The UNMC Interprofessional Academy of Educators welcomes new and seasoned authors across the University of Nebraska System to its annual writing workshop on May 14-15. The two-day hybrid workshop offers participants a jump-start on their manuscripts, with sessions available in person on the Omaha campus and via Zoom.
Morning sessions will explore a range of academic writing topics, led by IAE leaders Elizabeth Beam, PhD; Maha Farid, MBBCh, PhD; and Jana Wardian, PhD. Each afternoon provides dedicated writing time with guided support. Students, staff and faculty throughout the NU System are invited to register as individual authors or as part of an authorship team.
“Having attended the workshop myself while preparing my dissertation, I know how impactful dedicated writing time and expert guidance can be,” said Tanya Custer, PhD, director of the UNMC Interprofessional Academy of Educators. “The workshop, presented by our IAE educational research experts, creates an environment where faculty, staff and students can focus on their scholarship while gaining practical tools to move their manuscripts forward.”
The UNMC Interprofessional Academy of Educators launched the spring writing workshop in 2023, and since then about 131 faculty, students and staff have participated. This year’s content includes a renewed emphasis on emerging trends in academic scholarship and tools to support authors throughout their writing journey.
“As the academy celebrates its 10th anniversary, we are excited to highlight a renewed focus on the growing role of artificial intelligence in scientific writing,” Dr. Farid said. “This overview presents a variety of emerging AI tools designed to enhance clarity, efficiency and overall quality in scholarly work. By raising awareness of these innovative resources, we aim to assist faculty, students and staff in strengthening their writing practices and keeping pace with the evolving landscape of academic communication.”
McKenzie Behrendt, OTD, an assistant professor in the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions, attended the 2025 workshop and said the experience contributed directly to her authorship team’s successful publication.
“As a junior faculty member and novice writer, the review and guidance we received from Dr. Wardian was instrumental in strengthening our manuscript,” she said. “Her thoughtful feedback, clarity of direction and ability to provide an objective outside perspective helped us refine our work and ultimately achieve publication in the first journal we selected.”
Jessica Gormley, PhD, an assistant professor of speech pathology at the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute, said the workshop introduced her to tools and strategies that streamlined the writing process.
“Having the writing time allowed me to apply what was discussed and to gain momentum on a manuscript that I had been working on,” she said. “Some standout activities were generating sample titles using AI, using Journal/Author Name Estimator to find potential journals, thinking through how to comprise a good team and using the scripts to write up the research questions.”
Registration is open for the IAE Writing Workshop. To view the full schedule or register, visit the IAE Writing Workshop site.