Increasing water demands threaten the Platte River Basin, which feeds some of the world’s most productive agricultural land. Future leaders are coming to Nebraska to learn about resilience and develop new approaches to natural resources management.

Climate change is causing higher nighttime temperatures, placing extra stress on crops and decreasing yields worldwide. Nebraska plant pathologist Harkamal Walia is identifying rice and wheat genes that may help increase crops’ heat tolerance.

The opioid crisis is devastating rural communities in the Midwest. Nebraska sociologist Kirk Dombrowski leads a research effort to understand the unique nuances of rural drug use, which could lead to more effective treatments and prevention strategies.

Myron Brakke, a pioneering plant virologist and Nebraska’s first National Academy of Sciences member, revolutionized the centrifuge. To honor his legacy, Nebraska faculty and students combined their talents to create a permanent exhibit for the prototype of Brakke’s swinging-bucket rotor.

Children living with congenital Zika syndrome, often contracted during a mother’s pregnancy, face significant cognitive and physical disabilities. Early childhood researcher Natalie Williams is partnering with Brazilian researchers to design support programs for the children’s families and caregivers.

Nebraska physicist Christian Binek discovered that, under certain conditions, magnetism of some materials predicts the relationship between their temperature and elasticity. His findings could lead to breakthroughs in engineering design.

When delivering drones to remote locations, failure isn’t an option. Nebraska computer scientists are developing a drone system capable of placing sensors underground, with the goal of improving surveillance in hostile territory while reducing risks to U.S. soldiers.

A Nebraska team brought ideas from history, film and ethnic studies to create an emotionally complex film that illuminates the problems of American slavery and its effect on familial relationships. “Anna” won the Best Animation award at the 2018 New Media Film Festival.

Opioid painkillers are highly effective – and addictive, since they affect the whole nervous system. Motivated to solve that issue, Nebraska biologist Paul Blum and his team created a drug that targets pain at its source. Years of research led to the launch of a biotechnology company to further develop it.

From supporting startups’ expansion to becoming a community destination and offering facilities that attract international attention, Nebraska Innovation Campus is fueling growth.