Program faculty includes college, high school, and middle school teachers. Undergraduate math and science majors serve as program assistants..

Dr. Carlos G. Spaht, II
Carlos Spaht received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from LSU in 1970. He joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor in 1972, after serving two years at the Pentagon in the Military Intelligence branch of the army. He was promoted to professor in 1980. He has won several teaching awards, including Teacher of the Year and three Outstanding Faculty Performance awards at LSUS, the Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the 1997 Louisiana Professor of the Year Award from the Carnegie Foundation, and the 1997 award for Distinguished University or College Teaching in the Louisiana/Mississippi section of the Mathematical Association of America.

In November of 2007, he was honored in Washington D.C. by the Carnegie Foundation and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education as The 2007 United States Professor of the Year.

Since 1990, most of his focus has been on LaPREP, a program which he envisioned, developed, directs, and for which he acquires funding sources. It is designed for high-ability middle and high school students with the purpose of encouraging and instructing them to successfully complete a college program, preferably in math, science, or engineering. LaPREP has been very successful, receiving accolades from local, state, and national organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the Mathematical Association of America.

Primarily due to his work with LaPREP, Dr. Spaht has won one local and two national awards for public service and mentoring: the local The Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service in Education and the national Jacqueline Onassis Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting Local Communities, and The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

Dr. Spaht is currently interested in math intervention programs for minorities and reform in the teaching of mathematics incorporating the use of technology. He teaches a variety of college courses.

Ms. Diana Gingles – Assistant Director
Ms. Diana Gingles holds a BA from Centenary College. She is a Louisiana certified, highly qualified teacher of secondary mathematics with 25 years of teaching experience, 18 of which were with Caddo Parish schools. This year she is on sabbatical from C.E. Byrd High School, where she teaches Algebra in the Math/Science Magnet Program, for the purpose of working with the Director to expand LaPREP.

Summer 2008 marked her 14th year working for the program as Assistant Director. She says, “I am more excited than ever! My life’s commitment is to young people: helping them pursue the knowledge, experience, and education that they need to enjoy rich, full lives. LaPREP’s success in accomplishing these goals is unequivocal; and this year we have the opportunity to expand the program, opening opportunities for more young people of our community and our state.”

She works with the Program Director in planning for the program from year to year and helps manage the day to day activities of each summer session as she provides guidance to the employees and participants. Her other duties include writing grant applications, managing correspondence with the public, and writing recruitment and application materials and letters. She joins the Director in evaluating each summer program and planning and hiring for the next year’s program. She also teaches Algebraic Structures, the core course studied by the LaPREP second-year participants.