Posted July 31, 2026 by Ashley Washburn
Fifteen University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty members have been selected to participate in the 2026-2027 cohort of the Office of Research and Innovation’s Research Leaders Program. This initiative to identify and develop Nebraska’s next generation of research leaders is delivered in partnership with the Center for Executive and Professional Development in the College of Business.
Participants were selected through a competitive application process. The faculty selected to participate in the 2026-2027 cohort are:
- Heather Akin, agricultural leadership, education and communication
- Sasitharan Balasubramaniam, computing
- Kelsy Burke, sociology
- Amy Desaulniers, veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences
- Huijing Du, mathematics
- Seunghee Kim, civil and environmental engineering
- Colin Meiklejohn, biological sciences
- Grace Panther, civil and environmental engineering
- Heather Richards-Rissetto, global integrative studies
- Tirthankar Roy, civil and environmental engineering
- Bonita Sharif, computing
- Robert Streubel, physics and astronomy
- Ashley Votruba, psychology
- Ng’ang’a Wahu-Muchiri, English
- Amanda Witte, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools
These research-active faculty will gain the information, skills and connections needed to assemble and lead teams in the pursuit of major extramural funding. The program begins in September and will conclude next April, when participants will present their plans for elevating their research, scholarship or creative endeavors to their colleagues and university leaders.
The goal of the Research Leaders Program is to elevate the capacity and competitiveness of mid-level to senior faculty to develop and implement their visions for impactful research.
Applications for the next cohort will be solicited in spring 2028. Visit the Research Leaders Program website for more details or contact Nathan Meier, associate vice chancellor for research, capacity and competitiveness.
