UNO Magazine, Spring 2012 by UNO Magazine

m ag a z i n e

SPR ING 2012

ALUmnInIgHTOnTHe ICE CHILL OUT

at UNO’s 9th annual

Saturday March 3 2012

5:30 p.m.

• Buffet reception at CenturyLink Center

7:05 p.m.

oin fellow grads for the 9th annual Alumni Night on the Ice Saturday, March 3, featuring:

Buffet reception

at CenturyLink Center,

UNO vs. Denver CenturyLink Center

• Door prizes and free Mav Tattoos • Hockey 101 with former Mavs and a pep talk from UNO Coach Dean Blais. • Great Lower Bowl seating with designated seating for CBA, Communication AFROTC and other grad groups. • Performances by UNO Hockey Band, Mav Cheerleaders

$20 per adult*,

$15 per child age 2-10! Children under 2 free

Already have game tickets?

* Per-person cost of $20 includes game ticket and pre-game buffet (pulled pork sandwiches, chips, salad, cookies, tea, lemonade). Cash bar available. Children’s cost of $15 includes game ticket and plated children’s meal. Hockey tickets distributed at reception.

Call Elizabeth at 402-554-4802 or email ekraemer@unoalumni.org

vol. 3, no. 1 Letter from the Chancellor

Alumni Association

Philanthropy Matters

Athletics

spring 2012 www.unoalumni.org/unomag

CREDITS Managing Editor

Anthony Flott

Get to Know

associate Editors

Emspace Group cover illustration

Leticia Plate Contributors

Phani Tej Adidam, Dave Ahlers, Jeremy Baguyos, Nic Birt, Bret Blackman, Kyle Booras, Bryce Bridges, Becky Bohan Brown, Nancy Castilow, Doug Derrick, Tim Fitzgerald, Colleen Kenney Fleischer, Eric Francis, Travis Heermann, Tammie M. Kennedy, Mary Kenny, Don Kohler, Seth Korber, Greg Kozol, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Chris Machian, Tom McMahon, Kevin Munro, Megan Murdock, David Nielsen, Gregory A. Petrow, Nate Pohlen, Charley Reed, Jim Shaw, David G. Smith, Robert Smith, Grant Stanley, Dale Tiller, Kevin Warneke, Patrick Wheeler, Sharon E. Wood, Jenna Zeorian, Colleen Zbylut. UNO Magazine is published three times a year by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the UNO Alumni Association and the University of Nebraska Foundation. Direct editorial inquiries to Managing Editor UNO Alumni Association 6705 Dodge St., Omaha, NE 68182-0010 Phone: (402) 554-2444 Toll-free: UNO-MAV-ALUM Fax: (402) 554-3787 E-mail: aflott@unoalumni.org Send all changes of address to attention of Records or visit www.unoalumni.org/records

101 TIPS.TALES

TRENDS

Hacking His Way to a New Career

Biology Bots Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Get Bored

Seeking Cyber Security Walking a Fine Line

The Future Belongs to Data Scientists

Marketing Technologies

CLASS

Views expressed within this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the UNO Alumni Association or the NU Foundation.

TECHNOLOGY

NOTES

art direction

and

Jennifer Arnold, Tim Kaldahl

Letters to/ from the Editor

Sights & Sounds

For Fun

FROM THE chancellor

Dear Alumni and Friends:

Our first desktop computers, were just that — the size of the entire desktop with grainy black and white screens. Little more than glorified typewriters, these “word processors” nevertheless revolutionized campus offices and streamlined processes. These gave way in rapid succession to the advent of the Internet, e-mail, laptops, Blackberries, iPhones, tablets, e-book readers and a host of other devices we now can’t imagine our lives without.

Letters to the Editor Reader feedback is key to making UNO Magazine among the best university publications in the country. Write us about the magazine or the university. Letters must include the writer’s first and last names, address and phone number. They may be edited for taste, accuracy, clarity and length. Write to the address on page 3 or submit online at www.unoalumni.org/unomag-led m ag a z i n e

Technology … for most of us “of a certain age,” the word inspires feelings of love, hate, and in some cases, abject terror. We harken to an era when computers ran on key-punched cards and took up rooms to house (in some cases entire floors), requiring special air-cooling.

fall 2011

The information age permeates our world, and the UNO campus is among the most “wired” in the nation, using technology to improve pedagogy, advance research and reach out to the community and the world in new and innovative ways. Today’s students, faculty and staff are pushing the limits of where technology can take us, and using it in ways we might not readily think of — for instance, creating an app that allows consumers to scan grocery store items to determine whether a food is within their dietary restrictions. Or using global positioning to catalog campus trees. Or improving instructional technology to help students not only grasp, but excel in math while serving more students at a lower cost. This edition of UNO Magazine is a “virtual” (pun intended) treasure trove of articles and examples of how intelligent use of technology is transforming the learning environment and beyond. That said, will technology one day overtake the student-faculty dynamic, replacing classroom instruction with robots and installed learning chips? I’d like to believe that would never, ever happen. Because at the heart of learning, at the very core of what we do, is the human element. That inexplicable spark that happens when inquiry collides with knowledge, when experience helps envision the future, and when inspiration is transformed into creativity. At UNO, students remain the focus of all we do. They are whom we serve, and why we’re here. As humans, it’s in our very nature to connect, reach out and to collaborate. Technology is a tool to help us get there — together. Now, can someone please get IT on the phone and tell me what this red light on my printer means?

Until next time, Chancellor John E. Christensen

LIFE

ALL AGES. ALL STAGES.

On Fall 2011

NOD TO THE DON “I enjoyed the article referencing Don Leahy and admired him as a student.” Gerald Allen New York, NY Editor’s Note: Allen, a member of UNO’s Athletic Hall of Fame, was an All-American running back for Omaha University in 1964 and played in the NFL. CONNIE AND THE COVER What a nice job you did on UNO Magazine. There were some great articles that encompass all aspects and ages of our lives. I especially enjoyed the article about Connie Claussen. She and my mother, Marnie Miller, were very instrumental in female athletics in the ’60s and ’70s – and good friends, as I recall. I also liked the older man on the front cover and the baby on the back cover. Nice touch. Jeanie Sturgeon Omaha SELF SERVICE I just read with great interest Kevin Warneke’s “Finding Your Future Self” article in UNO Magazine. It’s a great piece of work! I manage a website … myretirement.org for people in or approaching retirement. The topic of aging comes up quite often in our message boards. I think my readers would really be interested in this article and I would like to feature it in a blog. Paul Fiarkoski, BS ’90 Erie, Colo.

FROM THE editor It turns out that putting together a magazine with 101 story ideas isn’t so easy. CHILD CARE CORRECTION My husband is the UNO alum, but I noticed a short article in the recent edition of UNO Magazine by Charley Reed of University Relations that stated the UNO Child Care Center was the only on-campus childcare center in Nebraska beginning in 1986. I must beg to differ because Creighton University had an on-campus childcare center that began in the fall of 1982. My oldest son, Nicholas … was one of the first children to be in what is now a thriving on-campus childcare center. I hope you will correct this error, probably unbeknownst to Mr. Reed. Stephanie Stockard Spelic Omaha Editor’s Note: Reed confirms that Creighton’s oncampus childcare center predates UNO’s. However, the UNO Child Care Center was the first childcare facility the National Association for the Education of Young Children accredited. That actually took place in October 1988. CHOCK-FULL I just perused the fall issue, and it is chock-full of good stuff. Jon Brooks, ’96 Omaha, via Facebook STRIKING SUCCESS Love the articles on successful aging. Beautiful magazine — top-notch in every respect. Andy Bradley, executive vice president at Goodwill Industries, Greater Omaha area via LinkedIn MAKING AGING LOOK GOOD Just received UNO Magazine — a great success. The cover is out of this world. Am looking forward to reading the articles. Many thanks for the time, thought and effort you and your team gave to this project. You made aging look good! As for the article on “Future Self,” please note that my colleague, Lyn Holley, helped me to develop this concept. Julie Masterse UNO Department of Gerontology TREASURE HUNTING This magazine is WONDERFUL! It's a real treasure. It makes me very proud to be a UNO alum. I'm enjoying every page, not just the article on “Memory Lake.” I feel so honored to be a part of this issue. Nancy Kyme, ‘92 Woodbridge, Va.

The idea sounded great when proposed — and the end result, I think, is our best UNO Magazine to date. Our “Tech 101” issue is stuffed with quaint looks back at what once was cutting-edge (i.e., TVs, telephones), exploration of what’s cutting-edge today (border patrol avatars; mine-detecting robots), and predictions of where technology might take us that are both promising (the exoskeleton in UNO’s Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility) and silly (atomic cars). This issue also is formatted differently. Typically, we provide department pages in the front and back of the magazine separated by our feature stories. But we’ve temporarily done away with several departments to provide room for our running feature list of 101 “tech tips, tales and trends.” They’re provided in digestible portions that you can read at your leisure, using the numbers to easily recall where you last were. Keep it around the home or office for a while and share with others! Putting together this issue, though, took an awful lot of technological legwork. To hunt down all those stories — and to get faculty, staff, students and alumni to contribute — I sent more than 1,000 e-mails and sifted through scores of websites. CBA Professor Phani Tej Adidam was corresponding from Egypt. The 3-D illustration provider for UNO research in Israel sent information from New Zealand. Professor Doug Derrick wrote from near the U.S.-Mexico border. A NASA source in California gave us new information on grad Al Eggers. When in 1993 I began as editor of this magazine’s forerunner, the UNO Alum, e-mail was only then hitting campus and the university didn’t yet have a website. No way could this issue have come together without those tools. Tools I take for granted. Pondering that and reading all these stories has me wondering — have we lost our capacity for surprise and wonder at mankind’s advances? Just think how mind-blowing it must have been to see one’s first light bulb shine. To first hear the voice of another person miles away. To first see images transported through wires and a box. Today, it seems, we’re told of some groundbreaking innovation almost daily. And while we might offer a momentary “gee whiz,” our wonder often soon subsides as we ask ourselves, “What’s next?” When anything seems possible, almost everything seems ordinary. But that’s not so. UNO faculty, students and alumni are on the cutting edge of numerous technological advances that make our lives easier, healthier, safer … better. As you read about the technological wonders we present here, I hope you keep in mind how much passion and perspiration goes into these achievements. Let us know if you’re amazed — or even just appreciative.

Enjoy the read,

Anthony Flott Managing Editor

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

UNO Alumni Association honors AAA Nebraska, Tenaska executives The Uno Alumni Association bestowed its Citation for Alumni Achievement upon UNO graduates Mark E. Grieb, a regional president for Auto Club Group, and Paul G. Smith, vice chairman, Tenaska Energy Inc., during the university’s December commencement Saturday, Dec. 17, on the UNO campus. The citation, inaugurated in 1949, is issued at each UNO commencement. The association’s highest honor, it encompasses career achievement, community service, involvement in business and professional associations, and fidelity to the university. UNO Alumni Association President Lee Denker presented the awards, bringing the total number of Citation recipients to 157. “Mark and Paul personify two points of pride for all of our alumni,” Denker said. “Both have used their talents and skills to lead two of Nebraska’s best known businesses to new levels of success.” More than 1,000 students graduated in what was the first commencement held on campus since 1996. It was conducted in the Lee and Helene Sapp Fieldhouse in two stages. Elizabeth Malone, from Papillion, Neb., presented the student commencement address at the first ceremony. Stephanie Wilson, also from Papillion, presented the second student commencement address.

Mark E. Grieb Grieb earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting in 1981, graduating cum laude. After serving 12 years as a CPA at KPMG Peat Marwick, Grieb in 1994 became vice president of finance for AAA Nebraska. In 1999, he was appointed senior vice president and CFO of AAA Nebraska’s statewide operations. Two years later, he was appointed regional president of AAA Nebraska/North Dakota. Under Grieb’s leadership, AAA Nebraska has grown to serve more than 200,000 members across the state. In 2001, AAA Nebraska joined the Auto Club Group, an alliance of eight AAA clubs in the upper Midwest representing 4.2 million AAA members. As a result of AAA Nebraska’s positive reputation, image and brand loyalty, the Auto Club Group selected Omaha as the site for a regional customer care operations center. The center opened in 2003, creating more than 350 new jobs in Nebraska. In 2011, Omaha was selected as the site for the Auto Club Group’s first full-service retail bank.

Grieb was instrumental in creating the Cornhusker Motor Club Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to highway safety, crime prevention and tourism efforts. Largely supported by AAA and its members, the foundation has earned several awards and honors, most recently the Friend of Tourism Award presented by Governor Heineman during the Nebraska Travel Industry Conference. A member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Grieb has served on many organization boards and committees, including the United Way of the Midlands Foundation, New Cassel Retirement Center, and St. Stephen the Martyr Parish. He also was 2011 membership campaign chairman for the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. Grieb’s service also has extended to his alma mater. He served on the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2003 until 2011. He was the association’s chairman in 2009 and received its Outstanding Service Award in June 2011. He also is a member of the National Advisory Board of UNO’s College of Business Administration. Grieb lives in Omaha with his wife, Frances Pallas Grieb (UNO class of 1982), and their two children.

Paul G. Smith Smith earned a master’s degree in business administration from UNO in 1984. He is vice-chairman of Tenaska Energy and cofounder, CEO and senior managing director of Tenaska Capital Management (TCM), the manager of Tenaska Power Fund (TPF I) and TPF II. As vice-chairman, Smith co-leads Tenaska, an independent energy company concentrating on reliable, cost-efficient and environmentally responsible power plant development, ownership and operations. Tenaska also provides energy risk management services and is involved in natural gas, biofuels and electric power marketing;

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Technology Transforms Giving Advances in technology are beginning to inspire new kinds of fundraising When a devastating magnitude-7 earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, the American Red Cross utilized new giving trends. Through implementing a text-messaging program, people were asked to text “Haiti” to the number 90999 to make automatic $10 donations. Millions of people did so and the Red Cross raised more than $32 million for relief in Haiti.

Chancellor John E. Christensen and UNO Alumni Association President Lee Denker pictured with Mark Grieb (photo left) and Paul G. Smith (photo right).

gas exploration, production and transportation systems; and electric transmission development. Smith is vice-chairman of the Tenaska Board of Stakeholders and is a member of the company’s fiveperson executive team. He also is a member of various management committees associated with Tenaska business units. Under Smith’s leadership as co-founder, CEO and senior managing director of TCM, total assets under TCM’s management are approximately $5 billion and include power generating plants and natural gas pipelines, and gas storage, gathering and processing facilities. As TCM’s CEO and senior managing director, Smith, along with the company’s other senior managing directors, is responsible for the overall strategy, investment, operation and disposition of TPF I and TPF II investments. He also is a member of the Investment Committees for TPF I and TPF II and serves on the boards of directors for fund portfolio companies. Smith has worked in the energy industry for more than 30 years, including 22 years with Tenaska or its affiliates. His broad experience includes mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy, equity placements, business development, project development, power company management, natural gas production management, marketing company management, commercial contract negotiations and engineering. Smith also earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University. He lives in Omaha with his wife, Annette and three sons.

The Text 2HELP program is part of a potentially dramatic shift in the way that people are giving. Charitable giving is going mobile, and charitable organizations are beginning to experiment with other 21st century technology like smartphone applications and social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Much of the transformation can be attributed to a “new generation of givers.” According to USA Today, Gen “Y” donors, who are 19 to 29 years old, are more likely to give via messaging or Facebook than by writing a check after opening a traditional solicitation delivered to a mailbox outside their door. The new generation of givers wants to be engaged digitally. “Giving should be easy, it should be fun and it should be rewarding,” says Jim Manis, chief executive of the Mobile Giving Foundation. By engaging others, organizations are able to reach new demographics. Reaching younger, first-time donors is an emerging trend in the digital world. On the other hand, studies have shown that those 60 years old and older give more frequently online versus their younger counterparts. Typically, nonprofits have relied on a smaller number of donors making large gifts in the past. However, a new prototype is appealing to a number of smaller donors. According to the American Observer, by engaging a younger demographic early, you are able to build a donor for life. The ways we give have changed through time. Once popular trends, such as dropping pennies in a bell ringer’s bucket and giving a dime to the March of Dimes may become things of the past. Additionally, conventional mail and phone solicitations eventually may pass. Online giving, the most popular form of giving in today’s society, may be replaced with a new giving method. Digital giving is still a work in progress but has considerable potential. The nonprofit industry will continue to experiment with technology and emerging trends in philanthropy. There are many ways to give to the UNO Alumni Association. Regardless of how you give, it will help maintain its high standards of excellence. Please consider supporting the UNO Annual Fund by giving via mail, phone or online at www.unoalumni.org/give. — Katey Wennekamp, University of Nebraska Foundation

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Bars & Boards Annual Board Meeting The UNO Alumni Association will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 22, at 4:30 p.m. at UNO’s HPER Building. New board members and officers will be elected, and service awards will be presented. A slate of proposed directors and officers will be posted by the nominating committee on the UNO Alumni Association website. For more information contact Julie Kaminski at 402-554-4887 or jkaminski@unoalumni.org.

Chill out at Night on the Ice Join fellow grads and their families for the ninth annual Alumni Night on the Ice Saturday, March 3. Get ready for the Mavs’ last regular season game of the season, against the University of Denver, with this great pregame fun:

• Buffet reception at CenturyLink Center • Door prizes and free temporary Mav Tattoos • Hockey 101 with former Mavs and a pep talk from UNO Coach Dean Blais • Performances by the UNO Hockey Band and Maverick Cheerleaders • Great Lower Bowl seating; designated seating for CBA, Communication and AFROTC grads

All that for just $20 per adult, $15 per child age 2-10 (children under 2 free). Per-person cost of $20 includes game ticket and pre-game buffet (pulled pork sandwiches, chips, salad, cookies, tea, lemonade). Cash bar available. Children’s cost of $15 includes game ticket and plated children’s meal. Hockey tickets distributed at reception. Register online by Feb. 22 at www.unoalumni.org/eventregister or call (402) 554-4802.

Representing the AFROTC Alumni Chapter were Loren Timm, Harold Sage and Chuck Holderness (pictured with Langdon).

UNO Detachment 470 Cadet Lee Langdon was commissioned as a second lieutenant on Dec. 16, and he left with a parting gift from the UNO Alumni AFROTC Chapter. For the third time since it was formed the chapter provided a newly commissioned cadet with a set of bars and shoulder boards. Langdon has a degree in international studies and Russian. He recently completed his graduate degree in law from Creighton. Langdon will report to Randolph Air Force Base in Texas for training in remote piloted aircraft (RPA). Lt. Col. Jeffrey Johnson administered the oath. Virginia and John Viviano and Jenna Napolillo conducted the pinning.

Partnerships Credit

Insurance

Travel

The UNO Alumni Association has partnered with Capital One to offer members a wide range of credit card choices. Please visit the UNO Alumni Association at www.unoalumni.com/ card for more information.

Are you covered? If you have insurance needs, visit the association website at www.unoalumni.org/insurance to see the discounted offers available to UNO graduates for health, life, auto and longterm care insurance.

Join fellow alumni April 21-29 for Floriade 2012, the World Horticultural Expo only held every 10 years in Holland. The sixth such event, Floriade 2012 will be held in a stunning park in Venlo. The nine-day trip includes a cruise. For more information, visit www.unoalumni.org/travel. To receive a brochure, call the association toll-free at UNO-MAV-ALUM (866-628-2586).

alumni association

Homecoming 2012 to feature basketball, hockey and new arena Mark your calendar for an expanded UNO Homecoming 2012 — so big it will be held on two days: Nov. 9 and 10! UNO on Friday, Nov. 9 will celebrate the opening date for UNO basketball at the new Ralston Sports and Events Center. An opponent still is being decided upon for the Mavs' first game in the 3,500-seat facility, currently under construction at 7400 Main Street in Ralston. On Saturday, Nov. 10, UNO Homecoming 2012 hits the ice for a Maverick hockey game against 2011 national champion Minnesota –Duluth. “Our 2012 Homecoming events will bring the celebration of UNO to different areas of Omaha, from campus to the new Ralston Arena and downtown,” says Lee Denker, UNO Alumni Association president. “It will be an exciting time for alumni, students and fans to kick off a new era of UNO basketball while also supporting the Mav hockey team.” UNO’s homecoming traditions include a lively parade, a campus decorating contest, crowning of a king and queen, and a tailgate party. Additional details will be available in the June UNO Magazine, at www.unoalumni.org and in e-mails sent to all graduates. Contact Elizabeth Kraemer with questions at (402) 554-4802 or ekraemer@unoalumni.org.

32nd Scholarship Swing set for September 10 The UNO Alumni Association will tee off for scholarships on Monday, Sept. 10, with the 32nd annual Chancellor’s Scholarship Swing at Tiburon Golf Club. The UNO Alumni Association’s biggest single fundraiser, the Swing last year raised $47,000, pushing the total to more than $730,000 raised since the association began hosting the tournament in 1995. Almost 130 golfers and 62 sponsors participated in the tournament. The money raised supports various Association-sponsored student scholarships. Letters have been sent to business and individuals seeking their participation in the tournament as sponsors. To participate, or for more information, contact Elizabeth Kraemer at (402) 554-4802 or ekramer@unoalumni.org.

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS

Supporting Omahaheadquartered ProKarma is providing scholarships to tech-savvy students By Colleen Kenney Fleischer, University of Nebraska Foundation

Tech Talent He remembers his mom freaking out.

Scattered around the computer room of their Omaha home were the guts and parts of the family’s first desktop computer. He was just 12. The computer, a Macintosh, had cost his parents about $3,000. “I took it apart just to see if I could put it back together,” says Ryan Grandgenett, who’s 21 now and a junior studying computer security at UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology.

Another recipient, Morgan Gass, also is thankful. The 23-year-old is studying for a master’s degree in computer science at UNO. “It’s a juggling act sometimes,” says Morgan, who also works as an IT intern at ConAgra. “They always talk about the work-life balance. But for us, it’s the work-life-school balance. So you have one extra plate in the air.” Both Ryan and Morgan think it’s great that companies like ProKarma are investing in them and other UNO students.

Says Morgan: “It’s really an investment in their future workforce. And it’s definitely im“Ever since I was little, I’ve always been taking portant. It also gives the students the thought things apart and putting them back together,” that, ‘Hey, here are some of the companies he says. “As soon as I could use computers, I supporting what I’m doing. Maybe they’re a was always playing with them, trying to figure company I should look at when I graduate.’” out how they worked. Vivek Kumar, president of ProKarma, says “I grew to really love them.” that’s exactly why he wanted to give scholarships to technology students at UNO. For a He’s now being rewarded for it. technology company like ProKarma, he says, Grandgenett’s love of computers has given him its very foundation is built upon talented grada future he’s excited about. He wants to work uates with science and technology degrees — people like Ryan and Morgan. And he did put it back together.

