search articles:     from the issue of September 8, 2005         Headlines tout campus successes What a year 2004-05 was in national news: a year highlighted by a poet laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, the sad loss of an alumnus and benefactor with major star appeal, and a comedy-reality international media spectacle brought to campus by a rock star. The national headlines ran the gamut: touting our research and highlighting faculty successes in The New York Times and The Chronicle of Higher Education, all the way to great local stories that worked their way into Associated Press lineups to be read all over the world. Here's a rundown of some of UNL's best stories of 2004-05: Starting in August 2004 with the surprise announcement of being named the U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant to Congress, continuing through a Washington, D.C. appearance at the National Book Festival, the release of two new books, the premier of his national newspaper poetry column "American Life in Poetry," and into April's over-the-top surprise Pulitzer Prize, Ted Kooser has earned hundreds of national feature stories in places like The New York Times, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, The Chronicle of Higher Education and Washington Post. Kooser's media "hits" shine a media spotlight on the university with every headline. And UNL has another year of Kooser's poet laureate service yet to go. Kooser's star power was rivaled by motley dude Tommy Lee for bringing a national spotlight on UNL. Beginning in October 2004 when Lee and NBC descended onto UNL to film this television show, Tommy Lee and UNL became partners in national media stardom. With a national weekly audience for the program at 6-10 million, plus associated "free media" (newspaper, television, radio and Web site news stories) numbering as many as 30 million people in one week, the national publicity for UNL brought by the television show can be quantified easily in the tens of millions of dollars. Shows like The Tonight Show and Today, along with The New York Times features, People, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek and numerous large urban dailies, the headlines kept coming. Alumnus and benefactor Johnny Carson made headlines last fall with his $5.3 million gift to revamp the Temple Building, making Associated Press' "people news" in newspapers and entertainment shows across the country. Then, when Carson died in January, his estate revealed another $5 million to the university for the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the broadcast department in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Carson's association with his alma mater and his generosity continues to bring positive publicity to the university. "Physics of Football" professor Tim Gay released his book "Football Physics" last winter, and was also featured on the front of The New York Times' Science Times section in a full-page study on the physics of football. He also did several radio and newspaper interviews on football physics throughout the year. Nutrition scientist Judy Driskell released a study on children's diets and nutrition, reporting that children fed "adult" low-fat diets lack vitamins E and C. This resulted in a national Associated Press story showing up in dozens of newspapers in March and April, including the Washington Post and The Times of London. A report co-authored by political science professor John Hibbing asserted that many political tendencies are buried deep within our genetic codes, causing us to react to leaders and issues in a way that sometimes has little to do with how our parents raised us or where we went to college. The report was published in June and featured in The New York Times, earning attention on some talk radio programs, and other newspaper interviews. Associated Press in May reported on the growing popularity of the Flat Iron Steak, developed by UNL meat scientists including Chris Calkins. That story made its way up the AP chain to the national wire, resulting in dozens of placements in newspapers all over the United States. The collaboration between UNL anthropologist Mary Willis and UNMC dental surgeons, students and specialist Randy Toothaker to research and fix the dental needs of numerous Sudanese refugees now in Lincoln caught the attention of The Chronicle of High Education, which published a three-page research feature on the project on April 1. That story prompted a local AP story, which then went national, resulting in dozens more newspaper stories. Installation of the second generation of the revolutionary energy-absorbing SAFER barrier, developed by the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at UNL, brought more national news, and the installation of the first SAFER wall in Japan brought world news. SAFER developments were featured in USA Today, Tampa Tribune, Agence France Presse, and in several Canadian publications, along with numerous automotive and racing national publications. Continuing drought and the development of new tools like the Drought Impact Reporter continued to bring attention to the university through the use of sources at the UNL National Drought Mitigation Center. Drought mitigation sources were quoted in USA Today, national Associated Press, and numerous national, regional and local sources. GO TO: ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 8 NEWS HEADLINES FOR SEPTEMBER 8 Kooser's verse draws accolades External research dollars hit record level Year in Review $2 million grant puts UNL into international physics experiment Headlines tout campus successes IANR scientists in top-20 worldwide for article citations iDiverse to develop stress resistant crops ITLE grants bolster teaching Master plan moves closer to completion Rankings place UNL among America's best - Academic workplace in top 10 Rankings place UNL among America's best - University rates in top 50 nationwide Rural poll marks decade of insight Scientists break into Discover's top 100 list Soy oil research helps shape food allergen labeling rules Team wins $3 million DoD grant Undergrads experience research firsthand UNL heads back to Antarctica UNL, UNMC create surgical tool 732197S34880X