Rethink the Impossible
In a few months from today and on September 5th, 2023, we will have the 10-year anniversary of our home, the Biomechanics Research Building. As I am reflecting back on these 10 years, our progress has been incredible. When we walked in this building, we were a group of thirty people, practically my research team. Now we have the Department of Biomechanics with twenty faculty members, more than 50 graduate students supported on grants, about 20 postdocs, staff, and technicians, and an armada of undergraduates working on a myriad of research projects. This department is responsible for one third of the external funding that is generated by our institution. We also have a bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree in biomechanics. In 2019, the building underwent a remarkable transformation, expanding its size to more than double in order to accommodate the phenomenal growth. We have a unique and well-funded research center in human movement variability, and we are in the process of developing two more. We have 52 new inventions, 18 new patentapplications, and 5 licensed start-ups. The entire enterprise is now under the Division of Biomechanics and Research Development and just a month ago we found that the division has had a total impact of $27.54 million on the Omaha metropolitan eceonomy since its last evaluation in 2019.
I wrote in 2013 for this same piece of our newsletter the following "As I walk through our building, I imagine a scientific sanctuary where exceptional scientists and clinicians are working in harmony to perform innovative research in biomechanics and where a workforce is molded to meet the scientific needs of our nation. I imagine travelers from around the globe as they come to the source of biomechanical knowledge and to be exposed to the latest discoveries. I imaigne how these discoveries shape the future of health care by improving quality of life through the development of new diagnostic and treatment strategies. I see us giving more than we take from this life" This vision is today's reality. Especially our global footprint-the theme of this year's annual report. When in other places exists violence, fear, hate, anger, agony, in our world we have prosperity, happiness, and a continuous fight for the betterment of the lives of others. Our research has such an influence that it has recently been described as akin to Plato's allegory of the cave.
I admit that to arrive where we are today has not been easy. We faced numerous obstacels. However, we always made the choice of virtue over vice like the mythical hero Hercules in his famous dilemma. The choice was of hardship and honor. But this choice was also easy for us because we had the unwavering support of our donors and our university's leadership. Blessed with exceptional talent and indescribable tenacity, we continue achieving new heights, we continue towards our "Biomechanics Field of Dreams", we continue rethinking the impossible.
Thank you,
Dr. Nick Stergiou