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RABSTINE KIRKLAND - Chairperson & Director of Research and Development.
Senior Administrator, Senior Engineer and Land Surveyor - Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
Rabstine, comes to us with 12 years industry experince. Amateur Astronomer, Rabstine has travelled across the globe in his persuit for astronomical practical knowledge and insight. Rabstine had been intricate in developing lasting relationships with comercial telescope industries in order to source a series of large and publically accessed telescopes and assorted technologies.
DAVID HENSHAW - Financial Administrator & Government Funding Administrator
David joins us from the financial sector of private industry, with 12 years financial and accounts history. His specialty is the developing economic models for sustainable scientific programmes. Davids extensive fanancial background as Financial Controller and Financial Administrator for the corporate sector, has been a grateful asset to the Ekart Observatory since 2012.
David also has a long history within the astronomical community by assisting in the development of successful government funding applications in New Zealand and Canada.
Eric Einhuivin - Chief Engineer & Telescope Technician
Eric is the observatories technical wizard. 21 years industry experience within the civil engineer trade, Eric as become a true foundation for all our telescopes on site. His experience is only preceeded by his knowledge refracting and reflecting telescope mechanical componants. His passion for age old reflecting telescopes have produced some wonderful replicers on exhibit in our newly constructed Southern Cross Exhibition Gallery on site.
Eric is also the elected chairperson for the Lake Rotoma Astronomical Reseach Society - LRARS. The society was formed in 2001 as a planning group for what is now the Elizabeth Ekart Observatory of Aotearoa. Due to the growing numbers within the society, we have been privaledge to gain knoeldgable volunteers from such an ethusiastic and experienced group of like minded amateur astronomers.
Anthony Sipazzo - Senior Astronomy & Ancient Worlds Communicator
Anthony is Elizabeth Ekart Observatory senior Astronomy and Ancient Worlds communicator. Ex secondary school teacher, Anthony has travelled the world with is wife Maria, one of our exceptional Astronomy Educators on site, in search of research material from different observatories on planetary earth like planets and ancient lunar and Martian features of old.
His passion for Astronomy and the world above us has won favours throughout the education sectory across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Combined knowledge between Maria and Anthony help our students to understand that the indeginous world of Astronomical Science & Navigation pre-colonal settlements.
Maria Elena Sipazzo - Public Programmes Co-ordinator & Astronomy Educator
Maria is our creative and ethusiastic Public Programmes Co-ordinator and Astronomy Educator. Her passion for Astronomy only exceeds her love for teaching. "I firmly believe that our roles as teachers can only be enhanced by our willingness to explore the wide open universe with our next generation. It will be their future, their time to go beyond the realms of possiabilities in order to grasp the will to explore our outer worlds, to ready their next generation for advanced practical martian knowledge and education" - Maria Elena Sipazzo.
Maria comes to us with 4 years within the education industry and 2 years Tourism Industry experience. It is her eagerness to educate our young minds in Astronomical Science and the development of scientific advancement of such knowledge.
Brian Carter - Senior Astronomer & Science Officer
Brian has a long work and academic history within Astronomy and a life long member of the Royal Astronomical Society of the United Kingdom. His place with us is an extremely valuble one as he provides astronomical resources and research material to all our departments. He is also our first port of call when the public contact us with enquiries on objects seen in the night sky.
Brians proffessional status also advises Government and local authorities of future astronomical events and assist local law enforcement departments with astronomical enquires when needed. Brian first got his Astronomical wings while working as a researcher for the Royal Astronomical Society in the UK then moved to Karl Ziess Observatory in Genna, Germany before taking up his position with the Carter Observatory of New Zealand, the then National observatory of New Zealand.
Arthur Biird - Maori Astronomical Educator & Marketing Consultant
Arthur comes to us with ll years Astronomy and Te Aorangi Astronomy experience. His experience and knowledge of Polynesian and Maori starlore and astronomical science has been pivitol to the growth of our existing business. Arthurs academic and work history within the tourism and marketing industry is an asset to us and has assisted in the development of sustainable programmes and external projects which includes traditional navigation and astronomical science with our treaty partners of Aotearoa.
Passion, Drive, cultural and Astronomical knowledge supported by his academic studies, Arthur continues to strive with our team to better our path into the future. Arthur comes to us from Victoria University of Wellington and the Carter Observatory of New Zealand the then National Observatory of New Zealand as it's Solar Astronomer and Public Programmes Creative Design Unit and Special Projects Officer.
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