Pacific Symposium for Science and Sustainability

February 4, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NASA Astronaut Dr. Edward Lu to help judge Pacific Symposium for Science and Sustainability

Honolulu - The next generation of Hawaiian scientists will be highlighting their research this Saturday February 7th during the Pacific Symposium for Science and Sustainability (PS3) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Campus Center. Over fifty high school students from Hawaii and the Pacific Islands have been accepted to present their research during this competitive conference. Students will present their papers in the morning from 9 am to 12 noon. Those students competing for the top prizes will present their papers during the plenary session from 1:15 to 4 pm in the Hemingway Theatre.

The competition is unique because its format is similar to scientific conferences, with the students submitting scientific papers before the conference, and then presenting their results during the symposium. The winner of the PS3 receives a $2,000 scholarship to the college of his or her choice and the opportunity to present his or her paper at the national Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS) competition in Baltimore in April. The runner-up at the PS3 receives a $1,500 scholarship and will also present his or her paper at the JSHS in a non-competitive session. The third place finisher will receive a $1,000 scholarship, and will get to travel to the JSHS with the 4th and 5th place finishers to participate as observers.

The finalists at this year's competition are Andrew Ah Young (Tafuna High School, Grade 11); Andrew Knutson (Kamehameha High School, Grade 11); Kimberly Reinhold (St. Joseph High School, Grade 11); Jessica Yang (Iolani High School, Grade 12) and Kolea Zimmerman (Waiakea High School, Grade 12).

The awards banquet will follow the symposium and be held at the International Ballroom of the Pagoda Hotel at 6:30pm, February 7th. NASA Astronaut Dr. Edward Tsang Lu will be the guest speaker at the awards ceremony, and will be handing out the awards to the finalists. Dr. Lu will be available for interviews before the final competition from 12:30 - 1:00 pm in Hemingway Theatre on the UH Manoa campus and after the award ceremony at approximately 8:30 - 9:00 pm at the Pagoda Hotel International Ballroom.

Dr. Ed Lu has had three missions in space. The first two visits were in 1997 and 2000 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis where he worked as a mission specialist. In 2003, Dr. Lu returned to space and spent 6 months aboard the International Space Station Expedition 7. In total, Dr. Lu has spent over 196 days in space, including a 6 hour and 14 minute spacewalk. Dr. Lu has numerous ties to Hawaii, including completing his postdoctoral studies at the Institute for Astronomy at UH Manoa.

The PS3, a program of the Hawaii Academy of Science, is a regional competition of the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). The JSHS is sponsored in cooperation with the research offices of the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force. The grant is administered through the Academy of Applied Science in Concord, New Hampshire.

For more information see: http://www.hawaii.edu/acadsci

For more information about Astronaut Ed Lu please see: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/lu.html

Bernie Kilonsky, Symposium Director, Hawaii Academy of Science, 956-6574, kilonsky@soest.hawaii.edu

Ry Doland, Symposium Coordinator, Hawaii Academy of Science, 389-5218, rdoland@hotmail.com

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For more information, contact Tara Hicks.

Last Updated Fri Feb 6, 2004. Maintained by Tara Hicks.