(From left) Randy Kassebaum, a Lincoln businessman, holds a ceramic QR Code that graduate students in Bill Lopez’s class are using to make family histories available electronically to visitors to Wyuka Cemetery. Lopez tested the technology on three Wyuka sites, including the 9/11 memorial in the background, before introducing the project to UNL students. Photo by Troy Fedderson|University Communications

Graduate students led by Bill Lopez are taking modern technology to the grave.

After guiding classes on tours through Lincoln’s Wyuka Cemetery for more than 15 years, Lopez and students in the Master’s of Elementary Teaching program have researched the history of select graves and made that information available electronically. The information is accessed online through Electronic Quick Response Codes posted at Wyuka and a smartphone.

“What I’ve always wanted to do was start getting the students involved and finding information on the historic graves at Wyuka,” said Lopez, an associate professor of practice in Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. “That got me thinking. Then I started talking to a guy I know who has a business here in town. I asked him about doing something to show off the students’ work online.”

The “guy” is Randy Kassebaum, who has developed the technology to imprint QR Codes on long-lasting ceramic blocks. Lopez and Kassebaum had partnered on three similar projects at Wyuka — the 9/11 Memorial; serial killer Charles Starkweather; and Walter Dameron, who was killed in a head-on train collision in 1911 in western Nebraska.

“Those projects gave me the impetus to say, ‘OK, this is doable,” said Lopez. “So, I decided to pilot the idea in this graduate level course. I told the students about the idea and they bought in.”

Lopez took the students on his standard tour, though this time the teacher held back a few facts. Paired into teams of two, the students selected graves that interested them and went to work on the research.

“I let the stones talk to them,” said Lopez. “It was interesting because I thought the students would pick more grandiose things. Several of them decided that meant the family had money and in death they continued to show off. The students decided those families had enough exposure and selected more common people.

“That surprised me in a good way.”

One of the student teams — Katie Mohr-Wassinger and Heather Harris, both graduate students in elementary education — selected the graves of the Walton family.

“During the tour, we noticed six of them died in 1882 and professor Lopez gave a hint that they died of diphtheria,” said Harris. “That was true, but it only got worse from there.”

Searching through census records, newspaper clippings, the Nebraska State Historical Society archives and myancestry.com, they learned that the Walton family had nine children, six of whom died in 1882. In 1891, the mother died three days after living through a gas-stove fire.

The story continued to see the father remarried, divorced and institutionalized. The remaining three siblings also died — two by suicide.

The father, a wealthy property owner, remarried and was quickly divorced.

“We couldn’t believe how far it just kept going, one thing after another,” said Mohr-Wassinger. “It really says something about how mental health can be genetic.”

Kassebaum met with the students throughout the project, providing web design guidance.

“I think a project like this is definitely something I plan to do in my own classroom some day,” said Courtney Breitkreutz, a graduate student in elementary education. “It’s a project that’s not just for a teacher to read and throw away. To put it online and provide historic information to the public serves a greater purpose. And, it’s also something that students can get excited about.”

While he plans to continue to have graduate students research Wyuka graves, Lopez may also see the project expand in the future.

“We are already in talks with the Nebraska Historical Society about putting QR Codes on every roadside historical marker in the state. There are about 500 of them,” Lopez said. “And there is an interest in putting QR Codes on the busts in the Nebraska capitol’s Hall of Fame.”

Lopez also believes Nebraska school teachers may be interested in adopting small rural cemeteries and developing a similar QR Code project.

“I could also see it used for historic buildings,” said Lopez. “It’s mind boggling when you sit down and think where this simple project could go.”

Four of the graduate student history projects for Wyuka Cemetery are available at: http://waltonfamily.name; http://corelsherwood.com; http://www.hathawayfamily.info; and
http://www.robertallington.com.

Having relocated to Nebraska, Bales spent her days caring for a mother-in-law who suffered a series of strokes and a retired-military husband hampered by alcoholism.

“That kind of care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it weighs on you,” Bales said. “I really needed something outside the house. More for my mental health than my physical health.”

Then a friend mentioned a possible job driving a bus around UNL. Bales had maintained her CDL after driving a tour bus on the East Coast and a school bus at Fort Bragg. Shuttling students, faculty and staff between UNL’s City and East campuses sounded pretty good. She jumped at the opportunity.

“I applied for the job because I really needed something,” Bales said. “And because of the university students. I knew they all had these wonderful goals, dreams and ideas. That was something I really needed to be around — even if it was only for a few hours a day.”

She started as one of Transit Services’ on-call drivers. The hours varied, but that was OK.

“Sometimes I was here first thing in the morning. Other times I came in late at night. Whatever was needed I was there,” Bales said. “The time didn’t matter to me. Just getting out helped so much. It kept me from self-imploding.

