PRSRT STANDARD EPSCoR US POSTAGE University of Nebraska W192 Nebraska Hall PAID P.O. Box 880557 OMAHA, NE Lincoln NE 68588-0557 PERMIT NO. 1359 2018

Dr. Iqbal Ahmad, Professor, University of Mr. Phil Kozera, Executive Director, Bio Nebraska 2018 State EPSCoR/IDeA Nebraska Medical Center Dr. Jennifer Larsen, Vice Chancellor for Dr. Jon P. Anderson — Committee Chair, Research, University of Nebraska Committee Members Director of Research and Development, LI-COR Medical Center Biosciences, Inc. Dr. J. Tyler Martin, Sr., Chief Executive Officer, Annual Report Ms. Nisha Avey, Business Innovation Consultant, Director, Great Plains Biotechnology State of Nebraska Dept. of Economic Dr. Thomas Murray, Provost, Creighton Development University Dr. Kenneth W. Bayles, Professor, University of Dr. Michael Nastasi, Elmer Koch Professor, Nebraska Medical Center University of Nebraska-Lincoln Dr. David Berkowitz, Willa Cather Professor, Dr. Scott Snyder, Associate Vice Chancellor for University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research and Creative Activity, University of NEBRASKA Dr. Charles J. Bicak, Senior Vice Chancellor for Nebraska at Omaha Academic & Student Affairs, University of Dr. Juliane Soukup, Professor, Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Nebraska at Kearney Institutional Development Award Program Dr. Susan Fritz — Committee Vice Chair, Dr. Nicholas Stergiou, Isaacson Professor, Executive Vice President and Provost, University of Nebraska at Omaha epscor.nebraska.edu University of Nebraska Ms. Gloria Thesenvitz, Founder & Board Chair, [email protected] Mr. Dan Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer, Nova-Tech, Inc. Invest Nebraska Corp. NEBRASKA Follow us on Twitter @NebraskaEPSCoR Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research CRRI Research 2018: in the field (front cover) and in the lab (inside front cover). Images courtesy of UNL Schnable Lab

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 Farewell 16 IDeA 4 State Committee 17 NASA Nebraska EPSCoR 5 FIRST Awards 18 NSF EPSCoR Co-Funding 6 Research Progress 19 Federal Funding Farewell 12 Education

During the last 15 years serving as Nebraska EPSCoR director, I have been on a learning journey outside my own academic discipline. Together with skilled colleagues across the state—faculty, staff and community members—we have been able to enhance Nebraska’s scientific research community, be a change agent in fostering collaboration, and Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research initiate new programs to accelerate workforce development. Institutional Development Award Program Any journey has an ending and the end of March will mark the end of my tenure as Nebraska EPSCoR director. As I Nebraska EPSCoR Staff say farewell, I would like to express my appreciation for F. Fred Choobineh – Ph.D., P.E., Director the support that I have received and learning opportunities Nicole Busboom – Outreach Coordinator that I have encountered. My best wishes to those who keep Nancy Simnitt – Executive Assistant Nebraska EPSCoR moving forward. Carole Wilbeck – Communications Specialist Fred Gartner – Accounting Technician

Nebraska EPSCoR Phone: 402-472-8946

W192 Nebraska Hall Fax: 402-472-8948 F. Fred Choobineh Lincoln , NE 68588-0557 epscor.nebraska.edu

