Female high school students recognized for computer science excellence

Madisyn Sim of Kalani High, middle, receives her scholarship from Martha Crosby and David Chin.

Carmelia Lai of Kalani High, middle, is congratulated by Martha Crosby and David Chin.

Nine young women from high schools throughout the state, including five from Kalani High, were recognized as Hawaiʻi Regional Winners for their notable projects in computer science by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing (AspireIT) honors young women who are active in computing and technology, and encourages them to pursue their passions.

The Hawaiʻi affiliate of NCWIT is supported by the UH Mānoa Department of Information and Computer Sciences. At a recent awards luncheon on campus, Department Chair and Professor David Chin spoke to the students about how computer sciences and engineering are really about creativity and how each of them can “create something real that comes out of your mind.”

Two of the five Kalani students won scholarships to attend UH Mānoa and take courses in the Department of Information and Computer Sciences. Madisyn Sim received the 2015-2016 scholarship, while Camelia Lai received the scholarship for the 2016-2017 academic year. In addition, Riley Kishaba, Yongqi Lin and Madisyn Sim, all from Kalani High, received 2015 Hawaiʻi Affiliate Award Runner-Up recognition in the National AspireIT competition. Other students recognized for their outstanding work were Erina Baudat of Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy, Yu-Ann (Ashley) Chen of Hilo High, Sara Nakagaki of Kalani High, and Aliya Petranik of Punahou School.

At the awards luncheon, UH Mānoa Professor Kim Binsted presented her current work with the HI-SEAS project led by UH and funded by NASA. The project isolates a group of people in a structure high atop Mauna Loa on Hawaiʻi Island to try and find solutions that will one day sustain travelers to deep space. Professor Susanne Still, a UH theoretical physicist, also addressed the high school students about her work studying machine learning or machines that learn by getting feedback.

(Full caption for top photo) From left, Professor Martha Crosby of the UHM Department of Information and Computer Sciences, Madisyn Sim of Kalani High, and UHM Information and Computer Sciences Chair David Chin. Sim received a scholarship to attend UHM in the 2015-2016 academic year.

(Full caption for bottom photo) From left, UHM Department of Information and Computer Sciences Professor Martha Crosby, Carmelia Lai of Kalani High, and UHM Information and Sciences Chair David Chin.  Lai received a scholarship to attend UHM in the 2016-2017 academic year.

For more information, visit: http://www.ics.hawaii.edu/