New Scholarship Honors Late Alum, Supports First-Generation Materials Science Students

"To life itself — for all the joys, adventures, wonders and mysteries it provides, which have made life so enjoyable and worth living to the fullest." — Andy Nieto

A new scholarship in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Davis, has been established in honor of Andy Nieto, who earned his doctorate in the department in 2016 and was preparing to begin as a faculty member there before he died in a scuba diving accident in 2022. 

Recognizing Nieto's life and research accomplishments, the Dr. Andy Nieto Memorial Excellence Scholarship will support first-generation undergraduate students pursuing materials science and engineering.  

"While his unexpected and premature passing has been difficult to comprehend, the department is extremely grateful to the Nieto family for establishing the scholarship in his honor," said Yayoi Takamura, professor and chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. "It will enable us to continue Andy's legacy and inspire the next generation of materials science and engineering students, in particular first-generation undergraduate students."

Nieto started his academic career by completing a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Miami. He continued his studies at Florida International University, completing a Master of Science degree in materials science and engineering. Nieto then moved to UC Davis to pursue his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering, working with Professor Julie Schoenung, who is now at Texas A&M University.  

After completing his Ph.D. at UC Davis, Nieto continued his career as an Oak Ridge Associated University postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in Maryland. He then joined the faculty as an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School, or NPS, in Monterey, California.  

A Student to Remember

As his faculty advisor and mentor at UC Davis, Schoenung speaks to Nieto's determination and research curiosity, describing him as a "natural born leader and a hard-core scientist." Nieto's doctoral research goal was to investigate the influence of nano-diamond reinforcements on the processing capability and mechanical behavior of WC-Co cermets, composite materials comprising ceramics and metals.  

"Within months of arriving on campus, Andy had prepared a draft proposal for this research plan that was on par with a draft proposal for the National Science Foundation [or NSF] — a highly unusual achievement for an early career graduate student," said Schoenung.  

Nieto went on to use that proposal to apply for an NSF summer institute, which was funded and allowed him to spend a summer conducting experiments on his cermet materials at Yonsei University in Korea. Schoenung highlights that Nieto's pursuit of this program was completely self-motivated.  

"I have never before had a student who was as self-sufficient as Andy," she said. "Moreover, he demonstrated himself to be a solid researcher who has continuously pursued novel, insightful and important fundamental and applied materials science questions."

Schoenung describes these early impressions of Nieto as a Ph.D. student as indicative of who he later became as an independent researcher and faculty member. During his Ph.D. studies, Nieto published five first-author, peer-reviewed journal papers co-authored by Schoenung. His work on nanodiamond-reinforced WC-Co for tribological applications advances the state of the art for a well-established material through the application of novel materials design and creative characterization techniques.

During his four years at NPS, Nieto was successful as a research scholar and an academic mentor. He mentored 10 graduate students and eight summer interns, many of whom were recognized with awards for outstanding research and academic achievement. Nieto was also recognized for his research: In 2021, he was selected by the Office of Naval Research for its Young Investigator Program and earned the title of Teaching Fellow.  

Nieto was active in the American Ceramics Society. As a student, he was a delegate on the President's Council of Student Advisors and later served as the secretary of funding for the Northern California chapter, as well as a symposium organizer for multiple conferences. He was committed to instilling his enthusiasm for scientific research in young people, evidenced by his frequent service as a judge or mentor for undergraduate and graduate speaking programs and as a science fair judge in his local community.  

Schoenung will remember Nieto as highly intelligent, always motivated, ambitious and driven, yet happy and excited by his work, never deterred by any challenges that came along the way. She will also remember his contagious smile and his penchant for helping others push themselves to do more and do better.  

"Our materials science and engineering community was fortunate to have Andy among us," she said. "His passing is a great loss and certainly one that came far too early. As his Ph.D. advisor, Andy became part of my research family. We didn't cross paths often after his graduation, but he always kept in touch. I was always so proud to hear of his accomplishments and the enthusiasm and pride in his voice or messages. I am extremely grateful to have been part of his life."  

The Family Pillar

While Nieto displayed a fierce passion for research in the workplace, his family will remember his passion for life, adventure and family, describing him as a "fountain of energy, happiness, humor and love."  

An Alaskan cruise in 2005 sparked a curiosity for traveling and a life-long pursuit of exploration. It was on that trip he went on his first hike, an activity that brought a sense of accomplishment to his life, with the rewards of reaching an amazing waterfall, lake or peak.  

An explorer at heart, Nieto loved traveling and all things outdoors — not just hiking but also snowboarding, scuba diving, kayaking and spending time at the beach, and he cared deeply about the environment and nature. Nieto was also an avid chess player, participating in tournaments as a member of the US Chess Federation.  

Nieto was fortunate to blend his love for travel with his love for research, attending conferences and conducting research all over the world, including Brazil, Europe, Japan and South Korea.  

To commemorate Nieto's deep love of nature and exploration, Nieto's family installed a memorial bench in the UC Davis Arboretum with a plaque describing the park as Nieto's "favorite place for a peaceful stroll during his doctoral studies."  

Give to the Dr. Andy Nieto Memorial Excellence Scholarship Fund