OPEN Book – September 2023

Upcoming Events

Nebraska Innovation Studio – Monthly Speaker Series

Nebraska Innovation Studio launched a NEW monthly speaker series focused on robotics in September! Santosh Pitla was the inaugural speaker and spoke about the future of farming.  Watch Presentation >> .

Join us on October 25 to hear from Dan Novy, Assistant Professor with the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts, as he will present about low-cost imaging and sensor platforms for democratized ocean exploration.  

University of Nebraska System Hosts Employee Learning Week
Employee Learning Week shines a spotlight on professional development.  Each campus will present a topic in a virtual training session for employees on all campuses to share.  

How to Have Engaging and Productive Conversations
Your new mantra should be “By the end of this conversation, I will learn something new!” Humans are generally great at talking, but what about listening? Great relationships require a balance between the two because bad communication leads to bad relationships. With this self-paced course, you’ll take a deeper dive into the art of conversing with someone using techniques like actively listening, being brief, asking good questions, and relinquishing control of the conversation. Be prepared to be amazed!
Bridge Self-Paced Course registration opens October 16, 2023     
Instructor: Colleen Huls, Office of President, HR Coordinator
Register here: https://nebraska.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/c31a7f58/enroll
  
Supervisor 201 – Performance Management
This course focuses on how to have an effective evaluation, critical conversations, setting reach goals and engaging in strategic planning and execution.
October 17, 2023, 10am-11am via zoom   
Instructor: Scott Benson, UNK Director of Human Resources
Register here: https://nebraska.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/6a9d97a5/enroll
 
Leading With Strength
In this session, you will explore how to engage more fully in daily work tasks, increase effectiveness to achieve goals and sow seeds for an inclusive workplace.
October 18, 2023, 10:30am-11:3am via zoom    
Instructor: Giovanni Jones, UNMC Manager, Employee Training and Development
Register here: https://nebraska.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/d49f63be/enroll

Find your focus and Defeat Distractions
In this session you will explore the scientific basis of attention, distraction and focus; learn how to mitigate distractions; ally tips for getting and staying focused once and for all.
October 19, 2023, 2pm-3pm via zoom     
Instructor: David Dechant, UNO Bestcare EAP
Register here: https://nebraska.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/c0b4e117/enroll

Tips for Dealing with Conflict, Chaos and Change
It is not hard to stop conflicts and the stress of change from escalating; the challenge is remembering to stay centered in compassionate self-awareness and a collaborative mindset. This presentation explores the relationship between change, chaos and conflict with a focus on seeing them as opportunities to learn more about yourself and the other person. Tips based on neuropsychology are discussed in depth to strengthen effective coping and communication skills.
October 20, 2023, 9am -10am via zoom
Instructor: Valerie Williams, UNL EAP Counselor/Trainer
Register here: https://nebraska.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/64a3c3ed/enroll

Welcome New ORED Team Members

Elenita Donley, Press Accounts Payable Associate, Research Finance, transferred from the University Press on September 1.

Hi, I am Elenita Donley. I had finished my degree in Agricultural Economics from the Philippines. I have experience in agricultural research, banking, and accounting operations.  

I am excited to return to the Canfield Building and join the ORED – Research Finance Team.

I love to travel and have been to some parts of Southeast Asia and Europe. I enjoy gardening and growing different varieties of outdoor and indoor plants during the summertime.

Michael Loes, Technology Commercialization Fellow, NUtech Ventures, started on September 1.

Hello, my name is Michael Loes. After recently finishing my Ph.D. in Chemistry with Dr. Alexander Sinitskii, I am excited to join the NUtech team as a Technology Commercialization Fellow. I look forward to working with more amazing people at UNL and promoting their technologies to broader markets. In my free time, I enjoy playing games, listening to music, working on hobby projects, cooking with my wife, Liz, or trying to be active outside.

Paul Davis Grants Coordinator III, Sponsored Programs, started on September 11.

Coming from the University of Georgia’s College of Education Research Office, I have also previously worked for three other institutions – VA Tech, Drexel University, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – in their central offices of sponsored projects. My original BS degree is in Horticulture, and I did landscape design and installation for a number of years before transitioning to research administration in 2005. Originally, I am from southeast Virginia, but have lived in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and now in Georgia. I enjoy traveling, and have had the opportunity to see several unique places in our world, and hope to see more. I am excited about being a part of the UNL community.
Melina Luethje, Grants Coordinator I, Sponsored Programs, started on September 11.

I have been newly hired as a pre-award Grant Coordinator I in OSP. I’m originally from Cleveland, Ohio but moved out to Nebraska in 2016 to pursue my PhD in the geosciences. I graduated with my PhD in 2020 and taught at UNO for 2 years. Although I am starting a position in administration, I still love and nerd out to all topics geology-related and love learning and teaching about our planet! Personally, my husband and I welcomed our first daughter in August 2022 and have a son on the way in January 2024! I also enjoy the outdoors, good food, reading fantasy books and playing board games.

AJ Fabry, Human Resources Coordinator, Vice Chancellor’s Office, started on September 15.

Greetings fellow earthlings!

My name is AJ and I’m so excited to be part of the ORED team as a Human Resources Coordinator in the VCRED office! I most recently came from working at the State in Talent Acquisition in the Department of Administration and have previous experience from Trader Joe’s and Stanford’s Mechanical Engineering Design Group. Currently, I’m working towards a degree in Computer Science and I’m looking forward to the day when I can merge computer science with psychology to create programs/systems to improve trauma-informed care. In my spare time, I enjoy hanging out with family, listening to post-rock music, and watching Doctor Who! 

Farewells

Jennifer Minnick, last day at NUTech Ventures was September 15.  Jennifer will be working as a Licensing Associate at Georgia Tech.  In the interim, please contact Jeewan Jyot.

Kaila Halpine, last day at MERC will be October 11.  Kaila will be heading to the University Foundation.  After October 11, please contact Jenn Rutt.  

KUDOS to our Colleagues

Pictured from left to right: Brooke Goedert, Kate Engel, Wilma Hanson-McCoy and Grant Wieland.

Nebraska Innovation Campus was honored with the Nebraska Recycling Council 2023 Commonwealth Award on September 19 during NRC’s Fall Conference. Award Video >>

OPEN Forum KUDOS, New Hires and Services Awards

Thank you to everyone who submitted kudos for the Fall OPEN Forum meeting.  You can read all the celebratory kudos, new hires since January 1, and UNL Service Awards.    

Do you know someone who should join our team? Share these opportunities!

The Month in Pictures

The Institutional Animal Care Program held their annual IACUC training for IACUC members at UNL and other neighboring institutions on August 2. Over forty people were in attendance to hear from Dr. Phillipe Baneux retired Attending Veterinarian at Cornell University, UNL Ag Research Division Dean Dr. Derek McLean, and UNMC Attending Veterinarian Dr. John Bradfield.
Megan Ebbers (Institutional Animal Care Program) and her husband Blake welcomed Halle Danielle on August 28th and was 6 lbs 14 oz. 
Halle Ebbers joins big sisters Kyra (5) and Avery (2). 
Sponsored Programs – Pre-Award Team
Pictured left to right:  Charlotte Straley, Craig Goodrich, Gamze Randolph, Paul Davis, Melina Luethje, Kate Carlin, Suzan Lund, Renee Welstead and Dennis Shannon, Jr.  

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:

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) a few days before the end of the month.

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.