ISEE has been collaborating with the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) for many years, including:
Internships to build a STEM workforce on Maui: Akamai
DKIST is currently on of the major funders of the Akamai Internship Program
The Akamai program has provided more than 350 internships to college students from Hawaii
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87% of Akamai alumni stay in STEM
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>150 students are now in STEM jobs
(2/3 in Hawaii)
- There are many more Akamai outcomes
Each year funding from DKIST and the National Solar Observatory supports many students in participating in Akamai. Some students work directly on DKIST projects, which provides training for future DKIST jobs, or jobs at other telescopes and high tech companies in Hawaii.
Career development that leads to local jobs
More than 90 Akamai alumni participated in NSO career development workshops, including mock job interviews, held on Maui from 2010-13, resulting in:
5 summer internships at NSO
2 hires at DKIST/NSO
2 hires at other Maui tech organizations
DKIST is hiring locally, and has hired three Akamai alumni.
Effective mentoring: Investing in training the next generation
DKIST participates in Akamai’s Mentor Council and is actively engaged in developing effective mentors by sending personnel to ISEE’s Mentor Workshop.
Through participation in the workshop DKIST mentors provide projects for local college students that are high quality training experiences AND make real contributions to DKIST (see box below).
DKIST Akamai interns are advancing in STEM
Brialyn Onodera, a mechanical engineer major at University of Hawaii at Manoa, worked under the mentorship of William McBride, a DKIST engineer on a project to measure vibration in the telescope enclosure. Brialyn graduated from UH Manoa in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and is now an assistant engineer at the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope! See more here: Hilo local hired as an engineer for DKIST
College students from Hawaii who have worked on DKIST projects through the Akamai
Nicolas Colon
From Maui (Seabury Hall graduate)
Characterized optical components for DKIST telescope instruments. Nicolas worked under the guidance of Stacey Sueoka and David Harrington (DKIST scientists) using the lab facilities at the Maui Institute for Astronomy. (2017 Akamai)
Chantelle Kiessner
University of Hawaii, Hilo student
Worked on statistical evaluation of polarization noise for DKIST data, under the mentorship of David Harrington and Tom Schad (DKIST). (2017 Akamai)
Keoki Massad
From Oahu (Kamehameha Schools graduate)
Worked on developing an algorithm for data analysis from CryoNIRSP, a DKIST instrument. Keoki worked under the mentorship of Jeff Kuhn and Andre Fehlmann (Institute for Astronomy). (2017 Akamai).
Joshua Parep
University of Hawaii, Hilo student
Worked on building a graphical user interface for the CryoNIRSP, a DKIST instrument. Joshua worked under the mentorship of Isabelle Scholl and Andre Fehlmann (Institute for Astronomy). (Akamai 2017).
Kari Noe
From Kauai
Designed a web-based visualization tool for DKIST imaging data sets. Kari worked under the guidance of Tom Schad, David Harrington, and Kevin Reardon (DKIST) using the facilities at the Maui Institute for Astronomy. (2016 Akamai)
Brialyn Onodera
From Hawaii Island (Kamehameha Schools graduate)
Calculated vibration transfer for the DKIST as part of a larger project to ensure that vibrations are kept to a level that won’t affect astronomical images. Brialyn worked under the mentorship of William McBride (DKIST). (2016 Akamai)
Keanu Paikai
Worked on commissioning plans that will be used for making sure that subsystem components in DKIST’s thermal systems are tested, tuned and in compliance. Keanu worked under the mentorship of LeEllen Phelps and Guillermo Montijo Jr. (DKIST). (2016 Akamai)
Christine Joy Rioca
From Oahu
Worked on upgrading version control for DKIST software. Christine worked under the mentorship of John Hubbard and Steve Wampler (DKIST). (2016 Akamai)
Michael Gorman
From Maui (Kamehameha Schools graduate)
Worked on thermal analyses for cooling DKIST, under the mentorship of Chriselle Galapon, LeEllen Phelps, and Guillermo Montijo Jr. (DKIST). (2015 Akamai)
At least 8 other students from Hawaii have completed projects at existing telescopes and tech companies on Maui, through funding from DKIST and the National Solar Observatory