Orleans teenager advancing in Space Lab contest

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Brier Dodge

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Katie Gwozdecky has her own idea of a dream office.

It's not in a skyscraper in New York City, a fancy art studio or professional playing field.

Gwozdecky wants to be above all of that - in outer space.

The Grade 11 Ashbury College student, who lives in Orleans, entered a contest the Google Space Lab Contest, which asked high school students to put together a video about an experiment that they would conduct in space.

Gwozdecky's experiment investigates blood clotting for astronauts who are immobile for a long period of time while in space.

Immobility can cause the blood to thicken and clot, which can lead to fatal blockages.

So she designed an experiment that could be done in space, watching to see the effects of the microgravity astronauts are exposed to on blood.

While she entered three different videos into the contest, it wasn't a surprise that her research into blood clotting came out on top.

"I would love to see the results because it could be so crucial," she said. "You don't want one of your guys dying."

She didn't just propose the experiment though - she was asked to outline exactly how she would conduct the experiment.

Gwozdecky said that if a thickening agent was added to the blood, it would mimic what happens on a long plane trip.

She guessed that after a week, the blood would thicken in a comparable amount to a week long sea trip - and after 12 weeks, comparable to a long haul flight.

She did a lot of research through the process, with separate teacher advisors for the biological, chemical, and physics-based portions of her project, and connecting with resources at the Museum of Science and Technology and university researchers.

In late January she found out that she was one of two Canadians chosen to advance in the 14 to 16 age group.

"I lost my mind, I started crying," she said.

I never expected to finish it, then to be chosen was incredible."

2,000 ENTRIES

Out of 2,000 entries from across the world in countless languages, finalists were whittled down.

This month, six regional North and South America winners will be chosen to face the European/African region and Asian/Oceania winners. The regional winners will all be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C. in March and take a zero gravity flight.

Overall winners will eventually take it a step further and undergo astronaut training in Star City in Moscow, Russia.

No matter how Gwozdecky places in the contest, she will continue to chase her dream of working with science in space and figuring out humans can survive on a long-term basis while on the ship.

Gwozdecky said she is considering studying aerospace engineering, and is interested in eventually getting a PhD or attending medical school.

"Even if the contest doesn't result in anything, it's still a great experience," she said.




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