Homegrown Maverick: UNO Celebrates an Omaha Native Earning National Recognition

Driving to a slaughterhouse to secure samples for a lab might not have been what Zach Venn had in mind when he joined a research lab. But he is a Maverick—a student who brings all he has to every undertaking. And now he has been recognized nationally as a Goldwater scholarship recipient.

Venn is a junior majoring in Chemistry (medicinal) with minors in both Biology and Japanese. The latter served him well during a research experience at Toyohashi University of Technology in Japan in summer 2025. As a member of Sangjin Ryu’s, Ph.D., NSF-funded International Experience for Students program there, Venn worked internationally to solve engineering challenges.

He has had further research experience with Keshore Bidasee, Ph.D., closer to home at UNMC, earning co-authorship on published work.

He has also served as a learning assistant in General Chemistry II here at UNO. Alan Gift, Ph.D., endorses Venn’s “extensive research involvement, his love for science, and his strong leadership, communication, and mentorship skills.”

Venn is understated and personable. Maybe it is his triplet status that makes him calm and quietly confident, proud of his brothers’ very different pathways and open to ideas and engagement. He doesn’t hesitate to push himself (and his empirical thinking) out of the box with a willingness for experimentation that underscores his maturity and preparation for the research career he plans to undertake.

The Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation is awarding 454 scholarships this year—and Venn is the only awardee from the University of Nebraska (NU) System. His award will help support his ongoing research efforts as he continues to prepare himself for the next steps in his career: he plans to enter an MD/PhD program following his 2027 graduation from UNO.

Additional Opportunities for Students

UNO is committed to connecting outstanding students with the mentoring provided by Lucy Morrison, Ph.D., and the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships, which works closely with students to identify and pursue prestigious scholarships and other national and international awards through information sessions and one-on-one support during the application process. Students interested in applying for the Goldwater Scholarship or similar national scholarship opportunities should contact the office at UNOonsf@unomaha.edu.

Previous Recipients