Knightly News

With some of the most cited researchers in the world and significant scientific breakthroughs, Pennington Biomedical Research Center is a renowned institution for the study of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia. According to the Pennington website, “The research enterprise at the center includes approximately 65 faculty and more than 20 post-doctoral fellows who comprise a network of 44 laboratories supported by lab technicians, nurses, dietitians and support personnel, and 13 highly specialized core service facilities.” The Pennington facility is right here in Baton Rouge, and incredibly, for the past few years, Episcopal’s Kathy Hu has been among these experts, assisting with research and conducting statistical analysis.

Impacting Health Outcomes

Kathy first joined the Pennington researchers when she was only a sophomore. Now a high school senior, she recently presented the team’s findings at the National ObesityWeek® Conference hosted by the Obesity Society. “It was very much like science fair but professionally,” says Kathy. As Kathy stood near her team’s poster, she was among renowned researchers and industry experts, quite an accomplishment for a high school student.

Kathy and the team’s research focused on adolescent obesity risk factors. Over the course of several years, researchers tracked things like height, weight, diet and exercise among the volunteer participants. Participants also self-reported their daily nutritional intake. The goal was to determine the relationship between diet and metabolic risk. Kathy had the opportunity to do a second data analysis and poster and assist the post-doc with completing a manuscript for publication.

Once the numbers were crunched, Kathy and the Pennington research team were not surprised by the study outcome, which proved that Louisiana adolescents fall below national pediatric nutritional guidelines. “This confirmed what we knew,” says Kathy. The analysis showed that teens are not consuming enough of certain healthy foods, specifically green vegetables and fruits. That knowledge can now be used in efforts to promote healthy choices and hopefully make a difference in overall health outcomes.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Kathy is confident and enthusiastic in discussing the research process. Not only has she been a part of a meaningful experience, but she has also developed skills that will prepare her well for the future. Kathy says she learned to articulate the findings verbally, in writing and a poster format. She also leaned into her math abilities and enjoyed applying math principles in a research setting. “This has shown how math can extend beyond school,” she says of her statistical analysis experience. Kathy also learned more about real-world coding applications, something she says she would not have enjoyed as much before Episcopal. “Coding here changed the way I thought about it,” she says.

Dr. Sara Fenske, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs, says an Episcopal education helps students develop the executive functioning and academic skills necessary for these experiences. “We encourage students to do more than just classes,” she says. “Schedules are intentional to give time for this.” Dr. Fenske points out that there are also tremendous benefits to participating in university-level research while still in high school. “It’s a chance for you to find out what it’s like,” she says. It can also boost a student’s college application. “This really does make you stand out with colleges because they know what it takes to do this kind of research,” says Dr. Fenske.

Kathy appreciates the opportunity to participate in research beyond the classroom and values the experiences offered at Episcopal. “Episcopal has great research programs, ESTAAR and Thesis specifically,” she says. The Episcopal ESTAAR program (Episcopal Students Take Action in Advanced Research) connects students with researchers and professors and provides them with valuable lab experience, and the Honors Thesis program challenges students to be intellectually curious as they explore an interest, write a paper and present what they’ve learned to their peers. Kathy chose the Thesis program because she wanted to delve deeper into the humanities. Later this year, she will present again, this time during LAUNCH Day, among classmates who will cheer her on and celebrate her accomplishments.

Episcopal students accomplish amazing things in the classroom and beyond. Accelerated research opportunities are just one example of how students are preparing now for lives of purpose. Join us in congratulating Kathy on a job well done.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.