAST’s Students, Post-Doctoral and Early Career Professionals Subcommittee, Savannah provides input for improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

PCAST was created several decades ago and serves to advise the President on science, technology, education and innovation policy. The council also provides the President with scientific and technical information that is needed to inform public policy relating to the economy, national security and other topics. Members include distinguished individuals from sectors outside of the federal government who have diverse perspectives and expertise in STEM.

Savannah, who has a degree in biomedical engineering, is a human factors engineer at UserWise Inc., where she focuses on helping medical device manufacturers apply usability engineering to their design processes.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to influence the future of the STEM fields,” Savannah said of her appointment to PCAST. “I am excited to provide my perspective based on my experiences and background to help improve the accessibility and diversity within the STEM fields for future generations.”

Savannah said the culture she experienced as a student at SJA played a tremendous role in fueling her passion for science and serving the community. “The environment at SJA encouraged young women to be smart, be involved and speak up,” she said. “The STEM courses, particularly calculus, biology, sports medicine and introduction to engineering, were challenging and engaging, which led me to continue to pursue learning more about the STEM field for my undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering at Louisiana Tech University. SJA undoubtedly instilled in me a passion for working in a STEM field, but it also taught me the importance of recognizing the needs and difficulties of others and using my gifts and opportunities to make others’ lives easier. I am excited to provide my perspective based on my experiences and background to help improve the accessibility and diversity within the STEM fields for future generations.”

Savannah said preparing for and participating in regional and state science fairs as an SJA student were especially impactful. “That was one of the most valuable and influential opportunities I had while at SJA,” she said. “I learned how to identify a problem or a need in the world, develop a testable question, create and execute experiments and present my findings to others. These experiences proved to be valuable skill sets I use every day in my current job and as a foundation for my startup company, Scan2Touch. My 2016 science fair project at SJA inspired me to start a company focused on 3D printing medical scans for special needs, with a particular focus on providing fetal ultrasound models to blind parents.” 

While at Louisiana Tech, Savannah served as an ambassador for the College of Engineering and Science, where she helped improve recruitment through campus tours and virtual outreach. She was a tutor at the Bulldog Achievement Resource Center, helping her fellow students grasp theories and methodologies in chemistry, mathematics and physics. She was a research assistant, developing a microfluidic-based platform for the detection of methylglyoxal-adducted proteins, verified and validated platform functionality and won statewide oral and poster presentation competitions. 

Savannah was a Grand Challenge Scholar, a Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society officer, a member of the Alpha Eta Mu Beta Biomedical Engineering Honor Society, philanthropy chair of Kappa Delta Sorority and president of Louisiana Tech’s Engineering and Science Association.

In September of 2019, Savannah attended the Global Grand Challenges Student Collaboration Lab and Summit in London, England. She represented Louisiana Tech’s Engineering and Science Association and the Southeast Region as Regional Ambassador for the National Association of Engineering Student Councils.

Mindy Brodhead Averitt
Communications Director