Maile was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii where she graduated from Waiakea High School. She is currently attending Utah State University where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and plays Division I Women’s Tennis. After graduation, she intends to continue her education and pursue a Master’s degree in Computer Science. She is eager to engage in research and hands-on projects that will help further her understanding of computer science with hopes of becoming a software engineer.
Home Island: Big Island of Hawaii
High School: Waiakea High School
Institution when accepted: Utah State University
Project title: Modernizing Spectrographic Data Reduction Software for Subaru Telescope
Project Site: Subaru Telescope, Hilo, HI
Mentor: Eric Jeschke & Russell Kackley
Project Abstract:
The Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph (FOCAS) on the Subaru Telescope has been a cornerstone of high-sensitivity observations in visible light since 2000. FOCAS is extremely versatile and offers four modes of operation including imaging, spectroscopy, polarimetry, and multi-object spectroscopy. The software package used to process raw data collected with FOCAS is Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF). Unfortunately, IRAF has become increasingly difficult to support and upgrade. The goal of this project is to modernize the data reduction pipeline for FOCAS using the new open-source Python package called PypeIt. This project involves supporting additional grism and filter combinations, thoroughly documenting the updated pipeline for FOCAS users, and integrating enhanced 1D spectrum visualization in Ginga. These tasks require enhancing skills and knowledge regarding spectroscopy, Python, Git, GitHub, Ginga, and reStructuredText (RST). PypeIt will allow for more efficient, accurate, and user-friendly data reduction, ensuring the continued relevance and scientific productivity of the FOCAS instrument.