The Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium awarded undergraduate fellowships in the Fall of 1996 to students at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Hilo, and the Community Colleges. At Manoa and Hilo, the awards were given for space-related research and provided a stipend of up to $1750 per semester to each recipient. At the Community Colleges, Fellows received stipends that depended on the scope of the projects.

University of Hawai'i at Manoa:

• Arnold Fleischmann, a senior in Biology, will be studying the human body's way of relieving stress. He will conduct his project "Simulating Increased Serotonin Production and its Consequences During Space Flight Stress Using a Vigorous Exercise Paradigm" under the guidance of mentor Dr. Bruce Morton from the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. Arnold's research will involve the quantitative analysis of serotonin (one of the human body's neurotransmitters) present in the saliva of individuals before, during, and after exercise. Ultimately, a quantitative corrrelation of serotonin levels with increased levels of stress may lead to better methods of monitoring effects of stress on the human body and, in turn, improved health for astronauts on long-duration space missions.

• Kimberly Siu, a senior in Liberal Studies, will work on another aspect of astronaut fitness: reaction time precision. With mentor Dr. Max Vercruyssen from the Department of Medicine, Kimberly will study "Critical Timing Maneuvers: Assessment and Screening of Fitness for Duty." Kimberly will use video driving simulations to test time perception and response speed of various individuals. This work will contribute to a better understanding of what characterizes peak performances of time-critical maneuvers.

• Cory Machida is a continuing Fellow in Mechanical Engineering performing research on "Gravity Effects in Solidification Processing of Advanced Materials." His mentor is Dr. Chao-Yang Wang from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Cory is developing a test cell to visually analyze the effects of gravity on flow patterns during solidification of an ammonium chloride solution which he is using as a metal-melt analog. This work will lead to better understanding of the microstructure and chemical heterogeneities in casting materials used for space hardware.

• Andrea Kaawaloa, a senior in Geology and Geophysics, will continue her remote sensing and field study of inflation features on Hawaiian pahoehoe lava flows. Her project is called "Detailed Study of Inflation Features on the Highcastle Flow, Laeapuki, Hawai'i, with specifics on Tumuli." Andrea is collecting quantitative data on shape, appearance, and precise locations of tumuli and other inflation features to construct a detailed geologic map of the Highcastle Flow. This work will add to the overall understanding of volcanic landforms on Earth and may also help in the remote-sensing analysis of inflation features on other planetary surfaces. Andrea's mentor is Dr. Stephen Self from the Department of Geology and Geophysics.

• Grace Leung, a senior in Electrical Engineering, is continuing her research on the miniaturization of piezoelectric mechanisms for precision positioning and vibration suppression of space structures. Grace is working on her project "Active Strut for Precision Positioning and Vibration Control of Space Truss Sturctures: Design, Manufacture, and Testing of an Active Composite Strut" under the guidance of mentor Dr. Mehrdad Nejhad of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

• Matthew Gentry, a senior in Geology, will be researching "Anthropogenically Induced Vegetation Change and its Impact on Evapotranspiration" under the guidance of mentor Dr. Jene Michaud of the Department of Geology. Matthew will use remote sensing data to map current vegetation patterns of the conterminous U. S. He will compare his map to historical records of pre-European-settlement vegetation patterns to determine the effects of human action on land cover. This will lead to an estimate of the impact that humans have had on climate, in particular evapotranspiration rates.

• Chris Richmond, a sophomore in Astronomy, and Isaac Holbron, a sophomore science education major, are working on a "Survey of Irregular Variable Star AD Leonis to Search for Flares." Chris and Isaac are using a differential photometry technique the telescope and CCD imaging system at Leeward Community College Observatory under the guidance of mentor Dr. Fritz Osell from the Astronomy Department. They are documenting chromispheric flares on AD Leonis, one of the most active stars in the northern hemisphere.

The Hawai`i Space Grant Consortium awarded graduate fellowships to two students at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa for 1996. The awards were given for space-related research and provided nine-month stipends and additional funds for travel and supplies to each recipient.

University of Hawai`i at Manoa:

• James Lee, Master's degree student in Electrical Engineering, will be researching "Actuator and Sensor Placement for Robust Control of Flexible Structures." James' theoretical H_ analyses will help determine the optimal methods for suppressing unwanted oscillations or vibrations of large flexible structures in space. His mentor is Dr. Vassilis Syrmos of the Department of Electrical Engineering.

• Michael Sawyer, PhD student in Physical Oceanography, will be continuing his research on the interactions between atmospheric and oceanic dynamics. His research project, called "Forcing and Dynamics of the North Equatorial Front," is being conducted under mentor Dr. Pierre Flament of the Department of Oceanography. Michael's analyses of in situ measurements and remote sensing data, from SIR-C and ERS-1 scatterometer, will lead to a better understanding of the small-scale structure and dynamics of surface temperature fronts in the equatorial Pacific region.