School of Science and Engineering
News
From groundbreaking research and major funding wins to new leadership and student milestones, the Tulane School of Science and Engineering community is driving discovery at every level. Explore the latest news highlighting the faculty, students, and researchers shaping the future of science and engineering — in the lab, in the classroom, and across the Gulf Coast and beyond.
Where are they now? Updates on EENS 2025 Graduates
Spring 2025 EENS grads pursuing diverse paths: rare earth extraction, ice sheet research, environmental science, military, and satellite aerosol studies.
Letter from The Chair of EES - Spring 2026
As we move through another exciting academic year in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Tulane University, I am delighted to share highlights of our vibrant community and ongoing initiatives. One of the things that makes our department so special is not only our strong academic and research achievements, but also the sense of camaraderie, connection, and shared purpose that defines us.
Building Islands, Building Impact Along the Mississippi River
On a recent morning in the wetlands just east of New Orleans, a group of Tulane researchers and students stepped onto a mound of newly built land carrying trays of native plants. Before following the plan to install the landscape, the group took time to gaze at the islands popping out of the vast open water and discuss a brief history of the site. A year ago, none of this existed.
Turning Sunlight Into Power and Heat
Known as “Flower Power,” a Tulane engineering team’s rooftop system captures both electricity and usable thermal energy
On the rooftop of Flower Hall at Tulane, a group of engineering physics students is working with something most solar systems try to avoid: heat.
In conventional solar panels, excess heat reduces efficiency and is typically lost to the environment. For a team of Tulane seniors, that loss is the opportunity.
Building the Future on the Moon: Tulane Students Pioneer Lunar Cement with NASA
The Tulane University School of Science and Engineering (SSE) recently highlighted an ambitious student-led research project that could fundamentally change how humans build structures in space. Students Zack Herbst and Charlie Goldstein sat down and shared their journey developing "lunar cement," a sustainable construction material designed for use on the Moon.
Beyond the Alarm: Tulane Biomedical Engineering Students Rethink Infant Safety
In the middle of the night, most infant monitoring devices do one thing when something goes wrong. They sound an alarm.
For parents, that moment is filled with panic. For the baby, nothing changes.
A team of Tulane University biomedical engineering students set out to rethink that approach entirely.
Their goal was not to build another monitor, but to design a system that responds in real time. Instead of simply detecting when an infant’s breathing or oxygen levels drop, their capstone project takes action.
Back on Campus! Recent Grad Camille Neumann (SSE ’25) Is on the Other Side of the Recruitment Table
Walking into a career fair can be a whirlwind of nerves and resumes, but for Camille Neumann, a Tulane University alumna, the experience has come full circle. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in 2025, majoring in Engineering Physics, Neumann returned to the Uptown campus this year in a new role: a recruiter for MSB Consulting.
"It was definitely a bit of a surreal experience," Neumann says of her return. "It felt like just yesterday I was on the other side of the table, but it was really rewarding to be back and helping students navigate that same path".
Engineering Trust: How Tulane Students Are Building Sustainable Solutions in Ghana Through Engineers Without Borders
When Tulane students in Engineers Without Borders arrived in Sokode Ando, Ghana, they were not stepping into a simulation or a classroom exercise. They were entering a community with real sanitation challenges, real public health concerns, and real reasons to be cautious about outside help. What followed was not only an engineering project, but also an education in trust, adaptability, and the kind of responsibility that helps turn students into professionals.
EENS Faculty Spotlight Daniel A. Friess, Ph.D.
I joined the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in early 2023 as the Cochran Family Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Here, I convene the Mangrove Lab – a group of graduate students, undergraduates and researchers dedicated to understanding coastal wetland ecosystems, and the communities who depend on them. We focus particularly on mangrove forests – intertidal forested ecosystems found across the tropics, sub-tropics and warm temperate regions, that have experienced significant loss due to human activities and are projected to be heavily impacted by climate change in the future.