Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee

1
MaunaKea ObservatoriesOutreachCommittee

• Douglas Pierce-Price (Chair)
• Catherine Ishida (Chair-Elect)

Photo by Pamela L. Steenburg
2
Original Mission Advise OVIS

• MKOOC is a sub-committee of MKSSOC.
• Original purpose was to provide astronomy content
  for OVIS.
• Posters
• Speakers for the Universe Tonight program
• At this time few observatories had staff with
  public relations/outreach as part of their
  official job description.
• OVIS was the main point of contact with the
  public.

3
Organization of Observatory Sponsored Local
Outreach
Orange Direct contact with the public Red
Administrative control Pink Responsibility for
oversight Green Cooperative relationship Blue
Advisory relationship Purple Contractual
agreements/Appointments
MKMB AEC Mauna Kea Management Board Astronomy
Education Committee HAC Hilo Astronomy
Club NOMISS New Opportunities through Minority
Initiatives in Space Science TOPS Towards Other
Planetary Systems, Faulkes Faulkes Telescope
Project (HI, UK, Australia)
4
Observatory outreach enhanced by many other
educational and outreach efforts.

• UH outreach
• IfA (TOPS, Faulkes Telescope Project)
• UHH (NOMISS, Undergraduate astronomy major
• UHH undergraduate Astronomy majors as interns,
  student help and volunteers
• Future Flight Hawaii
• Often these are collaborative efforts, as
  observatory/MKO staff are called upon as experts.
• Requests create opportunities for observatory
  outreach.
• Local outreach benefits all observatories.
  Collaborative efforts are more effective.

5
Example of collaboration Careers in Astronomy
Panels (NOMISS)


6
Outreach demands have increased

• Funding agencies requiring outreach as a
  condition for research funding.
• Regulatory agencies requiring outreach as a
  condition for permits.
• Amateur astronomy booming as a hobby.
• Popularity of educational tourism (Astronomy is
  2 reason for a return visit to HI according to a
  hotel survey.)
• Controversies increasing MKO visibility
• Successful outreach is leading to increased
  demand.

7
Outreach efforts have increased

• Desire to make explicit the benefits of
  MKO/Astronomy to the local community.
• Fear that MKOs future is contingent upon gaining
  public support.
• Several observatories now have PR/outreach staff.
• Observatory participation in MKAEC.
• PR/Outreach staff are doing what they can to meet
  demand.
• MKOOC now functions as an open forum for
  coordinating astronomy outreach by observatories
  and affiliate organizations.

8
MKOOC Achievements 2002-2003

• Universe Tonight at OVIS continues
• Public talk on 1st Saturday of the Month
• Newspaper article
• Radio Show
• Note OVIS has several other programs including a
  once a moth talk on cultural topics
• AstroDay
• HTH Insert (60,000 copies)
• Hilo High summer physics class
• DFM Telescope first light!
• Hilo County Fair
• http//mkooc.org
• (These are events with an enthusiastic lead
  person and participation by the majority of
  observatories.)

9
AstroDay 2003 at Prince Kuhio Plaza

• Over 13,000 people exposed to exhibits by
  observatories and supportive community
  organizations
• Over 10 were active participants in the event

10
DFM Telescope

• 10 years effort
• Star-tracker system points and guides without
  need to align
• Needs a home

11
Coordination through MKOOC

• Events
• Hilo/Kona Science Fairs
• SPIE Exhibit Hawaii is open for business
• School visits (Local and Global)
• Exhibits and talks at schools events
• Onizuka Science Day
• Hilo High Job Fair
• Informal participation in Heart Walk, Cancer Walk
• Projects
• JPL 3-D filming
• MK video from Hawaii Public Television (next
  summer?)
• Virtual tour/birth day star exhibit
• Educational Initiatives
• Journey to the Universe
• Student Interns
• (Opportunities/ideas shared within MKOOC so those
  with the desire/ability can take them on.)

