NEWS AND EVENTS
ORED shines at annual NORDP meeting
The Office of Research and Economic Development was well represented at the 10th annual meeting of the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP), held in Arlington, Virginia, May 7-10.
NORDP is the primary professional organization of individuals who support faculty efforts to secure extramural research funding and enhance their research competitiveness. Its members also initiate and nurture partnerships through the academic research enterprise.
Matthew Dwyer, Tisha Mullen and Kathy Partlow from the Office of Proposal Development, and Liz Lange and Nathan Meier from the Office of the Vice Chancellor, attended the conference. Combined, this group participated in three peer-reviewed panel presentations and one poster presentation, including:
- From Seed to Harvest: Designing, Monitoring and Improving Internal Funding Programs
- Sparking Partnerships and Fanning the Flames of Collaboration: Diverse Team Approaches,
- Driving Faculty Recognition Efforts & Results: Analytics, Mentoring, and Culture Change
- What Do the Data Say? Results from Quantitative Analysis of Faculty Research Development Impacts at a Comprehensive, Land-Grant Institution
Upcoming ORED Events
June 5, Scoping Workshop
This session, open to Nebraska researchers interested in different facets of pathogen-host interactions or infectious diseases, is aimed at generating research questions that faculty are interested in pursuing with seed funding from ORED. RSVP by June 1.
Welcomes
The Institutional Animal Care Program recently welcomed five people to its team. Calvin DeVries, Loren Peterson, and Cindy Wooledge all joined in the ag research technician II position. DeVries recently graduated with an animal science degree from the Nebraska, and Peterson and Wooledge are certified veterinary technicians. Two Husker undergraduates, Katelin Oborny and Gracie Schuster, are student workers for the summer.
KUDOS TO OUR COLLEAGUES
In addition to the five new IACP team members, Melissa Bausch, Jesse Bauman-Berg, Brittany Smola and Craig Kreikemeier-Bower have been instrumental in helping the IACP team navigate a very busy spring season in a professional and dedicated manner.
Bayliegh Bohn with the Institutional Animal Care Program has taken on a new role as the facility supervisor for the Life Science Annex and Manter Hall. She came to IACP as a licensed veterinary technician, and worked in that position as she completed her bachelor’s degree. Following her graduation, she immediately signed on full time and quickly rose to lead technician over the past few years. She has shown her investment in the institution and commitment to continued learning in laboratory animal programs by attaining an additional Association of Laboratory Animal Technician certification. IACP and ORED are excited to have her as facility supervisor and are eager to see her continued growth in the program.
Lissette Gilster, export control coordinator, attended the sixth Annual Conference of the Association for University Export Control Officers (AUECO), hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, May 7-10. With a colleague from the University of Cincinnati, she presented “Shipping: Awareness for Higher Education and Scientific Institutions,” which focused on international shipping. At the conference, which drew approximately 200 university and federal representatives, Lissette did a tremendous job representing UNL and showcasing her expertise. She put in a great deal of time and effort to plan and complete the presentation. Thanks from all of us!
Cheryl Horst, assistant director of NUtech Ventures, was sworn in as an attorney by the Nebraska State Bar Commission on April 26 after receiving her Juris Doctor degree from the Nebraska College of Law in August 2017 and recently passing the bar exam.
Nathan Meier, assistant vice chancellor for research, received the Rising Star Award at the 2018 NORDP conference in Arlington, Virginia. The award recognizes an active member who has made significant volunteer contributions to NORDP and who exhibits strong potential for future contributions. Since 2011, Nathan has been working to advance NORDP and the research development profession through activities such as conference planning and panel presentations, as well as service to the NORDP mentoring program and board of directors nominating committee. Nathan said: “I am honored to be recognized with this award from NORDP and to stand on the shoulders of giants – the UNL faculty and ORED colleagues that allow me to do my best work in research development every day.”
Rachel Wenzl, research compliance services specialist and IRB manager, recently completed her master’s degree in public health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She graduated with flying colors on May 5. The Research Compliance Services office helped her celebrate this huge accomplishment by decorating her cubicle in streamers!
