The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has selected 25 faculty to serve as 2020-21 Research Development Fellows. The program provides full-time, pre-tenure faculty with information, resources and approaches necessary to prepare competitive grant proposals.

The Research Development Fellows Program, which this year combines formal and informal learning sessions in a virtual setting, is designed to enhance the grant-getting success of the university’s early career faculty by providing proposal development best practices in a diverse, interactive and collaborative space that encourages relationship-building around funding for research and creative activity.

Research Development Fellows Program learning activities are complemented by one-on-one consultations with Nebraska administrators, faculty colleagues and Office of Research and Economic Development staff who provide advice to fellows regarding the proposal development process, including the creation of a concept paper and elevator pitch.

Participants were selected through a competitive application process. The 2020-2021 Research Development Fellows Program fellows are:

• Roberto Abadie, assistant professor of global integrative studies and sociology
• Katie Anania, assistant professor of art, art history, and design
• Wei Bao, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering
• Mona Bavarian, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering
• William Belcher, assistant professor of global integrative studies
• Patrick Bitterman, assistant professor of global integrative studies
• Jesse Fleming, assistant professor of emerging media arts
• Mohammad Ghashami, assistant professor of mechanical and materials engineering
• Javed Iqbal, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture
• Jack Jeffries, assistant professor of mathematics
• Congriu Jin, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering
• Taeyeon Kim, assistant professor of educational administration
• Fanben Meng, assistant professor of mechanical and materials engineering
• Deepika Menon, assistant professor of teaching, learning, and teacher education
• David Newton, assistant professor of architecture
• Arman Roohi, assistant professor of computer science and engineering
• Tirthankar Roy, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering
• Ash Smith, assistant professor of emerging media arts
• Robert Streubel, assistant professor of physics
• Hoang-Dung Tran, assistant professor of computer science and engineering
• Robert Twomey, assistant professor of emerging media arts
• Ruth Woiwode, assistant professor of animal science
• Yijie Xiong, assistant professor of animal science
• Qiuming Yao, assistant professor of computer science and engineering
• Ruizhi Zhang, assistant professor of statistics

Since Research Development Fellows Program’s inception in 2008, 217 fellows have participated in the program.

Applications for the 2021-2022 cohort will be solicited in fall 2021. Visit the Research Development Fellows Program website for more details or contact Tisha Mullen.

Office of Research and Economic Development