Nina Osborne named 2026 Goldwater Scholar

On March 27, third-year University of Iowa student Nina Osborne was working at the UI Admission Visitors Center when she checked her email. In her inbox, she read that she had been awarded a 2026 Goldwater Scholarship, the country's most prestigious undergraduate scholarship for students pursuing research careers in mathematics, natural sciences, and engineering.

"I read the email about 15 times to make sure I read it right before telling my mom," Osborne says. "I got so much out of the application process by writing reflectively and synthesizing my research at a high level, and it's really rewarding to receive a scholarship from that."

Osborne - a Bloomington, Illinois, resident who followed in her parents' footsteps by attending Iowa - is a double major in geographical and sustainability science on the geographic information science (GIS) track and environmental policy and planning on the policy track.

She initially came to Iowa as an elementary education major. But after hearing Susan Meerdink, assistant professor in the UI School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability, speak in her Honors first-year seminar, Osborne was inspired to pursue her current majors. She has been doing research in Meerdink's lab since January 2025.

"In research, Nina is a smart, motivated, organized leader who completes both experimental and analytical tasks thoroughly and thoughtfully," Meerdink says. "I am always pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity of work Nina reports as complete during our weekly meetings. Nina is a warm, charismatic individual, which enhances her ability to speak to and connect with people from all walks of life."

In the lab, Osborne examined the reactions of groups of bur oak trees to higher carbon dioxide levels and heat stress during a growing season, using a light-measuring technique to study the leaves. This work can help scientists use drones, airplanes, or satellites to check the health of bur oak trees across large areas as ecosystems change.

"It's the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life, period," Osborne says of her research experience. "As an undergraduate student, you don't always have the opportunity to invest so much into a project. But with research, you're really interested in the work you're doing. There's always something new to learn from it and a new way of thinking. You get to see your work pay off again and again. I don't know what my life would look like without research, and I'm so grateful I've had so many opportunities to learn more about scientific research, the planet, and how the world around us works."

Osborne encourages undergraduate students considering research to build relationships with UI professors, who are experts in their fields, to explore their interests and contribute to the university's work.

After graduation, Osborne hopes to attend graduate school and teach undergraduates while continuing to conduct research monitoring the health and function of ecosystems in inaccessible places using remote technology.

"Nina sets herself apart with her level of engagement and enthusiasm, which extends not only to the science but to the process and people involved," Meerdink says. "She is unafraid to take risks and make mistakes when learning new things, which I've found increasingly rare among her peers who are more risk-averse when faced with new topics. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to mentor Nina and watch her grow. Nina is going to have an extremely successful career in STEM."

For now, Osborne stays busy with her many UI activities. In addition to training tour guides and leading campus tours for the UI admissions office, she works as a teaching assistant and peer mentor for the Honors Program. She also enjoys running, biking, and hiking.

Osborne also volunteers with the Iowa Raptor Project, which she calls her "favorite thing I do every week." She helps take care of the birds at Macbride Nature Recreation Area and speaks with visitors about the raptors, an experience she values for getting her out from behind a computer and into the physical world.

"It's so fascinating to be around so many people who love what they're studying and are so engaged in it," Osborne says of her time at Iowa. "It's really important to me to be deeply invested in my studies, and I've loved finding people on campus who feel the same way and are using their time in college to become the best versions of themselves. Working in the admissions office and talking with people who come to visit Iowa, I can always confidently pull on other stories of friends and coworkers who are doing amazing things on campus."