editor: Carole Wilbeck

graphic designer: Staci Nass

2 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 3 SHUDIPTO DISHARI, a 2017 FIRST Award recipient from UNL Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, earned an NSF CAREER Award in 2018. State Committee guides Nebraska EPSCoR policies, priorities Nebraska EPSCoR FIRST Awards New to Nebraska EPSCoR’s State Committee: Recipients gain funding, expert reviews Nisha Avey Justin Mott Thank You to Departing Business Innovation Associate Professor Membersof the Committee: In 2018, the Nebraska EPSCoR State Committee voted to approve Consultant, State of of Biochemistry & To help Nebraska’s early-career scientists Joe Fox, Nebraska Department of these FIRST Award Recipients: Nebraska Department of Molecular Biology, Economic Development prepare to pursue prestigous research Economic Development University of Nebraska Dr. Bai Cui, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Mechanical and Steve Goddard, former UNL Interim Medical Center grants, such as the National Science Materials Engineering — “High-Temperature Deformation Mechanisms in Dan Hoffman Vice Chancellor for Research and (UNMC) Dispersion-Strengthened Alloys” Chief Executive Officer, Economic Development Foundation’s (NSF) CAREER Award, Invest Nebraska Corp Bob Wilhelm Lyle Middendorf, Nebraska EPSCoR conducts annual Dr. Lynne Dieckman, Creighton University, Chemistry — “Understanding Vice Chancellor who chaired Protein Interactions that Link DNA Replication and Nucleosome Assembly” for Research Nebraska EPSCoR’s FIRST—For Inspiration and Recognition and Economic State Committee Phil Kozera of Science and Technology—Awards. Dr. Peisi Huang, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Physics and Astronomy Development, for 11 years and “Improving the Understanding of New Physics, from Particle Physics to Cosmology, Executive Director, University of served on the at the LHC” Bio Nebraska Nebraska-Lincoln committee for 24 Each year several dozen CAREER Award aspirants (UNL) years. As LI‑COR Biosciences’ Senior Vice submit pre-proposals to Nebraska EPSCoR’s FIRST Awards President and Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Philippe Malcolm, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics competition, with a select group of these applicants meriting he led meetings of the committee and “Dynamic Indirect Calorimetry: Measuring the Time-Profile of Metabolic Cost FIRST Award “Finalist” status. This year, 13 Finalists were represented Nebraska EPSCoR at several Within the Stride Cycle Using Robotic Perturbation Experiments” invited to advance and prepare full proposals patterned after national EPSCoR/IDeA conferences. Re-Appointed: the NSF CAREER Award format; all FIRST Award Finalists Dr. Vivien Marmelat, Terri Wasmoen, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics formerly with Merck gain expert scientific reviews on those submissions. David Berkowitz Jennifer Larsen “Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sensorimotor Synchronization with Animal Health From the Finalists group, FIRST Award Recipients are Cather Professor, Chemistry, UNL Vice Chancellor for Research, UNMC Fractal Rhythms” Scott Snyder, former UNO Associate chosen to receive $25,000--an amount which must be Charles Bicak J. Tyler Martin, Sr Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative matched by each Recipient’s department--for their further Dr. Alexandra Seceleanu, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic & Student Chief Executive Officer, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Mathematics Activity, who became dean of the College national award submission efforts. This funding augments Affairs, University of Nebraska at Kearney Great Plains Biotechnology “Homological Algebra for Geometric and Computational Applications” of Science and Engineering at Idaho State the valuable proposal reviews by members of the American Susan Fritz Juliane Soukup University Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Dr. Ruiguo Yang, Committee Vice-Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Mechanical and engaged by Nebraska EPSCoR. Executive Vice President & Provost, Creighton University Materials Engineering — “Investigation of Cell Junction Mechanics and University of Nebraska Mechanotransduction at Single Cell Level”

