2011 Hawaiʻi STEM Conference motivates and inspires

Maui College
Contact:
Emily R. Sullivan, (808) 984-3549
Director of Marketing and Community Relations, Marketing
Posted: Apr 8, 2011

From left to right, Steven Okada, Jong Choi, Kieran Bhattacharya
From left to right, Steven Okada, Jong Choi, Kieran Bhattacharya

The 2011 Hawaiʻi STEM (Science, Technology, Electronics, and Math) Conference hosted over 200 students, teachers, parents and business leaders last weekend at the Wailea Marriott.

The two-day technology conference brings together STEM students from the neighboring islands to compete in software competitions, exhibit presentations and attend breakout sessions. 

STEM is part of a workforce development initiative started over 10 years ago by the Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology (WIT) program. 

Students presented STEM projects to community members and judges throughout the two-day event. University of Hawaiʻi Maui College faculty Dr. Debasis Bhattacharya represented UH Maui College by leading a breakout session on Android programming. The hands-on, interactive session taught students how Android software makes mobile applications work on phones, tablets and other devices. Dr. Debra Nakama from UH Maui College and Dr. Song Choi from UH Mānoa also participated in the breakout session.

“There are many options in the programming world, Android is just one of them. My focus was exposing them to the program and giving them an overview of jobs in the STEM field. The ABIT (Applied Business and Technology) program at UH Maui College is an opportunity on Maui to gain a degree in the STEM field and be workforce ready upon graduation,” said Bhattacharya.

UH Maui College currently offers two baccalaureate degrees focused on preparing graduates for workforce ready employment. 

The ABIT degree combines entrepreneurial education with information technology and liberal arts to prepare students to run their own business or seek employment in a small to mid-sized company. For more information contact Crystal Alberto at (808) 984-3294 or email at calberto@hawaii.edu.

The engineering technology program provides curriculum and training in electronics, computers, optics, remote sensing and technologies. The curriculum emphasizes engineering technology and stresses the effective use of integrated electro-optical hardware and software systems. For more information contact Elisabeth Reader at (808) 984-3388 or email ereader@hawaii.edu

The conference is sponsored by MEDB’s WIT program and is funded in part by the County of Maui, Air Force Research and Laboratory, and Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education Center.

The competition winners are:

CAD: Ryan Valenciano, Kauaʻi High School

Website Design: Weon Leong, McKinley High School

Poster Design: Akira Galpin, King Kekaulike High

Game Design: Brittney Chun & Felix Balisacan, Farrington High School

Program Impact Assessment (PIA) – Farrington High School   

Video Competition – Maui High Digital Media Program