Latest Appearances of the University in the Media

The University Featured Around the Globe

In The News is an archive of stories from media throughout the U.S. and around the world. As such, the links to these stories may degrade over time as news websites outside of the university's control are updated. (Copyright law does not allow us to provide a 'snapshot' of someone else's website.) If you'd like to have us update a link to go to a new location for a story, just send us an email with the new address of the story in the body of the email.

Recent stories
Jun 1 2026	Grist: The fight to protect pollinators and people from neonics Judy Wu-Smart, associate professor of entomology, was interviewed for a June 1 Grist article on the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators and people. Wu-Smart discussed the AltEn ethanol plant near Mead, Nebraska, which processed much of North America’s surplus neonic-treated corn seed, contaminating surrounding ecosystems and causing near-total losses of nearby beehives until the plant closed in 2021. “We’re still seeing high amounts of neonics in the honey from our hives in the area,” she said. “I wouldn’t eat it.”
Jun 1 2026	Norfolk Daily News: Hooper student part of UNL team that won RFK journalism award Grace Lewis of Hooper, Nebraska, a journalism major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln who graduated in May, was part of a reporting team that took home the College Journalism Award at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Book and Journalism Awards on May 20. The students investigated the overcrowding, understaffing and other multilayered issues confronting Nebraska’s prison system. The Norfolk Daily News ran a June 1 article on Lewis’ involvement in the project.
May 29 2026	Nebraska Examiner: Complaints about U.S. Senate candidates sent to Nebraska AG Brandon Johnson, assistant professor of law, was interviewed for a May 29 Nebraska Examiner article on two complaints made to Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers asking him to look into the Senate candidacies of Democrat Cindy Burbank and Legal Marijuana NOW nominee Mike Marvin over allegations that neither of them intends to serve. Johnson said the complaints seem to lack merit, but he said he can’t predict how a court might rule if a lawsuit comes.
May 29 2026	National Hog Farmer: UNL team to target high-risk avian strains with new vaccine strategy Backed by a $4 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, Eric Weaver, professor of biological sciences and director of the Nebraska Center for Virology, will advance a vaccine to protect against future flu pandemics by providing strong, long-lasting immunity across multiple high-risk avian strains. Articles on the research have appeared in KFAB, Nebraska Public Media and National Hog Farmer.
May 29 2026	Lincoln Journal Star: Local food showcase takes place at Beatrice Farmers Market Buy Fresh, Buy Local, part of the university’s Department of Agricultural Economics, sponsored the Local Food Showcase May 28 at the Beatrice Farmers Market. The Beatrice Daily Sun published a May 29 article on the showcase. Skylar Falter, program coordinator in the department, was interviewed for the article.
May 28 2026	KHGI: Telecom operators remain wary of AI as Husker researcher seeks solutions With support from a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Qiang Liu, assistant professor of computing, aims to make AI-based technology tools more trustworthy while creating new educational opportunities for students and bridging the digital divide across Nebraska. KHGI ran a May 28 article on the project.
May 28 2026	Nebraska Public Media: Double Up Food Bucks nears a decade of fighting food insecurity Nebraska Public Media published a May 28 article on the Double Up Food Bucks program, a national nutrition incentive program that matches what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants spend on fresh fruits and vegetables up to $20 per day. In Nebraska, Double Up Food Bucks is run by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and No More Empty Pots Omaha. Tara Dunker, the program’s coordinator at Nebraska, was interviewed for the article.
May 28 2026	Tri-State Livestock News: Discovery Days to feature vintage tractors, young entrepreneurs, bugs The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources will host three Discovery Days events this summer on East Campus, offering free, family-friendly opportunities to explore agriculture, science, entrepreneurship and the natural world through hands-on activities and interactive exhibits. The 2026 events are June 13, July 11 and Aug. 8. Tri-State Livestock News ran a May 28 article on the events.
May 28 2026	The Hechinger Report: As farming goes high-tech, universities grow new types of ag degrees The university’s new agricultural systems technology major was featured in a May 28 Hechinger Report article. The major — one of only six such programs in the United States — blends hard science, data science, engineering and management to prepare students for the future of agriculture. Derek Heeren, professor of biological systems engineering; Joe Luck, interim chair of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering; and Cody Nieratka, a sophomore agricultural systems technology major, were interviewed for the article.
May 28 2026	Newsweek: Internal poll shows tight gubernatorial race in Nebraska Kevin Smith, Olson Professor of political science, was interviewed for a May 28 Newsweek article on a new Democratic internal poll pointing to a close gubernatorial race in Nebraska between Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and Democratic challenger Lynne Walz. “Republicans are facing some stiff headwinds going into the fall elections, and Pillen is almost certainly going to feel that breeze, too,” Smith said. “That said, Walz has to be considered a pretty heavy underdog, and it would be a huge upset if she pulled off the win.”
May 27 2026	KHGI: Philbrick to present Governor's Lecture in the Humanities Historian and best-selling author Nathaniel Philbrick will present the 31st annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities, “Revolutionary Ambition: America at 250,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. The lecture will be presented by Humanities Nebraska and the university’s E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. KHGI published a May 27 article on the lecture.
May 27 2026	Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Public Media adds 'dedicated' Omaha FM station Nebraska Public Media is launching its own dedicated station in Omaha to expand its statewide reach and better utilize two recently added reporters in the state’s largest city, Nebraska Examiner reported May 27. The network purchased KOOO, 101.9 on the FM dial, and plans a June 15 launch. Stacey Decker, general manager and CEO of Nebraska Public Media, and Nancy Finken, chief content officer, were interviewed for the story.