Friday and Weekend, June 1 - 3, 2012
Water for Food Conference closes today
From the boardrooms and research plots of agribusiness companies and the halls of governments to the tiny farms of the developing world, collaboration is key to making progress toward the goal of feeding a world with a growing population and limited water.
Some people describe this as a crisis," said Jeff Raikes, chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at the global Water for Food Conference May 31. But it's also "an opportunity to come together and really work in new ways that will produce … new approaches" to create more sustainable agriculture that uses less water.
Raikes spoke during the second day of the conference, hosted by the Robert B. Daugherty Foundation at the University of Nebraska and the Gates Foundation. The conference discussed the research, education and policy implications of feeding a world whose population is expected to grow from 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050, while using less water for agriculture. Read more from the second day of the conference on the Water for Food website.
Drive begins to raise $5M for new vet diagnostic center
Fundraising is under way to come up with UNL's $5 million share of the cost of building a new Veterinary Diagnostic Center. During the 2012 session, the Nebraska Legislature approved, and Gov. Dave Heineman signed, legislation to build a new center. Total project cost is $55 million, of which $5 million is to come from private or other funds. The $50 million will be appropriated over 10 years in financial bonds.
The state funding will be allocated only if the university successfully raises its $5 million share. The need for a new center is acute, said Ronnie Green, Harlan vice chancellor of UNL's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and NU vice president. Read more about this drive in Today@UNL.
Juried show focused on contemporary Native American art
The Great Plains Art Museum will present "Contemporary Indigeneity: The New Art of the Great Plains," an exhibition opening June 1 that focues on contemporary Native American art.
Twenty-six artists had their artwork accepted by jury out of almost 130 submissions. Artists adhered to the criteria of their artwork expressing some element of North American indigenous culture in the Great Plains region. With no media restrictions, the accepted works span a broad range of innovative as well as traditional materials. Read more about this show in Today@UNL.
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Security breach may have included employee data
On Wednesday night, May 23, a security breach of the Nebraska Student Information System, the university-wide student information system, was detected. NeSIS contains Social Security numbers and date of birth for all employees. When the initial announcement was made Friday evening, it was unclear that employee data was included.
At this time, we have no direct evidence that this information was downloaded and we have no reports of identity theft stemming from this breach. We are working with an outside security firm to help analyze the level of risk of personal information being misappropriated and to make recommendations for any additional safeguards that are needed. Read more details and find other resources about this security incident at the Nebraska.edu website.
Server testing to take place next week
On Saturday, June 9 between 6 and 8 a.m., Information Services and University Communications will conduct tests to determine the capacity of our web servers to remain responsive in times of crisis. Due to the high network loads anticipated during this testing, some loss of functionality may be experienced for websites and other network services hosted at UNL. Please inform users of any critical services of this testing. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you have questions, please contact Robert Crisler at (402) 472-9878.
Evolutionary adventure opens at Morrill Hall
On May 30, the University of Nebraska State Museum opened "Charlie and Kiwi's Evolutionary Adventure." The new exhibit features an engaging story, displays and activities that introduce visitors to the basics of evolution, seen through the eyes of Charlie, a boy who is writing a report about his favorite bird — the kiwi. The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 14, in Morrill Hall.
"Charlie and Kiwi's Evolutionary Adventure" includes evidence that dinosaurs are the ancestors of modern birds. Visitors can trace the slight differences between living birds of the same species by examining the colors, shapes and sizes of their beaks, legs and feet. They will join Charlie as he travels back in time to the age of dinosaurs to discover the kiwi's ancestors and evidence for natural selection. The adventure unfolds in an intimate theater on a giant digital storybook screen, while an interactive component allows visitors to speed up time so they can see the evolution of birds with their own eyes.
UNL launches Nebraska App
UNL has launched the Nebraska App, a suite of mobile applications that makes essential university resources available on mobile devices. Students can check grades, access course content and browse the course catalog. They can access the public directory and get in touch instantly, keep tabs on Husker sports, find places on the campus map, stay informed with the latest campus news, watch videos, and even listen to podcasts of popular lectures in iTunesU.
"UNL is moving services to the where the students are in terms of devices and network access"," said Mark Askren, Chief Information Officer. "Students now have a much more powerful connection to UNL via their mobile device." Read more about Nebraska App in Today@UNL.
