CHRISTOPHER J. BAMBIC UNIVERSITY MEDALIST summer at Cambridge analyzing data A student who continually impressed and supercomputer simulations on how professors with his intellect, research and turbulence and sound waves heat the work ethic, Christopher Bambic is forging a career that builds off a childhood love of plasma in clusters of galaxies, and, as a freshman and sophomore, working outer space and learning how things work. on the High Altitude Water Cherenkov “I wanted to be an astronaut,” he says, (HAWC) Gamma-Ray Observatory with “but I was terrified of rollercoasters.” UMD Distinguished University Professor of The Ohio native is graduating with degrees in astronomy and physics and won a Physics Jordan Goodman. “In a day when many of the best 2018 Winston Churchill Scholarship to fully students are a mile deep and an inch fund his pursuit of a Master of Philosophy wide,” Goodman says, “Chris distinguishes degree in astronomy at the University of himself with both the depth and breadth of Cambridge. Afterward, he plans to study for his experience and knowledge.” his Doctorate in Astrophysical Sciences at A Goldwater and Philip Merrill Princeton University. Presidential scholar, Bambic is the lead “He is the once in-a-decade student author on two published journal articles. that makes academic life so rewarding,” He hopes to continue research into says Christopher Reynolds, a professor of astronomy at UMD who was recently named how microscale physics like turbulence and magnetic fields interact with larger Plumian Professor of Astronomy at the phenomena like black holes and galaxies. University of Cambridge. Outside of the classroom, Bambic served Bambic, a Stamps Banneker/Key Scholar as a tutor, president of the AstroTerps and member of the Honors College, came student astronomy club, and volunteered to UMD because of its accomplished in the local community through activities history in physics and its emphasis on with the Catholic Student Center and the student research. He took full advantage of those opportunities, spending a Knights of Columbus.
2018 Spring Commencement / U N I V E R S I T Y
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