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IANR program expands undergrad opportunities for science, ag study

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IANR program expands undergrad opportunities for science, ag study


What’s a key method to construct a stronger U.S. scientific neighborhood for the long run? By increasing studying alternatives to a broad vary of college students now.

That purpose is the inspiration for a well-rounded science schooling program within the College of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Pure Sources this summer time.

The ten-week program, with the theme “Increasing Alternatives in Agricultural Sciences and Crop-to-Meals Innovation,” has introduced collectively Husker scientists and private-sector specialists to supply a wide-ranging curriculum to pick undergraduate college students from Nebraska and throughout the nation. The mission’s recruitment included traditionally Black faculties and universities, together with these created below the 1890 Second Morrill Act, to increase alternatives to underrepresented college students in science- and agriculture-related careers.

“We’ve realized the way to talk science higher and the way to suppose extra scientifically and concerning the scientific methodology,” stated Nathlita Karnley, a biology main at Fayetteville State College, an HBCU in North Carolina. “You actually find out about science and the affect of your mission. You be taught the way it’s going to profit society. It additionally will help you concerning framing what you are promoting, if you would like a enterprise.”

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Every scholar is mentored by an IANR school member. Karnley’s mentor is microbiologist Jennifer Auchtung, assistant professor of meals science and know-how.

The U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Nationwide Institute of Meals and Agriculture offered a $742,000 grant to the college for this system, referred to as Analysis and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates. IANR will host this system for 5 summers. Six college students are collaborating this summer time, and 46 will take part over the course of the program.

“Increasing alternatives is de facto necessary,” stated Ed Cahoon, George W. Holmes Professor of biochemistry and the mission’s principal investigator. “Lots of college students, particularly from HBCUs and 1890 land-grant universities, could not have the alternatives that another college students do to think about analysis as a profession.”

For among the college students, that is their first probability for centered laboratory analysis, for instance.

The nation’s scientific neighborhood can profit by working to take away among the limitations to pursuing science as a profession, stated Cahoon, director of the Middle for Plant Science Innovation.

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College students have had classes on science literacy, analysis fundamentals and science communication expertise. School and graduate college students are main mentored laboratory experiences. Periods clarify research-project commercialization and entrepreneurship. Non-public-sector specialists describe alternatives for science-focused employment in business.

This system expands instructional alternatives for “college students who suppose they is perhaps concerned about pursuing analysis, going to grad college or having a profession in agriculture and agricultural sciences,” stated Amanda Ramer-Tait, Maxcy Professor of Agriculture and Pure Sources with Nebraska’s Division of Meals Science and Expertise. “I’m excited we will present these alternatives for college students to search out out if it’s one thing that they’re passionate about.”

The classes give college students “instruments to plan a path ahead for themselves,” she stated, “and provides them the chance to see themselves as being profitable as members of the agricultural sciences neighborhood.”

Ramer-Tait is co-principal investigator for this system, together with Paul Velander, assistant professor of biochemistry and Nebraska Extension specialist.

“You’re actually increase college students, each from the very basic degree — within the moist lab area, the way to suppose via a scientific lens, science literacy — but in addition mentoring them to suppose clearly and to pursue what their pursuits are,” Velander stated. “This system additionally offers them context about science and enterprise and entrepreneurialism.”

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College students have realized about analysis commercialization and enterprise dimensions from Tom Area, director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at Nebraska; Josh Nichol-Caddy, director of know-how commercialization with the School of Enterprise Administration on the College of Nebraska at Omaha; and Matt Foley, program director at Make investments Nebraska and program director at The Mix, an ag-tech incubator.

Every Wednesday, college students have lunches through which business specialists describe science-focused professions within the personal sector. At one lunch, college students visited the genomics labs on the Neogen facility in Lincoln.

Even when college students don’t determine to pursue graduate college within the sciences, Velander stated, this system helps them see the relevance of sturdy scientific understanding throughout a variety of professions.

As well as, Velander stated, this system helps IANR graduate college students and postdoctoral researchers hone their mentoring expertise as they assist the college students.

Husker school pursued the grant partly as a result of the transdisciplinary collaboration amongst IANR departments and analysis facilities gives promising alternatives for college students to see the numerous connections amongst scientific disciplines. That dialogue started, Ramer-Tait stated, within the wake of the “many collaborations school have throughout our campus that revolve round novel improvements with meals crops and the eventual incorporation of these novel crops into novel meals merchandise that would profit human well being.”