4 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 5 RESEARCH PROGRESS

TRACK 1 YEAR 3 PRODUCTIVE FOR NSF‑FUNDED PLANT-SOIL RESEARCH

Midway through five years of National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR CRRI co-PI Jim Alfano and UNL’s Schnable co-lead Aim 4, working funding, Nebraska’s Center for Root & Rhizobiome Innovation (CRRI) to determine the impact of plant root exudate composition on both plant is accomplishing its planned research objectives. In 2016, CRRI earned a phenotypes and rhizobiomes under various growth conditions. This Aim’s $20 million NSF award to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to long-term cropping systems, nitrogen studies and undisturbed prairie are enhance Nebraska, US, and global crop production by probing the interface key assets, and its above-ground phenotyping work has progressed, along of root metabolism and the soil microbiome — to help better address the with microbiome analyses. CRRI Conference Engages Researchers great challenge of feeding the world, even as increasing drought, disease Augmenting the CRRI team, two new hires arrived and demand threaten food supplies. in 2018 and began work at Nebraska: UNL associate Across Microbiomes CRRI Aim 1, co-led by University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) professors Marc Libault (left), a recent NSF A two-day symposium, “Microbiomes From Different Habitats: Soil, Water James Schnable and Etsuko Moriyama, pursues a combination of CAREER Award recipient who previously worked transcriptomic, metabolite and root architecture data obtained from a at the University of Oklahoma, and Katarzyna and Gut,” gathered more than 200 scientists, agricultural producers and media maize diversity panel. These datasets help develop predictive models (Kasia) Glowacka (bottom, right), formerly with representatives: Oct. 16-17 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Lincoln. for transcript abundance and metabolite accumulation to simulate how the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Speakers included The Atlantic’s Ed Yong, plus researchers on microbial life; a changes in the plants’ gene expression impact root metabolism. CRRI strengthened its expertises by inviting UNL special session added an interactive workshop on how scientists can succeed in Aim 2, co-led by UNL’s Daniel Schachtman and ’s engineers Yufeng Ge and Rajib Saha, biochemist media interviews. Tessa Durham Brooks, includes progress in developing several methods Toshihiro Obata, and plant scientists Jinliang Yang and Brandi In addition to the renowned microbiology experts, the 2018 NRIC welcomed that are key to the success of the CRRI project including: exudate detection Sigmon to join the CRRI team. To broaden participation in STEM, CRRI students from across the Midwest region — including groups from Sinte Gleska from corn roots, identification of microbes that are ingesting exudates; and investigators—including Paul Twigg and Julie Shaffer with University of University (a tribal college in South Dakota) and biotechnology students from a ninhydrin root blotting methodology, which has engaged undergraduate Nebraska at Kearney, and Karin van Dijk at UNL— Nebraska’s Southeast Community College. and high school researchers at both universities. led plant science-themed camps for Young Nebraska The 2018 Nebraska Research & Innovation Conference (NRIC) was the newest Root exudate and microbial data collected in CRRI Aim 2, coupled Scientists middle schoolers and high schoolers. event in an annual series conducted by Nebraska EPSCoR and funded by the with Aim 1 models, helps to inform synthetic biology efforts and develop Summer 2018 also provided three Research National Science Foundation (NSF). Daniel Schachtman, director of the UNL (Top) Students and faculty from Nebraska’s Southeast Community College attend the transgenic plants as part of Aim 3, led by CRRI co-PI Ed Cahoon and Tom Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) students to Biotech Center and an aim co-leader with the NSF-funded Center for Root & 2018 Nebraska Research & Innovation Conference (NRIC) about microbiomes. (both with UNL) to test the models. learn with CRRI hosts. (See YNS and REU stories in Clemente (Middle) A speaker listens as a student shares her research. (Bottom) CRRI colleagues Rhizobiome Innovation, was this year’s conference program chair. this publication’s Education section.) (at right) discuss a root tube from their research in a media interview simulation.

