Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 5/30/01
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple   

SLU GETS NEW MASTER'S PROGRAM IN INTEGRATED SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
     HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University has received full approval from the
Louisiana Board of Regents for its first new graduate degree program in more than a decade, a
Master of Science in Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT).  
     The graduate degree program is an interdisciplinary "career enhancing" degree that will
appeal to recent university graduates as well as to those already working in scientific and
technical areas, said Provost Randy Moffett. 
     "The ISAT will prepare students for the workplace by giving them experience in applying
their knowledge of mathematics and science to projects of interest to business and industry,"
Moffett said. "It will open doors to entry-level positions in the petrochemical, high tech
manufacturing and telecommunications industries and provide current employees with a career-
related degree that will help them advance to higher positions or take on more challenging
assignments within their companies." 
      "These graduates will be able to contribute to the economic base of regional business and
industry. It is excellent for this region that Southeastern will be offering this degree," he said.
     The degree includes coursework in chemistry, computer science, industrial technology,
mathematics and physics. It will be offered jointly through the Colleges of Business and
Technology and Arts and Sciences with the first classes scheduled for fall 2001.
     "The goal of the Master of Science Degree in Integrated Science and Technology is to
broadly educate technological problem solvers and system integrators who can deal effectively 
with the wide spectrum of issues facing today's professionals," said industrial technology 
                             (MORE)
NEW ISAT DEGREE   Add One
professor Roy Bonnette, who will coordinate the new degree program.
     The ISAT degree was developed through the cooperative efforts of faculty from the
departments of Chemistry and Physics, Computer Science, Industrial Technology, and
Mathematics and under the leadership of Arts and Sciences Dean John Miller, Graduate School
Dean Michael Kurtz, and Mathematics Department Chair Katherine Pedersen, Bonnette said.
     "Offering the master's degree in Integrated Science and Technology puts Southeastern on
the leading edge of universities nation-wide that are preparing graduates for success in the global
economy driven by science and information technology," said Miller. "Our business and industry
partners tell us this degree is appropriate for new graduates and current employees wanting to
move ahead in their careers or take a new direction by updating and broadening their
knowledge."
     To assure that the program is compliant with business and industries needs, Bonnette said
Southeastern got input from an industrial advisory committee. Committee members represented
corporations such as Shaw Constructors, Inc; DuPont Dow Elastomers L.L.C.; Borden
Chemicals and Plastics; Nalco Chemical Co.; Exxon Research and Development Laboratories;
Novartis; United Companies; Beerman Precision; DuPont Chemical; Neill Corporation; The
Advocate; Exxon/Mobile USA;  and V-Labs, Inc.  
     For more information contact the program coordinator Dr. Roy Bonnette at (985)549-
3479, rbonnette@selu.edu ,or any of the participating departments.
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp01.htm