Federally-Funded Projects
AgVets: Putting the Pieces Together- Diversified Farms
AgVets is a project led by the Center for Rural Affairs and funded by the USDA. This project is designed to provide training for military veterans who want to work in agriculture.
MERC supports this project through evaluative data collection with each cohort of participants.
Clients: Kirstin Bailey, Center for Rural Affairs
Funder: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Status: Active
CAREER: An Integrated Geophysical Approach to Research and Education to Solve the Tectonic Puzzle of the Northern Atlantic
This grant works to reconstruct the tectonic history of the Northern Atlantic seabed to better understand the timing and processes that created the area.
MERC supports this grant through program evaluation.
Clients: Irina Filina
Funder: National Science Foundation (CAREER)
Status: Active
CAREER: Characterization of the rate-dependent mechanical behavior of the cell-cell adhesion interface
This project supports research to characterize the mechanical behavior of single cell-cell adhesions. Cell-cell adhesions integrate cells into tissues. They relay signals between the extracellular environment and cells. They also experience strains of different magnitudes and rates. Currently, there is a lack of understanding about the strain rate-dependent behavior of the cell-cell adhesion.
MERC supports this project through the evaluation of their broader impacts activities.
Clients: Ruiguo Yang
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: Characterizing the Mechanobiological Response of Endothelial Cells to Ultrasound
This project measures how endothelial cells respond to mechanical stimuli from ultrasound, as well as if ultrasound can promote normal cell function.
MERC supports Dr. Pedrigi's project with course and workshop evaluations, feedback from students, and annual tracking of outputs and activities.
Clients: Ryan Pedrigi
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: Deciphering Sorghum Resistance Mechanisms to Phloem-Feeding Aphids
This project is conducted to analyze and understand plant resistivity to insects. It also includes an REU supplement.
MERC provides evaluation support for this program through formative feedback and the assessment of impacts.
Clients: Joe Louis
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: Dissecting a Metabolically Versatile Non-Model Bacterium's Lignin-Derived Compound Catabolism
This project investigates the potential causal factors behind a microbe’s ability to adapt to a wide range of conditions (e.g., presence/absence of oxygen) and carbon sources (e.g., compounds derived from lignin).
MERC supports this project with evaluation of Dr. Saha's broader impacts activities.
Clients: Rajib Saha
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: Establishing the Roles of Multi-enzyme Complexes in Metabolic Network Regulation
This grant works to characterize multi-enzyme complexes as part of metabolic processes.
MERC supports this project by evaluating the outreach and education activities.
Clients: Toshihiro Obata
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: Extracellular Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Oxide Detection and Quantification Via Biocompatible Carbon Nanotubes
Dr. Iverson is working to advance the understanding of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in cell signaling. Her education and outreach efforts focus on increasing understanding of nanotechnology and sensors, and enhancing science communication.
MERC supports this grant through program evaluation.
Clients: Nicole Iverson
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: Non-photochemical C4 Grasses
Dr. Katarzyna Glowacka's grant focuses on understanding non-photochemical quenching under chilling in the warm-season C4 grasses.
MERC evaluates this grant by tracking participants, outputs, dissemination activities, and assisting with surveys. Further evaluation includes interviews and focus groups with participants in courses, field activities, as well as tracking conferences and mentorship activities.
Clients: Katarzyna (Kasia) Glowacka
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: RNA tertiary contact formation
This project aims to understand how tertiary contacts form in RNA structure. Tertiary contacts are the “glue” of RNA structure allowing them to form complex 3D structures. This project will decipher the rules of their formation, ultimately generating the first predictive model of tertiary contact formation.
MERC supports Dr. Yesselman's work with course/workshop evaluations and data collection with students and project leadership on their progress towards goals.
Clients: Joseph Yesselman
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: U-series Modeling
Dr. Lynne Elkins' grant focuses on multi-lithologic melting in the earth's mantle.
MERC supports this grant through the evaluation of courses and events, and interviews with educators, faculty, and participating students.
