Tulane School of Science and Engineering

05/29/2026

From New Orleans to Paris! 🌊✈️🗼 Big news out of Newcomb-Tulane College: a recent NTC graduate is officially heading to France after being named an inaugural Lafayette Fellow!

This brand-new, incredibly prestigious scholarship—backed by the French Embassy and Villa Albertine—selects exceptional U.S. graduates for fully-funded master’s programs at top French institutions. Alongside their studies, they will take part in an elite leadership program, meeting world-renowned thinkers, visiting key European institutions, and building lasting international ties.

We couldn't be prouder to see a Tulanian stepping onto the global stage to shape the future of transatlantic collaboration. Félicitations! 🎉🇫🇷
https://college.tulane.edu/recent-ntc-graduate-paris-bound-lafayette-fellowship

05/28/2026

Congratulations to our Tulane University Leadership Institute (TULI) 2026 Graduates from SSE! Both Dr. Ahmad Majed from Physics and Sarah Berry from the Dean's Office were participants in the Intercultural Leadership Program (ILP). We're proud of their accomplishments and can't wait to see what they do next!

05/27/2026

Marc Théberge came to SSE as an athlete. He left as a scientist. Now he's splitting his PhD between the NIH Vaccine Research Center and Cambridge University, working to understand why some HIV-infected cells survive antiretroviral therapy — and how to eliminate them.

His team published findings in Nature that challenged long-held assumptions in the field. His next goal? Contributing to a cure for HIV within his lifetime.

Read more: https://sse.tulane.edu/diamond-discovery

05/27/2026

“Your degree is not simply recognition of what you have learned. It is recognition of what you are now prepared to do.”

Ten days later, we’re still reflecting on the energy, pride, and emotion of the 2026 Tulane School of Science and Engineering Commencement Ceremony. 🎓🌊

More than 500 SSE graduates crossed the stage inside the Caesars Superdome, representing disciplines across science, engineering, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, coastal science, and beyond.

As Dean Hridesh Rajan reminded graduates during the ceremony:

“Go forward boldly. Stay curious. Build things that matter. And never underestimate the impact you can have on the lives of others.”

From the pre-ceremony floor party to the second line celebration that closed the ceremony, Commencement 2026 was a celebration of resilience, discovery, innovation, and community.

Congratulations again to the Class of 2026. Once SSE, always SSE.


📸 MillerFoto Photography

05/25/2026

Kobi Jones went from riding his bike between Xavier and Tulane to get to class, to engineering batteries for U.S. Army drones and soldier radios at a San Diego startup. His Tulane ChemE degree? More relevant than ever — v***r pressure, heat exchange, the ideal gas law — all of it shows up on the manufacturing floor. This is what following your curiosity looks like.

Read more: https://sse.tulane.edu/new-orleans-arctic-how-tulane-alum-kobi-jones-powering-future-cold-weather-technology

05/23/2026

Behind every breakthrough, every course, and every student experience is a group of people making it all possible.

The 2026 SSE Awards recognized staff whose work strengthens the foundation of the School of Science and Engineering every day:

⚙️ Casey Alba-Howsmon has become essential to Biomedical Engineering operations, supporting students, faculty, and programming through strong coordination and communication.

🌐 Yasin Bakış leads biodiversity informatics systems supporting major research initiatives, integrating AI and environmental data to advance discovery.

🎓 Danielle Scanlon has expanded access to STEM education through programs that now reach thousands of K–12 students, teachers, and families each year.

🔬 Xiaodong Zhang enables research across SSE through expertise in advanced instrumentation, supporting discoveries in fields ranging from chemistry to biomedical science.

This is the work that makes everything else possible.

🔗 Read more about all 2026 SSE awardees: https://sse.tulane.edu/2026-sse-awards-highlight-people-driving-impact-across-science-and-engineering

05/22/2026

Could the future of AI run on light?

Researchers at Tulane University have developed a new method that dramatically speeds up the training of optical neural networks, systems that process information using light instead of traditional electronic computing.

The research, led by Manon P. Bart, Nick Sparks, and Ryan T. Glasser, could help pave the way for faster, lower-energy approaches to artificial intelligence and machine learning.

As AI systems continue to expand, researchers are increasingly exploring alternatives that can reduce energy demands while maintaining speed and performance. Optical computing may offer one promising path forward.

Read the full story: https://sse.tulane.edu/speed-light-tulane-team-advances-optical-ai

05/22/2026

05/21/2026

Some of the most meaningful work doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in partnership with communities.

The 2026 SSE Awards recognized individuals and teams whose work extends beyond the classroom and lab, creating real-world impact through collaboration, mentorship, and outreach:

🌊 The ReCoast team, led by Julie Albert, has grown from a service-learning initiative into a $5.7 million NSF-supported effort addressing coastal land loss through interdisciplinary research and community partnership.

🧪 Katie Russell creates hands-on learning experiences that connect engineering education to real-world challenges, working with partners like the Audubon Institute and Glass Half Full.

🤝 Jelagat Cheruiyot has mentored and supported countless students, guiding doctoral candidates and shaping the next generation through sustained, high-impact mentorship.

This is what it looks like when science and engineering connect directly with people, communities, and opportunity.

🔗 Read more about all 2026 SSE awardees: https://sse.tulane.edu/2026-sse-awards-highlight-people-driving-impact-across-science-and-engineering

05/20/2026

Meena Vijayaraghavan, a senior professor of practice in cell and molecular biology in the Tulane School of Science and Engineering, was honored with the 2026 Barbara E. Moely Service Learning Teaching Award, bestowed annually by the Center for Public Service.