LINCOLN – Nebraska Public Media’s series that highlights innovation, invention and discovery across the state returns with four new episodes showcasing the resilience and creativity that define Nebraskans.
“What If... Nebraska” premieres at 9 p.m. CT, Wednesday, March 26 and continues Wednesdays April 2, 9 and 16 on Nebraska Public Media. To learn more, visit NebraskaPublicMedia. org/WhatIf.
“ Stories highlight interesting Nebraskans with interesting ideas in a wide range of areas, like university research, entrepreneurship, education, economic development and more,” said host and producer Mike Tobias. “It’s a great project because we’re having fun and challenging ourselves creatively to tell these stories in a way that takes you inside the worlds and minds of these innovators.”
The television and digital series’ upcoming episodes highlight themes ranging from “Making Good to Bad,” to “Innovation in the Sky” and “Fun and Learning.”
On the March 26 episode of “What If...” stories of resilience shine as Sidney reinvents itself after Cabela’s headquarters closure, and three sisters transform tornado devastation into Triple E Equine, a unique horse hotel and training center near Beaver Crossing. This episode features a behind-the-scenes look at filming the segment using a continuous-shot filming technique, typically used for big movie productions.
From choreographed drone light shows by a Norfolk entrepreneur to Nebraska junior and high school students working with NASA and University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty building a satellite, the April 2 episode features groundbreaking advancements in aerospace and technology. This episode is hosted from the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum near Ashland.
The April 9 STEM-focused episode hosted at the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha, features fun and learning with stories including a 4-H Inventure Day program that challenges teams to turn a widget into a marketable product in one day. The episode also features an Omaha candy scientist who launched a business helping candy creators large and small with research and development, and a lifelong entrepreneur’s journey to beekeeper and mustard maker in Holdrege.
The special April 16 “rewind” episode revisits and celebrates the stories, music and education elements that have been a part of the award- winning series since it first aired in 2019. Tobias revisits three stories from previous seasons and updates what these innovators and creators are doing now.
The education aspects of the project are featured with Innovator Insights segments and an exercise with Nebraska Wesleyan and Fremontarea students brainstorming ideas for using a robot.
Plus, Tobias interviews Omaha composer Winston Schneider, then introduces Schneider and duet partner Matthew Moisseyev performing Schneider’s composition, “”Swap.”
“What If...” repeats Fridays at 5 p.m. CT and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. CT on Nebraska Public Media.
Ten new “Innovator Insights” produced this season will be in the PBS LearningMedia Library at nebraskapublicmedia. pbslearningmedia. org. This educational component of “What If...” helps students practice the innovation process identifying and defining problems and potential for change, brainstorming solutions, prototyping ideas, testing and sharing results. The full collection has more than 30 videos in English and Spanish subtitles.
