Mary Beth Laychak; Maunakea Scholars is the Best Non-Profit in the World

Welcome to episode 17 of AstronomerAND. Today is the second half of a two-parter with my guest Mary Beth Laychak. Mary Beth Laychak is the Director of Strategic Communications at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on the Big Island of Hawai'i. She runs the Maunakea Scholars program, an innovative astronomy outreach program for Hawaiii public high school students. Mary Beth has an undergraduate degree in astronomy and astrophysics from Penn State University and a masters degree in educational technology from San Diego State. She resides in Waimea, Hawai’i. Today we dive into whether Mary Beth considers herself an astronomer, which is a nuanced answer. We talk about my absolutely favorite outreach and education program, Maunakea Scholars, and talk about careers and mental health.

Email Mary Beth: mary@cfht.hawaii.edu

Reach out to AstronomerAnd:
Twitter: @astronomerand
Instagram: @astronomerandpod
Email: astronomerand@gmail.com

Show Notes:
Keiki Heros: https://www.keikiheroes.org/
CFHT: https://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/
Maunakea Scholars: https://maunakeascholars.com/
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada: https://www.rasc.ca/
Celestial Buddies: https://celestialbuddies.com/
Astronomy Jobs at CFHT: https://cfht.applicantpro.com/jobs/2772795.html

Cover Art: iritmogilevsky.com, Instagram: irit.mog
Theme Tune: Omar Chakor - https://www.fiverr.com/ch6k0r

Land Acknowledgement:
This podcast was recorded in Hawai'i. I recognize that her majesty Queen Liliʻuokalani yielded the Hawaiian Kingdom and these territories under duress and protest to the United States to avoid the bloodshed of her people. I further recognize that generations of indigenous Hawaiians and their knowledge systems shaped Hawaiʻi in a sustainable way that allows me to enjoy her gifts today.
This episode was funded by the Curb Center in Nashville and we recognize that this land belonged to the Indigenous People before it came to be known as the state of Tennessee, or as the United States of America. We recognize that that Indigenous Peoples were the first residents of what we now know as the State of Tennessee and that Nashville is built upon the homelands and villages of the Indigenous Peoples of this region including the Shawnee, Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Yuchi tribal nations. Our ability to live and work in this state is the result of direct coercion, forced dispossession, and deliberate colonization. To ignore that is to perpetuate injustice to populations of people that continue to seek redistribution of land that was once theirs. We provide this land acknowledgement in recognition and respect of the indigenous people to whom this land truly belongs. We recognize that acknowledgment by itself is a small gesture, and that it becomes meaningful when coupled with authentic relationship and informed action.

Inclusivity Statement:
I wish for this podcast to be a safe space for those of every gender expression, sexual orientation, ability, race, religious group and age group. I am always trying to learn and improve on my unconscious bias. Any suggestions for improvement will be gratefully received at astronomerand@gmail.com.