Upcoming Events
OPEN Forum (quarterly meeting for all ORED staff)
ORED’s Fall OPEN Forum will be held on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, 8:30-10:00 a.m. at the Cather Dining Complex at 530 N 17th Street in meeting room Red Cloud A. The presentation at this forum will focus on tips for coping with conflict, chaos, and change. Valerie Williams, EAP counselor/trainer, will share the predictable, universal elements of conflict, chaos, and change, with three key ways to strengthen resiliency and use practical strategies to grow from difficult situations.
A continental breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. and the program will begin around 9:00. We will adjourn by 10:00.
Please RSVP your attendance plans by September 13.
A regular feature at our OPEN Forum is to take time to celebrate our colleagues. Please submit a kudo to a colleague that will be shared at the event.
OPEN Forum is a quarterly meeting for all ORED staff; it is an opportunity to gather with colleagues, have fun, and learn about an important aspect of the office. If you have questions regarding the OPEN Forum, please contact Becky Carter.
Nebraska Innovation Studio Speaker Series
Nebraska Innovation Studio is launching a speaker series focused on robotics! Join us on Sept. 13 at 7:00 p.m. for the opportunity to hear Santosh Pitla talk about robotics and the future of farming. Register >>
Husker Dialogues Needs Conversation Guides
- HealthierU Employee Wellness and Community Resource Fair: Returning to campus this fall, the fair will be held in the UNL Coliseum on Tuesday, October 17th from 8-11 a.m. All employees are invited to join us! To see the current list of vendors and activities visit the website by clicking here.
- HealthierU Employee Wellness Portal: As part of our commitment to promote better health, HealthierU is offering this free and confidential well-being program as a new supplement to your health benefits package. The program is administered by our partner, Navigate Wellbeing Solutions, and will help you focus on your mental, physical, and emotional health. You will have access to online learning tools, a well-being assessment, group challenges, personal challenges, and much more be sure to use the program’s online resources to help you achieve your goals, no matter what they are! The portal officially launches in September. For more information https://healthierU.unl.edu.
- Lincoln Corporate Games: There is still time to submit a team to the Lincoln Corporate Game Events! Check out the website to see the full listing of all the event opportunities that will be taking place through September and October!
Welcome New ORED Team Members
Greetings everyone,
My name is Sam Mombou, and I am the newly appointed Director of Sponsored Programs. I am thrilled to join the UNL research community and support the groundbreaking research projects.
My interest in research stems from my passion for discovering new knowledge and finding innovative solutions to problems.
During my free time, I relish spending quality time with my loved ones, contributing to my community through volunteer work, and indulging in my passion for soccer.
As the Director of Sponsored Programs, I pledge to provide unwavering support to researchers, empowering them to achieve their ambitions and significantly impact the world.
I eagerly look forward to connecting with and collaborating with each of you.
I am excited to join the UNL community as director of CB3. My name is Aron Barbey, and I have been a faculty member at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois for the past 12 years. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling to new places with my wife and exploring the great outdoors. I also have two pets, an Abyssinian cat and a new Barbet puppy, who bring me great joy.
Hello everyone! My name is Francine Goh and I’m excited to join the MERC team. I received my M.A. in Psychology from UNL and am currently working on my Ph.D. in Psychology. Outside of work, I enjoy rock climbing, hanging out with my cat, and being outside (when it’s not too cold/hot).
KUDOS to Our Colleagues
Katie Pelland (Proposal Development) was awarded an NSF grant as a co-PI. This is her first grant as co-PI (or PI). She is part of a team across the Dakotas, Nebraska, Montana, and Wyoming that is organizing a convening next summer around strengthening the research enterprise in the region. Way to go, Katie!
Cheryl Horst (NUtech Ventures) served on the virtual Nebraska Women in STEM, “Navigating Salary Negotiation” panel on August 23.
The CIP credential is one of the highest achievements an IRB professional can obtain. The Certified IRB Professional (CIP®) credential constitutes formal recognition of an IRB professional’s broad knowledge of IRB functions and expertise about human research protection programs (HRPPs). It signals that its holders are highly qualified to discharge their duties pursuant to United States rules and regulations, prevailing ethical codes. Research Compliance staff helped her to celebrate by decorating her office!
Stephanie Vendetti (Events) has been invited to join the board of the Friends of the International Quilt Museum, with her term in this volunteer capacity running from July 2023-2026. She is excited to aid in raising awareness of the programming and exhibitions at the IQM. Stephanie encourages ORED staff to stop by the museum to take in an exhibition, with a reminder that UNL faculty/staff and guest receive free entry to the museum with their NCard. For more information about International Quilt Museum admission and hours of operation visit their website: https://www.internationalquiltmuseum.org/visit
She thinks this might be one of the best kept secrets, UNL employees receive the great value of free entrance to one of Lincoln’s own community gems!
Do you know someone who should join our team? Share these opportunities!
- Project Specialist II or III, Sponsored Programs application review date extended View Details Bookmark
- Public Programs and Volunteer Coordinator, University Museum application review date 9/15/2023View Details Bookmark
The Month in Pictures
The Vendetti family took time to visit friends in the Twin Cities, and report that the St. Paul famer’s market is second to none! The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis has an outdoors sculpture garden that’s fun for all ages (pictured here is the Claes Oldenburg/Coosje van Bruggen sculpture, Spoonbridge and Cherry). If you find yourself in Duluth, Love Creamery ice cream and the Duluth Grill have some of the best eats in town. When traveling through Iowa, the Amana Colonies is a stop that they always try to make. The fudge at the Chocolate Haus, and the Amana Woolen Mill are their fun diversions there.
Connie Wieser’s (Sponsored Programs)daughter, Shelby (Wieser) Benton continues to work towards her goal of running a Half Marathon in all 50 states by the time she turns 50! Working with Mainly Marathons allows her to check off several states in one trip. She recently ran in 4 states in the Riverboat Series (April 2023) and added 5 more states in the Heartland Series (July 2023). The Heartland Series earned her the recognition of running 25 races with Mainly Marathons. Connie has accompanied Shelby for 22 of the completed states. Connie also volunteers at the aid station for all Mainly Marathon runners. Shelby has been working on this bucket list item since 2017, taking a “time out” to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2018. She has nine more states to finish…and a good chunk of time before her “Bucket List” clock runs out.
OPEN Book Submissions
If you enjoyed the news and photos, please consider sharing some for the next OPEN Book Newsletter.
Thank you to the OPEN Book reporters (your team contact to submit items):
Jacque Barmore (Methodology and Evaluation Research Core)
Mardi Bonner (Office of Sponsored Programs)
Megan Ebbers (Institutional Animal Care Program)
Tisha Gilreath Mullen (Office of Proposal Development)
Brooke Goedert (Nebraska Innovation Campus)
Mari Greer (Vice Chancellor’s Office)
Casey Lundberg (NUtech Ventures)
Suzanne Spiehs (Industry Relations)
Sara Quinn (Research Compliance Services), and
Ashley Washburn (Research Communications).
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 (Vice Chancellor’s Office).
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.
