Accolades News for Researchers
Posted September 2, 2025 by Tiffany Lee
Honors and Recognitions
Paul Barnes, Glenn Korff School of Music, will be inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame at the historic Steinway factory in New York on Oct. 20. The Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame is a prestigious designation recognizing the work of North America’s most committed and passionate piano educators. Every two years, teachers are selected from the United States and Canada to be inducted into the Steinway Teacher Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame recognizes the talented educators who foster passion, creativity and discipline in the next generation of piano artists.
Chris Calkins, animal science (emeritus), received the R.C. Pollack Award from the American Meat Science Association. The award recognizes an association member whose work in teaching, extension, research or service represents an extraordinary and lasting contribution to the meat industry. During his 40-year career, Calkins discovered new valuable cuts of meat that generated an annual increase of $1.5 billion for the industry and over $6 billion impact in Nebraska alone. His international efforts as a speaker increased demand for Nebraska beef globally, and he mentored more than 50 graduate students. Calkins was recognized at the 2025 Reciprocal Meats Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Patricio Grassini, agronomy and horticulture, was named a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy. Fellowship is the society’s highest recognition and is reserved for up to 0.3% of the society’s active and emeritus members. Fellowship honors members’ professional achievements and meritorious service. Grassini’s work focuses on narrowing the yield gap between potential yields and current farm yields, while improving resource-use efficiency and producer profit and minimizing environmental footprint.
Derek Heeren, biological systems engineering, received the Excellence in Education Award from the Irrigation Association. The award recognizes outstanding educators who have made significant contributions to irrigation, water management and water conservation. Heeren was selected for his wide-ranging accomplishments in irrigation education, including development of innovative curricula, authorship of educational materials and design of Irrigation Educator GPT, an AI-powered tool to support learner engagement and professional development. At UNL, he also developed a fully online certificate program that broadens access to irrigation education.
Carole Levin, history (emeritus), received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women and Gender. The award recognizes scholars who have made significant contributions and dedicated their careers to the study of women and gender in the early modern period. Levin was recognized for her scholarship focused on the history of early modern women and the women in Shakespeare; teaching at UNL, the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Newberry Library; service to multiple organizations that bring recognition to early modern women; and nearly 50 years of mentorship to Husker students and other young scholars in the field.
Daniel Linzell, civil and environmental engineering, received the Dennis L. Tewksbury Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The award recognizes a member of the society’s Structural Engineering Institute who has enhanced its growth and visibility; established collaborations between the institute and other organizations; or provided other valuable service to the profession. Linzell, a nationally recognized researcher in structural engineering, focuses his work on structural health monitoring and resiliency. He is currently director of the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation at the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Engineering.
Renee McFee, veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, received an Educator Award from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture. The award recognizes individuals whose efforts represent the very best in agricultural higher education. McFee is coordinator for UNL’s Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine, overseeing its administrative program functions, including academic standards, admissions, curriculum, events, scholarships and student affairs. As an instructor, she focuses on evidence-based teaching and active learning strategies.
Milad Mohebali, educational administration, received the Service to the International Community Award from the American College Personnel Association’s Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development. The award recognizesoutstanding service to the international community and a history of involvement and leadership, over several years, to the international student affairs community.
Arjun Subedi, graduate student in physics and astronomy, was named an Outstanding Reviewer by IOP Publishing, the scientific publishing arm of the Institute of Physics. He was recognized for the quality, quantity and timeliness of his reviews for Physica Scripta.
Brandy VanDeWalle, Nebraska Extension, received the Search for Excellence in 4-H and Youth Programming award from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. The national award recognizes Extension agents and professionals who have developed and delivered outstanding youth development programs. VanDeWalle was recognized for her 11-year leadership of the Nebraska Youth Crop Scouting Competition, which prepares middle and high school students with the knowledge, skills and experience needed to pursue careers in agriculture and pest management. She was honored at the 2025 NACAA Annual Meeting in Billings, Montana.
Laura Wang, electrical and computer engineering, was named a senior member of Optica, a global forum for light science and technology. The organization’s mission is to promote the generation, application and archiving of knowledge in optics and photonics and to disseminate this knowledge worldwide. Senior members are selected based on their accomplishments in the field of optics and photonics. Wang focuses her work on quantum, 2D and wide-bandgap materials, as well as integrated photonics and phononics and nano-/microelectromechanical systems.
Barbara Woodhead, director of Services for Students with Disabilities, received the Honor for Meritorious Contribution from the national Association on Higher Education and Disability. The award is one of the organization’s highest honors and recognizes individuals whose vision, values, efforts and accomplishments have led to significant advances in access for people with disabilities. Woodhead has served the university for around 30 years with the goal of protecting students’ rights to an equitable university experience.
The Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center received the Governor’s Excellence in Ag Partnership Award, a state-level award that recognizes contributions, scientific excellence and support of Nebraska’s agricultural industry. The center, part of UNL’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, is central to the university’s veterinary education, disease diagnostics and research support. It also supports all Nebraskan citizens by enhancing the supply of safe and secure food and improving the health of people and animals. Gov. Jim Pillen presented the award at the 2025 Governor’s Summit in Kearney on Aug. 13.
The Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction received the NCEES Engineering Education Award from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. This premier national honor recognizes collaborative, real-world engineering education programs that demonstrate meaningful collaboration between students and licensed professional engineers. Led by Durham school faculty Iason Konstantzos and Clarence Waters, UNL’s winning project was Carson Headquarters, for which students worked with industry professionals to design various systems for a six-story office building in Omaha. This is the Durham School’s second win of the prize in four years, and the fourth win since 2009. No other program in the country has received the honor more than twice. Todd Feldman, Ericka Nienhueser and Pete Uhing, industry fellows in the Durham School, were also on the team.
Three Husker faculty and a UNL department earned the University of Nebraska system’s most esteemed honors for research, creative activity, teaching and engagement. The awards recognize faculty and units across the system whose work embodies the highest ideals of a land-grant institution. The Husker recipients are:
- Renee McFee, veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, who received the Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award.
- Timothy Schaffert, English and women’s and gender studies, and Jay Storz, biological sciences, each of whom received the Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award.
- The Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, which received the University-wide Departmental Teaching Award.
A group of Husker researchers contributed to a multistate research initiative that received the 2025 North Central Regional Excellence in Multistate Research Award from agInnovation. The team includes Julie Peterson, Jeff Bradshaw, Ana Maria Velez Arango, Justin McMechan, Robert Wright, Thomas Hunt, and Lance Meinke. The project, “Managing Insect Pests in Corn,” unites scientists nationwide to develop strategies to reduce crop losses, lower production costs and promote environmental sustainability. The collaboration is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Multistate Research Fund.
The University of Nebraska College of Law has received the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine. Institutions receiving this recognition have committed to the integration of mental health initiatives, including accessible services, peer support, emotional resilience and proactive policy. Nebraska Law will be featured, along with 70 other recipients, in the magazine’s September issue.
The University of Nebraska Press won the 2025 Nebraska Book Award in the Nonfiction Nebraska as Place category for “The Nebraska Sandhills,” which features nearly 40 essays from many Nebraska faculty members about the history, people, geography, geology, ecology and conservation of the Nebraska Sandhills. Illustrated with hundreds of remarkable color photographs of the area, it is the most up-to-date and illuminating portrayal of this remarkable yet largely unknown region of the United States.
The College of Journalism and Mass Communications received a Certification in Education for Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America. The certification recognizes academic programs that demonstrate excellence in curriculum, faculty, resources, student outcomes and commitment to the profession. Fewer than 50 programs worldwide hold the certification.
The university’s Women Lead conference, a collaboration between the College of Business and the College of Law, received international recognition with the Silver 2025 Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The prestigious competition drew more than 4,400 entries from 640 institutions in 33 countries. The conference is a shared space for women across business, government, law and nonprofits to grow professionally, find inspiration and build networks.
Publications
Lory Dance, sociology and ethnic studies, and Hassan Almokhreq, a graduate student in political science, received the Best Paper Award from the Action Research Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. The team was recognized for “Participatory Research and Approvals from Indigenous and Internationally Displaced Communities: Identifying Problems and Posing Solutions.”
Heidi Diefes-Dux, biological systems engineering, along with Christopher Camacho of the University of Texas at El Paso and Anu Singh of The Ohio State University received the Best Paper Award from the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Division of the American Society for Engineering Education.
Thomas Omer and Marjorie Shelley, accounting (emeritus), received the Notable Contributions to the Auditing Literature Award from the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association. The award recognizes research works of exceptional merit that significantly contribute to auditing or assurance education, practice or research. Omer and Shelley, along with Brigham Young University colleagues Brant Christensen and Steven Glover, were recognized for “Understanding Audit Quality: Insights from Audit Professionals and Investors.”
Grace Panther, civil and environmental engineering, along with Husker graduate students Gracie Kerr and Hayden Wulf, received two recognitions from the American Society of Engineering Education. The team received the Best Paper Award from the society’s New Engineering Educators Division as well as the Best PIC II Paper Award from the Professional Interest Council II. For the latter, the paper was competing against the best papers from the 11 other divisions of the PIC II.
Kenneth Price, English, along with Lauren Millhorn, who recently graduated with a master’s degree in English, Antje Anderson, a postdoctoral research assistant in University Libraries, and Stephanie P. Browner of The New School in New York City, received the 2025 Margaret Fuller Prize from The New England Quarterly. The annual award, which includes a $2,500 prize, recognizes an outstanding essay in literary studies on a New England subject in any period. The team was recognized for “Houghton Mifflin Readers’ Reports and the Shape of Charles Chesnutt’s Literary Career,” which will be published in an upcoming edition of the quarterly.
Brenden Timpe, economics, and Rebecca Jack, graduate student in economics, contributed to a report from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and Child Care Aware of America titled “Economics & Child Care: Where Are We Now and Where Do We Go?”
Charles Wortmann, agronomy and horticulture (emeritus), received the Agronomy Journal Editor’s Citation of Excellence Award. The journal is the flagship publication of the American Society of Agronomy.
Professional Service
Kristen Olson, sociology and Bureau of Sociological Research, served as keynote speaker at the European Survey Research Association conference in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The keynote, “From Mail Surveys to Chatbots: Changes in Survey Modes, Methods and Data Sources Over Time,” was held at the City Theater in Utrecht, and opened the conference for the leading professional association of survey researchers in Europe, with more than 800 attendees.
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