New IANR faculty tour state

August 16, 2016

Lincoln, Neb. — On Aug. 10-11 new faculty from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska­–Lincoln traveled across the state as part of the IANR Roads Scholar Tour. The tour included stops at UNL research and extension facilities, the world’s largest railroad classification yard and a hydroplant.

The annual tour, first held in 2008, helps new faculty learn more about the variety of resources that can be found across Nebraska. The tour also provides new hires the opportunity to meet innovative people in the region.

Nicole Iverson is an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at UNL. Along with her research focused on carbon nanotube sensors and their reactions during disease progression, Iverson will be teaching an introductory biological systems engineering class this fall. The Roads Scholar Tour was a great opportunity to learn from others at IANR and what resources are available to her across the state.

“It has been a fun experience to meet so many people passionate about their work,” Iverson said. “It’s amazing to discover what I don’t know and on this tour I’ve learned a lot about water, soil and food that I can share with my students this fall.”

Raising Nebraska was one of Iverson’s favorite tour stops. The agricultural exhibit located on the Nebraska State fairgrounds in Grand Island helped new faculty and staff understand the abundant opportunities agriculture provides to the state. The space includes an interactive house showing how farmers put food on the table, a theatre inside of a grain bin showcasing short films about Nebraska agriculture, a virtual combine ride and an outdoor educational landscape shaped like the state of Nebraska, with a variety crops, plants, trees and grasses positioned in the areas of the state in which they are prevalent.

Other tour stops included the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead; the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte; Golden Spike Tower in North Platte; N-CORPE Water Project near North Platte; Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis; Central Public Power and Irrigation District’s J-1 Hydroplant at Johnson Lake; South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center; and Glacial Till Vineyard near Palmyra.

This was the third Roads Scholar Tour for Agricultural Research Division Dean, Archie Clutter.

“Each year I learn something new on the IANR Roads Scholar Tour. The new friendships and knowledge gained are extremely valuable,” Clutter said.

Faculty and staff on the tour represented teaching, research and extension and came from the departments of agronomy and horticulture; biochemistry; biological systems engineering; the Center for Biotechnology; food science and technology; IANR Media; nutrition and health sciences; plant pathology; School of Natural Resources; statistics; and textiles, merchandising and fashion design.