We are blessed here at UNO by the great partnerships we have with our industry partners. Hesham Ali, Dean of the College of Information Science and Technology in computer security, maybe for the government or the private sector. His love of computers also has given him $2,500 a year to go to school. He’s one of the UNO students in his college to receive a scholarship from ProKarma, a global informationtechnology firm with headquarters in Omaha. The scholarship, which gives preference to students who have a financial need, is renewable if he maintains a GPA of at least 3.0. “It’s helped out a lot,” Ryan says. “In order to go here, I have to take out loans. I’m only working part time, only 25 hours a week. So this definitely helps out a lot.”

“Part of the reason for our partnership with UNO and the scholarship was because we wanted to employ more and more graduates out of UNO,” says Vivek, whose company was recognized by Inc. Magazine in 2009 as the fastest-growing privately held IT services company in the United States and No. 11 overall. “The program is great. From what we have seen and talked to and what we’ve heard, everything is top-notch, first class. “We have to have students picking up on science and technology as a passion for us to stay ahead in the (global) technology world, and be the fountainhead of innovation, ideas and new visions.” The partnership with UNO, he says, is symbiotic. “We hope to expand our partnership with UNO — in terms of hiring, R&D and commercial partnership.”

Photo: Tim Fitzgerald, University Relations

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS

Gass, left, is studying for a master’s degree in computer science; Grandgenett is pursuing a degree in computer security.

Omaha is a great city, he says, one where you have the best of both worlds — the big city and the small city. Its people possess a strong work ethic.

IS&T, which has its home in the Peter Kiewit Institute, is the best technology school in the area, Ryan says. Its faculty aren’t teaching yesterday’s technology.

Many UNO students feel the impact of ProKarma’s support, says Hesham Ali, dean of the College of Information Science and Technology. The ProKarma scholarships present one of several ways UNO has in connecting with this innovative informationtechnology company, he says. Others include R&D projects, internships and guest lecturing.

“And I think instructors are much more involved. It’s more challenging. But it’s definitely more rewarding at the same time.”

“We are blessed here at UNO by the great partnerships we have with our industry partners,” Ali says. “Such partnerships are critical in advancing higher education and preparing our students for the challenging jobs of tomorrow.”

People from technology organizations speak to his classes, trying to recruit students. He hears them say how UNO grads are the mostskilled grads they see. He’s proud to be part of that great culture at the college. He’s proud to be a ProKarma Scholarship recipient. And he’s proud his computer skills are making his parents proud. “Now, my mom loves it,” he says, smiling. “Now whenever anything on their computer breaks, they know they can call me.”

Information technology and support for students are among the highest priorities of the Campaign for Nebraska. If you’d like to help in either area at UNO, please consider giving online at nufoundation.org or call the foundation’s Lori Byrne at 800-432-3216.

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA

$121,163,331

91%

436

new funds have been established during the campaign to support UNO.

• Building the educated workforce of tomorrow.

• Enriching campus and community life.

45% 9,121 80% individuals have made donations to UNO during the campaign.

UNO CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES

• Engaging our community.

of UNO campaign gifts are from Nebraska households/organizations.

of new funds to the UNO campaign support student scholarships.

$150 M

of UNO students apply for financial assistance.

The Campaign for Nebraska is a four-campus fundraising campaign benefiting the University of Nebraska.

campaignfornebraska.org/uno

All statistics as of November 30, 2011. The Campaign for Nebraska began in July 2005 and will conclude December 2014.

Easing the textbook burden

The growing cost of textbooks can create a financial challenge for students.

Textbooks may be a necessary tool for learning. Yet the increasing cost of books has created a growing burden for students. Today a college student spends between $700 and $1,100 annually for books and materials — with costs rising an average of 6 percent each year. Recognizing this challenge, the Goodrich Scholarship Program at UNO seeks to create an endowed fund that will help Goodrich scholars cover the growing cost of textbooks. The Goodrich Scholarship Program provides financial assistance and academic support to Nebraska residents who otherwise may not be able to afford a college education. Currently more than 200 students participate. To support the Goodrich Textbook Scholarship Fund, contact the University of Nebraska Foundation at (402) 502-0300, or give online at nufoundation.org/fundsearch. Type Goodrich in the search box.

GET TO KNOW he answered What was your first job? A COBOL programmer as an intern at a textile company, something I managed to keep to myself so I don’t get asked to teach COBOL instead of PASCAL or C++.

we asked

Hesham Ali College of Information Science and Technology

WHAT WAS THE BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED? Try to do what is best in the long run, even if it is not fun in the short term. Also, try to avoid what is not good tomorrow even if it is tempting at the moment. I think about that when presented with hot donuts or crispy fries. what is Your favorite weekend hangout? It depends on which time of the day. For the first part of the day, with family in one of the super bookstores in town; books, coffee and music. Evenings, at the Orpheum or the Holland Center, or with friends watching interesting sport events, either live or on TV. WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TO HAPPINESS? Facing tough decisions, always do what you think is best and live with the consequences. What technology can you not do without and why? Small and light mobile tablets — it is nice to stay active and connected. Coffee makers are equally critical, you need to be alert to stay active.

we asked

What technology can you not do without and why?

Living in this era of technology dominance, a researcher must rely on information technology to stay updated.

answered Christopher Tuan UNO professor of civil engineering

The one technology I cannot do without would have to be my smartphone. I love being able to have access to the Internet at any given time. The constant availability of information is almost like an addiction. I love to know what’s happening around the world as it happens.

answered Alex Kuklinski UNO student

Text, photos by Jenna Zeorian

If I could only keep one piece of technology it would be my keyboard or at least something to write with. My keyboard allows me to organize my thoughts, express myself and develop ideas that encourage others to take actions. With my keyboard I could help others develop key technologies.

answered Grant Stanley(’08), CEO and co-founder, Contemporary Analysis

My iPhone, Chromebook, iPad, iMac, Windows 7/Linux desktop, big screen, cloud access and virtual desktop are the essentials. The rest I can do without, but I’ll still miss my Android!

answered John Fiene UNO chief information officer

Even with all of the new technology that complements the game of golf, I still think the thing I would miss most is my cell phone. Being able to call and text is a necessity of communication, and I appreciate the ease cell phones give to communicating with the players.

answered Tim Nelson PGA, director of Golf; UNO golf coach

athletics

New Home for Hoops

The UNO men’s basketball team will have a new home beginning with the 2012-13 season. The Mavericks will play home games at the new Ralston Sports and Event Center, currently under construction and expected to open in the fall of 2012. “This is great news for our men’s basketball program as it continues its reclassification to Division I,” says UNO Director of Athletics Trev Alberts. “The new Ralston arena will provide the team with a firstclass, state-of-the-art venue in which to play and will offer our fans outstanding amenities and great convenience just south of our campus. “We’re looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with the city of Ralston.” UNO has played its home games in the Lee and Helene Sapp Fieldhouse on the UNO

campus since that facility opened in 1949. “I think the new Ralston arena is going to provide our team with the kind of home court advantage we currently enjoy at Sapp Fieldhouse,” says Derrin Hansen, head men’s basketball coach. “It also will be a great recruiting tool as we continue to bring in the kinds of players who will help us be successful at the Division I level.” When completed, the new Ralston arena will seat approximately 4,000 for basketball, offer 12 suites and boast a total of 95,000 square feet of event and function space. Parking for all events at the arena will be free. For more information on the arena, visit www.ralstonarena.com. “We are pleased and excited to be a partner with the University of Nebraska Omaha,”

said Ralston Mayor Donald Groesser. “UNO Division I basketball played at the Ralston Arena will provide fans with an exciting basketball experience in a firstclass environment. Lancers Hockey also will play in the new arena. The Mavericks will host their inaugural game in the arena on Nov. 9, the first day of UNO Homecoming 2012. The opponent is to be decided. For more, see page 8.

athletics

World Junior Tournament Has UNO Flavor The University of Nebraska Omaha put its stamp on the world championships of junior hockey in January, further raising the profile of the school’s flagship team. For the second time in three years, UNO coach Dean Blais served as the head coach of the U.S. team at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championship. This year, the annual event was held in Calgary, Alberta. Blais wasn’t the only Maverick wearing the red, white and blue. UNO equipment manager Mark Pane joined Blais this season, taking with him his 15 years of experience on the UNO bench. “My fortune cookie is my head coach because I think Dean had a big impact on them selecting me to work for the team,” Pane says. “It’s a great honor. Other than the Olympics, it’s the highest honor I’ll have in serving my country and be in hockey.” Pane is no stranger to USA Hockey. He spent two weeks in each of the last two summers as an equipment manager at the U.S. evaluation camp for the World Junior Championship in Lake Placid, N.Y. Blais led the U.S. to just its second gold medal in the World Championships in 2010 when the event was held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Last year, the Americans earned a bronze medal, marking the first time the United States had medaled in back-toback championships. Pane isn’t surprised by that success. He says the U.S. is doing a good job of developing some of the top amateur players in the world. “We’re doing well. If people watch (the championship), they’ll see players from the WCHA — Jason Zucker (Denver) and Derek Forbort (North Dakota). There are some good young kids. With guys like Dean and [Assistant Executive Director of Hockey Operations] Jim Johansen and [Director of Player Personnel] Tim Taylor looking after the kids, USA Hockey can only go up from here.” Pane’s trip didn’t come without cost, though. As the equipment manager for UNO hockey since its inaugural season, he has been on the bench for every game played by the Mavericks during the last 15 years. It’s a streak that ended when UNO hosted Quinnipiac on Dec. 30 and 31. But even before the first puck had dropped, Pane already could imagine one of the great honors of his professional career. “I’m looking forward to this because it’s going to be in Canada. It’s their game and they support it and it’s going to be crazy. I know the first time I hear the National Anthem…it’s going to be a very special thing.” — By Dave Ahlers, UNO Athletic Communications

New Name, New Walk, New Run The Claussen-Leahy Run & Walk, formerly known as the UNO Women’s Walk, will be held April 21, 2012, on the UNO campus. The event name was changed to honor associate athletic directors Connie Claussen and Don Leahy for their many years of service to the UNO Athletic Department. With the change in name comes a change in format. This year’s event caters not just to walkers, but also to runners. The day begins with registration at 7 a.m. At 9 a.m. the Claussen 5K run begins at Caniglia Field, continuing through Elmwood Park and the UNO campus. The Leahy 2K run starts at 9:30 a.m. on Caniglia Field and also takes participants through Elmwood Park and campus. Runners of all ages are able to participate in both runs. A campus walk, meanwhile, begins at 9:45 a.m. Adults are encouraged to bring their children to the event, as plenty of action will be available for them. An 800-meter kids’ race begins at 8:30 a.m. on the track at Caniglia Field. The UNO track and field team will be on hand to participate with the kids. Any child who signs up for the kids’ race also will be registered for the Mini Sports Clinics. These will occur from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m, and will be hosted by various UNO athletic teams. Kids will learn basic skills from the various sports teams and will have the opportunity to interact with Maverick student-athletes. For more information on these events and to register, visit OMavs.com or call Roxie at 402-554-2533.

athletics

Change for the Better If there’s been a constant for Stacia Gebers, it’s been change. First, there was UNO’s transition from Division II to Division I basketball. Then a move to the Summit League. Then a new coach. But Gebers also changed positions to start her sophomore season, moving from guard to forward in the offseason to better serve the team’s needs. That’s resulted in more playing time — and points. Last year, Gebers rarely was on the court, playing only 8.4 minutes per game as a guard. She hit double figures in scoring just once with 14 points against Central Missouri. But Gebers has started every game of 2011-12 and was averaging 25 minutes and 7.7 points through 20

games. She set a career high with 18 points against Briar Cliff in December and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds at West Virginia State. UNO’s new head coach, Chance Lindley, says Gebers is having a fantastic year. “She’s phenomenal,” Lindley says. “She’s where she is because she works hard. She has a tremendous attitude and she deserves all the success she’s had at this point. She’s earned it.” Gebers, whose hometown is Nora, Neb., and who played at Superior High School, says she worked hard in preseason practices to get accustomed to her new position. “I’m starting to embrace it and become more of a post player,” Gebers says. “It’s way more enjoyable than it has been, so this is great.” — Megan Murdock, UNO Athletic Communications

Stepping Up For sophomore men’s basketball player Caleb Steffensmeier, the UNO Athletic Department’s move to Division I has been a dream come true. But playing for a Division I team brings with it more training and conditioning, adding a more challenging aspect to the already busy student-athlete’s schedule. “I’m definitely working even harder in the offseason,” Steffensmeier says. “That’s something we all have to do as a team — working harder in the offseason and getting physically bigger and stronger.” Despite a new slate of unfamiliar, higherlevel opponents, the point guard already has improved his game this season. In early December, Steffensmeier was leading the nation with a 5.25 assist-to-turnover ratio. He was UNO’s assists leader through 20 games with 70 while having just 18 turnovers.

The Creighton Prep product also had the buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer in the Mavs’ win over Chadron State earlier this season. He’s won big before. Steffensmeier led Creighton Prep to the Class A state championship his junior year in 2009. Playing collegiately, he says, forced him to adjust to a faster game and learn to make quick decisions. Off the court, Steffensmeier is majoring in business and thinking about going into accounting after earning his bachelor’s degree. As for the Mavs continuing their first-year run in Division I and preparing for the Summit League, Steffensmeier says he and his teammates “just have to take advantage of it and do the best we can.” — Megan Murdock, UNO Athletic Communications

Lighter Faster Stronger There was a time when hockey players affectionately referred to the sticks they used as “twigs,” a nod to their literal roots as former trees.

These days, that nickname has been all but retired as hockey sticks and many of the other tools of the trade have become transformed by the material of modern technology. No one knows this better than Mark Pane. The only equipment manager in the 15-year history of UNO hockey, Pane has seen new, advanced materials change the job that he does maintaining and repairing the gear worn by the Mavericks each season. When UNO hockey began in 1997, the Mavericks used wooden sticks. But twopiece sticks – aluminum shafts with replaceable wooden blades – soon replaced those. Then, another change when the blades were composed of a graphite composite. By 2002, all sticks were one-piece graphite composite. Pane says the sticks of today are easy to recognize. “They’re lighter, and they’re more responsive,” he says. “[Players] say the shots are harder and more accurate.” With advances in technology comes increase in prices. Wooden sticks used to retail for $25 to $30 apiece. Today’s graphite models cost from $150 to $200. That means every stick that snaps during a slap shot in a game has a bigger impact on the budget. Pane says he and other equipment managers work with stick manufacturers to help them improve their product.

athletics

“Hockey sticks are different than an aluminum baseball bat, where the only thing hitting the bat is the ball,” Pane says. “With hockey sticks, you have five guys trying to get the puck and hitting the sticks. From that standpoint, you can’t control the breakage. “There are times when you might get imperfections like a bubble in the graphite and then the thing snaps. If there is an issue, we deal with the companies to let them know.” More subtly, at least for the casual observer, are changes to protective gear. Technology has brought drastic changes in the last decade to helmets, shoulder and elbow pads and skates. Helmets once were made of several pieces of plastic screwed together and adjusted to best fit the head of the player. Inside, the helmets featured a small amount of foam padding. “The helmet we have is an EPP foam (expanded polypropylene) with a soft foam on top that sits on the head and is more comfortable,” Pane says. “One helmet made by a company called Cascade has seven cells of compressed air that surround the head and cushion it. This is similar to the technology in football and bike helmets to keep the impact away from the brain.” Hockey shoulder and elbow pads used to have heavy and hard plastic cups at key points on the body. Older models featured cotton and wool batting that got heavy when it got wet and broke down over time, reducing the amount of protection offered to players. Pane says thanks to changes made in the professional ranks, even college players now are better protected. “The protective area has gotten a lot better,” he says. “It’s lighter with the new foams and plastics. There was some mandating by the NHL Players Association to have a half-inch of foam on the elbow pads and the shoulder caps so now you can’t buy anything that doesn’t have a half-inch of foam on it.” The evolution toward lighter equipment also has affected skates. They were once made with heavy leather boots, thick soles and steel blades. Players would have to skate in them through several painful

practices and games before they got broken in. Now, they’re made from the same material used to make sticks. “They’re more protective because they’re also graphite composite,” Pane says. “And now because of the inside foams, you can heat it up and fit the boot right to the foot and there isn’t as much of an issue with breaking in.” Pane says that even with improved technology, the durability of modern hockey equipment isn’t guaranteed. “The durability is hit and miss. It depends on the player sometimes. Some players are harder on equipment than others.”

The protective area has gotten a lot better. He adds that what was important for older gear applies to new equipment as well. “It’s important to keep it dry.” Any parent of a hockey-playing child can attest to the large sums that can be spent keeping their son or daughter insulated from the rigors of the game. Pane, a hockey dad himself, offers one bit of advice when it comes time to buying a child a new piece of equipment. “If you have kids who play hockey, don’t buy bigger to make it last longer. First, they may not be able to perform well with illfitting equipment and therefore not enjoy it. Secondly, as it applies to skates, it leads to bad skaters. You can always sell used gear or pass it down to someone else.” The rules of hockey haven’t changed drastically in the last 50 years, but the abilities of the players who play the game certainly have. It’s only natural that the equipment adapt to keep up with players who are bigger, faster and stronger than their predecessors. — Dave Ahlers, UNO Athletic Communications

101 TECHNOLOGY and

TIPS TALES

TRENDS

A look at how technology has transformed university life — and how the university has used technology to transform our lives

Opening Up with an App

What’s an open house without a special app — at least at UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology? For its October open house in the Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI), IS&T developed an app to help track how many prospective students came and where they went. Students signed in at a laptop, which printed a name badge for that person with a QR code. Lab hosts scanned the codes with mobile phones whenever they visited a lab.

Before they left PKI, students who participated were provided with a printout of their visits. “To help encourage participation during the event, every time a student got scanned in a lab they also got an entry into our door prize drawings,” says Zac Fowler, IS&T’s director of IT Outreach. Prize drawings were held every 15 to 30 minutes. Nearly 200 students were tracked through the Open House App.

Cell Collective

It might sound like the name of some techno-oriented pop band — The Cell Collective — but the outfit formed by a group of UNO mathematics masterminds is something way cooler. And their work just might add up to scientific breakthroughs in cancer and other medical mysteries. Led by 2006 UNO graduate Tom Helikar, the Cell Collective (www.thecellcollective.org) is an online collaborative modeling platform that allows scientists to build large-scale virtual cells in intuitive fashion and to subsequently simulate them in real time. The platform is based on the premise that since cells are so complex it’s impossible for one researcher to know everything about them. But when multiple researchers enter data into the virtual cell database, a truer picture develops. The systems approach shows how changes in one part of a cell impact other parts. “It is like TurboTax,” Helikar says. “You put in the biological or chemical data and the math programs are in the background making sense of it. “There is a complex web of biochemical signals going on in every cell. It is not just one straight pathway as we previously suspected.” Helikar, a Ph.D. candidate in bioinformatics at UNMC and a Czech Republic native, got involved with the Cell Collective after working as an undergraduate research assistant for Jim Rogers, UNO assistant mathematics professor and cell biologist. Rogers hypothesized that mathematical analysis could be used

to understand the structure and function of complex biochemical pathways. Helikar continues working with Rogers and with UNO mathematics colleagues Dr. John Konvalina and Dr. Jack Heidel (department chair) refining and testing the Cell Collective model. In collaboration with UNMC, Helikar constructed the world’s largest virtual breast cancer cell. Some 100 researchers have gone online to utilize it, inputting their data and observing its impact. Helikar illustrates such work after calling up the breast cancer cell collective on his office computer. He enters a value representing the administration of a drug on the cancer cell and watches as graphs simulate changes on other cell parts. “The concept is similar to Wikipedia,” Helikar says. “Many people add their piece. It is a rich source of data from many fronts.” The cell collective also serves as a sort of classroom. By building cells on a computer, students learn about them and develop collaborative partnerships with researchers, Helikar says. The UNO Mathematics department is in good company in its attempt to unravel the mysteries of cell development and disintegration. Helikar says Harvard and Stanford universities are its main competitors in cell collective research. Such collaboration, he says, are the future of science. “This is the way it is going to be done,” Helikar says. “There is going to be a revolution in science.”

Microgrant, Macrohelp

UNO’s Omaha’s College of Information Science and Technology in September received a $38,601 grant from the Iowa West Foundation to work with microenterprises in Council Bluffs and surrounding areas on information technology needs. The grant will fund faculty and students to help microenterprises — companies with fewer than five employees — use information technology more effectively in their business operations.

— Tom McMahon

4 “Microenterprises constitute a vital part of a region’s economy, providing not only jobs, but the innovation and entrepreneurial dynamic that benefits communities as a whole,” says Peter Wolcott, associate professor of information systems and quantitative analysis, who directs the project. According to U.S. Census data, more than 80 percent of businesses in Iowa are microenterprises. Contact Wolcott at 402-554-3158 or pwolcott@unomaha.edu

1908

UNO wasn’t the only thing founded in 1908. The most auspicious, perhaps, was Henry Ford’s Model T, which rolled off that famous assembly line in September, the same month UNO opened its doors.

To Tell the Truth

Hacking His Way to a New Career While most of his fellow students are surf ing on or uploading to YouTube for fun, UNO sophomore Alex Kuklinski is there for business. And his posts have gotten the attention not just of YouTube, but also of major media outlets and the electronics world. It started three years ago when, at 16, Kuklinski posted a video to his YouTube account, huskermania, showing how a free downloadable application could allow an iPod Touch to make phone calls. This at a time when an 8GB iPhone cost $599 and an 8GB iPod Touch cost just $199. “I’m not necessarily a hacker,” Kuklinski explains. “Other people figure out how to do it and all I do is … make it so people who aren’t necessarily computer-savvy can do it.” Kuklinski’s previous YouTube posts typically generated only 50 hits in a video’s first 24 hours. His iPod post got 50,000 hits before a day had passed and has more than 2 million hits and counting to date. Then came other how-to videos and video reviews. Kuklinski became something of a hacking go-to. And that got the attention of National Public Radio and other media. NPR in March featured Kuklinski in a story about “rooting” popular e-readers, like Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, transforming them into cheap tablet computers. As Kuklinski explains in the NPR story, the process only takes 30 minutes and a $15 micro-SD card.

