The Nebraska Research Report Highlights 2025 Awards for Research

Black and Red Graphic with UNL Research Logo and text that says "Research at Nebraska"

The Nebraska Research Report is an annual publication produced by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and the University of Nebraska System, showcasing faculty, staff, and student accomplishments in discovery, innovation, and creativity, highlighting research impact, economic development, and major awards. See the full report at research.unl.edu/annualreport/2025.

The 2025 awards for Public Policy Center researchers and faculty fellows include the following:

Awards of $1 Million to $4,999,999 

  • Global Centers: Food Innovation and Diversification to Advance the Bioeconomy: $2,000,000, NSF, 01/01/2025 - 12/31/2027. Ozan Ciftci, UNL Food Science and Technology; Lisa PytlikZillig, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Mariah Johnson, Counseling and Psychological Services; Jocelyn Bosley, Office of Research and Innovation/Physics and Astronomy; Edgar Cahoon, Biochemistry/Center for Plant Science Innovation; George Graef, Agronomy and Horticulture; Mohammad Rashedul Hasan, Electrical and Computer Engineering; Julia McQuillan, Sociology.
  • Nebraska Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Project: $2,265,000, DHHS-CDC, 9/15/2023 - 09/14/2027.
    Denise Bulling & Stacey Hoffman - University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • Supporting School Threat Assessment Teams Via the Implementation of a Statewide Anonymous Reporting System: $1,281,919, DOJ-BJA, 10/01/2021 - 09/30/2025. Mario Scalora & Denise Bulling - University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
     

Awards of $250,000 to $999,999 - Research Staff

  • Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management Technical Assistance: $500,000, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 07/01/2023 - 06/30/2025. Mario Scalora, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Denise Bulling, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • City of Lincoln Workforce Development: Evaluation & Technical Assistance: $280,229, City of Lincoln, 05/05/2022 - 12/31/2026. Janell Walther, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • Co-LEARN: A Midwestern Community of Learning for Empowerment, Climate Adaptation and Resilience for the Next Generation: $308,933, University of Iowa, 09/01/2023 - 08/31/2025. Rezaul Mahmood, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Natural Resources; Lisa PytlikZillig, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Michael Hayes, UNL Natural Resources; Aemal Khattak UNL Civil and Environmental Engineering; Tirthankar Roy, UNL Civil and Environmental Engineering.
  • Engaging Nebraska Educators in Mental Health Awareness Training: $493,225, DHHS-SAMHSA, 12/31/2022 - 09/29/2026. Jennifer Meek, Denise Bulling, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.  
  • ESU 2 Project AWARE and Mental Health Initiatives Evaluation: $290,344, Educational Service Unit 2, 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2026. Jennifer Meek, Janell Walther, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • Evaluation of Nebraska Opioid Response Grant: $254,363,  Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 09/30/2022 - 09/29/2024. Jennifer Meek, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • Evaluation of State Opioid Response IV Grant: $621,829, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 09/30/2024 - 09/29/2027. Jennifer Meek, Megan Luther, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • Evaluation of the Invent to Prevent Student Innovation Lab to Prevent Targeted Violence: $581,298, University of Nebraska-Omaha, 9/30/2022 - 03/17/2025. Denise Bulling, Stacey Hoffman, and Mario Scalora - University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • An Evidence-Based Approach to Preventing Student Suicide at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2022-2025: $666,739 DHHS-SAMHSA, 9/30/2022 - 09/29/2025. Denise Bulling & Stacey Hoffman - University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Mariah Johnson, UNL Counseling and Psychological Services.
  • Expansion Project to Address the National Surge in Behavioral Health Needs among Children and Adolescents: $300,000, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 09/30/2022 - 09/29/2024. Jennifer Meek, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.  
  • Incidence of Ideologically Influenced Threatening and Violent Activity in Rural Communities: $772,955, DOJ-NIJ, 01/01/2022 - 12/31/2025. Mario Scalora, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Denise Bulling & Stacey Hoffman, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • Nebraska 988 Expansion and Enhancement Project: $258,433, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 01/01/2023 - 04/29/2025. Denise Bulling - University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program: $300,000, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 09/30/2023 - 09/29/2026. Jennifer Meek, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
  • The Role of Leadership Identity in Developing Noncommissioned Officers for the Future Force (B4): $719,589, DOD-Army Research Institute for the Behavioral & Social Sciences, 05/21/2021 - 09/20/2024. Mario Scalora, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Denise Bulling, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; L.J McElravy, Agricultural Leadership Education and Communication.
  • School Mental Health Services GLOW Program Growing Guaranteed Access to Localized School Mental Health Services and Outreach to Underserved Students through a Whole Child Approach: $512, 692, Educational Service Unit #3, 01/01/2025 - 12/31/2029. Jennifer Meek, Ashley Miller, Janell Walther, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.  
  • UNL Response: RFP 24-142 SM & BC Consultant Proposal to Divert Landfill Food & Recyclable Waste: A Community-Based and Research-Based Social Marketing Approach: $361,500, City of Lincoln, 10/22/2024 - 05/31/2027. Lisa PytlikZillig, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Janell Walther, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Kurt Mantonya, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center; Morgan Hartman, University Operations; Cory Armstrong, UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Awards of $250,000 to $999,999 - Faculty Fellows

