The Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium awarded undergraduate fellowships in the Spring of 2005 to students at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Hilo.

University of Hawai'i at Manoa:

• Kristine Ayson, a senior in Biology and Physics, will continue to work with mentor Dr. Karen Meech of the Institute for Astronomy on a project utilizing a large database of comet images. Kristine's project, titled "The Effects of Aging on the Morphology of the Dust Comae of Periodic and Non-periodic Comets with Regards to the Formation of Jets" includes the collection and processing of images from the UH 2.2 meter telescope at Mauna Kea. Final Report
• Matthew Bell, a senior in Anthropology, will work with mentor Dr. Terry Hunt of the Department of Anthropology on remote sensing techniques applied to archaeology and historic preservation. Matthew's project, titled "Archaeology on Easter Island" will emphasize the use of QuickBird satellite imagery and GIS mapping techniques to document monumental ceremonial platforms on Rapa Nui. Matthew's work will also include the development and field testing of a kite aerial photography rig.
• Bridget Cantu, a senior in Mechanical Engineering, is using theoretical analyses to study the effects of high-frequency vibrations and micro-convection on the motion of suspended crystals in microgravity environments. Bridget's project, titled "Effects of g-jitter on the Motion of Particle Seeds for Microgravity Crystal Growth Applications," is being conducted under mentor Dr. Carlos Coimbra of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Final Report
• William Carrier, a freshman in Physics, will perform experiments under the guidance of his mentor, Dr. Ralf Kaiser of the Department of Chemistry, to characterize infrared spectra of germanium-carrying molecules in low temperature ices. His project titled, "Chemistry of Germane and Methane in the Atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn," will aid our understanding of the origin and evolution of the atmospheres of giant gas planets, and the data will be useful for future astronomical searches with infrared spectroscopy.
• David Gremminger, a junior in Geology & Geophysics, will use images from Viking Orbiter and Mars Orbiter Camera to study the surface of Mars; in particular, the physical characteristics and rates of formation and fading of slope streaks. David's project, titled "Decadal Variability in Slope Streak Activity on Mars" will be conducted under the guidance of mentor Dr. Norbert Schorghofer of the Institute for Astronomy.
• Michele Harman, a senior in Global Environmental Science, will continue to use remote sensing data from the IKONOS satellite, GIS, and field observations to map native and invasive plants in the Makaha Valley watershed. Working with mentor Dr. Tomoaki Miura of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Michele seeks to understand the effects of invasive species on biodiversity and ecosystems. The project is titled "Analyzing the Distribution and Impact of Invasive Species in Makaha Valley, O'ahu with Remote Sensing." Final Report
• Kaihoolulu Rickard, a sophomore in Electrical Engineering, will work with mentor Dr. Lloyd French of the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, on a national student satellite mission known as the Magnetic Field Investigation of Mars by Interaction Consortia (MIMIC). Kaihoolulu will focus mainly on the C programming for two mission subsystems: communications and command & data handling. Final Report
• Jasen Kaya, a senior in Mechanical Engineering, will continue to pursue a project titled "Effects of Slip Condition on the Aerodynamics of Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles." Working with mentor Dr. Marcelo Kobayashi of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jasen is using computational fluid dynamics tools to investigate the forces and moments acting on the vehicles at high altitudes.
• David Narahara, a junior in Mechanical Engineering, will continue his project titled, "Processing, Performance, and Characterization of Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites with Nanoparticles" with mentor Dr. Mehrdad Ghasemi Nejhad of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. David seeks to understand how the addition of nanoparticles may improve the mechanical performance of ceramic composites used in high temperature jet-engine or space hardware components. Final Report
• Gabriel Wofford, a junior in Global Environmental Science, will conduct a survey of stone mulch deposits on Rapa Nui using QuickBird satellite imagery. Gabriel's project, titled "Using High-Resolution Satellite Imagery to Document Prehistoric Agriculture on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)" includes image analysis and GIS spatial mapping. Dr. Terry Hunt of the Department of Anthropology will serve as mentor.

• Sarah Knights, a junior in Astronomy, will pursue a project using Hubble Space Telescope data to analyze the formation and dynamics of young binary star systems. Sarah's project, titled "Determining the Separation Distribution of Young Binaries in the Orion Nebula Cluster" will also include observing time at the UH 88-inch telescope at Mauna Kea. Dr. Bo Reipurth of the Institute for Astronomy is serving as mentor for this research.
• Amanda Leonard, a senior in Geology, will continue to work with mentor Drs. Jene Michaud and Ken Hon of the Department of Geology to create a new illustrated brochure and companion website on the natural history of Mauna Kea Volcano. Her project, titled "Educational Outreach for Mauna Kea Astronomy" is designed to give the public a better understanding of the natural history, astronomical discoveries, and cultural significance of Mauna Kea.

University of Hawai'i at Manoa:

• Bessie Tran, a sophomore in Civil and Environmental Engineering, will work with mentor Dr. Gregor Fischer of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to learn about environmental conditions on Mars and aspects of structural and material concepts needed to design and build a shelter on Mars.

• Eric Lee, a sophomore in Pre-Electrical Engineering, will help develop and construct a telemetry system to acquire data on spatial position, temperature, humidity, and wind velocity from an airborne platform to a ground-based receiver. He will also design a graphical user interface for CANSAT researchers. Eric's project, titled "Air to Ground Telemetry Acquisition, Analysis and Presentation Techniques" will be conducted under the guidance of mentor Dr. John Rand of the Mathematics and Science Department.
• Justin Carland, a sophomore in Pre-Electrical Engineering, will work on a project titled "A Tethered Airborne Platform for CANSAT Testing" with mentor Dr. John Rand of the Mathematics and Science Department. Justin will help design and construct a stable, tethered airborne platform using a reusable gas balloon. This balloon will be used as a test bed by the CANSAT program at KCC for remote sensing, position sensing and telemetry evaluation.