Maunakea iREx Graduate School Students Visit Gemini North

On July 12, 2016 the Mauna Kea Dunlap Graduate School, now the Maunakea iREx Graduate School, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CFHT and Gemini. The Gemini portion of this MoU allows, in essence, for up to eight students and their instructors Director’s Discretionary Time (DDT) on the Gemini North telescope each year. Gemini also provides accommodations both at Hale Pohaku (HP) and in Hilo.

On June 4^th, six students and their instructors, enjoyed a day at the Hilo Base Facility filled with science talks and activities. Thanks to Meg Schwamb for developing the innovative schedule and for all the people who made it happen (Peter Michaud, Laura Ferrarese, Jason Chu, Mirko Simunovic, Trent Dupuy, Matt Rippa, and Alison Peck). The group even managed to find Jeff Donahue who chatted with them at length about the new laser system.

Joy Pollard also led the group around the telescope where they paused long enough to receive a mirror coating talk from Clayton Ah Hee.