Mechanical engineering students Kruse, Nail named Goldwater Scholars

Nebraska engineering students Liam Kruse and Mark Nail were among the three University of Nebraska-Lincoln students and about 200 students nationwide who were chosen to receive the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship in 2019.

Nail received an honorable mention for his Goldwater application last year.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Sen. Barry M. Goldwater. The foundation provides up to $7,500 per year for educational expenses to about 200 college sophomores and juniors nationwide in hopes of supporting future scientists, mathematicians and engineers. This year, about 1,300 applications were received. Awards are distributed to students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity and intensity and who possess the potential for significant contributions to mathematics or science.

Both Kruse and Nail are mechanical engineering majors and students in the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, and both have conducted undergraduate research in unmanned aircraft systems in the Nebraska Intelligent Mobile Unmanned Systems (NIMBUS) Lab under the mentorship of computer science and engineering faculty. Kruse has studied with Assistant Professor Justin Bradley, and Nail has worked with Associate Professor Carrick Detwiler.