Though the work of the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) at the University of Nebraska (NU) seems complex, its value over the two years covered by this report is seen in simplicity — respond, advance, deliver. As a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), designated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command and NU, NSRI strives to create a bridge from the possibilities of science and research to the realities faced by the Nation’s warfighters and decision makers. Since its founding in 2012, the institute has steadily enhanced its ability to swiftly initiate research and development, ensuring readiness for action on the battlefield, during emergencies and in real-time situations.
During this reporting period, national defense priorities and strategies evolved greatly and so did the projects we tackled. In total, the institute and its partners across NU executed on 65 active projects for 33 customers. The growth of NSRI-related research activity resulted in a record-setting revenue of $23.9 million in fiscal year 2024 and a total of $150 million of executed research all time. To fulfill our sponsors’ requirements, the institute expanded facilities and programs in several areas of research, such as joint electromagnetic spectrum operations, advanced sequencing and chemical defense.
In the summer of 2023, the institute redrew its mission, vision and core values, igniting the refinement of its goals and strategies to serve new needs while remaining true to its ultimate purpose: research and development to protect those who protect us all.
As a system-wide NU institute, NSRI is uniquely positioned to harness the intellectual and technical capacity of 16,000 faculty and staff and 50,000 students across four campuses. We channel the immense potential of a Carnegie Research 1, Big Ten Academic Alliance institution, a medical center and thriving urban and rural campuses toward defenserelated problem sets, and we partner with several NU national security assets for force multiplication.
This report tells a story of industry and passion that should increase confidence in the United States’ ability to protect itself. In the following pages, read about 27 featured projects and their impacts for advancing preparedness, mitigation and response across the threat spectrum — chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE). From tailored solutions and thought leadership to improving rapid response capabilities and optimizing data and skills, NSRI demonstrated its value as a premier research institute for U.S. government agencies charged with spearheading and executing the strategic deterrence and countering weapons of mass destruction missions.
Fundamental to all of the accomplishments outlined in this report are NSRI’s people: longstanding and new staff within the institute; 156 NSRI Fellows and hundreds of NU faculty just learning about the value of their UARC; long-time DOD collaborators and new USG contacts; NU and community partners. Our institute is grateful for the contributions and insights of all. In particular, we are continually energized by the participation of students, several of whom are featured in this report.
The NSRI team is proud to serve in the capacities represented by this report, and we hope readers feel called to join us as we work with our protectors to proactively deter, rapidly respond to and safely mitigate the ever-changing threats to our Nation.