“I don’t have the words to explain how much this job helped me.”

And Bales has worked hard to give back to the university.

Driving the intercampus bus route, Bales welcomes passengers with a smile and a warm greeting at every stop. As passengers depart, she wishes each a great day. During Halloween, Bales makes popcorn balls for her passengers. At Christmas time, she bakes cookies and hands them out.

She’s also quick to strike up conversation — especially with students.

“The students are what I’ve enjoyed the most over the years,” said Bales. “They come in as freshmen with all these high school ideas and everything. Then by Christmas, they change, become more serious as the reality of becoming an adult influences them.”

One of her favorite things is to discuss recipes — particularly with international students, faculty and staff. If she doesn’t know the recipe, Bales will track it down.

“I’ve exchanged a whole bunch of recipes through the years, from way back in our military days through today,” said Bales. “I have a 16 gigabyte flashdrive at home that is full of nothing but recipes. And very few of them are American dishes.”

In March, Bales would have worked at UNL for eight years. However, she is one of four intercampus bus drivers losing jobs as UNL transfers route management to StarTran (read more here). Now, she is eight days away from her last shift on campus.

Bales has a hard time talking about the change. She expects to be lost for a few days after it happens and might even come back and deliver baked goods to her bosses (who she still adores). But Bales is not bitter. Instead, she’s eager to move on to her next stage of life.

“I keep telling my brothers and sisters that I’m retiring,” Bales said. “They just laugh at me.”

Bales and her husband plan to venture to Kentucky in April in a travel trailer and manage a campground. Bales also plans to learn everything she can about community food distribution networks in the region.

She said those networks are special in that they often distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to those in need. And, when Bales returns back to Nebraska, she hopes to take those lessons and implement them here — possibly out in the more rural areas of western Nebraska.

“I’m also writing up a presentation to establish a senior citizen calling tree here in Nebraska,” said Bales. “That is something they have in North Carolina and it’s a great way for senior citizens who are home alone to develop phone friendships while also checking up on each other.

“It’s a very cheap way to keep seniors involved with each other.”

But, before she can move forward with those projects, Bales still has a job to do. And it’s one she’s going to enjoy right up to that final route on Dec. 21.

“This job has always been fun and I’ve learned far more from the students than they could ever learn from me,” said Bales. “You know, I never had a reason to come down here before I came to work for the university. Now, this place is something I’m going to miss very much.”

— Troy Fedderson, University Communications

Linda Bales, a driver with Parking and Transit Services, drives UNL’s intercampus bus route on Dec. 7. StarTran will take over the route on Jan. 2. Photo by Troy Fedderson | University Communications

The change is due to a $20 million project that will convert the Huskers’ basketball home since 1976 into a volleyball arena. The renovation is scheduled to begin shortly after the current NCAA basketball season ends. It will be the full-time home for volleyball starting in 2013. UNL has held commencement exercises in the Devaney Center since 1976.

“We will be in a different venue for every commencement in 2013,” said Jennifer Verhein, assistant director of Registration and Records who oversees commencement exercises. “It’s going to be very exciting and include lots of extra planning.”

Memorial Stadium will host spring commencement in May, while August exercises will be in Pershing Center, 226 Centennial Mall South. While negotiations are not complete, Verhein said commencement exercises are expected to return to the Devaney Center in December 2013.

“December and August commencement will fit in the revised Devaney Center,” said Verhein. “However, we will never return there for May commencement exercises. The new site for May will be the Pinnacle Bank Arena.”

The first use of the arena is expected to be in May 2014.

Verhein said her staff is focused on UNL’s graduation ceremonies this week. However, she said there is a buzz about gaining access to Memorial Stadium in May.

“As far as we know, graduation has never been held in Memorial Stadium,” said Verhein. “It’s going to be a real opportunity to do something very creative and give our graduates a very unique experience.”

Plans for May exercises are still being crafted. But Verhein said the initial idea is to have the stage on the east side of the field, graduates seated in front of the stage and in the stands, and graduate families and friends in the stands.

The ceremony will include presentation of both graduate and undergraduate degrees. The stadium screens will also be used. A special music option is also under consideration.

Overall, Verhein said her staff is excited about taking commencement to new locations in 2013.

“We have a whole year of innovation ahead and my entire staff can’t wait to get started,” said Verhein. “They do exceptional work and are always willing to step up because they know how important the spectacle of commencement is to our graduates, families, friends and administrators.

“No matter where we hold commencement, my staff will make it work.”

— Troy Fedderson, University Communications

Dan Duncan, executive director for NIC, said construction of the campus’ first phase will start in December or early January. The first phase includes four buildings — renovation of the 4-H Building and Industrial Arts Building, and construction of a companion building and a life sciences building.

