As National STEM Day approaches on November 8, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) reflects on and celebrates how far Maui Nui’s STEM community has come in recent decades. In 1999, Senator Daniel K. Inouye encouraged MEDB to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education-to-workforce pipeline. In a 2004 statement to the U.S. Senate about expanding the role of women in STEM, Sen. Inouye observed, “Not only is it a strategy that will ensure our global competitiveness and national security, but it is the right thing to do to ensure that all our citizens have equal access to the education and training needed to succeed.”
MEDB took the message to heart and developed the Women in Technology (WIT) Project, now STEMworks™, to motivate underrepresented groups such as women and Native Hawaiians to pursue technology-related careers. Leslie Wilkins, former WIT program director and MEDB’s current president and CEO, commented, “Virtually every field in every sector of the economy needs STEM professionals, people who are fluent in various technology skills.”
Maui resident Lisa Thompson, Operations Unit Director for KBR, Inc., recalled the hurdles women faced when she began her STEM career. “Back in the 80’s, it was very difficult for women to balance a career with being a mom. Plus, there were so many new technological skills to learn.” Currently, she is optimistic, and observed, “I see a lot more women going into technology, but we are still the minority. MEDB’s educational outreach programs inspire and empower students and educators to have the confidence that they can succeed.”
Katlynn Vicuña, a UH Mānoa alumna and mechanical engineer for Lockheed Martin, also shared, “From a female standpoint, I still find myself in meetings with mostly men, but now they tend to listen to what I have to say. I love that there are many female as well as young professional engineer groups, as in some of MEDB’s programs, where people get together, support, and lift each other up. In fact, through an MEDB event, I was inspired to take an internship at Lockheed Martin where I was offered a permanent position.”
MEDB is excited to continue offering STEM learning opportunities to students all across the state this school year. STEMworks’ biggest event of the year, the 16th Annual Hawaiʻi STEM Conference, will be held at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu on March 24 and 25, 2025. For more information, visit https://www.hawaiistemconference.org/.
There is a diverse set of career paths in technology…the last 30+ years in my career included programming, data administration, information security, and much more. Currently, I’m a director managing a large team of technical individuals.
Lisa Thompson, Operations Unit Director, KBR, Inc.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary on Maui, the annual AMOS Conference – renowned globally for bringing together leading experts, researchers, and practitioners from space-related fields – was presented in September in Wailea. The conference welcomed 150 middle school students, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educators, and Maui High School robotics students for a Space Exploration Day event run by Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks team. The students were thrilled to meet former astronaut and current Deputy Administrator of NASA, Pam Melroy, who logged more than 38 days in space while working to assemble the International Space Station and is one of only two women to have commanded a space shuttle. The students also explored the conference exhibit hall and engaged in hands-on STEM activities led by space industry experts.
“It’s an honor to be here,” Melroy said. “It’s important to connect with the next generation and get them interested in space-related issues. There are great things happening right now. Artemis will launch soon, SpaceX is doing incredible things, we are going back to the Moon, to Mars, and more. Maybe someone here right now will be the first one on Mars!”
Melroy added, “Being in space brings on feelings of stewardship, sustainability, and respect for our planet. From space you can see the edge of the horizon. There is a thin blue line around it—the atmosphere—everything that keeps us alive is there. We need to care for all of it.”
Lori Koyama, Lahaina Intermediate School teacher, said, “It’s amazing to bring students to this event and expose them to career pathways that exist for their future in Hawai’i. They experienced new opportunities they didn’t even know existed.”
Lilyanne, Maui Waena Intermediate student, shared, “I learned that space exploration has led to many technologies that are used in everyday life including internet, banking, health benefits, and much more. This whole experience, meeting Pam Melroy and doing STEM activities is incredible!”
Liam, a Maui High robotics student, said, “Pam Melroy’s description of what she’s done in her life and the skills and traits she’s developed showed the effort and time you have to put in to do something like this. She showed us the work in school we need to do to accomplish such tasks, and that there is a job for each of us. We are all inspired today!”
It will be students in this age group that I am talking to today who will explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.
Pam Melroy,
Astronaut and Deputy Administrator,
NASA
Thirty-eight delegates, including fourteen Hawaiʻi-based, participated in the 7th EMER-GEN® Program, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) in September. A joint initiative of the AMOS Conference and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), the program is designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship especially for young professionals and students who are enthusiastic about careers in space.
