A&S Student Named Goldwater Scholar

From the UA News Center | The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program has selected two University of Alabama students as Goldwater Scholars for 2023-2024. The latest selections bring UA’s number of Goldwater Scholars to 62. The two students are Skylar Elliott, from Harvest, and Riley Nold, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Riley Nold
Riley Nold

Riley Nold is a physics and mathematics major. As a member of the Randall Research Scholars Program and Honors College, Nold is currently working under Dr. Adam Hauser to characterize the crystalline and electronic structure of novel Heusler compounds via computational density functional theory.

Nold plans on pursuing a doctorate in experimental condensed matter physics and continuing into academia as a university professor, with a research focus in thin-film fabrication.

Outside of research, Nold is a member of UA’s chapter of Society of Physics Students, where he leads the program’s undergraduate physics journal club and organizes professional development events. His parents are James and Tamara Nold.

The UA Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships assists students in the pursuit of national and international awards including the Goldwater, Rhodes, Marshall and Boren, among others. Students interested in applying for awards that require an institutional endorsement can learn more on the External Scholarships and Fellowships website.