Maunakea Speaker Series to Feature Scholars & Hōkūala Scholarship Recipient Announcement

The Maunakea Speaker Series will continue its monthly scholar-focused series on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, starting at 7 p.m., the Office of Maunakea Management, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Department of Physics & Astronomy announced on June 26. Courtesy photo

The Maunakea Speaker Series will continue its monthly scholar-focused series on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, starting at 7 p.m., the Office of Maunakea Management, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Department of Physics & Astronomy announced on June 26.

The public is invited to attend the free event at Hilo’s ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, located at 600 Imiloa Place with plenty of free parking.

The evening presentation will include two Maunakea Scholars, Ronny Whitter from Kapolei High School and JC Dumaslan from Waipahu High School, who will share results of their 2018 Maunakea Scholars projects on Hot Stars and Dark Matter.

Canada France Hawaii Telescope Director Doug Simons and outreach manager Mary Beth Laychak round out the presentation with program updates, including the announcement of the 2019 Hōkūala Scholarship (rising star) recipient.

The $10,000 Hōkūala Scholarship was launched in 2018 as the latest addition to the Maunakea Scholars program. The scholarship is awarded annually to one or more top performing high school seniors who are planning to study astronomy in college.

The Maunakea Scholars program, led by Canada-France-Hawai‘i Telescope, is a partnership among the Maunakea Observatories, Hawai‘i State Department of Education, and University of Hawai‘i. This innovative program is designed to bring aspiring young astronomers into the observatory community by awarding observing time on world-class telescopes to Hawai‘i high school students so they can pursue research of their own design and inspiration. Since its inception, the program has also had additions to the community of supporters collaborating to advance educational opportunities for local students interested in pursuing astronomy.

The Maunakea Speaker Series will continue its monthly scholar-focused series on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, starting at 7 p.m., the Office of Maunakea Management, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Department of Physics & Astronomy announced on June 26. Courtesy photo

The Maunakea Scholars program is partnering with the University of Hawai‘i’s Mānoa Academy and starting in this 2018-19 school year, high school students attending Hawai‘i Island schools hosting the Maunakea Scholars program are able to take, at no cost, UH online astronomy courses, receiving college credit in the process. A $50,000 grant from Hawai‘i Community Foundation enabled this exciting expansion.

The Paul H.I. Coleman Endowed Scholarship for Astronomy, established by Newton and Roberta Chu with a $35,000 gift to the University of Hawai‘i Foundation, honors the late astronomer Paul Coleman, the first Native Hawaiian with a doctorate in physics and beloved member of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Institute for Astronomy (IfA) faculty. The scholarship in his memory supports students pursuing degrees in astronomy within the University of Hawai‘i system.

For more information visit malamamaunakea.org or call (808) 933-0734.

Maunakea Speaker Series

Launched in 2017, the Maunakea Speaker Series is a monthly scholar-focused presentation offered as a partnership among the Office of Maunakea Management, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, and the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Department of Physics & Astronomy. This collaborative venture gives the community unprecedented access to fascinating research taking place on Maunakea and other topics unique to the Island of Hawai‘i. A venue for scholars to share their stories and learn from discussion, the series promotes understanding and collaboration across all sectors of the community, while addressing the goals of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.

About Office of Maunakea Management

The Office of Maunakea Management is charged with day-to-day management of Mauna Kea Science Reserve as prescribed in the Master Plan. The adoption of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan by the University of Hawai’i Board of Regents in June 2000 marked a critical milestone in the management of Maunakea.

Meetings and public hearings spanning a period of nearly two years went into the formulation of the Master Plan, which established management guidelines for the next 20 years. The Master Plan reflected the community’s deeply rooted concerns over the use of Maunakea, including respect for Hawaiian cultural beliefs, protection of environmentally sensitive habitat, recreational use of the mountain, and astronomy research.

It places the focus of responsibility locally with the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. The UH-Hilo Chancellor established the Office of Maunakea Management and the Board of Regents established the Maunakea Management Board in the fall of 2000. The Maunakea Management Board in turn formed Kahu Kū Mauna, a council comprised of Hawaiian cultural resource persons to serve as advisors.

The mission of the Office of Maunakea Management is to achieve harmony, balance and trust in the sustainable management and stewardship of Mauna Kea Science Reserve through community involvement and programs that protect, preserve and enhance the natural, cultural and recreational resources of Maunakea while providing a world-class center dedicated to education, research and astronomy.