Rate My Professor Amanda Nienow

Her research specializes in the abiotic fate of agrochemicals in aquatic environments, focusing on the photochemical degradation of herbicides such as imazethapyr (an imidazolinone), nicosulfuron (sulfonylurea), flumetsulam, and others, examining influences of pH, natural organic matter concentration, light wavelength, and sorption to corn or soybean plant waxes. Supported by National Science Foundation grants, including one in 2018 for dicamba studies, her work collaborates with undergraduates who have presented at national meetings and co-authored peer-reviewed papers. Key publications include “Photodegradation of the Herbicide Imazethapyr in Aqueous Solution: Effects of Wavelength, pH, and Natural Organic Matter (NOM) and Analysis of Photoproducts” (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2011), “Hydrolysis and Hydrogen Peroxide-Assisted UV Photodegradation of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol” (Chemosphere, 2009), “Multifactor Statistical Analysis of the H₂O₂-Enhanced Photodegradation of Nicotine and Phosphamidon” (Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2009), “Hydrogen Peroxide-Assisted UV Photodegradation of Lindane” (Chemosphere, 2008), and “Chemical Vapor Deposition of Zirconium Oxide on Aerosolized Silicon Nanoparticles” (Chemistry of Materials, 2006). Nienow received the 2025 Janet Andersen Lecture Award from the Midstates Consortium for Math and Sciences for mentoring undergraduate researchers, along with earlier honors such as the University of Minnesota Dissertation Fellowship (2005-2006), NSF IGERT Traineeship (2002-2004), and Beaker and Bunsen Award (2004). She has delivered invited seminars on agrochemical degradation and contributed to NSF-funded projects on deliberation in STEM classrooms.