  • Accelerating Adoption of Irrigation Scheduling with Satellite-Based Precision Evapotranspiration from OpenET: $671,980, NASA, 08/18/2022 - 06/30/2026. Francisco Munoz-Arriola, UNL Natural Resources.
  • Advancing Graduate Psychology Education in Primary Care: $724,512, DHHS-HRSA, 07/01/2022 - 06/30/2025. Trey Andrews, UNL Psychology/Rural Drug Addiction Research Center; David Hansen, Tierney Lorenz, & Dennis McChargue, UNL Psychology/Rural Drug Addiction Research Center.
  • Beyond the Farm Gate: Building a Leadership Development System to Support Rural Community Wellbeing and Prosperity: $647,932, USDA-NIFA, 06/01/2023 - 05/31/2026. Lindsay Hastings, UNL Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication; Mary Emery, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication; Jordan Grummert Rasmussen, UNL NE Extension Engagement Zone 2; L.J. McElracy, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication; Eric Thompson, UNL Economics.
  • Climate-Smart Indigenous Agriculture: Drought Planning and Adaptation with New Mexico Pueblos: $297,800, USDA-NRCS, 03/31/2022 - 03/29/2025. Tonya Haigh, UNL Natural Resources; Deborah Bathke and Cody Knutson, UNL Natural Resources.
  • Collaborative Research: RI: Medium: RUI: Automated Decision Making for Open Multiagent Systems: $424,916, NSF, 08/01/2023 - 07/31/2027. Leen-Kiat Soh, UNL Computing/Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools.
  • Computer Science: Focusing on Undergraduate Pre-Service Teachers, with Unified Research, Ecosystems, and Structures (CS Futures): $524,290, NSF, 09/15/2024 - 08/31/2028. Leen-Kiat Soh, UNL Computing/Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools; Gwen Nugent, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools; Wendy Smith, UNL Mathematics/Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education/Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools; Guy Trainin, Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education/Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools.
  • DISES-RCN: Resilience in Agricultural Socio-Environmental Systems: $403,020, NSF, 10/01/2021 - 09/30/2025. Craig Allen, UNL Natural Resources; Tala Awada, UNL Natural Resources.
  • The Efficacy of Air Filters in Classrooms on Student Academic and Learning Outcomes: $556,003, Nebraska Department of Education, 09/06/2021 - 06/30/2025. Josephine Lau, Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction; Jim Bovaird, Educational Psychology/Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools.
  • Enhancing Livestock Production from Rangelands in the Great Plains: $745,202, Texas A&M University of Texas AgriLife, 07/01/2019 - 06/30/2026. Dirac Twidwell, UNL Agronomy and Horticulture; Jenny Keshwani, UNL Biological Systems Engineering.
  • Identifying and Prioritizing Habitat for Pheasant Conservation and Management in Agriculturally Dominated Landscapes: $699,940, Nebraska Game and parks Commission, 01/01/2021 - 06/30/2025. Andrew Little, UNL Natural Resources; John Carroll, UNL Natural Resources, Larkin Powell, UNL Natural Resources; Dirac Twidwell, UNL Agronomy and Horticulture; Daniel Uden, UNL Natural Resources.
  • Impacts of Conservation Practices on the Water Quality and Quantity in the Shell Creek Watershed, Nebraska: $318,300, Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, 09/01/2021 - 04/30/2025. Tirthankar Roy, UNL Civil and Environmental Engineering; Andrea Basche, UNL Agronomy and Horticulture.
  • Improving Hydrological Drought Monitoring Capability of the US Drought Monitor: $555,362, NASA, 08/17/2022 - 08/16/2026. Tirthankar Roy, UNL Civil and Environmental Engineering; Tonya Haigh & Mark Svoboda, UNL Natural Resources.
  • NRI: Collaborative Research: Adaptive Multi-Robot Configurable Teams Investigating Changing Ecosystem: $991,860, NSF, 10/01/2022 - 09/30/2025. Brittany Duncan & Carrick Detweiler - University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Computing.
  • NRI: INT: Leveraging Environmental Monitoring UAS in Rainforests: $722,804, NSF, 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2024. Brittany Duncan & Carrick Detweiler - University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Computing.
  • Science Outcomes Support for Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): $717,720, USDA-NRCS, 09/21/2022 - 12/31/2027. Dirac Twidwell, UNL Agronomy and Horticulture.
  • Technical Support to Address Biome Threats in the Great Plains: $394,677, Pheasants Forever, 06/15/2022 - 09/15/2024. Dirac Twidwell, UNL Agronomy and Horticulture; Daniel Uden, UNL Agronomy and Horticulture/Natural Resources.