Our opening speaker, Manjit Kang, Professor of Agronomy and Environmental Management, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center will set the stage for this special session with an in-depth overview of the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The swath of devastation dramatically changed both the physical nature of the delta and the residents. It also impacted agriculture and altered coastal areas. Sugarcane, rice, citrus, and forestry suffered heavy losses from the two hurricanes.

Dr. Kang will provide an overview of issues using riveting photographs and videos. He will address the destruction wrought on the Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama; what could have prevented the devastation of New Orleans; evacuations and their impact on neighboring communities; inhumane conditions in shelters; rescues of those stranded in New Orleans; government response to the disaster; impact on agriculture and environment; education; clean-up of flooded and otherwise devastated areas; rebuilding/rehabilitation; status of New Orleans businesses and schools; lost jobs, and health issues. An estimated 50,000+ homes in New Orleans may need to be demolished. Dr. Kang will also discuss the educational community's response to the disasters caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Mississippi Gulf Coast communities and New Orleans have slowly started coming back to life. Costly lessons that would last a lifetime have been learned. Winston Churchill's words “We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival” offer hope and optimism for the future of the affected communities.