But isn’t it illegal to root or hack a product like an e-reader? “My view is if you have it you can do whatever you want to it,” Kuklinski says. In fact, changes in 2010 to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act state that when “circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability” such changes do not infringe on copyright law. However, Kuklinski points out, such changes will void a warranty. Because of the popularity of his posts Kuklinski was given a Partner Program account with YouTube that gives him a share of the revenue of any advertisements displayed on his YouTube page or that are attached to his videos. “It’s actually my main job now,” Kuklinski says. “It’s how I pay for school.” In January, Kuklinski attended the premier electronics convention in the world, the International Consumer Electronics Expo held in Las Vegas. He returned to the UNO campus where he’s a major in — no surprise — the College of Information Science and Technology’s IT Innovation program. Past that, Kuklinski plans to expand his YouTube video offerings. “I want to officially make it a business, probably within the next year,” he says. “One thing I’ve always wanted to get into is application development, so making apps for phones and computers and that sort of thing, too.” — Charley Reed, University Relations

Photo: Eric Francis

UNO in 2011 received a $25,000 grant to work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Center for Border Security and Immigration to develop a kiosk that can conduct automatic interviews and detect deception based on behavioral and physiological responses. The kiosk system uses avatars to ask questions and has a variety of sensors that monitor the interviewee’s responses. Sensors focus on eye behavior, voice measurements, gestures, etc. Currently, the system speaks five languages with the capacity to expand to hundreds of others. The results of its interview (behavioral measurements, screening recommendation, etc.) are presented to an officer or agent via an iPad. The grant was awarded based on the work of Professor Doug Derrick of UNO’s School of Interdisciplinary Informatics. Derrick is the primary inventor of the kiosk, building it as part of his dissertation at the University of Arizona. The first kiosk was installed in December at the entry port of Nogales, Ariz., as a pilot test for the SENTRI Trusted Traveler Program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Alan Bersin, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Luc Portelanc, president of the Canada Border Services Agency, were on hand to see it displayed. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano also has interacted with the kiosk (in Washington, D.C.). “These kiosks have the potential to help improve the effectiveness of borderscreening environments because they can alleviate traffic load on human agents,” says Derrick, who joined the College of Information Science and Technology faculty in 2011. “They do not get fatigued, have cognitive limitations, or other biases that interfere with the quality of screening. “And they can detect cues that are impossible for a human to discern.” And that’s no lie.

Still Rolling Time was when printers couldn’t give them away. Vandercook proof presses, that is.

“Digital changed everything,” says Bonnie O’Connell, professor and director of UNO’s Fine Art Press. “We picked up one of ours for nothing. Just the cost of moving it out of a print shop.” But as technology revolutionized the publishing industry, old technology pushed back. Publishing with the personal touch of hand-set type recaptured some of its panache, and the art of hand printing gained a new generation of followers. People who wanted more than the generic look of digital type. People who wanted texture. Like what comes when metal type embeds a permanent impression on paper. “You can see and feel it,” she says. The retro technology was kept alive at UNO by Harry Duncan, UNO professor and master printer from 1972 to 1985. Fine printing took its place at UNO through an academic teaching lab now housed in the Weber Fine Arts Building. Today O’Connell carries the torch, teaching another generation of UNO student printers. They’re artists, librarians, graphic designers and future bookstore owners. They learn about typefaces and

leading. They learn to design, print and illustrate their own edition books. O’Connell practices what she preaches. Her business cards are her own — no quick-print standards in her wallet, thank you. They come on paper trim she salvages from other jobs rather than discarding. These days, the UNO Fine Art Press is a crowded place. Four Vandercooks take up space, but with a purpose. They’re going nowhere. O’Connell estimates the print shop also includes about 300 cases of type and hundreds of thousands of characters. “We have several cases of nothing but caps.” The Vandercooks are old, but have found a resting place. Even if they work so hard that every now and then they need a bit of TLC. When breakdowns happen, parts sometimes must be fabricated; O’Connell recently had to recast the rollers on one machine at $500. They’re worth it. “They’re beautifully engineered,” O’Connell says. “I can’t fix a car, but I can keep these going.” These presses won’t be stopped. — Kevin Warneke

Mastering an Online Master’s Degree

Thanks to UNO’s embrace of technology, students can earn advanced degrees from the comfort of home, a cybercafé, or anywhere else an online connection is available. Among the UNO programs offered completely online is a master’s degree in political science. Students learn about political science’s hottest topics — international democratic movements, revolutions, power, and more from faculty who have won numerous teaching awards. Classes

Head of the Class

UNO on April 28, 1952, debuted “TV Classroom” on KMTV, becoming among the first six universities in the nation to launch educational TV programming for credit.

Photo: Eric Francis

The first choice for letterpress printers for more than a century, Vandercooks were on the verge of becoming unnecessary — and unwanted — as technology, especially desktop publishing, turned proof presses into large blocks of immovable metal.

feature online lectures and virtual discussions via Adobe Connect, allowing users to hear and see fellow students and faculty. Tests are taken online, and even classes outside the political science realm are available. The entire online master’s degree program can be completed in two years. Best of all, your classroom is wherever you want it to be — with no parking hassles!

— Associate Professor Gregory A. Petrow, political science

The first class, taught by Professor Wilfred Payne was called “Six Views of Life” and focused on Greek religion, science and ideas of life and heaven. The two-credit class aired for 15 minutes five mornings a week and was aimed primarily at housewives.

Holiday Savings

Modern technology is great, but powering those computers, lights, appliances, and more doesn’t come free. UNO gets a break on the bills, though, when the university has its holiday closedown, which usually lasts for about a week in late December. According to John Amend, director of UNO facilities management and planning, UNO’s holiday closedown savings range from $11,000 to $13,000 each year.

Love at First Site

With nearly 6 million visits each year, UNO’s website gets busy. But it wasn’t always so. The domain www.unomaha.edu was registered Jan. 3, 1990, but a site didn’t debut until some time in late 1994. That according to the College of Business Administration’s David Nielsen, Mammel Hall’s director of technology. “The reason I remember is we [CBA] were wanting our own site, which we rolled out in early 1995,” Nielsen recalls. “At the time we were asked, ‘Why would a college want to have a website?’”

Walking a Fine Line Giving someone the boot could soon be a good thing if researchers with the Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility at UNO have their way. Professor Nick Stergiou, the facility’s director, says he has no doubt that with more funding his department’s staff will perfect a shoe boot designed to boost walking ability of those with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A debilitating disease affecting 8 to 12 million people in the United States, PAD causes hardening and narrowing of arteries in the legs that leads to pain when walking. The boot, known as an external exoskeleton, is designed to help someone with PAD or some other mobility issue push off the ground while walking. “Those with PAD have as little as 40 percent capacity to lift a leg,” Stergiou says. “The exoskeleton will give them a bounce in their step and restore some mobility.” Stergiou says two of his staff (Shane Wurdeman, a certified prosthetist, and Sara Myers, assistant professor) and the UNL mechanical engineering department have attempted several methods to provide the boost — including an air pressure pump and springs — but all have had glitches so far. He is optimistic additional research will result in a marketable product. Once they perfect the exoskeleton, Stergiou says they will obtain a patent and sell the product, either by starting a company or getting licensing rights and securing royalties. Computer modeling demonstrates that lift from the boot can restore erratic gaits to healthier ones. That could potentially assist older adults with mobility issues. “Every step we take is a little different,” Stergiou says. “It’s like throwing darts at a dartboard. Each one lands at a different spot.” As we get older, these small gait changes can become erratic, he adds. And erratic steps can lead to falls that result in broken bones — or worse. The boot is one of many projects at the facility. One team, for instance, is studying the effect of music on gait (no conclusive data, as yet, on whether Bono or Beethoven is the better walking choice). Researchers also are using gait measures to determine which prosthetics are best for amputees, and working with stroke survivors to see if visual feedback on a computer screen or through virtual reality can improve gait and other movements. The biomechanics lab, located in the renovated HPER building, is a flurry of activity focusing on mobility and movement. The renovation has increased lab space dramatically. Still, with all the work of Stergiou and his 30-plus staff members, quarters already are getting cramped. Now Stergiou is working with the University of Nebraska Foundation to secure funding for a facility that houses one of UNO’s research jewels. “When I came here in 1996, it was one person in a small room,” Stergiou says. “Now we are one of the best research facilities on the planet. “HPER is not just a place to play racquetball. There is innovative and groundbreaking research happening on the second floor that all Nebraskans should be proud of.” — Tom McMahon

Photo: Eric Francis

Going Mobile

By 2014, it is predicted, more people will access the Internet through a mobile device than via a PC. The change is evident at UNO. In August 2010, a peak of 1,800 concurrent users accessed the university’s wireless network. By the end of 2011, that number was approaching 3,000 users. All industries, including higher education, are rushing to meet the demand. UNO’s strategy is to offer services on the Internet that are device-agnostic. Services will only need to be developed once to work on multiple devices — PC browsers, smartphones, tablets, etc. Primarily, this will be accomplished using modern technology such as HTML 5, a language for structuring and presenting online content. It’s a much more efficient approach than creating multiple apps for specific devices (iOS, Android, Blackberry, etc.). HTML 5 is supported on current smartphones and tablets and adoption is expected to grow. A few notable universities are developing mobile frameworks using HTML 5, including Indiana with its open source administrative software “Kuali” and UCLA’s Mobile Web Framework. These enable content for the mobile web. Recent UNO mobile projects include development of m.unomaha.edu. There, mobile users can access directories, maps, news and even the Student Information System available through Mavlink. SIS provides class schedules, account balances and more. — Bret Blackman, UNO Information Services

Chipping Away

The image of a lone scientist toiling amid test tubes and microscopes doesn’t exactly capture Professor Mark Pauley’s efforts toward the creation of a DNA microarray. The senior research fellow at UNO actually labored at computer as he and others developed a new technology that allows researchers to monitor the activity of thousands of genes at once. With keyboard and screen before him, Pauley worked with genetic information from publicly accessible sites and developed the algorithms necessary to make a microrarray for the rhesus macaque monkey, an important model organism in biomedical research. “There was certainly a great deal of bench work involved,” says Pauley, a professor in UNO’s School of Interdisciplinary Informatics. “It was extremely challenging. Everything was new.” He is the first to point out that the microarray project was a collaborative effort. Others working on the project include Dr. Robert Norgren, the principal investigator from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and researchers from the National Primate Research Center in Oregon. The team created what amounts to a microscope slide with thousands of spots — each containing unique genetic information on the rhesus macaque monkey. The researchers provided information on 15,401 genes to Affymetrix, a California company that makes microarrays.

– By Greg Kozol

“The overall goal of the project was to create a gene chip for this monkey,” Pauley says. The chip filled a gap that had been lacking on the rhesus macaque monkey. A gene chip for the rhesus macaque is important, Pauley says, because similarities between the monkey and humans mean the chip could yield important discoveries in medical research. The three-year effort of identifying thousands of genes allows others researchers to find what amounts to a needle in a mountain of genetic material. Affymetrix markets its GeneChips to life science companies as an important tool in allowing researchers to understand gene function for the development of new drugs and diagnostic tools. Some of the company’s products have been used to research conditions such as HIV, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and cancer.

Pauley notes that of the tens of thousands of genes, only certain ones are active at certain times. Knowing which genes to watch for when studying cancer, for example, could help researchers better understand the disease. Pauley now is studying microorganisms that live in extreme environments — “extremophiles” — such as hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. He’s also focused on developing the bioinformatics program in UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology. “All this work eventually has some impact on human health,” he says.

Fitness Fad

UNO is not immune to fitness crazes. In 1958, hula hoop hysteria hit OU with the promise of exercise benefits. Fifty years later, UNO joined a technological fitness craze when it secured two Nintendo Wiis for use in Campus Recreation’s Intramural Sports programs. That met the demand of a new demographic in the HPER building, one as interested in gaming and having a good time

with others as in getting an unconventional workout. But the fad fizzled. Nintendo met demand while Microsoft and Sony released Wiilike additions to their gaming consoles. Participants who used to get their Wii fix at HPER just played at home. And Intramural’s Wiis sit in a closet collecting dust — right next to the hula hoops. — Kyle Booras, UNO Campus Recreation

Cerf Side Fathers often worry about their legacy. But while Vint Cerf, one of the “fathers” of the Internet, doesn’t seem particularly concerned with how he is remembered, he does fret about the track record the rest of us are leaving.

and his efforts to establish an Interplanetary Internet. But he also looked into the past that is now the present.

Cerf made his second-ever visit to UNO in October, speaking to a room packed with students, faculty and staff in the Peter Kiewit Institute.

He recalls a librarian touting the historical treasure of centuries-old books. PDFs might be great today, but what about 100 years from now when the software and hardware to display them no longer exist?

Vice president and “Chief Internet Evangelist” for Google, he spoke of many things future — security problems, social engineering, privacy, copyright

“In the 22nd century, they’ll look back and wonder about us because none of our data is interpretable,” Cerf said. “It’s essential to find a solution.”

A Concrete Idea Concrete is concrete, right? Not if you’re talking about Christopher Tuan’s special concoction — one that can melt driveway snow, de-ice bridges and shield top secret conversations from enemy ears. The electrically conductive concrete mix consists of cement, steel fibers and carbon particles. When paired with an electric current it melts roadway and driveway ice and snow. When used to wall a room, it provides a barrier to cell phone signals and eavesdroppers.

Photo: Eric Francis

Finding the Way

Trying to get to a meeting or a class in an unfamiliar place can pose a problem. At UNO, new students and members of the public regularly end up asking for directions (insert freshman joke here). Finding your way across campus and in university buildings should start getting easier this spring. UNO has been meeting with a “wayfinding” industry leader, Corbin Design, to create a consistent, integrated and efficient system of indoor and outdoor signage and maps for the campus. Steve Lendt, director of UNO Information Technology, says the system the university will use will be both high and low tech. Each campus building eventually will have interactive, touch screen signs with maps and other information. Mammel Hall served as a pilot, he says. And smart, simply designed maps are key. “Simplification really has been the main goal,” Lendt says. Some large outdoor (and non-electronic) directional signs will also be installed in the next few months at high traffic points on campus. The signs will be easy to read, but also will include QR (quick response) codes for smart phone users to download maps and other information. — Tim Kaldahl, associate editor, University Relations

A professor of civil engineering at UNO’s Peter Kiewit Institute under the auspices of the UNL College of Engineering, Tuan (pictured) began developing the product in 1994 while working as an Air Force contractor. His goal was to remove runway ice to prevent aircraft from skidding during landings. He perfected the concrete in 2001 while with the university. That same year the Nebraska Department of Roads used Tuan’s charged material on a Roca, Neb., spur bridge (over,

Live, or Professor Memorex?

UNO’s College of Business Administration this summer began deploying the latest in lecture capture technology. Mammel Hall currently has 10 rooms capable of capturing lectures, along with several licenses for personal capture. This lecture capture technology provides several new options for faculty and students. Faculty can record lectures and offer them to students for later review (no more excuses if you were sick that day!). Students enrolled in online courses also can use the recordings for lecture content. The personal capture solution allows faculty to either pre-record lectures or offer supplements to lectures over specific topics straight from their office computers or laptops. The technology takes another step this semester with lectures streaming live on the Internet. It also will allow students to ask questions via text chat, to vote, and to take quizzes. — David Nielsen, director, CBA

Blazing Away

One-time UNO Engineering College Dean Bart Dennehy knew all about technology. Turns out he knew a thing or two about branding, too. Dennehy in 1971 instituted a new look for his engineering faculty — gold blazers. Yep, like what Howard Cosell and his cohorts used to wear on Monday Night Football. “When giving speeches it serves as a conversation piece to enable us to tell them about the programs we have here

at UNO,” Dennehy told the Gateway. “It is a strange thing that you run into people who are able to remember and identify you and your school because of the blazers.” Why gold? That’s the color of tassel engineering grads wear on their graduate cap. Insignias later were ordered, but the blazers never caught on. For what it’s worth, MNF announcers no longer wear them, either.

ironically, Salt Creek). Keeping bridges ice-free is particularly challenging, and when de-icing chemicals are used they can damage concrete and corrode its reinforcing bars. With Tuan’s mix, chemicals and plows are unnecessary. “Our product is anti-icing,” Tuan says. “You keep the system on and the concrete stays warm. When the snow or ice hits the surface, it melts.” Tuan says it costs the state $250 for the electrical energy needed to keep the Roca bridge ice-free during a three-day storm. Sending a plow truck with chemicals would cost $1,000. “But a bridge is a high-value asset,” he says. “You don’t want to use chemicals on it that will degrade it prematurely.” Tuan also tested his invention on an Omaha residential driveway. “Part of the driveway was under a tree where ice would not melt,” he says. His fix cost $3 per month for the ongoing electric current and brought a smile to his customer, who preferred flipping a switch to chopping ice.

awaits inspection by UL, a global independent safety science company, before he can market it. Problem is, there are no current standards developed for the product and Tuan says it will cost $250,000 to develop them — $250,000 he and his business partners don’t have. He and fellow engineering professors Bing Chen and Lim Nguyen have formed a company, NU-Concrete Corporation, and hope to market the magic concrete for pavement de-icing. Currently, the product is being marketed for other applications where no electricity — and therefore no UL inspection —is required. There’s no doubt need exists for a product like Tuan’s invention. About 10 to 15 percent of all roadway accidents are directly related to weather conditions, according to industry reports, causing thousands of injuries and deaths and millions of dollars in property damage annually. “If it catches on, there is a big potential,” Tuan says. — Tom McMahon See more at www.conductive-concrete.unomaha.edu

While the product has proven successful, its future as a roadway melting agent is in limbo. Tuan has patented the concrete, but

Road to Recovery

UNO is helping probation supervisors in rural parts of the state use video-conferencing to connect with offenders. Dubbed Remote Recovery, the intention is to improve supervision and treatment outcomes for offenders. “Nebraska Probation required a strategy somewhere between free, blurry, quacking conference applications and expensive, HD, premium services,” says UNO Professor Hank Robinson, director of the Consortium for Crime and Justice Research (CCJR), which oversaw the project. “To succeed, Remote Recovery’s research had to devise a system which could be reliably deployed to 30 or 40 sites. The system had to be dependable, utilize encrypted video streams to prevent hacking, and, in the words of one probation chief, ‘Has to be about as complicated for offenders to use as an ATM.’” The conferencing service selected interfaces with a custom webpage and allows connections of up to 10 people into one conference at a time. Five Remote Recovery Conferencing Stations were established. Each station is secure against computer and communication equipment theft, vandalism and damage. The camera and microphone are arranged in a way to record an offender’s image and voice at a high quality, helping probation supervisors determine if they may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Stations have cost an average of $2,200 to construct and install. Officers generally use whatever computer equipment they already have.

A Bomb of a Prediction

Omaha University Chemistry Professor William Noyce knew his atoms. In 1944-45, Noyce worked on Iowa State’s campus as part of the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb. Noyce’s historic role landed him numerous speaking engagements after the war. Optimists abounded then over the practical technological applications of atomic energy. Noyce included. Asked in 1945 about a prediction that atomic energy would power cars within two years, Noyce was skeptical, but did say, “It may be that an experimental model will be developed by then.” Noyce later would join the University of Arkansas chemistry department. He died in 1966 and a scholarship in his name was established.

Rooms with a View

Information Services has partnered with UNO colleges and departments to install and support more than 180 classrooms, labs and auditoriums across campus with advanced technology products to enhance instruction. The rooms, commonly referred to as Hi-Tech rooms, provide large format projection or display systems to display digital content of computer applications, websites and DVDs.

Adding Up to a Good When UNO’s newly renovated Math Lab opened in September, it not only signaled a significant upgrade for the decades-old learning space, but a giant leap forward for UNO’s technological future. Thanks in part to $100,000 in one-time funding from the University of Nebraska, and funding from the College of Arts and Sciences, the UNO Math Lab was redesigned to include 124 virtual desktop terminals connected to a central processing area in the Eppley Administration Building. The upgrade allows instructors of intermediate and college algebra courses to administer homework and quizzes to students electronically, saving time and money. “You avoid the cycle of replacing computers,” UNO Chief Information Officer John Fiene says. “In addition to that, you have energy savings. It’s a very green approach.”

A Boost for Biofuels If you’re of a certain age — and very likely even prior to and beyond it — the name “Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor” will be a blast from the past. Or take you “Back to the Future.” Mr. Fusion, fans of that iconic 1985 movie will recall, was the power source for Doc’s DeLorean time machine. It was powered not by gasoline but, rather, household garbage dumped into Mr. Fusion. In the present, Jean Waters finds herself investigating alternative fuel sources to power the cars, homes and industries of the future. “It’s an exciting time to be involved in renewable energy,” Waters says. “There’s really a lot of opportunity here.” A chemical engineer by training, Waters is the energy and environmental engineer for the Nebraska Business Development Center. In October, NBDC won a competitive award from the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist small businesses in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri to develop the next generation of renewable energy technology. Waters serves as a matchmaker of sorts, looking to connect entrepreneurs and researchers with funding sources and companies looking for the next big thing. The goal is to turn an idea into a commercially viable technology.

“There are going to be a lot of things tried and some things will work,” she says. “The market will ultimately decide that.” Waters sees potential in second-generation ethanol technology that relies on switchgrass, corn stalks, milo or other non-food sources to generate biofuel. Large-scale production could resolve the “food-vs.-fuel” debate that has some believing existing corn-based ethanol plays a role in rising food costs. The fuel requirements of the U.S. Defense Department, which uses 300,000 barrels of oil a day, illustrates the possibilities and challenges. The Air Force is seeking to switch to alternative fuel blends by 2030, but there’s a catch. The government wants a “drop-in fuel source.” That’s code for, “you figure it out so we don’t have to reconfigure every engine in every plane.” The quest for renewable energy isn’t limited to biofuel. Waters calls the Great Plains the “Saudi Arabia of wind” and foresees innovations involving the storage and transmission of windgenerated power. Currently, the wind can blow like a banshee in the middle of the night. But where is that breeze at 3 in the afternoon in the middle of August, when all those air conditioners are running at full power?

Waters believes someone will figure out a way to store and transmit that middle-of-thenight wind, creating a more stable source of renewable electricity. “That’s a hard idea that’s not solved yet,” she says. Waters believes these answers are just as likely to come from small businesses as large corporations. “Small businesses are very quick to react,” Waters says. “Large energy companies typically don’t. This is a great opportunity for small businesses to get in there and do something.” Flying cars that run on garbage? We’re not there yet, but Waters and NBDC certainly are pointed toward the future. – By Greg Kozol Contact Jean Waters at jwaters@unomaha.edu or 402-554-6259

Idea

Such efforts university-wide have reduced UNO’s computer-related energy consumption by 80 percent and saved more than $1 million in hardware costs. These achievements recently earned UNO recognition from the federal government’s Energy Star Low Carbon IT Power Campaign Power Management Pledge as one of the five best colleges or universities in IT sustainability. The Math Lab’s virtualization also has removed the need to purchase expensive textbooks or calculators, saving students out-ofpocket expenses. UNO math students access and complete their work via the virtual desktop terminals. Instructional videos and examples can be viewed if a problem proves difficult. If more help is needed, student assistants are on hand for a personal touch.

LED lighting today promises a different future with numerous advantages compared to older lighting systems. That includes very low electrical power consumption, smaller sizes and, in particular, more flexible and dynamic color properties. But, like compact fluorescents, LEDs aren’t a sure bet to be widely adopted

Lighting Up

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” he says.

A 1953 graduate, Collins is retired and lives in Oak Ridge, Tenn. He spent much of his career in that state working as a nuclear physicist for the Atomic Energy Commission. A 1973 Gateway article touted his part in developing standards and materials

Many subtle differences between compact fluorescents and the nominally equivalent lamps they were meant to replace ultimately limited the transition envisaged.

Mathematics department Chair Jack Heidel says more courses, like pre-calculus and trigonometry, could be included in the virtual desktop model. Fiene’s ultimate goal is to institute virtualization across campus and allow for access to campus servers through any device, including mobile devices, on or off campus.

Yahoo for Uranium Actually, he can’t.

Lighting the Way?

“The other redesigned programs that we’ve modeled have had 100-percent success for those that have taken full advantage of the course,” Dennison explains.