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This system, with its “Crop-to-Meals Innovation” focus, is a collaboration among the many Middle for Plant Science Innovation, Nebraska Meals for Well being Middle, Meals Innovation Middle and Industrial Agricultural Merchandise Middle. Taking part school are from the departments of biochemistry, agronomy and horticulture, meals science and know-how, and organic programs engineering.

The summer time classes and lab expertise, Cahoon stated, are “designed to present college students the angle of the place their meals comes from, ranging from the crop going via all of the phases in between — bioprocessing, formulations, dietary analysis — and, on the finish, how a novel meals product may be developed and marketed.”

Dulcie Archuleta, a biology main at Nebraska Wesleyan College, has been inspired by her lab work, with Ramer-Tait as her mentor.

“I loved my lab a lot that I’m positively contemplating grad college at UNL,” Archuleta stated. “I actually like working in my lab and would wish to come again, in all probability, to proceed my work.”

Gannon Cole, a chemistry main at West Virginia State College, an 1890 land-grant HBCU, stated he intends to pursue graduate research and a science-related profession.

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“I do know the worth of analysis and internships that give you expertise you in any other case wouldn’t have,” stated Cole, who’s mentored by Cahoon.

Such expertise “can take you a great distance, and that’s what quite a lot of employers are likely to search for in a individual.”

This system has vital worth in offering lab expertise and connections with school and specialists, stated Shane Rice, a organic engineering main at North Carolina A&T State College, an HBCU. His program mentor is Ozan Ciftci, Kenneth E. Morrison Distinguished Professor of Meals Engineering.

Different college students in this system are Deuris Pena, a biochemistry main at Bloomfield School in New Jersey. His mentor is Thomas Clemente, Eugene W. Value Distinguished Professor of Biotechnology within the Division of Agronomy and Horticulture. WrayVauze Givens, an agricultural research main at Lincoln College, an HBCU in Missouri, is mentored by Devin Rose, professor of meals science and know-how.

The wide selection of topics addressed by the classes is necessary in giving college students a full sense of contemporary scientific inquiry and observe, Raimer-Tait stated.

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“We’re coaching the subsequent technology of scientists, and we wish to prepare them to be excellent scientists, however we additionally need them to have coaching in entrepreneurial concepts and strategies in addition to being snug speaking their science,” she stated. “That’s so necessary as we prepare the subsequent technology.”

In sum, Cahoon stated, this mission gives “a fantastic alternative to affect the lives and careers of scholars and to advertise participation of a higher variety of individuals and concepts which are wanted to resolve international challenges.”



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Nebraska

BREAKING: Nebraska flips four-star WR Nalin Scott

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BREAKING: Nebraska flips four-star WR Nalin Scott


2026 Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern four-star receiver Nalin Scott committed to Arizona State on April 28, a decision that surprised other programs in his recruitment, including Nebraska.

Nevertheless, Nebraska receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr. didn’t stop recruiting the talented 6-foot-2, 200-pounder. His persistence paid off.

Despite Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham having a no-visit policy for commits, Scott was in Lincoln last weekend for an official visit. Today, he announced his flip and verbal commitment to Nebraska.

This is a significant recruiting win for Shorts, who was able to pull Scott away from an Arizona State program that is coming off an 11-3 record and appearance in the College Football Playoff. Not only that, but Arizona State’s receivers coach is Hines Ward, the Pittsburgh Steelers great.

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Outside of Nebraska and Arizona State, other programs like Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia Tech were heavily in the mix for Scott.

Nebraska was able to get Scott on campus to watch a spring practice on April 12. Following that visit, Scott told Inside Nebraska he planned to return for an official visit in June. But 16 days later, he pledged to the Sun Devils following an official visit in Tempe and shut down his recruitment — until this weekend.

Scott becomes the ninth commit in Nebraska’s 2026 class and the second receiver, joining Sioux Falls (S.D.) Washington three-star Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte.

Counting Scott, Nebraska had two receivers taking official visits this weekend, the other being Orlando (Fla.) Jones four-star slot Larry Miles. Both of Nebraska’s high school quarterback pledges, Dayton Raiola of the 2026 class and Trae Taylor of the 2027 class, were in Lincoln to help peer recruit.

