Going Orange: Sean O’Keefe, the former NASA administrator who led LSU’s flagship as chancellor for three years before resigning in 2008, has become the 17th person in Syracuse University history to be appointed as University Professor. “I am honored to be invited to rejoin the Syracuse University community and, once again, to have the opportunity to pursue my passion for teaching, working with students and collaborating with so many great colleagues on a range of projects,” O’Keefe says in a prepared statement. Syracuse has more details on the appointment.
Something in the water: A study of one component used in the fracking fluid injected into shale to release oil and gas showed it contains chemicals found in substances most people ingest all the time, including ice cream, laxatives and toothpaste, according to new research from the University of Colorado at Boulder. University researchers collected samples from fracking fluid surfactants in five states—including Louisiana—and the findings were recently published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The study suggests that the additives found in surfactants—which break surface tension to allow oil to be extracted—are no more toxic than common household items. The Washington Post has the full story.
Bayou to broadway: Undertaking what The New York Times calls one of the more audacious theater projects in recent years, the Robertson family of Duck Dynasty fame are moving to expand their Louisiana-based multimedia franchise with “The Duck Commander Family Musical.” The 90-minute show, with actors playing the family members from A&E’s Duck Dynasty as they celebrate the family’s long history from rags to riches, is planned for an opening in February at the Rio hotel and casino, where the Chippendales show and Penn & Teller are now running. Read the full story.
