Author: Emily Gautreaux

ULL Grad Student Research Earns National Accolades

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Laboratory grad students are earning national recognition this summer, as learned by a recent university press release.

Recently, a research paper written and presented by grad students, Cristina Ruse and Jamal Ahmadov from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette has won national accolades, including second place in the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts’ International Student Paper Competition held in June.

Both grad students, Ruse and Ahmadov, are pursuing graduate degrees in petroleum engineering and working as research assistants in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Laboratory, a  multidisciplinary consortium of geologists, petroleum engineers, geophysicists and economic development experts from UL Lafayette and four other institutions. In addition to UL Lafayette, the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Laboratory includes researchers from New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Lab, the Missouri University of Science and Technology, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Researchers involved in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Laboratory are studying how to best recover the substantial bounty of oil and gas that is offered by its namesake. The entire Tuscaloosa Marine Shale touches 28 total parishes in south and central Louisiana and several southwesten Mississippi counties. Portions of the formation are 15,000 feet (2.9 miles) beneath the surface with the entire shale containing an estimated 7 billion barrels of light, sweet crude oil. Though, due to the sheer size, depth, and frequently unstable geology, this play– the name the energy industry gives an area where oil and gas exist – is among the most expensive places in the country to drill.

Enter: grad students, Ruse and Ahmadov, who in their paper suggest using machine learning to predict the formation’s geomechanical properties. Ruse said knowing these properties is essential to hydraulic fracturing, one of the methods by which the oil and gas can be extracted. Machine-learning algorithms use statistics to find patterns in large amounts of data. They provide an alternative to other analytical tools, Ruse explained. “Many of the tedious calculations associated with these analytical methods can be eliminated by using the machine-learning model,” that she and Ahmadov propose in their paper.

In Early 2018 the lab’s creation was funded by a $9.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and several energy companies. The consortium is headed by Dr. Mehdi Mokhtari, an associate professor in UL Lafayette’s Department of Petroleum Engineering. The grant funding the lab’s creation is part of an initiative by the Energy Department’s Office of Fossil Energy to examine unconventional oil and gas plays.

The nonprofit Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts was founded in 1959. Its annual symposium enables students to present research findings and offers scholarship opportunities.

ULL grad student, Ruse received SPWLA scholarships in 2018, 2019 and again this year with Ahmadov being a two-time recipient, in both 2019 and 2020. Also among this year’s scholarship recipients from UL Lafayette were Asiman Saidzade, a petroleum engineering graduate student who’s also a research assistant in the Tuscaloosa lab, and Shelby J. Stewart, an MBA student and the lab’s research coordinator.

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Celebrate Anything With Nachos Supreme

Nachos have officially been canonized in Mexican, Tex-Mex, and American cuisine for their casual, yet tasty nature. Always aesthetically and culinarily-appetizing, a plate of nachos is equally enjoyable as a game day snack, bowling alley platter, or picnic snack tray, so make your next event spectacular with Delish’s Nachos Supreme recipe.

The following recipe is foolproof, expected to be delicious, but the preparer is free to mix and match with your favorite ingredients. No matter the toppings, surely, this platter of combined corn chips, veggies, and of course cheese, will be sure to please whoever partakes. The recipe takes a total of 50 minutes from conception to plating, and it’s set to serve 6-8 servings. Preparation time for this recipe is only fifteen minutes, so grab the following ingredients:

Nachos:

  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp. taco seasoning
  • kosher salt
  • 1 (15-oz.) can refried beans
  • 1/4 c. water
  • 1 large bag tortilla chips
  • 2 c. shredded cheddar
  • 2 c. Shredded Monterey jack
  • 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained
  • 1/2 c. pickled jalapeños

Topping:

  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
  • Sour cream, for drizzling
  • Hot sauce, for drizzling

Directions for Nachos Supreme:

  1. Preheat oven to 425º and line a large baking sheet with foil. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 6 minutes more. Drain fat.
  2. Add garlic and taco seasoning and season with salt. Cook until meat is well browned and slightly crispy, 5 minutes more. Add refried beans and water to skillet and stir until combined.
  3. Add half the tortilla chips and top with beef-bean mixture, half the cheese, half the black beans, and half the pickled jalapeños. Repeat one more layer.
  4. Bake until cheese is melty, 15 minutes.
  5. Scatter with tomato, avocado, green onions, and cilantro. Drizzle with sour cream and hot sauce and serve immediately.

