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Hand sanitizer for health care produced at Nebraska Innovation Campus

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is partnering with the Nebraska ethanol industry to produce hand sanitizer for use by hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices and other health care providers in Nebraska and nearby areas.

After a successful initial run April 5 at the Food Processing Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus, the partners completed their first full day of production April 6.

Jan tenBensel, chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, directs Russell Parde as nonflammable ingredients are mixed inside the Food Innovation Center. The ingredients are mixed with the ethanol under stringent safety rules. Hand sanitizer is being made at Nebraska Innovation Campus through a collaboration between the Food Innovation Center and the Nebraska Ethanol Board.

Nebraska U makers step up to equip healers

Nebraska Innovation Studio is closed to the public, but its leaders and members are working around the clock to produce face shields for hospitals across the state.

Personal protective equipment shortages have been well documented throughout the United States as COVID-19 has spread rapidly. That trend is also hitting Nebraska, where hospitals are starting to run short.

Jerry Reif, shop manager at Nebraska Innovation Studio, works on a laser to cut clear plastic sheeting for face shields. The face shields are being assembled for hospitals in Nebraska in response to COVID-19.

Celerion expands clinical research to Nebraska Innovation Campus

Nebraska Innovation Campus has announced a new partner. Dan Duncan, NIC’s executive director, said Celerion is moving into space on the first level of the Rise Building, NIC’s newest building, this month.

Celerion is moving into space on the first level of the Rise Building on Nebraska Innovation Campus this month.

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.

UNL News Releases

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