“The program encourages participants to think creatively, collaborate in teams, and develop innovative solutions at both a technological level and a policy level,” said Annette Lynch, MEDB Director of Communications. “The diverse range of activities and speakers helps participants enhance both their technical expertise and leadership capabilities.”
Maui resident Matthew Lugo, a Privateer Space engineer, EMER-GEN alumnus, and member of the EMER-GEN planning committee, emphasized, “EMER-GEN is also known for its focus on Hawaiian cultural subjects. I feel it’s important for those in the space industry to be stewards of the Earth environment as well. Space technologies should benefit the sustainability of the planet.”
Lugo continued, “This year, along with two international SGAC representatives, we invited Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi, Executive Director of Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to share an update about the island. The island of Kahoʻolawe is just seven miles off the coast of Maui. It is managed by the KIRC team, who are working towards a restoration of the island.”
Nāhoʻopiʻi explained, “The history and culture of Kahoʻolawe is indeed rich. It is believed to have been inhabited since about 400 A.D., and the abundance of historical and archeological sites paints a picture of the island as a navigational center for voyaging and a center for agriculture. Modern times have been less kind. The island has been home to a penal colony, a sheep and cattle ranch, and a U.S. Navy bombing range. Those land uses were detrimental to the island’s delicate ecosystem and led to severe habitat degradation. The KIRC team has taken on the challenge to restore these habitats with on-the-ground hard work coordinated by expert assistance. In addition to physically restoring the island of Kahoʻolawe, we are undertaking the cultural restoration of the island.”
Space exploration provides us with more information about protecting our planet, our environment, and improving our day-to-day lives. Everything is connected!
Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi
Executive Director
Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission
As part of preparations and festivities for the upcoming Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner and Auction, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is now accepting applications for the Daniel K. Inouye Innovation Award. This award honors student projects that demonstrate the most innovative uses of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in service of the community.
To support award recipients as they continue to learn and grow as STEM innovators, the winning individual or team will receive $5,000. Maui County public school students in grades 6-12 (as well as 2024 high school graduates) are eligible to apply. Interested students should submit their projects online prior to 11:59 pm on October 13 to be considered for the award. The submission form and more details are available here: https://shorturl.at/tdVOy.
MEDB also continues to accept seat reservations, auction donations, and sponsors for the Ke Alahele event. This annual fundraiser provides an unforgettable evening and also raises critical funds for STEM education programs and educators throughout Maui County. These programs, serving students from kindergarten to career, help build stronger career pathways for Maui Nui residents. By attending the dinner, community members are helping to shape a brighter future for Maui Nui’s youth.
Guests attending the fundraiser can also enjoy an exclusive room rate (starting at $349 for a garden view room) at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, available for stays from Friday, October 25, to Sunday, October 27. This offer ends on October 7. For room reservations, contact Mary Osorno at Mary.Osorno@waileabeachresort.com or call 808-874-7879.
For more information and to book seats at the Ke Alahele fundraising dinner on October 26, visit www.medbpathways.org.
Part of MEDB’s mission is to empower the next generation of innovators. The Ke Alahele Education Fund Dinner and Auction celebrates that mission, bringing our community together to support vital STEM programs that change lives.
Leslie Wilkins
President and CEO
Maui Economic Development Board
During a recent Maui TechOhana meeting organized by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui, participants learned about the inspiring work being done at the Maui Food Innovation Center (MFIC) located on the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College (UHMC) campus. Ian Stewart, UHMC Entrepreneurship and Business Development Specialist for the Pā‘oihana Program, was joined by Chef Douglas Paul to explain the work being done at the MFIC. Attendees discussed the benefits of the first value-added food manufacturing incubator and accelerator in Hawaiʻi and learned about the entrepreneurial programs and services available at MFIC. The presenters also shared some of the success stories emerging from the program.
The work done in the MFIC Laulima Education, Research, and Test Kitchen facility, with its attached classroom, is focused on the food and manufacturing industry. The 1,500 square foot space has $90,000 in specialized equipment, and MFIC plans to install a remote camera system to enable statewide distance learning. Along with the manufacturing facility, the program provides technological expertise, innovative training, and consultation. Serving as a resource hub for new and established food businesses, students, farmers, ranchers, chefs, and restauranters, the program also helps bring products to market locally, regionally, and nationally.
“Through education and access to industry leaders, our vision is to help develop cottage-size companies into medium-sized food manufacturers in the state of Hawaiʻi,” said Chef Paul. “The MFIC shared-use food business incubator and processing facility offers a vast array of resources and technologies to foster growth in our community.”