Clients: Lynne Elkins
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
CAREER: Unraveling predictive and multiscale dynamics in turbulence for flow control
Dr. Jae Sung Park works to advance energy-saving flow-control strategies, and advance workforce training around tubulence and flow control.
MERC supports Dr. Park's grant through evaluation of education and outreach activities.
Clients: Jae Sung Park
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
DUE: Development and Research on Engaging Smartphone Simulations in Introductory College Astronomy
This project aimed to produce a suite of validated, high quality Computational Creativity Exercises (CCEs) and an associated computational creativity course.
MERC conducted an independent outside review of evaluation methods, data collection instruments, data analyses, and findings and provided a report of final results and recommendations based on these results.
Clients: Kevin Lee
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
IRES Track I: At the Frontier of Big Climate, Disaster Capitalism, and Endangered Cultural Heritage in Barbuda, Lesser Antilles
This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) grant provides an immersive field and laboratory experience on the Caribbean island of Barbuda. Students will assess cultural heritage sites and provide baseline measurement for an environment at risk from weather and disaster opportunists.
MERC supports this project with pre- and post-involvement data collection with the cohorts of graduate students, project leadership, and tracking of outputs and activities during the life of the grant.
Clients: Sophia Perdikaris
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
IRES Track I: Portable Point-of-Care Testing Device for Pathogen Detection
This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) grant provides opportunities for students to develop portable point-of-care testing for the detection of infectious diseases at a Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT) in Japan.
MERC supports this project with pre- and post-surveys, focus groups with participants, and data collection from leadership, supplying formative and summative results.
Clients: Sangjin Ryu
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
IUSE: Cell Collective in Education
This project aims to determine the factors that motivates instructors to use computation modeling in undergraduate life sciences and how does those lessons helps the students to learn
Clients: Tomas Helikar
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
IUSE: Improving Undergraduate STEM Self-efficacy and STEM Communication Across the Disciplines
This project is funded by the National Science Foundation via Simpson College. It is dedicated to improving undergraduate data science education, as well as preparing more students for careers in data science, through an innovative data analytics minor combining data science and communication skills. MERC supports this project by evaluating the impact of teacher professional development and innovative teaching pedagogy on student self-efficacy, competency, and communication skills.
Client: Marilyn Vazquez and Heidi Berger
Funder: Simpson College, National Science Foundation
Status: Active
ORCC: Evaluating the effect of predation on thermal adaptation in response to climate change
Focusing on how species adapt to climate change, this project studies change in organisms related to predator-prey dynamics and thermal changes. The team evaluates whether thermal performance curves (or how temperature is related biological processes) are useful in predicting the impact of climate change.
MERC supports this grant with pre- and post-event data collection, and formative and summative evaluation.
Clients: John DeLong and Kristi Montooth
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
Planning Grant: Connecting Our Unit through Relationships and Allyships in Geoscience (COURAGE)
The goal of this grant is to transform the culture of the geoscience community by broadening participation of graduate students who come from historically underrepresented or marginalized communities in geoscience (HUCG) and building community partnerships for future community-based research that contributes to solutions to the complex environmental and societal challenges imposed by climate change.
MERC supports this project with a summative evaluation of change over the course of the grant.
Clients: Leilani Arthurs
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
REU: Minority Health Disparities Summer Research Program
This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program provides an intensive research experience focused on community-engaged methods for conducting health equity research. Each summer involves a new cohort of high performing undergraduate students who work with mentors over the course of ten weeks, as well a professional development activities organized by the Office of Graduate Studies.
Clients: Trey Andrews
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
REU: Sustainability of Horizontal Civil Networks in Rural Areas
This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program provides an intensive research experience in sustainable civil infrastructure for rural areas for high-performing undergraduate students. Each summer involves a new cohort of students who work with mentors over the course of ten weeks, as well a professional development activities organized by the Office of Graduate Studies. This is the second REU grant awarded to Dr. Bartelt Hunt.
