Fall 2008
20 Ways UNLV is Inventing the Future
Story by Michelle Mouton
Photo by Aaron Mayes
Rising Star
When Tesla Birnbaum reached for the stars, she was able to keep her feet on well-known ground. A National Merit finalist, Birnbaum was attracted to UNLV’s strong astronomy program. And UNLV’s offer of additional scholarship monies from private donors helped keep the Las Vegas native from moving out of state.
The President’s Scholarship she received covered tuition and provided her with room and board in her first year of school. The scholarship afforded her the opportunity to obtain a well-rounded college experience while being able to live close to her family. “I’ve really gotten to know a lot of people thanks to living on campus,” said Birnbaum. “My first year at UNLV was great. I enjoyed the classes, and the faculty have been really nice to work with.”
She credits her parents, and their bedtime story selections, with fostering an interest in astronomy and space. With hard work and dedication to her studies, Birnbaum was the 2007 valedictorian of Arbor View High School.
This summer, she studied gamma-ray bursts alongside physics professor Bing Zhang through a National Science Foundation program that gives undergraduates opportunities to conduct research. Students in a variety of disciplines across the state submitted proposals, and Birnbaum’s was one of only 20 selected to receive funding. Such experiences will prepare her to reach her ultimate goal of becoming a professor and researcher in astrophysics, she says.
