Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Research Month 2026

October is Research Month at UNMC, a celebration of the people, ideas and resources that drive discovery across our research community. Throughout the month, events will showcase research and innovation, connect colleagues across disciplines, highlight the expertise and resources available at UNMC, and recognize the people advancing research across the institution. Explore the featured activities and full calendar below, and check back throughout October as additional events and details are added. 

Featured activities

Research Month Kickoff

Oct. 7: Research Month Kickoff

Join UNMC research leaders and colleagues on Oct. 7 as we officially kick off a month celebrating research and discovery across the institution. Learn more in the calendar listing below.

Core Facility Showcase

Oct. 7: Core Facilities Showcase

Explore the technologies, expertise and shared resources available to support research across UNMC.

Learn more and register.

Research Revealed

Research Revealed: The Art of Discovery

Share a compelling visual from your research in this Research Month image competition. Submit an entry by Oct. 2 or return Oct. 7-12 to vote for your favorites. Learn more in the calendar listing below.

Full calendar

Sept. 17 – Oct. 2

"Research Revealed: The Art of Discovery" invites UNMC faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral scholars and trainees to submit original research-related images that showcase the beauty, creativity and impact of their work.

Entries may reveal something normally hidden from view, transform complex data into insight or capture researchers and research in action. Selected entries will be showcased during Research Month, with awards including Best in Show, People’s Choice, category awards and an Emerging Researcher Award.

Learn more and submit your images.

Campus voting will take place Oct. 7-12.

Week of Oct. 5 – 9

  • Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6–Thursday, Oct. 8
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Location: McGoogan Library, Level 8, Rare Book Room 8010
  • Details: The McGoogan Health Sciences Library’s Rare Book Room will be open to the UNMC community for study in recognition of American Archives Month. Located on Level 8 of the library, the unique collection space offers an opportunity to study while highlighting the importance of preserving and providing access to historical records. Food and drinks are not permitted, with the exception of water in a sealed container.
  • Audience: All UNMC community members
  • Calendar Invite: Download the .ics file to add the event to your Outlook calendar.

Add to Calendar (.ics file)

  • Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6
  • Time: Noon – 1:00 PM
  • Location: Zoom (https://unmc.zoom.us/meeting/register/jyRnFZowSiiTHaNN6rWGHw) 
  • Details: Whether you're new to EndNote or looking to sharpen your skills, join the library for a virtual session to learn how to add and organize citation records, and create in-text citations and bibliog2raphy lists in Microsoft Word (app and online). We'll cover getting started with EndNote for new users as well as advanced features for experienced users.
  • Audience: UNMC faculty, staff and students

Explore the technologies, expertise and shared resources available to support research across UNMC.

Learn more and register.

 

  • Date: Wednesday, Oct. 7
  • Time: 9:00 – 9:15 AM
  • Location: DRC Commons
  • Details: Join Vice Chancellor for Research Ken Bayles, PhD, and members of the UNMC research community for the official kickoff to Research Month. The opening event will launch a month of activities celebrating the people, ideas and resources that drive research and discovery across UNMC.
  • Audience: All UNMC community members
  • Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
  • Time: Noon – 1:00 PM
  • Location: Zoom (https://unmc.zoom.us/meeting/register/Pq9dTNiVTTqiRh4cO7x92A
  • Details: Join us for an introduction to Zotero, a free reference management tool. This session will cover importing and organizing records for your references, as well as using the Zotero toolbar in Microsoft Word to create properly formatted in-text citations and bibliographies with just a few clicks. Ideal for those who are new to Zotero and those who are experienced Zotero users but unfamiliar with Zotero version 10.
  • Audience: UNMC Faculty, Staff and Students

Week of Oct. 12 – 16

  • Date: Monday, Oct. 12
  • Time: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
  • Location: Durham Research Center atrium
  • Details: Innovation Week in 2026 begins with an open house in the DRC atrium. Hosted by UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, the 20th annual Innovation Week celebrates and recognizes the world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The Kick-off event will feature snacks, coffee, T-shirts and the chance to meet UNeMed staff.
  • Audience: All UNMC community members
  • Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14
  • Time: 10:00 – 11:00 AM
  • Location: DRC1 #1005
  • Details: Corey Hopkins, PhD, professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences, will lead a discussion about drug development and discovery. Dr. Hopkins is also the director of UNMC’s Center for Drug Design and Innovation, and has developed several novel molecules, one of which is moving closer to clinical trials as part of a new startup company, Goldenrod Therapeutics.
  • Audience: All UNMC community members
  • Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14
  • Time: 1:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Location: Scott Conference Center on UNO's Aksarben campus
  • Details: An invitation-only event, UNeMed's annual Research Innovation Awards is the culmination of a week of activities that celebrate research and innovation at UNMC and UNO. The awards recognize faculty, students and staff that invented a new technology, licensed an invention or secured intellectual property rights during the previous fiscal year.
  • Audience: Invite-only
  • Date: Friday, Oct. 16
  • Time: Noon – 1:00 PM
  • Location: Online registration
  • Details: Learn more about funding opportunities to help you further develop and commercialize your novel technologies with non-dilutive funding opportunities through the NIH small business grant program. Register at: tinyurl.com/iWEEK26-NIH. Attendees who would like to discuss their projects in greater detail are encouraged to pre-book 15-minute, one-on-one meetings with NIH program staff after the session. To book a meeting, please visit the following link: tinyurl.com/iWEEK-NIH-meet.
  • Date: Friday, Oct. 16
  • Time: 1:00 – 4:30 PM
  • Location: UNMC Truhlsen Events Center
  • Details: Since 2012, UNMC's IRB annually hosts a free educational conference to advance the knowledge of both IRB professionals and research teams in hot topics related to research and regulation. Yearly speakers include nationally recognized and local professionals involved in cutting edge research and ethics. The conference provides continuing education credits for Certified IRB Professionals, Society of Clinical Research Associates, and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. More information, including how to register, is available online.

Week of Oct. 19 – 23

  • Date: Wednesday, Oct. 21
  • Time: Noon – 1:00 PM
  • Location: Zoom (https://unmc.zoom.us/meeting/register/jyRnFZowSiiTHaNN6rWGHw) 
  • Details: Open access journal publishing is firmly established in the scholarly ecosystem. In this session, learn about the benefits that still hold true, but also the considerations that remain perplexing, which include the difference between public and open access, balancing funder mandates with publisher polices, funding your publication, and navigating the deluge of questionable and potentially predatory manuscript email solicitations.
  • Audience: UNMC Faculty, Staff, and Students

Week of Oct. 26 – 30

  • Date: Thursday, Oct. 29
  • Time: 4:00 – 5:00 PM
  • Location: DRC1 #1002
  • Details: This annual event honors UNMC's top researchers, new investigators and faculty leadership. Read more about this year's winners.
  • Date: Thursday, Oct. 29
  • Time: 5:00 – 6:00 PM
  • Location: DRC Commons
  • Details: Reception following the awards ceremony that honors UNMC's top researchers, new investigators and faculty leadership. Read more about this year's winners.

Research Month Foster Donation Drive

Foster Heart + HopeSupport Foster Heart + Hope Shopping Days by donating brand-new clothing and other needed items for children and young adults impacted by foster care across Nebraska.

View needed items and donation information.