HILO, Hawai'i — Herring Kalua and Anthony Schinckel have joined the University of Hawai'i-Hilo's Mauna Kea Management Board and the Kahu Ku Mauna Council.

Both panels are composed of community members who work with the university to ensure meaningful, proper and sensitive stewardship and oversight of Mauna Kea, home to more than a dozen astronomy facilities.

Kalua was born and raised in Keaukaha and works as a construction and maintenance supervisor for the state Department of Transportation. A former Hawaiian Homes commissioner, he is active in numerous educational and advisory committees and served on the Mauna Kea Advisory Committee that developed the UH 2000 Mauna Kea Master Plan.

Schinckel is director of operations of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Submillimeter Array. He first arrived in Hawai'i 18 years ago to work as a telescope engineer for the CalTech Submillimeter Observatory. UH-Hilo officials described him as "an outstanding scientist and a strong advocate of cooperation, compromise and respect between science, Hawaiian cultural interests and the environment."

The board recently approved the appointments of Sean Naleimaile, Chad Baybayan and Leilehua Omphroy to the Kahu Ku Mauna Council, whose members are Hawaiian.

UH-Hilo graduate Naleimaile is pursuing a master's degree in archaeology from UH-Manoa and works at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center as a research assistant. Baybayan is widely known for his expertise in traditional Polynesian ocean navigation and is a graduate of UH-Hilo's Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikolani College of Hawaiian Language. He also serves as project director for 'Aha Punana Leo's Hokualaka'i Voyaging Program.

Omphroy is a respected kupuna with a master's degree in education from California State University. She has shared her knowledge with the state Department of Education, Alu Like and others