Innovate Internship Presentations at UH Maui College

INNOVATE Intern Kate Cheney in the Maui Food Innovation Center kitchen. Photo credit: Nicolette van der Lee.

The public is invited to attend INNOVATE Internship presentations on Friday, May 18th from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Laulima Building in room 225 at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Campus.

Hosted by the Sustainable Living Institute of Maui at UHMC with sponsorship from Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation, the INNOVATE internship program helps students develop new skills to add value to Maui’s green workforce. The internships focus on resource use and energy efficiency projects for local manufacturers.

“This internship helped me learn new tools for energy auditing and gave me an understanding of how small business manufacturers operate,” said UHMC student Stephanie Pettee.

Interns collected and analyzed data from different manufacturers including Maui Tempeh, Waikapu Pickles and Maui Screen Printing. The interns will present their findings and provide recommendations for optimizing resource use, reduce costs, and helping manufacturers become more sustainable.

“INNOVATE interns learn about topics like energy consumption, water use, renewable energy, and how to effectively manage human resources through real world projects,” said internship coordinator Austin Van Heusen.

The Sustainable Living Institute of Maui is committed to supporting Maui’s economy by helping people build skills that are compatible with the community’s cultural choices and economic aspirations; developing Maui as an exemplary and prosperous island; sharing eco-effective methods with other communities throughout the world; and serving as a living laboratory and classroom for building and managing holistic communities.

To learn more about the internship and other educational programs, visit www.sustainablemaui.org or call (808) 984-3379.