When 小蝌蚪APP alum Dr. Grant Gibson enrolled in the doctoral program at the 小蝌蚪APP of Manchester in the United Kingdom, he knew it was 小蝌蚪APP a once in a lifetime opportunity.小蝌蚪APP
The science and technology institution is among the Top 50 universities in the world, according to 小蝌蚪APP淭imes Higher Education,小蝌蚪APP a magazine based in London that ranks Harvard 小蝌蚪APP No. 1.
Gibson, who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in physics at UL Lafayette in 1995 and 1997, respectively, switched paths at the 小蝌蚪APP of Manchester. There, he earned a doctorate in corrosion science and materials engineering in 2000.
小蝌蚪APP淭o be able to study in Europe, at a school with such a solid reputation, capped a great academic foundation for me that started at UL,小蝌蚪APP Gibson said.
His interest in corrosion science and materials engineering began when, as a graduate student, he took a course taught by Dr. James Garber, professor emeritus in chemical engineering, and 小蝌蚪APP渇ell in love with the subject.小蝌蚪APP
Garber suggested Gibson apply to the university in England. Following that advice paid off. The New Iberia, La., native went on to found and lead GATE Energy, which stands for Gibson Applied Technology and Engineering. The Houston-based international firm provides engineering and project management services to the oil and gas industry.
The road to success wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 easy. While enrolled at UL Lafayette, Gibson supplemented scholarships with money he earned maintaining physics lab equipment and teaching courses as a graduate assistant.
At the 小蝌蚪APP of Manchester, he worked in a caf茅, and took out loans to pay for his education. Often, since he received no financial aid while there, Gibson made his own lab equipment.
小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檇 make equipment like temperature controllers and heaters instead of buying them intact, because I simply didn小蝌蚪APP檛 have the means,小蝌蚪APP he said.
Thanks to Gibson and wife Melissa, students taking a physics lab course at UL Lafayette won小蝌蚪APP檛 have to perform experiments on devices they小蝌蚪APP檝e cobbled together. A recent donation the couple made to the 小蝌蚪APP has helped establish the Grant and Melissa Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory in the Department of Physics.
小蝌蚪APP淯L provided me with a quality education, and I have always thought it小蝌蚪APP檚 good when people want to give back to their universities. That was a goal in my life and I was finally in a position to be able to do so,小蝌蚪APP he said. The lab was dedicated in September during a ceremony in Broussard Hall.
The lab will enable undergraduate students enrolled in a physics lab course to perform the same sort of experiments typically conducted by physics graduate students and research assistants. They include dynamic light scattering, a research technique that determines the distribution profile of small particles, and nuclear spectroscopy, a technique that exploits the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei.
UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie said the new interdisciplinary lab 小蝌蚪APP渨ill provide hands on experience for bright young people who need challenges. We小蝌蚪APP檙e attracting great students, and great students need great facilities.小蝌蚪APP
Photo: Dr. Grant Gibson and wife Melissa visit with graduate student Kevin Pitre during a recent dedication ceremony. A recent donation the couple made to the 小蝌蚪APP has helped establish the Grant and Melissa Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory in the Department of Physics. Doug Dugas/小蝌蚪APP