High schoolers invited to apply for ’18 Women’s STARS program

HILO, Hawaii – Female high school students are encouraged to apply for the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) 2018 Women’s STARS (Stem Aerospace Research Scholars) Program.

Held every summer, this week-long summer intensive encourages more young women to pursue careers and studies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) by exposing them to the lives and work of successful female scientists, engineers, and educators.

Sponsored by the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC), the 2018 STARS Program will feature a variety of guest speakers spanning the fields of Polynesian navigation, astronomy, geology, engineering, marine science and planetary science.

Students will be engaged with hands-on workshops in robotics and conduct a mock-Mars mission with the PISCES planetary rover, “Helelani.” Participants will also be led on a series of behind-the-scenes tours exploring some of Hawaii Island’s world-class scientific research facilities, including the USGS Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory, PISCES planetary analog sites, and several Maunakea observatories.

Twelve students will be selected to participate in the program, which will be held from July 9 to 13, 2018. There is no fee to attend STARS and all meals, transportation and overnight accommodations will be provided. Students must meet the following requirements to apply:  Female, 16 years or older; Attend a Hawaii high school or be homeschooled in the state; Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher; Be in good physical health.

Interested students may download an application and related forms for submission at: www.pacificspacecenter.com/ 2018-stars-program. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2018.