Accolades News for Researchers
Posted October 30, 2025 by Tiffany Lee
Honors and Recognitions
Charlyne Berens, journalism (emeritus), received the 2025 Doc Elliott Award from the Nebraska Alumni Association. The award honors retired UNL faculty who demonstrate exemplary service, genuine care for students and alumni, and dedication that exceeds expectations. Berens was recognized for her deep engagement with the university since retiring in 2015, which includes co-chairing the curriculum committee for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and establishing the Berens Fund for Recruitment and Retention. The fund supports the College of Journalism and Mass Communications’ Peer Mentor Program.
Rohit Bhusal, graduate student in computing, and Hongzhi Guo, computing, received the Best Paper Runner-Up Award at the 22nd IEEE International Conference on Mobile Ad-Hoc and Smart Systems, held in Chicago Oct. 6-8. Bhusal received a student travel grant supported by the National Science Foundation to attend MASS 2025 in person and present the paper, “Edge-Assisted Generative AI-Driven Video Communication Using Topological Data Analysis.”
Jeffrey Day and Jason Griffiths, architecture, mentor the design-build studios FACT and PLAIN Design-Build, respectively, that received an honor award at the 2025 American Institute of Architects Central States Region Design Awards. The studios were recognized for work on the Art Chapel, a safe and inspiring studio for adults to explore and cultivate their creativity through art and craft instruction at a low cost.
Crystal Garcia, educational administration, earned the 2025 Association for the Study of Higher Education Leadership Award. The award is given to an ASHE member in recognition of bringing visibility and support to the field of higher education, demonstrating the contributions of the study of higher education to policy formation, and/or gaining substantial resources for research and training in higher education. Garcia’s work advances equity and inclusion in higher education through research, advocacy and leadership.
Abla Hasan, modern languages and literatures, received the Inspire Women’s Excellence in Education Award for 2025. Hasan is the coordinator of the Arabic studies program at Nebraska and a leading scholar of Qur’anic interpretation, philosophy of language and gender equality in Islam. Since joining the university in 2013, she has single-handedly built the Arabic studies program, developing an innovative curriculum offering three years of Arabic language instruction and culture-based courses in English. Hasan accepted the award at the Inspire: Celebrating Women’s Leadership Awards ceremony Sept. 24 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The event is presented by the Lincoln Journal Star.
Ufuk Kiliç, electrical and computer engineering, received the Advanced Surface Engineering Division Young Investigator Award from the American Vacuum Society. The award honors an early career scientist for outstanding research contributions, innovation and leadership in advancing the field of surface engineering. Kiliç presented his research, titled “Wide-Bandgap Hybrid Metamaterials: Theory-Guided Advanced Surface Engineering for UV-Active Photonic Properties,” at the AVS 71st International Symposium and Exhibition in Charlotte, North Carolina, in September. His research abstract was also highlighted as an ASED Rising Star in the AVS-71 conference program.
Neal Lewis, engineering, received the William Daughton World Headquarters Service Award from the American Society for Engineering Management. The award recognizes significant contributions to the streamlining, enhancement or improvement of the administrative or operational activities of the ASEM world headquarters.
Tian Zhang, civil and environmental engineering, received the Ralph Fuhrman Medal for Outstanding Water Quality Academic-Practice Collaboration from the Water Environment Federation. The award recognizes collaborative work to enhance the relationship between academia and clean water practitioners as well as positive impact on increasing the knowledge base and innovation in water quality enhancement projects.
The College of Engineering’s Master of Engineering Management Program received the Founder’s Award-Graduate from the American Society for Engineering Management. The award recognizes excellence in graduate program delivery in engineering management, with demonstrated contributions to engineering management practice and graduate education.
Publications
Jamie Bullins, Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film, published a new book, “From Page to Stage: How Theatre Designers Make Connections Between Scripts and Images.” The book explores the relationship between text analysis, imagination and the creation of theatrical design. Bullins contributed new interviews, illustrations, and current trends and processes for this second edition, which also includes the first-edition text.
Greg Dickinson, law, along with co-author Richard Epstein of the New York University School of Law, published the Law of Torts, second edition, which illuminates the basics and the intricacies of tort law for students, courts and practitioners. The treatise, a significant update to the previous version, provides a solid foundation in the historical evolution of tort doctrine, and it systematically applies economic analysis and corrective-justice theory to address the major issues facing courts today.
Professional Service
Scott Fuess, economics, who is a University of Nebraska faculty athletics representative, was appointed to the NCAA Academics and Eligibility Committee. The committee oversees academic standards and eligibility policies for student-athletes. The Big Ten Conference recommended Fuess for the role.
Brian Lepard, law, made multiple presentations at the 26th annual Global Conference on Environmental Taxation, held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in September. He was a keynote panelist at the conference’s opening session, where he offered an analysis of the social cost of carbon, and participated on other panels focused on environmental taxation, human rights and environmental sustainability.
Matt Schaefer, law, along with his Yeutter Institute colleagues Jill O’Donnell, Ed Balistreri and non-resident fellow Kellie Meiman Hock, discussed the impact of recent tariff actions and trade agreements on U.S. and Nebraska agriculture at the Farm Management and Outlook Conference in Omaha in mid-August. Schaefer addressed the legal vehicles for the new tariffs and the legal challenges in U.S. courts to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act-based tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.
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