Student Success Stories at Criss Library: Compassion in Crisis

When University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) senior Jen Riedl began her Medical Humanities capstone project, she wanted to explore what makes us human—and what we risk losing when we replace empathy with efficiency in healthcare. Her resulting multimedia exhibition, Compassion in Crisis: Unveiling the Dangers of AI in Healthcare Settings, earned meritorious distinction at the 2025 ORCA Research and Creative Activity Fair.

Riedl, who graduated in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Medical Humanities and minors in Biology and Chemistry, was a student in Sarah Nelson, Ph.D.'s capstone class. That semester, Craig Finlay, Open Educational Resources and STEM Librarian at the Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library, provided an instruction session introducing students to advanced research strategies and interdisciplinary resources. Afterward, Riedl reached out to Finlay for help refining her topic around the intersection of artificial intelligence, humanity, and healthcare.

“Jen and I had a wide-ranging conversation that touched on the history of phrenology, discredited psychiatric classifications, and the persistent human desire to categorize ourselves,” Finlay said. “She was fascinated by how these older systems of thought parallel modern attempts to create artificial intelligence that mimics humanity.”

Those conversations helped shape the intellectual framework of Riedl’s project. She later used the Creative Production Lab in Criss Library to bring her vision to life, constructing a 3D-printed skull with one half representing human tissue and the other wrapped in foil and circuitry. Viewers could manipulate the sculpture’s controls to simulate neural activation and reveal blackout poetry created from scholarly texts, inviting reflection on the blurred boundaries between human and machine.

Her faculty adviser, Kristen Girten, Ph.D., Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activity, said Riedl’s project revealed both the promise and the perils of AI in healthcare. “Her interactive approach helped audiences grasp not only the intellectual but the emotional implications of technological dependence in clinical care,” Girten said. “It’s a profound example of how the humanities and the arts can deepen our understanding of medicine.”

Nelson, who teaches the Medical Humanities capstone, said she loves how the field empowers students to merge scholarship with creativity. “Jen’s work exemplifies that—drawing on original research to craft an art piece that’s both beautiful and deeply critical,” she said.

For Riedl, the experience was transformative. “My interest in medical humanities grew out of a desire to understand healthcare beyond the clinical lens,” she said. “Working with the library—especially with Craig and the Creative Production Lab—was essential to my project. The librarians helped me find the research I needed, and the 3D-printing technology gave me a way to make my ideas tangible.”

Reflecting on her award, Riedl said it was rewarding to watch people interact with her piece and recognize its message in a world increasingly reliant on technology. “To see others value humanity over proficiency reaffirmed my passion for compassionate caregiving,” she said.

Today, Riedl is continuing her studies in nursing at Methodist College of Nursing and Allied Health, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with the goal of becoming an advanced practice nurse in anesthesiology. She encourages current UNO students to make the most of library resources: “Ask questions and explore everything the library offers—you never know what doors it might open or what ideas it’ll spark.”

Through her collaboration with Criss Library, Riedl transformed a class assignment into an award-winning project that bridges science, art, and ethics—showcasing how library resources and expertise help students turn curiosity into creativity, and research into impact.

The Research and Instruction Services Department at Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library is waiting to help students and faculty alike. Make an appointment with one of our subject specialists today!

About Criss Library:

The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library fulfills the UNO mission through dynamic services, highly qualified and adaptive personnel, unique and extensive collections, and accessible learning spaces and environments. With its location on UNO’s Dodge Campus, Criss Library provides UNO students, faculty and staff, and the Omaha community with the resources and materials needed to excel academically and professionally.