UNO Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award

Music Education
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION, FINE ARTS AND MEDIA

Dr. Shelly Cooper has been a music educator for more than 40 years. As a researcher and general music specialist, she has presented at numerous music and general education conferences and workshops. Cooper serves on the review board for Active and Integrative Music Education and previously served on the review board for the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education and as editor for General Music Today. Her research interests include music acquisition in children, children as composers and historical aspects of music education. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, she teaches undergraduate and graduate music education courses and serves as the music education area coordinator. She has taught Kodály certification courses at Arizona State University, the University of New Mexico and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis
COLLEGE OF INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Dr. House’s primary focus areas are behavioral cybersecurity and quantitative risk. She teaches management information systems, information security management, and cybersecurity courses. She is co-director of the Nebraska Deterrence Lab and lead researcher at the Cyber Threat Analysis Lab at the National Counterterrorism, Innovation, and Technology Education Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is a research fellow for the National Strategic Research Institute and a professor and research mentor for the U.S. Strategic Command Fellows program. Dr. House treats every student as an individual learner while also providing service-learning experiences in her courses.

Management
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Leif Lundmark is an associate professor of management at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He teaches corporate and business strategy at the undergraduate and MBA levels, as well as courses in innovation, entrepreneurship and decision-making. His teaching is highly regarded, with students praising his engaging lectures and supportive mentorship. Lundmark’s research explores cognitive biases in the IPO process and the effects of problem formulation on value creation. His work also examines macro-level phenomena, including the authenticity of specialist organizations and the evolution of market categories. His research has been published in scholarly outlets including the Strategic Management Journal and the Journal of Management, and featured in media such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal Online.

Engineering
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Dr. Kopocis focuses her teaching on construction and engineering safety, engineering economics, and productivity management. She chairs the curriculum committees for both the construction management and construction engineering programs and advises undergraduate and graduate students. Passionate about student learning, Dr. Kopocis designs curricula that promote active, meaningful engagement with course material. She has shared her innovative teaching strategies at multiple international teaching workshops and professional conferences, including those hosted by the Associated Schools of Construction and the American Society for Engineering Education.

Biomechanics
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND HUMAN SCIENCES

Dr. Aaron D. Likens is an associate professor and director of the Quantitative Analysis Research Core at the Center for Research on Human Movement Variability, Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska Omaha. He earned his Ph.D. in perception, action and cognition from Arizona State University in 2016. Likens is a leading researcher in human movement variability and nonlinear dynamics. His work applies mathematical methods including fractal analysis and recurrence quantification analysis to understand coordination dynamics in diverse populations, from clinical patients to military personnel. He has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles in journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature Scientific Data, contributed book chapters on biomechanics and nonlinear analysis, and secured more than $3 million in federal funding as principal investigator or co-investigator from NSF, NIH and DoD. He mentors graduate students who have won competitive fellowships including NASA Space Grants, and serves on editorial boards, NIH grant review panels and develops open-source tools for the research community.

Political Science
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Dr. Lana Obradovic is the Goldstein Family Community Chair in Human Rights and associate professor of political science. She serves as an academic director of USSTRATCOM’s Strategic Leadership Fellows Program and principal director of the Balkan Youth Leaders (BOLD) Civic Engagement Institute, funded by the State Department. Her work focuses on developing a robust network of young leaders in the Balkans to create innovative solutions to civic engagement issues. Obradovic also served as director of UNO’s international studies program for three years and is a collaborating faculty member at the Nebraska Deterrence Lab. She has taught international relations and comparative politics for 23 years at St. John’s University, CUNY, and Mercy College in New York City, and at Yonsei University in South Korea. She earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and international affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a Master of Arts in government and politics and a graduate certificate in international law and diplomacy at St. John’s University, and a Master of Philosophy and Ph.D. in political science from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Criminology and Criminal Justice
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Kimberly M. Retzlaff is assistant director for the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, where she brings both academic insight and real-world experience into her leadership and teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and a Master of Science in criminology and criminal justice with a public administration option, and is a proud alumna of the university. She spent 23 years in law enforcement with the Omaha Police Department, retiring with the rank of sergeant in 2015. During her career, Sgt. Retzlaff specialized in investigations involving domestic violence, child victims, elder abuse and sexual assault, demonstrating a deep commitment to vulnerable populations and public safety. Since transitioning into higher education, she has dedicated herself to mentoring students and enhancing academic programs that prepare future criminal justice professionals. Her practical experience in the field enriches her role as an educator and administrator, bridging the gap between theory and practice for students pursuing careers in law enforcement, victim advocacy and related fields. In addition to her work on campus, Retzlaff remains engaged with the community, advocating for trauma-informed approaches and supporting interdisciplinary efforts to address victimization and violence. Her leadership, passion for justice and dedication to student success have made her a valued member of the university community.

Psychology
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Jonathan B. Santo, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology. He serves as director of the graduate developmental psychology program and is a faculty member in the Office of Latino/Latin-American Studies. His research focuses on the impact of peer relations on child and adolescent development, emphasizing friendships as a source of social support. Santo also studies cultural differences in factors related to self-esteem and classroom-level influences. His research aims to improve the lives of children and adolescents by fostering supportive school environments and encouraging positive peer relationships.

Biology
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Ryan Wong’s research and teaching explore the relationship between genetics, the brain and behavior. His lab investigates the neurobiological and molecular mechanisms underlying stress and cognition. Wong promotes integrative thinking, experiential learning and interdisciplinary training, reflected in student opportunities in his lab and classes. Students lead and participate in behavioral neurobiological research projects, take course-based undergraduate research experience classes and help enhance excitement in STEM fields across Nebraska. These opportunities are supported in part by funding from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health.