OPEN Book is the Office of Research and Innovation’s internal monthly electronic newsletter that highlights upcoming activities, office news, and accomplishments. The OPEN Book newsletter is distributed on the first business day of the month.
News, Information, and Upcoming Events
NUFlex Benefits Enrollment and Health Risk Assessment – October 26 – November 13
The 2027 NUFlex Benefits Enrollment and Health Risk Assessment will begin on Monday, October 26 and will run through Friday, November 13, 2026. Coverage selections can be updated as many times as needed during the enrollment period.
NUFlex Benefits Enrollment
With the impending annual benefits enrollment period, it is recommended to begin thinking about the enrollment process. Firefly, the University’s business portal, will be used to update all employees’ benefits.
•To view benefits for the current year within Firefly, click on the Employee Self Service (ESS) tile, then the Benefits Participation: Current & Not Enrolled tile. At the bottom left of the screen select the Benefits Confirmation Statement button.
•Employees will have the opportunity to enroll, update, or end participation in their benefit plans every year.
•Review plan information and future premium rates in the NUFlex Benefits newsletter. The 2027 information will be available the week prior to enrollment.
•To continue contributing to the Health Care Flexible Spending Account and/or the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, amounts for the 2027 will
need to be entered – even if those amounts are the same as last year.
•Update or confirm the Tobacco/Nicotine Designation each year if enrolled in or increase Voluntary Life Insurance.
Health Risk Assessment (HRA)
The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is an educational tool designed to provide important information about current health status and how to improve it.
Participation is voluntary; however, by completing this short survey (it will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete), a Personal Health Report will be emailed that will aid in assessing and monitoring personal health status. Those completing the survey will also receive enhanced wellness benefits for completing the HRA.
The HRA is available as part of NUFlex Benefits Enrollment and must be completed by Friday, November 13, 2026 to receive enhanced wellness and preventive services benefit through the university’s medical and prescription drug plan for the next calendar year. Contact your Campus Benefits Office if you have any questions.
Combined Campaign offers Huskers a chance to give back
Annual drive supports more than 145 agencies serving Lincoln, Lancaster County and beyond big impact, friendly competition and a chance to win Husker tickets — the 2026-27 Combined Campaign offers faculty and staff several ways to get involved. From Oct. 30 through Dec. 4, employees can support more than 145 local agencies, rally colleagues on participation leaderboards and enter weekly prize drawings while giving back to the community. United in Something Bigger is an opportunity to helping strengthen our community. Log in to participate at United Way’s 2026-2027 Combined Campaign for Health and Human Services.
Lincoln Hour of AI & Tech Fair
Saturday, December 5 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | NIC Conference Center 2021 Transformation Drive, Lincoln, NE
REGISTER >>
Join us for a morning full of hands-on ai activities and an interactive Tech Fair featuring robots, virtual reality, and more! This free event is open to the public and geared toward K–12 students interested in artificial intelligence and computer science.
Welcome New R&I Team Member
Farewells
Kaela Evans’s last day in Research Compliance, Integrity, and Security was October 19. In the interim, please contact Sara Quinn.
Abbey Creglow’s last day in Sponsored Programs was October 30. In the interim, please contact Shelly Cutsor.
Kudos to Our Colleague
The full news story can be found at https://news.unl.edu/article/hix-earns-kudos-award-for-advancing-universitys-research-enterprise.
The Month in Pictures
Congratulations to Isaac Regier (Frontier Tech Lab), who married the love of his life, Sarah, on October 10 in Omaha! After celebrating with family and friends, the happy couple headed to Cancun for their honeymoon.
Will Johnston (Nebraska Innovation Studio) attended the International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM) at Rice University in Houston, TX. Highlights included learning from keynote speakers Brené Brown, renowned researcher, author, and storyteller, and Montgomery Goforth, Acting Director of Business Development and Technology Integration at NASA. And, discovering an awesome sushi spot nearby!
Marble Technologies received the Innovation Impact Award at the 2026 AURP Awards of Excellence in Innovation Ceremony for its AI-powered automation technology, which addresses workforce, efficiency, and safety challenges in meat processing. Kate Engel (Nebraska Innovation Campus) accepted the award on Marble Technologies’ behalf.
Brooke Goedert (Nebraska Innovation Campus) attended the AURP International Conference at Pegasus Park in Dallas, TX. The theme was Foundations to Frontiers: Research Parks and Innovation Districts for America’s Next 250 Years.
