Julian was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in
Portland, Oregon, where he graduated from Lincoln High
School. He is currently pursuing an Associate of Science
degree in Electronics Engineering at the University of
Hawai?i Maui College and hopes to continue his
education by earning a bachelor’s degree in Electronics
Engineering from the University of Arkansas Grantham.
He is passionate about building a career in electrical
sustainability and management, with a focus on
advancing efficient and responsible practices within the
industry. In his free time, Julian enjoys kitesurfing,
snowboarding, programming, modifying video games,
and working on cars.
Home Island: Maui
High School: Lincoln High School
Institution when accepted: UH Maui College
Site: KBR. Kihei, Maui
Mentors: Randy Goebbert
Project title: Installation and Automatizing Operation of Observatory Weather Instruments
Project Abstract:
KBR owns a small Observational Telescope near the Tech Park in Kihei. This telescope specializes in
accurately tracking various objects within Earth’s orbit. However, before the telescope can begin to
operate automatically, weather monitoring is required. Precipitation, wind speed, humidity, and
dew point must be tracked in real time. All threaten the highly sensitive and expensive electronics
and optics within the dome enclosure. In order to prevent this from occurring, several weather
phenomena must be continuously monitored and recorded. To achieve this goal, two weather
sensors, the DRD11A and the WS600, must be tested, wired, and installed near the telescope.
Testing the sensors ensures that they are working properly as intended. Applying liquid to the
weather sensors, changing the ambient temperature, and adjusting the wind speeds can verify that
they are ready for operation. In addition, both of the sensors require power delivery and send data
as an output to a dedicated computer near the telescope. To wire a connection from the computer to
the sensors, it will require 30 meters of cable. The wires will also conjoin in a specialized junction
box. Finally, the weather instruments must be installed near the telescope. The installation must be
done in such a way as to ensure stability and endurance for intensive weather events. Overall, the
completion of this project will facilitate the creation of a fully automatic telescope for KBR.