6 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 7 TOM CLEMENTE, JINLIANG YANG, JAMES SCHNABLE and YUFENG GE are investigators on a multi-state NSF EPSCoR Track 2 project studying sorghum. They began working together on The manual’s content includes Nebraska’s NSF EPSCoR Track 1 team, the Center for Root and Rhizobiome Innovation. the Framing course’s first semester curriculum topics: TRACK 2 TRACK 3 1. Safety, Equipment, and NSF awards $3.9M EPSCoR RII Track-2 FEC STEM “Framing” project culminates Measurement 2. Density (of seeds and beans of the “Three Sisters” crops) project to Alabama, Nebraska partnership in curriculum 3. Chocolate Density 4. Liquid Density 5. Period Table of Videos In 2016 the National Science Foundation established state-of-the-art LemnaTeC high-throughput system for Framing the Chemistry Curriculum, a Track-3 Priest Tribal College in Winnebago has always offered 6. Water Quality Analysis (of the Center for Root & Rhizobiome Innovation (CRRI) imaging large plants at Nebraska Innovation Campus. award from National Science Foundation (NSF) a low-enrollment chemistry sequence; now it is samples brought by students here — researching interactions of soil, water and chemicals HudsonAlpha’s Jeremy Schmutz, the project’s principal EPSCoR, funded a collaboration with Nebraska’s attracting over six students a semester. The full-time from home or elsewhere) to advance agricultural yields to help better feed the world. investigator, said, “We need to find solutions that make our tribal colleges to re-establish STEM courses with a enrollment at each college is between 150 and 180 To compete for an NSF RII Track-2 award, CRRI formed a crops more efficient — for both food and biofuel sources.” Native American community focus. students. A UNL College of Education and Human 7. Water Purification team including University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty: Tom “This multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in In 2018, the fifth year of the $749,285 grant Sciences graduate student, Bev DeVore-Wedding, 8. Soil Quality Analysis (of samples Clemente—a leading expert in plant transformation and plant genetics, genomics, biotechnology, and engineering (extended by NSF into 2019), the project published a earned her doctorate degree in 2017 while working brought by students) genome editing, James Schnable—a rising plant geneticist to address the grand challenge of improving nitrogen multi-semester manual for its chemistry laboratory on the Framing project, and then helped publish 9. Herbicide Bioassay (using water connecting genotype and phenotype across multiple grass use efficiency in sorghum, a valuable feedstock in the experiments that are adaptable for use by other tribal related research as a postdoctoral research associate samples brought by students) species, Yufeng Ge—an engineer fascinated by using new bioeconomy,” said Clemente. “Importantly, the outcomes colleges and community colleges. The lab manual in Griep’s lab. and emerging technologies to image and quantify plants, and of this project will have translational impacts on other plant was developed to accompany a General, Organic, and Thanks to the committee of Nebraska tribal college 10. Plant Pigments: Extraction, Jinliang Yang—a new assistant professor focused on the species, critical to the country’s agriculture sector of the Biochemistry course sequence. science leaders, the courses are poised to continue, Chromatography, & Spectrometry population genetics of corn economy.” Mark Griep, an associate professor with the Griep added, and the curriculum is being considered 11. Endothermic and Exothermic In 2018 these four began partnering with Alabama’s ‘The thing to remember is that we still know so little University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of for implementation at other states’ tribal colleges. Reactions — Hot & Cold Packs HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, an agricultural about how plants perceive and react to change in their Chemistry and the project’s principal investigator, 12. Molar Mass of Butane in Lighters genomics research and education center, to investigate environments,” Schnable added. “Helping plants use formed a team of Nebraska’s tribal college science how sorghum responds to nitrogen-based fertilizer and nitrogen more efficiently is beneficial, and any change in how educators to develop chemistry curriculum relevant “Framing the Chemistry Curriculum” PI MARK GRIEP shares project Source: https://amzn.to/2zFLZzm information at a Nebraska EPSCoR gathering. educate the next generation of scientists in agrigenomics. these sorghum plants behave after a genome edit tells us more to tribal community topics. The labs — which include Announced in October, their four-year, $3.9 million grant about the role of both individual genes and networks. Changes background information, community connections, a CC from the National Science Foundation (NSF) is a Research produced by each edit, whether expected or unexpected, get prayer, lab protocols and procedures, and suggestions Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-2 Focused EPSCoR fed back into improving our models, so we’re better able to for the lab report — can be performed by students alone Collaborations (FEC) project, will conduct cutting-edge choose and predict the next batch of edits to make.” or in pairs, and require about 2.5 hours to complete if plant genomics research to better understand how nitrogen In addition to the genomic research, this biotech project the reagents and materials are ready. affects plant growth and development. includes a workforce development component: a set of Because of the Framing project, more than 20 As this Track-2 project’s work starts in Huntsville and experiences promoting agrigenomic-related careers, a multi- students have taken a chemistry course in the past five Lincoln, the Nebraska team’s efforts include CRISPR- week summer academy for high school students, undergraduate years at Nebraska Indian Community College--with Cas9 gene editing and automated phenotyping with the mentoring and internship opportunities. locations in Macy, Santee and South Sioux City. Little

8 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 9 TRACK 4 With NSF EPSCoR Fellowship, (LEFT) UNL Assistant Professor JAE SUNG PARK University of Nebraska at Nebraska faculty gain meets with students in his lab. Kearney Harner Studies and NSF EPSCoR Track-4 fellowships Shares River Science