Frequently-Asked Questions about Nachos:

  • Can nachos be considered healthy?
    • Of course! The nachos this particular recipe yields aren’t considered the most healthy, but substituting a hefty serving of veggies is a great step towards health-conscious nachos. Check out these Zucchini Nachos, Bell Pepper Nachos, or Cauliflower Nachos—they’re all great substitutes! 
  • Are nachos fried of Baked?
    • Nachos themselves are baked, but the corn chips are usually fried.
  • What kind of cheese is used with nachos?
    • While Monterey Jack and cheddar have their fans, your options are limitless, as long as the cheese melts! 
  • Do you put salsa on nachos before cooking?

It’s certainly not recommended, as any ingredients you want to retain freshness and crunch should be added after the nachos go into the oven. Herbs, greens, tomatoes, fresh salsa, avocado, and guacamole are not good when served warm.

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Unforgettable Southern Lakes

The ideal southerner loves iced tea, preferably a little sweet and sipped on the dock of a gorgeous summer lake, spending full days barefoot unless dinner calls for flip-flops, and they happily live life at a slower pace. Collected by Southern Living Magazine, here are a handful of can’t-miss southern lake visits to brighten up your year. Whether you crave the speed of water sports, prefer the solitude of a mountain lake, or count down the moments to the daily floating hour, you’ll find a place to dive right into some of summer’s greatest pleasures.

Lady Bird Lake, Texas

Located downstream from the large homes and powerboats of Lake Austin is the quieter, more memorable southern lake named Lady Bird Lake, which allows only non-motorized boats. Imagines as a reflection to this music-loving town, Lady Bird boasts its own venue at Auditorium Shores, a wide riverbank slope that hosts concerts. Discover Lady Bird’s hidden local secret: a side trip on the lake’s famous tributary, Barton Creek. Rent a kayak from Rowing Dock and discover the small dam that holds Barton Springs Pool.

Stonewall Jackson Lake, West Virginia

There’s not enough hours in a single day to contain the amount of fun had at this luxurious state resort set  in the middle of 2,000-acre Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park. Book a room at the lodge on the lake’s shore, cruise the waters of Stonewall Jackson Lake on a pontoon boat, or tee it up on an Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course.

Missouri’s Table Rock Lake at Big Cedar Lodge

Started by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, this heavenly lodge property is located on a nearly 60,000-acre lake just outside Branson, Missouri.Big Cedar Lodge’s gentle call of the wild fills all 81 cabins, 3 lodges, 4 restaurants, and 100 boat slips. Guests can choose between cottages, cabins, and handsome hotel rooms in one of three ridge-side lodges. Access is incredibly easy―the brand-new $140-million Branson airport is just 10 miles from the lodge.

Lake Guntersville, Alabama

This quintessential southern lake experience is known as one of Alabama’s prettiest patches of fresh water―Lake Guntersville. But the small city holds a few shopping and dining surprises that could have easily been plucked from much more urban areas such as Birmingham and Huntsville. Though, you’re here for the lake and its calming qualities will ease you through this relaxing weekend.

Lake Santeetlah, North Carolina

Lake Santeetlah’s 76 miles of shoreline are mostly protected as national forest.Enjoy the silence via canoe, sea kayak or stand up paddleboard. Afterward, head to the lakeside bar and dock at Blue Waters Mountain Lodge. Editor’s tip: For lakeside camping with a few amenities–hot showers and flush toilets–Cheoah Point Campground has car campsites for $20 a night.

Lake Martin, Alabama

Known as a popular second-home lake to Birmingham and Montgomery residents, this southern lake, Lake Martin, holds a population of full-time lakeside dwellers. On the weekends, boats raft up at Chimney Rock, a prominent cliff-jumping spot near the dam, inviting you to partake.

