#WSGCStudentSpotlight
Sophomore
Carthage College
Major: Physics
Minor: Chemistry
Congratulations to this week’s #WSGCStudentSpotlight, Bennett Bartel! Bennett is going into his sophomore year at Carthage College, where he is majoring in physics with a minor in chemistry. Bennett is the recipient of an Undergraduate Scholarship award, participated in the Midwest Rocket Launch Competition, and received an Undergraduate Research Fellowship for the Modal Propellant Gauging team.
During his freshman year at Carthage, Bennett participated in the Midwest Rocket Launch Competition as the team’s simulations member. Bennett created a 3D model of their rocket with OpenRocket software and ran simulations vital to selecting the right motor. Bennett also joined the Magnetoactive Slosh Control (MaSC) project, testing for effective ways to suppress propellant slosh in a microgravity environment. Their payload uses a set of three Helmholtz coils that produce an electromagnetic field. This field interacts with a metal disk that stiffens in a magnetic field, effectively suppressing microgravity sloshing. His specific role on that team was to conduct experiments determining the best method of reducing membrane density by coating it in various plastics.
Bennett is a strong believer that the only path that leads to growth is, challenge. He looks back on the old challenges of the space race with determination for the challenges of the future. Although the first era of exoplanetary exploration has passed, Bennett is glad to be living in the era of Mars and is determined to be a part of this new and exciting exploration.
Congratulations Bennett, and keep up the hard work!