Two Exceptional Mavericks Awarded Presidential Graduate Fellowships

The prestigious fellowships are awarded to a select group of NU graduate students each year on the basis of high academic performance and personal accomplishment. Fellows receive an annual stipend made available through the University of Nebraska Foundation that allows them to pursue their studies full-time at either the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), or the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).

Recipients are pursuing advanced degrees in a variety of fields of study.

UNO’s recipients are:

Ji Yeon Choi, a Ph.D. candidate in Biomechanics and Kinesiology.

Averie Linnell, a Masters student in Psychology.

Ji Yeon Choi, a Ph.D. candidate in Biomechanics and Kinesiology.
Ji Yeon Choi is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in Biomechanics and Kinesiology. Prior to this, she received a Master of Science from Yonsei University with a focus on Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation as well as a Master of Science in Athletic Training at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

She has extensive background working with ankle injury extending from her education, research, and clinical experience. Her research focuses on the ankle injury population and has resulted in several peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts. Apart from her research accomplishments, Ji Yeon has demonstrated her expertise in handling experimental equipment, including VICON Motion Capture System, Ultrasound, Dynamometer, Ligmaster, and Trigno Wireless EMG.

Ji Yeon's dedication to her field is evident in her grant applications as well. She has accepted the University of Nebraska at Omaha Graduate Research and Creative Activity Grant, investigating changes in physical activity behavior in chronic ankle instability patients after episodes of “Giving-way”.

Ji Yeon's research is complemented by her clinical experience as a student athletic trainer for various sports teams at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She provided injury and illness prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation services for basketball, baseball, ice hockey, rugby, and soccer athletes at Yonsei University.

Averie Linnell, a Masters student in Psychology.
Averie Linnell earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and a minor in Sociology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). Continuing her education at UNO, she is pursuing a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology with the same concentration.

Linnell began her research activity as an Undergraduate Research Assistant working in Dr. Roni Reiter-Palmon’s Innovation and Creativity for Organizational Needs (ICON) lab. She received a Funding for Undergraduate Scholarly Experiences (FUSE) grant from UNO to support her investigation of creative problem-solving processes in teams.

Linnell continued her research with Dr. Reiter-Palmon as a Graduate Research Assistant in the psychology department. She has been awarded a Graduate Research and Creative Activity (GRACA) grant from UNO and a grant from the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 10 Micro Grant Funding Initiative for her ongoing thesis focused on malevolent creativity in the workplace.

Most recently, Linnell worked as a Graduate Research Assistant at the National Counterterrorism, Innovation, Technology, and Education (NCITE) Center. At NCITE, Linnell worked with Dr. Sam Hunter on a project funded by the Department of Homeland Security investigating the social and psychological mechanisms behind online identities, malevolent creativity, and extremism in the metaverse.