{"id":77,"date":"2022-09-26T19:14:26","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T19:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/?p=77"},"modified":"2022-10-20T15:17:16","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T15:17:16","slug":"careers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/careers\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven Earn NSF Early Career Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Nebraska researchers are answering longstanding questions about turbulence, unlocking the potential of RNA, analyzing Title IX implementation, developing a nanosized disease detector and more with Faculty Early Career Development Program awards from the National Science Foundation. In 2022, seven Nebraska faculty received the prestigious five-year grants supporting outstanding pre-tenure faculty, totaling nearly $4.3 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better Understanding RNA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Joseph
Joseph Yesselman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

RNA is emerging from DNA\u2019s shadow as a vital biological force with great potential to benefit human health and advance technology. Nebraska\u2019s Joseph Yesselman is developing a first-of-its-kind tool to help scientists better understand RNA structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s using a $1.2 million CAREER award to develop a computational model to reliably predict RNA\u2019s capacity to form tertiary contacts: connections that enable RNA to fold into the complex 3D structures that dictate their biological relevance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tertiary connections form only under two conditions. An RNA strand must have specific types of structural components, called motifs, and it must be flexible enough to bend and unite these motifs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The model will predict which RNAs check both boxes, helping scientists understand the fundamental RNAs inside cells and guiding development of new, stable RNAs for biotechnology, research and medicine. It will shed light on how to quell RNA viruses like influenza, COVID-19 and Zika.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To engage the public, Yesselman, assistant professor of chemistry, is launching RNA design challenges through an online video game platform. He\u2019s also developing a course for Husker students using video games to introduce molecular design concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can make things fun, and people can learn at the same time. I think this whole movement of gamifying knowledge is really powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska news release: Yesselman creating model to study RNA, gamify scientific learning<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boosting Crops\u2019 Cold Tolerance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Katarzyna
Katarzyna Glowacka<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Katarzyna Glowacka is using a nearly $1.4 million CAREER grant to investigate a mechanism that could enhance the cold tolerance of corn, sorghum and sugarcane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These crops use the same type of photosynthesis as their close cousin, miscanthus, a large perennial grass. Unlike the others, miscanthus survives and thrives at low temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If corn, sorghum and sugarcane were similarly fortified against cold, they could be planted earlier in the spring, enabling them to mature before summer droughts and survive in a broader range of climates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glowacka, assistant professor of biochemistry, thinks miscanthus\u2019 cold resistance stems from its unique regulation of non-photochemical quenching. This process enables plants to convert excess solar energy into heat instead of letting it cause damage. Glowacka\u2019s preliminary data show that in miscanthus, this process also protects against chilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a blend of high-throughput phenotyping, genetics approaches and redox metabolomics, Glowacka aims to develop a clearer picture of events that trigger this bolstered defense system. As weather extremes and water scarcity intensify, cold-tolerant crops are increasingly important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe goal is to understand the protective mechanism and develop some guidance toward developing more chilling-tolerant corn, sugarcane and sorghum.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska news release: Glowacka’s research aims to enhance crops’ tolerance to the cold<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expanding Access to Quantum Simulators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Wei
Wei Bao<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Quantum simulators are key tools in powering the next wave of discoveries based on quantum mechanics, a fundamental physics theory describing nature\u2019s physical properties at the atomic and subatomic levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right now, quantum simulators \u2013 devices that shed light on quantum systems or create quantum states of matter \u2013 require bulky ultra-low-temperature vacuum systems inaccessible to many research labs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Husker engineer Wei Bao wants to change that. With a nearly $760,000 CAREER grant, he\u2019s developing simulators that work at room temperature, which would make them far more accessible to researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis will lower the bar for a lot of researchers to access these quantum simulations,\u201d said Bao, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To accomplish this, Bao will synthesize novel optical materials and integrate them with photonic structures. Using these room-temperature quantum simulators, he will study the rich, exotic materials properties that previously have been difficult to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first quantum revolution produced the technology that defines modern life: computers, lasers, telecommunications and more. Bao\u2019s work will advance the second quantum revolution, which is expected to unlock new possibilities in sensors, communication networks and computers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska news release: New device gets scientists closer to quantum materials breakthrough<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Cell-cell Junctions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Ruigio
