Office: WSTC 409C | Phone: (308) 865-8678 | Email: palmernf@unk.edu
Noel Palmer, after graduating from the United States Military Academy, was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served on active duty for 5-1/2 years. After leaving active duty, he worked as a project manager, overseeing heavy highway and land development construction projects in the Denver Metro area. During that time, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve. After a deployment to Iraq, he went back to school to earn an MA in business and a PhD in Management from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Nearing the completion of his degree, he taught one semester at UNK as an adjunct and applied to become faculty when a vacancy opened the next year. Since joining the faculty at UNK, Dr. Palmer has taught courses in organizational behavior, business ethics, leadership, and the MBA capstone course. He also served as the MBA Program Director. His research interests include leadership, ethical decision-making, and psychological capital. Memberships include the Army Engineer Association (AEA), Reserve Officers Association (ROA), and Academy of Management (AOM).
Ph.D., Management, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
M.A., Strategic Studies, United States Army War College
M.A., Business, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, United States Military Academy
Leadership
Ethical decision-making
Psychological capital
Through my experiences as a military leader, I developed an interest in understanding and teaching about leadership. This led me to graduate school, and my interest in how leaders influence ethical decision-making. If we understand the importance of leadership and the influence of leaders, good and bad, then the value of studying these topics becomes apparent in the classroom, where I work to foster the development of leaders and their ability to make ethical decisions.
I still serve in the U.S. Army Reserve, with my most recent deployment being to Kuwait in 2021/22. I was commissioned in 1995, and in that time have served on four deployments and many overseas training missions in Europe, Central America, and East Asia. Most of my assignments have been in units with engineering as their specialty. In 2022, I was promoted to brigadier general and assigned to the 412th Theater Engineer Command in Vicksburg, Mississippi as a deputy commanding general. It is a privilege for me to serve. As an Army Reserve soldier, I am able to have a full-time job as a professor while also serving our great Nation.
