National Strategic Research Institute Appoints Four UNO Researchers as Fellows

A group of four faculty from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) will join colleagues from across the University of Nebraska (NU) System to boost research contributions tied to national security.

The National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) at the University of Nebraska (NU) launched NSRI Fellows to amplify the university’s research contributions to the Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies with a focus on national security missions.

Bringing forward their expertise from a range of disciplines — chemistry, biology, engineering, computer science, pharmacology, psychology and more — the new fellows expand the network to 161 researchers. NSRI Fellows aim to build multidisciplinary teams that develop solutions for complex problems across the spectrum of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNe) threats.

"It is motivating to see this program continue to expand — to see so many University of Nebraska researchers commit to using their expertise for national security,” said Joshua Santarpia, Ph.D., NSRI science and technology advisor. "Advancing and evolving threats demand this type of nimble, interdisciplinary contingent of academic researchers. This network has already proven to be incredibly valuable to NSRI and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and we look forward to engaging this new group of fellows."

NSRI is the DOD-designated University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command and affiliated with the University of Nebraska System. As a UARC, NSRI must maintain essential research and engineering capabilities for the DOD to leverage. The NSRI Fellows help bring that requirement to fruition, contributing their expertise, laboratories and students to deliver defense solutions.

2024 NSRI Fellows from UNO

• Alexey Krasnoslobodtsev, Ph.D. (physics)
• Sara Myers, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activity
• Xinqiu (Joe) Yao, Ph.D. (chemistry)
• Xiaoqian (Tiffany) Zhang, Ph.D., (computer science)

Read the full release about this cohort

About the National Strategic Research Institute

Through the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska leading scientists deliver innovative national security research, technology, product and strategy development, training and exercises, and subject matter expertise to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. One of only 15 DOD-designated University Affiliated Research Centers in the country, NSRI is sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command and works to ensure the United States’ safety and preparedness against increasingly sophisticated threats. Read about our mission.