27 UNO Graduate William T. Collins still doesn’t want to talk much about his life’s work.

Twenty-five years ago, compact fluorescent lamps represented the future of residential lighting, offered as efficient and flexible replacements for incandescent lamps. But that future never arrived.

Because of the slow response time, students sometimes struggled to keep up in class. That led many to withdraw early. With the new lab, however, withdrawals have been cut in half. Course completion rates also have increased with a goal of bumping it from 62 percent to 75 percent.

“Normally a student would go to class, turn in their homework and not find out if it was right or wrong until the next week,” says Math Lab Director Mary Dennison. “It was horrible.”

— Charley Reed, University Relationsions

for the production of high-quality, low-cost uranium-235. Collins helped develop a method to accurately measure the flow of gases formed in the separation of the U-235 from U-238 isotopes and designed the filter-barriers used to trap the gases. The work remains classified, though Collins says it’s technology that still is used today. “It was a big deal for the industry,” he says.

(see a great discussion of that in the September 2011 Wired magazine). The success of LEDs as replacements for current residential and commercial/ industrial lighting sources depends as much on perception that LEDs are equivalent to what they replace, as on the technical, economic and engineering features and benefits LEDs offer. University researchers at the Durham School’s Peter Kiewit Institute are investigating the use of LEDs in residential applications to help facilitate the transition to LED lighting technology.

— Dale Tiller, Associate Professor of architectural engineering, Peter Kiewit Institute contact Dr. Dale Tiller (dtiller@ unomaha.edu) or Dr. Avery Schwer (aschwer@unomaha.edu).

For numerous reasons, the College of Business Administration’s new home, Mammel Hall, is the first building within the University of Nebraska system to earn LEED gold certification for its green and energy saving features.  That includes a high-tech lighting system featuring occupancy sensors that turn on or off based on whether people are in the room. At 10 p.m., all building lighting, inside and outside, automatically turns off.

UNO’s First Computer

It wasn’t what Mac or PC users might have in mind when they use the term “computer,” but Cheryl Prewett’s invention earned the label nonetheless. An engineering professor at Omaha University, Prewett in 1942 introduced a large circular slide rule computer (pictured) used to teach army and navy reservists the mathematics of navigation.

Tree Tech

How many trees make a forest?

At UNO, they’re counting trees one by one — using Garmin hand-held GPS/ camera units and pocket personal computers. Students in UNO’s HORT 2120 course (Landscape Plants I) are carrying out the tree inventory on UNO’s north campus. Since the fall semester in 2010 they’ve counted nearly 800 trees — with approximately more than 100 to go. Additional inventories will be conducted on UNO’s Center and Pacific Street campuses. The inventory focuses on deciduous (oaks and maples) and coniferous (pines, spruces, firs) trees. A photo is taken of each tree and its geographic coordinates noted. Data such as relative health, trunk caliper (diameter) and canopy coverage also are recorded. The inventory will help UNO identify patterns that could help tree management. For instance, whether there are tree species that generally do poorly and shouldn’t be planted, or whether disease and/or insect problems need to be addressed individually or globally.

33 River Researchers Not everyone who conducts research for UNO wears a white lab coat. Or has “Dr.” prior to their name or “Ph.D.” after it.

Thanks to information technology, volunteer citizen scientists are conducting research along the Elkhorn River on behalf of UNO’s Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory. These river researchers take measurements of atrazine levels and upload that information to a database where watershed-wide maps are constructed. More than 50 individuals or individual groups have helped, including Boy Scout troops. They use a computer interface developed by UNO Professor Ann Fruhling of the College of Information Science and Technology. Their efforts also were aided by a $375,000, 200-square-foot research station constructed on the river’s bank last year. Atrazine is an herbicide used primarily on corn. It is banned in the European Union, but not in the United States.

The inventory also could identify potential conflicts or mitigation requirements between future campus construction projects and valued campus trees. The Arbor Day Foundation last year granted UNO Tree Campus USA status. “Urban trees are a highly valued resource that provides a variety of services to the UNO campus and city of Omaha,” says Steve Rodie, UNL associate professor and landscape horticulture specialist on the UNO campus. “Additionally, trees and the landscape setting of a campus can be a significant factor in enhancing the comfortable feel of a campus when it comes time for student/parent recruitment visits. “When all of the benefits and services associated with trees are added up, other campuses across the country have calculated the inherent value of trees at hundreds of dollars per tree. Given an estimated 900 trees on the UNO North Campus alone, the tree resource at UNO is conservatively worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

“Its toxicity is very controversial,” says UNO biology Professor Alan Kolok, director of the Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory. “Some have shown that atrazine leads to the feminization of male frogs. Others have shown adverse birth outcomes (head circumference, body weight) in humans. Others disagree. “Which is why what we are doing is so important.” Atrazine is applied to corn fields along the Elkhorn River but runs off and makes its way to the popular waterway. UNO’s river researchers tested atrazine levels in 2011 to determine if they exceeded 3 parts per billion, the U.S. EPA safe drinking water standard. Researchers found atrazine levels in the Elkhorn River did exceede the EPA standard — but not in all areas and only during a three-week period. “Nothing before or after,” Kolok says. Why aren’t all areas equally contaminated? “That is what we would like to be able to answer,” Kolok says. “Realize that, before

Spaced Out

Those who study at UNO’s Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility have been referred to as among the campus’ brightest research stars. And now they’re directing their attention to the stars above. In 2011 the facility began studying ways astronauts could be helped to adjust to gravity after returning from space missions. The study was funded with a $750,000 grant from NASA. UNO is pitching in another $250,000. Directed by Professor Nick Stergiou, the biomechanics lab is located on the second floor of the renovated HPER building. There his staff will test subjects in various ways, hoping they can get them to use their senses to correct balance and gait problems. It might even use an “exoskeleton” walking boot (see story Page 22) to help NASA astronauts walk after returning to Earth. The work drew the attention of the Omaha World-Herald, which in November published a story on the facility. It mentioned Clayton Anderson, an astronaut and Ashland, Neb., native, who said that after returning from space he walks “like an older person.” UNO’s research, Stergiou says, could benefit anyone whose center of gravity has been affected by age or a number of other conditions. “Astronauts are superheroes,” Stergiou told the paper. “But these results will be applicable to the rest of us.”

this study, no one knew about the three-week pulse. It is not certain whether or not this is a recurring event annually, or if the pulse changes depend upon the weather. We will know more next year. The objective is not to steer regulation, but rather to characterize the duration and the extent to which atrazine appears in the Elkhorn River over the course of the spring growing season. “It is also important in that it illustrates that citizens can become active and actually make measurements in the field, using information technology and the strips, and that actually means something important.” See more at www.unomaha.edu/envirotox

OU President Milo Bail said. A Gateway editorial four years later would call the registration procedure “a dismal failure.”

Better Registration Even before legendary parking hassles, fines and complaints, UNO students from one generation to the next were bound by a rite of passage that still might send shivers down spines — registration. Or, as the 1935 Gateway called it, “Hell week … a necessary evil.” As UNO grew, registration lines stretched from a handful of students to thousands, and the process of signing up for classes became a practice in patience and, at times, a lesson in futility. Technology frequently was touted as a saving grace. In 1962, for instance, electronic tabulating equipment from IBM was introduced. “A step forward from the horse and buggy days,”

Hot Spots. Safe Spots.

Can computers help fight crime?

If they can tell you when and where the crime’s happening, perhaps so. John Crank, a professor in UNO’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, notes that Washington State Police are having success applying “hot spot” techniques to traffic enforcement, sharply lowering fatalities on the highway. Moreover, as traffic enforcement moves into areas where traffic incidents are denser, crime enforcement also seems to improve, as does the deterrent impact of traffic enforcement on serious crime. “Which is what we discovered here in similar Omaha research,” Crank says. Crank also says that Washington found that when seat belt laws were enforced after dark in highaccident areas that they picked up a disproportionate number of people with outstanding crime warrants. “There is this very interesting geographic relationship between high levels of traffic accidents and crimes that has some far-reaching policy implications,” Crank says. “Enforcement of one seems to have a significant impact on the other. This is all very new stuff.”

From the 1970s through the 1980s registration was conducted in the fieldhouse or student center with infamous keypunch cards. Computers were introduced, used by registrars to input classes. In 1992, a computer crash prevented registrations in the student center and a line of students went from inside the student center to in front of the Eppley building. Not until 1994 did technology start to deliver on its promise when UNO instituted phone registration. Dubbed BRUNO — Better Registration at UNO — it featured 32 lines to handle 1,000 calls. Average registration time went from two hours in person to just under five minutes on the phone. In 1998, UNO instituted the web-based registration system E-BRUNO — Even Better Registration at UNO. The system today handles more than 3,000 class sections with more than 60,000 registrations each fall and spring semester.

Built in-house, Internet registration saved the university significantly. Vendors later wanted $150,000 for UNO to purchase their systems. Part-time registration staff no longer was needed, either. And printing/postage savings come to thousands of dollars each year. Registration complaints have dropped, too. More changes are coming with registration via mobile smart phone. Still, some see a bit of good in the registration lines of yore. “One down-side to the technology advancement with telephone and web-based registration was the loss of the social aspect,” says Daniel Kenny of UNO Information Services. “The arena registration was a truly social event that brought students together who had not seen each other over the long summer, brought advisors, faculty, staff and students together to process 10,000-plus students during the registration week, and the campus was a dynamic, bustling place during that span of time prior to the start of classes.” “Still,” Kenny adds, “the lines of people are not something that any of us would like to see return.”

Savings for the System

UNO graduate students have helped create a realworld application that allows county attorneys and others who are part of the Juvenile Diversion Case Management System to share data simultaneously. The project was developed under the auspices of the Consortium of Public Health Informatics and is a collaboration between UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology and UNO’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice/UNO Juvenile Justice Institute. The Juvenile Diversion Case Management System provides reports with data such as age, number and type of offenses of a youth in a diversion program. UNO’s efforts have saved counties significantly. “We have had a number of graduate students work on this project over the years — they have done everything from write the code [programming] to design the manual to go into the field and train practitioners to use the system,” says JJI Director Anne Hobbs. “Graduate students have been a total asset and we could not have done this project without them.” To date, an estimated 45 counties use the system. Many smaller counties do not offer diversion programs, Hobbs notes, “So this is actually close to 100 percent of the counties that offer diversion. In January we will head out to Scottsbluff and hopefully bring on the remaining Nebraska counties who offer juvenile diversion.”

TV Time

TV used to be a big deal. Big enough, in fact, that when the first model came to UNO it merited an official unveiling by President Milo Bail and Student Council President Ben Tobias. The grand day came Feb. 14, 1952, in the student center when a new Philco 17-inch television was presented by KMTV station program manager Glen Harris and George Roth, owner of Paramount Radio Shop. TV today the student center named for Milo Bail sports 10 TVs, including a pair of 60-inchers in the food court. No sign of the Philco, though.

When Wikipedia? Created in 2001, Wikipedia boasts 400 million unique visitors each month. UNO students among them. But while the online encyclopedia is useful for kick-starting the thinking process for a research paper, UNO educators agree it never should be used as a source in any academic presentation. Ever. “I kind of look at Wikipedia like a World Book [encyclopedia] chat room,” says Becky Pasco, a College of Education professor who is COE’s coordinator of Library Science Education. A Wikipedia citation might disappear or change at any time, Pasco says, because anyone can edit, rewrite or delete parts of any article. And that’s not sound research.

Matthew Marx, a longtime English department lecturer, says he enjoys visiting Wikipedia. But he instructs his students never to cite it in any formal paper.

Adds Amy Rodie, associate professor in the College of Business Administration’s marketing department: “It’s a tool. It’s not a source.” The best use of Wikipedia is for “quick and dirty” information, she says. But though students never should cite Wikipedia as a source, the references often listed at the end of Wikipedia entries often can point to legitimate sources that can be cited. Pasco says multiple sources and perspectives always are helpful for researchers. “All information sources are not complete in and of themselves,” she says.

Determining a Computer’s Lifespan

How long should a computer remain usable? General guidelines can help when deciding to repair or replace a computer. Computer manufacturers typically offer three tiers of price and quality: Low, Mid and High. The industry typically categories them, respectively, as Everyday Computing, Media & Entertainment, and Business & Performance. Each is built with different quality components and varies with respect to the “latest and greatest” technology. The expected usable life of each:

“We have this conversation every semester,” Marx says. Academic journals and books go through a strong peer review process; web content…not so much. The bar can and should be set higher for someone doing research, Marx says.

Used for…

Price/Quality Level Expected Usable Life

Everyday Computing

Low

2 to 3 years

Media & Entertainment

Mid

4 to 5 years

Business & Performance

High

6 + years

Laptop batteries, meanwhile, last on average for three years — if maintained properly. Proper maintenance consists of “cycling” the battery the first few times it is used. Cycling means letting the battery die before recharging to full capacity (This should be done with all rechargeable batteries). The old adage applies to computers — “You get what you pay for.” The best value resides in the mid-level category. When deciding to repair or replace your computer, compare the estimate for the repair against how many “usable” years are left for the respective tier of computer that was purchased.

— Tim Kaldahl, associate editor, University Relations

Photo: Joe Shearer, Gateway

— Seth Korber (’07), UNO Information Services

Taking a Tour Anyone wanting to learn more about UNO — whether they live across town or across the planet — soon will be able to see more than just photos of the state’s largest metropolitan university thanks to the power of a online virtual campus tour. “The entire project took months to arrange and involved more than 50 different interviews with a wide range of students and faculty,” says Pelema Morrice, assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Services. “The message comes through loud and clear: UNO is an evolving institution and is poised to reach new heights.” UNO Student Affairs coordinated and led the project with help from International Studies, Athletics, University Relations and Student Organizations and Leadership Programs. A nationally

known company, CampusTours, sent a team of videographers to UNO at the start of the academic year to conduct interviews and capture footage of homecoming, hockey and a range of university life. A rented helicopter even provided aerial shots of the Dodge and Pacific campuses “CampusTours also made sure to get plenty of shots our wonderful city,” Morrice says. “UNO has always been in and of the community. Omaha, with all of its opportunities, is a huge selling point for prospective students and their parents.” The UNO virtual campus tour is expected to go live later this year. Look for announcements on UNO’s webpage at www.unomaha.edu. — Tim Kaldahl, associate editor, University Relations

Thinning the Herd connect directly to a server, no data is stored on the devices. During overnight hours when Mammel Hall is at rest, the thin clients used in labs are restored to their original state.

Now consider their computing alter ego — thin clients.

For now, using thin clients may be a financial wash. At year 3 and beyond, though, Nielsen expects the college and university to start seeing savings. Typically at that point the college would begin replacing personal computers. Thin clients, though, are expected to last an additional seven years and — at $250 to $300 a pop — cost less than personal computers.

When it came time to equip UNO’s Mammel Hall with computer technology that was cost-effective and energy-efficient, David Nielsen went thin. Mammel Hall’s director of technology and budget, and its building manager, Nielsen turned to a product that lives up to its name as practical and watt-frugal. Mammel Hall, home to UNO’s College of Business Administration, features 330 thin clients, including 50 that serve as a mobile lab. “Thin clients are a peace of mind,” Nielsen says. Here’s how they work: Attached to computer monitors, thin clients connect to a computer server located in Mammel Hall. “Plug in your keyboard, mouse, headphones and speakers. Connect the network port. Use them just like a personal computer,” Nielsen says. One big difference: Because thin clients

Granted, initial costs for the server are greater. But instead of funneling funds toward news PCs every three years, the college can channel some of its savings to server upgrades. The thrifty energy consumption fits well with Mammel Hall, which is the only gold LEED-certified academic building in the state. LEED certification is the benchmark for sustainability and energy efficiency. Nielsen had several options when he chose thin clients for Mammal Hall: Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Wyse. One of the reasons CBA chose the latter was because Wyse has a free recycling program and thin clients are 98 percent recyclable. “We’re not filling up a landfill,” he says. And not emptying the technology budget every three years.

Like a Good Neighbor

People living in Omaha’s Joslyn Castle neighborhood were concerned about uneven sidewalks that posed a safety hazard. Farther to the northeast, Miller Park/Minne Lusa neighborhood residents noticed that many houses didn’t have addresses properly posted. In both cases, UNO’s Omaha Neighborhood Scan (ONS) program was called upon to help produce desired changes. ONS is a partnership between the City of Omaha and UNO’s School of Public Administration. About a dozen neighborhoods have participated. The program puts pocket PCs into the hands of neighborhood leaders who document housing code violations and infrastructure/environmental conditions. UNO trains volunteers on how to rate properties

Personal computers are heavy with baggage. And not just the data that lingers on them and can slow them to a crawl. PCs also are easy targets for thieves, their hard drives crash and they’re energy hogs.

Black boxes similar in scale to a supersized coaster, thin clients have no hard drives, have little value when removed from their host monitor, and use about 7 percent as much energy as PCs to operate.

— Kevin Warneke

Digging DegreeWorks

DegreeWorks at UNO is an academic advising tool that is way more than just a listing of an academic major’s course requirements. The online program, routed through the campus’ MavLink system, provides all students with a roadmap of course advice and practical suggestions. Penny Harmoney, a director in Graduate Studies, says students using DegreeWorks get information on nuts-and-bolts issues like applying for graduation; information on setting up a thesis committee; and best advice on the sequencing of classes. Students can use it to make appointments with their advisor online, and DegreeWorks even can give an early warning for students with academic issues, promoting intervention before it is too late. “The old system was not nearly as helpful,” Harmoney says. Charlene Wilcox, a system administrator in UNO Records and Registration, adds that the year-old system has given students a clear, condensed and understandable overview of their academic planning and progress. “Students seem to like it real well,” she says. “Ninety-nine percent of the students I’ve worked with enjoy the experience.” — Tim Kaldahl, associate editor, University Relations

and their flaws and how to enter information into the pocket PCs. Illegally parked cars and suspicious activities also can be documented (with that information provided to police). Associate Professor Russell Smith, a Center for Public Affairs Research senior research associate, culls and analyzes information from the volunteers’ walking tours then makes a report to the neighborhood association. Associations often help owners find someone who can perform repairs. In rare cases, uncooperative owners are reported to the city. See more at neighborhoodscan.unomaha.edu

Turning off and Stripping Down

Cosmetology Technology

It’s always nice to be first. And in 1950, the University of Omaha became the first institution of higher learning to offer a diploma in Cosmetology Technology, through the School of Adult Education.. Licensed beauty operators and new students training for the profession began working toward a diploma in Cosmetology Technology after completing 30 credit hours in classes such as bacteriology, inorganic chemistry and personal development. Business, speech and accounting classes also were required.

How Facebook Makes Money

Facebook reports data to fan page administrators. Initially, Facebook insights reported “impressions,” which frequently topped 400 for our page. More

Technology Help for Small Businesses

visit www.energysavers.gov/tips

Behind that value is advertising potential. With so many people now using Facebook for so much time, advertisers can target key demographic groups. An industry executive told me that the current pricing standard is, “a dollar an eyeball.”

Contact Lisa Tedesco at 402-554-6270 or mtedesco@unomaha.edu

— Patrick Wheeler, senior specialist, Environmental Health & Safety

Not bad for a Harvard University student project earlier in the decade.

The grants were meant to boost the technological capabilities of small businesses through efforts such as technology transfer from university research, commercialization of technologies developed by small businesses, and issuance of grants and/or loans to help companies pay for participation in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

Smart power strips typically have a “control” load, a couple of always-on outlets, and a number of “switched” outlets. When a TV or computer in the control plug is turned off, a smart power strip senses the reduction in electricity and automatically switches off other loads (stereos, printers, etc.). Items such as a DVR can remain in the always-on plug so that programmed content is never missed.

Facebook, growing dramatically even among the 50-plus age crowd, has managed to carve the largest swath of social media audience. When it goes public, which is expected in mid-2012, the The Hollywood Reporter estimates it will have one of the largest offerings ever. By raising $10 billion, the site could be valued at $100 billion — twice that of Hewlett-Packard.

NBDC last year was among just 20 entities nationally to receive $100,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration for its Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) program.

Fortunately, smart power strips can help.

UNO’s Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) in 2011 was running in the FAST lane.

With modern electronics, “off” can still mean “on” when it comes to a draw on electricity. And “phantom loads,” as they’re known, can put a scare in your electric bill — particularly as large loads (TVs and computers, for example) grow in number.

Similar results can be achieved using a low-tech power strip simply by switching off the strip whenever a plugged-in device is no longer in use. Homes being built even can include permanent switched outlets in places where phantom loads exist.

recently, a hot posting may “reach” about 150 fans. Such a story may get several people “talking about this.” It is difficult to truly value interaction we have with friends and alumni. Online we build brand identity and community. A single communication may meet strategic goals. But, as the Blue Sky Factory notes, “a Facebook fan alone is worth nearly nothing.” This is because value comes from engagement and interaction. In our new Social Media Metrics course at UNO, Communication students work with clients on objectives and target conversion of Facebook activity into marketing plan goals. If a fan acts on content, then a single interaction may be worth thousands of dollars. It depends upon your plan and purpose. As for Facebook’s worth, stay tuned.

— Professor Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, director, UNO School of Communication

Social Media Dos & Don’ts

Sometimes — OK, very often — common sense turns to common senselessness on that technologically mixed bag called social media. Some posts just get folks embarrassed. Others can get folks fired — or worse. For your benefit then (and ours), here are a few social media guidelines to keep in mind as you mind your career. DOS • Understand and utilize privacy settings • R emember that all information you post on the Internet remains there • P romote a positive and professional self-image • Clean up your “digital dirt” before job searching • Branch out and promote positive and professional relationships in your network Don’ts • Don’t accept just anyone as a friend or online contact • Don’t complain about current or former employers • Don’t post anything provocative or inappropriate • Keep gripes and controversial opinions offline • Don’t associate with anyone detrimental to your positive image

— Colleen Zbylut, interim director, UNO Career Center

Photo: Eric Francis

Data Divers: UNO grads Tadd Wood, left, and Grant Stanley of Contemporary Analysis.

