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UNM Regents' Scholar Rebecca Nez named 2025 Udall Scholar
May 15, 2025
Rebecca Nez, a sophomore Regents' Scholar and a member of the Navajo Nation, has been selected as a 2025 Udall Scholar. The prestigious national award, administered by the Udall Foundation, honors students committed to leadership and public service in areas related to Native American self-governance, health care, and environmental stewardship—reflecting the enduring legacies of Morris and Stewart Udall.
As part of the award, Nez will receive up to $7,000 toward academic expenses, attend a five-day networking and orientation program in Tucson, and join the Udall Alumni Network—an active community of change-makers and public service leaders. This year, 55 students were selected as Udall Scholars from 381 candidate nominations representing 45 colleges and universities nationwide. Nez was one of 12 sophomores selected.
"I am beyond grateful to be a Udall scholar. This award is so much more than the title, but a recognition of my efforts and the dedication I have for my community. I feel an even greater responsibility to take action and use this as an opportunity to continue trying to improve the lives of those affected by water insecurity. I am also excited to connect with other scholars and alumni who share the same commitment in continuing the legacy of the Udall brothers," said Nez.
Nez is a Regents' Scholar and Gates Scholar completing her second year at The University of New Mexico, where she is majoring in Environmental Engineering. She is also pursuing a minor in Chemistry and a certificate in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts. A member of the Navajo Nation, Nez is committed to returning home to support her community through environmental remediation and addressing critical water issues.
Since her first year at UNM, Nez has been a member of a research group led by Assistant Professor Allyson McGaughey at the Center for Water and the Environment. The group focuses on developing a fundamental understanding of the relationship between material properties and performance to inform the design of separation processes for a circular water economy.
“I am so excited and gratified to hear that Ms. Rebecca Nez has been named a 2025 Udall Scholar. Rebecca is an outstanding scholar and an outstanding person. It has been an absolute privilege to work with her over the past year. I have been continually impressed by her motivation, maturity, leadership, and curiosity," said McGaughey, who is also an assistant professor in the Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering. "In all she does, Rebecca unites her strong technical background in chemical and environmental engineering with her leadership, communication skills, life experience, and commitment to her community – qualities that not only make her a great researcher, but will also make her an incredible engineer and policymaker. Congratulations, Rebecca, on this great achievement. I can’t wait to see what you do next!"