Congratulations to Senior Physics Major Sandra Behncke who has been named the NASA International Year of Astronomy Student Ambassador for Nebraska. 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, and NASA has selected ambasadors to actively participate in, and help coordinate their own outreach programs within the local community and beyond.
Sandra's enthusiasm for Astrophysics started quite a while ago. "I've wanted to conduct space research since I was a little girl to further the knowledge of our planet's past and understand our mysterious universe." Sandra has been working on broad-absorption line quasar (BALs) research with Dr. Gabel since January 2008 and will continue until she graduates in May. By then, she hopes to determine "if mass outflow is characteristic of all quasars, settling the battle between the orientation and evolution theories. We hope to clarify our understanding of the composition and significance of the mass outflow. This may further our comprehension of the physics behind the supermassive blackhole at the quasars' center."
As an NIYA Ambasador, Sandra will receive a $2000 reward and up to $700 for materials and travel reimbursement. She may also be selected to go to the International Year of Astronomy Opening Ceremony in
Further information about the NASA International Year of Astronomy Student Ambassadors Program is available at http://www.spacegrant.org/niya/