Award-winning faculty
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a strategic goal to increase the number of external honorific
awards. The following list includes selected awards and accomplishments that Husker researchers
earned in fiscal year 2024.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a strategic goal to increase the number of external honorific awards. The following list includes selected awards and accomplishments that Husker researchers earned in fiscal year 2024.
Rick Bevins and Thomas Powers were named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2023. Fellows are selected by their peers for scientifically or socially distinguished achievements that advance science or its application.
- Bevins, Mildred Francis Thompson University Professor of Psychology, was honored for contributions to understanding the behavioral and neurobiological underpinnings of addiction.
- Powers, professor of plant pathology, was recognized for contributions to the field of nematology, particularly for development of molecular diagnostics for plant parasitic nematodes, and for advancing understanding of nematode evolutionary biology and nematode biogeography.
Daniel Ciobanu, professor of animal science, was selected as a National Academy of Inventors Fellow. The honor is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors and recognizes work that improves quality of life, the economy and society. Ciobanu is a world-renowned molecular geneticist whose research and inventions have significantly impacted the field of animal genetics, with a particular focus on swine. His work to identify genetic variants that affect traits like viral disease susceptibility, sow fertility and meat quality has generated three U.S. patents and two international patents.
Susan Sheridan, George Holmes University Professor of Educational Psychology, was the first Husker faculty member to be elected to the National Academy of Education. Sheridan is an internationally recognized education researcher with particular expertise in developing strengths-based approaches for supporting children and families who are marginalized due to economic, developmental, educational or geographic factors. She has developed two family engagement/partnership interventions – Teachers and Parents as Partners and Getting Ready – and collaborated with scholars and students to study their efficacy. In 2004, Sheridan founded the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools, which has served more than 5,700 pre-K to grade 12 educators and more than 105,000 children and adolescents.
William Belcher, associate professor of anthropology in the School of Global Integrative Studies, received a U.S. Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Scholar Award, one of the most prestigious Fulbright faculty awards. He will partner with the National Forensic Sciences University in Gandhinagar, India, to advance his work to find aircraft and service members who went missing in action during World War II. Belcher will train students to complete forensic excavations, with the idea that the trainees can help excavate U.S. crash sites that are inaccessible to American excavation teams because they border China and Myanmar. The university in India will continue to offer the training program after Belcher’s departure.
Chun-Hsing (Jun) Ho, associate professor in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to travel to Finland to study the impact of freeze-thaw cycles and moisture damage on pavement performance. His work will help the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency better understand pavement performance and improve decision-making strategies for highway maintenance. He is partnering with researchers at Tampere University in Finland and hopes the collaboration will pave the way for an exchange program between Nebraska and Tampere.
Kwame Dawes, George Holmes Distinguished Professor of English and Glenna Luschei Editor of Prairie Schooner magazine, became the poet laureate of Jamaica, a post he will serve in through 2027. In this role, Dawes is charged with stimulating a greater appreciation for Jamaican poetry and garnering more attention for poetry as an art and medium for developing and disseminating cultural heritage. Dawes, who grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, is an internationally acclaimed poet, editor, critic and musician whose work explores multiple themes, including identity, migration and the human experience. He is the author of 35 books of poetry, two novels, several anthologies, and many essays, which have been featured in high-profile publications like the Washington Post and USA Today.
Derek Heeren, professor of biological systems engineering, received the Heermann Sprinkler Irrigation Award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. The award recognizes contributions to the improvement of efficient and effective sprinkler irrigation systems that effectively conserve resources. An irrigation engineer, Heeren leads research programs focused on irrigation management, sprinkler irrigation systems and irrigation technology. His work involves industry partnerships, which provides his students access to hands-on experiences. Heeren published a textbook, “Irrigation Systems Management,” which is used at 10 universities in three countries.
Mary Ann Johnson, professor of Nutrition and Health Sciences (emerita), was named a fellow of the American Society for Nutrition. It is the society’s highest accolade and recognizes individuals for significant discoveries and distinguished careers in the nutrition field. Across her career, Johnson’s work advanced understanding of aging, nutrition and chronic disease self-management. She also trained students and health professionals in food and nutrition policies to ensure access to affordable, safe and wholesome foods. Johnson co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters; mentored more than 40 graduate students; and served the society in various capacities.
Humberto Blanco, professor of agronomy and horticulture, was named a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy. This is the society’s highest honor and recognizes members for professional achievements and meritorious service. Blanco is an internationally recognized expert in soil ecosystem services of conservation agriculture, cover crops, biochar, crop residue management and energy crops. He has published more than 170 manuscripts and authored four books, including a textbook on soil conservation and management for undergraduate and graduate students. He teaches courses in soil management and applied soil physics at Nebraska and has held numerous service roles in his field, including technical editor for the Agronomy Journal.
Liyan Qu, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, was named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors. This designation is for early-stage innovators whose success in patents, licensing and commercialization is positively impacting society and economic development in their communities. Qu is an expert in developing magnetoelectric devices; advanced motor and generator control methods; and technology breakthroughs in renewable energy systems.
Laila Puntel, adjunct faculty in agronomy and horticulture, received the Early Career Award from the American Society of Agronomy. The award recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in agronomy within seven years of completing their final degree. At Nebraska, Puntel tested and developed digital agriculture solutions to improve nutrient management. She focused on assessing the performance of remote sensing and crop model-based nitrogen recommendation tools, collaborating closely with the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network. Puntel is author of 14 peer-reviewed publications and is an active member of the International Society of Precision Agriculture and the Tri-Societies – ASA, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America.
Ayse Kilic, professor of natural resources, received the Royce J. Tipton Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The award recognizes major contributions to the advancement of irrigation and drainage engineering management. Kilic, a hydrologic information systems specialist, is the first woman to receive the award. She is a leading expert in the remote sensing of water consumption using satellite imagery. She is also at the forefront of using geographical information systems in the study of water resources and natural resources. Kilic chairs a national technical task committee for ASE related to the remote sensing of evapotranspiration and is a member of the development team for OpenET, an online platform for mapping evapotranspiration at the scale of individual fields.
David Berkowitz, Willa Cather Professor of Chemistry, was named a fellow of the American Chemical Society. The award, a first for Nebraska, recognizes outstanding contributions to science and the profession and service to the society. Berkowitz, an expert in synthetic organic chemistry and chemical biology, has led the way in developing a first-of-its-kind prophylactic to help protect U.S. troops from the effects of acute radiation syndrome, among other research trajectories. He previously served as director of interdisciplinary therapeutics research in the Office of Research and Economic Development at Nebraska and as director of the National Science Foundation’s chemistry division.