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: ROSE ROBOTHAM
This month we’re featuring ORED’s Rose Robotham. If you have a colleague you’d like to see featured in a future edition of OPEN, submit your idea here.
What is your title in ORED, and how long have you been part of the team?
Rose: My title is contract compliance coordinator. I am celebrating my 10-year anniversary in July.
Explain how your team fits into ORED’s overall mission.
Rose: NUtech works in two ways: 1) to help foster industry relations and industry-sponsored research, and 2) to find industry partners through the licensing process for the technologies developed by our researchers, enabling the new technologies to enter the marketplace, benefit society and bring financial benefit back into the university and to the inventors personally.
NUtech is one of the pieces in the system of innovation that ORED has created to serve faculty, staff and the state of Nebraska. Many of the licensed technologies have a daily economic impact on Nebraskans and people worldwide. Through licensed technologies and start-up ventures, NUtech is a catalyst for economic development and job creation.
What progress would you like to see ORED make over the next five years?
Rose: I’m a big fan of teamwork and team development. I’d love to see and participate in an ORED-wide team development initiative.
Tell us three things most people don’t know about you.
Rose: (1) I love to play tennis in my “free” time. (2) I have a black thumb when it comes to plants, although I think I’m a gardener. (3) I volunteer as a CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate, for children in the foster care system.
What’s on your bucket list?
Rose: Travel, travel, travel!
If you did not work in ORED, what would you be doing for a career?
Rose: I’d probably be working in a law firm somewhere or a corporate legal office.
WATER COOLER CHAT
Vacations are often one of the most memorable aspects of the summer season. Here are some of your colleagues’ favorite destinations:
Mari Greer, Office of the Vice Chancellor: “It’s difficult to name a favorite vacation spot; however, we’re going to Oahu, Hawaii for the first time in September, I’m sure it will be beautiful! We cruised on Holland America for our Caribbean and Alaskan trips, loving Georgetown, Grand Cayman and Ketchikan, Alaska. In the continental 48 U.S. states there’s several cities that I love: New York City; Seattle; San Antonio; Phoenix; Las Vegas and Charleston, SC.”
Jenn Klein, Research Compliance Services: “Any vacation spot is my favorite spot, but my dream destination is Athens, Greece.”
Suzan Lund, Sponsored Programs: “The western coast of Greece – most beautiful. Chicago – a lot of fun!”
Katherine Pinkerton, Institutional Animal Care Program: “Edinburgh, Scotland!”
Connie Wieser, Sponsored Programs: “I don’t vacation on a regular basis, but two places I said I would NEVER go to are New York City and Alaska. Never say NEVER, because I was presented with an opportunity to go to both places and I can honestly say I would consider a return visit to both.
Did you know that according to the Lincoln Journal Star, the 2018 summer concert season is likely to be the biggest one eastern Nebraska has ever had? Venues in Lincoln and Omaha will host a diverse range of artists, including Nelly, whose street concert appears to be the highest in-demand show of the season, The Beach Boys, Oak Ridge Boys, Imagine Dragons and more.
What is the best concert you’ve ever attended? Tell us about it here.
THE MONTH IN PICTURES
After a year of daily workouts, weekend hikes and running marathons, Shelby Wieser — daughter of Connie Wieser, Sponsored Programs — climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in February. Kilimanjaro is a popular climb because it’s more like a hike. Shelby and two friends were the only climbers in their group, which also included 15 experts who helped facilitate the logistics and safety of the climb. Each climber had to carry 30 pounds consisting of personal items, clothing, water and snacks. It took them seven days to climb to the summit, which is 19,341 feet. After reaching the summit, they stayed at Crater Camp, located at 18,500 feet. It took two days to come back down.
Thanks for all who contributed to this month’s OPEN Book. If you have news you’d like to share in the newsletter, submit it here or send it to tlee9@unl.edu.