The Future Belongs to Data Scientists

To look at an ITunes song and see only data doesn’t sound very sexy. Yet that’s just the word Google Chief Economist Hal Varaian used when predicting that data scientists would occupy the “sexy” job of the coming decade. That’s welcome news to me and fellow UNO graduate Todd Wood. In 2008 we formed data science company Contemporary Analysis while completing our degrees in economics. Only the largest companies in the world were using data science then because of the cost and complexity of technology required. But no more. Data science helps people create knowledge from data — sometimes millions of gigabytes of data. Until the turn of the century, someone’s knowledge was limited by access to a library or university. Today, knowledge is limited by the ability to access data, but to process it. That change reflects two trends:

• An increase in the power and storage capacity of computers. Consider, for example, that for $600 a hard drive can be purchased capable of storing all the music in the world. • An increase in data being published. Consider, too, that 30 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook every month — with no signs of slowing. In 2009, the CEO of Hewlett Packard stated that, “more data will be created in the next four years than in the history of the planet.” Contemporary Analysis believes that data science is valuable because it allows us to turn this data into a product that answers important questions and reduces waste — for companies of all sizes. Data science is helping consumers answer questions about where they should eat, what movies they should watch and who they should date. It is helping governments answer questions about how to get people to switch to public transportation and more effectively

prosecute graffiti artists. Data Science also is helping businesses reduce waste by focusing their sales efforts, selecting the right market position, improving planning and identifying the best employees. The future of data science, though, is limited by the number of people able to extract insight from billions of data points. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by 2018 the United States will need between 140,000 and 190,000 more employees skilled in deep data analytics, and 1.5 million data-savvy managers. To meet this need, we need to train people to have the computer science skills to organize data, the mathematical skills to extract meaning, and the writing and visualization skills to present the data. And if they have a fabulous iTunes library, all the better. — Grant Stanley (’08), CEO and co-founder, Contemporary Analysis canworksmart.com

IT Help for Small Businesses

Keeping up with technology is no small task for a small business. Especially the smallest of the small — microenterprises with only one to four employees on the payroll. Enter Sajda Qureshi, a professor of Information Systems at UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology. For five years, Qureshi and her researcher-students have been providing IT counseling to local microenterprises as part of the Information Technology for Development program. It’s been especially helpful for low-income businesses

and nonprofits, which receive assistance on the very latest technology. Qureshi uses cloud computing to host programs like PowerPoint, Dreamweaver, Photoshop and other applications. Students access such applications via laptops for one-on-one training with microenterprise employees. Qureshi also uses diagnostic tools to help determine what needs a business has and to collect and analyze large pools of data. visit faculty.ist.unomaha.edu/squreshi/

Photo: Chris Machian

51 When UNO biology Professor Paul Davis and his student research assistants look for compounds that can kill malaria and other parasites, high-throughput robots do the heavy lifting. And when they evaluate how compounds such as caffeine and cortisone affect human cells, robots again lend a hand. Toaster-sized, the four high-throughput robots don’t get bored. That helps remove the tedium technicians face when following a laboratory routine. “No one wants to spend 8 to 12 hours moving liquids from one well to another,” says Davis, assistant professor of biology. “Humans get eye strain after 15 minutes.” Then, he says, they make mistakes, sometimes ruining a costly experiment and requiring the reset button to be hit. But there’s no eyestrain for these robotic units. They’re adept at high-

Biology Bots don’t Get Bored

throughput screening, a way for scientific experimentation used in drug discovery.

brains. The need for anti-parasitic agents is extreme.”

“They’re large enough for plates about the size of your palm to come in and out,” Davis says.

Davis got one heck of a deal for UNO — about a 50-percent discount on the four high-throughput units. “I promised to use them in my classroom,” he says.

And they’re quick. Using robotics, data processing and control software, liquid-handling devices and sensitive detectors, highthroughput screening allows a researcher to quickly conduct millions of chemical, genetic and pharmacological tests. “These units really upgrade UNO’s ability to conduct high-level, cutting-edge research,” Davis says. “They make the previously impossible, possible.” The possible Davis and his research students seek is ridding society of harmful parasites. “More than one-half of the people in the world population have a parasitic infection,” Davis says. “One-third of the population has parasites in their

There, Davis’ students are introduced to emerging technology in biotechnology and pharmacology. He says he knows of no other undergraduate program in the state that provides students with such an opportunity. Past opportunities also have included exploring how Thioguanine, an anti-cancer drug, and capsaicin, the active ingredient in pepper spray, affect human cell growth. The biology students do more than replicate previously conducted experiments. “The outcomes aren’t known,” Davis says. “This makes our students highly marketable,” he says. — Kevin Warneke

And the Award Goes To… UNO’s technologically astute faculty are everywhere — not just in the College of Information Science and Technology.

Example No. 1 — Emeritus Professor of Economics Kim Sosin, who in 2011 received the Abbejean Kehler Technology Award in recognition of the use of technology to improve delivery of programs in economic education. The National Association of Economic Educators and the Council for Economic Education issued the award. Sosin was an early adopter of the web, creating a site for UNO’s Center for Economic Education in early 1995. “Making it the first, as far as we know, website dedicated to economic education,” Sosin says. Sosin is retired but still volunteers as an associate with the Center for Economic Education. See more at ecedweb.unomaha.edu/center

Lapping up Technology in Roskens Hall With a fabulous new home to enjoy in renovated Roskens Hall, it’s not likely that College of Education (COE) faculty will want to stray too far.

If they do roam, though, COE’s Faculty Laptop Initiative keeps them connected. Launched this fall, the initiative provides a laptop to every faculty member and some staff. “The purpose of the laptop initiative is to provide the opportunity for faculty to be very mobile with all their instruction,” COE Dean Nancy Edick says. “In Kayser Hall, you really met with students in their offices and taught the classes in the classroom. In Roskens Hall we have lots of different collaborative spaces to meet with and work with the students.”

COE purchased 75 MacBook Pro 13-inch laptops that can operate Macintosh or Windows operating systems. “This gives us the flexibility to have faculty in an environment that they are comfortable with as well as help students who may be more comfortable in the other operating system,” says COE technology coordinator Bob Goeman, who secured funding for and oversaw the project. Faculty, he says, “can create anywhere at any time as well as have all of their resources with them in whatever environment they are teaching, collaborating or simply working. “Mobility is our future, and we want to model what is going on in K-12 classrooms.” — Becky Bohan Brown, University Relations

Send in the Robots

What currently is risky business handled by a human with a metal detector in a few years could be handled by Raj Dasgupta’s team of tiny robots. And the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA are betting top dollar on his innovations. “When war is over, landmines are left behind,” says Dasgupta, associate professor of computer science. “A huge number of landmines. “They’re dangerous. And humanitarian de-mining efforts are alarmingly lagging behind. It’s a grave risk to innocent civilians in post-war regions.” Enter Dasgupta’s robots — aptly called Explorers — that could be scavenging abandoned battlefields for leftover landmines. Inspiration came from concepts of swarmed systems, a branch of biology that studies the collective behavior of insect colonies, and game theory, a branch of economics that deals with strategic decision-making. Dasgupta’s team uses pint-sized robots called e-pucks that are high on mobility but short on sensor capacity. Together, however, they pack a collective punch, says Dasgupta, director of the Collaborative Multi-AgeNt/multi-robot Technologies and Intelligent Coordination Lab at UNO. “When one identifies a target of interest, say with a camera, they share views with the others.” Targets can be static sites, such as buildings — friendly or enemy. Then, the robots come together to create a better view of the target. Funded with a $1.3 million grant from the Department of Defense’s Office of Naval Research, Dasgupta’s team is taking the progress they’ve made with e-pucks and are looking underground. They are equipping robots with metal detectors, ground-penetrating radar, and chemical and heat sensors. Should one robot detect a potential land mine, it will communicate with others working the abandoned battlefield. Robots equipped with different types of sensors then work together to accurately identify the land mine — with no one put in harm’s way. Dasgupta’s team first is working to perfect a prototype indoor version of the metal-detecting robots. Then, they’ll work to create an outdoor version — one that goes over curbs and rocks without sustaining damage. Each unit will be about 4.5-feet-deep and 2-feet-wide. At the same time, Dasgupta’s team is looking at how robots could transform their collective shapes to navigate obstacles in their paths. Funded by a $1.1 million grant from NASA, Dasgupta and a mechanical engineering team from UNL are creating software to incorporate swarmed systems and game theory to enable 5 to 10 modular robots to replicate the motion of inch worms, snakes, spiders, rings — whatever shape is best to navigate an obstacle and explore inaccessible regions such as the surface of the Moon or Mars. “They could come together to form a spider to crawl over a gap. Kind of like ‘Transformers,’” Dasgupta says. “Robotic technology is at the threshold of massive growth over the next few years, and the fundamental research we are doing at UNO will keep us at the crest of this robotic wave.” — Kevin Warneke

Their Plate is Full

Led by freshman Francesca Cutrera, a team of UNO IT Innovation majors in September won first place at “Startup Weekend Omaha,” a 54-hour session of brainstorming, software creation and business development. The event featured 18 teams trying to create a legitimate business out of an idea in a little more than two days.

Cutrera and company developed “Your Happy Plate” a mobile app to help people with food allergies, diabetes or other nutritional needs know what is in the food they buy. The prototype would allow users to create profiles to scan products against based on food allergies or preferences. Users would scan a barcode, calling up nutritional information and ingredients. Ingredients that are no-nos would show in red. The team was considering forming as an actual company and bringing the app to market. “Even if we don’t continue with the project, or work on it for purposes other than market use, I know I’ve really learned a lot, and have proven to myself that I’m in the right major at the right university and, thankfully, in the right time for creative technological advancements,” Cutrera says. “I can’t wait to keep coming up with new ideas until I find the one that will really change lives and challenge my creativity and technological skills.” — Contributed to by Professor Doug Derrick, UNO School of Interdisciplinary Informatics

Fallout Fad

The cold war began a hot craze, even at UNO. The university in the early 1960s began to install fallout shelters throughout campus. By 1964 there were four such shelters that could house a total of more than 730 people. In 1963, Omaha University offered architects and engineers a course on “the technological advances in the fields of nuclear physics, weapon effects, fallout characteristics, blast resistance, considerations and the utilization of shelter systems.” The course, underwritten by the U.S. Department of Defense, was offered tuition-free. Yet few enrolled.

Photo: Criss Library Archives

In the 1970s, fallout shelters were falling out of favor. By 1979, UNO had removed its shelters. “The water was polluted,” Safety Office Merle Kenny told the Gateway. “The food had been there for years.”

Pod Publishing

The iPod not only revolutionized the way we listen to music — it also introduced a new way to spread literature. Since podcasts began to appear in 2004, authors have been creating serial audio versions of their books for free distribution. Just two days after Apple’s iTunes made this feature available in 2005, podcasts topped 1 million subscriptions. And the numbers have been increasing steadily ever since. Today, online magazines with companion podcasts have been most successful in fiction publishing, particularly speculative fiction, where podcast magazines such as Escape Pod boast circulation topping 50,000 listeners. That far exceeds the print circulation of SF’s most prestigious magazines. Anyone with a microphone and a bit of tech-savvy can produce and distribute a podcast. I developed a fiction podcast in 2008 to promote the release of my novel, and I continue those efforts today with another work. Yes, podcasting can be considered a form of self-publishing. And while many have been a dud, a growing number of authors are leveraging their numbers of subscribers to leap from podcasts to traditional publishing. Keep that in mind the next time you see a UNO student with headphones on — it might just be a book they’re jamming to.

Piping Up

The Casavant pipe organ in UNO’s Strauss Recital Hall checks in at 17 tons, but the technological wonder’s reputation might be even heftier. “At its completion, Casavant, one of the most respected builders in the world, said that it was their best instrument ever,” says longtime UNO music Professor James Johnson referring to the organ’s maker, Casavant Frères in Quebec, Canada. The organ — the Opus 3603 — actually arrived 13 years late. Space for it was designed and ready when the Willis & Janet Strauss Performance Arts Center opened in 1973. But funds weren’t available until friends of the Strausses made a gift to cover the $300,000 price tag. Construction on it began in 1984 and it arrived in 1986. The organ was so large — 28 feet high and 29 feet wide — that it had to be shipped in 5,000 separate pieces before being reassembled over two months. A team from Paris then took a month to tune or “voice” the organ. The Casavant features three manuals with a total of 2,677 pipes in 48 ranks on 31 stops and incorporates the first use of the Résonance concept in a Casavant organ. “Casavant understood that an instrument with a lot of versatility would be desirable in a teaching situation at a university,” Johnson says. “So the tonal designers set out to design an instrument that could play music written for Schnitger, Cliquot and Cavaille-Coll instruments equally well. “For anyone familiar with these prototypes, this would seem to be an almost impossible challenge. However, Casavant succeeded admirably.”

— Travis Heermann, English instructor

Mobile Phone Orchestra

Who needs an orchestra when you’ve got a mobile phone? During Virtual Music Week at UNO in 2010, the nine-student UNO Mobile Phone Orchestra treated listeners to a performance of “Sloide” using only smart phones as instruments. The performers, directed by now-UNO graduate Timothy Vallier, dressed in all-black, including gloves to which their phones were strapped. Members produced different sounds on each phone for a techno-funk that resonated throughout the Peter Kiewit Institute atrium. Listen at bit.ly/unoipodorchestra

APPspropriate

Sometimes, the latest app isn’t the greatest. For Jonathan Bruce Santo, an assistant professor in UNO’s psychology department, one of the most powerful apps he’s been putting to use of late, Teleform, dates to 1996. “Teleform lets you create questionnaires that can then be scanned and have the data entered almost automatically,” Santo says. “Nobody uses it here, even though everyone I tell about it appears excited. “Costs associated with data collections are dramatically lower when the data is entered using Teleform. Also, there’s less potential for human error. I’ve often seen companies use this program to collect data within a large organization.” Some of the newer apps aren’t so shabby, either. Among several Santo mentions is Wiffitti, which allows students to text or tweet comments that appear on a Wiffitti “page” displayed through a projector. “This is great for generating discussion questions in a group setting, but also to get people to respond in a way that they may not feel comfortable doing so otherwise,” Santo says.

What Would Aristotle Say?

No doubt, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other digital media have changed the way people communicate. Sometimes for the good. And sometimes not. At UNO, students are introduced to the world of multimodal writing, where writing moves beyond the printed page and incorporates music, film, photos, webtexts and more. Maggie Christensen’s Digital Literacies course at UNO spells out this “technorhetoric” enterprise well. The class is not about using software. In a real sense it’s classic liberal arts — how to think critically and articulate your thoughts to other people. “Students now have the access and ability to use new media technologies in their writing,” says Tammie Kennedy, assistant professor in the UNO English department. “However, multimodal writing is not just about adding bells and whistles.” Technology in a digital writing environment means not just writing and reading, but, possibly, adding an image or sound file to the text that helps tell a story or create a mood. Maybe showing something via film. Or not.

Technology on the Move

At U.S. Bank, technology is on the move — literally. Last summer the bank began testing a lightweight, durable wristband with contactless payment technology— perfect for bikers, walkers, joggers and other folks on the go who don’t want to carry cash or ID. The wristband — we call it VITAband — contains a radio frequency identification (RFID) payment chip that allows customers to “Tap & Go” when making purchases at merchant locations accepting contactless payments. Users can load funds onto the chip online.

Kennedy says the same rules and standards of storytelling and argument that are centuries old — think Aristotle — hold true in a high-tech environment. Being effective is better than being flashy, and not every method of communication results in a persuasive argument.

VITAband also can house a unique eightdigit identifier that links the wearer to a customizable Emergency Response Profile with critical identity and medical information. First responders can access that profile in an emergency.

“Just because students can use technology, it doesn’t mean they can do it well,” Kennedy says. “It’s important to provide them with the rhetorical tools they need to navigate new media technologies effectively.”

About 5,000 U.S. Bank employees around the country are testing the band through the first quarter of 2012.

— Tim Kaldahl, associate editor, University Relations see Examples at multimodalwritingatuno.wordpress.com

— Kevin Munro (’86), U.S. Bank; past chairman, UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors

Digital Daddy-O

UNO students learning about digital music technology and informatics owe a great debt of gratitude to a native son who was one of the most influential pioneers in computer music. In fact, anyone who works with a digital audio workstation (DAW) can thank Nebraska-born Max Mathews for opening the door in the 1950s with his research in digital audio and music at Bell Laboratories. Born in Columbus, Neb,. and raised in Peru, Mathews attended MIT before joining Bell’s Telephone Research Laboratories in the Audio Research Department. Later, he joined the faculty at Stanford University. Mathews wrote the first computer program that made it possible for a computer to synthesize sound and play it back. He also wrote multiple generations of innovative and influential computer music software and electronic devices. Wired magazine referred to him as “the inventor of the first music app,” and he also has been called in some circles as “the greatgrandfather of techno.” Academic computer musicians refer to him as the father of computer music.

Mathews’ life and work was honored in September through lectures and performances at UNO during Virtual Music Week 2011. He had agreed to be the 2012 Artist in Residence for Virtual Music Week, UNO’s annual festival of computer music consisting of concerts and lectures featuring cutting-edge sensibilities empowered by innovative technologies. Sadly, Mathews passed away in April 2011 at the age of 84. But his music lives on. “Max Mathews is an icon for innovation, interdisciplinary research, and influential technologies in music and digital audio,” says Jeremy Baguyos, assistant professor of music technology at UNO. “And even though he passed away, his energetic creativity and innovative mindset is one of the driving forces behind the programs in music technology and informatics in the department of music and School of Interdisciplinary Informatics at UNO. ”

From the Skies to the Heavens

As one of UNO’s brightest graduates ever, Alfred Eggers Jr. made his mark in the space above the skies. As it turns out, his legacy might include the skies, too. An Omaha native and 1944 University of Omaha graduate, Eggers was part of the early NASA brain trust that turned space travel from science fiction into reality.

64 Simulating the Skies Using simulators for pilot training is nothing new. Airlines have routinely qualified their pilots in simulators since the 1990s, reducing costs and increasing training efficiency. In the past 10 years, though, advances in simulation programming, projection fidelity and low-cost computing have allowed collegiate training programs to reap the same benefits using commercially-produced simulators for training aircraft. For example, the FAA now allows up to 50 percent of the flight training time required for the Instrument rating to be accomplished in a suitable simulator. UNO’s Aviation Institute (UNOAI) is on the forefront of this training trend. Two FAA-approved devices located in the basement of CPACS are used throughout the Professional Flight curriculum for four purposes: • Replace airplane flight hours at less than half the expense. • Remediate deficiencies in student proficiency. • Reinforce critical concepts covered in academic classes. And, • Expose students to flight scenarios that are impractical or too dangerous to accomplish in aircraft. UNOAI also uses these simulators for outreach events to the local general aviation community, for university recruiting and as a training resource for the three-time Regional Champion UNO Flying Mavericks Flight Team. The airlines and FAA are looking to collegiate flight programs to prepare pilots to succeed in technologically advanced jet aircraft. The challenge for UNOAI is how to accomplish this goal at a reasonable cost. Going forward, the vision at UNO’s Aviation Institute is to upgrade to fullmotion, reconfigurable devices suitable for training students in small “glass” cockpit aircraft and multi-pilot jets. — David G. Smith, flight training coordinator, UNO Aviation Institute

Eggers pioneered research on atmospheric re-entry, making possible the return of astronauts in spacecraft from Mercury capsules to space shuttles. His contributions came as chief of the Supersonic Wind Tunnel Branch of the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory. He conceived of and constructed a simulator that accurately replicated the motions and aerodynamic heating of missiles subjected to speeds of 13,000 mph. That helped Eggers and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA — NASA’s precursor) to the crucial discovery that spacecraft could avoid burning up during re-entry by sporting rounded noses. Eggers in 1964 was named NASA’s deputy associate administrator for advanced research and technology. In 1968 he became the space agency’s assistant administrator for policy. He left NASA in 1971 to become assistant director for research applications at the National Science Foundation, a post he held until 1977. He also held a professorship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1977 Eggers was presented the President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, the federal government’s highest honor for civilian employees. After leaving the NSF Eggers devoted himself to developing alternative sources of energy, especially wind power, with his own company, Research Applied to National Needs. He worked with RANN from 1977 until shortly before his death in 2006 in Atherton, Calif. “My dad was an exceptional figure,” says son Phil Eggers. “The NASA stuff gets all the press, but I believe his work in alternative energy is more prescient.” That view was echoed in a recent e-mail from Dr. Glenn E. Bugos of the NASA Ames History Office in Moffett Field, Calif. “While I don’t think his legacy in hypersonic entry vehicles will be surpassed,” Bugos wrote, “his son is right in that his work on very large wind turbines in the 1970s gets more and more appreciation as wind energy grows in importance.”

Paperless Pilots

— David G. Smith, flight training coordinator, UNO Aviation Institute

There is an old joke among professional aviators that pilots can’t take off until the amount of pre-flight paperwork is equal to the weight of the airplane.

The paperless trend is progressing even in older “round-dial” aircraft. Rugged PDAs such as the iPad now can be loaded with the same data as Glass aircraft MFDs and connected wirelessly.

A kernel of truth is in the quip — pilots are required to have navigation procedure charts for their entire route, aircraft manuals, weather and airfield information and passenger/cargo manifests.

The FAA still is certifying PDAs for various in-flight uses, as they have to withstand the rigors of the general aviation cockpit.

All of that is changing, though, with “glass” cockpits and PDAs. In modern “glass” transport aircraft, pilots have access to electronic Multi-Function Displays (MFD) on instrument panels. An MFD, in addition to displaying engine and performance data, stores all information previously printed on paper. Able to be updated via USB or remotely by data link, glass cockpit MFDs are rapidly making paper obsolete for commercial and corporate operations.

Bethsaida in 3-D

The UNO Aviation Institute’s flight team, the Flying Mavericks, have used these high-tech devices while winning regional flight competition three consecutive years in their 1960s-era Cessnas.

