The incoming director of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ (IfA), Doug Simons has a set of priorities that he calls the “three pillars”—ramping up research, expanding technology development and retaining IfA¡¯s world-class education. Simons¡¯ appointment as the leader of one of the world¡¯s premier astronomy programs became official at the Board of Regents April 15 meeting.
“Over many years UH has sustained phenomenal adaptive optics and infrared array development programs. That technology helped to build astronomy world-wide,” he said. “It¡¯s being used on Maunakea and around the world and we look to continue to build on that success.”
- Related UH News story: Doug Simons named new director for UH Institute for Astronomy, April 12, 2021
The veteran Â鶹´«Ã½ Island astronomer is also focused on renewal of UH¡¯s master lease for Maunakea which is set to expire in 2033. The university is seeking to continue its stewardship of the revered site that holds cultural, historic and environmental significance and also provides opportunities to carry out critical research.
“The science impact of Maunakea astronomy is consistently top ranked worldwide. In many ways ensuring a future for Â鶹´«Ã½ astronomy helps leverage a bright future for astronomy globally.”
Simons also has an unwavering vision of merging Hawaiian knowledge and traditions with contemporary astronomy and has been a champion of community engagement and astronomy education on Â鶹´«Ã½ Island and across the state. He has worked alongside UH Hilo Hawaiian language expert Larry Kimura to pinpoint extraordinary similarities between the ancient Hawaiian creation chant, the Kumulipo and the Big Bang theory. In their presentation, The Physics of P¨ and the P¨ of Physics, the two scholars articulate how similar Hawaiian and Western ideologies are in explaining how the Universe was formed.
“Â鶹´«Ã½ is uniquely positioned to be an example for the world that Indigenous ways of knowing can enhance contemporary science,” Simons said.
He helped establish , a program where Hawaiian speaking students and educators work with Â鶹´«Ã½-based astronomers to create names in ʻōlelo Â鶹´«Ã½ (Hawaiian language) for astronomical discoveries made in Â鶹´«Ã½.
Simons also aims to expand opportunities for IfA students to train at the observatories on Maunakea on Â鶹´«Ã½ Island and Haleakal¨¡ on Maui. Simons earned his PhD from IfA in 1990 and has worked on Maunakea since, most recently as the executive director since 2012 and the Gemini Observatory director from 2006¨C11. He attributes access to telescopes during his days as an IfA graduate student as an important part of his success in the field of astronomy.
“The experience of being able to observe on Maunakea, to work with engineers, I was so well prepared to be a professional astronomer when I graduated.”
Consistent community and educational outreach is vital for Simons, especially among Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s keiki. He led the launch of the , where public high school students can apply for observing time across the Maunakea Observatories. His mission is to continue to connect and inspire youngsters about astronomy with the hope they will realize their future aspirations at IfA.
“Â鶹´«Ã½ astronomy has been my life¡¯s work since I arrived at Â鶹´«Ã½in 1986 and sat in my first class. This is a very personal journey that I hope will lead to great outcomes for our community and Â鶹´«Ã½ astronomy,” said Simons.