OPEN Book – January 2025

OPEN Book is the Office of Research and Innovation’s internal monthly electronic newsletter that highlights upcoming activities, office news, and accomplishments. The OPEN Book newsletter is sent on the last business day of the month.

News, Information and Upcoming Events

Robotics Speaker Series: Lab to Launch with Shane Farritor

Wednesday, February 4 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Nebraska Innovation Studio Classroom

Join us for an engaging conversation with Dr. Shane Farritor, a pioneering and prolific robotics innovator, researcher, and creator. Shane is a passionate inventor and advocate for makers, playing a critical role in establishing Virtual Incision, MRail, and even Nebraska Innovation Studio itself. In this conversation, Dr. Farritor will shine a spotlight on the less-talked-about facets of his story, exploring the roots of his entrepreneurial mindset, his early research commercialization ventures, and the lessons learned from both the successes and challenges along the way. Dr. Farritor came to UNL in 1998, before which he was in the Field and Space Robotics Laboratory at MIT and the Unmanned Vehicle Lab at the C.S. Draper Laboratories. Dr. Farritor has studied at the Kennedy Space Center, Goddard Space Flight Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and serves on the AIAA Robotics Technical Committee. Whether you’re interested in robotics, entrepreneurship, or the process of turning ideas into impactful technologies, this conversation will provide valuable insights into the real-world challenges of commercialization. REGISTER >>

R&I Performance Management Training Sessions

There are several options for orientation training or general refresh on the process and online system (Trakstar Perform).

Orientation for All New Users
Enroll at: https://go.unl.edu/oredpm
Session Length: 1.5 hours via Zoom
Dates/Times: February 5, 9:00-10:30 or March 13, 9:00-10:30
Description: This orientation training covers the performance management conversation process and navigating the online system, Trakstar Perform. We will cover:
1) The Shift – From Scorecard to Conversations
2) The Process – Overview, Common Missteps, and Timeframes
3) The Questions – Things to think about and how to prepare
4) The Link to Merit – How this process links to the merit process
5) The System – Login and navigation of the Trakstar Perform system and
6) Where to get help and ask your questions.

Refresh for Supervisors (optional)Enroll at: https://go.unl.edu/pm-supervisor-refresh
Session Length: 1 hour, via Zoom
Dates/Times: February 20, 10:00-11:00 or March 10, 10:00-11:00
Description: This refresh will provide an overview of the performance management conversation process, and helpful dos and don’ts for supervisors. We will discuss the conversation questions, and how best to prep and manage the dialog/feedback during the conversation. There will be time to ask specific questions on the process, the system, or what-ifs.

Refresh for Employees (optional)Enroll at: https://go.unl.edu/pm-employee-refresh
Session Length: 1 hour, via Zoom
Dates/Times: February 19, 1:30-2:30 or February 27, 1:30-2:30
Description: This refresh will provide an overview of the performance management conversation process, and helpful dos and don’ts for employees. We will discuss the conversation questions and how best to prepare for the conversation. There will be time to ask specific questions about the process, the system, or what-ifs.

HealthierU Upcoming Events

HealthierU is an employee wellness program that promotes healthy living at work and at home for all University of Nebraska-Lincoln employees, and to help get your year off to a good start they are excited to launch their official webinar series. To learn more about the series and to view a list of upcoming episodes visit
https://healthieru.unl.edu/healthieru-events/

Other upcoming events include:

Diabetes Prevention Program: Registration for the Diabetes Prevention Program is still open! The first session began Jan. 27, 2025. For more information on the program visit https://healthieru.unl.edu/individual-wellness/diabetes-prevention-program/
Keepin’ A Beat: The first group challenge for 2025 will take place in February. Registration opened on Jan 27 and the challenge begins on Feb 10th. For more information about this challenge and other available programs visit https://healthieru.unl.edu/healthieru-2025/quarter-1-nutrition/

An informative blog and other information and programs can be found at https://healthieru.unl.edu/.

February 2025 NRICH: Professional Development Sessions

Organizational Development and Training (ODT) in Human Resources is offering NRICH: Professional Development Sessions throughout the spring semester, here the sessions being offered during the month of February. All NRICH Professional Development opportunities can be found by visiting the ODT event calendar or through the BRIDGE LMS.

The NRICH Professional Development series is the component of ODT that provides learning experiences to university employees to promote growth and maximize their impact on campus. February NRICH Sessions include professional development planning, writing conference proposals, and planning with the Employee Assistance Program.

“Employees consistently rank professional development as a top priority from their employer. Our goal with the NRICH series is to support employees’ growth and development by offering high-quality and accessible learning opportunities every semester,” said Celeste Spier, director of organizational development.

All sessions are open enrollment for staff and faculty. Register using the links below.

February NRICH Sessions

February 13: NRICH: Power Up Your Professional Development Plan
1:30PM – 3:00PM, Nebraska Union Chimney Rock

February 20: NRICH: Supervisor’s Guide to Easy & Effective Staff Performance Evaluations
1:00PM – 2:30PM, via Zoom

February 25: NRICH: Using the EAP to Prepare for your Next Transition
2:00PM – 3:00PM, Nebraska Union Heritage Room

February 27: NRICH: From Idea to Acceptance: How to Write a Conference Proposal
2:00PM – 4:00PM, Nebraska Union Platter River South