As a junior at McEachern last fall, Scott recorded 29 catches for 541 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

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— Steve Marik, Inside Nebraska staff writer

Scott is a prototypical-sized outside reciever standing 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. At his best attacking the ball in the air, Scott shows exceptional hand-eye coordination and strength at the catch point, along with the body control to contort his body and find the ball in the air. Shows the ability to play outside his frame and has a wide catch radius. Crafty route runner who knows how to utilize subtle movements to create separation. Won’t ever be a blazer, but explodes off the line of scrimmage and closes cushions in a hurry. He’s fluid in and out of breaks, can subtlety throttle down or up as needed to create separation and/or adjust to the ball in-air. Does a good job coming back to the ball and freelancing when the play breaks down.

Shows impressive balance after the catch with the acceleration to separate from third-level defenders. Can continue to sharpen routes and could afford to diversity his releases off the line. YAC ability could continue to improve, shows good balance but field vision and elusiveness through arm tackles could be developed further. Has capable speed but top-end gear leaves something to be desired.

Projects to be a reliable outside receiver that is at his best at longer-developing routes, can stretch the field and make plays across the middle of the field consistently. Has some frame and play-style similarities to Nebraska receiver Dane Key.

— Tim Verghese, Inside Nebraska recruiting analyst

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Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission approves emergency rules, still open for public input

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Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission approves emergency rules, still open for public input


LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Medical cannabis has technically been legal in Nebraska for some time — but patients still haven’t been able to access it. That could start to change, after the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission took a key step forward Thursday.

In its second-ever meeting, the commission adopted emergency regulations governing the cultivation, transport and distribution of medical marijuana. The move comes just days before the July 1 deadline to have rules in place.

However, the regulations were adopted without allowing public comment beforehand.

“We’ve seen these about 12 hours before you did,” one commissioner said during the meeting, raising concerns about transparency and timing.

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Under the emergency rules, smoking or vaping medical cannabis will not be allowed. Products also cannot contain any natural or artificial flavors or colors, nor can they be infused into food or drinks.

Distribution will also be limited. Only one dispensary will be allowed in each of Nebraska’s 12 judicial districts. Each facility must be located at least 1,000 feet from any school, hospital, or church.

While some medical cannabis supporters say the regulations provide a workable foundation, they also flagged what they consider to be major problems—especially in how cannabis can be dispensed.

“There are some concerns about the limitation and excluding of product of raw plant or whole plant flour of cannabis, which is exclusively part of Statute 437. The Patient Protection Act,” said Crista Eggers, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana. “So huge problems there.”

Despite the lack of initial input, the commission says it is now seeking public feedback before finalizing permanent rules, which are required by October.

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Jim Wilson, a member of the Nebraska Pharmacist Association, stressed the importance of pharmacist involvement in patient care.

“Taking that medical cannabis, if it’s proper and so forth, a pharmacist needs to advise that patient on potential other effects of it… and also looking for drug interactions with other medications,” Wilson said.

The commission has not responded to questions about who authored the draft regulations or when members received them.

According to the Nebraska Examiner, the next meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 4.

Those wishing to weigh in on the proposed rules can email comments to: LCC.frontdesk@nebraska.gov. Rules begin on page 10 of the document below.

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Nebraska gas station manager tries his luck at getting $300,000 lottery fraud case tossed

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Nebraska gas station manager tries his luck at getting 0,000 lottery fraud case tossed


Jeremiah Ehlers

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Nebraska gas station manager accused of fraudulently claiming a winning ticket is trying to get his case dismissed.

On Wednesday, Jeremiah Ehlers’ attorney filed a motion alleging that there was not enough evidence presented at his preliminary hearing.

Ehlers, who is charged with felony theft by deception, worked at a gas station in Greeley.

Court documents say he was caught on camera stealing scratch-off tickets at the store.

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Video shows Ehlers scratching and validating a winning $300,000 ticket before paying for it, according to an arrest affidavit.

SEE ALSO: Affidavit: Nebraska gas station manager stole winning scratch ticket worth $300,000

Authorities said on April 12, 2024, he took the ticket the Nebraska Lottery office in Lincoln and received $213,000 after taxes.

State law requires that lottery tickets be paid for up-front.

In a new filing in Lancaster County District Court, Ehlers’ attorney asks the judge to quash the case.

The motion says the evidence cited in the preliminary hearing in county court “was insufficient as a matter of law to show that a crime was committed or that there was probable cause to believe that the Defendant had committed said crime.”

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Judge Kevin McManaman will consider the request at a July 29 hearing.





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