Akamai Workforce Initiative (AWI)

The Akamai Workforce Initiative (AWI) partners high-tech industry, cutting-edge research, and inventive education to meet needs in astronomy, remote sensing, and other technology industries in Hawaii. AWI will provide training in electro-optics for a diverse student population through an innovative, culturally-relevant curriculum, designed to meet workforce needs. The AWI will advance akamai – smart, clever, expert – students into the technology workforce on Maui, and more broadly in Hawaii.

AWI includes the following components:

• Akamai Internship Program
• Electro-optics course development for Maui Community Colleges Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology program
• Teaching and Curriculum Collaborative
• Outreach to middle and high schools and the general community

The goals of the Akamai Workforce Initiative are to:

• Prepare local students for careers in electro-optics and related high tech fields;
• Increase the capacity of the Hawaii scientific and technical community to teach diverse learners and design effective research experiences and laboratory courses;
• Increase participation of women, Native Hawaiians, and other underrepresented groups in engineering technology education and employment in Hawaii;
• Build partnerships and encourage mutual awareness of educational and employment opportunities in high-tech industry among the local communities of Maui County.

The Akamai Workforce Initiative Consortium includes:

• University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (IfA)
• Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO)
• University of Hawaii – Maui Community College (MCC)
• Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB)
• Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site (AMOS)

The Akamai Workforce Initiative Project Team includes:

• Lisa Hunter, CfAO & IfA
• Scott Seagroves, CfAO
• Lynne Raschke, CfAO
• Mark Hoffman, MCC
• Jeff Kuhn, IfA
• Joe Janni, AMOS
• Leslie Wilkins, MEDB

The AWI Consortium is currently funded by:

• The National Science Foundation funded Center for Adaptive Optics (NSF#AST – 987678)
• University of Hawaii
• National Science Foundation (NSF# AST-0710699)
• Air Force Office of Scientific Research (NSF# AST-0710699, through interagency transfer)
• Air Force Research Laboratory

For information please contact: Lisa Hunter, Director, Akamai Workforce Initiative, Institute for Astronomy & Center for Adaptive Optics, (808) 573-9542, hunter@maile.ifa.hawaii.edu