Kenya S. Taylor, Ed. D.Dean of Graduate Studies and Research
At the University of Nebraska at Kearney, we take great pride in a diverse environment that provides faculty and students opportunities to achieve their goals.
Research, scholarship and creative activity are the foundation of our teaching, providing our students an enhanced university experience that ultimately prepares them to be our future leaders, scientists, educators, health professionals, artists, musicians and business entrepreneurs.
Conventional thinking suggests that the main reason most faculty members do research and creative activity is to satisfy tenure and promotion requirements. While that may be true for some, clearly, something else motivates many researchers. This third issue of New Frontiers showcases faculty from across the university who are making remarkable discoveries through passionate, creative and innovative approaches to their work.
Most of us have in some way benefitted from research and creative activity without necessarily realizing it (e.g., medical technologies, educational strategies, concerts, business designs). The outcomes of scholarship answer questions, satisfy a need or provide an aesthetic experience. Faculty members who take part in research and creative activity are contributing to the care, treatment and well-being of countless numbers of people.
Our faculty inspire not only the lives of our students, but also the lives of people across the state, the region and the nation.
Much of the research featured here has been published in leading journals, presented at national and international conferences, and attracted funding from nationally competitive sources. These types of recognitions speak to the credibility of our faculty, and their scholarly and creative work. We are dedicated to supporting our faculty, so they
can continue the tradition of scholarship and creative activity. By facilitating research and creative activity, the University of Nebraska at Kearney is promoting innovation and cultivating a spirit of inquiry.
Only a few of our scholars can be highlighted in this publication. There is much to celebrate at UNK! I hope
you enjoy this issue of New Frontiers.
KENYA S. TAYLOR, Ed.D.
Dean of Graduate Studies and Research
