End of Semester Recap - Fall 2025
Posted by Hailey Garcia
Hey all,
Whoo, the semester’s almost over, isn’t it? Hopefully, it’s been fun and productive and challenging...
read the full semester recap
End of Semester Recap - Fall 2025
Posted December 2025 by _haileyjay
Hey all,
Whoo, the semester’s almost over, isn’t it? Hopefully, it’s been fun and productive and challenging–and it’s certainly been that for us at LSUAWM!
Announcements
First, in order to stay in good standing as an LSU RSO, all members must complete the Hazing 101 and Alcohol & Hazing trainings on lsu.prevent.zone. You can additionally access this training through TigerLink. If you do not complete these trainings before November 30th, you'll be removed as a listed member on TigerLink. Because the automated system can take a moment to update, do send your certificates to our Secretary, Rachel Meyers.
Second, we've adopted a new charter, expanding and refining our protocols. If you're the type that's into that sort of document, give it a peek on our website!
Recap
Let’s recap what we’ve done this semester:
🖥️ Discussion Session with Dr. Carol Woodward LLNL, President of SIAM (joint with LSU SIAM)
Joint hosting was a sharp idea, as turnout filled the Lockett Lounge! Dr. Woodward shared her expertise with all in attendance, telling attendees what it’s like to work in the government sector, how she budgets time for her work, and her role in bridging the gap between science and mathematics in the context of the SUNDIALS project she leads. Thanks to Laura and Gowri for making the collaboration happen!
🤖 Discussion Session with Dr. Naira Hovakimyan, University of Illinois (virtual)
Dr. Hovakimyan was an absolute joy! Between dispelling myths on her “bippity boppity bots” (most notably, that the term is a fiction for the press!), discussing her work in robotics and control theory, and sharing personal stories on the first time she shouted “Diversity!”, all had a great time.
Read our article about the session here!
✳️ Discussion Session with Dr. Galen Dorpalen-Barry, Texas A&M
Our session with Dr. Dorpalen-Barry allowed both AWM members and folks from the LSU combinatorics community to converse with an active researcher in the field of geometric and algebraic combinatorics. Our session with Galen really was a conversation; her answers were thoughtful and invited the audience to contribute their own thoughts.
Read our article about the session here!
What’s next?
We’re big dreamers, but that doesn’t mean we just dream. In addition to our lofty goals, we don’t just have ideas; we have ways to achieve those dreams.
Over winter break, we’re going to be taking the time to update our website. Since 2008, the current page has been built, rebuilt, modified, and updated–but it’s time for a new look. And hey, if anyone reading this likes website development and has some expertise they’d like to share, reach out to acting webmaster Hailey Garcia–she’d love the help!
Also on the agenda are highschool outreach events! Getting young folks excited about mathematics is core to our agenda of promoting higher education in math. Stay tuned for updates and calls for volunteers!
Of course, more discussion sessions are a must! Inviting visiting professors to lunch in the lounge so that we can sit down and get to know them and their work a little better has been a staple of LSUAWM’s activities for time immemorial (since 2008 with interruptions, but you get the picture). Our eyes and ears are peeled and alert for folks to run the sessions for, but if you have any recommendations… reach out to your nearest LSUAWM officer!
Last but not least, we’re brewing up some collaborations with other LSU organizations for women. More information to come! :)
