Schmidt receives Thresher Award
Senior Luke Schmidt, a chemistry and physics major from Peabody, received the Thresher Award in Physics May 12 during Bethel College's annual awards convocation.
The Thresher Award is given to graduating seniors for outstanding and sustained contribution in performance areas, for outstanding creative achievement in the applied sciences, or for completion of an outstanding academic project.
"Luke spent many long hours helping install, develop, and test the telescopes and instrumentation in Mabee Observatory in the new Krehbiel Science Center. He worked skillfully and tirelessly and was involved in all levels of the process," said Tracy Tuttle, who presented the award.
Using the 16-inch telescope in Mabee Observatory, Schmidt searched for and analyzed asteroids as he prepared his senior seminar project on "minor planet astrometry."
"Luke's work with the observatory and with his senior research project was nothing short of extraordinary," Tuttle said.
Schmidt was one of seven graduating seniors to receive Thresher Awards.