Stewart’s current role at UHMC has him encouraging entrepreneurship as part of a Minority Business Development Agency issued grant. “Supporting our Native Hawaiian food business owners, local food systems, and fresh produce industry is more important than ever,” Stewart noted. “Maui’s wildfire challenges and the current economy make it vital for our island to be self-sufficient and resilient when it comes to growing food.”
Dylan Schwarzmeier of Veg-Out shared, “MFIC is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who wants to bring a small-idea food product and turn it into a scalable market. MEDB’s TechOhana meetings provide an essential boost to help our local community succeed in every way possible.”
This excellent Maui TechOhana meeting gave everybody the opportunity to see innovation happening, not only in technology, but also in Hawaiʻi’s agriculture and food production.
Candace Shaw, CEO, Astute Consulting
Past participants of Maui Economic Development Board’s EMER-GEN program, Amber Imai-Hong, program manager and avionics engineer at Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL), and Yosef Ben Gershom, operations manager at HSFL, are thrilled about HSFL’s unprecedented opportunity for hands-on involvement in space exploration. Their Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI) satellite was launched by NASA to the International Space Station (ISS) and was recently deployed from the ISS for use.
The imager will gather valuable data for understanding Earth’s surface processes, including volcanic activity, wildfires, and soil moisture levels. Led by Principal Investigator Robert Wright, director of the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP), the project began in October 2018 with funding from NASA’s In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies Program.
Imai-Hong recalled, “When we started the HyTI project in 2018, we did not imagine how much our team would have to overcome or how much we would learn along the way. Developing one of the most advanced imaging cubesats was challenging, and it feels great to know we are operating HyTI on orbit!”
Gershom explained, “The mission has been an incredible opportunity for training our local aerospace workforce and for students. It provides real-world experience working with professional engineers on a NASA mission with real requirements and hardware. That is why we work on complex projects here at UH,” he said, quoting JFK, “not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
HSFL trains dozens of MEDB’s STEMworks™ interns and alumni. Gershom added, “It takes a multitude of different people, in different fields, to develop a mission such as this. I see this NASA mission as another steppingstone for UH and Hawaiʻi to become more noticed in the broader space community. I hope it will get the word out locally that people can stay in Hawaiʻi and work on incredible space projects if that is their passion. This mission shows that talent exists throughout the islands and that we can provide opportunities for people to stay and work where they grew up. This is a big step for UH and for the Hawaiʻi aerospace community.”
We are proud of our EMER-GEN friends, the team of students, researchers, and UH faculty involved in this mission. We are thrilled to watch the HyTI satellite begin the next phase of processing high-resolution thermal images.
Leslie Wilkins, President & CEO, Maui Economic Development Board
Maui resident and licensed commercial pilot Tessa Coulter is a visionary behind AI (artificial intelligence) aviation software as well as her new nonprofit: The Little Yellow Airplane Project. Coulter also volunteers her time and her own plane to fly rescue animals, farm produce, school supplies and other necessities to those in need.
Immediately in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires, Coulter loaded up her small plane to fly into Kapalua with food and essentials for fire victims. “It’s a blessing to be able to help other people,” she said. “The fires showed how important aviation is here in Hawaii. We were able to assist those who required immediate aid, even before any of the government agencies got there. It was amazing to see the whole Hawaii private aviation community mobilize.”
Coulter, who studied mechanical engineering in college, took her first flight in 2019 and fell in love with flying. Shortly after, she signed up for flight lessons and bought her first plane. She is currently developing AI software for an online 30-hour ground school course for private pilots, plus programs for students.
One of Coulter’s co-pilots, Bianca Vasquez, another Maui-based female pilot, got her start in aviation through the Maui Civil Air Patrol student program. “Bianca earned her private pilot certificate at the age of 17 and recently started the nonprofit Women of Color in Aviation,” Coulter noted. “We both want to share the importance of aviation careers, from air traffic controllers to aerospace engineers, dispatchers, aircraft maintenance technicians—the demand is massive.”
Recently, Coulter gave a presentation to Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks AFTERschool students at Iao School. “My mission is to introduce and inspire our youth about the world of aviation,” Coulter said. “I want to debunk the myth that aviation is inaccessible. Through STEM programs and scholarships, our Little Yellow Plane Project hopes to open doors for young aviators to foster their passion and reach their aspirations. I want our youth to know if they really want to fly a plane, or have a career in aviation, it’s available to them. There are vast opportunities awaiting young people. The sky’s the limit!”
