University of Nebraska ranks in top 20
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is among the top 20 U.S. institutions for academic research in the field of agricultural sciences, according to the 2021 U.S. News and World Report Best Global Universities Subject Rankings.
The rankings place UNL’s agricultural sciences research performance at 18th in the United States—the highest ranking of any UNL program. The university ranked 51st worldwide in the subject of agricultural sciences.
“Food and water security are among the most pressing issues facing our world, and UNL researchers are making huge strides in addressing both,” said Mike Boehm, NU vice president and UNL Harlan vice chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “IANR is also leading the way in ensuring the resilience of Nebraska’s working agricultural lands, its abundant natural resources, and the quality of life of those that call rural Nebraska, home. UNL has long been a leader in agricultural sciences and natural resources, and this recent ranking affirms that.”
In the past year, Nebraska researchers have made progress toward development of crops that are tolerant of heat, extreme cold and drought. They are in the midst of research to aid in the development of hybrid wheat varieties, and leading the way in understanding the human microbiome, as well as in creating standards for the field of phenotyping.
On the livestock side, the researchers are working toward development of vaccines and other protections against two devastating swine diseases. The interdisciplinary Nebraska Integrated Beef System Initiative is bringing together geneticists, ruminant nutritionists, biological systems engineers, grassland ecologists, and others to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the cattle industry. Across both crop and livestock production, researchers are working to develop new precision technology to improve efficiency, conserve water and other inputs, harness data and improve profits.
