Congratulations to Maui County graduates 2020
As we enter graduation season, MEDB congratulates and commends all our Maui County graduates for your hard work and achievement.
We wish you a bright and prosperous future!
The First-Ever Virtual Hawaii STEM Conference!
Every year, teachers, industry professionals, and hundreds of students from across the state converge at the Hawaii Convention Center to participate in an elaborate celebration of all things STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). The conference is sponsored by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™ program. However, the 2020 Hawaii STEM Conference live event was cancelled in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, like so many other events in the community.
“In the days following the cancellation, teachers and students expressed their disappointment at missing this opportunity for professional development and engagement with industry leaders,” said Katie Taladay, STEMworks™ Program Manager. “The STEMworks team began compiling opportunities to bring highlights from the annual meeting to life virtually. Therefore, on May 7-9, for the first time ever, the Hawaii STEM Conference will be moving to an online platform using a combination of live Zoom sessions and recorded videos.”
Students, teachers, and industry professionals from across Maui and the state will have the opportunity to participate in a keynote talk from Microsoft, live training sessions on Artificial Intelligence, Geospatial Information Systems, and more. There will also be a STEM Industry Playground Video Library to learn about workplace needs and opportunities, live Stemmy Awards for competition winners, and a two-day Virtual Hackathon in partnership with BizzyB and Malama Maunalua.
The fast-paced Hackathon is an Oyster Cage Design Challenge, where students will learn about Malama Maunalua’s mission to help improve water quality in their ahupuaa by growing oysters to filter out water pollutants. Teams of 3-5 students will meet in virtual breakout rooms under the guidance of mentors to research and discuss their oyster cage design. Using the BizzyB platform to take their product from idea to market, students will pitch their product in a virtual showcase event to a team of judges. The top three winners plus all participants will receive Microsoft gifts. In addition, the first-place winners will have the opportunity to prototype and test their design in real life. Taladay added, “The conference is free to STEMworks teachers, mentors, and students. For students without access to a device, STEMworks will make iPads available through our Lending Library.”
Our first virtual conference will support collaborations and mentorships among students and the STEM community, even after the conference ends.
Katie Taladay, STEMworks™ Program Manager
Learning GIS
For over 15 years, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ has partnered with Charlie Fitzpatrick, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Education Manager. Together, they provide Geographic Information System (GIS) training for students and teachers throughout Hawaii. ESRI, the global market leader in GIS, creates the world’s most powerful mapping and spatial analytics software called ArcGIS. It supports not only industry, but also offers free software and lessons in K-12 subject matter. MEDB recently held a Maui GIS workshop to teach educators how to provide a map-based curriculum in the classroom.
“Students who embrace GIS learn a new way of problem-solving and can parlay their knowledge into paying work,” said Fitzpatrick. “GIS offers both a current and a historical perspective on our world, acting as an adjunct to textbooks. Students can explore at their own pace and drill down into maps to understand the context of coursework through the lens of geography, taking information in a raw form and making it more accessible. Schools are currently teaching with GIS software and students are reacting with enthusiasm. Today’s interactive maps really wow the kids. It is such a natural tool for students, who are digital natives.”
GIS shines in project-based learning where students have to create a question, go through steps to collect and analyze data, and then present their results. Anything can be studied with GIS. With project-based learning, the chosen subject forms the basis for the entire curriculum.
Jackie Provance, Kihei Charter School teacher, reflected, “I am excited to explore ESRI’s lessons and use them in my classroom. Part of the magic is that you can see, create, manipulate, and analyze the mapping data. Fitzpatrick encouraged us to explore the system and take it in different directions, at our own pace. These are powerful tools to engage students.”
“Fitzpatrick’s workshop was worthwhile and inspiring for me,” said Janyce Omur, Maui High School teacher. “His hands-on approach to GIS mapping made the workshop highly relevant and practical, affording us the opportunity to implement the strategies in our classrooms. I would highly recommend this workshop to all teachers.”
