Knightly News

Last weekend, Episcopal students in the ESTAAR (Episcopal Students Take Action in Advanced Research) program attended the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Shreveport, Louisiana to present their research to a panel of judges. Four seniors (Logan Beane, Trey Lambert, Ahebwa Muhumuza, and Hayden Willett) presented their work to professors and other high school students involved in research. Two of the junior members of the ESTAAR program (Megan Gibson and Beau Legnon) accompanied the presenters to gain exposure to different research topics.

The research topics of the Episcopal students are as follows:

Logan Beane – “Habitat Characteristics as Predictors of Carp Presence”

Trey Lambert – “Gains and Losses: The Trade-offs in Eye Development”

Ahebwa Muhumuza – “Development of Earthen Building Materials Inspired by the Nest Construction Techniques of Mud Dauber Wasps”

Hayden Willett – “Improving Superwood by Optimizing the Delignification Process

JSHS is an important learning experience because it requires presenters to clearly communicate their often highly specialized research to an unfamiliar audience. Additionally, participants are able to interact with students with similar interests from schools from around the state. The students were accompanied by Episcopal teachers Mrs. Amy Rome (Math Department Chair) and Dr. Jeff McLean (ESTAAR teacher).

Jeff McLean, P.E., returned to Episcopal’s Upper School science department after serving as the Vice President of Engineering for Bascom Hunter Technologies. In 2018, McLean taught Episcopal AP science courses and served as the robotics team mentor. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in mechanical engineering to the classroom. Throughout his career, McLean has served in leadership roles, including Director of Engineering, Manager of Engineering and Project Manager. In the classroom, he strives to use that experience to inspire young people to develop problem-solving skills and understand the world around them. McLean earned a Ph.D. and master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor of Science in the same field from Louisiana State University.  McLean was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Baton Rouge Business Report in 2008. He holds a patent for a method of manufacturing a micro tube heat exchanger and has had his work published in multiple journals.  McLean’s children, Nate and Carter, both attend Episcopal.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 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.