LSU EnvironMentors High School Students Presented Research at National Marine Educators Association Conference

With funding from the National Academies of Sciences’ Gulf Research Program (GRP) Inspire initiative, Louisiana Sea Grant’s LSU EnvironMentors program sent eight high school student researchers from Scotlandville Magnet High School and McKinley Senior High School and two program alumni, who are now undergraduates at Louisiana State University (LSU), to the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) Annual Conference, “EnGULFed in Change: ROUX‑ted in Resiliency,” held June 29–July 3, 2025, in Lafayette.

The mentorship program, pairing high school students with graduate student mentors, guided participants through year‑long environmental STEM projects addressing local Gulf Coast issues. Multiple projects examined aspects of urban lakes on LSU’s campus, examining topics including metal leaching from LSU lake sediments under anoxic conditions to identifying zooplankton richness and creating a turtle habitat suitability assessment on campus. Additionally, some students led investigations into soil pH stress on plants and the toxicity of very low sulfur fuel oil to brine shrimp. They also addressed public engagement and wildlife, featuring snake awareness and misinformation education and a comparative analysis of electric vehicle registration and air quality between Louisiana and California. Together, these presentations showcased the breadth of place‑based STEM learning, blending lab research, field studies, and community-focused inquiry, at the heart of the LSU EnvironMentors program student-led environmental investigations.

From the classroom to the coastline, expanding STEM mentorship through professional conferences began as a journey of transformation. Students who once presented in familiar school settings found themselves standing confidently before a national audience of marine educators and practitioners. Over the course of the conference, they honed their science communication skills, translating complex research into compelling narratives that resonated beyond the classroom. These students actively built professional networks by exchanging insights with attendees and connecting with seasoned environmental educators from around the globe. Each handshake and conversation offered a window into careers in environmental science, coastal management and marine education. As a testament to the power of mentorship and experiential learning, these students with researchers and practitioners who share their passion for the Gulf Coast, gained not just knowledge, but also a sense of belonging and possibility within the STEM community.

“It was such a heartwarming experience to have worked with everyone from the start of their research, to see them in a new city and talking with professionals all over the country about their work,” said Naya Black, EnvironMentors program coordinator and LSU graduate student. “They worked so hard this year, and it all paid off. I think they all walked away with something new at NMEA that they’ll carry with them forever.”

This underscores Louisiana Sea Grant’s commitment to promoting scientific literacy and community engagement. Attending NMEA in their home state provided a unique, local platform for these emerging scholars to build social capital and access professional exposure across the Gulf region.EnvironMentors is a joint initiative between Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU that empowers high school students in Baton Rouge to conduct environmental research and cultivate STEM skills through mentorship and hands-on projects. Louisiana Sea Grant supports science-based education, outreach and stewardship across Louisiana’s coastal areas. For more information, contact the EnvironMentors program director, Vanessa van Heerden (vanheerden1@lsu.edu).