The University of Hawaiʻi is helping students across the state reach for the stars—literally.
On May 21, 11 Waipahu High School students were honored through the Maunakea Scholars (MKS) program, a statewide effort co-led by the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy (IfA) that gives public high schoolers access to Hawaiʻi’s world-renowned telescopes. Among them was senior Mila Rexford, who earned the $10,000 Hōkūala Scholarship for her standout work in astronomy. Rexford plans to attend UH Hilo this fall.
“We are really excited to be awarding the Hōkūala Scholarship,” said Mary Beth Laychak, coordinator of Maunakea Scholars at IfA. “I’ve had the privilege of mentoring this year’s recipient for several years. Her application of her project is truly unique.”
Rexford began her project, “The Mystery of the Red Square Nebula,” as a sophomore. She worked with astronomers in Hawaiʻi and the UK to analyze her data and even created 3D-printed models to help younger students and those with vision impairments understand her findings.
In addition to Rexford, 10 Waipahu students received telescope time through the program. Their projects will be carried out using the W.M. Keck Observatory, Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope, NASA Infrared Telescope Facility and Las Cumbres Observatory, to explore topics ranging from the solar system to distant galaxies.
Winning proposals from Waipahu High School
- Natalie Tosta: “The Barium Star of WeBo1”
- Joshua David Visitacion and Devon Ali-Elmore: “Exploring the Universe Within Hoag’s Object”
- Matthew Vila: “Resources of the Future”
- Janessa Torres: “Structure and Evolution of Arp 298”
- Jorge Badua: “The Blue of Life: Looking at NGC-2023”
- Isaac Pacariem: “Exploring the Star Polaris”
- Aaron Paguirigan: “M78’s Stars”
- Arielle Daguio: “Arp 87 Curiosities”
- Athea Brielle Orbita: honorable mention for “A Supermassive Conundrum”
Reaching every island
Maunakea Scholars launched in 2015 and has reached more than 1,300 students from six islands and awarded telescope time to more than 250. In addition to the Waipahu cohort, students from Kalani and Molokai high schools also received telescope time this May.
“From the start, one of our goals for Maunakea Scholars was ensuring the program reached every island, particularly rural communities which are often overlooked,” said Doug Simons, director at IfA. “We’ve not visited Molokaʻi post COVID, so it was a joy to be back this year awarding telescope time. It was a very full circle moment for me, one of this year’s recipients, Tainui Mowat, had a sister receive telescope time as part of the first cohort on Molokaʻi in 2018.”
Winning proposals from Molokai and Kalani high schools
- “The Andromeda Galaxy,” Tainui Mowat, Molokai High School
- “Sky Subtraction,” Azriel Mendoza, Molokai High School
- “Study of Rhea, Enceladus, and Dione for the Subsurface Potential for Oceans Using Mass Spectrometry on Hydrated Salts and Temperature Anomalies,” Leilani Phan, Kalani High School
With $60,000 in scholarships awarded since 2018, the Maunakea Scholars program continues to open doors and observatory domes for Hawaiʻi’s next generation of scientists.
