Upcoming Events
Benefits Enrollment and Retirement Changes
ORED will host a Zoom question and answer time about benefits enrollment and changes to the retirement plan with Chris Tran, UNL’s Director of Benefits and Risk Management on Monday, November 7, 9:00-9:30 a.m. Click to register and get the Zoom meeting link. Our Annual NUFlex Benefits Enrollment period is open now and will end on November 18th. Also, unless employees intervene their retirement accounts will be automatically mapped tomorrow.
Save the Date – ORED Staff Recognition Event
The ORED Staff Recognition Event will be held on Monday, December 12, 2022, from 11:45-3:00 at Sun Valley Lanes. There will be awards, prizes, food, and fun. Registration and more information will be sent out at the end of November. For now, nominate your ORED colleagues and partners for the Invaluable Services Awards.
Nominations Sought for Staff Recognition Event
Nominations for the 2022 Vice Chancellor’s Invaluable Services Award are now beingaccepted through November 9 via this form.
Each year, ORED gives special recognition to those who have made outstanding contributions to the past year’s successes. The Vice Chancellor’s Award for Invaluable Service is given to individuals who excelled in their work and demonstrated commitment to ORED’s mission. These staff members went above and beyond to support the values of leadership, innovation, and initiative as they provided exceptional service to clients and to the university.
Occasionally, an award is also given to individuals outside ORED to honor their impact on our efforts to achieve our goals. You can use the same form to nominate someone outside the Office of Research and Economic Development.
Celebrating 10 Years of Innovation
November marks 10 years since Nebraska Innovation Campus’ groundbreaking – and we want to invite you to campus to help us celebrate! The public is invited to visit NIC on November 9 for facility tours and a NIC Partner Showcase. Public tours will begin at 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. and will last about 30 minutes. Individuals may sign up for a maximum of two tours, one per hour. Spots are limited.
Tour locations include Nebraska Innovation Studio, The Scarlet Hotel, the Food Innovation Center, and the Greenhouse Innovation Center.
REGISTER TO TAKE A TOUR >>
Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about companies located on the Nebraska Innovation Campus by attending the NIC Partner Showcase from 4:30-6:00 p.m. (Link, 1st Floor). Light refreshments will be provided. No registration is required.
Welcome New ORED Team Members
Stephanie Vendetti, Events Coordinator, Vice Chancellors Office – started on October 7
Stephanie joined ORED from the UNL Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education, where she has worked for the past 10 years as the events and outreach specialist. Her focus in events has been on planning and coordinating conferences, workshops, camps, and meetings. Stephanie most enjoys organizing and facilitating events that provide service to the community and make a larger positive impact. Prior to working at UNL, Stephanie received her BFA in studio art from the University of South Carolina and MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology, moving to Lincoln in 2006 as an artist-in-residence and ceramics instructor at LUX Center for the Arts. She later worked as the education director, and gallery director at LUX before joining the staff at UNL. In her spare time you can find Stephanie on hiking or biking nature excursions with her family, enjoying the full spectrum of cuisines, crafting, watching her kids play sports, and traveling to see family, friends, and new locales. Stephanie is excited to join the ORED team and looks forward to getting to know everyone.
Aurora Kenworthy, Awards Coordinator I, Sponsored Programs – started October 17
Aurora is a recent graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law and is excited to be joining The Office of Sponsored Programs as an Awards Coordinator. Aurora attendedUNL for her bachelor’s degree in history and was a member of the Cornhusker Marching Band for 6 years during undergrad and law school. In her free time, Aurora enjoys reading anything and everything, collecting records, figuring skating (poorly), and traveling to see examples of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.
Farewells
Kacey Nelkin Pedersen last day in Sponsored Programs was October 20. Kacey transferred to be the Assistant Director for the Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communications (CIBC). In the interim, please contact Suzan Lund for any assistance.
Kimberly Peschka Bilder last day at UNL was October 14. Kimberly took a position with Nebraska Community Foundation. In the interim, please contact David Doty for any assistance.
KUDOS to Our Colleagues
Staff Senate Exploratory Committee
Thank you ORED team members Suzan Lund, Casey Lundberg, Kacey Nelkin Pedersen, and Jennifer Rutt for the work that you did for the Exploratory Committee for Staff Senate.
In the spring of 2021, the Staff Senate Exploratory Committee took on the challenge of developing a staff governance body (Staff Senate) that would represent and advocate for all staff who are part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln community. Read more about the history and upcoming inaugural Staff Senate.
Daniel Duncan receives AURP’s Career Achievement Award
Nebraska Innovation Campus executive director Daniel J. Duncan received AURP’s Career Achievement Award on September 20 during AURP’s International Conference, co-hosted by Greater Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District, David Johnston Research + Technology Park and McMaster Innovation Park.
AURP’s Career Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made their research community a central focus of their career, who has achieved outstanding successes over a substantial period of time and who has received peer recognition for advancing the concept of university research parks and innovation districts.
“I am honored to receive this prestigious award from AURP, an organization that has been so important to my successful career as a research park director,” said Duncan. “I am proud of the Nebraska Innovation Campus partnerships and facilities that have been generated during my tenure, and am excited for the future of NIC.”
Duncan currently serves as executive director of the Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation and is the immediate past president of AURP.
Duncan began his tenure at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in 1987 and moved into his current position at NIC in 2011. Under Duncan’s leadership, NIC has grown impactful partnerships between private sector businesses and the University of Nebraska. The campus features 570,000 square feet of completed facilities, and in 2021 the campus generated an overall economic impact of $454 million from the operation and investments of businesses, organizations and conferences located at NIC. Duncan plans to retire in early 2023.