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Louisiana Universities Partner to Deliver STEM Program to Northeast Louisiana

Three Louisiana universities are banding together to create the Louisiana STEM Pathways Consortium which allows for the delivery of the LaSTEM Pathways curricula, teacher training and so much more across the state of Louisiana, as learned from a News Star article.

The partner universities uniting for this project are the University of Louisiana Monroe, the Louisiana State University’s Gordon A. Cain Center and McNeese State University; all three will work with their regional high school systems to implement the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved STEM curricula created by LSU faculty.

As a partner in the Stem Pathways program, Louisiana universities in the ULM system will work with Northeast Louisiana school systems in order to provide intensive training to teachers in the high-demand field of  biomedical sciences and computing, which will enable each of the university’s four colleges to participate.

ULM’s Dean of the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences, John Pratte said of the partnership, “This is an effort across several colleges within ULM and with school districts in more than 14 parishes. It is a tremendous opportunity for ULM to partner with LSU and McNeese to provide workforce and education training.”

The LaSTEM Pathways program is aiming to provide Louisiana high school students with an opportunity to enroll in progressive sequence of up to eight standards-based projects and inquiry-based STEM courses in order to attain “industry-promulgated” credentials, university-issued certificates of course completion and/or dual enrollment credit. Students completing this pathway will graduate with either a career-tech diploma or an enhancement to their university prep diploma alongside a Silver or Gold STEM Diploma Seal.

Under Louisiana’s current approved state education funding formula, any school districts offering a BESE (Board of Elementary and Secondary Education)– approved LaSTEM Pathway course that is taught by a trained and LSU-certified teacher will receive $482 per student per course in the form of Career Tech and Career Development supplements. In the case of the LaSTEM Pathways Program, the bulk of student credentialing will be completed by LSU or ULM.

This educationally and community-rich partnership is set to reward the Louisiana universities, educators involved, and most of all the students hoping to get a “leg up” in STEM fields of employment.

LSU’s Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences, Ron Berry, said of the venture, “four of our faculty have been training with LSU faculty this summer to prepare for their role in training regional high school teachers. We look forward to working with our secondary school partners across the region to improve STEM education through this partnership.”

Professor of Political Science and Public Administration and LaSTEM Coordinator, John Sutherlin added, “A great deal of thanks goes to Billy Dean Blackett, a board member of the Louisiana Environmental Education Commission and a longtime advocate of education and ULM. Dean helped bring all of the parties to the table, which led to this exciting and very promising partnership. His commitment to providing opportunities for young people across our region is exceptional.”

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One Dish Dinner Recipes

Even the most decorated chef can be discouraged after a decadent meal by the sheer mass of dirty dishes to be washed following the final bite. That’s why the following list of one dish dinners, as presented by Martha Stewart, is perfect for those wanting to minimize their kitchen mess and maximize their palette’s enjoyment.

Roasted Salmon, Red Cabbage, and New Potatoes-One dish dinner

Be the hero of your household with this healthy, hearty, and heralded recipe. The cabbage and potatoes go into the oven first in this sheet-pan supper. A meaty salmon fillet flavored with mustard, horseradish, and lemon zest is then roasted atop the vegetables.

Butternut Squash Baked Risotto

This one dish dinner vegetarian meal is a rich, satisfying supper that gives you the creaminess of risotto without the hovering. Butternut squash and kale cook along with short-grain Arborio rice, making this risotto extra hearty and sweet. After sautéing for a few minutes on the stove, this dish goes into the oven—unlike most risottos, there’s no need to stand and stir!

Three-Cheese Skillet Lasagna

A simple garlicky tomato sauce and 3 Italian cheeses make this super-quick version of lasagna especially delicious and an easy one dish dinner. Canned plum tomatoes and fresh garlic make an easy, flavorful marinara sauce. Baking the lasagna in the same skillet used to simmer the tomato sauce makes this pasta dish extra quick to whip up.

Pressure-Cooker Chile Verde

As the days and nights turn cooler, dial up the heat with our easy pressure-cooker one dish dinner, chile verde. Simply sauté an onion and brown a pork shoulder, then stoke the stew with green chiles and store-bought salsa. Invite some friends over, and you’re ready to party. No pressure cooker? No problem—here’s a one-pot version for the stovetop, too.

