Institute for Astronomy
2680 Woodlawn Drive
Honolulu, HI 96822-1839
Bio:
Professor Meech is an astronomer at the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy who specializes in planetary astronomy,
primarily studying the relation of comets to the early solar system. This utilizes the world's largest ground-based as well as
space based facilities to look at comets at the faintest limits of detection. She is also interested in research in Bioastronomy,
and is the President of the International Astronomical Union Commission on Bioastronomy. She is the principal investigator
for the new University of Hawaii NASA Astrobiology Institute Lead team, which will be investigating the origin, history, and
evolution of water in the universe and its role in life in extreme environments. For her research, she is the recipient of many
awards including the Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy, the American Astronomical Society Division of Planetary
Sciences H. C. Urey Prize, and asteroid 4367 is named for her. She is extremely active in educational outreach, and has
developed and run a major educational workshop for teachers and students in Hawaii and the Pacific region since 1993. She
has helped to establish a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program in Hawaii, and is working on a project to get the
world's largest research-class 2-m telescope in Hawaii to be used exclusively for K-16 education. Her research extends to active
research in archaeoastronomy of the Hawaiians -- involving students in research. For the Deep Impact Mission, she is
organizing the Earth-based observations of Tempel 1.
Professor Meech is an astronomer at the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy who specializes in planetary astronomy,
primarily studying the relation of comets to the early solar system. This utilizes the world's largest ground-based as well as
space based facilities to look at comets at the faintest limits of detection. She is also interested in research in Bioastronomy,
and is the President of the International Astronomical Union Commission on Bioastronomy. She is the principal investigator
for the new University of Hawaii NASA Astrobiology Institute Lead team, which will be investigating the origin, history, and
evolution of water in the universe and its role in life in extreme environments. For her research, she is the recipient of many
awards including the Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy, the American Astronomical Society Division of Planetary
Sciences H. C. Urey Prize, and asteroid 4367 is named for her. She is extremely active in educational outreach, and has
developed and run a major educational workshop for teachers and students in Hawaii and the Pacific region since 1993. She
has helped to establish a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program in Hawaii, and is working on a project to get the
world's largest research-class 2-m telescope in Hawaii to be used exclusively for K-16 education. Her research extends to active
research in archaeoastronomy of the Hawaiians -- involving students in research. For the Deep Impact Mission, she is
organizing the Earth-based observations of Tempel 1.
