In the Student Spotlight: April 9, 2021

Kudos to these students

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  • Undergraduate student Michelle Kearney from the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences (APS) virtually presented the poster, “Robotic Exploration Potential of Martian Caves” at the 52nd annual Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference. Jut Wynne with the Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research and part-time faculty with the Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes and the late Nadine Barlow of APS also co-authored the study.
  • The men’s and women’s cross-country teams qualified for several U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association individual and team All-Academic Honors. The men’s team maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.29 this season and earned the National Scholar Team of the Year title, the third time in program history. The women maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.57. Below are student-athletes who received individual honors.
    • Blaise Ferro, senior in educational leadership
    • Ryan Raff, junior in psychological sciences
    • Nico Young, freshman in exercise science
    • Jesselyn Bries, sophomore in special and elementary education
    • Pipi Eitel, senior in biology
    • Jessa Hanson, junior in biology
    • Bryn Morley, junior in environmental and sustainability studies
    • Delaney Rasmussen, senior in human relations
    • Annika Reiss, sophomore in elementary education
  • Alumni Ryleigh Fitzpatrick and Robyn Meier and associate professor Mark Loeffler, all from APS, co-authored the article, “The Contribution of Electrons to the Sputter-produced O2 Exosphere on Europa” published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The study was the first work to systematically evaluate and quantify the composition of the sputtered material from water ice during electron irradiation.
  • Annika Gustafsson, doctoral student of APS, was lead author on the article, “Science Commissioning of NIHTS: The Near-infrared High Throughput Spectrograph on the Lowell Discovery Telescope” published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. The article is a summary of the Near-Infrared High Throughput Spectrograph operations, commissioning, data reduction procedures and an overview of select science cases that will be pursued further.
  • Anna Engle, doctoral student of astronomy and planetary science, was the lead author on the article, “Phase Diagram for the Methane-Ethane System and its Implications for Titan’s Lakes” published in Earth and Planetary Astrophysics. This was her first published study as lead author. Also co-authoring the article was Jennifer Hanley, collaborative campus associate of the Astrophysical Ice Lab; Will Grundy, adjunct of the Astrophysical Ice Lab; Shyanne Dustrud, doctoral student of applied physics and materials science; Garrett Thompson, former graduate student; Gerrick Lindberg, associate professor of applied physics and materials science; and Steve Tegler, professor of APS.