An invitation-only event, UNeMed's annual Research Innovation Awards is the culmination of a week of activities that celebrate research and innovation at UNMC and UNO. The awards recognize faculty, students and staff that invented a new technology, licensed an invention or secured intellectual property rights during the previous fiscal year.

UNeMed also presents Emerging Inventor, Lifetime Achievement, and Innovator of the Year awards as circumstances dictate. A “Most Promising New Invention” and "Startup of the Year" are also presented as annual awards. In 2024, UNeMed added two new awards—Faculty Entrepreneur and Innovation Champion—that recognize innovators building successful startups and community members that help University inventions move forward.

The 2026 Research Innovation Awards ceremony will be held at the Scott Conference Center on UNO's Aksarben campus on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. 

Save-the-date reminders will be sent this summer, followed by formal invitations in August. 

Additional information updates and details about Innovation Week can be found on UNeMed's website: https://www.unemed.com/innovation-week.