Recent achievements for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln community were earned by Alex Chmielewski, Bradley Ekwerekwu, Andrew Dominguez Farias, Sai Suvidh Madela, Max Perry Mueller, James C. Schnable, Yanan (Laura) Wang and Ankit Yadav.
Honors
Ankit Yadav, a doctoral student, Alex Chmielewski, a research technologist and master’s student, and Sai Suvidh Madela, a doctoral student and graduate research assistant, all took top honors during the 66th Weed Science Society of America meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, Feb. 9-12. Yadav and Chmielewski took second place in different categories of the poster presentation competition. Madela earned runner-up in the photo contest. All three are members of the Jhala Weed Management Lab in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Bradley Ekwerekwu, adjunct faculty in the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, is the recipient of the University of Missouri's College of Education and Human Development Mid-Career Alumni Achievement Award, which recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions to their professions and communities.
"Wakara’s America: A Native History of the American West" by Max Perry Mueller, associate professor in classics and religious studies, has received two major national honors. The book was named a finalist for the Spur Award for Best Western Biography, presented by Western Writers of America, and has also been longlisted for the 2026 Plutarch Award, given by the Biographers International Organization. The awards underscore the book's impact on the field of American history and biography.
James Schnable, a professor of agronomy and horticulture, won the 2026 National Academy of Sciences Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences for pioneering genetics research that has improved the productivity of corn, sorghum and other crops. The award recognizes a mid-career U.S. scientist whose research has made extraordinary contributions to agriculture, food production or understanding the biology of species fundamental to agriculture.
Yanan (Laura) Wang, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, was named a senior member of Optica, the leading organization for engineers, scientists and others interested in the science of light. The organization was formerly known as the Optical Society of America. Being named a senior member recognizes contributions in government, academia and industry. The honor was awarded to a class of 72 individuals in 21 countries. It recognizes Wang for more than a decade of contributions to optical science, device engineering and quantum technology. Wang was also inducted into the Early Career Board 2025 for Nano Letters, one of the top journals in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The most recent class included 55 of the top researchers from 16 countries.
Appointments
Andrew Dominguez Farias, a second-year law student, has been selected as a John Robert Lewis Fellow through the Faith and Politics Institute, a national honor recognizing emerging leaders committed to advancing justice through nonviolent advocacy. The competitive, year-long John Robert Lewis Scholars and Fellows Program selects 20 undergraduate and graduate students from across the country who aspire to create meaningful societal change.
