PISCES joins UH Hilo’s College of Natural and Health Sciences

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One of PISCES main goals is to educate and create opportunities for students in STEM-related fields—this goal will strengthen as PISCES integrates applied research and aerospace partnerships into UH Hilo curricula.

Group of students in a field of barren rocks stand next to a small land rover equipped with electronics.
PISCES interns from the mainland and Hawaiʻi Community College stand with the planetary rover Helelani (Heavenly Travels) following a field test assessing their hardware and software upgrades during the summer of 2017. (Courtesy photo/PISCES)

By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.

PISCES and UH Hilo logos. PISCES with mountains and moons. And UH Hilo with University of Hawaiʻi in red.The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES), a research and education program exploring Earth and space, is now officially a program of the College of Natural and Health Sciences (CNHS) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

Founded in 2007, PISCES researches and develops space exploration technologies with dual-use applications for Earth and space. The program also facilitates planetary surface testing at high-fidelity planetary analog sites, and collaborates with the international community of aerospace, robotics, and technology to advance space exploration.

At its founding in 2007, PISCES was affiliated with UH Hilo. But in 2012 state lawmakers transferred it as a government aerospace agency to the State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. This resulted in state financial support not always coming through as expected, notably in 2021 when funding for PISCES was mistakenly omitted from a bill. The hope is PISCES can now find more stability in its new UH Hilo home at the College of Natural and Health Sciences, where university students will benefit immensely.

Bonnie D. Irwin business portrait in her office.
Bonnie D. Irwin

“I am excited to have PISCES back as part of the UH Hilo campus,” says UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin. “There is incredible opportunity here for partnerships with our science and technology majors, giving students more exposure to hands-on experiences and possible career paths.”

One of PISCES main goals is to educate, inspire, and offer unique opportunities to students in STEM-related fields—this goal will strengthen with the program’s new home as it integrates applied research and aerospace partnerships into UH Hilo curricula. One of the most interesting projects at PISCES is research that develops novel in-situ resource utilization technologies, commonly called ISRU, that can help sustain life on the Moon and Mars—and help make life on Earth more sustainable. These projects bring students myriad opportunities for hands-on experience in the field.

“Under CNHS, we are continuing our research in dual-use technology development for Earth and space, specifically in the realm of materials science and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), as well as aerospace business development in the state of Hawaiʻi,” announces PISCES in its June newsletter. “Our projects will also focus on supporting the growth and success of students at CNHS and schools statewide, offering education and career resources, research opportunities, internships, and STEM outreach programs.”

A student on a laptop, on her desk is a miniature robotic land rover.
A female student takes part in a PISCES sponsored program for high school women interested in space exploration, astronomy and engineering. The 2017 STARS (STEM Aerospace Research Scholars) Program was made possible through a partnership with UH Hilo, the Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope, Subaru Telescope, and the Pacific Aviation Museum. (Courtesy photo/PISCES)

In the newsletter announcement, PISCES sends “mahalo to Dean Brian Wissman and the administrative staff of CNHS for welcoming us to the ʻohana and helping us make a smooth transition. Looking ahead, we’re excited to serve our island community from our new home and continue developing new aerospace and STEM opportunities in Hawaiʻi!”

Brian Wissman business portrait in outdoor setting.
Brian Wissman

Wissman says the College of Natural and Health Sciences is thrilled for the PISCES program to join the college and integrate their mission and projects with existing CNHS academic programs.

“Some of their current cutting edge projects include initiatives related to sustainable resource utilization technology, basalt regolith, and lunar ice prospecting,” says Wissman. “Shortly after PISCES joined UH Hilo, research collaborations and UH Hilo student internships started to bubble up. These opportunities span multiple disciplines from the natural connection to astronomy and physics, but also other areas like geology, to study basalt characteristics, and computer science, to programming of a planetary rover.”

“Along with PISCES STARS program (STEM Aerospace Research Scholars) focusing on STEM opportunities for high school girls, I’m excited to see what other educational opportunities PISCES will bring to UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Island,” he says.

Watch this space for upcoming stories on PISCES activities including STEM workshops, other-worldly events, hands-on research, and opportunities for students to experience robotics and other technical work.

Story by Susan Enright, public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.

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