Let’s be honest. Research in SNR is varied, so much so that people in some fields are not able (or willing) to learn about research in other fields because they lack the technical expertise and understanding of the jargon. The SNR Graduate Committee has approved a voluntary effort by graduate students to include lay abstracts in theses and dissertations. In most career paths, graduate students will be tasked with communicating what they do to the general public, and lay abstracts provide an excellent introduction on how to write for the non-specialist. Lay abstracts will be included on the SNR website, and viewed by donors, alumni, prospective students, and any other people interested in seeing the great research done by our graduate students.
Beginning in Spring 2023, Dr. Bob Zink (rzink2@unl.edu) will serve as Lay Abstracts Coordinator. Any interested student can send a draft to Bob and he will work with you (if needed) to bring it to a point where someone outside the field can understand the work and its significance. Only graduate students who submit their thesis or dissertation during the calendar year are eligible. Lay abstracts are due to the Coordinator via email by the date established by the University for Fall semesters. The Lay Abstracts Coordinator will appoint a committee of three faculty who do not have a student in the competition, and they will declare a "Best Lay Abstract". The winner will receive $500.
Guidelines
Select an interesting (non-technical) title because it often determines whether people will read your abstract. Keep it around 300-700 words. The first sentence (and title) often determines whether people keep reading, so make it count. Explain what your research aims to achieve, then how you’re going to do it and why it’s relevant. Know your audience: discuss the value of your research in a way that a middle school student will grasp. Provide examples. Write in the active voice and use the first person where necessary. Keep sentences short, clear, and focused. No jargon or technical terms. Ask someone outside your field to read it over.
2025 Winner: Jake Harvey
Jake graduated with MS in Natural Resource Sciences with specialization in Applied Ecology on December 20, 2025
Perfect Pairing? How Mountain Lions and Humans Share the Landscape in California’s Wine Country
Most people in California’s San Francisco North Bay will never lock eyes with a mountain lion. Yet every night, just beyond the glow of porch lights, passing cars, and rows of some of the most valuable wine grapes in the world, these big cats are making careful choices about when and where to move and hunt in a landscape shared with people. By tracking mountain lions across the region, we discovered that males and females navigate this landscape in different ways. Males typically roamed over much larger areas than females, but in the most developed places their ranges actually shrank, likely because towns and roads limited freedom of movement. Females, however, were better able to meet their needs without being squeezed into smaller spaces. Despite living so close to people, both males and females mostly ate deer, much like mountain lions in more remote areas. Together, these findings provide the first full picture of how mountain lions make a living in the North Bay and the challenges they face in doing so.
We then took a closer look at how mountain lions hunted along the edge of towns and neighborhoods, questioning if human disturbance could change the rules of the game. By identifying nearly 500 locations where they killed and consumed black-tailed deer, we found that the cats favored places where deer were easiest to catch over areas where they were most abundant. However, when they could have it both ways – they did, in that mountain lions most strongly preferred areas that offered both ample hiding cover and plenty of prey, where hunting success should be highest. Occasionally, mountain lions even used fences to corner deer, showing that while human structures often negatively impact wildlife, they may occasionally give predators a hunting advantage. Lions often fed close to neighborhoods but did not consistently avoid or seek out human development. Together, these findings reveal how mountain lions balance stealth, strategy, and opportunity in landscapes shared with people.
Finally, we explored how mountain lions navigate finding food and avoiding people from their decisions about where to settle across the landscape, to the moment-by-moment choices that shape each day. At the landscape level (big scales), mountain lions persisted in places with differing levels of human disturbance, with some settling near people and others in more natural areas. Once inside their home ranges (small scales), however, they adjusted their movements to avoid people when needed. Lions that avoided human activity when choosing a home range could move more freely within it day-to-day. Conversely, those that chose home ranges shared with people had to be more cautious within their territory. All mountain lions chose home ranges that supported plenty of deer, while their day-to-day movements focused on areas with dense cover where prey were easiest to catch. This flexibility helps explain how mountain lions persist alongside people and maintain their presence in human-dominated landscapes. Despite growing scientific interest in how large carnivores live near people, most knowledge about predator-prey relationships still comes from relatively natural places. Our work contributes to filling this knowledge gap and highlights the remarkable overlap between humans and mountain lions in the North Bay, showing that these elusive cats are highly adaptable as they move and choose space amongst people - while remaining consistent in their need to hunt wild prey and survive.
