Louisiana secures $25M for UL Lafayette workforce training, safety

• The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will receive nearly $25 million in federal funding for four key projects.
• The funding will support workforce training, scientific research, public safety and national defense initiatives.
• Projects include a semiconductor training center, biosecurity lab upgrades, a cybersecurity research effort and an LNG safety center.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and its partners will receive nearly $25 million in federal funding for projects aimed at boosting workforce training, scientific research, public safety and national defense. 

The money was approved by Congress as part of the federal government’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget and signed into law by President Trump, the school announced. University officials said the funding will support projects led or co-led by UL Lafayette in collaboration with federal agencies, private companies and other universities. 

The four projects include: 

• $5 million to create the Silicon Bayou Semiconductor Training Center, which will focus on training workers to manufacture the next generation of computer chips. 
• $2.5 million to upgrade high-level biosecurity labs at the New Iberia Research Center to strengthen research on infectious diseases. 
• $12 million for a joint cybersecurity research effort called Autonomous Recovery from Cyber Attacks (ARC), aimed at improving national security and defense systems. 
• $5 million for the PHMSA National Center of Excellence for LNG Safety to advance safety research and workforce training in the liquefied natural gas industry. 

University leaders said the funding will help strengthen Louisiana’s workforce, expand research capacity and support partnerships with industry and government. 

The projects were backed by members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins and U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy. 

A first for UL Lafayette: School launches Louisiana’s first applied computing Ph.D.

Kolluru said the funding will allow the university to grow programs that strengthen the state’s economy and support national priorities. 

Workforce and chip manufacturing 

The $5 million for the Silicon Bayou Semiconductor Training Center will help establish a semiconductor manufacturing training and research facility on campus. The university has committed a 12,000-square-foot building and invested $1.25 million to launch the center. 

“We are grateful to Louisiana’s congressional delegation for their leadership and advocacy on behalf of these transformative projects and, ultimately, on behalf of Louisiana’s future,” UL Lafayette Interim President Dr. Ramesh Kolluru said.  

The facility will operate in partnership with South Louisiana Community College and other stakeholders. Officials say it will help meet Louisiana’s workforce needs, support major industry investments such as First Solar and attract additional semiconductor companies to the state. 

Infectious Disease Research Upgrades 

The $2.5 million allocated to the New Iberia Research Center will expand and modernize its Bio-Safety Level 3 laboratory. These labs handle dangerous infectious agents that pose serious risks to public health. 

Upgrades will include improved wastewater treatment systems, stronger security, enhanced access controls and new equipment for safely handling and disposing of hazardous materials. University officials said the improvements will boost national biosecurity research while meeting federal safety standards. 

Cybersecurity and National Defense 

The largest award — $12 million — will fund the Autonomous Recovery from Cyber Attacks initiative, a joint research project between UL Lafayette and Radiance Technologies. 

The project aims to develop systems that can automatically detect and recover from cyberattacks without human intervention. Funding will be shared between the university and Radiance Technologies.  

Leaders said the partnership strengthens UL Lafayette’s role in defense-related research and long-term federal security efforts. 

LNG Safety and Training 

The remaining $5 million will support the PHMSA National Center of Excellence for LNG Safety. Of that amount, $4.2 million will go directly to the center, while $800,000 will fund its Academic Research Consortium. 

The consortium is co-led by UL Lafayette and partners including McNeese State University, Southern University and Texas A&M University. The center focuses on improving research, safety practices and workforce training related to the transportation and handling of liquefied natural gas. 

University officials said the combined investments position UL Lafayette as a key partner in strengthening Louisiana’s economy and supporting national research and security priorities. 

Aaron Gonsoulin is the General Assignment/Trending Reporter for The Daily Advertiser. Contact him at AGonsoulin@theadvertiser.com.