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.
Leadership & Advisory Structure
Prairie is guided by four advisory groups that bring together industry expertise, faculty vision, student perspective, and curricular leadership. Together, they ensure Prairie serves our community effectively while preparing students for an AI-integrated future.
Industry Advisory Board (IAB)
The Industry Advisory Board brings external perspective to Prairie's strategic direction. IAB members represent companies at the forefront of AI adoption, helping us understand workforce needs, identify collaboration opportunities, and ensure our programs prepare students for real-world AI integration.
Inaugural Members
- Bobby Brauer, Bayer Crop Science
- Dwayne Hansen, HDR
- Scott Harmeier, Archer Daniels Midland
- Jeff Lundy, GMC
- Brian Ardinger, Nelnet
- Mailani Veney, Kana Systems
- Paul Owens, Olsson
Prairie Visioning Committee (PVC)
Student Advisory Board (SAB)
The Student Advisory Board ensures Prairie's programs meet student needs and creates pathways for student leadership in AI initiatives. SAB members help shape programming, provide feedback on resources, and serve as ambassadors to the broader student community.
Inaugural Members
- Jean Claude Niyomugabo, Biological Systems Engineering (Graduate)
- Omid Armantalab, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
- Rishi Krishna, School of Computing
Interested in joining?
Curricular Advisory Team (CAT)
The Curricular Advisory Team is a faculty working group focused on AI integration across the engineering curriculum. CAT members develop guidelines for AI use in courses, share pedagogical best practices, and coordinate curriculum development across departments.
Members
- George Hunt, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Derek Heeren, Biological Systems Engineering
- Hunter Flodman, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
- Florin Bobaru, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
- Leen-Kiat Soh, School of Computing
- Steve Cooper, School of Computing