“The soft demolition in the 4-H building is done and the next thing is the hard demo,” said Duncan. “That will probably happen right away and will include tearing out the old livestock bowl and getting the building ready.

“Then, when everything is ready, they’ll bring in the cranes and start putting in pilings for the new buildings.”

The contractor for the first phase has yet to be announced. The Kiewit Building Group is the contractor for the Industrial Arts renovation.

“Kiewit has been brought on board due to the complexity of the IAB renovation,” said Duncan. “That building has three basements to deal with. The ironwork structure on the roof is interlaced and its removal will be touch and go.”

The renovation of the IAB is expected to begin with the removal of bricks from the building’s exterior archways.

“It is my understanding that if the bricks are not removed, the wind load coming in when the roof is removed will push the walls over,” Duncan said. “At this point, if that were to happen, it would be disastrous.”

Still, Duncan is excited to see construction start on the first phase of the public/private research and technology development center.

“As the construction progresses, people will realize that Nebraska Innovation Campus is really happening,” said Duncan. “We’ve had discussions with a number of potential partners. I’m looking forward to being able to show them something more tangible than a PowerPoint presentation.”

On Nov. 16, UNL announced that ConAgra Foods is the first private-industry partner at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The agreement extends an already-established relationship between UNL and ConAgra.

ConAgra Foods plans to use space in greenhouses at Nebraska Innovation Campus to grow and research tomatoes, such as those used in Hunt’s and Ro*Tel brands, alongside university students and faculty. ConAgra will also continue its research on popcorn at UNL.

The company also hopes the collaboration will create education and development opportunities for students as they further explore the possibility for research in emerging food safety practices and microbiology, robotics and their application in food commercialization.

Read more about the first Innovation Campus partnership at http://go.unl.edu/nic1.

In other Nebraska Innovation Campus news:

• Watch construction via a webcam. The feed is available at http://go.unl.edu/nic_webcam.

• Duncan said NIC has qualified for an energy conservation bond that makes possible the use of effluent water from Lincoln’s wastewater treatment facility in a geothermal system that will heat and cool the new campus.

• Demolition of the administration building for an old horse racing facility on the NIC grounds will take place in the spring or summer. Duncan said the work is on hold until the Nebraska Horsemen Benevolent and Protective Association moves out of the old location and into a new facility near U.S. Highway 77 and West Denton Road.

• Duncan said additional private-industry partners remain interested in Nebraska Innovation Campus. He said a second partnership may be announced in the first quarter of 2013.

• The timeline for complete build out of Nebraska Innovation Campus is 25 years. To fill the space in that amount of time, about 80,000 square feet must be built each year. The four buildings in Phase One include about 313,000 square feet of space. To keep the building on pace, Duncan said he hopes construction of building five will start within the next two years. Also, he said work on building six would need to start before building five is completed.

— Troy Fedderson, University Communications

Riders will not experience any changes in the intercampus — 24 Holdrege or 24 Vine — route or schedule. The change does reduce UNL’s transit-related responsibilities and expenses over time, allowing Parking and Transit Services to focus on campus parking services.

Dan Carpenter, director of Parking and Transit Services, said transfer of the route to StarTran grew from a recommendation made from a 2009 evaluation of the campus transit system.

“The service life of our buses is long past and the consultants recommended that, instead of purchasing new buses at $400,000 each, we expand our contract with StarTran to let them run the entire intercampus fleet,” said Carpenter. “In the long run this agreement saves UNL money.”

Under the terms of the five-year agreement, StarTran will continue to run the four buses it currently operates on weekdays during the fall and spring semester. They will also assume service of the four buses UNL runs during both semesters, in the evenings to 9 p.m., in the summer and between semesters.

StarTran is purchasing five buses for the expanded coverage of the route. UNL will assume the related-operating costs (personnel, maintenance, fuel, etc.). Total cost to UNL is about $2.2 million per year.

Both the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and the Lincoln City Council approved the agreement.

“Unfortunately, we are reducing staff by four full-time drivers,” said Carpenter. “Our drivers have always been great. It really is unfortunate to lose that A-level talent. They are all customer service-oriented individuals who our riders really loved.”

Carpenter said the UNL drivers were advised when StarTran went to hire for the expanded service, allowing them the opportunity to be within the job pool.

The contract allows StarTran to expand transit services and add about 400,000 in annual ridership.

Faculty, staff and students who have UNL bus passes will continue to ride without having to pay a fare.

The agreement extends the 86-year relationship between UNL and public transportation services in Lincoln. It also reinforces the importance of public transportation to students who use the service.

