The University of Nebraska System has released the of its “Shaping the Future” video series, featuring Dr. Mario Scalora, director of the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center and a professor of psychology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The video series, hosted by President Jeff Gold, features conversations with researchers, students and educators across NU’s four campuses who are changing lives and making an impact.
In the video, Scalora discusses groundbreaking research taking place at the NU Public Policy Center, including threat assessment, violence prevention and behavioral health—and how the Center collaborates with partners to create safer communities.
Established in 1998 by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, the NU Public Policy Center provides policy-oriented research, consulting, data collection, analysis and related services to a wide variety of local, state, and federal organizations—using university resources to find real-world solutions.
“We are a multidisciplinary center with a wide range of staff who are applying science and translating it to a range of problems across our communities,” Scalora said. “One area is community safety and threat assessment—asking how we help communities reinforce good practices and deal with very challenging situations.”
Risk and threat assessment isn’t new to Scalora; his early training as a child psychologist focused on these areas in the youth population. Through partnerships he had built, Scalora later connected with the Nebraska State Patrol and began work on a threat assessment project—completing one of the first descriptive analyses of threats toward Nebraska’s governor and opening a door to an array of research opportunities and collaborations.
Scalora and the NU Public Policy Center have continued their work in threat assessment and research to this day. Their work has covered everything from political threats, business threats, and threats in higher education. The Center’s threat assessment program is one of the longest running in all of higher education—tracking activity for over 20 years to determine how risks have evolved over time.
“We are working to find dignified, humane ways to de-escalate conflict before we even have to worry about it,” Scalora said.
While the level of threats can vary in size, they can happen anywhere—in cities of all sizes, in schools and at community and social events, and increasingly, online and on social media. Even if they don’t turn into an adverse situation, Scalora believes that the first step in reducing threats is trusting instinct and raising concern. For those who encounter a threat in their community, Scalora’s advice is simple:
“If you have any concern about safety, you don’t have to wait,” he said. “Contact law enforcement or someone you trust—like a colleague, pastor or counselor—and tell them you are worried. We like to say: ‘If you see something, say something, and say something now.’”
President Gold praised Scalora’s leadership and the impact of the Public Policy Center’s work:
“It is an honor to have Dr. Scalora on Shaping the Future,” President Gold said. “The Public Policy Center’s work reflects our mission of turning knowledge into action, and I’m grateful for our strong partnership in keeping Nebraskans—and people across the country—safe.”
New episodes of “Shaping the Future” are released monthly and feature faculty, staff and students from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Omaha. Topics will include athletics, counterterrorism, agriculture, student success, healthcare, K-12 education and many others.
Viewers may watch past episodes of “Shaping the Future” .