News Post

Nine St. Joseph’s Academy students participated in the High School Summer Research (HSSR) Program at the LSU College of Engineering. The outreach initiative is aimed at engaging high-achieving high school students in real research in the fields of engineering, computer science and construction management. HSSR interns learn from faculty research groups and understand how they work, what inspires them and how to continue in fields related to engineering in college and beyond.

SJA participants were Ella Benjamin, Catherine Burkhalter, Mary Jo Dardis, Catherine Hardouin, Alexis Harvey, Alex Hulse, Sophia Manuel, Eliska McMillen and Vincenza Vendetto.

In addition to their work on a research team/project, the HSSR interns attended workshops that included training in safety, research best practices, ethics in research and communication. The program culminated on July 30 with a poster presentation for students to present their research projects to a panel of judges. The presentation was also open to parents, teachers and the public to showcase what the students worked on over much of the summer. 

“I love and appreciate this program so much because it exposes our young women to different areas of engineering that may otherwise be unfamiliar,” said SJA Science Fair Director Jacqueline Savoia. “It also prepares them for college-level presentations and gives them an opportunity to work in a university lab. It is an all-around great opportunity for high school students, and I am so grateful these students were given the opportunity.” 

McMillen said her participation in the HSSR Program was a great experience. “It showed me what college was like and what I need to expect in the coming years,” she said. “Working in the lab and with other students was really rewarding and allowed me to learn and experience things I would not usually in a normal classroom.”

Benjamin said the experience exceeded her expectations. “I had such a fun time being hands on in the lab and learning about things that were on or above college level,” she said. “Going into the lab multiple times a week definitely helped me become comfortable and familiar working in a lab setting, and I enjoyed working with all of those in the lab, as well.”

Hardouin said she enjoyed experiencing the “LSU student engineering lifestyle” as well as gaining insight into the types of projects on which engineers collaborate. “The HSSR program also gave me a clearer understanding of how a science fair project is put together and calibrated, and that allowed me to have a head start when school rolled around,” she said. “I encourage anyone doing science fair next year to apply to the program because, as I always say, ‘You never know unless you try.’ I didn’t know that I would be accepted, and it has truly helped me understand the science project process and given me connections at LSU that I can always come back to.”

Burkhalter said the program provided a great a summer filled with fun and opportunity. “It gave me real-life experience in a college setting to experiment and analyze in the LSU labs with a professor,” she said. “It has opened my eyes and provided me with me memories and experiences that I would not have gotten if I had not done science fair.”

Hulse was equally enthusiastic. “I thought that it was so cool to work in a lab this summer,” she said. “Not only were we able to work in Patrick F. Taylor Hall, a beautiful, highly equipped and newly renovated building, along with LSU engineering professors and students, but we were also able to learn that science and engineering projects take time, several trials and crucial attentiveness. The workshops and poster presentation definitely prepared us for future school, science fair and career-level presentations, as we will now be able to communicate to different audiences clearly, using both visuals and speech. Through these events, I have become closer to other SJA students and have met several students from other schools.”

Mindy Brodhead Averitt
Communications Director

Photos courtesy of LSU College of Engineering