Hawai‘i Community College was honored to have hosted the fifth (biennial) "Mathematics in Hawai‘i" Summer Institute.  Co-sponsored by AMATYC and π-MATYC, the institute began (Mon. 7/24) with an evening reception that was highlighted by Kihei Nahale‘a who gave the audience an informative and entertaining introduction to Hawaiian culture.  The informal ceremonies were replete with pupus, other local grinds, a (fifteen question) Hawai‘i civics test, and, at one point, even a competitive human scavenger hunt whose winners were given humble prizes that included HawCC t-shirts and a batch of locally-made stone cookies...

 The following morning (Tue.7/25), the group was addressed by Darcy Bevens (CSAV) who later in the afternoon escorted everyone through a lengthy field trip to the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Frequent road stops were made at the Visitor's Center (where the group was provided with lychee, bentos and drinks), the Jagger Museum & Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory, Hale Ma'u Ma'u overlook, etc. — activities which eventually ended with one last trek at the Thurston Lava tube — before leaving on the return trip to Hilo.

 Hump day (Wed.7/26) started at the UH Institute for Astronomy with Charles P. McKeague recapping some mathematics associated with the previous day's (geology/volcanology) presentation.  Dr. Bobby Bus (associate astronomer for NASA's IRTF) conducted an ensuing talk on planetary geology and (his particular field of specialty) asteroids.  After a quick respite, the evening's activities then began with a van ride up to the 9200-ft level of Mauna Kea where everyone was served a hot dinner at Hale Pohaku.  Before sunset, Ranger Kenyan Beals briefly discussed the natural environment on the mountain, and then all were treated to a pleasant evening of star gazing through the various optical telescopes set up at the MK Visitor's Information Station.  The night concluded shortly after Dan Birchall spoke to an enthusiastic crowd about many of the more conspicuous summer constellations, when the weary group finally descended the cloud enshrouded slopes to the comforts of their sea-level hotel.

 The next day (Thu.7/27) also commenced with Pat McKeague giving a concise overview of some mathematical aspects of the (astronomy) material from the previous day.  George Curtis (UHH Kalakaua Marine Education Center) promptly arrived thereafter to deliver an enigmatic presentation spanning his impressively, diverse 40+ year career in sundry oceangraphy-related endeavors.  A short lunch was supplied under a pavillion at the Wailoa State Park, and then Mr. Curtis then took the entire group downtown on yet another field trip; this time to the Pacific Tsunami Museum.

 The final day (Fri.7/28) was once again led off by Pat (McKeague) who concentrated the mathematical focus on several quantitative items of tsunamis, including a couple of elementary algebraic formulas for wave heights and speed.  Soon afterwards, Roberta Brashear came to orient the participants on their task of making measurements of introduced versus indigenous/native plants while on a botanical tour at the Univ. of Hawai‘i @ Hilo campus.  Rains from a tropical depression (i.e., remnants of Hurricane Daniel) paused just long enough for the group to accomplish their assigned tasks relatively dry and to go back the classroom in good spirits.  Whereupon their return, an Aloha Luncheon was furnished as were the answers to the Hawaiian vocabulary portion of the civics quiz, along with macadamia nuts being awarded to those who devoutly did their Hawaiiana homework, AND official "Math in Hawaii Summer Institute" certificates for all those STILL present...

AMATYC Journal Article

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Photographic Moments	Pre-Institute Information