Latest news with #SLU
Newsweek
09-08-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Scientist Who Exposed Lake's Alarming Toxic Levels Removed—'Wiping Me Out'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A university professor who helped discover alarming data about hazardous heavy metal pollution in a Louisiana lake has been removed from the project weeks after it made newspaper headlines, saying: "It's like they are wiping me out of the picture." Fereshteh Emami, a chemistry professor at Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU), was removed from her role as a principal investigator on the Air Products Lake Maurepas Monitoring Project on July 28, the university confirmed to Newsweek. The project aimed to measure effects of a testing well drilled by Air Products that can inject carbon from an energy plant one mile beneath the lake's surface. The team's paper published in Environments in November 2024 found "alarming" results, with nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, and lead levels exceeding safety thresholds. "I was just surprised how polluted the area is," Emami was quoted in local newspaper the Louisiana Illuminator in June. Newsweek contacted Emami via email. SLU told Newsweek via email on Sunday it was "standard procedure to not provide reasons for discontinuation of a position or personnel privacy issues to protect the employee." It said it welcomes public and media interest and all research "is independent of any external influence and available to the public." It added that Air Products, which has funded the research project, "has no control or influence" over it. Newsweek contacted Air Products for comment on Wednesday. Decaying plants are seen in the Maurepas Swamp in Ruddock, Louisiana, in 2020. Decaying plants are seen in the Maurepas Swamp in Ruddock, Louisiana, in 2020. Gerald Herbert/Associated Press Why It Matters The professor's removal from the project has led to increased scrutiny over a carbon neutralizing project beneath the lake that is linked to an estimated $8 billion hydrogen energy complex capable of powering up to three million cars daily. What To Know Emami told the Illuminator last week that she received notification of her removal via an email that said her continued involvement was "no longer in the best interest" of the project. Her team, which analyzed water and sediment samples from the lake, linked the contamination primarily to industrial and agricultural pollutants from Pass Manchac and the Amite, Blind, and Tickfaw Rivers. Emami said a university-sponsored documentary on the team's work had been canceled. The university later told Newsweek the documentary had not been canceled. "This documentary was supposed to be about our results from the past three years ago," Emami told the Illuminator. "It's like they are wiping me out of the picture." The university issued a statement calling the personnel change a "routine adjustment" unrelated to the scientific findings, and reaffirmed support for Emami's published work. Louisiana lawmaker Representative Kim Coates, a Republican from Ponchatoula, told station KPLC that she had expressed her concerns over the removal to SLU president William Wainwright. "He assured us it's an HR personnel issue, and they're handling it internally, and that research is going forward," she said. Coates has called for the US Army Corps of Engineers to complete an environmental-impact study on a proposal to inject carbon dioxide one mile beneath the lake. According to Air Products' website, the project is designed to capture and permanently store five million tons of carbon dioxide each year. This carbon capture effort will be tied to a hydrogen energy complex capable of producing 750 million standard cubic feet of hydrogen per day. The Illuminator reported that the hydrogen manufacturing facility, located in Ascension Parish, carries a cost of $8 billion. Air Products has stated that the facility's hydrogen output would be sufficient to power up to three million cars daily. What People Are Saying A spokesperson for the university told Newsweek that SLU "stands by all peer reviewed research of our esteemed scientists," has a "proven history of hiring exceptional research faculty," and is committed to current and expanded research. They added that SLU's commitment to studying Lake Maurepas "is unwavering, regardless of what the science uncovers." "Air Products provided funding for Southeastern to conduct extensive independent research and monitoring and has remained supportive," they said. "Air Products has no control or influence over the research, its findings, its publication or any of the researchers. That is what makes this investment in the study of Lake Maurepas unprecedented." An SLU spokesperson told Louisiana-based station KPLC on Monday: "Dr. Emami published the paper reporting on and analyzing heavy metals in Lake Maurepas in the fall of 2024 in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. That paper was then featured in an article by the Illuminator in June of this year. "Her findings and report were well known to the scientific community for months before this past week. There was no correlation between the paper she published, the article on that paper and its findings, and her removal from the project." What Happens Next Southeastern said it will be holding public forums to review current findings on the Maurepas Research Project.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Get paid $3,425 to get the flu at SLU clinical trial
ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis University wants to pay you to catch the flu. The university's Center for Vaccine Development is recruiting people for a study into pre-existing flu immunity in healthy adults. 'By the time we are adults, we have been infected with the flu many times,' said Daniel Hoft, M.D., Ph.D., director of SLU's Vaccine Center and principal investigator of the study. 'While we have learned a lot about how the flu infects people, it is hard to know exactly when someone is exposed to the flu, and what happens early on after they are exposed to the flu but before they become sick.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The vaccine center will recruit 12 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 45 who have not received a vaccine within 30 days prior to enrolling in the study. Participants will be infected with influenza A H3N2 virus via a nasal spray and stay at the university's Extended Stay Research Unit for at least 10 days. Researchers will test the participants' antibodies both before and after receiving the nasal spray to see how their immune systems respond. The subjects cannot leave until discharged and visitors will not be permitted. Participants must live within 60 miles of St. Louis. 'Flu 'challenge' studies, where we give a strain of the flu virus to a participant, allow us to follow people closely before and after infection. We learn about the flu virus and the body's reaction to it,' Holt said. 'This study may help us to design better flu vaccines or better drugs to treat the flu.' Participants will be compensated for their time and receive up to $3,425 for all study visits and phone calls. Anyone interested in participating in the clinical trial should contact the SLU Center for Vaccine Development at 314-977-6333 or by email at vaccine@ The clinical trial is funded by Saint Louis University's Stephen C. Peiper and Zi-Xuan Wang Institute for Vaccine Science and Policy. The institute was launched in 2020 following a significant financial investment from the couple. Peiper is a graduate of the SLU School of Medicine (Class of 1977). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