Wilma Gerena receives Golden Pillar Award
Wilma Gerena received a service and dedication recognition from the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, attached is their annual report page.
An excerpt from the 2021-2022 COOP Annual Report, “Golden Pillar Award honors and recognizes outstanding individuals who are “pillars of support”; their support is essential to the success of the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Award recipients are recognized at our annual unit meeting and presented with a token of appreciation.
Wilma worked as the Administrative Assistant from 2016 through 2022; she advanced from this position and joined UNL’s Office of Sponsored Programs, where she will continue to positively influence our Research Unit. Wilma applied her talents behind the scenes to ensure relevancy of the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit to our students and to our stakeholders. Thanks Wilma for your unwavering commitment!”
Team Spotlight with State Museum – Bingo Winners
Congratulations to October 14’s Team Spotlight bingo winners and Grand Prize Winner, McKenna Schneider! McKenna wins an annual membership to the State Museum! The first 11 bingo winners received a chocolate Archie bar from the museum.
Bingo winners were: Joy Eakin, Jessica Jones, Sarah Hansen, Kacey Nelkin Pedersen, Chyvonne Gibson, Keri Williams, Elijah Luebbe, Jessica Cronin, Terri Murray, Suzan Lund, and Andrea Koeber.
Reading Recommendations from University Press Staff
The University Press Staff made reading recommendations during the October 28 Team Spotlight. University of Nebraska Press books are available for 20% off to all UNL faculty and staff. Visit nebraskapress.unl.edu to shop and use code 6UNL22 at checkout through December 31, 2022.
Jane Ferrerya recommends Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese’s by Tiffany Midge
Bridget Barry recommends My Antonia, Scholarly Edition by Willa Cather
Ann Baker recommends Gang of One – Memoirs of a Red Guard by Fan Shen
Rosemary Sekora recommends The Wax Pack – On the Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife by Brad Balukjian
Tera Beermann recommends Eyes Right – Confessions of a Woman Marine by Tracy Crow
Jana Faust recommends Deer Season by Erin Flanagan
Joyce Gettman recommends Great Plains Quarterly
The University Press proudly publishes the 2023 One Book One Nebraska selection The Mystery of Hunting’s End by Mignon G. Eberhart.
Do you know someone who should join our team? Share these opportunities!
Lead Research Project Manager Research-50000086
As part of the Project Management Office (PMO) The Lead Research Project Manager will champion and drive research and economic development at UNL by providing robust and comprehensive grants facilitation services on large, complex, and translational projects. This position will develop and lead PMO within the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED). The PMO enables coordination and o…View Details Bookmark
Contracts Manager Sponsored Programs-0982
Manage all aspects of grants, contracts, subawards, material transfer, data usage and confidentiality agreements for the University of Nebraska Office of Sponsored Programs. Provide guidance to OSP staff pertaining to awards received by UNL. Provide guidance to staff on contractual issues as well as matters requiring legal analysis and interpretation. Draft, review and negotiate governmental (l…View Details Bookmark
License Compliance Coordinator NUtech Ventures-0931
The License Compliance Coordinator is responsible for managing all aspects of compliance for NUtech’s license portfolio. This includes managing a database of all agreements for the organization, docketing obligations, and ensuring compliance for all financial and non-financial transactional activities related to the license agreements and interinstitutional agreements. This role also manages th…View Details Bookmark
Pre-award Assistant, Grants Coordinator I, II, or III Sponsored Programs-0982
Pre-Award Assistant:Under the guidance of Grants Coordinator III or above, this position will: Provide institutional oversight for submission of external funding proposals, verifying compliance with University, State, Federal, and Sponsor guidelines and regulations; provide specialized guidance to faculty and staff in gaining knowledge of, acquiring, and finalizing external proposals; work with…View Details Bookmark
Project Specialist I, II, or III Sponsored Programs-0982
The Office of Sponsored Programs is seeking to hire a Project Specialist professional at one of three levels: Project Specialist I: Perform financial management activities for gifts, grants and contracts received by UNL. Advise staff on compliance issues with guidance of your supervisor or other OSP mentors. Process and close awards. Prepare financial reports and serve as a Sponsored Programs of…View Details Bookmark
Financial Specialist Research-50000086
This position provides financial, operational and general business support in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment. This individual will monitor internal awards and commitments from the time they are made, until the projects have ended including several points of correspondence in between. Position will oversee reconciliation of cost centers and WBS numbers in Research, will review payroll…View Details Bookmark
Research Communications Specialist Research-50000086
The Research Communications Specialist supports the Research Communication’s team’s efforts to promote research, scholarly and creative activity at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This position has primary responsibility for overseeing and creating content for the Office of Research and Economic Development’s social media channels, with the goal of communicating the importance, impact and p…View Details Bookmark
The Month in Pictures
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Red Box Bonding
OPEN Book Submissions
Thank you to the OPEN Book reporters Mary Guest, Tisha Gilreath Mullen, Ashley Washburn, Sara Quinn, Mardi Bonner, Suzanne Spiehs, Katherine Pinkerton, Casey Lundberg, David Martin and Brooke Goedert. If you have anything you would like to include in the monthly OPEN Book newsletter, please reach out to one of these reporters or send it directly to Becky Carter.
OPEN Book is a monthly electronic newsletter that highlights upcoming activities, office news, and accomplishments. To read previous OPEN Book newsletters, go to research.unl.edu/open.