When Mary Harner looks to the future, a river runs through it. She The National Science Foundation’s has said, “Because rivers provide water that is essential for supporting Established Program to Stimulate human life and biodiversity, people are searching for ways to manage Competitive Research (EPSCoR) rivers to meet societal and ecosystem needs as human populations and promotes competitive EPSCoR Track-4 demands for freshwater increase globally.” fellowships that provide opportunities Park and Longmire’s collaboration aims to transform An associate professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, for non‑tenured investigators to further turbulence research with experiments that test and validate Harner earned a two-year RII Track-4 “EPSCoR Fellows” award for develop their individual research predictive models of turbulent flows, generating and $230,932: to study Integrative Multimodal Strategies for Advancing potential through extended collaborative evaluating control algorithms for drag reduction. Ecosystem Monitoring and Science Communication with a focus on visits to the nation’s premier private, Knowledge gained at UMN will help improve and develop rivers. governmental, or academic research experimental facilities for the UNL College of Engineering’s According to Harner’s project overview, communication among centers. During these visits, EPSCoR UNL’s Park Receives NSF Fellowship fluid mechanics group, Park said, to advance long-term diverse stakeholders is necessary for solutions to utilize and protect Research Fellows learn new techniques, goals for predictive modeling and provide broad benefit for freshwater resources. She aims to identify and share perspectives develop new collaborations or advance to Develop Turbulence Expertise at Nebraska and the nation. on river ecosystems with varied public audiences, improving both existing partnerships, benefit from access “Pairing Jae Sung’s computational skills with Professor understanding of these complex systems and access to knowledge as to unique equipment and facilities, and/ Nebraska Engineering Longmire’s extensive experimental capabilities is a great people decide the future of rivers. or shift their research toward potentially way to tackle big problems in engineering,” said UNL MME Fellowship activities will be conducted in collaboration with the transformative new directions. Nebraska Engineering’s Jae Sung Park earned a $177,433 fellowship department chair Jeff Shield. “Their combined expertise University of New Mexico, where Harner and a trainee-level researcher opportunity over two years from the National Science Foundation (NSF), to should provide significantly more understanding of turbulent will investigate influences on water-use decisions and develop The experiences gained through these collaborate with a leader studying turbulence in the field of fluid mechanics. flows, which would have a huge impact on energy consumption approaches for applying digital technologies, like time-lapse camera fellowships are intended to have lasting Park, an assistant professor with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in many transportation systems.” systems and sound recorders, in creative ways to inform and connect impacts that will enhance the fellows’ (UNL) Mechanical & Materials Engineering (MME) Department, will work Currently, “turbulent drag on commercial airliners accounts within and across river systems. research trajectories well beyond the with Dr. Ellen Longmire at the University of Minnesota (UMN). Park looks for up to 50 percent of these flights’ fuel consumption, and in Outcomes will help to establish a framework for understanding and award period. The benefits to the forward to applying his computational and mathematical approach to predict ocean shipping, a reduction by 30 percent for vessels’ skin- conveying complex river science, increase public scientific literacy fellows are also expected to improve the turbulent dynamics between ordered flow structures at UMN’s state-of-the- friction drag could save up to approximately $40 billion per about ecosystem connections in river-floodplain systems, and provide research capacity of their institutions art interdisciplinary research facilities, with cutting-edge experimental tools year,” Park added. “Turbulent flow control is a pivotal step to people with a deeper connection to rivers and the coupled human- and jurisdictions more broadly. such as flying Particle Image Velocimetry. reduce drag in turbulent flows for substantial energy savings.” environmental systems they sustain.

10 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 11 EDUCATION New Outreach Coordinator Joins NE EPSCoR YNS grows opportunities Nicole Busboom joined Nebraska EPSCoR in August of 2018. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska- Nebraska EPSCoR’s Young Nebraska Scientists programs — camps, high school Lincoln, where she majored in Nutritional Science researcher opportunities, and mobile labs — help students’ career interests take root & Dietetics and had a minor in Agriculture in science, technology, engineering and math (“STEM”) fields. Leadership Education & Communication. She Current YNS camps include: previously worked as EFNEP Extension Assistant • for middle schoolers: Soil & Plants in Agriculture Camp* (SPAC) and Beyond YNS, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) students gain experience with Nebraska Extension. She is currently pursuing CyberCamp at University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), and Secret Life of at CRRI labs and field sites. CHLOE JENSEN (), KAMI KUCERA a master’s degree at UNL in Youth Development. Metals (chemistry) at Creighton University (Nebraska Wesleyan University) and ASHLEY FOLTZ (University of Wyoming) gather at UNL’s Summer 2018 Research Symposium, where Jensen’s poster was awarded top honors. With Nebraska EPSCoR, her work includes • for high schoolers: Biodiversity at Cedar Point Biological Station, Life leading Young Nebraska Scientists in bringing Underground: Unseen Power of Microbes at University of Nebraska-Lincoln STEM (science, technology, engineering and (UNL), and CyberCamp at UNK. math) opportunities to students and classrooms YNS also provided paid placements for YNS 2018 Program Locations throughout the state. High School Researchers (HSRs) to work in Nebraska higher education labs. YNS Mobile Labs provided advanced equipment themed with Nebraska schools’ current secondary science curriculum. Teachers request mobile labs sets from Creihton Uniersit Nebraska EPSCoR, which ships them (free OMAHA Cedar Point Nebraska of charge) to requesting schools throughout Bioloical Station Weslean the state; when the unit is completed, OGALLALA Uniersit teachers return the materials (also at no Uniersit o Nebraska LINCOLN Uniersit o Nebraska-Lincoln cost to schools). YNS Mobile Labs reach CAMPS at Kearne KEARNEY Doane Uniersit LINCOLN hundreds of ethnically, geographically HIGH SCHOOL CRETE RESEARCHERS and socio‑economically diverse Nebraska HSRs DANNY SCHROEDER (left) and SAMI (Top) University of Nebraska at Kearney SPAC students bring local soil samples for students each year. REESE (right) work with graduate student analysis with RAY WARD at Ward Labs. (Bottom) University of Nebraska-Lincoln UNL Also, YNS Mobile Labs visit dozens of secondary classrooms throughout Nebraska each year. MICHAEL TROSS at Doane University. Biochemistry Associate Professor KARIN VANDIJK leads Microbes campers.