Graduate commencement exercises, including doctoral hooding, will begin at 3 p.m. Dec. 14 for students earning doctoral and master’s degrees. Undergraduate exercises will begin at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 15. Both ceremonies will be at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The College of Law will have a separate hooding and commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. Dec. 14 in the Hamann Auditorium of Ross McCollum Hall, East Campus Loop and Fair Street. Harvey Perlman, UNL chancellor, will preside over all three ceremonies.

Chris. R. Calkins, professor of animal science at UNL, will give the address at the graduate ceremony; Jeff Zeleny, the national political correspondent for the New York Times, will give the address at the baccalaureate ceremony; and Judge Michael W. Pirtle of the Nebraska Court of Appeals will give the address at the law ceremony.

Both Zeleny (1996, journalism and political science) and Pirtle (1978, law) are UNL graduates.

For more information on the speakers, go to http://go.unl.edu/byd.

All ceremonies are free and open to the public, and tickets are not required. The ceremonies will be Web-streamed live from the Devaney Center through a link at the UNL website, www.unl.edu. Parking is free.

Anyone posting to Twitter during the ceremonies is asked to use the hashtag #UNL2012.

— Tom Simons, University Communications

The tradition of naming AAAS Fellows goes back to 1874. It is a peer-designated selection based on scientifically or socially distinguished efforts among scientists to advance science or its application.

This year, 702 members are awarded this honor by AAAS, and will be presented with a certificate and a gold and blue (representing science. and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Feb. 16 during the 2013 AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston.

Alfano said he was flattered when he learned he had been named to the esteemed list after being nominated by UNL plant pathology professor James Van Etten, who also is an AAAS Fellow and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

“It feels great, and it’s nice to be recognized by such a prestigious organization,” Alfano said. “It was an honor just being nominated, a recognition of our hard work, and we’re going to continue to work hard.”

Alfano is Charles Bessey Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology. He has been at UNL since 2000. He researches how bacterial pathogens cause disease in plants and how their strategies differ from the strategies employed by the bacterial pathogens of animals.

His seven-member lab, which is associated with the Department of Plant Pathology and the Center for Plant Science Innovation at UNL, focuses on the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and its interaction with plants. The pathogen’s key feature is a bacterial protein secretion system that injects bacterial proteins into plant cells, which allows it to grow in plants and eventually cause disease. Alfano’s research delves into plant cells to determine precisely how the bacterial proteins modify them to favor disease.

“We’re working to understand how and what (P. syringae) is targeting inside plant cells,” he said. “Our ultimate goal is to identify new components of plant immunity. We’ve learned a lot about this plant-pathogen interaction — now we want to transform that knowledge into improvements in agriculture.”

Nastasi is director of the Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research and Elmer Koch Professor of mechanical and materials engineering. Established in 2006, the center facilitates collaborative research into renewable domestic energy resources and energy efficiency to create economic opportunities for Nebraska. It is a partnership between UNL and Nebraska Public Power District and other industry partners. He previously worked with the Department of Energy at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. He focuses on developing materials for extreme radiation environments. Earlier this year he was awarded a $980,000 the three-year project from the Department of Energy to improve nuclear reactor safety, performance and cost competitiveness.

“I have been fortunate enough to be a fellow of a number of societies, my first being as a fellow in Los Alamos National Laboratory, then the American Physical Society, Materials Research Society, now the AAAS,” Nastasi said. “All these are fantastic recognitions, and years of hard work have paid off. With this recognition, one of the important things that has to happen is your colleagues have to think well enough of you to nominate you. So this is quite an honor.”

Nastasi researches radiation tolerance and mechanical properties of nanostructured ceramic/metal composites — a subject that has increased in importance over the years and has allowed him to delve into new areas of exploration.

“I’ve been working in radiation effects since I was a grad student and have remained flexible over the years because the application for radiation effects is a moving target,” he said. “When I was doing my Ph.D. thesis, which was on understanding materials for nuclear reactor environments, Three Mile Island happened… and the funding dried up, so I started looking into how radiation effects could be used to synthesize novel materials for industrial applications, and that ultimately led to a cooperative research agreement with Los Alamos and General Motors to help GM develop engine components that lasted a long time.”

The development of a process and technology to allow aluminum pistons to run with low-coefficient friction without a lubricant, resulting in an R&D 100 award. That led to looking at similar types of processes with different materials.

“I’m an experimentalist. So when we do an experiment and then analyze it to see the end result… every day would be like Christmas morning, because I never knew — I had a hint — and it was a fascinating experience to see what really happened, then put together and understanding of why what happened, happened, then come up with a theory and scientific method to change the parameters and go back and change the hypothesis,” he said.

Nastasi plans to continue his research and write textbooks so others can benefit from learning from his research.