Science Summit Hosting High Schoolers from Five Nations

Several dozen high school students from five nations will take part next week in a summit in Hilo featuring science with a little dose of culture.

The theme of the second annual Pacific Astronomy and Engineering Summit is “He Lani Ko Luna, He Honua Ko Lalo: the sky above, the earth (and the sea) below and all that is encompassed therein.”

The summit is scheduled for July 21-25 at the Imiloa Astronomy Center.

“Participants will explore Hawai‘i’s culture and various areas of science in order to understand how the atmosphere above Hawaiʻi interacts with the land and sea below to create the world’s best place for conducting observational astronomy,” organizers said in a statement.

The summit is sponsored by the Thirty Meter Telescope, with participants coming from five nations partnering in the observatory’s consortium: Japan, China, India, Canada and the US.

Participating schools include Beijing School in China, Modern High School for Girls in India, Ritsumeikan High School in Japan and Shawnigan Lake Schools in Canada.

Hawaii participants include students from Iolani School and Kalani High School on Oahu, and Kealakehe High School and the after-school program Revealing Individual Strengths for Excellence or RISE on the Big Island.

Students will have an opportunity to interact with professionals and experts within the science fields, especially those associated with astronomy and engineering on Mauna Kea, organizers said. They will exchange ideas and solutions which advance their interest in science, technology, engineering and math which are known as the STEM disciplines.

Each school will make individual scientific as well as cultural presentations.

Participants will also experience the natural wonders of Hawai‘i through field trips to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy at Hale Pōhaku on Mauna Kea.

Further information on the summit is available at the PAES website.