From observing hot gases shooting out of black holes to viewing Earth’s neighboring galaxies, students from five Hawaii high schools, including Waiakea and Honokaa, will have a chance to use the world’s most powerful telescopes for their original research.
Maunakea Scholars will expand this year with three more schools participating, more observatories committing to the initiative and new partners strengthening the opportunity for Hawaii’s youth to witness the wonders of the stars and beyond.
Designed to bring students into the observatory community and help aspiring astronomers envision their potential of pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, fields, Maunakea Scholars is the first program of its kind internationally to allocate observing time at major observatories for the direct educational advancement of students.
This year’s roster of high schools also includes Kapolei, Kalani and Nanakuli from Oahu. In addition to the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and Gemini Observatory, James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, operated by East Asian Observatory, Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea and the University of Hawaii’s ROBO-AO on Kitt Peak in Arizona, will join the efforts to bring direct educational advancement to Hawaii’s high school students.
Ten scientists, including graduate students from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy and staff from CFHT, will be matched with students as mentors to help guide them through the potential of their research. The culmination of the program will allow the students and their teachers to visit the telescopes on the summit of Mauna Kea, followed by a night of real-time observation in the remote control room at the observatories’ base facilities.
As an integral part of the local community, Maunakea Observatories and ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii work closely with the University of Hawaii at Hilo to advance and strengthen knowledge in STEM-related fields that can contribute to a sustainable future.
The new partnership between the organizations helps ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center bring mobile outreach curriculum to the five participating schools, as well as schools on Hawaii Island, to catalyze the connection between Hawaiian culture and science.
Inspired by Hawaiian tradition and the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage, MANU ‘Imiloa (Modern and Ancient ways of Navigating our Universe) is an interactive curriculum designed to explore traditional wayfinding, a skill using only natural signs including the stars.
‘Imiloa’s participation is supported by the Japan Foundation for the Promotion of Astronomy, an affiliate of the Subaru Observatory.
“We received an incredible response to the Maunakea Scholars in its inaugural year and we couldn’t be more pleased to grow the program, adding more schools, observatories and organizations to further this initiative,” said Mary Beth Laychak, outreach program manager at Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. “It’s inspiring to see the students light up with curiosity and realize the potential they have to achieve amazing discoveries that could impact the future of astronomy.”
