Launched by University Communication in fall 2018, Faculty 101 delivers regular insights — some serious, others silly — into the work and lives of Husker faculty.

Hosted by Mary Jane Bruce, the stories explore what inspires faculty and their research, along with the lessons they’ve learned in the classroom and field.

Listen: Faculty 101 on "Cherish Nebraska"

In this episode, Bruce heads to the newly renovated fourth floor of Morrill Hall for a tour of “Cherish Nebraska,” an 11,000-square-foot addition to the University of Nebraska State Museum that opened in mid-February.

Museum director Susan Weller takes Bruce back to the “organized chaos” of hurriedly finishing the seven-gallery space, explaining how an untimely elevator malfunction and brick-filled avalanches spurred creative thinking and more than a little stress. The professor of entomology also describes the communal spirit and collaborative expertise, both at Nebraska and elsewhere, that brought the project to fruition.

A walkthrough of the new space then allows Bruce to experience its wealth of multimedia-infused exhibits, from rattlesnake recordings to short films projected on a massive globe. There she learns more about how “Cherish Nebraska” illustrates the state’s rich natural history, encourages visitors to protect Nebraska’s resources, and inspires children to think like scientists.

Faculty 101 episodes will be featured here on Nebraska Today, but you can also subscribe via iTunes and Stitcher. Additional podcast delivery systems will be announced as they come online.

As always, we welcome your feedback. If you like the podcast, please subscribe and share it via a favorite social media channel. You can also offer us feedback and story ideas by sending email to nebraskatoday@unl.edu or calling 402-472-8515.