Verbal Leases: What Happens If Someone Dies?

At a recent farmland leasing workshop, the question was raised, “I am a landlord with a handshake lease agreement. What happens if I die?” At the time, I gave the simple answer of “the new owners of the land will be subject to the lease.” Although this is technically correct, the situation is more nuanced than it appears. Depending on how the land is owned and passed on, there may be a period of uncertainty regarding who is responsible for the lease after the landowner’s death. Handshake, oral, or verbal lease agreements remain common for leasing agricultural land in Nebraska. When the terms of the lease are not negotiated or written, Nebraska State Statute provides provisions for various scenarios. In the case that the landlord dies during the term of a verbal lease agreement – and no additional verbal provisions related to this scenario were discussed and agreed to – the answer will depend on how the land is owned and passed on

Optimizing Nitrogen Management: Assessing Nitrate Transport in the Deep Vadose Zone and Its Impact on Groundwater Quality in East-Central Nebraska

Groundwater contamination by nitrate (NO₃-N) is a growing environmental and public health concern driven largely by intensive agricultural fertilizer applications. The vadose zone plays an important role in NO₃-N transport, influencing groundwater quality and agricultural sustainability. This study investigated NO₃-N leaching dynamics in the deep vadose zone of Water Quality Sub-Area 30 (WQA30) within the Lower Loup Natural Resources District (LLNRD), northeast of Columbus, Nebraska (mean groundwater NO₃-N: 20.3 mg/L), using soil cores from 16 shallow (to 6.1 m) and four deep (down to 25.9 m) across four zones, two with inorganic fertilizer (Zones 1 and 4) and two with manure plus inorganic inputs (Zones 2 and 3). Laboratory analysis revealed variable NO₃-N levels (e.g., Zone 1: 25.1 ± 38.8 mg/L; Zone 4: 13.0 ± 12.8 mg/L), with peaks near the surface (e.g., Zone 1: 110 mg/L at 60 cm). Hydrus-1D modeling, calibrated with 1994–2023 data (high Index of Agreement, low RMSE), simulated seven 60-year scenarios (1994–2053) to assess crop and fertilizer impacts. Compared to continuous corn with a single fertilizer application, corn-soybean rotation with three split applications (4:3:3 ratio) reduced cumulative NO₃-N flux by 7.6% to 12.6% (mean ~10%) in kg/ha and deep vadose zone concentrations by 39.7% to 51.8% (mean ~45%), reflecting enhanced nitrogen efficiency. NO₃⁻N flushing times varied from 5.9 to 20.2 years, indicating prolonged contamination risks in some zones. These findings underscore the efficacy of integrating crop rotation and precise fertilizer timing to mitigate NO₃-N leaching, emphasizing site-specific strategies to protect groundwater in nitrate-vulnerable regions. Advisors: Aaron R. Mittelstet and Troy E. Gilmor

Differentiating Creativity for Exceptional Learners

It is daunting to design accommodations and construct universally accessible creative learning opportunities to meet all students’ needs. This interactive investigation of differentiating instruction will present three students that have intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, and learning disability. Practice creating art-based accommodations and leave with a bank of co-created resources. ArtTEAMs Contributors Universal Design for Learning Group Investigations Case Study #1 Case Study #2 Case Study #3 Case Study #1 Share and Show Case Study #2 Share and Show Case Study #3 Share and Sho

Evolution and Strengths of School Lunch Programs in the United States and Japan

School lunches around the world perform a vital role in children’s nutritional needs and overall health. These nutritional programs provide a chance for children to learn how to create a balanced meal and about the production and serving of food. However, many countries, including the United States and Japan, have taken different approaches to meet these goals, influenced by the needs of children and communities over time. The United States provides support, funding, and nutritional standards through the National School Lunch Program. Japan promotes the Basic Act of Shokuiku (food and nutrition education) within society and outlines goals for schools through the School Lunch Act. This honor’s thesis explores the historical development of programs in the respective countries, as well as analyzes the current school lunch programs with a focus on Lincoln, Nebraska in the U.S. and Shintotsukawa in Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan. This research establishes that both Lincoln and Shintotsukawa play a substantial role in supporting children in their communities - especially through nutritional support. Farm to School activities and the use of local, fresh food and balanced meals are some of the strengths within the U.S. system. Japan prioritizes comparable activities and utilizes a school lunch nutritionist in most schools to strengthen the connection between fulfilling nutritional requirements and the importance of learning about nutrition to sustain a healthy lifestyle