GIS can be applied to help solve a wide range of problems through hands-on experiences that teach valuable skills.
Charlie Fitzpatrick, ESRI K-12 Education Manager
Maui Business on the ISS
HNu Photonics LLC, an award-winning Maui science and technology company based in Kahului, brings another honor to Maui County for developing the Scorpio-V Mobile SpaceLab to study human biology on the International Space Station (ISS). “Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) applauds HNu for aiding a better understanding of the impacts of life in space on the human body,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “Over the last two decades the number of long-duration spaceflights have increased. Studies have shown the importance of additional research on the astronauts’ cognitive and behavioral activities due to microgravity.”
Scorpio-V, the space technology biological sciences division of HNu, designed the tissue and cell culturing facility which can perform biology experiments in space without the need for crew operations for as long as a month. “Scorpio-V’s Mobile SpaceLab, a fully automated, microfluidic and imaging platform, will perform the biological experiments on the ISS,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Caitlin O’Connell. “Our team of scientists will design and execute experiments to test the effects of microgravity on neurons and will control and monitor the experiments from Earth.”
O’Connell explained, “As the U.S. and other nations and organizations around the world expand space exploration, it has become imperative to better understand what life in space does to the human body in order to mitigate potential health risks. Furthermore, we think the neuron studies performed on the ISS with the Mobile SpaceLab will lend additional insights into earth-bound age-related cognition and decline.”
On Sunday, February 9, 2020, Northrop Grumman’s 13th commercial resupply mission for NASA, a Cygnus spacecraft on an Antares rocket, is scheduled to launch from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and carry the Mobile SpaceLab to the ISS. In 2019, HNu Photonics was the first instrument builder to successfully be awarded a grant from NASA’s Space Biology Program to use the Mobile SpaceLab for its own biological experimentation during a roundtrip mission to the ISS. HNu Photonics was previously awarded a grant from NASA to include its instrument on a Blue Origin launch. Additionally, they have a Space Act agreement with NASA.
HNu is honored to be part of the science investigation and technology demonstrations on NASA’s February 9th mission to the ISS.
Caitlin O’Connell, Ph.D., Scorpio-V Principal Investigator, HNu Photonics
AFRL Scholars Program
John Gaebler, part-time Maui resident working towards his PhD from the University of Colorado in aerospace engineering, has been a three-time participant in the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program. In Hawaii and nationwide, this program offers stipend-paid summer internship opportunities to undergraduate and graduate level university students pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) degree. If selected for an AFRL internship, scholars work with program administrators to arrange their travel and lodging.
The interns gain valuable hands-on experiences working with full-time AFRL scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology, and are able to contribute to unique, research-based projects. Graduate interns are able to collaborate with AFRL on current research and incorporate that knowledge into their graduate work.
“Back in 2016, I was looking for opportunities to broaden my horizons, which led me to apply to the AFRL Scholars Program,” Gaebler said. “Working with the AFRL group on Maui was a great opportunity and probably my most intensive experience with deriving new mathematics.”
Gaebler’s passion and doctoral work is to solve the really challenging tracking problems that arise in maintaining an awareness of our space environment. Technology miniaturization is advancing small-scale satellites to the point where a shoe-box-sized CubeSat is capable of producing valuable science and commercial products.
“Rockets are now launching payloads with as many as a hundred CubeSats,” Gaebler explained. “After some clustered deployments, the CubeSats are so close together that it is nearly impossible to tell which satellite is producing individual tracking measurements. My research is focused on solving the estimation problem of detecting, tracking, and identifying each individual CubeSat after a large clustered deployment. I have also looked into generating initial orbit estimates from on-board camera systems, which could be obtained in near-real time during and after a deployment.”
Gaebler truly enjoyed his time at AFRL and made a lot of future contacts. “I would love to continue improving the state-of-the-art in surveillance tracking with a permanent position at AFRL and live on Maui permanently to pursue my spearfishing and freediving hobbies,” he said.
