Comments on: Universal Attraction

By: Cheryl Ernst

Cheryl Ernst — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:57:49 +0000

Neil Trentham, PhD ’97, emailed from England, where he studied hard-to-see galaxies, matching data from gamma-ray burst with theoretical cosmology. He writes:

“I finished working at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge after 11 years on fellowships. I have taken an early retirement due to medical incapacity (I am an MS patient permanently in a wheelchair) but continue to do astronomy using voice recognition software.

“I was attracted to astronomy as an undergraduate student because it was the most interesting application of physics,
which I was studying. Hawaii seemed an interesting place and combining the two was attractive.”

By: Cheryl Ernst

Cheryl Ernst — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:12:06 +0000

Henry Hsieh, PhD ʻ07, was traveling when we compiled our IfA alumni story. Back on email, he provided this update:

“I am currently a Science and Technology Facilities Council postdoctoral fellow at Queens University Belfast in Northern Ireland. I continue to be interested in asteroids and comets, with a focus on the observational and orbital analysis of main-belt comets. I am also involved with Queens research on NEOs and the 2007 outburst of Comet 17P/Holmes and work on the Pan-STARRS project as part of the science consortium including Queens, UH and others.

“Probably my most significant finding to date was work I did toward the end of my PhD with the discovery of the main-belt comets. A layperson’s description of this work can be found in the press release at http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/~hhh/mbc-release.shtml. I have continued to study the MBCs, further detailing their physical properties.”

A combination of factors attracted Hsieh to astronomy, including the disciplineʻs simultaneous simplicity and complexity, the passion of his mentors from high school programs through graduate school, the interest expressed by other people and the near daily opportunity to make new discoveries.

Cheryl Ernst
Malamalama editor

By: Cheryl Ernst

Cheryl Ernst — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:01:18 +0000

We didnʻt hear back from Wei-Hao Wang, PhD ʻ06, in time to include him in the story, but he shares this:

“When I was in High school, I was attracted to astronomy by the pretty pictures of the sky and physical laws (which are also beautiful) behind astronomical phenomena.”

Using the Submillimeter Array radio telescope on Mauna Kea, Wang found a distant galaxy, obscured to optical telescopes by the dust it creates, forming new stars at an incredible rate. As an assistant research fellow at Acadeimia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics and National Taiwan University Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics in Taiwan, he continues his observations of galaxy formation and evolution.

“I am doing both astrophysical research, and amateur astrophotography,” he writes. “I hope my discoveries in astrophysics and photographs can attract more people to astronomy.”

Cheryl Ernst
Malamalama editor

By: grace kwon

grace kwon — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:30:53 +0000

To all, sky’s the limit! I am 68 going on 69, a retired science teacher, and still very excited about the universe and all its wonders. My dream was to go to the moon. I still dream but through the eyes of others like these many in the Institute and the new students who will continue the passion through their studies and discoveries. Thanks.

By: Paul H I Coleman

Paul H I Coleman — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:51:49 +0000

As a Kanaka Maoli astronomer at UH, I would like to point out that the young scientist in the lower right hand corner of the picture of the incoming class is also Kanaka Maoli. While one out of sixteen is not perfect (~6%), it is a good begining and we hope to welcome many more to future classes.

By: Wallette Pellegrino

Wallette Pellegrino — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:27:43 +0000

Aloha,

Where are our Hawaiian astronomers?

Mahalo.

WGP