Hacking through the Silos: Honors Faculty Development

Based on our work with a multi-institutional honors hackathon, we examine the faculty benefits of planning and leading hackathons, focusing especially on enhanced understanding across disciplines—or hacking through academic silos

A Comprhensive Honors College Faculty Certification Model

Provides an overview of the Honors College (HC) at Miami Dade College (MDC) which uses a faculty certification process to introduce the honors college model and present classroom expectations

Honors Civic Foundations Faculty Fellows Program

In 2022–2023, Drexel University’s Pennoni Honors College implemented the Honors Civic Foundations Faculty Fellows Program, a new initiative for faculty development and enrichment grounded in principles of civic education

Optimizing Transcription Efficiency through Mutations in the T7 RNA Polymerase

The production of RNA is vital for many commercial and research purposes, with one of the more notable reasons being vaccine production. The RNA polymerase, derived from T7 bacteriophage, is commonly used for RNA production due to its ability to produce full-length RNA transcripts. However, researchers have faced limitations in optimizing this polymerase. For example, the polymerase generates heterogeneous RNA products that require additional purification steps during RNA production. Here, we selected three amino acid point substitutions based on a recent publication from Moderna that showed increased RNA purity compared to the wild type T7 RNA polymerase sequence. We created plasmid constructs with individual or multiple mutations, recombinantly expressed them in E. coli, and then purified the mutant polymerase from the rest of the proteins using affinity chromatography. We evaluated these constructs\u27 purity and RNA synthesis activity compared to the wild type sequence. After testing the activity of a combination of mutations, we found that some T7 polymerase constructs showed increased purity of RNA products, and others showed decreased products and activities. After transcribing a 330-nucleotide RNA construct, we saw evidence that specific mutations could display increased activity and purity in an RNA sequence-dependent manner compared to the wild type. Identification of optimized T7 polymerase constructs that vastly increase RNA purity and yield can help to streamline the RNA production process by making it less costly and time-consuming to produce large quantities of RNA

Dr. Doctor: A Look at Life in Medicine

The life of a medical professional is not easy. The road to get there and the lifestyle when practicing is mentally draining and results in many physicians experiencing burnout. This project and paper explore the stigma surrounding mental health in medicine, examining how fear of professional repercussions prevents many physicians from getting help. Through research and interviews with medical professionals of various specialties, this project looks at the different mental health struggles that each specialty faces. Additionally due to increased social media, medicine continues to evolve at a fast rate. Looking forward, medical professionals will have to deal with increased distrust in physicians, making the job even harder. Although work has been done to remove the mental health stigma in medicine, there is still much to accomplish. By shedding light on these issues, this project advocates for a shift to normalize mental health discussions, hopefully resulting in more supportive environments for medical professionals. By bringing attention to different lifestyles in medicine, future generations can be better prepared for the work they must put in to get there

In-season Nitrogen Mmanagement: Leveraging Data Visualization for Precision Agriculture

Effective nitrogen management is vital for sustainable agriculture, impacting both crop yield and environmental health. Traditional methods often use fixed application rates set before planting, which do not adapt to changing crop needs during the season. This can lead to over- or under-application, reducing efficiency and sustainability. While modern tools like sensors, satellites, and UAVs provide valuable real-time data on crop and field conditions, integrating and using this data to guide timely nitrogen decisions remains a major challenge. In-season nitrogen management offers a solution by allowing for dynamic adjustments to nitrogen applications, addressing crop needs as they arise. This approach optimizes resource efficiency, enhances crop productivity, and reduces environmental risks associated with nitrogen overuse. To improve in-season nitrogen management, the N-SIGHT web application was developed as a user-friendly tool for researchers and agricultural professionals. It uses data visualization to turn complex geospatial and nitrogen treatment data into actionable insights. At its core is the Sufficiency Index (SI), which helps evaluate nitrogen application effectiveness and crop health during the season. By integrating UAV and satellite imagery with field-level nitrogen data, N-SIGHT presents results through interactive maps, plots, and tables. Built on an R Shiny framework, the tool focuses on usability, real-time visualization, and continuous improvement based on feedback from users in the field. By leveraging the capabilities of advanced data visualization, the N-SIGHT application bridges the gap between static nitrogen management strategies and dynamic, data-driven approaches. Its intuitive interface and real-time insights empower farmers, agronomists, and policymakers to make informed decisions, optimize nitrogen applications, and promote sustainable agricultural practices. By reducing inefficiencies in nitrogen use and mitigating environmental impacts, N-SIGHT represents a significant step forward in precision agriculture, enabling the adoption of modern techniques that align with the evolving demands of the agricultural sector. Advisor: Joe D. Luc