RUSTON, La. – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) visited Louisiana Tech University on Friday to attend the 2025 Design and Research Conference, where senior engineering and science students showcased their innovations aimed at solving real-world challenges across computing, energy, medicine, and transportation.
“There is so much innovation taking place on Louisiana Tech’s campus,” said Cassidy. “The students, and also Tech graduates who have stayed near the campus, are using their education to create products marketed around the world. This is impressive.”
The annual conference is a capstone experience for Louisiana Tech’s College of Engineering and Science, giving students a platform to present projects developed through months of research and hands-on experimentation.
Cassidy, a strong supporter of STEM education, has consistently advocated for federal investment in Louisiana’s research infrastructure. In January, he announced an $8 million grant from the National Science Foundation to the Louisiana Board of Regents to expand STEM research, create more scholarships and fellowships, and enhance collaboration across institutions. Louisiana Tech is a partner in this initiative, and Cassidy provided a letter of support for the grant.
He also secured a combined $7 million in federal funding for Louisiana Tech in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 to boost research related to semiconductor technology and workforce development—key areas in the evolving global economy.
While on campus, Cassidy met with members of the university’s executive team to discuss Louisiana Tech’s growing research portfolio and its partnerships with private industry. Among the topics was the university’s new Forest Products Innovation Center, designed to advance the timber industry, and ongoing research into traumatic brain injury—an area of increasing national significance.
“We appreciate Senator Cassidy taking time to visit Louisiana Tech to hear about our vision and interact with students and faculty,” said Louisiana Tech President Dr. Jim Henderson. “The Senator has been a consistent supporter of Louisiana Tech and the entire higher ed enterprise. This opportunity to share our research vision is important to showcase our faculty’s commitment to addressing enduring and emerging challenges.”
Cassidy’s visit follows his participation in the 2023 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Monroe Street Corridor Project in Ruston, which is improving roadways and pedestrian infrastructure near the Louisiana Tech campus.