For more information on the AFRL Scholars Program, visit: https://afrlscholars.usra.edu/.
My work in the AFRL Scholars Program produced various journal submissions and conference papers. The work has also spawned two undergraduate research projects and competitions.
John Gaebler, AFRL Scholar
The Future of Coding
Over the last 12 years, Aaron Kagawa has shared his expertise with over 1,000 students on Oahu. Kagawa is the co-founder of Altino Coding and Product Manager at a global technology startup, Kentik Technologies Inc. Recently, coordinating with Maui Economic Development Board, he decided to branch out to the other islands to explain his career to interested students. “My goal is to work with STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) teachers and students to bring engineering into the classrooms. I want the students to realize that they too can do what I do, if they put their minds to the task.”
An experienced software engineer, Kagawa has been heavily involved in STEM education and nonprofit work. Most recently, he helped kickstart the Altino Coding effort, training Hawaii’s educators in computer science. Kagawa also volunteers his time as technical lead towards cultural and technology efforts like Native Stories, a nonprofit audio content platform and production focused on authentic stories and experiences. Also, he has extensive experience in startups that have grown valuations and received venture capital investments.
“Software Engineering is a growing field that puts engineers in the coolest companies in the world solving the hardest problems in the world,” Kagawa said. “I have been traveling to schools across Hawaii to talk to students about software engineering explaining that if I can do it, then they can. When I was a kid, I never thought I would be a software engineer. I did not learn about coding till I was a sophomore at the University of Hawaii. I finally chose computer science, which at first I struggled with. I did not think I was smart enough, but I didn’t give up. I studied hard, practiced, and asked a lot of questions. After a while I started to understand coding. Plus, I realized that my skills in communication, teamwork, creativity, and thinking outside the box actually mattered in coding. I want all students to know that with hard work they can also have this great job in their future.”
The most important things to becoming a successful software engineer are working hard and believing in yourself. And never give up!
Aaron Kagawa, Product Manager, Kentik Technologies Inc., Co-founder of Altino Coding
The Internet of Things – IoT – Impacts Everyone
Robert Schmid, Chief IoT Technologist with Deloitte Consulting, discussed the Internet of Things with over forty Maui small business owners and entrepreneurs at the recent Maui TechOhana meeting. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), and supported by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, Maui TechOhana provides an opportunity to share views and thoughts in an open forum with presentations on relevant topics in business and technology.
Gerry Smith, Director of Business Development for MEDB, invited Schmid to speak at the meeting because of his own curiosity about IoT. “I found out there were many applications where IoT sensors can be used in industry to maximize efficiency,” said Smith. “Sound, vibration, and heat sensors can work to reduce down-time and increase productivity.”
Schmid, now a Maui resident, has more than 20 years of experience transforming Global Fortune 100 and start-up companies to new 21st-century technologies. He is the co-host of the popular YouTube live program, Coffee with Mr. IoT, on Fridays. The program features lively conversations about connecting everyday objects with computers over the internet. At TechOhana, Schmid talked story sharing his career path before going into a number of case studies in which connecting devices in real-time made a big difference to companies and their profits. “One of the greatest opportunities for Maui is in agriculture with Smart Ag,” he noted. “We are looking at ways to increase efficiencies by planning optimal times for planting, saving water, fertilizing and more. My goal is that the IoT be everywhere and affect everyone. We need to connect more and more things!”
Kim Scott, Lahaina resident and founder of MyMARSI.com, said, “This was an amazing event for me. I am an entrepreneur with an idea for an app that has a connection to the IoT. Schmid is a professional who knows what the trends in technology are now. I learned ways to relate the IoT to my current business, giving me ideas for my invention and goals to increase my profits. I’m so grateful to MEDB for all their events and workshops. I wish there were even more!”
Now that chips and computers are cheaper, networking is easier. This cost reduction allows us to use IoT more widely.
