Welcome to the Spring 2026 LaHouse newsletter!
This season, the LaHouse Research and Education Center continued its strong impact through resilience research, youth engagement, and outreach across Louisiana.
The quarter also brought major recognition for LaHouse leadership and faculty through fellowships, grant awards, and national honors, reinforcing the center’s leadership in disaster resilience and community outreach.
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Research & Innovation Highlights
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This quarter, LaHouse researchers secured major funding support to advance hazard resilience, flood risk reduction, insurance literacy, and climate-informed building code research.
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EDEN National Training Pilot
A project aimed at improving flood insurance literacy to support informed, resilient communities
IBHS Homeowner Pathways to FORTIFIED
A study examining homeowner motivations and barriers to adopting IBHS FORTIFIED standards.
NSF NCAR Innovators Supplemental Funding
A project focused on supporting adaptation to increasing wind risk under a changing climate
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Awards, Honors & National Recognition |
This season brought meaningful national recognition for LaHouse faculty and leadership. These honors reflect the center’s continued impact in hazard resilience research, community outreach, and applied scholarship.
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Dr. Carol Friedland, Professor and Director of the LaHouse Research and Education Center, was named a Fellow of the Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers, recognizing her sustained leadership in hazard-resistant design and flood-resilient construction standards.
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Dr. Rubayet Bin Mostafiz, Assistant Professor of LaHouse Research & Education Center and LSU AgCenter, was selected as a Cohort 6 Fellow in the NSF-funded Enabling the Next Generation of Hazards and Disasters Researchers Fellowship Program, chosen from an extremely competitive pool of 111 applicants nationwide.
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Dr. Meggan Franks, Assistant Professor of LaHouse Research & Education Center, LSU AgCenter, received the ARIS Impact Goals Award for her project "Visions for a Resilient Louisiana". The initiative engaged 136 youth from 37 schools and the Boys & Girls Club in hands-on STEM learning focused on hurricanes, flooding, wind, urban heat, and emergency preparedness.
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Rose Noggle, a Graduate Research Assistant at LaHouse Research & Education Center, LSU AgCenter, was awarded the LSU Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School Future Scholars Fellowship. It's a four-year award that provides ongoing professional development mentoring and resources essential for the successful completion of doctoral and professional programs.
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Youth and Community Outreach
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6,155 people reached through outreach this quarter
- 160 youth and adults directly engaged across LaHouse outreach activities
- 127 youth participants engaged in STEM, service, and preparedness learning
- 90 participants in the Camp Grant Walker Renewable Energy Day Camp
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45 youth from Southwest Louisiana & Oklahoma 4‑H engaged in service learning
- 50 disaster preparedness kits assembled and donated to Second Harvest Food Bank
- 5 resilience‑focused education and engagement activities supported by LaHouse
- 2 states engaged through regional and multi‑state youth partnerships
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Students and adults explored safer home construction, wind‑resistant design, emergency kit development, and disaster preparedness decision‑making through hands‑on, service‑based resilience learning.
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185 guests hosted through LaHouse field trips and school tours
- 6 school, university, and partner tours including a Home Grounds Series with Ashley Periera, and tours with Dufrocq School, Everblue, and St. Aloysius.
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38 participants completed workforce and professional trainings including Lead Renovator Certification, Mold Control and Remediation, Duct and Envelope Tightness Verifier Certification, and WaWeb Energy Auditing Software Training
- 5 building science and resilience trainings offered
- 1 online course delivered statewide (Building Science Principles)
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These efforts continue to bridge engineering, youth development, and public preparedness education.
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Media, Reach & Public Engagement
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Mrs. Scott was featured on 96.5 KPEL Radio
- Our winter weather preparedness video received 102,000+ views
- Dr. Franks and Mrs. Scott presented at the National EDEN Annual Conference.
- Dr. Carol Friedland joined a national panel on ASCE 24-24, discussing how updated flood-resistant design standards strengthen community resilience.
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Dr. Friedland moderated a plenary session addressing Louisiana’s growing insurance crisis and its impact on resilience.
- Dr. Friedland presented on wind and flood codes and standards, emphasizing their role in improving building resilience in Louisiana.
- Dr. Rahim led a free seminar on agentic AI and digital twins, highlighting how data-driven tools can support agricultural decision-making and community resilience in Louisiana.
- Dr. Friedland and team led a session on why houses fail, contributing to state-level hurricane mitigation strategies.
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Articles to help you prepare for Summer Heat |
Prepare your home for extreme temperatures
This article provides practical steps to prepare homes for extreme hot and cold weather, improving safety, comfort, and energy efficiency.
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Maximize your home’s efficiency: measure your insulation
This article explains how checking and improving attic insulation can increase home energy efficiency, reduce costs, and maintain indoor comfort.
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Insulation options and their benefits
This article highlights different insulation options and how selecting the right type can improve energy efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance long-term home comfort.
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Recent Publications from the Team |
A Bayesian network-based framework to uncover social inequities in flood risk: an application to East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
This study uses a Bayesian network framework to assess flood risk at the housing level, revealing disproportionate impacts in East Baton Rouge Parish.
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Transforming disaster risk reduction in South Louisiana: Advancing scalable solutions for flood and wind resilience
This paper introduces the Louisiana Disaster Reduction Initiative (DRI), a scalable, data-driven framework that combines technology and community engagement to strengthen flood and wind resilience in South Louisiana.
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Upcoming Training Program |
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June 30: Lead RRP — Baton Rouge, LA
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Plan your visit at LaHouse!
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We welcome school field trips, youth groups, scavenger hunts, professional tours, and community visits. Our facility is also available for private functions, meetings, and special events.
Call today to schedule your group for a fun, hands-on learning experience at LaHouse!
📞 225‑578‑7913
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This is a quarterly newsletter, but you can stay in touch with LaHouse through social media at any time!
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For the latest research-based information on just about anything, visit our website: LSUAgCenter.com. The LSU AgCenter and LSU provide equal opportunities in programs and employment. |
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