UH Hilo PISCES accepting applications for 9th Annual Women’s STARS Program

Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Contact: Alyson Kakugawa-Leong, (808) 932-7669

For Immediate Release

The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo College of Natural and Health Sciences announces its 9th annual Women’s STARS Program, a free residential STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) program taking place June 15–21, 2025 on Hawaiʻi Island. Applications are now open to Hawaiʻi high school students, including incoming freshmen through exiting seniors. The application deadline is April 30. Space is limited.

The STARS Program aims to inspire and encourage young women to pursue STEM studies and careers. With generous support from local partners and organizations, STARS introduces students to a variety of subjects and career pathways through engaging presentations, tours at local STEM facilities, hands-on workshops, college and career preparation, and team-building exercises.

“The STARS program aims to help young ladies find their place in STEM through experiential learning,” said STARS Program Organizer Amber Imai-Hong. “Our goals are to build a community that participants can draw support from in the future, prepare them for challenges they may face, and provide experiences that connect them with mentors and careers in Hawaiʻi and beyond.”

Since its inception in 2014, STARS has reached more than 80 young women from schools across Hawaiʻi. Students have gone on to pursue higher education in STEM fields and internship opportunities and jobs. Last year, McKinley High School alumnus Jessica Nagasako graduated from the University of Rochester with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and Astronomy and got a job as a telescope operator at Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope. She was inspired to pursue an astronomy career after attending STARS in 2018.

Applications and additional details are available at pacificspacecenter.com/education/stars. On-island transportation, housing, and meals are included. Students coming from outer islands must cover their own airfare expenses.

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