The Office of Research and Economic Development will celebrate the research and creative accomplishments of University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty and students during Nebraska Research Days Nov. 2-6. In response to the pandemic, this annual campus event showcasing research, scholarly and creative activity will be a weeklong virtual celebration.

Aimed at recognizing the impact of Nebraska Research, the celebration will engage the campus through a mix of digital features and traditional events that have been reimagined for a virtual format. The week includes annual Research Days events – including the Innovator Celebration, faculty recognition event, Faculty Research and Creative Activity Slam, Nebraska Lecture and guest speakers – plus prizes, videos, social media contests and more.

The Research Days website will serve as the hub for accessing the virtual events and digital features. Additional content will be posted on the @UNLresearch social media channels. Faculty and students are encouraged to share their celebration photos using the #ResearchDays hashtag.

Mark your calendars for these virtual events: 

• Monday, Nov. 2, 10-11 a.m. – NUtech Ventures hosts Andrei Iancu, director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and Molly Kocialski, director of the Rocky Mountain Regional USPTO. Registration is required. 
• Monday, Nov. 2, 3:30-4:15 p.m. – NUtech Ventures Innovator Celebration. Registration is required.
• Tuesday, Nov. 3, 10-11 a.m. – Faculty Recognition event with prizes and videos highlighting research accomplishments in 2019-2020. Bob Wilhelm, vice chancellor for research and economic development will present. Registration is required.
• Wednesday, Nov. 4, 12-1 p.m. – Office of Graduate Studies hosts a Postdoc Science Slam featuring postdoc researchers presenting concise, brief videos about their work. Winners will receive a $650 prize to advance their research or creative activity. No registration required, just join the Zoom. Until then, check the Graduate Studies Facebook page to vote for the People’s Choice award.
• Wednesday, Nov. 4, 4-5 p.m. – Faculty Research and Creative Activity Slam featuring faculty from a range of disciplines presenting their work in an interactive, engaging manner. Attendees may vote on the best presenter, who will receive a $1,000 prize. Registration is required. The presenters are:
  • Matt Andrews, director, Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research program, and professor, School of Natural Resources, presenting “Medical Innovations Based on Hibernation in Nebraska Ground Squirrels;”
  • Rochelle Dalla, professor of child, youth and family studies, presenting “Family-Based Sex Trafficking in India: What I Want All of Nebraska to Know;”
  • Ted Dawson, assistant professor of practice of German, modern languages and literatures, presenting “German in Nebraska: Beer, Pretzels and Anti-Racism;”
  • Andre Maciel, assistant professor of marketing, presenting “Marketplace Stories of David vs. Goliath;”
  • Charles Nwaizu, assistant professor of practice, food science and technology, presenting “Speaking One Language in Food Making;”
  • Wayne Riekhof, associate professor, School of Biological Sciences, presenting “Hey, You Smell Nice … Wanna Swap Nutrients? How Microbes Communicate with Each Other to Connect, Cooperate and Succeed;”
  • Bonita Sharif, associate professor of computer science and engineering, presenting “Empowering Empirical Software Engineering with Gaze Tracking;” and
  • Sergio Wals, associate professor of political science and ethnic studies, presenting “Building Bridges towards Immigration Reform in the United States.”

• Thursday, Nov. 5, 9:30 a.m. – The Association of Women in Science is sponsoring an Awards and Recognition Roundtable for participants to learn about institutional resources that help faculty pursue external honors important in their fields. Registration is required. Faculty panelists are:
  • Dawn O. Braithwaite, Willa Cather Professor of Communication Studies;
  • Eileen Hebets, Charles Bessey Professor of Biological Sciences;
  • Martha Mamo, department head and John E. Weaver Professor of Agronomy and Horticulture; and
  • Lily Wang, associate dean for faculty and inclusion, College of Engineering.

To further highlight women in research, AWIS is inviting women faculty to share why they do research at Nebraska for use on social media throughout Research Days.

• Thursday, Nov. 5, noon – AWIS keynote presentation, “Celebrating Women in Science,” by Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in space and former director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Registration is required.
• Thursday, Nov. 5, 4 p.m. – AWIS Virtual Social Bingo will facilitate new connections between faculty, staff and students in research and STEM fields. Participants who fill a bingo card are eligible for a prize. Registration is required.
• Friday, Nov. 6, 2:30-3:30 p.m. – Nebraska Lecture with Joy Castro, “Writing Memoir, Writing Crime: Creativity as Sociopolitical Intervention,” including a live Q&A session.

In response to the cancelation of the in-person Research Days student poster sessions, ORED will provide access to the virtual research posters created by undergraduate and graduate and summer undergraduate students earlier this year. For questions about these events, contact Lisa Maupin, events and outreach manager.