On Par with the President LSU

In this episode of the "On Par with the President" podcast, President William F. Tate IV speaks with Alejandra Ham, an LSU graduate student who is focused on learning more about breast cancer. The daughter of a physician and computer engineer, Alejandra said she has always been fascinated by the human body. While an undergraduate student at LSU, the COVID pandemic forced her to pivot on her research, but it led to the data being published. In this episode, Alejandra highlights that research experience, the “STEM girl boss” who inspires her, and empowering future scientists.



See photos and transcript at: https://www.lsu.edu/president/on-par/2023/1-20-alejandra-ham.php

In this episode, President William F. Tate IV speaks to LSU alumna Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who has dedicated more than three decades of her life to public and foreign service. Currently the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, she discusses her journey from Baker, Louisiana to a global stage and how she manages the heavy stress that’s part of her job.

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield graduated from LSU in 1974. She returned to public service after retiring from a 35-year career with the U.S. Foreign Service in 2017. Most recently in 2021 she was nominated by President Joseph Biden to be the Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations. From 2013 to 2017 she served as the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, where she led the bureau focused on the development and management of U.S. policy toward sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to this appointment, she served as Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources, leading a team in charge of the State Department’s workforce. Read more about her career: https://usun.usmission.gov/our-leaders/our-ambassador/

In this episode, President William F. Tate IV speaks to LSU assistant professor in experimental statistics, Thanos Gentimis. He discusses his field of expertise, which is data analytics with a special interest in machine learning and neural networks. Thanos created the first digital agriculture class at LSU and discusses how AI will soon shape the world of agriculture and farming. Thanos is married to Maria Bampasidou, Ph.D., who is also a professor in the LSU Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness.

On this episode of the "On Par with the President" podcast, President William F. Tate IV sits down with the executive director of the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, Julie Lively. Her research has centered around commercial fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico with a focus on blue crab including soft shell crab production, which generates about $293 million in Louisiana each year. Her work also includes shrimp and the shrimping industry, which generates a $1.3 billion economic impact per year. Louisiana is the largest producer of seafood in the contiguous U.S. Lively has led a wide range of Sea Grant-related research projects supported by more than $23 million in funding for which she has been the principal or co-principal investigator. Lively, an associate professor in LSU’s School of Renewable Natural Resources and Louisiana Sea Grant’s fisheries specialist, began her career at LSU in 2010.

Louisiana Sea Grant strives to promote stewardship of the state’s coastal resources through a combination of research, education and outreach programs critical to the cultural, economic and environmental health of Louisiana’s coastal zone. Louisiana Sea Grant is part of the National Sea Grant College Program, a network of 34 university-based programs in each of the U.S. coastal and Great Lakes states, Puerto Rico and Guam.

Is student-athlete recruitment an art or a science? How do you find the next Ja Morant? What are three things LSU Men’s Basketball Matt McMahon asks his players to control? McMahon answers these questions and more on this episode of “On Par.”    

Matt McMahon is the head coach of the LSU men’s basketball team. He was the 2021-22 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, and a Naismith National Coach of the Year Semifinalist who led Murray State to the first 18-0 season in that conference’s history. His teams won four conference championships in the last five seasons, three conference tournaments, and two NCAA tournament games.

Learn more about the "On Par with the President" podcast, see photos and transcript at: www.lsu.edu/president/on-par

For more than 30 years, David Dismukes has worked in consulting, academia, and government service. He’s currently the executive director, director of policy analysis, and professor of LSU’s Center for Energy Studies. He is also a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences in the LSU College of the Coast & Environment. In this episode of the "On Par with the President" podcast, the energy sector expert discusses gas prices, energy supply, and Louisiana’s global impact.



To learn more about Dr. Dismukes and see a transcript of this episode visit www.lsu.edu/president/on-par