Meggan Franks

Louisiana State University

Dr. Meggan Franks is an Assistant Professor of Extension in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center’s LaHouse Research and Education Center. With 17 years of experience in community engagement and Extension, her work focuses on translating research into meaningful real-world impact through integrated research-Extension programming, participatory evaluation, community engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. Dr. Franks leads and supports initiatives related to disaster resilience, flood and wind risk reduction, resilient and healthy housing, agricultural infrastructure resilience, and youth and community STEAM education.

Across these efforts, she designs stakeholder engagement processes, facilitates advisory groups and listening sessions, develops community-informed educational resources, and evaluates outcomes across complex, multi-partner projects. Her work emphasizes inclusive participation, practical research translation, and mixed-methods evaluation to strengthen programs, document impact, and support evidence-informed decision-making. She is especially interested in helping research teams and practitioners build shared purpose, translate complex ideas into usable tools, and create collaborative learning spaces that support long-term research impact and societal benefit.