By Geitner Simmons | IANR Communications
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s agriculture and natural resources programs rank in the top 9% of nearly 500 institutions worldwide in the new QS World University Rankings.
Nebraska improved its standing from 46th to 40th globally over the past year, reflecting continued gains in academic reputation, research impact and international collaboration.
Quacquarelli Symonds, a global higher education company, analyzed 475 universities.
“It’s exciting and encouraging for us to again be ranked in the top tier globally,” said Tiffany Heng-Moss, Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and vice president of agriculture and natural resources for the University of Nebraska system.
“This recognition affirms the meaningful and impactful work happening across IANR — in our research laboratories and statewide platforms, classrooms and experiential learning settings, extension programs and communities,” she said. “It reflects the collective contributions of our talented faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners, whose dedication and collaboration drive our success.”
Edgar Cahoon, director of the Center for Plant Science Innovation, said the university’s “rise in the world agricultural university rankings reflects the depth of our faculty expertise and our ability to move discoveries across the full innovation pipeline.” Nebraska faculty set a high standard, he said, by “moving their fundamental advances in crop biotechnology to transformation, field testing and downstream applications in food, feed and industrial agricultural products.”
Nebraska’s advancement in the global ranking comes as the university continues to advance on multiple fronts.
Faculty members have received national recognition.
Cahoon, George W. Holmes Professor of biochemistry, was elected this year to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the nation’s highest honors for scientists and engineers. He is a leader with two large biofuel/bioproducts collaborations with the U.S. Department of Energy.
The National Academy of Sciences honored Husker plant geneticist James Schnable with the 2026 NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences for “pioneering innovations in plant genomics, quantitative genetics and phenotyping.”
Schnable, the Nebraska Corn Presidential Chair and professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, has led and collaborated on landmark research projects including the complete mapping of the corn genome; a dramatically expedited process for identifying corn gene functions; and a current project to develop the first digital twin of a cornfield.
The North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture saluted the instructional dedication of Husker faculty members Amy Desaulniers and Renee McFee, presenting Desaulniers with the 2026 NACTA Educator Award and McFee with the NACTA Teaching Scholar Award. Desaulniers is an associate professor of reproductive physiology with the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. McFee is coordinator for the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine, a cooperative educational program between the university and Iowa State University.
Major external funding continues to propel research that benefits Nebraska and the world.
Paul Kononoff, professor of animal science, and team lead a research initiative, funded by a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, aiming to lower livestock’s methane emissions by analyzing the interrelationships among animal genetics, gut microbiome and nutrition.
The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year, nearly $1.1 million grant to a Husker interdisciplinary team led by aquatic ecologist Jessica Corman, associate professor in the School of Natural Resources, to pursue an innovative technique to mitigate toxic blooms that threaten lakes and drinking water.
Richard Wilson, Charles Bessey Professor of plant pathology, received a $769,792 grant from the National Science Foundation to continue his work to unravel the mysteries behind effectors — virulent proteins that short-circuit plants’ natural defenses against fungal disease.
The university continues its land-grant mission of education, engagement and research with direct relevance for agricultural producers and communities.
In the wake of catastrophic wildfires that burned more than 1 million acres this spring, the university’s Nebraska Extension was the go-to organization to coordinate and conduct responses from multiple agencies for the recovery efforts.
As part of that response, extension and university research programs launched an online hub that combines scientific data, decision-support tools and applied guidance to help producers navigate recovery. The resource, the first of its kind focusing on working grasslands, supports farmers, ranchers and land managers as they restore Nebraska’s native grasslands. Nebraska Forest Service personnel, part of IANR, were on the front lines fighting the blazes.
Pioneering research by Nevin Lawrence, an associate professor of agronomy and horticulture at the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff, helped the state’s sugar beet sector avoid a major outbreak of Palmer amaranth in western Nebraska.
Irrigation canal maintenance in western Nebraska is taking a major step forward thanks to a university-developed approach that pinpoints canal seepage and structural settlement far more accurately and efficiently than traditional approaches. The innovative, non-invasive method was developed by Mohamed Khalil, assistant geoscientist with the university’s Conservation and Survey Division and the university’s Panhandle center.
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a global collaborator and leader in addressing complex agricultural and natural resources challenges.
Signature programs such as the National Drought Mitigation Center — a nationally recognized leader in drought monitoring and resilience — and the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute advance solutions for water management and food security worldwide. These efforts demonstrate Nebraska’s leadership in tackling complex agricultural challenges at a global scale.
The university’s reach is further reflected through international collaborations and initiatives such as the Global Yield Gap Atlas, led by Patricio Grassini, Sunkist Professor of Agronomy and Horticulture, which analyzes the potential for various crops to produce food around the world. The American Society of Agronomy this year designated Grassini as a fellow, the society’s highest recognition for scientific achievement.
Ozan Ciftci, the Kenneth E. Morrison Distinguished Professor of Food Engineering, heads an international initiative to develop alternative protein and lipid sources from purposefully designed plants and microorganisms. The National Science Foundation and Nebraska Corn Board are among the project’s funders. The American Oil Chemists’ Society this year awarded Ciftci its Timothy L. Mounts Award for his significant scientific contributions.
The university’s latest global ranking, Heng-Moss said, is “a milestone that reflects the dedication, innovation and collaboration of our entire IANR community. We remain committed to serving Nebraska while extending our impact globally through research, extension and education that truly matter.”