From left to right: Devon Williams, Zoë Haggard and Jayke Nguyen–image J.Pollard

Earlier this year, three University of California graduate students traveled to Hawaiʻi to take part in something very special—a week-long science education program in its 21st year called Journey Through the Universe. This is the first year that the University of California Observatories (UCO) formally organized and sponsored a graduate student cohort to participate to visit schools on the Big Island and share their research and their passion for astronomy. The result? A transformational experience for both the students who traveled there, and the young minds they inspired.

Science in the Classroom

Each of the three students brought something unique to Hawaiʻi’s classrooms—but what united them was a desire to make astronomy relatable and engaging.

Zoë Haggard, a UC Los Angeles PhD student (featured in the lead photograph) who studies the stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, helped students build pocket-sized models of the solar system and investigate star clusters using real observational methods. “The students were very excited to learn in a hands-on way,” Zoë said. “They asked about everything from Mars’ habitability to what happens if you fall into a black hole.”

Zoë got to join the high school panels, sharing her path into research and her experience working with Keck Observatory. “As someone who observes often at Keck remotely, this was special to me. Anyone who observes with telescopes in Hawaiʻi should engage with the community—especially in person.”

Devon Williams also from UCLA focused his classroom sessions on scale—helping students grasp the almost unimaginable distances in space. Starting with an Uber ride across town, he guided them all the way to the Sun, calculating how long the trip would take and how they would age 115 years in the process. “The students were amazing—so engaged and curious,” she said. “They asked hard questions. I don’t think I got one softball all week!”

Devon added, “It’s because of the people of Hawaiʻi that we’re able to do the science we do. Without opportunities like this, that connection is lost.”

Jayke Nguyen, a UC San Diego student, who studies exoplanets and helps design the instruments that find them, combined solar system facts with a Play-Doh planet-making activity that brought out the creativity of every student. “The younger kids always love astronomy,” he said, “but even the older students got excited when we talked about astronomy in the context of Hawaiʻi.”

Honoring a Sacred Place

For Devon, Zoë and Jayke, the trip was not just about science—it was about understanding the responsibility that comes with it.

As researchers who use telescopes on Mauna Kea, a mountain that is both a world-renowned observatory site and a place sacred to Native Hawaiians, they were deeply aware that their work is made possible by a land and a community that deserve more than just a fleeting reference in return for the ground breaking research we achieve on their native island.

The message is clear: We must give back.

By stepping into classrooms and sharing their knowledge face-to-face via Journey Through the Universe, these students helped to continue building a bridge between discovery and community. 

In the words of one graduate student:

“We don’t just explore the universe—we share it.”

A First Step Toward Many More

This was UCO’s first year organizing a formal group to participate in Journey Through the Universe, but it won’t be the last. Astronomy isn’t just about looking up—it’s about looking around, and making sure the science we do respects and reflects the people and the places that make it possible.

This incredible program would not be possible without the support of community partners and sponsors—including the Department of Education, the Hawai‘i Island business community, Mauna Kea Observatories including W.M. Keck Observatories, the Thirty Meter Telescope, NASA, and many others.

UCO is proud to stand alongside our fellow observatories and community partners in inspiring Hawaiʻi’s next generation of scientists—and in ensuring that science remains rooted in respect, education, and reciprocity.