At first glance, the ancient site of Bethsaida looks like nothing more than a bunch of dusty rocks. Technology, though, paints a better picture. For a quarter-century the 25-acre mound in Israel known as et-Tell has provided a field of discovery for students and scholars from around the world working at the UNO-led Consortium of the Bethsaida Excavations Project (CBEP). Careful digging has produced numerous valuable finds and a richer understanding of Biblical-era daily life at Bethsaida, founded during the 10th century BCE near the Sea of Galilee. What that ancient city looked like now can be seen via 3-D computer modeling from VisualPast.org. The visual representation began with a two-dimensional drawing that provided the lines of terraces and foundations. Two valuable resources helped add the dimension of height. First was the book Bethsaida Vol. 4, which provided a construction manual of sorts, describing Bethsaida’s gate complex based on archaeological evidence. UNO Professor Rami Arav (philosophy and religion), founder of the ancient city’s location and director of the consortium, wrote the book. Assyrian Palace reliefs housed in the British Museum also were helpful. The stone carvings include details of Assyrian attacks on walled towns in the ancient Near East, providing pictorial examples of how such fortifications looked. Also influencing the 3-D rendering were current experiences in the engineering design of glass facades and volunteer work building mud bricks in Bolivia and with fieldstones in Kenya. The final result emerges from the dusty remnants of today — a 3-D snapshot of an ancient city. — Edited from text provided by Nic Birt, Visualpast.org Explore more at www.unomaha.edu/bethsaida

Flying Wright

Aviation technology has improved tremendously since Orville and Wilbur soared at Kitty Hawk, but in some cases advances of today are replacing decades-old ways of doing things. One technological leap, in fact, replaces 1930s-era technology. Students in UNO’s Aviation Institute are learning all these cutting-edge approaches, affecting areas such as navigation, communication and surveillance, mastering technologies in order to build varied careers. One of those is using strategically located ground-based Global Positioning System (GPS) augmentation systems that can position an aircraft’s location to within feet. GPS is enabling the FAA to slowly phase out airport Instrument Approach Procedures based on non-directional beacons, an approach more than 75 years old. GPS has been transforming air navigation for 20 years, helping increase airspace capacity and affording air traffic controllers and pilots more flexibility when dealing with congestion in the skies. Cellular technology, meanwhile, has boosted aviation communication. Most “glass” cockpit aircraft have data links that allow pilots to access weather, airport status information and messages from their corporate operations departments. Though VHF-radio still is used for all air traffic control, satellite- and ground-based messaging eventually will replace it. Surveillance of aircraft currently is accomplished by groundbased radars and coded aircraft transponder beacons. Starting in the 1990s, transponders were upgraded to allow ground aircraft-to-aircraft exchange of raw transponder data along a new data link known as Mode S. A new system known as ADS-B now is under development. It will collate aircraft-derived GPS position with transponder information onto a shared voice/data link, allowing collaborative sharing of data with pilots now currently only available to air traffic controllers. The result will be increased situational awareness for pilots without the participation of ground-based facilities. — David G. Smith, flight training coordinator, UNO Aviation Institute

Still Super There is no “S” painted on its chest. Actually, it doesn’t have a chest. But the computer cluster known as Firefly is super. Upon its arrival in December 2007 it ranked as the 43rd fastest supercomputer in the world. Housed in the Holland Computing Center (HCC) in UNO’s Peter Kiewit Institute, it is 1,000 times more powerful than the average home computer. Professor David Swanson is at the helm of all that power, but don’t look for him to indulge in ultra-fast video game downloads. Firefly seeks the answer to bigger questions. “It allows us to dream quantitatively,” says Swanson, HCC director. “Supercomputers allow us to ask questions free from limits caused by the amount of computing that needs to be done.” The Holland Computing Center started as a nonprofit entity and now operates as a shared system-wide university resource, including a 1,800-square-foot facility at UNO. Firefly is the largest of HCC’s supercomputers. “Once reasonably powered computers are connected through a shared switch, they become a supercomputer,” Swanson explains. The speed and power of Firefly is mindboggling. The technology consists of 1,100 servers wired together through a single switch. Data

can move at 30 gigabits a second — a home connection is lucky to move at 10 megabits — and the storage capacity starts at one petabyte — or, 1 million gigabytes. But the real thrill isn’t the machine — it’s what people do with it. If you’re wondering if it’s going to rain at the company picnic, check your local TV station. If you’re curious about the impact of climate change 100 years from now, Firefly may provide an answer — among its many contributions is a role determining long-range climate models by understanding changing weather patterns. Firefly also contributes to one of the largest computer endeavors in the world — the Large Hadron Collider project near Geneva, Switzerland. The supercomputer’s processing prowess helped Hadron researchers in Europe search for the “God particle,” which physicists hope can explain fundamental questions about the universe. Local companies like the Gallup Organization and the Henry Doorly Zoo also have put Firefly to work.

70 Tell it to the Hand

More than half a century ago, new parking technology at UNO featured the debut of 300 coin-eating meters. Last year, change came again with the transition from paper tickets to Electronic Handheld Ticketing Devices (EHTDs).

“One of the greatest impacts of the handhelds is the much broader range of information provided to the staff in the field, such as lost/stolen permits, boot list vehicles, and permits ticketed with multiple vehicles,” says Parking Enforcement Supervisor Vanessa Rath. “Also, with the implementation of the handhelds we have been able to roll out an e-mail process that notifies anyone in our system that gets a ticket and we have an e-mail on file for them.” The handhelds have been kept humming. From August through mid-November 2011 12,000 tickets were issued. That compares to 9,900 from the same period in 2010. Ticket-based reports have been reduced from 120 pages to 20.

Like Firefly’s namesake, though, a supercomputer shines brightest for a relatively short time. The university in late 2011 was evaluating bids to upgrade Firefly to roughly triple its power. That would keep the supercomputer truly super, helping others explore a variety of subjects, from climate change and the God particle to the humane genome — or something completely unexpected. “Two or three years ago I didn’t dream we would be creating digital art and working with humanities scholars,” Swanson says. “This kind of breadth is very exciting.” – Greg Kozol

Cashing Out

By 10 in the morning, Al Karle’s game room was running out of moolah. Back in 1981 Karle was manager of the Milo Bail Student Center. Students paid to play back then, and when they ran out of cash they’d write a check to the student center to get more. That would come to $3,000 a day. “We just couldn’t keep up,” Karle told the Gateway student newspaper. Enter the Automatic Teller Machine. UNO’s first ATM was installed in the student center near the games room and ready for 1981’s fall semester, courtesy Douglas County Bank and Trust Company.

Zeroed in with Zotero

One of the coolest tech innovations developed by historians is Zotero, a free, open-source research tool available at Zotero.org.

Zotero allows anyone using library catalogs, Google books, journal databases like EBSCO, or even Amazon.com to capture and store bibliographic information for books and articles in seconds. It works in Microsoft Word or Open Office/NeoOffice to write footnotes, endnotes, in-text documentation and bibliographies automatically, following any of more than 1,700 different citation styles (yes, there are 1,700!), including APA, MLA, IEEE and Chicago.

Making Music

Ensemble A.M.I. might not have the name cache of other acts UNO has brought to campus or to Omaha — Bruce Springsteen, Sly and the Family Stone and Roberta Flack, to name a few — but what it lacks in recognition it more than compensates for with originality. The techno-driven group (A.M.I. is for Artificial Music Initiative) is composed mostly of faculty and students in UNO’s departments of music and of information systems and quantitative analysis. Its repertoire includes a variety of genres, including real-time interactive computer music, laptop ensemble music, commercial music, multimedia and improvisation. Ensemble A.M.I. was originally called the UNO Music Technology Ensemble when founded by UNO music Professor Kenton Bales more than a decade ago. It has undergone several transformations since reflecting not only the interests of the various directors who have guided the group, but also the evolving nature of computer music ensembles and music technology platforms. Jeremy Baguyos, assistant professor of music technology at UNO, directs Ensemble A.M.I. today. He also is principal bass of the Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra and section bassist in the Lincoln Symphony and performs as a substitute bassist with the Kansas City Symphony. Listen at myspace.com/ensembleami

Developed at the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, Zotero is much more than a citation manager, though. At UNO we introduce it to graduate students, but it could be useful to anyone collecting and organizing data. Zotero automatically downloads PDFs of journal articles and attaches them

to a personal citation library. There, users also can link notes, photos, snapshots of webpages, videos, scans — anything that can be stored on a computer. All of it is searchable, and it works in any language. It operates via Firefox (online or offline) and soon with Chrome and Safari. Android and iPhone apps also are available. It’s easy to learn and support pages are excellent. Zotero also is a community, promoting collaboration by allowing groups to create shared libraries (for open or private view). Scholars and students have created more than 20,000 Zotero groups. Thousands of individuals also share their libraries, and Zotero’s community is international. Unlike proprietary citation managers, Zotero is not tied to a university subscription, so students can keep using their libraries after they graduate. — Sharon E. Wood, Chair, Department of History

74 Developing Digital Divas Quick — are there more or fewer women seeking a computing and information sciences degree today than there were a quarter century ago? Surprisingly to many, fewer. By a long shot. In 1985, women earned 37 percent of such degrees. In 2009, that had dropped to 18 percent, according to the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). To boot, women hold 56 percent of all professional jobs in the U.S. workforce but only 25 percent of IT jobs. And, just 11 percent of executives at Fortune 500 tech companies are women. To help reverse such trends, UNO’s College of Information Science &Technology (IS&T) joined forces with NCWIT in Sept. 2011 to encourage high school girls to pursue computing-related education and careers. In April, IS&T will honor 10 to 15 winners in Nebraska and western Iowa with the NCWIT Affiliate Award for Aspirations in Computing. The national award is open to any high school girl in grades 9-12. Local recipients will be honored at a ceremony in April and will participate in networking opportunities with women in industry and academia. Affiliate winners are eligible for the national award, which comes with $500, a laptop computer and a trip to the national award ceremony. “By generating visibility for capable technical young women, the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing encourages their continued interest in computing, attracts the attention and support of educational and corporate institutions, and emphasizes at a personal level the importance of women’s participation in computing,” says IS&T Dean Hesham Ali. “The College of IS&T also is working with the community to develop additional programs to recruit and support women within the college through an Engagement Link. These programs include connecting women in industry with our students and identifying new ways to encourage women to consider careers in information technology.” see more at www.ncwit.org/award

Taking Action

Staff and students at UNO’s Center of Collaboration Science are taking action to change the habits of meeting curmudgeons. Under the direction of Professor Gert-Jan de Vreede, research is being conducted on “ActionCenters,” a collaborative software application designed to move a group efficiently and confidently through a specific high-value task. Researchers at the Center for Collaboration Science have worked with military, commercial and academic partners on the research prototype for such technology. “Many collaborations take too long because the process often breaks down,” de Vreede says. “When you throw technology into it, it can get worse. With ActionCenters, we are designing task-specific collaborative applications that have embedded guidance for each team.”

Calling UNO used to come with a personal touch — if you didn’t get a busy signal. When the university moved to its current site in 1938, telephone service was provided by Northwestern Bell on a per-telephone basis (you could reach the university at GLendale 4700). Demand grew quickly, though, and by the 1950s a switchboard was installed and operators hired.

The goal of the ActionCenters platform is to streamline team collaboration and provide teams with tools necessary to complete a specific task. “Most collaborative tools today are like Microsoft Word,” de Vreede says. “There are a lot of bells and whistles, but a lot of those bells and whistles are not being used by the end user. What we have done is build a studio that supports the development of collaborative applications with exactly the bells and whistles that the end user will need. This makes the applications easy and intuitive to use.” The U.S. Department of Defense funded a study for the Center for Collaboration Science to develop a studio with embedded tools to guide military leaders through critical decisionmaking processes. “Our objective was to create an environment to reduce the decision-making cycle by 50 percent,” de Vreede says. “In some instances, we have succeeded beyond 50 percent.” De Vreede says ActionCenter toolboxes can be used not only by government, but also by schoolteachers and business leaders to increase efficiency and consistency in decisionmaking. “When people need to collaborate, they will pop open a library of ActionCenters tailored to their specific needs. They’ll choose the one they want, create a workspace, and invite their teams in from wherever they are in the world.” —Don Kohler View the Center’s promotional video at http://bit.ly/unoactioncenter.

Cutting the Wires

Paula Caruso’s son had to choose between his mother and his father. Between their cell phone numbers, that is. Now 4, Dominic has been charged by his preschool teacher with remembering his home phone number. Only the Carusoes don’t have a home phone — mom and dad each have a cell and the landline was ditched long ago. A 2002 UNO graduate, Caruso is part of a generation that has come of age with cell in hand and no need for wires. The majority of their

Telephone Tech

That switchboard eventually came to be known as “Old Dammit” by operators who, frustrated by its lack of trunk lines, scrambled to handle up to 4,700 calls a day. Busy signals for incoming and outgoing calls were commonplace. In 1985, UNO and the University of Nebraska Medical Center combined resources to purchase, install and maintain an automated Private Branch Exchange (PBX). In January 2010, UNO struck out on its own, commissioning a standalone, independent PBX that utilizes the fast-expanding capabilities of the UNO Information Service network. Designed to remain operational during any catastrophic event affecting the multiple locations comprising UNO’s campus, it handles 2,600 stations and 1,500 voice mail boxes, 53 code blue “emergency phones, 100 courtesy phones and 125 local and long distance trunks.

couple friends also are without a landline, she says. That’s no surprise. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 25 percent of adults live in households with only wireless telephones. Caruso first went mobile in 1998. Today she sports a Blackberry while her husband carries a Samsung Galaxy S2 Epic Touch. They pay Sprint about $121 a month. Cutting the landline saves them about $40 to $50 a month, they figure. For now, the only number Dominic is concerned with is which of his parents’ digits he memorizes. For now, he’s sticking with mom’s. And probably biding his time until he gets his own Blackberry or Samsung.

Marketing Technologies 78

Tracking Tech

Marketers, I suppose, are something like the Wizard of Oz — pulling strings that drive purchasing decisions while remaining unseen behind a curtain. Technology has always provided marketers numerous strings to pull, but never more so than recently. Here are four technologies that are beginning to transform marketing. — Professor Phani Tej Adidam, Chairman, Department of Marketing and Management

credit cards as the preferred method of payment in several retail outlets. Inserted in a smart phone, NFC chips can be linked to a user’s bank account and used for everyday payments — say chips at a convenient store. And that’s a boon to marketers, who can connect the demographic profile of a consumer with their psychographic behavior, providing deeper insights into consumers’ decisionmaking patterns.

With Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID), it’s possible for Proctor and Gamble to know if the 6.4-ounce tubes of Crest are starting to collect dust in the Milo Bail Student Center Convenience Store. RFIDs are electronic devices that can be attached to products such as books, packaged goods, smart phones, automobiles, clothing — even pets! With them, manufacturers can track products with pinpoint accuracy without having to depend on data 80 Contextual Marketing transmission from retailers and distributors. In Europe, consumers can sign up with This enhances the management of inventories retailers to receive targeted advertisements across the supply chain and helps marketers and promotional offers directly on their mobile proactively decide where to run “microphones whenever they enter specific stores — promotions” in various retail stores across the all based on their previous purchase patterns. nation based on sales down to individual units. Say consumer X signs on as a “foodie” and 79 Phoney Payments one day stops at the grocery store. As X shops, she receives a text recipe for chocolate With Near Field Communications (NFC) chip cookies, along with specific information technology, mobile smart phones are replacing

regarding the location of and special offers on all ingredients — baking soda is in aisle 4A; 50 cents off 400 grams can. At checkout, a special code is entered and the consumer might receive an overall discount or loyalty points. Beyond Europe, this technology is gaining ground in emerging markets such as India and Indonesia. 81

Following Forums

Online forums are nothing new, but marketers only recently are beginning to tap their potential. There are several million Internet forums, often specialized by industry — automation, video gaming, mobile applications, biotechnology, travel and tourism, etc. Only 40 or so of these, however, are prominent, receiving more than 2 million hits per month. There, members post queries and comments on cutting-edge issues. Many times, companies directly respond to these posts. In the next four years, such online forums are expected to exponentially explode.

A Good Bet

With the launching of the new School of Interdisciplinary Informatics, Nebraska Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy said UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology was “on the leading edge of technology and education.” Looks like IS&T’s founding was a “good bet.” IS&T was established in 1996 as one of two colleges within the University of Nebraska Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI). The PKI building sits on land that formerly was part of the Aksarben racetrack near 66th and Pacific Streets. The university acquired the land as a gift from First Data Resources.

Construction began in 1997 and the college opened its doors in 2000. Today it offers five undergraduate degree programs and four graduate degree programs in areas such as computer science, bioinformatics, IT Innovation, information assurance, management information systems, and information technology The college had more than 833 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled last fall, including 20 IT doctoral candidates. “The college provides one of the most innovative IT educations in the country,” Dean Hesham Ali says.

Its more than 1,000 graduates have gone on to some heady assignments around the globe. Jay Austin (’08) and Zachary Zaiss (’04) work for Microsoft. Andrew Martin (MS, ’03)  is an officer in the U.S. Air Force working in Europe with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Information Security Agency. Kyle Hoback (‘05) recently landed with management consultants A.T. Kearney in London as a data analyst. The college is looking forward to another decade of achievements. “Ten years from now, IS&T should be recognized as the most innovative IT college in the country,” Ali says. “The one

that paved the way to a new model for IT Interdisciplinary education, research and outreach programs. The college has plans for expanding its programs — both the core IT programs, along with new programs that integrate IT with various disciplines. “The goal is for the college to significantly impact economic development activities in Nebraska by serving as a magnet, not only for IT students and businesses, but also for students and businesses from all other scientific and industry domains that look at IT as a critical component for their success.”

Remember Y2K?

As Dec. 31, 1999, rolled into Jan. 1, 2000, some feared the end of civilization as all-important computer programs with two-digit year abbreviations mishandled the switch to “00.” UNO began addressing Y2K in 1996, devoting 36 Y2K reps to the problem and sending $260,000 to update software and computer systems. UNO stood the test of time.

Getting Lectured

UNO on April 23, 1959, debuted a new technology — and a Nobel Prize winner took part. Dr. Glenn Seaborg, chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley and winner of the 1951 Nobel Prize in chemistry, lectured in Omaha via telephone broadcast in the university’s conference center. The hour-long lecture included slides Seaborg had sent in advance. The university’s student affiliate of the American Chemical Society sponsored the lecture, the first time that had happened according to the ACS national office.

Opening a Window Not until May will Ash Ashokan receive her master’s degree in computer science. But already her graduate education has served her well, helping her secure a prestigious internship at Microsoft. Microsoft last summer selected Ashokan to work on Windows 8 as part of an elite team of interns — the Windows User Experience team — working in Redmond, Wash. The team was responsible for the look, feel and overall user experience of Windows 8. Ashokan’s team also developed TreeHouseStampede, a “metro-styled app” word game for the new Windows 8 interface. “My fellow interns and I were some of the first developers of Windows 8,” Ashokan says. “It was great to learn how a large technology firm such as Microsoft brings together the talent and resources to create the next breakthrough product or solve the next big problem.” Training and education Ashokan received as a part of her UNO graduate classes helped her get

Award-winning Sustainability

Technology has transformed not just on what UNO spends its money, but how. In November, UNO was named one of the top five colleges and universities that have contributed to Energy Star’s Low Carbon IT Power Campaign Power Management Pledge. The recognition highlights advancements made by UNO’s Information Services department toward reducing the energy consumed by information technology equipment. That’s been achieved through a number of measures, including a shift to 95-percent server virtualization. That allows potentially hundreds of computer terminals to be run through only several central processors. The servers require

the Microsoft internship and navigate its program. UNO graduate professors stress that students learn theories behind lessons and that they experience hands-on exercises taught in class by getting students to implement concepts into reality. “Hands-on exercises offer UNO students a tremendous learning experience,” Ashokan says. “It gave me an opportunity to not only work with the languages and technologies I was familiar with but also pushed me to learn new languages and technologies that best catered to the requirements of the project. “This helped me develop relevant skill sets required to work out in the ‘real world,’ like my internship at Microsoft.” Ashokan, who was born in Kerala, India, plans to join the computing industry after earning her master’s degree. “A master’s degree from UNO will help give me the additional edge in the marketplace in terms of ability to solve complex problems.”

Developments in Durham

minimal space and cooling. Virtualized 87 Weather on the Roof desktops use the power of a 15-watt To get the precise weather conditions 1,210 feet light bulb and have power settings that above sea level at 41 degrees, 15 minutes, 31 push it to sleep mode or turn it off when seconds north latitude and 96 degrees, 0 minutes and 46 seconds west longitude, you could go online. not in use. Such changes have helped reduce energy consumption by 80-percent and saved more than $1 million in hardware costs. “It’s a very green approach,” UNO Chief Information Officer John Fiene says.

To date, 181 servers have been virtualized across campus. Fiene hopes eventually to incorporate virtualization across the entire campus. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he says.

Or, step onto the roof of UNO’ Durham Science Center and see for yourself. Durham’s rooftop since 2010 has been home to weather station KNEOMAHA52, maintained by UNO’s department of geography/geology. Watching the weather has become old hat for the department. For more than 10 years it has operated a public automated weather map display system on Durham’s second floor. But the rooftop weather station now allows it to post weather conditions online via a Wunderground website at http://bit.ly/unoweather. The site provides current weather and forecasts, maps, a list of nearby weather stations, and historic weather conditions for every day on a 5-minute basis.

TEMPL Time

Understanding someone is more than a bit difficult when there’s a language barrier. UNO is helping remove those barriers by presenting cuttingedge language-learning technology on the Internet to help its students — or anyone else who so desires — learn Russian. “The technology we used for the grant involved developing a language-learning program for those with limited access to schools and urban centers,” says Anne Ludwig, assistant director of UNO’s Intensive Language Program. The program is called Technology Empowered Language Learning (TEMPL) and is based on a foundation of traditional learning theories augmented with Total Physical Response (TPR) methods and realia. TPR is a language learning method linked to the trace theory of memory, which holds that the more often or intensively a memory connection is traced, the stronger the memory. Realia are objects from real life that strengthen associations between words for everyday objects and the objects themselves. The TEMPL website features various multimedia web-based applications, an intuitive, interactive and engaging interface design, native speakers, self-directed lessons and realistic 3-D imagery. Users click on an icon to call up a 3D interactive model of a Russian cityscape. Clicking on buildings brings forth different rooms, each of which contains realia. Users click on objects to hear its name pronounced in Russian. TEMPL was developed through collaboration among UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology, the College of Arts and Sciences department of foreign language, and International Studies and Programs. German, French and Spanish programs are in development. learn more at http://templ.ist.unomaha.edu

High-tech Tutors

Online education is nothing new over in UNO’s Durham Science Center. There, UNO’s physics department has offered an online class in astronomy and its accompanying lab component for more than a decade. An online physics class also has is offered. The very latest technology, though, has made those offerings even more robust. “With the advancement of software and hardware we have begun to offer the students through Adobe Connect the ability for them to video conference with a tutor three to four times a week,” says UNO physics instructor David Kriegler. “This conferencing also includes an electronic whiteboard so students can have problems worked through Adobe Connect, and they have the opportunity ask further questions with more feedback online. “With this new technology tool, students can go live as if they are with the tutor in a room and can ask questions by video or audio with several modes of feedback.”

Discovery in Durham

Ferroelectrics are the most important materials used in electronics that no one has ever heard of. They are used in capacitors because they have large dielectric constants. That is, they can store and release large amounts of charge in predictable ways. They are used in sonar transducers because they can generate a voltage from applied stresses, such as sound waves. They are used as memory elements because they can exist in one of two polarization states (up or down) and can easily be switched from one to the other by an electric field. They are used in microfluidic systems as pumps or actuators because when they change polarization, they also change shape. While ferroelectrics are rare, a team of researchers at UNO has discovered something even rarer — an antiferroelectric. In 2006, the materials research group at UNO, Professors Robert Smith, Renat Sabirianov, and Wai-Ning Mei (pictured) were studying cesium niobate, a substance reported by other scientists to be a garden-variety ferroelectric, but which upon close examination turned out to be an antiferroelectric. The properties of both materials are similar and depend upon their polarization in an electric field. In a ferroelectric, the poles line up in one direction or another depending on the direction of an applied electric field: up or down. The direction of the poles can be switched by reversing the electric field. An antiferroelectric has the same two states as a ferroelectric plus one additional state in which the poles alternate in direction up and down. Antiferroelectrics thus have three stable states: up, down, and off. The principal application for antiferroelectrics is as a threestate electronic switch. Solid-state antiferroelectrics (such as cesium niobate) also are used as memory elements when three states are required, rather than the normal two. Interestingly, cesium niobate may be more valuable because of another property it possesses: it can use sunlight to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen, of course, is a convenient energy source. The UNO materials science group currently has a U.S. Department of Energy grant to study how best to optimize this property. Results are promising but still proprietary so a description will have to wait until another issue. — Robert Smith, professor of chemistry

Fun With Digital Music Not long ago, the only ones who could enjoy the empowerment of musical creativity through technology were computer musicians and audio engineers with specialized training and access to expensive recording and computer music production studios. That would include students in the UNO Music Technology and Informatics programs. Music technology and informatics remains a serious endeavor at UNO. Our creative yet esoteric endeavors can include musical control algorithms for live performance, digital synthesis programming, interactive and “artificially intelligent” improvisation environments, telematic performance, musical performance within networked video games, and motion detection as musical controller. That’s a lot more than just hitting the “record” button. But we also like to have lots of fun with easy-to-use applications designed for anyone to use. Today, the music technology industry is moving toward a more egalitarian approach — with technology as the platform. Here are some of our department’s favorite applications and websites for doing just that.

