October 28, 2026
Idaly Del Rello was initially intimidated by the idea of research work. Through the First Year Research Program (FYRE), she found that Nebraska’s faculty are ready to involve any interested student in their work. Now, Idaly wants to share this discovery and encourage every Husker to take advantage of all the incredible research happening on our campuses, no matter your major.
“I think when it comes to research, a lot of people feel really intimidated. That’s certainly how I felt when I came into FYRE,” she says. “I had this sense that you needed to be a hardcore STEM major to get into research work, and that is completely not true. Absolutely anyone can — and should — get involved.
FYRE is designed for students with no prior research experience, pairing them with faculty mentors doing research that needs extra hands-on help. At an R1 research university like Nebraska, those opportunities are everywhere, helping Huskers like Idaly hone skills that prove valuable well beyond the lab.
“Doing research work has helped me learn to ask questions, connect big ideas together and understand trends in data, and all these skills can apply to so many different passions. All it takes to get started is a little initiative and curiosity.”
After her transformative experience with FYRE, Idaly sought out more research work beyond her first year. A psychology major, Idaly emailed her professors to ask about any available opportunities in the field. She found herself quickly connected with Assistant Professor of Psychology Hillary Schwarb, whose work in the Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior (CB3) was studying human memory.
When Idaly came on as a research assistant under Professor Schwarb, she did more than study the brain — she got the chance to be part of a larger team working toward the same goal.
“I’ve loved everything about this work,” Idaly says. “Dr. Schwarb and the whole team have included me so much in their process. I even got to attend some conferences and help present some of our work.”
Now a senior, Idaly has taken an interest in political science as she’s moved through her academic career. The connections she's built are helping her find opportunities in the CB3’s political science lab, bringing her closer to research work that directly advances her career goals — something Idaly never thought possible when she first began in FYRE.
“Putting myself out there and taking this leap into research has led me to places I never expected. That’s why I really encourage anyone to try research work out — it’s opened up so many avenues that I never would’ve considered on my own.”
Idaly Del Rello is a senior psychology major from Lincoln, Nebraska.