12
OVIS remains the single largest point of contact
with the public

• Details from Dave Byrne
• 100,000 visitors each year
• Observatories and UH IfA (via MKSS) are the
  primary source of funding, followed by OMKM, and
  donations (10k).
• Over 100 volunteers, 60 UHH students.
• OVIS is probably the best public viewing site in
  the world.
• There is a large amount of good will towards
  astronomy that is largely invisible to the
  observatories. The bulk of the outreach work is
  done by non-astronomers.

13
MKAEC will become largest point of contact

• Details from Walt Steiger.
• We welcome opportunity for renewed relationship
  between MKEAC and observatories.
• Want to see
• Consensus on MKAEC mission
• Quick selection of permanent director
• Two-way communication with observatories
• MKAEC can become point of contact for general
  requests from the public.
• MKAEC will increase quantity and quality of
  outreach and increase astronomys visibility to
  the local community.

14
MKOOC is in transition

• MKOOC members have fulfilled their initial
  commitment to provide astronomy content for OVIS
  (posters/speakers Phase One Renewal).
• MKOOC has received a directive from the MKSSOC to
  continue oversight of astronomy content at OVIS.
  We have not been mandated to oversee management.
• MKOOC has broadened its focus to include
  coordination of local outreach among
  observatories and affiliate organizations.
• As of July 1, 2003, MKOOC is funded as a line
  item in the MKSS budget (5000).

15
Goals and Wishes 1

• Formalize MKOOCs role as a bridge between
  organizations.
• Redefine mission statement and membership
  criteria in the context of our broader role and
  accountability to the MKSSOC.
• Obtain approval from MKOSC.
• Continue to provide an open forum for all
  organizations and individuals involved in
  astronomy education and outreach.
• Improve volunteer recognition and support.
• Outreach to observatory community itself.
• Two-way clarification of priorities and goals
• Cultivate volunteers
• Director level support

16
MKO Family Photo

• Very nice image, but only 20 of people employed
  at MKO/Mauna Kea
• Strategic error lack of support

17
Goals and Wishes 2

• Request improvement of OVIS facilities.
• Limited facilities do not match the quality of
  programs.
• Mixture of parking and star gazing is a safety
  hazard.
• Negotiate with MKAEC on the type of
  educational/outreach programs it intends to have
  as well as astronomy content.
• Establish a single point of contact for the
  public.
• Contribute to a K-12 educational path that youth
  with an interest in science (perhaps generated by
  our outreach efforts) can follow in pursuit of a
  science and technology oriented career.

18
Improvements Needed at OVIS

• Safety
• Star gazing area that is removed from car traffic
• Larger parking area
• Content
• Star gazing area that is protected from lights
• A site for the DFM telescope
• New videos and displays (KHET video may be
  available next summer.)
• Larger display area with enough content to engage
  the public for at least half an hour.
• A better web site.

19
Current Participants

• Observatories
• Liz Bryson (CFHT)
• Bobby Bus (IRTF)
• Richard Chamberlin (CSO)
• Gary Fujihara (IfA)
• Janice Harvey (Gemini)
• Catherine Ishida (Subaru)
• Laura Kraft (Keck)
• Alison Peck (SMA)
• Andrew Pickles (UH2.2m)
• Douglas Pierce-Price (JAC)
• NRAO has no active participant
• Other Members
• Richard Crowe (UHH, NOMISS)
• Bill Stormont (OMKM)

• Affiliate Organizations
• David Brennen (HAC)
• David Byrne (OVIS)
• Ron Koehler (MKSS)
• Michael West (MKAEC, UHH)
• Other past/present/occasional participants
• Julia Baumann (SMA)
• Cheryl Berstein (MKAEC)
• Paul Coleman (IfA, MKAEC)
• Arnold Hiura (OMKM)
• Wendy Light (JAC)
• Mike Maberry (IfA)
• Eugene Magnier (CFHT)
• Peter Michaud (Gemini)
• Antony Schinckel (SMA)
• Walter Steiger (UHH/CSO/MKAEC)
• Richard Wainscoat (IfA)
• Daryl Watanabe (IfA)

20
MKOOC attendees September 2003