Since 2021, the University of Nebraska System (NU) has invested in research and development projects to address the National Strategic Research Institute’s (NSRI) mission and most-critical customer challenges. In this reporting period, eight projects were awarded through the University of Nebraska Collaboration Initiative (NUCI) and seven were completed. NU’s ongoing investment in ideas from NU researchers demonstrates its dedication to not only meeting current needs but forging ahead with foresight. Following are summaries of two ongoing impacts from this investment.
Deterrence remains the most important element of the U.S. nuclear strategy, but for the first time in history, the U.S. must deter two nuclear-armed peer adversaries — Russia and China. This project aimed to extend game theory and agent-based modeling to the new tripolar dynamic. Insights gained can help decision makers understand how individuals, groups and nations may interact when engaging with one another. Data generated from the project has been presented at two national economic meetings and will be featured in an upcoming journal publication.
Pictured Above: Game theory examination of armed conflict considers the movement of warfighting assets.
This project advanced to development an agent that can be administered either prior to or following viral exposure to prevent illnesses such as COVID-19. This particular anti-infective therapy is distinct because it has the potential to be self-administered as a nasal spray. The project led to a follow-on NUCI project, and the team presented at the CWMD/MCDC: 2024 Winter Medical & WMD Countermeasure Symposium. The team is now working on a patent application and publication.
Pictured Above: Stock image
To connect the DOD with the resources, capabilities and capacity it needs from NU, NSRI bonds with key partners across the four NU campuses, hosting events, launching strategic initiatives and amplifying one another’s impacts. Following are some of NSRI’s critical partners from this reporting period.
Housed at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, NCITE is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence involving more than 50 experts from partner institutions across the U.S. and Europe. NCITE collaborators aim to innovate, educate and create new terrorism prevention strategies while building a workforce pipeline in the STEM and homeland security fields. NSRI contributed to an NCITE project this period, and several NCITE researchers serve as NSRI Fellows.
Pictured Above: NSRI Fellows and interns with organization leaders at the 2024 ENVISION Conference hosted by NCITE, Omaha, Nebraska.
The Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is a culmination of 20 years of persistence, planning and training at UNMC to build emergency preparedness capacity. Several center researchers serve as NSRI Fellows, and NSRI partnered with the center and the UNMC office of research to exhibit at the 2023 Military Health System Research Symposium (pictured).
NSRI’s food, agriculture and environment security (FAES) focus area would not be possible without the leadership and intellectual capacity of IANR at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. IANR brings wide-ranging expertise from nearly every level of food and agriculture production as well as environmental disciplines. It is a worldwide leader in research related to precision agriculture and ag tech; integrated cropping and water; food processing; agricultural economics; beef production; and resilience of agricultural working landscapes, among many other disciplines.
Pictured Above: Dr. Mike Boehm, vice president and vice chancellor of agriculture and natural resources, provides a welcome at the March 2023 FAES launch workshop with 60 faculty in attendance.