Using my Cessna 150 for humanitarian flights is a blessing. Giving back is what it’s all about. For more info call (808) 264-6934 or email thelittleyellowplane@gmail.com.
Tessa Coulter, Maui Pilot
Maui Economic Development Board presented a Maui TechOhana event in November on the topic of Aerospace on Maui. Supported by the County of Maui, MEDB’s TechOhana provide an informal networking opportunity open to anyone interested in Maui County’s innovation and business industry. Events typically include a short presentation on a relevant topic in business or technology, followed by the opportunity to talk with others with similar professional interests.
At the meeting, the esteemed panel of five space industry leaders based in LĪPOA, formerly known as the Maui Research & Tech Park, talked story with over 30 guests who heard about the future of the aerospace industry on Maui. Daron Nishimoto, MEDB Business Development Director and EO Solutions moderated a panel that included Lisa Thompson, KBR; Dr. Channing Chow, Cloudstone Innovations; Dr. Shadi Naderi, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL); and Dr. Bogdan Udrea, VisSidus Technologies, Inc.; who all shared their vision, their technical ideas, and the career opportunities for Maui residents within the industry.
Nishimoto began the lively and engaging discussion with an introduction explaining how much we rely on space systems for our everyday needs such as phones, banking, internet, and navigation. “As an example, during the Maui fires I was able to get Starlink terminals into the Lahaina community to give people internet service,” Nishimoto shared. “Those affected were thankful to be able to get messages out to family and friends.”
“This panel of experts represented a good sample of tech innovation in a growing industry on Maui,” said Annette Lynch, MEDB Director of Communications who led the coordination of the event. “In addition to sharing their space projects they talked story about their career pathway and the benefits to being able to pursue their chosen field living on Maui.”
Nishimoto added, “Aerospace depends on many kinds of expertise that helps to diversify the economy offering pathways relative to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM.)”
Naderi also explained her STEM outreach projects for K-12 students. “I love to work with children. In collaboration with MEDB, AFRL takes a mobile planetarium and a thermal infrared camera to the classrooms. The students really love these activities.”
The Aerospace industry is growing on Maui with a host of companies and programs engaged in advanced research and development. For more information, visit: www.mauitechohana.com.
Daron Nishimoto, MEDB Business Development Director & EO Solutions
Known by many as a pillar in the community, Brian Moto was born and raised on Maui. He attended Makawao School, Maui High School (Kahului campus), UH Manoa, the University of Michigan Law School, and Yale Divinity School. He is a member of both the Hawaii and New York bar associations. Presently, Moto is employed as the Special Assistant to the Chancellor of UHMC, where he addresses the range of UHMC educational initiatives related to institutional, county, state, federal, and private-sector interests. Formerly, for eight years, he served as the County of Maui’s chief legal advisor and legal representative, and also as a deputy corporation counsel.
Moto’s community service record is already outstanding; however, he continues to offer his time and skills for the benefit of others. His acts of kindness are an inspiration to all. When asked what moves him to service, he replied, “Short answer is that I often find that I gain a lot more from working with worthwhile causes than I actually contribute. Volunteerism is a net-positive investment. I’ve also learned that basic principles and practices of good governance, organization, and management apply universally, regardless of the particular sector or entity.”
A few of the nonprofits and community organizations that Moto actively supports include the Rotary Club of Maui, Aloha House (Maui Behavioral Health Resources), Maui High School Foundation, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Chaine des Rotisseurs, Ebb and Flow Arts, Paia Mantokuji Mission, Maui’s Sons and Daughters of the Nisei Veterans, and Maui Adult Day Care Centers, among others.
“Presently, my Rotary Club of Maui has received generous donations from Rotary clubs in the U.S. and from Australia, and from individuals for Maui fire relief,” Moto shared. “The Rotary Club of Maui has formed a committee to determine how best to distribute the funds to help those in need, and is working with other Rotary clubs on Maui in this endeavor.”
Service for community and country runs in the family. Moto’s late father, Kaoru, a member of the famous 442 Regimental Combat team, was a highly decorated World War II veteran. In 2000, the Medal of Honor award was presented to the Moto family.
Today, my dad’s Medal of Honor is displayed in the ‘Nisei Soldier Experience’ exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Army.
Brian Moto, Special Assistant to the Chancellor of UHMC