Robert Schmid, Chief IoT Technologist, Deloitte Consulting
Building Computer Science Capacity in Maui County’s Schools
This week – December 9th through the 15th – is the national Computer Science Education Week, marked by planned events in schools throughout the state of Hawaii. A highlight of these activities is the Hour of Code, an annual initiative developed by Code.org to spark interest among students across the U.S. and to help address the increasing demand for computer programmers in a variety of fields. The number of computer programming jobs continues to outstrip the numbers of computer science students; it is estimated that there are 1,300 computer science job opportunities currently in Hawaii, illustrating the importance of building training capacity in our schools.
“Maui Economic Development Board and its STEMworks™ program is delighted to have been awarded a Regional Partnership by Code.org to conduct computer science curriculum training for Department of Education teachers across the State,” remarked Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. As a result, this month 14 Maui County schools participating in the STEMworks™ Code.org computer science curriculum will be involved in the Hour of Code, with five other schools statewide also providing all students the opportunity to try computer science for one hour through the STEMworks™ Code.org program.
Over the last two years, MEDB has trained 222 K-12th grade teachers and educators in the Code.org Computer Science Discoveries (CSD), Principles (CSP), and Fundamentals (CSD) curricula, allowing about 7,735 students statewide to become engaged in activities and learn the basics of computer science. Even if students don’t intend to grow up to be computer programmers, advocates say learning code can help them succeed in a broad range of problem-solving skills – most importantly, the ability to think. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path.
These efforts are all the more significant because on the national level, only 45% of high schools teach computer science, compared with 90% of parents who want their children to study the subject. In addition, 67% of all new STEM jobs are in computing, and Code.org estimates that a computer science major can earn 40% more than the college average.
Maui Economic Development Board and its STEMworks™ program is delighted to have been awarded a Regional Partnership by Code.org to conduct science curriculum training for Department of Education teachers across the State.
Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO
Is Your Business Cyber Secure and Resilient?
CyberHawaii, in partnership with the Maui Economic Development Board, brought a Cyber Readiness Workshop to Maui for businesses and nonprofits. Cyber security is the practice of protecting systems, networks, programs, and people against digital attack. Pulling together a panel and participants from business, government, cyber security and Information Technology (IT) professionals to share their knowledge, experiences and best practices, CyberHawaii identified cyber security vulnerabilities and risks, explaining what to do and who can help.
“It is important to know how to develop and implement IT protocols for your company,” said Jennifer Sabas from CyberHawaii. “Our workshop teaches to reduce and mitigate cyber threats, and establish a practical response plan for cyber incidents.”
CyberHawaii is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing Hawaii’s cyber security capabilities. The organization is working to build a community that manages cyber risk through various methods, including the sharing of information in a secure enclave via the Homeland Security Information Network, a threat-awareness platform, and encouraging cyber-hygiene best practices.
Kolton Krug, CyberHawaii intern, said, “ It is important to create a cyber risk defense strategy and tactical plan. Cyber threats increase by the day. We discussed cyber insurance and the importance of having a cyber security program to protect sensitive data.”
Sylvester Libed, Community Clinic of Maui, noted, “Companies can get fined if data is breached, so we take it seriously. Technology is evolving. We need to be aware of how to protect the network, and what to do immediately if a breach happens. A speaker from the FBI told us to report the incident immediately to authorities and engage a forensic IT expert if necessary.”
Cassie Coffin, Maui Aids Foundation Assistant Director, added, “First and foremost, we want to protect our clients’ safety and privacy. We learned about the top four cyber issues: Weak passwords, vulnerabilities in the software, phishing email, and USB devices, and how to create a plan with policies and employee readiness to mitigate cyber threats with a practical response plan.” For more information, contact CyberHawaii at www.cyberhawaii.org or www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/honolulu.
In May 2019 The Defensive Cyber Industry Consortium met with Governor Ige to develop the next steps to enhance the security of our critical infrastructure in Hawaii. This initiative is important to our federal and military partners, as well as our state, private sector and broader community.
Jennifer Sabas, CyberHawaii
