Nick Van Owen was a photographer who accompanied Eddie Carr and Ian Malcolm to Isla Sorna in order to document dinosaurs. He was hand picked by John Hammond because he had done many jobs in combat situations. He was also an active environmentalist and a member of the Earth First! organization. Nick's last name is possibly a reference to a mercenary called Van Owen in the song, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner by Warren Zevon and David Lindell.