Browser-based Apps • VirtualKeyboard It turns your computer keyboard into a piano keyboard — with piano, drum, strings and more to lay down your own groovy track (http://bit.ly/ virtualkeyboardapp)

A look to the heavens

Visit inside the Durham Science Center. There you’ll find one of UNO’s longest-serving pieces of technology — the Spitz 512 star projector that is the star of the Mallory Kountze Planetarium. Installed in 1987 at a cost of $360,000, the Spitz 512 features a large sphere at its end with 2,300 precisely-drilled holes, each representing a particular star. Spitz, an American company and the world’s largest planetarium supplier, manufactured the projector. The Planetarium hosts star shows, lectures and occasional rooftop observations. Public and private shows are available. visit aimforthestars.unomaha.edu/Planetarium

HPER Hand Jive Losing weight is a great thing. But if you’re shedding pounds at UNO’s HPER building, be forewarned: you might not be allowed in the building any longer. OK, the friendly Campus Recreation folks will let you in, but you’ll just have to get your hand rescanned.

Mobile Apps

Since August 2010 the HPER building has used a biometric hand scan to grant patrons access to the facility. The new technology was part of the building’s fabulous remodel and expansion completed that year. After an initial scan that captures the shape of a person’s hand (fingerprints are not captured), patrons access the building by entering their NU ID number and then placing their hand on a scanner. When scan and number match, a turnstile gate drops to allow access.

• Glee by Smule Get this karaoke app and the world can hear you belt out Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” or other favorites.

“The convenience of the machine is the best part,” says Ashley Bails, assistant director of Campus Recreation. “You can get in even if you lost your Mav Card [photo ID].

• I Am T-Pain by Smule No rhythm? No worries — this karaoke app for wannabe rapsters will auto-tune your voice in real-time.

“It has streamlined our time clock system dramatically, too. We have 150plus students clocking in and out every week, and before we implemented this system, they were using paper time cards and one of those oldfashioned punch machines. It is incredibly easy to monitor hours and also keeps the employees honest since they cannot have somebody else clock in for them.”

• A ndre Michelle’s ToneMatrix Make music by clicking tone-specific squares. You’ll be hooked in double time. (http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix)

• MorphWiz A powerful synthesizer in your pocket. Satisfying settings for novices, but the more ambitious can drill down and take more control of your generation.

• w ww.freesound.org: A user-driven repository of free, high-quality sound effects and loops, many of which can be used in professional projects.

About 500 HPER patrons use the hand scanner each day. On occasion, some users will encounter difficulty with the scans. If, for instance, a patron wore a ring during the initial scan, future scans won’t read correctly if the ring isn’t worn.

• audacity.sourceforge.net The best free, cross-platform sound editor and recorder.

Staff also have found that some big losers — patrons who drop lots of weight —also encounter difficulty with scans.

Websites

— Jeremy Baguyos, assistant professor of music technology

“Which is kind of ironic, I think, for a fitness center,” Bails says.

Seeking Cyber Security

Cyber Monday 2011 was the busiest day of the year for online shoppers. UNO Professor Robin Gandhi was busy searching the web that day, too, but not for bargains. The assistant professor of information assurance at UNO was searching the Web for security. The kind he and UNO students can provide. “Since this is a great day for scammers to conduct phishing (online scam) attempts, I guess this day is relevant for information assurance research from that standpoint,” he says. “We are more interested in protecting information in the cyberworld. That term ‘cyber’ is often misused. I prefer more the use of information security or assurance. But the term cybersecurity is more popular with the masses.” UNO’s information assurance department at the College of Information Science and Technology, along with the KEWI (Knowledge, Engineering and Web Intelligence) Group, has been tackling cybersecurity projects since 2001, watching closely information circulating on the web and developing proactive computer systems to prevent large-scale attacks.

The team has been studying factors that most often co-exist in mass cyberattacks, specifically social, political, economic and cultural (SPEC) factors. Through the research and analysis of these SPEC factors in past and current cyberattacks, the information assurance team hopes to better understand breakdowns in the global human network and to make accurate predictions about future attacks. With the aid of robot-like web crawlers, students are able to collect important data on the web, Twitter accounts, blogs, open chat rooms and e-mails for evaluation in the prevention of future attacks. “Often times it is easy to connect the dots if you look at how the past history of cyberattacks are committed,” Ghandi says. “Once we have the data, we can train a computer to track those events that can lead to cyberattacks. This is done by codifying all of the information to make predictions about future events.” Gandhi says UNO is one of the few colleges in the country with information assurance programs recognized by the National Security Agency. “Although 911 brought forth many issues of cyberattacks, this

topic is not as new as most people would think,” Gandhi says. “A good amount of work in this area started in the 1960s as the Department of Defense started to shore up its security with digital devices. Moving information from paper to digital context would ultimately bring more cybersecurity issues.” The Information Assurance Department at UNO also is working on a project to train computer programmers on best practices for writing more secure codes for the web. Another project will focus on a security system for protecting the nation’s power grid from a cyberattack. Gandhi hopes the end result of the cyberattack forecasting seed project is the development of a product that his department will give agencies of government and businesses as a tool to combat cyberattacks. “For most cyberattacks there have been indications of social, political, economic and cultural motives in the human network,” he says. “What we want to do is provide a product that can monitor the worldwide web for such motives in the human network and get people prepared in advance for cyber attacks.” —Don Kohler

Soaring with Technology

Though winemaking dates to prehistoric times and sometimes still is carried out in the old-fashioned approach of “throw it in the vat and see what happens,” modern vineyards like Soaring Wings in Springfield, Neb., utilize advanced technology to ensure the best wine possible. The high-tech approaches at Soaring Wings include: • A computerized pneumatic press that very gently squeezes grapes to maximize juice production while minimizing the off flavors that the older and not-so-gentle hydraulic and screw presses often produced. • An ozone sanitation system that is 20 times more effective than chlorine — without the environmental and human hazards associated with chlorine. • A state-of-the-art automated bottling line that can produce up to 1,500 bottles an hour. It has a number of features

that reduce oxygen contact with the wine, again improving quality. These include nitrogen sparging of the bottle to remove oxygen from it before the wine is introduced; a vacuum bottle filler that gently fills the bottle with wine; and a vacuum corker that removes most of the remaining air in the neck of the bottle before the cork is driven home.

In the tasting room we use a device affectionately dubbed “Corkzilla.” An adjustable automatic cork puller, it can either fully remove a cork or partially pull it a desired amount. It’s great with large crowds when we sometimes pull corks from up to 500 bottles in an hour. No more sore wrists — and plenty of smiles when it’s time to taste the fruits of our efforts. — Jim Shaw (’79), owner, Soaring Wings Vineyard See more at www.soaringwingswine.com

From Storage Room to the Internet

Most people don’t get the opportunity to dig through library archives to discover buried voices from the past. But Professor Tracy Bridgeford and I, along with our students, are trying to change that by bringing stories out of the Criss Library basement and making them available to the public on the Women’s Archive Project (WAP) website. This virtual archive and multimedia website collects, preserves and displays the experiences and contributions of women who have worked at or graduated from UNO.

Students enrolled in the “Researching and Writing Women’s Lives” course, or working as interns with Bridgeford, cull through UNO yearbooks, the Gateway student newspaper, alumni lists, and archival boxes, as well as talk to faculty, family and community members to identify a UNO woman, alive or deceased, “famous” or “ordinary,” whom they would like to profile on the WAP website.

Students have recovered a variety of women’s stories, including the first graduate in 1911, a real-life Rosie the Riveter, a Holocaust survivor and educator, a Civil Rights activist, a modern dance instructor, a children’s librarian, a Native American activist, a deaf culture advocate, student columnists, athletes and more.

Intern Michael Williams, a graduate student in technical communications, created a virtual photo gallery for the site with 3D animation software (think Pixar). Online visitors can tour a photo gallery that includes more than 100 photographs spotlighting UNO women, clubs and events, as well as candid campus shots. This visual timeline highlights the important role women have played in the growth of the University.

— Tammie M. Kennedy, assistant professor of English Visit www.unomaha.edu/wcap. New contributions are added each semester.

Entering Another Dimension

A natural disaster, terrorist attack or biological outbreak in the heart of a major American city has been a popular movie plot point for decades. Within the past year, nine students from UNO’s Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI) have been developing virtual world scenarios and three-dimensional (3-D) objects that can be used to help prepare first responders and governmental organizations for the real thing. Through a $100,000 grant, Walter Scott Jr. Scholarship students immersed themselves in a leading-edge virtual world platform from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). The software, called OLIVE (On-Line Interactive Virtual Environment), enables users to develop 3-D virtual worlds that can be used for collaboration; training and learning; rehearsals; and operational applications. It can be used for large-scale search-and-rescue missions during crisis situations involving thousands of geographically disparate participants. “OLIVE is where we get to see a concept we designed on canvas come to life,” Jamie Gehringer, an OLIVE participant, said in a PKI

Packing a Punch

For citizens across the state, Nebraska’s network of clinical health laboratories provides a crucial service. In the event of a public health emergency or bioterrorism event, they would be on the frontlines in ensuring potentially harmful substances are identified, analyzed and quarantined quickly. Now, with a new computer application developed by faculty and students at UNO, labs in small and rural communities are finding it easier than ever to communicate findings and consult with the flagship Nebraska Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The STATPackTM — short for Secure Telecommunication Application Terminal Package — is a telemedicine laboratory diagnostic and consultation system created in the UNO College of Information Science and Technology at The Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI). Ann Fruhling, assistant professor of information systems, initiated its research and development beginning more than a decade ago. And it already has proven its worth. STATPackTM has been used to diagnose a malaria case, rule-out complex anthrax cases and consult on Listeria cases. “Probably around 60 students have worked on this project throughout the years giving them real world experience in a university environment,” Fruhling says.

newsletter. “Knowing that users from around the world will be using our creations is just awesome.” SAIC was the prime contractor for one of the largest recent, joint national preparedness events in U.S. history, a National Level Exercise (NLE), which is a White House-mandated annual exercise. The scenario was a 7.7 earthquake on the New Madrid Fault and exercised all levels of emergency response — local, county, state, regional and national — involving eight states and 14,000 participants. OLIVE was used as the virtual operation center for collaboration and coordination of emergency response efforts in the scenario. The software supported real-time exercise feeds and provided the building damage visualization tool and video clips of geo-specific and geo-typical areas of damage. “The city of Memphis was recreated threedimensionally in OLIVE and at the push of a button the expected damage through the city could be visualized,” says Allison Baysa, a PKI liaison with SAIC. “It gave first responders an

idea of what the overall damage would look like as well as an idea of the streets that could be potentially blocked due to falling buildings and other structures such as bridges and overpasses.” Initially hired in April 2011, the Scott Scholars originally were tasked with learning the tool, identifying and documenting bugs and glitches. It didn’t take long before the students began to create their own advanced scenarios and in-world objects. “As we started to look into the programming of OLIVE, we stumbled across programming languages we were not familiar with,” says John Oerter, one of the Scott Scholars, in a PKI newsletter. “Instead of stopping there, we decided the only way to learn this stuff is to teach ourselves, and that’s what we did.” The PKI students learned to create everything from unique uniforms used to distinguish between military branches to standing up architectural drawings through which an avatar can walk. — Charley Reed, University Relations

Linking to Technology

In golf, the swing is the thing. And there’s no shortage of vendors promising to improve it if only you purchase their miracle, can’t-believeit’s-this-easy-to-use gadget. But the most expensive clubs or balls aren’t necessarily what’s needed, says UNO Director of Golf Tim Nelson. Rather, it’s about clubs that fit. That’s where new technology comes into play.

New clubs now can be precisely fitted to a golfer’s body. That includes measuring the distance from a golfer’s hands to the ground and determining the proper length of the shaft and the lie (the angle at which the club head meets the shaft). “It’s changed the way we coach,” Nelson says. “We can either change a person’s swing or adapt the equipment to their swing. Sometimes, it’s a combination of the two.” Golfers wanting a more comprehensive fitting can step into a launch monitor that measures their swing and spits out data to aid the right club selection. Weekend duffers aren’t likely to purchase their own launch monitor, though. Nelson says they can cost as much as $22,000, and

100

even a lowerend model can cost from $6,000 to $7,000. Technology also has improved the game by making golfers more comfortable on the course. Dry-fit shirts keep golfers cooler during the heat while fabrics like Gore-Tex keep them dry during precipitation. Shoes are lighter and also tend to keep feet drier when the weather turns foul. Golf bags are lighter and easier to carry for 18 holes. Meanwhile, threewheeled golf carts (designed after baby strollers) make it easy to push clubs around the course and are more stable than the old two-wheel models. Nelson, though, cautions recreational golfers that before spending money on that new driver that looks like a toaster welded to a stick, consider your game and how often you play. “If someone is just playing the sport for recreation, they’ll need to put in a lot of time and spend a lot of money to see the benefit of any of this technology,” he says. “[With new technology] scores are better for better players, but they’re not for the average player.”

– Dave Ahlers, UNO Athletic Communications

Scoring With Technology

Seven ultrasound machines, six electrical stimulating devices, three light therapy units and two lasers. The Christmas wish list of some doctor’s office or hospital, perhaps? Nope. All of it can be found today in the UNO Athletic Training Room for the benefit and rehabilitation of Maverick student-athletes. UNO Head Athletic Trainer Rusty McKune is no stranger to using technology and equipment while treating student-athletes.

Even before UNO made the move to Division I, high-tech equipment was not lacking for Maverick athletes. The university acquired a new lowlevel laser shortly after it came out on the market. The laser is used for athletes in the injury healing process, allowing cells to absorb the light and produce energy. “We’ve always prided ourselves in that we’ve always been able to stay up and

keep up with the technology,” McKune says. Modern technological tools also are used to keep spectators safe at athletic events. By utilizing the Televent DTN service, for instance, UNO is able to track and monitor weather storms and make informed decisions regarding outdoor sporting events. McKune is appreciative of the new research that technology helps provide. “The technology that is there is improving,” he says. “And it seems to be evolving very quickly with regard to what we can do and what we are able to do with the human body.” Still, he also relies on ages-old technology — his hands. “There are times when we are going to use our $7,000 laser on someone,” McKune says, “but then at the same time, we’ll use our hands.”

— Meghan Murdock, UNO Athletic Communications

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Considering an Online Degree? Ask These Questions.

As online degree programs proliferate and more students turn to the flexibility of distance education to advance their careers without putting life on hold, evaluating the quality and personal fit of such programs becomes increasingly important. Answering the following questions can help navigate the maze of online degree offerings to choose a program right for you. Is the institution accredited? Accreditation sets common, minimum quality standards for academic quality. Check with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation: www.chea.org/search

Is the program accredited or recognized? Within certain professions, special accreditation is required for recognition of a degree and successful employment. Look also for rankings or endorsements by third-party organizations such as those published by U.S. News and World Report or military publications. What are the qualifications of the faculty? Examine the credentials of the faculty and instructors associated with the program. Involvement in current research and active participation in the field are important indicators of quality. Is student support available? Look for easy access to student support services such as financial aid, library resources, academic advising and technical assistance. Is career counseling available? Ask about the percentage of graduates who obtain jobs in their field of study. Is career counseling available to assist graduating students with job placement, resume writing, interviewing, etc.? What is the policy on transfer credit? Programs that make vague statements about granting credit for “work experience” or “life experience” may not be maintaining their academic quality. Schools and programs should only accept academic credit from accredited institutions. Non-traditional credit should be accepted only for specifically-identified training programs. Is tuition reimbursement available? If your employer offers tuition reimbursement, check to see what colleges/universities are covered.

sights & sounds

SIGHTS Scenes on and off campus

Fieldhouse First For the first time in the history of Sapp Fieldhouse two Division I teams competed when UNO took on Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne (IPFW) on Dec. 10. The Mastodons, a future Summit League foe of UNO, edged the Mavericks 83-80 in overtime in front of nearly 1,900 fans. UNO, which joined the Division I ranks in 2011, hadn’t hosted a Division I team since it faced Oklahoma City in the 1977-78 season.

Commencing Careers For the first time in 15 years, UNO graduates received their diplomas at … UNO. The university’s December commencement ceremony was held in Sapp Fieldhouse, the first time graduation has been on campus since 1996. More than 1,000 students received degrees during commencement, conducted in two events. Elizabeth Malone and Stephanie Wilson, both from Papillion, Neb., presented the student commencement addresses.

Lab Work Mary Dennison, director of UNO's Math Lab and David Boocker, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, cut the ribbon in September at the opening of the new Math Lab in UNO's Durham Science Center. The lab features more than 120 computer stations connected to a central processing area in the Eppley Administration Building.

Spreading Cheer UNO’s Detachment 470 cadets and members of the UNO Alumni AFROTC chapter carried out an important mission in December — distributing holiday cheer. The cadets were at Offutt Air Force base helping serve about 250 men who live in the dormitories on Offutt Air Force Base.

sights & sounds

Young Guns The second class of the UNO Young Alumni Academy is underway with 35 members who meet regularly to facilitate networking and professional growth while receiving an insider’s view into what it takes to run one of the nation’s premier metropolitan universities. That includes behind-the-scenes views of UNO at work, including a November tour of a Maverick Hockey game.

Fun Bunch UNO’s Golden Circle Lunch Bunch held their annual Holiday Party in December at the Thompson Center, getting into the spirit of the season with help from the UNO Chamber Choir, which performed several carols. Attendees (pictured) included Jan Hunter, Kay Corell, Becky Means and her guest. Pictures by Tim Fitzgerald, University Relations, unless otherwise credited

SOUNDS Heard on and off campus Boom then Bust? That gives the service providers time to adjust. UNO Public Affairs researcher David Drozd speaking on the approaching boom of 76 million Baby Boomers reaching age 65. He expects it to take 10 years before there is an effect on Nebraska’s state healthcare system. Reported in Jan. 3 Columbus Telegram.

Going Green, Saving Green It's a very green approach. UNO Chief Information Officer John Fiene speaking about UNO's shift to 95-percent server virtualization that allows potentially hundreds of computer terminals to be run through only several central processors. The change reduces energy consumption by 80 percent and has saved more than $1 million in hardware costs. Fiene spoke after UNO was named one of the top five colleges and universities who have contributed to Energy Star's Low Carbon IT Power Campaign Power Management Pledge. Reported in UNO news release.

The Nurturing Code Dr. Suomi's work is critically important, particularly in the era of the Human Genome Project, because it reveals that genes are not necessarily destiny. UNO biology Professor Jeff French speaking prior to a Dec. 1 UNO-sponsored address by Stephen Suomi, chief of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's (NICHD) Laboratory of Comparative Ethology. Suomi’s recent recent research shows that a nurturing environment can overcome harmful genes. Reported in a UNO news release.

CLASS

NOTES

class notes

Send your classnotes to www.unoalumni.org/classnotes or get your class note online — keep your fellow graduates up to date with a posting on the UNO Alumni Association Facebook site at www.facebook.com/UNOAlumni

rod-gerri@hotmail.com

Presbyterian Theological Seminary and STAN MALISZEWSKI, lives in is a hospital and hospice chaplain in Tucson, Ariz., and writes: “After Austin, Texas. retiring from the Omaha Public Schools in 2000, I accepted a jg83534@windsream.net position as assistant professor in the GARY SALLQUIST, lives department of educational psychology in Cincinnati and writes: at the University of Arizona, retiring in “God is good! Serving as 2007. I'm currently working part time the corporate chaplain for as a graduate instructor in the College JoeyMedical; on the Board of a of Counseling Psychology, Equine Christian Foundation which does Assisted Mental Health Counseling, at anonymous giving. Trying to keep up Prescott College. My professional work with my wife Joyce and four includes educational consulting.” grandkids! Blessings to our many OU/ sjmalisz@u.arizona.edu UNO friends!” gjquist@gmail.com

DENNIS BREWSTER , BS, lives in

KAREN BUENO, BS, lives in

Butte, Neb., and writes: “Just living the quiet life.” djbrewster@nntc.net

Thornton, Colo., and is retired after 30 years of public school teaching. She now volunteers for peace and justice agencies in the Denver area.

WILLIAM PAGE, BA,

lives in Marlton, N.J., and writes: “I had an enjoyable two-week tour of New Zealand the latter half of September 2011 Rented a car and drove the length of New Zealand.” billp49@pd.jaring.my

RODNEY MURRAY, BA,

lives in North Apollo, Penn., and still is doing retirement interim pastoral work at Worthington, Penn.

JEANNE GILES, bs, lives in Lincoln,

Neb., and writes: “I reached the ‘diamond’ mark, 75 years, in October. I'm retired from working as a speechlanguage/pathologist but do a lot of volunteer work for judicatories of the Presbyterian Church. I have three daughters, each married. There are seven grandchildren; six are boys. I reached a milestone with them this month — over the years I had driven all seven various places. Then on Dec. 11, the youngest, a newly licensed driver, drove me home. Two have UNO undergraduate degrees and one of those has finished his master’s work at K-State and just returned to UNO as the interim operations manager KVNO-FM, the classical music station. Four more either attended or are attending UNL. One teaches math at Lincoln Southwest and has finished half of his master’s in that field. The only girl has a BA from Hastings College and an M. Div. from Austin

RUBEN CANDIA , BGS,

lives in San Antonio and is retired as a professor of Spanish from St. Mary's University there. He was a Fulbright Scholar in 2007 to Spain.

southwestern region. They sent me to all of the Midwest states to troubleshoot concrete problems. Love retirement. Have lists of things to do daily.” rabarr1@cox.net

RONALD (RIP) I. POWELL, BGS,

retired from the U.S. Air Force as a major, lives in Bluffton, S.C., and writes: “To all members of the Pen and Sword, stop in and visit — the coffee pot is not always on, but only takes a couple of minutes to make. Just call ahead so I can get you through the gate. Since my last report, I have became a great grandpa; makes me feel old, guess I will have to cut back on my participation in the activities around here.” theripowells@hargray.com

karenbueno@aol.com

GRANT WILLIAMS,

MPA, lives in Bellevue, Neb., and writes: “Still not pleased that the football and wrestling programs were dropped.” grant.williams1@cox.net

MAYNARD ALLINGTON, BS, lives in Melbourne, Fla.,

and has had his third short story published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (November issue), He also has written two mystery novels, The Psychoneurotic Vampire and The Sunset Boulevard Dialogues. Both are available on Amazon/Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. mallington@earthlink.net BILL GAUGHAN, BSBA, lives in

Omaha.

