Thanks to people who are passionate about science and culture in Hawai‘i, this website exists.
From the stories they have shared, you can learn how Hawaiians steeped in traditional activities, like farming and captaining deep-ocean canoes, embrace contemporary sciences like astronomy and geothermal energy. Others are happy to let you in on what’s involved in becoming and being an astronomer, an engineer, or an astrophysicist. Find out more about how the sciences in Hawai‘i work together with the local community.
To find all of these stories, click here or on the “Stories” link in the menu above.
If you would like to suggest a story idea, or share your own story, please send a line.
Ready to learn more? Welcome, and e komo mai!
Samuel Wilder King II: A Hawaiian Attorney Advocates for Space Science and Astronomy
Samuel Wilder King II is a native Hawaiian attorney with deep roots in Hawai’i. Although not a scientist, he has a keen interest in astronomy, and he has been a mobilizing force behind the development of two organizations — ‘Ohana Kilo Hōkū and Imua TMT — to increase awareness of space science and astronomy in…
Ho‘i Mai — Makana Silva Bringing Knowledge Back Home
Makana Silva, a self-described kanak (kanaka maoli), a Native Hawaiian astrophysicist and strongman, hails from the island of O‘ahu and currently is working on his dissertation in the physics department at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Born and raised in humble conditions, his longtime interest in science has taken him to study the…
From Hilo and Tokyo, Two Astronomers’ Paths Converged to Help Win the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel, and Andrea Ghez for the discovery of a supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Devin Chu, from Hilo, and Shoko Sakai, from Tokyo, were part of Andrea’s team at UCLA, working with the prize-winning data that was…
Brialyn Onodera: A Hawaiian Engineer Passionate about STEM in Hawai‘i’s Future
“I want to see people to feel like they can stay in Hawai‘i have good professional careers here, and make Hawai‘i a better place. That’s my passion.”