(NAME-MCE) Name-mce Digest, Vol 687, Issue 1

Mon Dec 17 12:16:04 EST 2007

At the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy there is a native
Polynesian with  a Doctorate degree. 

CP

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Today's Topics:

   1.  The only Native American astronomer? (KispokoT at aol.com)

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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2007 19:12:29 EST
From: KispokoT at aol.com
Subject: (NAME-MCE) The only Native American astronomer?
To: name-mce at nameorg.org
Message-ID: <bd8.2539d72b.349718ed at aol.com>
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Greetings!
I'd like to share this article with NAME  members. Mr. Lamenti's vision
and efforts are very inspiring!
Gina Boltz
Director, Native Village Publications
Director, Youth Forum for The International Council of Thirteen
Indigenous Grandmothers _http://www.nativevillage.org_
(http://www.nativevillage.org) Secretary/Treasurer, Link Center
Foundation _www.linkcenterfoundation.org_
(http://www.linkcenterfoundation.org)  

The only Native American astronomer?

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Dennis Lamenti believes he is the only Native
American astronomer in the U.S. with -- or working on -- a graduate
degree. He actively has sought others through conferences, speeches and
committee meetings  and comes up empty handed. 
But he intends to change that.  
 (http://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/4201.html)
Dennis Lamenti
_Print-Quality Photo _
(http://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/4201.html)
The IU graduate student is planning a spring Bloomington campus visit
and a retreat for Native American students to a national observatory,
and is involved  in a nation-wide event, all to bring more Native
Americans to the field of astronomy while introducing his culture's
astronomic heritage to the world.  
"Our stories tell us how to live, and we don't have to lose them when we
move  into university settings," said Lamenti, a Navajo IU graduate
student studying  astronomy. "It's all in the stars."  
Lamenti's cultural heritage will shine on center stage in 2009 during
the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009). The world-wide
celebration aligns with the 400th anniversary of modern astronomy, which
began when Galileo first looked at the stars through a telescope. More
than 30 countries will hold events  throughout the year, including the
United States.  
Lamenti is chairing the United States' Cultural Astronomy and
Storytelling National Committee and is planning a big event for June
2009.  
Lamenti's plans involve a live Web cast of the summer solstice from an
ancient observatory -- possibly from Chaco Canyon in New Mexico or
Chitzen Itza  in Mexico -- which will be broadcast to museums and
observatories across the country. It mainly will target children, as
will all of the IYA 2009 events, and  hopefully will feature an elder
from Native American tribes, local to each site,  to speak about
astronomy in their respective cultures.  
"I really want the program to continue past 2009 to help children become
interested in science," said Lamenti.  
Additionally, Lamenti is actively working to attract more Native
Americans to  the field of astronomy and to higher education in general.
He is attempting to  raise funds to bring 20 Native American high school
students interested in  college to Indiana University's Bloomington
campus for a week. And he has already received almost $10,000 to take
several Native American students to Kitt  Peak National Observatory,
located on the Tohono O'odham Nation near Tucson,  Ariz., for a
week-long study of astronomy.  
"Many observatories like Kitt Peak are located on the sacred ground of
local tribes," said Lamenti. "And I believe that if the employees and
astronomers working at these sites can be Native Americans, then they
should be. Hopefully  these programs will help bring more Native
Americans into the field." 
_http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/7009.html_
(http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/7009.html) 

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End of Name-mce Digest, Vol 687, Issue 1
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