2024 Winner: Sumaiya Tabassum
Sumaiya graduated in December 2024 with a PhD in Natural Resources Sciences with a specialization in Human Dimension.
Perspectives through the Lens of Educators and Students: Teaching Flood Mitigation and Other Controversial Food, Energy, Water Nexus Issues in the Classroom
Science and society are inseparably linked, shaping each other in ways that define our world. Recognizing the importance of teaching science for empowering students to take meaningful action toward building sustainable society, Vision III science literacy advocates bridging science education with civic and ethical responsibility, emphasizing the development of competencies that prepare citizens capable of addressing global challenges. Using controversial socio-scientific issues (SSI) as teaching context provides a valuable platform to develop such competencies, as these issues require students to analyze interdisciplinary evidence and consider the social, economic impacts of potential solutions. However, recognizing the unique perspectives individuals bring to the classroom is essential for tailoring effective and inclusive instruction, particularly with controversial SSIs, as perspectives often shape learning, decision-making, and engagement. This study employed a qualitative approach to understand educators' needs for teaching complex SSIs, identifying areas for support, and exploring students' diverse perspectives on controversial issues like, climate change and equity. A constructivist grounded theory framework facilitated an in-depth exploration of these nuanced perspectives. Findings highlight educators' lower confidence in teaching complex SSI and their need for targeted professional development. Additionally, undergraduate students’ learning of controversial SSI through an independent activity in a science literacy classroom is described, which may serve as a model for educators interested in teaching similar SSIs. An investigation into how students developed understanding of the connection between climate change and extreme flooding revealed that while many students (46.6%) initially struggled to connect climate change with extreme flooding, several were willing to revise their initial perspective based on what they learned with the majority (93%) demonstrating effective online search skills by identifying credible sources to support their reasoning. This work also introduces a framework for understanding individual’s equity-perspective in complex SSIs, highlighting three distinct types: CAPSI (Critically Analyzing Power and Systemic Inequity), EBOC (Emphasizing Benefits Overlooking Context), and IF (Individual Fairness and Freedom). This framework may offer educators a tool to assess students' equity perspectives to design targeted interventions for deepening engagement with science issues embedded in social justice, while aiding policymakers in understanding how individuals engage with the equity dimensions across various sectors.
2023 Winner: Corrin Winter
Corrin graduated in August 2023 with a MS in Natural Resource Sciences with a specialization in Applied Ecology
Factors Affecting Nebraskan Farmers’ and Farmland Owners’ Decisions to Adopt Precision Technologies and Programs
To improve both environmental conditions and farmer profitability, we delved into the challenges faced by Nebraskan farmers and landowners when adopting new farming technologies. We looked at data from a 2022 survey with 7,503 participants which included farmers and landowners from across the state of Nebraska. Our goal was to uncover why some adopt new precision agricultural and conservation technologies while others don't. Precision agriculture is the use of technology to improve farmland conditions. For example, using a yield monitor to monitor how many crops grow in each area. Precision conservation is similar, however it focuses on improving environmental conditions on the farm, like soil erosion. In addition, our research was designed to help agencies better share information about precision farming and conservation in a way that benefits the people of Nebraska.
Our findings highlighted that finances were the main reason many people were hesitant to adopt precision farming tools. Factors like renting land or being a first-generation farmer also affected which factors influence these decisions. People also preferred getting information about precision farming technologies from friends, family, and fellow farmers, rather than government agencies. Interestingly, those who did favor information from non-governmental agencies were more likely to apply for conservation programs. This shows the importance of government agencies working together with non-government organizations and private companies to promote precision farming technologies and practices. Furthermore, our research showed that farmers and landowners were more satisfied with expert advice when they worked with more agencies and companies. As such, we should encourage cooperation between various agencies and organizations. Cooperation is key to fostering positive attitudes toward the adoption of precision agricultural and conservation technologies and practices in Nebraska.