Colleagues,
We are excited to invite you to apply to participate in a Research Jam to explore opportunities for transdisciplinary collaboration around arthropods* and grand challenges. [*Arthropods = insects, arachnids, crustaceans, centipedes and millipedes]
We are looking for creative, open-minded, collaborative researchers from across UNL to engage in a 1.5 day, in person event that aims to spark innovative research ideas, catalyze collaboration, and chart a future research agenda with the potential for significant impact. We invite colleagues from any discipline to apply and especially welcome junior faculty.
The Research Jam will take place in UNL’s City Campus Union Jan. 9 (all day) and 10 (half day). The aim is to bring together researchers from across the University of Nebraska, spanning Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Technology; Education; Electrical and Computer Engineering, Entomology, Food Science and Technology, Math, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Media Arts, Sociology, and more. We will also be joined by colleagues from nearby institutions as well as practitioners from a range of sectors outside of the university, who will bring novel perspectives and help to ground our conversations in real world challenges and opportunities.
Five interconnected research foci that could address local and global challenges while increasing Nebraska STEM capacity and capabilities:
- Human Health: Pharmaceutical development, uirban arthropod control, disease ecology, and vector biology
- Food & Agriculture: Livestock health and parasites, econsystem services, pest management, and alternative food
- Environmental Health: Evolution, biodiversity, natural history, and climate resilience
- Education & Management: Sci/Art and SciComm, community engagement, curriculum development, and informal science learning
- Technology & Innovation: Sensor and textile design, biomedical research, robotics, and biomimicry
No prior knowledge of arthropods is required – all that we ask is that you come open, curious, and willing to learn from others.
Expect a highly interactive, fun and dynamic program, in which you will have the chance to trade ideas and explore new terrain with experts from fields very different from your own.
This event is funded through a Nebraska EPSCoR Planning grant with additional support from the School of Biological Sciences. Our hope is that potential collaborations and ideas for future funding proposals emerge as a result. No upfront commitment to collaborate in the future is needed, nor do we guarantee that participation will lead to future collaboration or funding. This is a space to learn, ideate, build community, and explore possibilities.
Space is limited for this event, so we are asking interested individuals to please fill out the following application form by Dec. 8 (link below). We will notify everyone by Dec. 15 about their registration status.
Please reach out to Eileen Hebets (ehebets2@unl.edu) with any questions about this event.
Warm regards,
Eileen Hebets,
George Holmes Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
More details at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2BDSiiG2ihv8Z0KtGBDULGbOMyqzjA3hcjuBxFPRl2uUukA/viewform