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University of Hawai'i |
(808) 956-8856 Telephone |
For Immediate Release: |
October 25, 1999 |
Contact: G. Jeffrey Taylor, director, Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium, phone 956-3899; Email gjtaylor@pgd.hawaii.edu; http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/spacegrant
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| NASA ranks Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium third in U.S. |
The University of Hawai'i's Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium (HSGC) has been ranked third in the nation as a result of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's 10-year review of all 52 consortia. The news came in a letter to HSGC Director G. Jeffrey Taylor from E. Julius Dasch, manager of Space Grant/EPSCoR Programs at NASA.
"The Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium demonstrated remarkable growth and improvement across all scoring categories in comparison with the fifth-year review," Dasch writes. The Hawai'i program was ranked 12th in the fifth-year review.
As a result of the Hawai'i consortium's impressive showing, the program will receive a two-year funding increase of 2.5 percent from NASA as the agency implements performance-based funding of all the Space Grant Consortia.
Taylor says the HSGC's fine showing "reflects the combination of a strong research effort at UH Mo(,a)noa and an excellent community college system." While research opportunities at major research universities like Mo(,a)noa are often focused on graduate students, Taylor notes, "One of our most important activities is funding research fellowships for undergraduates."
Dasch reported that the NASA review team agreed, giving its highest praise to the HSGC's emphasis on mentored undergraduate research experiences and substantive collaboration with community college faculty and students. Also singled out for praise were:
* the remote sensing program led by Peter Mouginis-Mark, the Virtually Hawai'i web site and the HSGC continuing collaboration with the Land Grant Extension Office;
* efforts to increase involvement with NASA centers and other Space Grant consortia;
* excellent teacher enhancement programs and an emphasis on community and parent involvement;
* Hawai'i's "creative and unique" Space Science for the Learning Disabled Project; and
* excellent efforts to involve Guam and other South Pacific islands as
well as active participation by all Consortium affiliates.
