University Communication is putting a new twist on how Nebraska Today delivers stories about our state’s flagship university and the students, faculty and staff who flourish here.

We’ve thrown our microphones into the ring with Faculty 101, a podcast series that delivers regular insights — some serious, others silly — into the work and lives of Husker faculty.

Listen: Faculty 101 with Shane Farritor

Our latest episode features Shane Farritor, an engineering professor whose research on surgical robots has the potential to revolutionize health care. Farritor chats with Faculty 101 host Mary Jane Bruce about what goes into designing a robot that can enter the abdomen to operate on the colon — and how the technology might eventually be applied on the battlefield or in space.

A native of small-town Nebraska, Farritor later explains how being left to his own devices as a kid helped shape the hands-on mentality that has served him so well as an engineer. He also shares a few pieces of tried-and-true advice for students looking to succeed in college and parents looking to raise a creative child.

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 your 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.