LSU Researcher Discovers Great Things

As NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope prepares for launch Aug. 30, LSU scientists are ready to turn years of preparation into discovery. LSU astronomer Matthew Penny helped shape Roman’s science goals and a major survey that will search for new worlds near the center of the Milky Way. With four LSU-led projects receiving about $900,000 in funding, researchers will use Roman to study planets, stars, black holes and neutron stars—while connecting the mission to LSU’s astronomical legacy and training the next generation of researchers.

Max Salvant was frustrated. Not by his class schedule or studies but by his notebooks. Three times a week, the LSU architecture student juggled a sketchbook for one class and two or three additional different-sized notebooks for other courses. Toting the unwieldy pile around between classes without something sliding out and falling to the ground required a series of awkward adjustments.