Early Career Awards
Active awards, July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025.
*Indicates new in 2024–2025.
NSF CAREER Grants
National Science Foundation CAREER grants are awarded only to untenured junior faculty. These grants recognize research and education “of the highest quality and in the broadest sense.” CAREER grants are unique in requiring a four- to five-year plan for the scientist’s development as both a researcher and an educator.
Aich, Nirupam
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CAREER: 3D Printed Carbon-Metal Nanohybrid Aerogels for Highly Efficient Adsorptive/Catalytic Removal of PFASs
$491,627
NSF
1/1/2023 - 6/30/2027
Alexandrov, Vitali
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
CAREER: Advancing Mechanistic Understanding of Nanocrystal Dissolution in Aqueous Environments
$520,244
NSF
7/1/2020 - 6/30/2025
Bavarian, Mona
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
CAREER: Continuous Flow Chemistry of Microelectronics Polymers via Combined Physics-based and Machine Learning Models
$576,802
NSF
7/1/2023 - 6/30/2028
Bhardwaj, Shubhendu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
*CAREER: Exploring Spin and Angular Momentum Waves towards Future Wireless Communication Paradigm
$550,000
NSF
07/01/2025 - 06/30/2030
Bradley, Justin
Computing
CAREER: Foundations for a Resource-aware, Cyber-physical Vehicle Autonomy
$499,968
NSF
6/1/2021 - 11/30/2026
Eichhorn, Catherine
Chemistry/Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication
CAREER: Molecular Mechanisms of Ribonucleoprotein Assembly
$1,048,975
NSF
1/1/2021 - 12/31/2025
Elkins, Lynne
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
CAREER: Modeling Two-phase Flow, Multi-lithologic Melting, and Chemical Disequilibrium with Uranium Series Isotopes
$696,573
NSF
6/15/2021 - 5/31/2026
Eun, Jongwan
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CAREER: Multi-physical and Multi-scale Testing and Modeling of Water Infiltration through Frozen Soils
$635,820
NSF
8/1/2023 - 7/31/2028
Fernandez-Ballester, Lucia
Mechanical & Materials Engineering
*CAREER: Processing of Materials to Control Micro- and Nano-Plastic Release
$739,205
NSF
08/01/2025 - 07/31/2030
Filina, Irina
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
CAREER: An Integrated Geophysical Approach to Research and Education to Solve the Tectonic Puzzle of the Northern Atlantic
$746,284
NSF
3/1/2023 - 2/29/2028
Finch, Jenna
Psychology
*CAREER: Self-regulation, Mathematics Achievement, and Mathematical Attitudes during the Third-grade Transition in High-poverty Schools
$928,922
NSF
08/01/2025 - 07/31/2030
Ghashami, Mohammad
Mechanical & Materials Engineering
CAREER: Understanding Nanoscale Radiative Transport in Multi-body Systems
$629,702
NSF
7/1/2023 - 6/30/2028
Glowacka, Katarzyna
Biochemistry/Center for Plant Science Innovation
CAREER: Understanding Non-photochemical Quenching under Chilling in the Warm-season C4 grasses
$1,375,334
NSF
3/1/2022 - 2/28/2027
Grifo, Eloisa
Mathematics
CAREER: Problems in Commutative and Homological Algebra
$425,000
NSF
8/1/2023 - 7/31/2028
Guo, Hongzhi
Computing
CAREER: Long-range Near Field Communication for Ultra-dense Internet of Things
$499,337
NSF
1/1/2023 - 6/30/2027
Guo, Yinsheng
Chemistry/Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience
CAREER: Structural Dynamics and Optoelectronics of Anharmonic Soft Semiconductors
$648,335
NSF
4/1/2024 - 3/31/2029
Holland, Kathryn
Psychology
CAREER: The Efficacy of Sexual Assault Mandatory Reporting Policies
$502,113
NSF
6/1/2022 - 5/31/2027
Iverson, Nicole
Biological Systems Engineering
CAREER: Extracellular Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Oxide Detection and Quantification via Biocompatible Carbon Nanotubes
$550,000
NSF
7/1/2022 - 6/30/2027
Jeffries, Jack
Mathematics
CAREER: Differential Operators and p-Derivations in Commutative Algebra
$400,000
NSF
6/1/2021 - 5/31/2026
Louis, Joe
Entomology/Biochemistry
CAREER: Deciphering Sorghum Resistance Mechanisms to Phloem-feeding Aphids
$1,515,525
NSF
6/1/2019 - 5/31/2025
Markvicka, Eric
Mechanical & Materials Engineering
