PISCES Program Manager Christian Andersen has been named UH Hilo’s associate director for the Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium and will support students who want to explore research and training opportunities in space and aeronautics.
HSGC is a NASA-funded, community education program for underserved students with a wide variety research opportunities including: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, mathematics, meteorology, oceanography, physics, remote sensing, and space science. As associate director, Andersen will help manage and distribute funding awards.
“The Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium is an excellent starting point for students interested in space careers,” Andersen said. “I’m excited to help our future scientists and engineers get the opportunities they need to gain a foothold in the space community.”
HSGC research programs at UH Hilo emphasize planetary geology, extraterrestrial materials, astronomy, and remote sensing at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Students also have the opportunity to participate in NASA missions and gain access to professional telescopes to study and observe meteorites and planets, including Earth.
In addition to UH Hilo, the consortium includes the University of Guam, and seven community colleges including Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Kapi‘olani, Kaua‘i, Leeward, Maui, and Windward. HSGC is administered by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in the Hawai‘i Insitute of Geophysics and Planetology, School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology.