Nicole Baptist was born and raised on the island of O’ahu. After graduating from Punahou School, she enrolled in Boston University where she is now a rising senior majoring in mechanical engineering. Her main educational and career interests lie in technical design and robotics. She is a member of Boston University’s Hawaii Cultural Association and Racing Team, and is a learning assistant for introductory physics. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys animating, hanging out with friends and family, taking things apart, putting them back together, and, of course, boogie boarding.

Home Island: Oahu

High School: Punahou School

Institution when accepted: Boston Univerisity

Akamai Project: Thirty Meter Telescope Utility Room Management and Modeling

Project Site: Thirty Meter Telescope Project Office – Pasadena, CA

Mentors: Ben Irarrazaval, Jamie Nakawatase, Gelys Trancho

Project Abstract:

In order to maximize the imaging capabilities of the Thirty Meter Telescope’s optical equipment, there requires a number of systems to maintain ideal conditions about its mirrors. From electrical and mechanical systems to computer systems, this mechanical giant requires the collaboration of compressed air, refrigerant, control, and power systems. All such systems are required to fit comfortably and safely within the utility room, a small section of building outside of the enclosure that amounts to a mere 20% of the entire structure. Another challenge posed to the process of arranging the parts in the utility room is that the project is still undergoing design revisions, making it difficult to determine, or sometimes even to select the most recently updated model of each component. This project focuses on the components added, removed, and modified, as recorded in relative documentation, and the ways in which they are best arranged in the allotted space for potential design layouts of the telescope’s utility room. To begin, it is first necessary to compile a catalogue that will list all necessary information regarding each system’s required components and regulations. The data used was extracted from a variety of TMT documents dating from 15 years ago until the present day, and compiled in an excel spreadsheet that listed each component’s designated system, quantity, dimensions and mass, orientation required for access, required clearance space, reference document links, and any relevant notes. Additional parts without documented models were then selected from designated vendors with respect to its system’s requirements listed in the spreadsheet. From here, the components were then modeled in 3D, and arranged within a virtual representation of the utility room using computer aided design, or CAD software. As the final layout will be chosen and likely modified after the completion of this project, several proposed arrangements are expected to allow for flexibility in the construction of the upcoming TMT utility room. These plans will both ensure the proper positioning of any components added in the future, and serve as a helpful guide when the systems are due for maintenance. In addition, peripheral details, such as the piping and wiring layouts, can be finalized for a complete interpretation of the project. From these methods, it is possible to map the locations of all working components, their necessary wiring and piping, and any additional organizational components to ensure both the working efficiency of each system, and within each system, each component’s ease of accessibility.