Students impress
astronaut

Isle high schoolers take part
in a Pacific science symposium

NASA astronaut Richard M. Linnehan, 47, veteran of three missions aboard the space shuttle Columbia, says he's "real impressed" with students he's met here in sciences.

"A lot of kids I've talked to here seem really keyed into science. They're more interested in a lot of things than kids on the mainland are," he said in an interview.

"They do really well in biological and molecular sciences, chemistry, geology and meteorology, too," he said, adding that perhaps it's because of their island environment.

Linnehan was among researchers and science professors judging competition Saturday at the Pacific Symposium for Science and Sustainability at the University of Hawaii. It was his third time as a judge for the regional high school competition. He was also keynote speaker at an award ceremony and banquet Saturday night at the Pagoda Hotel.

More than 60 students from public and private schools participated with sponsoring teachers from Hawaii and American Samoa. They stayed at the Pagoda Hotel through the weekend, and field trips and social events were planned for them, similar to a professional conference.

Eight students and one teacher were expected from Pohnpei, but half were bumped from their flight because it was overbooked, so no one came, said Bernard Kilonsky, symposium director.

"It's truly a shame," Kilonsky said. "The Pohnpei students have been more competitive every year."

Participants compete for the chance to take part in the national Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, funded by the U.S. departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force and sponsored by the Academy of Applied Science.

The Hawaii Academy of Science sponsors the Pacific symposium.

Usually, five finalists are chosen from the group, Kilonsky said, but 10 were selected this year because the students were so outstanding. Two ninth-graders were among the 10. Five finalists were then chosen from the 10 based on their papers and oral presentations.

Before joining NASA in 1992, Linnehan was a captain in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps stationed at the Naval Ocean Systems Center in San Diego.

He was chief clinical veterinarian for the Navy's Marine Mammal Program in California, Florida and Hawaii. The Hawaii station was closed in 1993.

Linnehan said he wanted to be an astronaut, so he applied. "No one's any more qualified to be an astronaut than anyone else," he said, pointing out that astronauts have different backgrounds.

He logged more than 43 days in space on Columbia flights in 1996, 1998 and 2002. The first two were Spacelab missions, the last a Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

Linnehan tells students interested in the space program: "Study hard, stay in school, don't give up. It takes a lot of school, a lot of years, a lot of work. If you want to do it, you will put up with everything you need to put up with and do all the work you are supposed to, and you will (do it)."

Big Isle, Kamehameha
students win top awards

Kimberly E. Reinhold, a senior at St. Joseph Junior Senior High School in Hilo, won the top award at this year's Pacific Symposium for Science and Sustainability.

She received a $1,500 scholarship for her project, "Neuroadaptive Modeling: Microscopic Image Analysis for Tumor Diagnosis." Last May, she won awards totaling more than $131,000 for her research project at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Portland, Ore.

Megan K. McCully, an 11th-grader at Kamehameha Schools, won second place at the Pacific Symposium on Saturday with her project, "The Inhibition of UV Induced DNA Damage by the Components of Sunscreen." She received a $1,000 scholarship.

Andrew K. Knutson, a Kamehameha Schools senior, won third place and a $500 scholarship for his project, "RAPD Analysis of Population Diversity in Hibiscus arnottianus Year 3: Genetic Polymorphism of Populations and Formulation of Population Specific Genetic Markers."

Other finalists were:

» Lisa A. Harunaga, Kamehameha Schools 11th-grader, for her project, "The Sting of the Fire Ant: The Effect of Various Ant Extracts on Bacteria, Fungi and Macrophages."

» Kaitlin M. Luther, senior at Baldwin High School on Maui, "Engineered Sound Waves of Varying Frequencies and Their Effectiveness in Deterring Sharks."

The five will receive all-expenses-paid trips to the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in San Diego, April 27-May 1. Reinhold and McCully will participate in the national competition.

The first alternate for the trip is Andrew P. AhYoung, Tafuna High School senior, American Samoa. His project was "Toxicity of Turmeric and Nonu Extracts Compared with Malathion and Pyrethrin Formulation on Larval Stage of Aedes polynesiensis: An Ecofriendly Approach."

The six were chosen by judges from among 10 semifinalists based on 10-page research papers and oral presentations before a panel of judges.

Other semifinalists were Philip Moez, Mililani High School ninth-grader; Clifford A. Kapono, Kamehameha Schools senior; Cindy M.Y. Lee, Sacred Hearts Academy senior; and Mary V. Beech, St. Andrew's Priory ninth-grader.