UH Hilo welcomes hundreds of keiki for 2026 Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Science Day
The free community event, on hiatus since the pandemic, celebrated the legacy of Hawaiʻi’s first astronaut with STEM activities, workshops, and a NASA star!
Video: University Relations/UH Hilo. Full story at Kūkala Nūhou.
By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo welcomed hundreds of keiki to campus on Saturday, Jan. 24, for the 21st annual Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Science Day. The free community event, which had been on a five-year hiatus since the pandemic, celebrates the legacy of Hawaiʻi’s first astronaut with a host of science activities, displays, and presentations.
NASA astronaut Donald Pettit gave an inspiring presentation.
“Dr. Pettit shared how goofing around with experiments can lead to surprising results and encouraged keiki to be curious and do DIY science,” say organizers.
Keiki (grades 3-12) also participated in STEM activities and hands-on workshops. The event also offered exhibits, hands-on displays, food trucks and more for a fun-filled educational day.
Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Science Day was organized by UH Hilo’s Pacific International Space Center for Explorations Systems (PISCES), in partnership with the Onizuka Memorial Committee, and the Hawaiʻi Science and Technology Museum.
In the news
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.
