By Linda Copman
|
“Working at Keck has definitely opened doors I never even dreamed of. I’m glad, no, honored to have been apart of the Keck ‘Ohana.” – Alohilani Fero, outgoing Student Assistant in the Keck Observatory Electronics Group
 |
| Photo: Korina Leong by Sarah Anderson. |
When Honoka‘a High School senior Korina Leong started working at Keck Observatory, she had never seriously considered pursuing a career in the computer field. Now, she is fairly certain that she will study computer science in college, and maybe even return to Keck Observatory one day to work with the Computer System Administration Group.
Her supervisor and mentor Branning Sung did exactly that. Branning was first hired at the age of 15, when he was offered a job by Mark Sirota, Electronics Senior Manager at Keck Observatory. Sirota was impressed by Branning’s science fair project, Utilizing Solar Energy to Accelerate Seedling Growth, at Honoka‘a High School’s Science Fair. Branning had no computer experience prior to working at the Observatory. “The challenges of the position sparked my interest in the field,” says Branning.
Branning worked at the Observatory from 1991-98, throughout high school and then college. His job at Keck Observatory helped to support him while he earned a degree in Natural Science at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. “I always hoped that I would be able to return to Keck, but I pursued a teaching degree in case that didn’t work out,” says Branning. Fortunately, Branning’s patience, persistence, and years of experience paid off: a position opened in the Computer Systems Administration Group during his senior year in college. The duties were very similar to those which Branning had performed during his years as a Student Assistant. In December 2006, Branning celebrates his eighth anniversary as a permanent employee of Keck Observatory. He and his team oversee 280 computers and 15 server-type machines.
 |
| Photo: Branning Sung during his first year as a regular employee (1998). Photo by Sarah Anderson. |
Branning enjoys the daily challenges of his job: “Computers are basically dumb paperweights unless you can figure out what is going wrong and what modifications need to be made to ensure stable operation. The challenge lies in being able to troubleshoot problems and in determining possible fixes once the problem has been identified.”
Branning also likes being able to work in his home town. He considers himself lucky to have landed a job at Keck Observatory. “Hawai‘i is where I want live, and Keck is one of the few true technology centers that require the services of several full-time Computer System Administrators,” he explains.
 |
| Photo: Branning Sung today. Photo by Sarah Anderson. |
Branning has supervised and trained several student assistants while working at Keck Observatory. One of them, Andrea Finch, returned to Keck this past year as a temporary Computer Systems Administrator Assistant. Andrea is currently seeking employment on the U.S. Mainland as a Junior Systems Administrator. “The skills that Andrea acquired at Keck may transfer into a career in the field of Systems Administration.,” says Branning.
For the students, the value of their Keck Observatory work experiences are multi-fold. For many students, their job at Keck is also their first work experience. Students must apply for their positions using the same employment application that regular Keck employees use. If their application passes an initial screening, students gain experience in interviewing for a position. If they are hired, they learn what it’s like to work in a professional environment, plus they learn valuable technical or administrative skills that they can apply outside of the Observatory.
 |
| Photo: Branning Sung (left) and Korina Leong (right) installing filler panels on the front of a server rack in the computer room. Photo by Sarah Anderson. |
According to Korina Leong, the pay is quite fair. Students receive annual pay raises, and pay rates are comparable to other jobs in the community in retail stores or restaurants.
“If you have the opportunity to work at Keck, you should take it and run with it,” says Korina. “One day at work I was able to go up to the summit and work there for the day. We took a tour of the Keck I telescope and Branning explained how it worked. Another experience I had was attending the Girls Exploring Math and Science (GEMS) program. GEMS is a program that brings fifth grade girls from around the Island together and enables them to get more acquainted with careers in math and science. I liked being able to teach the girls how to solder, and I loved how enthusiastic the girls were to learn. I think this kind of experience really does have a big impact on the girls. I participated when I was in fifth grade, and I loved it.”
Sparking an interest in science and technology, providing hands-on training to Island youth, and instilling confidence and tangible skills in our future workforce. These are the ripples which result from Keck Observatory’s successful Student Employment Program.
Learn more about Keck Observatory’s Rising Stars Program, which provides many ways to attract young people to scientific and technical pursuits, including intensive mentoring and internship programs. 
Click here to return to the main page. |