HT interview: Over 2,000 Indian students call SLU home, says Robert Reddy, Interim VP, Saint Louis University
During his recent visit to India, HT Digital caught up with Robert Reddy, Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management at Saint Louis University (SLU), USA. He spoke about the university's strong connection with Indian students, popular STEM programs, scholarship offerings, and how SLU ensures international students feel at home. Reddy: SLU is a Catholic Jesuit university, but you don't have to be Catholic or even religious to study here. What sets us apart is our commitment to cura personalis — care for the whole person. Education at SLU is not just about academics, but also about personal, spiritual, and emotional development. We focus on nurturing globally responsible individuals. Reddy: About five years ago, we made a focused effort to internationalise our campus. India was one of our first major outreach markets. Today, international students make up about 20% of our student body, and a majority of them are from India. We now have over 2,000 Indian students across our two campuses — St. Louis and Madrid. Reddy: We don't presume what international students need — we ask them. For example, Indian students told us that celebrating cultural events was important to them. Now, our Holi celebrations have become major campus-wide events, growing from 500 to over 1,100 participants, including non-Indian students. There's also strong Indian community support in the surrounding area — a new Indian supermarket just opened near campus, and we've even added Indian cuisine to our dining options. Reddy: At the graduate level, which sees more Indian enrolment, the most popular programs are in STEM fields — computer science, data analytics, cybersecurity, AI, and engineering. Public health and project management are also in demand. Undergraduate interests are more diverse, including health sciences and humanities. Reddy: Over 90% of eligible international students secure OPT positions after graduation. Degree completion rates are also high, well above 90%. We're proud of our employer satisfaction rates, which are also over 90%. These are strong indicators that our graduates are prepared and performing well. Reddy: Most master's programs cost around $42,000 total, which can be completed in three to four semesters. Many students prefer the accelerated 13-month track to reduce living expenses. We offer merit-based scholarships ranging from 10% to over 40% off tuition. While the top bracket is competitive, many students receive aid in the 15–25% range. Reddy: Yes, starting this fall, we're piloting a work program for about 165 international master's students. The program allows them to work 8–10 hours a week on campus to help with living expenses. It's not meant to replace scholarships but to ease some day-to-day costs. Reddy: SLU is located in St. Louis, Missouri, a mid-sized American city that offers everything from cultural and professional opportunities to excellent medical facilities. It's big enough to provide resources, but small enough not to feel overwhelming. Students can easily find Indian groceries, restaurants, and community groups, making it easier to adjust and feel at home.
USA Today
18-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Is LSU softball coach Beth Torina on the hot seat after postseason loss?
Is LSU softball coach Beth Torina on the hot seat after postseason loss? LSU softball watched its season come to an end on Saturday as the Tigers were eliminated by in-state foe Southeastern Louisiana. LSU, hosting a regional, didn't even make it to Sunday. LSU began the weekend with a loss to SLU, before beating UConn to stay alive, only to lose to SLU again. For LSU, it marks the eighth consecutive season without reaching the Women's College World Series. The drought comes after LSU made three straight WCWS from 2015-17. The Tigers continue to make the NCAA Tournament every year, but struggle in the postseason. LSU has only advanced to a Super Regional twice since 2020. After the SLU loss, fans took to social media to speculate on the future of LSU head coach Beth Torina. Torina just finished her 13th season leading LSU and has 534 career wins with the Tigers. The resume is strong, but the program has stagnated in recent years. After a hot start in 2025, LSU finished just 12-12 in conference play. Will LSU softball make a change at head coach? For now, I'd say the answer is no. LSU reporter Michael Cauble made a strong point. Torina's buyout isn't nothing, and with the uncertainty facing college sports right now, paying that much to let go of a nonrevenue sport coach doesn't make a ton of sense. It would be one thing if LSU were posting losing records or missing the tournament entirely, but Torina continues to recruit at a high level and get LSU into the postseason. Fans are frustrated and want to see more, but it could be worse. Torina will likely return in 2026.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charter renewed for Kansas City's Genesis School through 2030 school year
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Genesis School in east Kansas City will be able to continue operating after this school year, at least for now. The Missouri State Board of Education unanimously approved Saint Louis University's (SLU) proposal on Tuesday to sponsor Genesis School through the 2030 school year. Kansas City rejects $915,000 settlement for firefighter who caused deadly 2021 crash Under the new charter agreement, Genesis will be held to rigorous academic, financial, and operational standards over the charter term, according to Genesis School Executive Director Kevin Foster. 'The organization is energized by the opportunity to serve our students and families with a new partner and a renewed focus,' Foster added. 'We're grateful to our dedicated staff, engaged families, and community supporters for helping make this year a success. As we look ahead to a new chapter with SLU as our sponsor beginning in the 2025–26 school year, we're excited to build on our momentum and continue delivering a high-quality education for our students.' According to the Genesis School, they rank first in growth among 20 charter schools in Kansas City. They say they are second in improvement, 10th in overall academic performance, and their full annual performance report ranks ninth. Back in January, the previous sponsor, Missouri Charter Public School Commission, cited the school's academic performance and lack of an adequate plan for the future in their decision to end its contract with Genesis. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Before the last school year, starting in the summer of 2023, a judge ruled that the Missouri Board of Education's vote to revoke Genesis School's charter was 'unlawful and arbitrary.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
