UNMC for the record

AJ Crawford, PhD

Dr. Crawford promoted to licensing associate

AJ Crawford, PhD, has been promoted from intern to a full-time licensing associate position with UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office at UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Before joining UNMC, Dr. Crawford was a trauma technician at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.

"My experience enabled me to better understand the medical technologies invented at UNMC and appreciate the value they would bring to patients and healthcare workers," she said. "The technologies we used ultimately led to my interest in biomedical research."

Dr. Crawford is a 2015 graduate of the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with a bachelor's degree in biology. A native of South Whitley, Indiana, she completed her MBA in 2015 at UNO and added a doctorate in biomedical research from UNMC in 2021.

"Her background in emergency medicine, combined with an MBA and PhD, gives her a broad base of knowledge to draw on while she works to help our faculty, students and staff bring new discoveries to market," said UNeMed President and CEO Michael Dixon, PhD.

Opportunity Corps applications are open

Bio Nebraska and the UNeTech Institute are taking applications for Opportunity Corps, a new professional development program for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, or STEAM, subject areas.

Opportunity Corps is a 10-month education program, modeled loosely after the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps, and will match women academic and industry professionals with women mentors in STEAM subjects. The program will focus on a different subject each month, with a one-day educational workshop session featuring guests from the community and one-on-one mentoring sessions with the mentors each month.

Learn more about the programApply by Jan. 5.

Nominations due Monday for research award

The UNMC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research is accepting nominations through Monday for the Community Service to Research Award.

The award honors community members, health practitioners, public leaders or community groups who have demonstrated a record of service to UNMC’s research mission. That might be a volunteer, a local group of individuals or anyone a UNMC faculty member believes is deserving of recognition.

Please complete the official nomination form. Nominations and questions should be emailed to James Geiger in the vice chancellor for research office.

Concrete work to begin at Durham Outpatient Center

Work will begin Friday to replace portions of the concrete in the circle drive of the Durham Outpatient Center at Nebraska Medical Center. While the work is underway, drivers will be able to access the circle drive, though it will be narrow. Parking on the east side of the outpatient center will not be allowed while work is underway. The work is happening over the weekends in December to minimize the inconvenience to patients.

The work will be completed in phases, as the schedule below reflects (weather permitting).

Phase one: Today through Monday, Dec. 6

Phase two: Friday, Dec. 10 through Monday, Dec. 13

Phase three: Friday, Dec. 17 through Monday, Dec. 20.

Key deposits can be reclaimed through Dec. 31

The Department of Public Safety is no longer requiring deposits or accepting cash for keys. Instead, each key request will be charged a fee to cost centers. A department’s cost center number now must be provided with each request for keys to buildings or offices. 

Each key requested will incur a $10 standard operating or $15 submaster fee per key.  Following the instructions below, those who previously paid a key deposit can receive a refund. 

Personally Paid Deposits:

Through Dec. 31, staff who personally paid a deposit to obtain a university key can stop by the Office of Public Safety, located at ARS 0001, 4215 Emile St., to get a refund. Regular business hours for the office are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Cost Center/Department Paid Deposits:

If a key deposit was paid with a department cost center prior to Aug. 2, employees can come to the public safety office to process refunds to the cost center.

Keyholders will need to bring the key(s) associated with each deposit to demonstrate current possession. Public safety personnel will verify key deposit records and return any outstanding deposits associated with those keys. Key holders will receive the refund and be able to continue to use those keys until such time they are no longer needed. Keys should be returned to a direct supervisor when an employee leaves the department.

Questions or concerns about key deposit refunds should be directed to public safety at 402-559-4439, ext. 4.  Key deposits must be completed by Dec. 31, and keys that are no longer in use must be returned to the Department of Public Safety.

Food trucks on campus 

Food trucks will be on campus the week of Dec. 6-10, although not on Wednesday.

A different food truck will be north of the UNMC ice rink from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The schedule is:

  • Monday, Dec. 6 – Taste of New Orleans
  • Tuesday, Dec. 7 – Burning Bridges (burgers, sandwiches, chicken)
  • Wednesday, Dec. 8 – No truck
  • Thursday, Dec. 9 – ZEMOGS (Mexican food)
  • Friday, Dec. 10 – Street Eats (burgers, wraps and salads)

UNMC also offers food truck service on the west side of campus in front of the Durham Research Towers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The schedule is:

  • Monday, Dec. 6 – Game Time Eats (philly sandwiches, homemade bread)
  • Tuesday, Dec. 7 – Taste of New Orleans
  • Wednesday, Dec. 8 – No truck
  • Thursday, Dec. 9 – Burning Bridges (burgers, sandwiches, chicken)
  • Friday, Dec. 10 – ZEMOGS (Mexican food)