JAMES F. BARD JR., BGS, lives in Westminster, Md., and writes: “I keep busy with my old Air Force buddies as the secretary, 91st SRW Association. Right now I am planning reunions in Minot, N.D., (2012) and Omaha (2013). We have great times each year in a new town. JimBardJr@comcast.net

RICHARD BARR lives in Omaha and writes: “I am retired now but I worked for the Nebraska Department of Roads right out of college. Then worked for the City of Omaha as a special projects engineer, resurfacing engineer and test lab engineer. Then built the first recycling asphalt plant in the Midwest and finally worked for W.R. Grace until I retired as a field engineer/sales. I was the tech for the

ROBERT QUINN, BGS, , lives in Stuart, Fla., and writes: that after retiring from the U.S. Air Force as a Lt. Col. He began a career as a health care administrator with the Visiting Nurse Association of Florida. After 15 years as director of operations he retired from the VNA. However, he has continued to work with the VNA as an independent contractor. Quinn and his wife, Kathy, travel extensively via motorhome visiting “throughout the lower 48” with particular attention to the two states where their five grandchildren reside. rjquinn@bellsouth.net

FRANK HANNAFORD, BGS, lives in Omaha and

writes: “Many fond memories of my time at & graduation from UNO. Working in IT,

class notes as always, and enjoying my three grandkids.” frank20@cox.net

GARY ROSS, MS, has moved to Otisville, Mich., after 10 years on the faculty of UNO and UNMC and 20 years as senior executive/vice president of Genesys Health System. During his administrative career he also held an adjunct faculty position with Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine. He and his wife, Linda, live on 10 acres in a home which has been designated a Michigan State Historic Landmark. geross@charter.net

JAMES BAILEY, bgs,

lives in Maryland and is president and CEO of GCC Technologies, a high-tech firm located providing programmatic and engineering support services to the Federal sector. jbailey@gcctechllc.com

J. PATRICK ANDERSON

lives in Colorado Springs, Colo., and writes that he and his wife, Cynthia, “are overseeing a 200-person mission for our church that is headquartered here. We will serve until July 2014 and would enjoy connecting with any UNO alums who are in this area.” 2patanderson@gmail.com

WILL CLARK ,bgs, lives in

Diamondhead, Miss., and is retired from the U.S. Air Force as a major. He writes: “Published my latest action novel in 2010: America 20XX: The New World Order. Information about this book and others available at AuthorsDen.com. Also available at author page at Amazon.com. Coming in 2011 is my new book, which will be titled 6-6-6: Mark Of The Beast. Watch for it in April or May. Will01@aol.com

She keeps active in Zeta Tau Alpha (Omaha Gamma Mu Chapter) and continues to serve in several capacities for the UNO Women’s Walk. She has received many honors in the community, the most recent being the YWCA Tribute to Women Volunteer Award. Her life is shifting from the volunteer realm into the work world. She will be returning to UNO to update her teaching certification. She writes that her “loyalty still lies with UNO and the wonderful educational opportunities it offers.”

Cheryl Sparano Wild, BS,

has spent 27 years as a professional volunteer in the Omaha community.

PETE SIEGEL, BGS, lives in San Antonio and writes: “I attained the coveted ‘retired retired’ status this year. I retired from the Air Force in 1993 [as a major] and retired again in May after 17 years as a paralegal. Time for travel and working more as a Boy Scout leader in the Alamo Area Council.”

psiegeljr@satx.rr.com

DAVE KRAJICEK , BA,

has published another book, True Crime: Missouri from Stackpole Books, an Amazon Kindle regional best-seller.

BREWSTER BORG, BGS,

lives in Lake Jackson, Texas, and writes that in October he married Nancy Ashmore.

beborg@sbcglobal.net

Thank you. Thank you.

Whitney and Cheyenne Nelson are performance arts majors at UNO. They love the program. They love the school. And they love the scholarships that make it possible for them to be here. “Thank you so much for giving me a scholarship. Having a scholarship has allowed me to focus on my studies and take the time to be involved on campus,” Whitney said, her sister nodding in agreement. Scholarships are just one way the UNO Alumni Association helps students. But that help isn’t possible without private donations from people like you. Gifts from UNO alumni and friends are vital to the success of UNO and the UNO Alumni Association. Contributions to the Annual Fund support communications, programming and events like the Scholarship Swing that raises money for Alumni Association scholarships. To make a gift, locate the remittance envelope in this magazine, place your gift inside and return it to the Alumni Association. Or give online at unoalumni.org/give. Like the Nelson sisters, we say thank you for your generous support.

To learn more, or to contribute, visit unoalumni.org/give. Or contact Mary Kenny, mkenny@nufoundation.org, 402-502-4924.

class notes PAUL YOCUM, MS, lives in Cross Plains, Wisc., and writes: “Semi-retired but still looking for the ‘semi.’ Executive director of the Arc-Dane County, board president for the Cap Times Kids Fund and trustee, Village of Cross Plains. Thanks, UNO, for helping me get to where I am today!”

TIM MATHERN, MSW, lives in

Fargo, N.D., and is a state senator. He received the 2011 Psychiatric Society Mental Health Service Award in recognition of outstanding health advocacy on behalf of citizens.

DICK KROESE, mpa,

writes: “I am a happy retired man because of my master’s degree that I received at UNO. It allowed me to open doors that would have not been opened and soar to a level that I never thought possible. Now, I will be president of my Rotary Club, on our mission committee, nominating committee, and usher at our church and doing a lot of things to help kids. All because of my degree that I received at UNO. I will be forever thankful. Advanced education cannot be underestimated as to its importance.”

tmathern@nd.gov

ED THIELE, BS, was named the

first-ever Engineer of the Year by the OPPD Society of Engineers. Theile is a senior project engineer in OPPD’s facilities management division. His most recent project was overseeing the construction of the green-oriented Omaha Service Center, which opened in 2011 year just north of Carter Lake. He is a 31-year OPPD employee.

RICHARD EVANS III, BSBA, lives in Lincoln,

Neb., and is a colonel wing commander of the 155th Air Refueling Wing, Nebraska Air Guard in Lincoln. He was deployed in 2011 as the director of Mobility Forces for NATO Operation Unified Protector in Libya.

THOMAS KOTCHKA

lives in Omaha and in October 2010 was promoted to manager, Field Maintenance Operations (LEAD) for the Central Plains District, United States Postal Service. SUE BRAMOW, BS, lives in Omaha

LYNN WEGEHAUPT, MBA,

lives in Omaha and in March retired from Metropolitan Utilities District after 40 years of service. omahawege@cox.net

MARGARETA SMITH KNOPIK , BSBA, lives in

Overland Park, Kansas, and writes: “My husband and I moved back to the Midwest this past July from Montana. I am the VP/COO of the IACBE, a specialized accreditation organization for business administration programs worldwide.” mknopik@iacbe.org

and is a media sales services coordinator for Cox Media. JOHN FIFER JR. is a central office technician with Century Link Communications. “I stay active in the Cornhusker Alumni band and currently reside in Omaha.”

jfifer@tconl.com

CONNIE RICCHINI, BS, lives in Omaha and writes: “After staying home for many years to raise our boys, I returned to school and received a degree in nursing in 2006. I now work as a school nurse for OPS. We have

two sons who presently attend UNO… I guess a legacy has begun!”

team chief for Plans & Operations, Public Affairs at the U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg. “My DIANNA SPRINGMAN, husband, also a lieutenant colonel, BSBA, lives in San works at Forces Command as a Francisco and writes: “I civilian, but is currently deployed as work for a bank regulatory an Army Reserve soldier. We've lived in government agency. I received a NC since October 2010, but I am promotion and moved to San Francisco preparing to move to Minneapolis this from Denver in May of 2011. San summer to take command of an Army Francisco is an incredible place to live. Reserve unit there.

DLSpring@att.blackberry.net

hill1376@yahoo.com

ELIZABETH WICKSTROM,ba,

TIMOTHY BECKER , BGS, lives in

lives in Prairie Village, Kansas, and writes “Still practicing high risk OB in Kansas City. The birthing center in Haiti that we established in 2004 is now delivering 100-plus babies monthly. See more at www.maisondenaissance.org

Omaha and writes: “I've been working with the Friendship Program since Nov. 4, 2010. Helping the mentally ill has been challenging.” tebecker75@hotmail.com

JOHN SCHLEICHER , MA, lives in Omaha and writes: “Recently promoted from assistant to associate KEITH BROWN, MPA, professor in the McGoogan Library of lives in Lincoln and writes: Medicine, UNMC, where I am head of “After 35 years in the energy Special Collections. Also an adjunct business and eight years in instructor in history at UNO.” manufacturing, I have retired, except jschleicher@unmc.edu for teaching at Southeast Community College and involvement in the NICK MATUELLA lives in Omaha Employer Support of the Guard and and in October celebrated 17 years Reserve as Employer Outreach with International Paper as a director but most recently as structural designer. Employment Initiative director for KARA SCHWEISS, BS, Nebraska. If you need quality lives in Nebraska and well-trained employees with leadership writes: “I have returned to ability and built-in discipline, consider freelancing as a writer and a guard or reserve veteran.” editor after a six-year hiatus working keith.brown1947@gmail.com in the corporate world.” Rich Fischer lives kschweiss@juno.com in Omaha and is owner of DAVE DITTMER , MA, is a captain Safe & Sound Home with the U.S. Navy and writes: “Still in Modifications, a company London serving with NATO's Maritime that enables seniors and disabled to Command … will retire from the Navy live comfortably in their home. It is after 30 years in May 2012 and will five years old in 2012. be searching for a job in the corporate Rick@SafeAndSoundHM.com world — maybe back in Nebraska. Happy New Year!” dlkmdit@aol.com HILLARY TRIPP jzw@ao.com

(WEGENER) LUTON,

bgs, lives in Spring Lake, N.C., and is a lieutenant colonel In the U.S. Army serving as the

class notes

THERESA GABRIEL, BSBA, writes: “I was

elected the Platte County Treasurer in November of 2010 and took office in January of 2011. My husband, Leonard, and I live in Columbus, Neb., in a home we (he) built. We are members of a square dance club, and we fly a power parachute, which is an experimental aircraft.”

and a very comprehensive test of knowledge, skills and abilities in the public relations field. I stay connected to UNO, and occasionally get invited to return to campus to share about my career post-graduation. My message to students usually includes points on the value of networking, the importance of internships, and how a degree from UNO is one of the best bargains around.” kalmarhoon@nchsfoundation.org

BRIAN RIDDER , mba, was

appointed vice president of sales with Omaha company Benaissance, the leading provider of Software as a Service (SaaS) and single point individual subscriber billing solutions for health insurance exchanges, national benefit administrators and health plans. Ridder also is an adjunct professor at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

KATHLEEN AL-MARHOON, BS,

lives in Omaha and is the marketing and public relations manager for the Nebraska Children’s Home Society Foundation, where she develops integrated marketing communications plans for the society’s programs and foundation’s fundraising initiatives. In 2011 she was elected president of the Public Relations Society of America, Nebraska Chapter, a 185-member organization of professional communicators. In April 2011 she earned her accreditation in public relations. She writes: “I remember my professors and our commencement speaker telling us to commit to being a lifelong learner. Earning my accreditation included a yearlong study process, an oral presentation and evaluation by accredited peers,

ISABELLE CHERNEY, mba, lives

in Omaha and is associate dean of the Graduate School and University College at Creighton University, where she is a professor of psychology. She also is director of Creighton’s new interdisciplinary Ed.D. program in leadership. cherneyi@creighton.edu

DAVID K. ROBINSON, BGS, lives in Antioch, Calif.,

and in May 2011 received his master’s degree in organization development at the University of San Francisco. He works for Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare organization in Oakland, Calif. dkrobinson@comcast.net

receive the Friedrich Gerstäcker Travel Grant, sponsored by the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation in Berlin, Germany. The grant supports travel to Germany in 2012. Brennan teaches German at Millard North Middle School in Omaha.

TODD DAGANAAR , ba, lives in

kschweiss@juno.com

Omaha and writes: “I own and operate Nebraska Home Appliance now. We do appliance repair and parts sales. I married Elise Brazeal in October of 2010, and we're expecting a daughter in April.” todd@nhaparts.com

JEFF KURRUS, ma, has published

RICHARD UBER , BGS, is a second

Have You Seen Mary? a children's picture book about a sandhill crane's faithful search for his lost mate during migration in Nebraska. The book is illustrated by the photographs of internationally acclaimed and Nebraska-native Michael Forsberg. Kurrus is an associate editor for NEBRASKAland Magazine

lieutenant with the U.S. Air Force. He writes: “After completing my MS in math at Texas A&M, I am working as an operations research analyst at Air Education and Training Command headquarters in San Antonio. I hope to pursue a Ph.D. at AFIT in 2013.

Jeff.Kurrus@nebraska.gov

ANGIE KRITENBRINK , MA, lives in Seattle, and

writes that she is working as the risk financing analyst for the University of WashingtonSeattle. She volunteers as the communications director for Seattle Persian and Himalayan Rescue. She's been married to Colin Maguire since 2004. akritenbrink@gmail.com

STEPHANIE KIDD, MA, lives in Omaha and has been named director of Student Services and Career Development for Omaha School of Massage & Healthcare.

richard.uber@neo.tamu.edu

WILLIAM SCOTT, BSBA, lives in

Omaha and is a freelance graphic designer. His company, Scott Creative, has helped numerous small businesses in the Omaha metro area and beyond with their unique visual communications needs. Scott also has served as an ad hoc professor in UNO's marketing department, where he has helped educate marketing students about basic graphic design principles. He and his wife, Sarah, celebrated their fourth anniversary this past July. They have a 2-year-old daughter, Addison, and a second child is due in May.

Jeff.Kurrus@nebraska.gov

WENDY BRENNAN, BS,

lives in Omaha and in 2011 was awarded the Outstanding German Educator Award (K-8 level) from the American Association of Teachers of German. Recipients are nominated by their colleagues in recognition of service to the language teaching profession; participation in professional organizations; contribution to German language education; and continued growth as a German educator. Outstanding German Educator award winners also

GARY BECK , MA, lives in Omaha and writes: “In August, I defended my dissertation entitled ‘Investigation of the Relationship Between Achievement Emotions and Academic Performance in Medical Students.’ My doctorate is in psychology, specialty of educational psychology, from Capella University.”

gbeck@unmc.edu

in memoriam Alumni 1955 Jerree Lee Downes Kiplin 1962 Richard L. Butler 1972 Cynthia Pesek 1974 Bessie Ellington 1975 Laurence Lillvik

class notes

JEFFREY WYATT, bs,

lives in Omaha and writes that he joined Colliers International in 2011 after working with Noddle Development Company in Omaha for several years. His areas of concentration include the leasing and sales of commercial office and investment properties. His background in financial modeling, real estate and understanding of the local market allows him to assist clients during complex real estate transactions.

INGRID VAN BLERK , BS,

lives in Omaha and writes: “I am in my fourth year of teaching kindergarten at Westgate Elementary. I received my master of education in curriculum and instruction from Doane College in May 2011.”

CLARK RUBY lives in

Omaha and writes: “I was promoted to chief financial officer at Behaven Kids overseeing two company-owned locations as well as franchised jeffrey.wyatt@colliers.com locations. Behaven Kids offers a range of behavioral health services that give KENT KRAUSE, MA, writes: “I've all children and families hope and returned from working in Australia, help, including the Specialized Day now set up in Ohio working with specialty airfield lighting applications. Program, counseling, child behavior coaching, training/workshops, parenting books and more.” clarksruby@gmail.com

LORAINE ELLIS

is a sales associate with Enterprise Publishing Company.

loraine@enterprisepub.com

at M’s Media & Design, and contact me at megdschmitz@gmail.com for your save the dates, company promotions or extravagant events — we've got you covered.” megdschmitz@gmail.com

Steve Sherwood, MA,

lives in Manhattan, Kansas, and is working on his Ph.D. at Kansas State.

stevesherwood80@hotmail.com

MEGAN SCHMITZ, BA, lives in Omaha and writes: “I am currently pursuing a master’s degree at UNO in public administration. I recently accepted a position at UNO as the dual enrollment admissions counselor and am excited to continue my journey with such a great community. I have continued my personal design and social media pursuits through M’s Media & Design. Fan us on Facebook

CHRISTA DIVIS, MBA, moved to

Seattle as part of a change in job for her husband. “Since moving, I have passed the CPA examination and am in the process of receiving my license. I would love to hear from my classmates and alumni!” cdivis@unomaha.edu VINCE MANCUSO lives in Omaha and

writes: “Through studying under great professors and instructors such as Dr. Lisa Knopp, Charles Johanningsmeier and Jody Keisner, I honed and built up my writing abilities, which are now used in writing for local newspapers. As a staff writer for the Papillion Times, the skills of deep research, attention to detail and focused curiosity gained from the Creative Nonfiction department not only help me in journalism, but also make my articles stand out. In addition to the skills and talents I developed as a student, certain thoughts and practices developed in me as an individual. For instance, Johanningsmeier provided different critical views on literature, but challenged us to apply it to many other aspects of life. The easiest and most memorable example is movies. Applying this mode of thought completely changed the way I saw some of my favorite movies as a child. ‘Fox and the Hound’ will never be the same. In short, I am incredibly thankful for my time at UNO. To be honest, I never thought I would ever admit that, but there it is; the UNO Creative Nonfiction department was a great experience.” vmancuso@unomaha.edu

MAYA DOGHMAN, BSBA, lives

in Omaha and on Dec. 31 married a fellow UNO graduate at the Thompson Alumni Center.

class notes Leighton Olivia John Francis Schneider Bousum, daughter of Jeremy and Katarina Clare and Nicole (Render, ’02) Bousum Schneider , son and daughter of Todd and Susanna (’02) of Omaha. Schneider of Omaha. Donovan Rodriguez ,

future ALUMS

Submit a birth announcement (within 1 year of birth) and we’ll send you a certificate and an Ador-A-Bull T-shirt. Include baby’s name, date of birth, parents’ or grandparents’ names and graduation year(s). Mail to UNO Magazine, 67th & Dodge Streets, Omaha, NE 68182-0010 or online at www.unoalumni/futurealums

CLASS NOTES

son of Marisol (Uribe, ’07) and Marcos (’04) Rodriguez of Omaha.

Elijah Piper Story, son of Dottie and Stephen (’06) Story of Macon, Ga.

Warren Thomas Rushing IV, son of Angela (Leonardo, ’04) and Clint (’01) Rushing of Omaha and grandson of Warren T. (’75) Rushing of Omaha.

Samantha Joyce Freeman, daughter of Michael and Kelly (Salvatori, ’96) Freeman of Papillion, Neb.

Jackman Henry Weir , son of Sarah (Hurt, ’06) and Mina Belle Adler , Joshua (’03) Weir of Waterloo, daughter of Yuka and Craig (’05) Neb., and grandson of Frank Adler of Omaha. (’72; deceased) and Elizabeth Charlotte Elizabeth Breeding Hurt (’71) of Omaha. Jones, daughter of Audrey and Blake Ryan Curtis, son of Jerrad (’06) Jones of Chicago. Lisa (Lane) and Ryan (’06) Curtis Colton Timothy Akers, of Omaha.

son of Adam and Nikki (Lindley, Jyllian Lana ’08) Akers of Henderson, Nev. Panyapinitnugoon, daughter of May Yeow (’03) and Boonyot Panyapinitnugoon (’04) of Omaha.

Class Year: Degree:

E-mail: News:

Harmony Rose Thompson, daughter of Andrew and Jacquelyn Serflaten Thompson of Omaha. Jordan Richard Bailey and Jace Alexander Bailey, twin boys of Justin Bailey and Destiny Watkins (’10) of Lenexa, Kansas. Kyson William Zagurski, son of Stacie (Tesnohlidek, ’02) and Mark (’96) Zagurski of Omaha. Serena A. Weland, daughter of William and Ingrid (Clifford, ’00) Weland of Omaha. Elaine Louise Karas, daughter of Clinton and Natalie (’09) Karas of Oakland, Iowa.

May we post your e-mail address in the next UNO Magazine?

Last name while a student:

City/State/Zip:

Thomas Edward Koziol , son of Amanda and Thomas (’11) Koziol of Omaha.

What have you been doing since graduating from UNO? Your fellow alumni would like to know! We welcome personal and professional updates and photographs for Class Notes. Send your news to Class Notes Editor, UNO Magazine, 67th & Dodge Streets, Omaha, NE 68182-0010; fax to (402) 554-3787; submit online at www.unoalumni.org/classnote

Name:

Address:

Nathan Dean Sandquist, son of Janice and Eric (’07) Sandquist of Omaha.

Phone:

Yes No

for fun

StickElers Test your brainpower with these puzzles created by UNO graduate Terry Stickels (’76). An author, speaker and puzzle maker, Stickels’ FRAME GAMES is published by USA Weekend magazine and in 600 newspapers. For more information on Stickels, or to order any of his books, visit www.terrystickels.com

Visual

What number goes in the last box?

Logic

Eight hours ago it was six hours before there would be 3/4 of the day already gone. (The day starts at 12 a.m.). What time is it now?

Mathematics

At a reception, 1/6 of the guests departed at a certain time. Later, 2/5 of the remaining guests departed. Even later, 3/4 of those guests departed. If 15 people were left, how many were originally at the party?

Puzzles taken from “The Big Brain Puzzle Book,” created by Terry Stickels for the Alzheimer’s Association

Wordplay

Answers Visual: 3. The sums of the diagonals are equal.

The words and phrases below are all anagrams of famous authors. Here is an example: RACE NINE = Anne Rice. Now decipher these author anagrams: COWARDS LIE

Wordplay: Oscar Wilde, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), Allen Ginsburg, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens

HO! EDITORS GLEE

Mathematics: 120. When 1/6 left, 5/6 of the people remained. When 2/5 left, 5/6 of 3/5 remained. When 3/4 of the remaining people left, then of 5/6 of 3/5 of 1/4 remained (15/120).

ENGRAING BULLS NEW-THEN IMAGERY

SEARCH SLICK END

Scarlet Tanager

Logic: It is 8 p.m. Eight hours ago it was noon. Six hours later it would e 6 pm. 18 hours of the day have passed by 6 pm, which is 3/4 of the day.

American Robin

Common Yellowthroat

Mallard Duck

Indigo Bunting

Purple Martin

Making sure our colors don’t fade. Every day, proceeds from the Nebraska Lottery, directed to the Nebraska Environmental Trust, are being used to improve and preserve the natural habitats of hundreds of bird species from every color of the spectrum. We want to make sure future generations of Nebraskans can look up and see skies full of color. To learn more, go to nelottery.com and click on “Beneficiaries.” Must be 19. Please play responsibly. Compulsive Gambling Help Line: 800-GAMBLER.

You know what a degree from the University of Nebraska can do. Now imagine the possibilities with an advanced degree. Earn yours online at online.nebraska.edu.

Connect to your potential. UNO Programs Include: Political Science Creative Writing Education Urban Studies

Information Assurance Nonprofit Management Public Administration Family Service Administration And More

速

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UNO Magazine is the flagship publication of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is published three times a year. It is mailed to all UNO graduates and to community leaders in and out of Nebraska. Please share your copy with anyone who might benefit from the work of our great university.