One-Pot Seafood Orzo Risotto

Easy and delicious as well as a real stunner, this winner dinner comes together in less than an hour. It’s a paella-like pasta dish that cooks on the stovetop, then your choice of seafood is added and the dish goes under the broiler until it’s cooked through. The secret to the perfectly cooked seafood in this paella-like pasta dish?

Korean Beef Chuck Roast

Savory and utterly delectable, this one dish dinner will have you praised in the kitchen and dinner table. Season the beef with salt and pepper the evening before and refrigerate covered for the best flavor throughout this Korean Beef Chuck Roast. You can also shred the slow-cooked meat to make delicious Korean Beef Tacos.

Broiled Spicy Peanut Chicken

Just because a recipe is simple, doesn’t make it any less appetizing or memorable. Delicious one dish dinner surprise: Boneless chicken thighs and broccolini, both coated in a chili-spiked peanut sauce, emerge caramelized after broiling for just 10 minutes.

Chow Mein

This Chinese-American restaurant staple pairs crispy fried noodles with chicken and vegetables stir-fried in a thick brown sauce. This family-friendly one dish dinner couldn’t be easier to make.

One-Pan Pasta

Cheesy, rich, and flavorful, this tasty one dish pasta dinner couldn’t be easier to make—all of your ingredients cook in one large-sided skillet.

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Louisiana Museums Worth a Visit

It’s accepted and widely understood that Louisiana is best-known for music and food, but the state’s roster of attractions shine well outside the walls of its notorious restaurants and music lounges as the best museums in Louisiana are, in a multitude of ways, some of the most appreciated and unique collections of art, history, and culture across the globe. As collected in an article by Timeout, here are a half-dozen fascinating museum opportunities within striking distance of the Great Southern Boot.

Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu

Carnival Celebrations of Mardi Gras are found all across the Gulf Coast, not just in New Orleans. This museum, located in Southwest Louisiana’s Lake Charles, shares the history of the entire celebrated holiday. With rooms packed with memorabilia, from floats to throws and feather-covered costumes, there’s a ton to see, and much of it is hands-on. It’s a fun way to gain a deeper understanding of Mardi Gras, especially if your visit sadly doesn’t coincide with seeing an actual parade.

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

With all the gifts New Orleans has given to the world, cocktails and modern pharmacies are atop the list, and their intertwined histories are explored in this New Orleans-based Louisiana museum. The first licensed pharmacist in the United States was Louis J. Dufilho, Jr., whose pharmacy was located in this French Quarter shop, now packed with exhibits focusing on the history of pharmaceuticals (and, yes, cocktails).

Marlene Yu Museum

Leave it to the daughter of famed New York-based, Taiwan-born abstract expressionist painter Marlene Yu to spearhead a project that converted Shreveport’s old YMCA into the proper space to display her mother’s world-renowned, 33-feet-long paintings. Along with Yu’s extraordinary nature-inspired work, the Louisiana museum displays the work of other contemporary artists, from both the burgeoning regional scene and around the world, as well as dance and live performance art.

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol

This 165-year old statehouse has been re-fashioned into a museum detailing the often sordid history of the Louisiana Political system. The castle-like exterior of the museum is a draw unto itself, with its stunning architectural details, including a cast-iron spiral staircase and a breathtaking stained-glass rotunda. Alongside its permanent state history exhibits, it also features rotating exhibitions focusing on Louisiana art and photography.

Tabasco Factory and Jungle Gardens

See where our cuisine gets its kick with this Avery-Island-based former visitor center and enjoy a top-tier food and history experience at this Louisiana museum. The small museum is packed with artifacts and interactive exhibits detailing the history of the salt dome upon which the McIlhenny family built their Tabasco fortune, from prehistory to the present day.

Abita Mystery House

This Louisiana museum Located in Abita Springs, this bizarre roadside attraction is more outsider art hoard and folk collection emporium than a proper museum, but finding things to gawk at on the overstuffed shelves and walls is where the fun is at. Folk art, crypto-taxidermy, thousands of bottle caps, hand-built moving dioramas, vintage arcade games are only few of the many objects found here.

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