Oren was born and raised in ?Aiea on the island of O?ahu. She
graduated from Kamehameha Schools Kap?lama in 2024 and is
currently pursuing a general engineering degree from Harvey
Mudd College. In the future, she is interested in focusing on
mechanical or environmental engineering. She participates in
undergraduate research in an environmental engineering lab
where she uses modeling software to see how certain surfactants
and waste additives affect water desalination systems. In her free
time, she is involved with her club soccer team, intramural sports,
and enjoys painting and spending time with friends.
Home Island: Oahu
High School: Kamehameha Schools Kap?lama
Institution when accepted: Harvey Mudd College
Site: Gemini Observatory. Hilo, Hawaii Island
Mentors: Ross Megargel & Logan Sato
Project title: Designing a Gemini Telescope Bogie Track Maintenance System
Project Abstract:
The Gemini North Observatory on Mauna Kea houses one of two twin 8.1-meter infrared telescopes
in a 15-story, 46-meter dome. Observation relies on the dome’s rotation, which is dependent on the
support of 38 heavy-duty wheel assemblies called bogies. Bogie assemblies have 3-foot steel wheels
that ride on a circular metal track that runs underneath the dome. Since these assemblies support
the dome’s weight of 860 tons, steel debris and dust regularly fall onto the tracks that put the bogie
assemblies at risk of damage. Thus, frequent maintenance is done to ensure smooth operation. The
current maintenance operation involves manually vacuuming the steel debris on the bogie tracks.
However, this method requires multiple people to complete over the span of two to three days.
Consequently, maintenance can only be completed once a year since it puts a pause on telescope
operations. Therefore, the project explored the design of a mechanical cleaning apparatus that
reduced the amount of time and people to complete maintenance operations to increase
maintenance frequency. The final design featured a cart on which a cordless vacuum,
custom-designed nozzle, magnet, and cleaning brushes could be mounted so that it sufficiently
cleaned the tracks of debris on the bogie’s path. The trailer was designed to navigate the circular
track and be attached and pulled by a bogie as the dome rotates.