12 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 13 UNK undergraduates TRENTYN RUHL (left) and CAM GEIGER test using corn waste in concrete, for a Nebraska EPSCoR-funded research project with Assistant Professor Mahmoud Shakouri.

(BELOW) ANGELA NWU students gain skills in MCKINNEY (left) leads Small College and University Nebraska Wesleyan students in biology study Biology summer seminar of bacteriophages. (LEFT) Undergraduate Research Awards comparing research results.

Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) Biology between scientific literature and what they were doing in the laboratory, Marc Albrecht Philip Lai and developed experience in presenting their findings to others. Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Kearney Department of Communication Disorders, University of Professor Angela McKinney had long hoped to “Feedback from students about their experience was overwhelmingly “Aquaponic Production in Nebraska Comparing System Design Nebraska at Kearney lead an intensive summer research program for positive,” McKinney added. “They were surprised at how much they were and Fish Food Made with Agricultural Products” “A Qualitative and Quantitative Study Investigating the Social and able to accomplish in such a short amount of time and how much they Affective Phenotype in Children With Autism and in Children with Early her students, and funding via Nebraska EPSCoR learned. Students also commented that the experience could have been 2–4 Joel Berrier Unilateral Brain Damage” finally made it possible. weeks longer.” Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Nebraska EPSCoR made possible an “ideal mentoring environment for Nebraska at Kearney Brett Schofield Dr. McKinney and her students, who worked side by side in a laboratory For the month of June 2018, 10 NWU undergraduate students — who had “Detecting Cosmic Confusion Noise From Merging Compact Objects” Department of Biology, Doane University setting during the summer,” said NWU Provost Graciela Caneiro- just completed the introductory biological inquiry course at NWU and “Establishing a Timeline of Molecular Events Induced by Chromatin Livingston. “Since the students were at an early stage in their education, expressed interest in pursuing biology careers — were guided by McKinney Nate Bickford Architectural Proteins” this experience allowed them to reinforce their identity as future scientists. and two upper-class students. Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Kearney This program is a model for the type of mentoring our university seeks to “Each student worked on three different projects all related to “The Connection Between Land Use Change, Habitat Fragmentation, Mahmoud Shakouri provide for every student.” bacteriophage (virus that infects bacteria) biology,” said McKinney. and Wildlife in an Agriculturally Dominated System” Department of Industrial Technology, University of “Students were exposed to different aspects of research that included Nebraska at Kearney making media, performing experiments, keeping a laboratory notebook, Dane Bowder “Effect of Corn Cob Ash on Corrosion-Resistance and Chloride Ion reading and discussing scientific articles related to the research, and Department of Chemistry, Doane University Permeability of Concrete” communicating their findings in writing and orally.” The latter included “Assessment of the Restrictive Effect of the IFITM Proteins on Small forming 3–4 person teams and giving a formal presentation, plus generating Ruminant Lentiviruses” Ladan Ghazi Saidi research posters. Department of Communication Disorders, University of Students’ post-experience comments indicated they had gained Christopher Huber Nebraska at Kearney confidence in their ability to work in a laboratory setting, learned valuable Department of Chemistry, Doane University “Cognitive Control in the Presence of Interfering Noise: a Comparison of research skills, improved their critical thinking skills, made connections “Quantification of Small Molecule Blood Toxins via Surface Monolingual and Bilingual Older Adults” Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy”

