NEWS AND EVENTS
Upcoming Events
Employee Learning Week, Dec. 3-7
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has declared Dec. 3-7 Employee Learning Week, an awareness campaign launched by the international nonprofit Association for Talent Development aimed at promoting the value of workplace learning. To celebrate, the Office of Research and Economic Development encourages staff to take advantage of learning opportunities, either at work or elsewhere.
To help mark the week, staff will receive an invitation to participate in a training needs assessment for ORED. This quick survey allows staff to provide input on the training topics to be addressed in 2019 through the OPEN Forum initiative.
Fingertip Learning
Take advantage of some free, or nearly free, mobile apps that offer opportunities to learn every day. Here are some to consider:
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- Brainscape: Double your learning speed using flashcards.
- EdX: Watch open-sourced online lectures, take quizzes and complete assignments at your own pace.
- Lynda.com: Participate in this online platform to boost your skills in business, software, technology and more. Learn for free using your Lincoln City Library card.
- Memrise: Learn another language through gamification.
- TED: Choose from among more than 1,700 TED Talk videos, which introduce viewers to revolutionary ideas from education radicals, tech geniuses, business gurus, music legends and more.
- Star Walk: This reality app of sorts follows your device’s movement in real time, offering views and providing information on more than 200,000 stars.
Professional Organizations
Another way to boost professional development is to get involved in a professional or civic association. Not only do they offer valuable presentations and formal learning opportunities, they also offer a network that is a valuable resource. ORED supports and encourages memberships and encourages staff to discuss options with their managers.
KUDOS TO OUR COLLEAGUES
Dan Duncan, executive director of Nebraska Innovation Campus, was recently elected president of the Association of University Research Parks for a two-year term. AURP is a professional association of university-related research and science parks, with a mission of fostering innovation, commercialization and economic growth through university, industry and government partnerships. Dan was elected during AURP’s 2018 International Conference, held Oct. 22-26 at the University of Maryland’s Discovery District in College Park, Maryland. As president, he will help promote university research parks and innovation communities throughout the U.S. and the world. Congratulations, Dan!
WATER COOLER CHAT
Thanks for all the suggestions for a holiday themed question! Here’s the winner, since it was suggested by multiple people: What is your favorite holiday tradition? Let us know here.
THE MONTH IN PICTURES
Derek Bargmann, Sponsored Programs, and Molly Bargmann welcomed Boston Reed Bargmann on Nov. 1. He was 9 pounds, 5 ounces and 21.25 inches long. Because of a sickness he was born with, he was in the neonatal intensive care unit until Nov. 15, but he is now healthy and home with his older brothers Burke, 4, and Briggs, 2.
Katherine Pinkerton (above right), Institutional Animal Care Program, ran Lincoln’s Good Life Halfsy on Oct. 28 with her daughter, Sarah (above left), who was ahead of Kathy by about 25 minutes. Kathy said “ran” is a bit of a misnomer, but we are proud of her for finishing! Congrats, Kathy!
At the Nov. 7 Nebraska Lecture, “Using Arachnids to Inspire D.R.E.A.M.S.,” Nebraska biologist Eileen Hebets discussed her groundbreaking discoveries, passion for informal science education and arachnid and animal behavior research. During the presentation, she engaged Chancellor Ronnie Green and Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development Bob Wilhelm in an “amblypygid battle,” pictured above. Hebets has researched how amblypygids, also known as whip spiders, participate in territorial battles by vibrating and waving their legs at each other. Green and Wilhelm enacted this phenomenon in memorable fashion, dueling to wave their “legs” at a faster frequency than their opponent. Green prevailed, but Wilhelm showed great potential for the next battle.
On Nov. 14, ORED relaunched its OPEN Forum series, which aims to extend professional development opportunities to staff members and foster community engagement among all the office units. Staff heard Chancellor Green discuss university priorities and goals as we move toward the University of Nebraska’s 150-year birthday in 2019; learned fun facts about VCRED Wilhelm during a game of “Get to Know the Vice Chancellor;” and were introduced to new colleagues who have recently joined ORED. Thanks to all who helped make this event a success!
