May 14, 2015 | Education, Stemworks
With the 2015 STEM Conference experience behind him, sophomore Brendan Geffe says he’s more determined to pursue a career in engineering. “I saw how I could take what I learn and apply it to everyday life,” the Maui High School sophomore said. He and classmates Marston Lau and Son Phan along with senior Tally Nakamura captured the On-Site CAD (Computer-Aided Design) Project award at this year’s conference held at the Wailea Marriott. “We were pretty excited about winning,” Geffe said.
Using CAD technology, the four designed a custom bike light for a children’s bicycle. The contest required certain specifications including that the device had to be water and heat resistant and have a minimum light intensity (or brightness). The young user would need to have the ability to adjust the direction and angle when installing the device on the bike. The light, as a 3-D model, had to be completed within just 24 hours of receiving the specifications. Geffe served as the team captain, using his and Marston’s knowledge and experience with CAD to come up with a battery operated, detachable bike light estimated to cost $20 each if it ever should be developed and created for the market. According to Geffe, Phan took the lead in researching electronics and Nakamura put together a PowerPoint presentation for the conference judges. “We all worked together and divided the work based on our strengths,” Geffe said.
In addition to winning the team On-Site CAD Project award, Geffe was selected as the individual winner for the CAD Showcase Application Competition. In this particular contest, Geffe created a rendering of an underwater current turbine model. It took him about two days to use CAD software to design a computer model and write up the specifications. “It was fun for me,” Geffe said.
May 6, 2015 | Education, Innovation
Sarah and Lily Jenkins have more in common than being sisters, fellow students at Molokai High School and winners at the 2015 Maui Schools Science & Engineering Fair 5 for their project, “March of the Mangroves.” The sisters also share a love of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and a strong ambition to succeed. They’ve taken a big step toward that by winning the Maui District Science Fair, which qualified them for competition in the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair, a contest that annually draws the nation’s best and brightest students.
The students used Geographic Information System software, known as GIS, to interpret satellite data, aerial imagery, historic maps and coastal surveys to determine the extent to which red mangroves have migrated seaward on Molokai’s south shore. The girls were also able to analyze the mangroves’ effects and predict their future impact on nearby reefs. “GIS mapping was able to prove that red mangrove will establish itself upon the fringing reef in approximately 72 years, consuming a total area of 46 square kilometers (about 18 square miles),” Lily Jenkins said. “If no management plan for red mangrove is adopted, this invasive species will overtake 35.67 percent of Molokai’s fringing reef in the next 100 years.” In the next year or two, Lily said she plans to create a nonprofit to start raising money to contribute and aid in the effort to remove and manage the invasive mangrove.
The GIS software used by the Jenkins came from the Hawaii K12 GIS Hub website, which has been made possible through a partnership of Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology and ESRI, the world’s leading GIS software developer. “Without that software, we wouldn’t even have a project,” Sarah Jenkins said.
WIT recently announced the kickoff of its new Hawaii K12 GIS Community Hub: www.gishawaii.com. The new hub promises to engage educators, students and industry partners with school projects, pictures, collected data, lesson plans, news events, tips and tricks, etc. For more information, contact Isla Young at 875-2307, or e-mail: isla@medb.org
Apr 29, 2015 | Education, Stemworks
Molokai Middle School students haven’t been able to stay quiet about their experiences at the 2015 Hawaii STEM Conference. “They all loved doing hands-on things and couldn’t stop talking about it,” said 7th-grade teacher Kaho’iwai Kawaa, referring to her team of students traveling from Molokai to Maui for the 6th annual Hawaii STEM Conference held April 17-19 at the Wailea Marriott. “I believe this year’s conference positively impacted each and every one of our students,” Kawaa said. Her husband, Kaeo, the 8th-grade STEM teacher at Molokai Middle, agreed. “My students are showing greater interest in STEM as we continue each new year in growing and expanding what our program offers,” Mr. Kawaa said.
Led by team Captain Evelyn Haase, the Molokai Middle School contingent created a display that outlined the activities the students have engaged in during this school year from STEM Family Nights to robotics competition to experiments in science and math. “Everything we do is related to STEM and it’s a lot of fun,” Haase said. Her classmate, 8th-grader Cameryn Kahalewai said she enjoyed interacting with other students from around the state at the conference. “I got to become friends with people who enjoy STEM like me. They’re very passionate,” Kahalewai said, adding that the activities have helped her with skills in team building and leadership.