CAREER: Universal Strategy for Manufacturing Solid Particle-incorporated Liquid Metal Mixtures
$691,771
NSF
8/1/2024 - 7/31/2029
Moore, Keegan
Mechanical & Materials Engineering
CAREER: Foundations for Understanding the Long-term Evolution and Dynamics of Nonlinearities
$727,410
NSF
9/1/2023 - 8/31/2028
Nejati, Siamak
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
CAREER: Molecular Layer Deposition of Porous Organic Frameworks
$593,240
NSF
8/1/2021 - 7/31/2026
Neta, Maital
Psychology/Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior
CAREER: Functional Brain Networks Mediating Positivity Bias in Healthy Aging
$766,508
NSF
5/15/2018 - 4/30/2025
Nie, Shuai
Computing
CAREER: Terahertz on the Move: Enabling a Dynamic Last Mile for 6G Wireless Networks
$812,995
NSF
7/1/2024 - 6/30/2029
Panther, Grace
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CAREER: Re-envisioning Engineering Pedagogy to Support a Range of Visuo-spatial Skills
$649,950
NSF
7/1/2024 - 6/30/2029
Park, Jae Sung
Mechanical & Materials Engineering
CAREER: Unraveling Predictive Dynamics and Multiscale Linkage in Turbulence for Flow Control
$506,780
NSF
12/15/2021 - 11/30/2026
Pedrigi, Ryan
Mechanical & Materials Engineering/Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication
CAREER: Characterizing the Mechanobiological Response of Endothelial Cells to Ultrasound
$543,020
NSF
7/1/2020 - 6/30/2025
Rojas, Clemencia
Plant Pathology/Center for Plant Science Innovation
CAREER: Dissecting the Cellular Pathways and Signaling Networks Orchestrating Plant Defense Responses and Their Interplay with Bacterial Virulence Factors
$483,090
NSF
1/1/2023 - 4/30/2025
Roohi, Arman
Computing
CAREER: Elastic Intermittent Computation Enabling Batteryless Edge Intelligence
$679,831
NSF
8/1/2024 - 7/31/2029
Roy, Tirthankar
Civil and Environmental Engineering
*CAREER: Characteristics of Rain-on-Snow Flooding in the Midwest
$673,168
NSF
07/01/2025 - 06/30/2030
Saha, Rajib
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
CAREER: Dissecting a Metabolically Versatile Non-model Bacterium's Lignin-derived Compound Catabolism
$767,855
NSF
6/1/2020 - 5/31/2025
Streubel, Robert
Physics and Astronomy
*CAREER: Short-range Order as Design Parameter for Topological Magnetism
$849,399
NSF
09/01/2025 - 08/31/2030
Sukumaran, Sunil
Nutrition and Health Sciences
*CAREER: The Roles of Zinc in Taste Cell Regeneration and Sweet Taste Signaling
$1,499,959
NSF
04/01/2025 - 03/31/2030
Tannenbaum, Daniel
Economics
*CAREER: Eviction and the Design of Policy to Avert Homelessness
$430,587
NSF
08/01/2025 - 07/31/2030
Tran, Dung Hoang
Computing
*CAREER: Enabling Trustworthy Complex Learning-enabled Autonomy
$689,582
NSF
02/01/2025 - 01/31/2030
Turk, Judith
Natural Resources
CAREER: Human-induced Soil Change on the U.S. Great Plains
$854,327
NSF
5/1/2024 - 4/30/2029
VanderPlas, Susan
Statistics
*CAREER: What Do You See? Perception, Engagement, and Statistical Graphics
$550,000
NSF
10/01/2025 - 9/30/2030
Votruba, Ashley
Psychology
CAREER: Equitable Access to Justice: Determinants of Engagement with the Civil Justice System
$660,000
NSF
7/1/2024 - 6/30/2029
Wachs, Rebecca
Biological Systems Engineering
CAREER: Alternative Non-opioid Therapies for Low Back Pain
$510,389
NSF
5/1/2019 - 4/30/2025
Wittich, Christine
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CAREER: Integration of Agricultural Infrastructure Vulnerability and Rural Community Resilience for Multiple Hazards
$615,387
NSF
9/1/2024 - 8/31/2029
Yang, Ruiguo
Mechanical & Materials Engineering
CAREER: Characterization of the Rate-dependent Mechanical Behavior of the Cell-Cell Adhesion Interface
$536,907
NSF
10/1/2022 - 9/30/2027
Yesselman, Joseph
Chemistry/Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication
CAREER: Determining the Fundamental Rules of RNA Tertiary Contact Formation
$1,235,574
NSF
6/1/2022 - 5/31/2027
Zhang, Limei
Biochemistry/Nebraska Center for Redox Biology/Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication
CAREER: Structural and Mechanistic Studies on an Iron-Sulfur Cluster-based Nitric Oxide Sensor
$600,000
NSF
7/1/2019 - 6/30/2025