Recent achievements for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln community were earned by Guillermo Balboa, Andrew Foley, Eric Jacob, Cassidy June, Elsbeth Magilton, Jack Maloney, Nathan Meier, Laura Muñoz, Carl Nelson, Justin Payne, Mark Riley, Joann Ross, Hillary Schwarb, Petrina Suiter, Kara Mitchell Viesca and University of Nebraska High School.
Honors
Elsbeth Magilton, director of externships and lecturer for the College of Law, and Joann Ross, coordinator for the university’s Staff Senate and Honors faculty fellow, were awarded the Honors Innovative Teaching Award from the Center for Transformative Teaching and Nebraska Honors. The award recognizes two Honors educators who have created effective and innovative learning environments each year. The recipients are awarded up to $1,000 each to support their continued professional development so they can both share their innovations and continue to develop student-centered learning experiences. Candidates are selected based on nominations filled out by Honors students. Learn more here.
Nathan Meier, associate vice chancellor for research, capacity and competitiveness, has received two significant honors from the National Organization of Research Development Professionals. He earned the Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award and was named a NORDP Fellow. The service award is NORDP’s most prestigious award and is conferred by the board of directors to an individual who is committed to the growth of the organization, furtherance of the research development profession and service to peers. The Fellows designation is the highest professional distinction NORDP can bestow on a member. No more than 1% of members can be named Fellows annually. Learn more here.
The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies awarded the Honorable Mention Book Award to Laura K. Muñoz, an ssociate professor of History and director of the Institute for Ethnic Studies, for "Desert Dreams: Mexican Arizona and the Politics of Educational Equality." The award recognizes an outstanding new book in the field of Chicana and Chicano Studies. The organization celebrated Muñoz's accomplishment at its annual meeting in April.
Carl Nelson, professor of mechanical and materials engineering, has been elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows, one of the highest honors in the medical and biological engineering community. Election to the AIMBE College of Fellows represents the top two percent of medical and biological engineers nationwide, recognizing individuals whose achievements have advanced the frontiers of healthcare, technology, and engineering education. Fellows are selected for leadership in emerging technologies and innovative approaches that strengthen the field.
Justin Payne, a second-year doctoral student in voice performance in the Glenn Korff School of Music from Omaha, won first prize in the George Shirley Vocal Competition held at the University of Michigan May 15-17. In addition to first prize, Payne was also awarded the George Shirley Tenor Prize, the Patterson Art Song Prize and the Miller Aria Prize.
Hillary Schwarb, assistant professor of psychology, earned a University of Nebraska Collaborative Initiative Grant to support the research project, "Beyond Balance: Investigating the effects of wobble-board training on brain health and memory outcomes in fall-prone older adults." Schwarb will partner with Madhur Mangalam from the University of Nebraska at Omaha on the project.
Petrina Suiter, director of research development, received the National Organization of Research Development Professional's Rising Star award, which is given to members who have made outstanding volunteer contributions to the organization.
The Nebraska Business Honors Academy earned first-place finishes in two categories at the International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition. Competing against 59 teams from 41 universities across seven countries, the team of four won the overall 25-minute presentation and 10-minute ethical deep-dive presentation competitions. The team included Andrew Foley, senior finance major from Lincoln, Nebraska; Cassidy June, senior business and law major from Dorchester, Nebraska; Eric Jacob, senior business and law major from Parker, Colorado; and Jack Maloney, junior economics and finance major from Papillion, Nebraska.
The University of Nebraska High School has been recognized with four national honors in the 41st Annual Educational Advertising Awards, highlighting the institution’s excellence in marketing, communications and creative storytelling. UNHS received a Gold Award in the Catalog category for its University of Nebraska High School Course Catalog 2025–2026, the highest distinction in the competition. The school also earned a Silver Award in the Email Marketing category for its UNHS Winter Holiday Greeting 2024–2025, along with a Bronze Award in the Special Video category for its UNHS Winter Holiday Greeting Video 2024–2025. Additionally, UNHS was recognized with a Merit Award in the Special Video category for its UNHS Welcome Video.
Appointments
Guillermo R. Balboa, research assistant professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has been elected as the 2026 vice leader of the Precision Agriculture Systems Community within the Agronomic Production Systems Section of the American Society of Agronomy. The ASA Precision Agriculture Systems Community includes 1,600-plus members and serves as a leading professional network for researchers, graduate students and industry leaders advancing precision agriculture through data, sensors, automation and decision-support technologies. Overall, ASA includes more than 5,600 members from across the world.
Mark Riley, associate dean for Research in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Engineering, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Riley joins a select group of newly elected leaders recognized for their contributions to advancing agricultural and biological engineering.
Kara Mitchell Viesca, professor in teaching, learning and teacher education, was named a docent with the University of Turku in Finland. The new title recognizes Viesca's collaboration with the university and grants rights to independently supervise doctoral students, teach and apply for grants. It is an honorary rank signifying high-level research and teaching qualifications.
This column is a regular feature of Nebraska Today. Faculty, staff and students can submit achievements to be considered for this column via email to achievements@unl.edu. For more information, call 402-472-8515.