Clients: Shannon Bartelt-Hunt
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
Statewide Family Network Program Grant Evaluation
The Statewide Family Network Program provides resources to enhance the capacity of statewide mental health family-controlled organizations to engage with family members/primary caregivers who are raising children, youth, and young adults with serious emotional disturbance and/or co-occurring disorders.
MERC supports this project through data collection and formative and summative evaluation.
Clients: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Nebraska
Funders: SAMHSA
Status: Active
Understanding Host, Microbial, Environmental, and Management Factors towards Methane Mitigation
This project aims to understand genetic, management, diet, and microbial relationships to develop science-based dietary and management intervention strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emission from cattle.
MERC supports this project with data collection for participants of outreach activities and with project personnel.
Clients: Paul Kononoff
Funders: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Status: Active
Zhang BCSER
This project is dedicated to providing training and assistance with different analytical softwares, with a focus on qualitative analysis.
Clients: Jing Zhang
Funder: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Status: Active
State-Funded Projects
1906 Racial Profiling Data Review and Analysis
This project explores disparities in traffic stops based on the perceived race of the person being stopped. MERC is working with the Highway Safety Office to collect and analyze data on traffic stops in Nebraska.
Funder: Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT)
Status: Active
2320/2304 Innovative State and Local Public Health Strategies to Prevent and Manage Diabetes and Heart Disease and Stroke Grant
The Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Program (CDPCP) at the NE Department of Health and Human Services was awarded a 2320/2304 Innovative State and Local Public Health Strategies to Prevent and Manage Diabetes and Heart Disease and Stroke Grant.
MERC works with Partners for Insightful Evaluation (a Lincoln-based evaluation shop) and the CDPCP Epidemiology/Evaluation team on the two Category A strategies and two Category B strategies, including evaluation and performance measure monitoring.
Clients: Jamie Hahn
Funder: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NEDHHS)
Block Grant Evaluation
The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) at the NE Department of Health and Human Services receives funds from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for prevention and treatment for substance abuse through a Block Grant. Nebraska is divided into six (sub state) Regional Behavioral Health Authorities or “Regions” serving as quasi-governmental agencies with which DBH contracts for community-based treatment and prevention services. DBH sub grants the Prevention Block Grant funding through the six Regions to allocate their awards in their regions.
Clients: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NEDHHS)
Funder: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NEDHHS)
Partnerships for Success
This project aimed to reduce problems related to underage drinking by preventing the onset and reducing underage drinking among Nebraskans aged 12 to 20.
MERC has supported this project by conducting outcome and PFS evaluation through two rounds of this Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant awarded to the Division of Behavioral Health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and is now continuing forward with the third.
Clients: NE DHHS Division of Behavioral Health
Funder: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Internally-Funded Projects
Binek Grand Challenges
This project is funded by UNL Grand Challenges funding and focuses on how quantum science can be applied to various global issues, including our planet's changing energy needs, developing sustainable agriculture, combatting climate change, and improving the public's knowledge of quantum science. MERC supports this grant through program and project evaluation.
Clients: Christian Binek and Susan Hermiller
Funder: UNL Grand Challenges
Status: Active
Reddish Mediation Survey
Drs. Linda Reddish and Jessica Groskopf are interested in understanding family farm divorce resources, such as what (and how much) is available, who is doing this work, and training around these resources.
MERC supports this project through survey development and analysis.
Clients: Linda Reddish
Status: Active
Summer Research Program
Every year, the UNL Office of Graduate Studies provides guidance and structure for the various Summer Research Programs (SRP) that happen at UNL. Most SRPs are NSF or USDA grant funded, and create opportunities for undergraduates who are interested in research to work alongside with graduate students on research study.
Clients: Office of Graduate Studies
Status: Active
Widespread Engagement using the Biology of Spiders
Dr. Eileen Hebets' research focuses on experiential science communication and engagement. The WEBS project is a collaborative effort across the NU campuses to pursue further funding to help advance knowledge in sciences. Further, WEBS aims to increase positive attitudes towards spiders.
MERC supports this work with evaluation of students events.
Clients: Eileen Hebets
Funder: NU Collaborative Seed