Celebrating Excellence: Research and Creative Activity at UNO

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) hosted its annual Research and Creative Activity Celebration, a signature event honoring the outstanding research achievements and creative endeavors of its faculty over the past fiscal year. Held in collaboration with the Office of Research and Creative Activity (ORCA), the event highlighted the university's dedication to producing knowledge that impacts the community, state, nation, and world.

Sara Myers, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for research and creative activity, opened the event by welcoming attendees and introducing Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, who expressed pride in the remarkable work of UNO's scholars.

"As your chancellor, I am 100% committed to your success. I will work hard to create the conditions that allow you to thrive. Thank you so much for your incredible work. In your remarkable research, you have always remembered to uplift our community, and, more importantly, you've inspired and guided future professionals,” said Chancellor Li. “Our students greatly benefit from your generosity and dedication. I wish you continued success and hope that you and others continue to rely on this goodwill as you rise even higher."

Senior Vice Chancellor Phil He, Ph.D., added his welcome, noting the importance of fostering an environment where research and creative activity can flourish. He highlighted how the projects and collaborations undertaken by UNO faculty exemplify the university's mission to create real-world solutions to pressing global challenges.

"I’m extremely proud of our work. Research and creativity are core parts of our mission, and you are doing a fantastic job in helping us achieve that. Let’s continue working together to engage more students and give them more opportunities," said He.

The celebration continued with the presentation of awards, overseen by Kristin Girten, Ph.D. The awards honored faculty who made significant strides in their fields over the past year.

Notable achievements included:

• $40,621,405 awarded in external funding from 89 unique sponsors, including 25 federal agencies and 14 state agencies, for fiscal year 2023-2024.

• NCITE, which received $4.6 million from the Department of Homeland Security to conduct cutting-edge counterterrorism research.

• A groundbreaking $11 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish the Center for Cardiovascular Research in Biomechanics (CRiB), a center focused on addressing vascular diseases.

• UNO's first-ever National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant, enabling the School of Music to bring Lakota culture and music to K-12 students.

• The fiscal year also saw a 3.1 million-dollar increase in new submissions, with 166 principal investigators submitting a total of 338 unique proposals, and 188 projects receiving funding. The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences led the way with $8.4 million in awards, followed closely by the College of Arts and Sciences with $7.8 million, and the College of Public Affairs and Community Service with $7.3 million.

In closing, Myers acknowledged the collective efforts of the university's research community. She emphasized the importance of these achievements not just in advancing academic knowledge but in addressing real-world problems through collaborative efforts.

"We want to celebrate everyone who contributes to our research and creative activity ecosystem, not only those who have submitted and received grants, but also those who have published books, produced exhibits or performances, and received notable external recognitions and distinctions,” said Myers.

With more than $40 million secured for the second consecutive year, the Research and Creative Activity Celebration highlighted UNO's role as a leader in impactful research, shaping the future of Nebraska and beyond.