GeminiFocus April 2017 | Page 32

Figure 2. Gemini Public Information and Outreach Intern Sylvia Kowalski (left) takes directions from Gemini Associate Director of Development Scot Kleinman (right) and Keaukaha Elementary students as she pretends to be the Mars Curiosity Rover. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) — sponsored a NASA Lunar and Meteorite Sample Certification Workshop led by NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute‘s (SSERVI) Brian Day and Joseph Minafra. In addition, NASA’s Brian Mitchell — the Education and Public Outreach man- ager for NASA’s Discovery/New Frontiers/ Lunar Quest Program Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, — delivered an inspiring public talk titled, “Discovery, New Frontiers, and Solar System Exploration.” A highlight of this year’s Journey program was the return of Hilo-raised student and astrophysics PhD candidate Devin Chu from University of California Los Angeles. An alumnus of the Journey program (and Hilo High School), Chu shared with students, teachers, and the community how the Jour- ney program influenced and helped guide his dream of becoming an astronomer. Dur- ing the week he also returned to his alma mater of Hilo Intermediate to model the ef- fects of gravity on massive bodies using a “gravity well.” Figure 3. NASA SSERVI’s Jennifer Baer engages Kapiolani Elementary students in an activity on manipulating graphics using a tablet. Figure 4. Tomonori Usuda, Director of the Thirty Meter Telescope-Japan, has fun with Hilo Intermediate School students, showing them the ins and outs of the Subaru Telescope. 30 GeminiFocus April 2017