14 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 15 Congratulations to Tatiana Bronich, Ph.D., UNMC NIH IDEA College of Pharmacy: in 2018 she earned an NIH NASA NEBRASKA EPSCOR CoBRE “Phase III” award for $1.14 million, that will continue to grow and develop the Nebraska Center for Nanomedicine, generating strategies COBRE NEWS to transform medicines and make them more UNO, UNL Collaboration Builds effective in reaching their targets. In 2018, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) received an $11 million grant Device for NASA from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a new COBRE (Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence) award. A mechanical engineer, a biomechanics expert and a the University of The goal of this new Nebraska Center for Molecular Target Discovery and Development INBRE NEWS computer scientist meet in a lab… Nebraska’s System is to establish and expand physical and intellectual resources at the University of Nebraska Science program Medical Center (UNMC) and the University of Nebraska system that will catalyze the That’s not the setup for a joke; it’s the premise for a collaborative with Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals and shares some desired design Paul Sorgen, Ph.D. succeeded James Turpen, Ph.D. as Nebraska project that could help astronauts in space to have better exercise features with MORS, but needs specialized sensor capabilities. ability of its faculty to define, validate, and develop potential therapies against molecular program director / principal investigator for Nebraska’s opportunities, easing their return to earth gravity. The computer scientists, including UNO undergraduate Steven targets for clinically important diseases. Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks of NASA EPSCoR funded a Nebraska team for three years at $750,000 Belcher, then generate artificial intelligence and machine learning- Rob Lewis, Ph.D., with UNMC’s Eppley Institute is the Center’s principal investigator. Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program, funded (with an additional $750,000 in matching funds from participating based algorithms that would enable MORS to perform its assigned tasks His new Center aims to maximize investment from both the COBRE award and UNMC to by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). campuses) to develop a Modular Robotic Suit (MORS) for Muscular autonomously, without requiring continuous human intervention or enhance the research capabilities of the Institution, expand the translational capabilities of Since 2001, Nebraska INBRE has engaged our state’s Rehabilitation. supervision. Nelson said the multi-disciplinary teamwork and design- its faculty, facilitate career advancement of promising junior faculty in the area of targeted students and faculty in developing medical research Prithviraj (Raj) Dasgupta, professor of Computer Science at build opportunity make this an enjoyable creative experience—plus MORS therapeutics, and efficiently drive discovery and development for the improvement of resources and relationships at the program’s nine the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) is the principal science may help improve health outcomes for its users. human health in Nebraska and the nation. participating undergraduate institutions (PUIs) statewide— investigator for the grant, alongside investigators Carl Nelson, In space, human perceptions (visual, vestibular and proprioceptive) This Center will create critical infrastructure for the discovery and validation of with students accessing strong hands-on laboratory professor with University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Mechanical & can be distorted and unreliable; estimating and achieving accurate body molecular effectors critical to the development of disease, deliver training and mentoring experiences in-state for their health research careers. Each Materials Engineering, and Mukul Mukherjee, associate professor movements based on such feedback is therefore more difficult in reduced to promising new investigators willing and able to use that infrastructure to validate those year, summer months’ research experiences in Tier 1 host with UNO Biomechanics. Together the MORS team is developing a gravity, Mukherjee said. With battery-powered MORS attached across the effectors as therapeutic targets, identify small molecules for their manipulation, and labs including University of Nebraska Medical Center wearable modular robotic system for assessing human movement and upper back, or reconfigured along an arm or leg, an astronaut’s exercise create in vitro and in vivo preclinical models for their development as novel therapies. (UNMC), Creighton University, and University of Nebraska- providing different types of exercises for the user. movements in space can be accurately measured and tracked. “(MORS) This Center’s investigators share a common belief that many diseases can be effectively Lincoln. These scholars also work with mentors at their Their MORS proposal was a top entry for Nebraska in the 2017-18 NASA may provide resistance and assistance for the user, as needed,” Nelson classified and characterized through detailed genomic, genetic, and molecular analyses home campuses, and benefit from a two-year term — longer EPSCoR competition, earning national funding among other eligible explained. to identify drivers and vulnerabilities from which will emerge unique therapeutic than most of the other 20+ INBRE states — including NASA EPSCoR locations. The design process started with data inputs The team intends that the MORS system will help not only astronauts approaches. The Center and its investigators aim to: 1) Establish an Administrative statewide journal clubs, presentations and networking. Core and mentoring programs to support and enhance research in target discovery and from the biomechanics group, including Ph.D. student Zach Motz and who spend long periods of time in space and experience muscle atrophy, development; 2) Establish a critical mass of investigators focused on the identification, master’s student Kyle Brozek, who applies his undergraduate learning but will also serve people with sensorimotor problems such as strokes, validation and development of therapeutic targets for disease treatment; and 3) Increase from UNL Electrical and Computer Engineering to the project. Parkinson’s Disease, and cerebral palsy. The MORS team plans to pursue research capacity through scientific cores for high throughput chemical, RNAi and These inputs then inform Nelson’s group: Ph.D. student Jay Chae further funding to engage commercialization via small businesses in computational screening; mass spectrometry; and target validation. and master’s student Mitchell Bruckner to modify their model robot fulfilling that goal. nicknamed “MARIO”—the size of a large loaf of bread, with articulated PAUL SORGEN, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at UNMC, worked several years with Turpen who retired in 2018 from being Nebraska INBRE’s sections and docking port. MARIO was developed under funding from (ABOVE) MORS team members meet at UNO Biomechanics; the “MARIO” robot shown here is from a founding director. Sorgen earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in zoology and biochemistry and molecular biology, respectively, from the University of separate modular robotics project supported by NU System Science. From left are RAJ DASGUPTA, KYLE Florida, then gained an NIH postdoctoral fellowship and worked at New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After joining UNMC in 2003, Sorgen grew his BROZEK, MUKUL MULCHERJEE, STEVEN BELCHER, ZACH MORZ and CARL NELSON. research program that studies changes in connexin distribution, density and other characteristics of arrhythmic heart disease; he also served as an INBRE mentor.

16 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 17 Nebraska, Tuskegee form NSF-funded NSF EPSCoR CO-FUNDING In 2018, National Science Foundation materials research partnership co‑funding brought $2,151, 073 to Nebraska; cumulative Federal Epscor/IDEA Funding in Nebraska $1,084,670 of the year’s total was from NSF EPSCoR. Recipients were: In one of eight PREM (Partnership for Research in Materials) projects announced across the Nebraska became an EPSCoR state in 1991 and has successfully competed for more than $400 million in federal research nation in 2018, Alabama’s Tuskegee University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) LINDA KALBACH, PI; ROD DIERCKS, funding. This chart shows funding by agency and the cumulative growth of funding over time, from 2008 through 2018. Total will work together to address critical issues in materials science research, education and SHARMIN SIKICH, Co-PIs | Doane University: 2018 federal EPSCoR/IDeA funding to Nebraska was $31,155,918—making a cumulative total of federal EPSCoR/IDeA funding outreach. This six-year, $3.9 million collaboration, funded by the National Science Foundation U.S. Dept. of Education | Developing STEM to Nebraska: $408,537,811 since 1991. (NSF), will engage faculty and students at both universities to work collaboratively on unique Educators with Resilience, Vision, and multiferroic polymer nanocomposites for structural, energy and sensing applications. Expertise for Teaching in High-Need Schools A goal of this partnership is to recruit, retain, educate and train the next generation of SHUDIPTO DISHARI | University of DOC EPA DoE NASA DoD NSF NIH scientists and scholars in this multidisciplinary field, and specifically to grow the number of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Dept. of Chemical $162,000 $511,766 $6,346,059 $14,216,667 $16,243,495 $132,903,765 $237,955,806 African American graduates in emerging fields of materials science and engineering, through & Biomolecular Engineering | CAREER: exposure to Nebraska MRSEC (Materials Research Science and Engineering Center) facilities Confined Ionomeric Systems and Imaging of and educational activities. Ionic Distribution Professor Vijaya Rangari with Tuskegee’s College of Engineering, and principal investigator on the project, praised Nebraska EPSCoR for the initial contact. “At a national MATHIAS SCHUBERT | UNL Dept. of EPSCoR meeting, I met (Nebraska EPSCoR Director) Fred Choobineh, and mentioned Electrical & Computer Engineering | The Tuskegee was seeking a MRSEC partner for this PREM proposal with a short deadline,” Influence of Doping and Annealing onto the Rangari said. “Fred promptly connected me with Evgeny Tsymbal (who leads Nebraska Lattice Dynamics, Band Structure and Free MRSEC), and we were able to proceed very quickly and successfully.” NSF EPSCoR is Charge Carrier Properties in Monoclinic 2018 co‑funding the project. Gallium Aluminum Oxide Semiconductor Alloys

Rangari added that Tuskegee, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), has had 2017 LUCIA FERNANDEZ-BALLESTER | UNL arrangements with MRSEC facilities at Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin, Dept. of Mechanical & Materials and Tuskegee leadership is pleased to add a new partner. 2016 Engineering | Nucleation Control of 2015 Conjugated Polymers through Melt- Crystallization and Self-Seeding 2014

COURTNEY HILLEBRECHT | UNL Dept. of 2013 Political Science | Collaborative Research: From left, Tuskegee University’s ALFRED 2012 TCHERBI-NARTEH, assistant professor Examining Compliance with Rights Regimes 2011 of Materials Science and Engineering, and MARIA CALHOUN, associate professor KYUNGYONG LEE | UNL Dept. of 2010 of Mechanical Engineering, joined VIJAYA Mathematics | Cluster Algebras, Quiver 2009 RANGARI in visiting JEFF SHIELD, Representations, and Rigid Curves professor and chair of UNL Mechanical & 2008 Materials Engineering.

18 Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report Nebraska EPSCoR 2018 Annual Report 19