Fellows mentioned in this story: Rich Matsuda

From Honolulu Star-Advertiser:

Rich Matsuda’s work has always taken him toward the sky. The Punahou School graduate was trained as an electrical engineer and was working for Boeing, known mostly as an airplane manufacturer, in Seattle in 1993 when he interviewed for an engineering job at the W.M. Keck Observatory on Hawai‘i island.

Now, 30 years later, he’s been appointed director of the observatory, becoming its first Hawai‘i-born director.

“I’m feeling good, also feeling the kuleana (responsibility),” said Matsuda, 60, in a phone interview. “It’s a lot, but I’m super honored to take on the role.”

He will head up a staff of 130 to 140 people, some based at an office in Waimea and others based on the summit of Mauna Kea, where the observatory’s two telescopes are housed. The 10-meter, optical/infrared telescopes feature advanced scientific instruments and optical systems, which are operated under a partnership among Caltech, the University of California and NASA.

“With his steady hand as a long-trusted leader over his 30 years at Keck, his extensive technical expertise, and the respect he earned from the global astronomical community, we know that the Observatory will thrive during his tenure,” said a statement from George Blumenthal, chancellor emeritus of UC Santa Cruz and chairman of the panel that selected Matsuda.

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