Mrs. Kawaa said she saw her students’ eyes light up after each of the conference keynote speakers delivered their addresses. “Hands down, Titan was our favorite,” she said, referring to Titan Gilroy, a St. Anthony High School graduate who has created a successful design and fabrication company with client contracts including NASA, SpaceX, and Tesla, as well as producing a T.V. show advocating for U.S. manufacturing. His pathway to success came after early challenges that led to incarceration. “He’s an example for all young men and women who struggle with making the right choices in and out of school,” Kawaa said.
The 2015 Hawaii STEM Conference, presented by Maui Economic Development Board, drew more than 500 attendees from around the state. Both students and teachers explored the benefits of STEM learning and showcased some of their best programs and projects.
Apr 22, 2015 | Education
When he graduates from high school two years from now, Luke Jones is confident he’ll be headed to college to fuel a passion for a career in science. “I’m just torn right now between physics and computer science,” Jones said. In his first year at the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair, Jones was honored with multiple recognitions including 1st place in Physics and Astronomy for Senior Research, 3rd place for the Senior Research Overall Grand Award, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s 1st place public school project, and the Davis Young Scientist Award. The Kihei Charter sophomore qualified to travel in May to the Intel Science and Engineering Fair being held this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jones’ travel expense to the Hawaii competition was covered by the Maui Economic Development Board.
Jones’ award-winning science project was an attempt to test an alternate theory of the way people understand the universe. “I think that it is important to look at and test all angles of a scientific field, and then subsequently share our analysis of those angles with the rest of the scientific community,” he said. As a homeschooled student who first made connections with Kihei Charter faculty one to three times a week, Jones said he was exposed to project based learning and encouraged to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Luke’s father, Tim, took his son to a variety of public presentations by the University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy where Luke met James “JD” Armstrong, a Maui Technology Education and Outreach Specialist. “Science just started to become tangible. I don’t know what it was but I just really started getting ‘geeked’ about it,” Jones said. He’s also attended a variety of MEDB STEMworks™ workshops and most recently the 2015 STEM Conference in Wailea. “This just really makes science real and a lot of fun.” When he graduates, Luke will be one of the first students to have completed his studies from kindergarten through 12th grade at Kihei Charter. His hobbies include video and board games, and he says he enjoys helping other students interested in science.
Apr 8, 2015 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
More than 30 percent of Maui’s energy needs, on average, are being met by renewable energy sources such as wind and rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, and the trend continues to rise, making Maui a national and global leader in the adoption of renewable energy. This was just one of the positive observations to emerge from the 2015 Maui Energy Conference + Exhibition that spanned two days at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center last month. More than 300 energy industry leaders from Hawaii, the Mainland and Japan attended and shared ideas on how to better serve customers in today’s rapidly changing power generation and delivery environment.
At the conference, Program Committee member Holly Benz of Schneider Corporation said: “All eyes are on Hawaii.” Benz said outsiders are continuing to closely watch the state and its work on energy issues. “There is a tremendous opportunity for Hawaii to lead, to test and to learn.” Keynote speakers Alan Oshiro, President of Hawaiian Electric Company and Eric Gleason, President of NextEra Energy Hawaii shared perspectives on the acquisition of Maui Electric’s parent company, HEI by NextEra and outlined the benefits that it can bring to customers and Hawaii. NextEra, the largest generator of wind and solar energy in North America, has announced its commitment to lower Hawaii’s high electricity costs.
One of the nine thought-provoking panels, “Focus on the Customer—Maui Style,” discussed proposed changes in Maui’s energy landscape, concluding that these must be transparent to residents and engaging for young people. “In my business,” Cathy Nobriga Kim, vice president of Maui Soda and Ice Works said, “energy is crucial.” When asked how businesses could be involved in renewable energy solutions for Maui, Kim observed that business involvement in pilot projects to develop renewable energy solutions are beneficial. Other panelists said that government and community leaders must step up to explain the changing energy landscape. Information provided to residents must be true and trustworthy; “There needs to be transparency,” one panelist said. The conference was hosted by the Maui Economic Development Board and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
