ISEE has been working closely with the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) for many years, including:
Building a local workforce in Hawaii: Akamai
TMT is currently the major funder 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 TMT supports many students in participating in Akamai. Some students work directly on TMT projects, which provides training for jobs at existing telescopes in Hawaii, or directly with TMT, if the telescope gets built in Hawaii. Students get training, and make real contributions to TMT (see box below).
Building an international workforce and scientific user community
ISEE is developing an international training program to support the TMT partnership in developing a future workforce. This program will provide training to TMT future leaders from all TMT partner locations.
A workshop was offered in 2016 in Hilo, Hawaii, to pilot one component of the future program
In August 2017 a workshop will be offered at University of California Santa Cruz, expanding and improving upon the 2016 piloted version.
Investing in training the next generation through effective mentoring
TMT is site sponsor for ISEE Mentor Workshop, that trains mentors in Hawaii to be effective mentors, and has created a mentor community dedicated to training that next generation.
Scientists and engineers at TMT participate in the ISEE Mentor Workshop and the Akamai Mentor Council
TMT WEPOC
ISEE represents University of California on the TMT Workforce, Education, Public Outreach & Communication (WEPOC) committee
College students from Hawaii who have worked on TMT projects through the Akamai
Anthony Sylvester
From Hawaii Island (Waiakea High graduate)
Determined characteristics needed for Ethernet communication within telescope operating systems (TMT Project Office, 2012)
Darcy Bibb
From Maui (Baldwin High graduate)
Developed a program that was used in the analysis of air turbulence data from telescope sites (TMT Project Office, 2013)
Ryan Saito
Designed a cart for transporting telescope mirror cells to and from the telescope when they are resurfaced (TMT Project Office, 2013)
Patrick Peng
From Hawaii Island (Waiakea High graduate)
Designed a cushioning and immobilization system for a TMT mirror shipping container (TMT Project Office, 2014)
Sean Carlos
From Hawaii Island (Kealakehe High graduate)
Developed a prototype website for displaying real-time data for TMT adaptive optics system (TMT Project Office, 2014)
Evan Akuna
From Oahu (James B. Castle High graduate)
Designed protective shipping containers for TMT mirror assemblies (TMT Project Office, 2014)
Jasmine Feliciano
From Maui (Maui High graduate)
Proposed a design concept for a camera system for use a telescope on Palomar Mountain (Caltech, 2015)
Racieli Andrada
From Maui (Maui High graduate)
Determined characteristics of a motor to improve dome motion of a telescope on Palomar Mountain (Caltech, 2015)
Paul B. Barnes
From Hawaii Island (Hilo High graduate)
Proposed a workflow management system to increase efficiency of TMT technical operations (TMT Project Office, 2015)
Daryl Albano – From Hawaii Island (Kea’au High graduate)
Integrating a Web-Based Interactive Timeline to Inform the Community about the Thirty Meter Telescope Development Process (TMT Project Office, 2017)
Reyn Mukai – From Hawaii Island (Waiakea High graduate)
Developing a Virtual Reality Application Modelling the TMT Observatory for Risk Analysis and Outreach (TMT Project Office, 2017)
Akira Vernon – From Oahu (Kaimuki High graduate)
Optimization of the Ray Tracing Algorithm for TMT Adaptive Optics Reconstruction Parameter Generator (TMT Project Office, 2017)
At least 50 other students from Hawaii have completed projects at existing telescopes and tech companies in Hawaii, through funding from TMT
A Workshop for graduate students and postdocs
Graduate students and postdocs from all of TMT’s partners are invited to apply for participation in a TMT workshop in Santa Cruz, California, from August 22-29, 2017. Travel awards are available. (see flier below)
