On May 3rd, 2013, MRO’s graduate research students, Tyler McCracken and Alisa Shtromberg received the Marvin Wilkening Award which is presented by the New Mexico Tech Physics Department and is awarded on an annual basis. The Marvin Wilkening Award was established by the New Mexico Tech alumnus, Larry Boucher (1968, B.S. in Physics; 1981, M.S. in Physics), in honor of Professor Emeritus Marvin Wilkening and is given to the graduating physics student who has demonstrated excellence in experimental physics. The award consists of a certificate and a technician’s tool kit valued at $950.
Tyler McCracken is a graduate student in the physics department at New Mexico Tech pursuing a Ph.D. He received his B.S. from McMurry University in 2008. In 2009 he joined Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer (MROI) and is performing his research on the development and implementation of the fringe tracker (ICoNN) under the direction of Dr. Colby Jurgenson and Dr. Michelle Creech-Eakman. Tyler McCracken is due to complete his Ph.D in August 2013.
Alisa Shtromberg joined MRO in 2006 after graduation with a B.S. degree in Astrophysics from New Mexico Tech. As the MROI Instrumentation Optics Engineer she is the lead on the Automated Alignment System project under the supervision of Dr. Colby Jurgenson. Ms. Shtromberg is also due to complete her M.S. in Instrumentation from the Physics Department on May 11, 2013 under the supervision of Dr. Colby Jurgenson and Dr. Michelle Creech-Eakman.
 Tyler McCracken accepts the Marvin Wilkening Award for excellence in experimental Physics from NMT Physics Department Chair, Dr. Ken Eack. |
 Alisa Shtromberg accepts the Marvin Wilkening Award for excellence in experimental Physics from NMT Physics Department Chair, Dr. Ken Eack. |
 Alisa Shtromberg and Tyler McCracken after they receive the Marvin Wilkening Award from the New Mexico Tech Physics Department |