Our Purpose
The Prairie Initiative will pioneer responsible AI for research, innovation, and education by integrating and accelerating ongoing AI momentum across the College of Engineering, where 76% of faculty actively use AI and 43% develop custom solutions. By creating the platforms and communities that transform these distributed strengths into coordinated excellence, Prairie will position UNL as a national leader in responsible AI development. We aim to remove barriers that prevent innovation, connect the 81% of faculty eager to collaborate, along with staff and students, through Communities of Practice, and ensure every student graduates with the AI competencies employers demand. Prairie will provide the coordination layer that amplifies our existing expertise, strengthens research networks across all seven departments, and demonstrates that responsible AI can address humanity's greatest challenges while preserving what makes us human.
Prairie operates through four interconnected pillars that build upon and reinforce each other:
The Four Pillars: An Integrated Ecosystem
Build Sustainable Systems
Construct
Establish clear AI governance, streamline access to GPU resources, deploy enterprise licenses, and create the AI Essentials Hub—a one-stop portal for policies, tools, and training.
Strengthen Partnerships
Connect
Form an Industry Advisory Board to guide strategic direction, align with NU system initiatives, and pursue major federal funding opportunities. Strong partnerships provide real-world problems, sustainable resources, and pathways for students.
Empower AI-Ready Learners
Cultivate
Prepare our entire community for an AI-transformed world. Launch innovative courses, support the Husker AI student organization, develop tiered training for faculty and staff, and integrate AI literacy throughout the curriculum.
Drive Discovery
Create
Communities of Practice will be fostered to break down departmental silos, seed grants will accelerate promising projects, and the Prairie Innovation Series will bring cutting-edge expertise to campus.
