UNL News Releases

News – UNL News Releases

Innovation Studio matches makers with project requests

It started as a trickle, but as Nebraska Innovation Studio’s reputation grew, David Martin found himself fielding more and more requests.

“I was getting consistent calls asking if we could make something,” said Martin, director of Innovation Studio. “The word got out that we have incredibly talented makers that can do a lot of different things.

Carly Brotherson pulls sock blocks from the laser cutter at Nebraska Innovation Studio Nov. 25. Brotherson made the sock blocks for a yarn store, which requested the project through the new 'Request a Maker' button, which matches makers to projects.

Faculty-led startup takes aim at improving gut health

Nebraska faculty have founded a university spin-off company, Synbiotic Health, to develop a combination of beneficial gut bacteria and the fuel that feeds them.

Bob Hutkins, Khem Shahani Professor of Food Science and Technology, is a member of the recently formed university spin-off company Synbiotic Health.

Nebraska program helps guard against food allergens

When Nebraska’s Steve Taylor founded the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program nearly 25 years ago — with the support of seven companies — he couldn’t have anticipated what came next.

Faculty and graduate students from the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program include (from left) Melanie Downs, Shimin Chen, Bini Ramachandran, Steve Taylor, Joe Baumert, Abigail Burrows, Wanying Cao and Lee Palmer.

Innovation Studio readying metal shop, complete redesign

When Nebraska Innovation Studio opened in 2015, it was a pre-eminent makerspace unlike anything else in the state — and it’s only getting better.

By the end of 2019, NIS will boast a metal shop, larger instant prototyping inventory and larger woodshop, among other improvements.

A new classroom for groups has been completed. NIS Director David Martin said the classroom opened in May and has welcomed school groups, a Solid Works hobby group and the Native Youth Summer Academy.

Nebraska Innovation Studio Shop Manager Jerry Reif works with a virtual welder to calibrate it. The virtual welders will be available to train aspiring welders.

Nebraska Innovation Studio, extension helping communities transform libraries

Back in 2012, Beatrice Public Library leaders and stakeholders had an eye toward the future as they drew up plans for a building renovation. Among the ideas was an area to house a makerspace.

“Some in the public hadn’t heard of this concept, so we ended up not having the full space,” library director Laureen Riedesel said. “We do have a 3-D printer and computers set up there, and our idea is to let it evolve and as people become aware of what we have, they’d ask for machines that we could add.”

Max Wheeler (pointing to computer screen), NIS instructional designer, leads a training for Library Innovation Studios May 22.

Veterans group turns to Innovation Studio for fellowship, therapy

Every Thursday afternoon, the Nebraska Innovation Studio machine shop lathes are circled by a group of veterans learning and honing their woodturning skills.

The hands-on lessons also double as therapy sessions.

Woodturning is a simple task, but requires concentration. That focus quiets thoughts the veterans may be struggling with, said Jim Young, a Vietnam War veteran and founder of the Veterans in Recovery program.

Bryan Jones of Lincoln, a veteran of the United States Navy, uses a lathe in Nebraska Innovation Studio.

Lee Schon turns a pen tube on a lathe during a Veterans in Recovery meeting at Nebraska Innovation Studio.

David Key and Richard Schaefer work on a lathe at Nebraska Innovation Studio during a Veterans in Recovery meeting.

Intensive English course gives science and engineering students hands-on experience

Taught by lecturer Carol Ochsner, “English for Science and Engineering” course offers international students a chance to improve their language skills with hands-on learning experiences across the UNL and Lincoln communities. Moving beyond classroom instruction, students participate in various activities closely related to their field of study so they can practice contextualized language skills through project-based experience.

“It takes a village with Adobe Illustrator.” Students surround a computer during their Innovation Studio class, practicing language skills and gaining hands-on experience for their studies.

Hagel, Kerrey hopeful for the return of bipartisan politics

Chuck Hagel and Bob Kerrey openly admit that they didn’t always agree while serving as U.S. senators for Nebraska. Yet the two were able to set their differences aside to serve the interests of the people.

That kind of compromise is lacking in Washington today, they told an overflow crowd during the first Heuermann Lecture of the season Oct. 22 at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The free lecture was sponsored by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Chuck Hagel and Bob Kerrey, former senators for Nebraska, discussed civil discourse and its impact on the state's future during the first Heuermann Lecture of the season Oct. 22 at Nebraska Innovation Campus.

Husker alum uses art to tell veteran's story

Until Thursday, Jordan Lambrecht and Melissa Ewing had been strangers.

Now, Lambrecht is intimately familiar with Ewing’s life story, having spent two days working together at Nebraska Innovation Studio to artistically represent Ewing’s life and service in the United States military.

As Lambrecht sketched a rough draft, he explained how themes from Ewing’s story prompted his creative process.

Veteran Melissa Ewing (left), Kendra Clapp Olguin, Has Heart communications director, and Husker alum Jordan Lambrecht work on the artwork representing Ewing's life story. Behind them, on screens at Nebraska Innovation Studio, is a photograph from Ewing's tour in Afghanistan.

Innovation Studio assists stadium window upgrade

Husker fans in Memorial Stadium's club suites will get to watch the Scott Frost era kickoff with a nearly unobstructed view through new windows developed by a Lincoln company, with an assist from Nebraska Innovation Studio.

An installation crew from Glass Edge installs new window systems in the club suites of west Memorial Stadium. The windows were designed by Chad Bloomquist, who utilized resources available at Nebraska Innovation Studio to turn his idea into reality.

UNL News Releases

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