Ruigio Yang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cell-cell junctions are crucial to human health. These protein structures enable cells to attach to each other, maintain tissue integrity and regulate communication between cells. They face a wide range of daily strains like cardiac pulses, digestion and skin stretching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruiguo Yang, associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering, is using a $540,000 CAREER grant to explore how cell-cell junctions respond to strains of different magnitudes and rates. Better understanding these processes could shed light on the mechanics and potential treatments for diseases like cancer, genetic mutations of the heart and autoimmune skin conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project builds on Yang\u2019s paradigm-shifting development of a microscopic apparatus that mimics a cell-cell junction\u2019s physiology. The platform is attached to an atomic-force microscope, which replicates strains that junctions face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yang is studying what happens when a strain does not rupture a junction, but instead triggers the cell to elongate. He is pinpointing the signals that prompt this adaptation process, called mechanotransduction. He\u2019s also exploring what happens when stress ruptures a junction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yang is also discerning how cells and their junctions behave at different sites in the body \u2013 the heart versus the skin versus a blood vessel, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska news release: Yang advancing work on cell-cell junctions and their link to human health<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncovering Mysteries of Turbulence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Jae
Jae Sung Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska engineer Jae Sung Park is working on turbulence \u2013 the chaotic motion of a flowing substance like liquid or gas that affects everything from aviation and weather to human blood flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scientists don\u2019t fully understand the rules governing turbulence. With a nearly $509,000 CAREER award, Park is identifying patterns or orders in turbulent flows, then developing methods of exploiting them to mitigate their impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince turbulence is omnipresent, if we can more accurately predict how, when and where turbulence will happen, its impact would be enormous,\u201d said Park, assistant professor of mechanical and materials engineering. \u201cWe could save billions of dollars in energy usage and possibly save lives by predicting cardiovascular or major weather events.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Park focuses on vortices, the swirls that form when fluid layers mix. He will identify certain vortices that change turbulence, such as speed or directional flow. Using mathematical tools, his team will develop predictive computer models that anticipate the probabilities of where and when turbulence may create a new vortex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s also partnering with the Food Processing Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus to explore how reducing turbulence in piping systems could cut food industry costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska news release: Park aims to understand mysteries of turbulence to save lives, resources<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improving Sexual Violence Reporting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Kathryn
Kathryn Holland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Federal guidelines regarding sexual violence on campus aim to protect people. But sometimes, institutions implement them in ways that don\u2019t align with survivors\u2019 best interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kathryn Holland is using a $500,000 CAREER grant to conduct the first multilevel exploration of mandatory reporting policies, a subset of federal Title IX law. She\u2019ll analyze institutional and individual data at two universities to understand how mandatory reporting policies function in the real world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve only started to scratch the surface of the kind of empirical evidence we need to be able to understand these policies, how they\u2019re being implemented and their outcomes,\u201d said Holland, assistant professor of psychology and women\u2019s and gender studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In implementing mandatory reporting policies, institutions often require nearly all employees to report information about sexual misconduct to designated officials. But this means names and experiences are sometimes shared against survivors\u2019 wishes, resulting in increased post-traumatic stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holland will study this misalignment by examining the text of university policies and conducting interviews. She\u2019ll integrate this information to show how the federal directives morph as they\u2019re interpreted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal is providing results to help policymakers and advocates develop trauma-informed policies and better support survivors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska news release: Holland’s research aims for survivor-first approach to reporting sexual violence<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detecting Disease with Nanosensors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Professor
Nicole Iverson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nitric oxide is a key player in living systems, but scientists don\u2019t fully understand its role in disease development. That\u2019s partially because in less than a millisecond, it degrades in the bloodstream, making it difficult to measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicole Iverson\u2019s research could help overcome this problem. With a $550,000 CAREER grant, she\u2019s developing an easy-to-use nanosized nitric oxide sensor that could function as a tiny disease detector inside a cell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her sensor uses carbon nanotubes shaped like a straw, with a diameter of 1 nanometer \u2013 a billionth of a meter. Shining laser light on the tubes emits light initially, but when exposed to nitric oxide, the sensor turns off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using these sensors, Iverson is designing a platform that measures concentrations of nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide, another biologically important molecule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This technology could provide information about healthy and diseased cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cImagine an insulin sensor for diabetics that could continuously detect what\u2019s going on in their blood. It\u2019s implanted annually, as opposed to a daily finger prick,\u201d said Iverson, associate professor of biological systems engineering. \u201cIt could save lives by getting us better information much faster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska news release: Iverson aims to advance study of nanotubes in diagnosing diseases<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nebraska researchers are answering longstanding questions about turbulence, unlocking the potential of RNA, analyzing Title IX implementation, developing a nanosized disease detector and more with Faculty Early Career Development Program awards from the National Science Foundation. In 2022, seven Nebraska faculty received the prestigious five-year grants supporting outstanding pre-tenure faculty, totaling nearly $4.3 million. Better […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":315,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,1],"tags":[10,15,19,18,13,11,12,16,17],"class_list":["post-77","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlights","category-uncategorized","tag-career-award","tag-jae-sung-park","tag-joseph-yesselman","tag-katarzyna-glowacka","tag-kathryn-holland","tag-national-science-foundation","tag-nicole-iverson","tag-ruiguo-yang","tag-wei-bao"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":402,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77\/revisions\/402"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}