Directors & Staff | Agricultural Research Division

Dean and Director

Optimize life science, agricultural and natural resources, research capabilities of 40,000+ acres, 250+ research faculty, 4 research centers across the state and an annual budget of $80 million in grants and contracts
Interact with other administrative leaders on campus and across the country, as well as stakeholders, including commodity organizations, to help shape IANR's life and social science research agenda
Leverage the unique abilities within ARD for transdisciplinary, integrated research across basic, translational and applied sciences towards the demands of a quickly growing global population
Core Value Goals for the ARD Culture:
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Collaboration
- Excellence
- Value of Feedback
- Respect
- Inclusiveness

Assistant and Associate Deans

Asst Dean/Asst Director

Provides oversight for land resources and support for research infrastructure at IANR research, and integrated research and extension facilities, in coordination with departments and center directors
As part of this coordinated oversight, he leads the UNL Biotechnology Quality Management System (BQMS) program to maintain compliance with federal regulations for conducting research with regulated, genetically engineered crops, and he interfaces with the Greenhouse and Plant Phenotyping Committees
IANR liaison to Nebraska commodity boards, and coordinates Academic Program Reviews within IANR
Assists the Dean and Director, in conjunction with other ARD staff, in coordinating and facilitating IANR's broad research mission

Assoc Dean/Assoc Director

Supports teams building, transdisciplinary research and high-profile teams;
Approves IANR internal/external applications for funding and outside activities reporting in NUgrant and NuRamp;
Administers the ARD Undergraduate Student Research competition grant program, the Graduate Students Fellowship program, the Larrick/Whitmore Graduate Student Travel Grants;
Administers the Faculty Hatch Capacity projects, the ARD Miscellaneous Strategic Funding, the ARD Bridge Funding, and IANR Faculty Travel Awards;
Serves as the administrative point of contact for Research in Activity Insight;
Serves on the UNL Federal Relations Team;
Serves on the UNL DEI Council;
Co-leads the LTAR – USDA Network in NE; and
Assists the Dean and Director, in conjunction with other ARD staff, in coordinating and facilitating IANR’s broad research mission and global engagement.

Financial/Data Analyst I

Management support for the ARD Deans
Integrating an all-funds approach for ARD's fiscal structure which is transparent, accountable, responsive, and strategic
Responsible for managing, planning and organizing the internal financial operations of ARD
Implementation of sound financial planning tools, business analytics and financial controls
Strategic management of IANR/ARD service center budgets, rates and operations
Programmatic reporting for external research funding
Oversight of office operations and staff

Data Mgmt Specialist

Strategically Manage Programmatic Data and Internal/External Reporting
- Commodity Boards
- USDA Capacity Funds (Hatch, Multi-State, Animal Health, McIntire-Stennis)
- USDA REEPORT/NRS
Biotechnology Quality Management System (BQMS) Support
Multi-state Committee Participation and Travel
Assist with Management of ARD Finances

Project Mgmt Spec

Administrative project manager for the Agricultural Research Division (ARD)

Serve in a central advisory capacity for ARD Deans and faculty to coordinate and manage multiple research projects on business and grant administration matters
Assist ARD members and Principal Investigators to develop detailed project plans and coordinate activities to ensure successful completion of project goals
- Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network (LTAR) & Beef Innovation, a Hub for Beef Excellence, currently
Supervise budget and re-budget management activities which use ARD funds
Oversee compliance with federal regulations, working with PIs to assist in bringing a transaction or activity into compliance

Project Mgmt Spec

Administrative project manager for the Agricultural Research Division (ARD)
- Serve in a central advisory capacity for ARD Deans and faculty to coordinate and manage multiple research projects on business and grant administration matters
- Assist ARD members and Principal Investigators to develop detailed project plans and coordinate activities to ensure successful completion of project goals
  - REEU:Crop-To-Food Innovation Program, currently
- Oversee compliance with federal regulations, working with PIs to assist in bringing a transaction or activity into compliance

Coordinator

Identifies opportunities for international collaboration through research, extension, and capacity building efforts; provides support for the formation of transdisciplinary teams to prepare project proposals.
Leads efforts to develop, implement, and coordinate federal funded capacity building programs, such as USDA-FAS Scientific Exchanges, Borlaug Fellowship, and Cochran Programs.
Leverage partnerships with Global Centers of Excellence in Agriculture and National and Global Networks.
Assists and coordinates visits of international delegations, with focus on connecting IANR faculty to visiting scientists in their area of interest.
Administers the International Impact Awards: FAPESP SPRINT, seed grants to implement and/or strengthen international collaborations, and travel awards.

Admin Coord

Amy Kunce

Office Assoc