UNO researchers use imagination, curiosity, and persistence to explore what isn’t yet known.
by JESSICA STENSRUD
The published paper. The new technology. The breakthrough.
We see the polished outcome of research, not the messy uncertainty that comes first. But at UNO, that’s where the real work — and imagination — begins.
Through the Office of Research and Creative Activity (ORCA), graduate and undergraduate students from each of UNO’s six colleges, alongside faculty mentors, ask questions, explore possibilities, and pursue ideas before outcomes are certain.
“Research is inherently the generation of new knowledge,” said Sara Myers, Ph.D., UNO associate vice chancellor for research and creative activity and professor of biomechanics. “It’s an intentional process of figuring out how things work.”
That process begins with curiosity. Researchers identify gaps in what’s known, imagine possibilities that haven’t yet been tested, and then design ways to explore them. Sometimes that means developing new technologies. Other times, it means applying existing ideas in new contexts or bringing together different perspectives to solve complex problems. In the College of Information Science and Technology, imagination is tied to innovation.
“We don’t develop technology in a vacuum,” said Robin Gandhi, Ph.D., UNO associate dean for research, technology, and facilities. “Technology has to be integrated and used in a given context.”
Many of UNO’s most promising research directions emerge through collaboration. Faculty connect through research initiatives, grant programs, and industry partnerships, combining expertise across disciplines. A project involving AI and human movement, for example, may bring together experts in computing, biomechanics, data security, and data analytics to answer questions no single field could solve alone.
That collaborative spirit extends into research labs across campus.
For Ryan Wong, Ph.D., director of UNO’s Animal Care and Use Program, a childhood fascination with animal behavior evolved into a career studying why individuals respond differently to stress. His lab uses zebrafish to investigate how the brain, genetics, and hormones influence behavior. These findings may provide insights into stress-related mental health in humans.
Some of his lab’s research directions began with simple questions.
After identifying differences in genes related to brain plasticity and metabolism, Wong wondered whether those same differences could influence learning, memory, or how cells respond to stress. Those questions became the foundation for new research initiatives that later received support through major federal grants.
Research, he says, is rarely a straight line.
“The published paper you read or scientific talk you hear is typically the result of years of work and thousands of person-hours,” Wong said. “Things rarely work out on the first try.”
Students spend much of that time refining questions, testing methods, and troubleshooting experiments. When things don’t go as planned, researchers often return to the drawing board.
Rather than seeing uncertainty as a setback, Wong sees it as a strength.
“You’re asking questions that no one knows the answer to,” said Wong. “The knowledge gained from these experiments is valuable, even if it “failed” or didn’t support the original hypothesis.”
This philosophy shapes students’ experiences, too. Sydney Klucas first joined Wong’s lab in 2020 after seeking new research opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. She went on to develop an independent project exploring how caffeine affects stress in the brain. Even after graduating and beginning a Ph.D. program at the University of Washington, she continued refining the work until it culminated in a peer-reviewed publication with her as lead author.
At its heart, imagination in research isn’t about dreaming up the next big discovery. It’s about having the curiosity to ask questions, the patience to embrace uncertainty, and the persistence to follow an idea wherever it leads.
