Welcome to Hawthorne, NV!

Meet the Team Lead

Kathy Trujillo, the Hawthorne, NV team lead.

Get to know Kathy Trujillo:

Q: What is your occupation?
A: I work for the Safety, Health, Environment, Quality and Security Office for SOC LLC in Hawthorne, Nevada. We manage the corporate program for organizations located throughout the Nation and the Iraqi Embassy. Due to a shortage of staff at our local high school, I’ve recently begun substitute teaching on Fridays. I was born and raised in the Hawthorne community, with five generations of family living here spanning age 1 to almost 100 (my grandmother is 93 next month.)

Q: How did you hear about RECON?
A: The secretary at the high school brought me the information as she knew I was interested in astronomy.

Q: Why are you excited about the project?
A: It’s the first time that there’s been a telescope in our community for more than 50 years. Having been an amateur observer for years, this will be my first interaction with astronomers, professors and scientists; who have a real passion for their work!

Q: What is the best part of your community?
A: Well for one the dark skies, and for two, Hawthorne is known as America’s Patriotic Home. My employer is the operating contractor at the World’s Largest Ammunition Depot and we have embraced our role in supporting the Nation’s Military. Our largest celebration of the year is Armed Forces Day (May 18th this year) which honors Veteran’s and men and women in the service with a parade, fireworks and community activities.

Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies?
A: I teach yoga to the youth and senior citizens in my community. I’m an avid runner, cyclist, triathlete and have my first full marathon slated for March 17th.

Q: What is your favorite astronomical object?
A: Considered more of a solar system phenomenon, I saw Zodiacal light in the west recently for the first time in my life. I was running after dark (see answer to above question) and saw this Milky Way type light coming from an unusual direction and couldn’t wait to get home to research what it was that I had seen. Breathtaking and memorable!

Q: What is your favorite movie about science?
A: I actually don’t watch movies.

Team Members

Kathy Trujillo, Monica Keady, Troy Brown, Kenneth Chase, Red Sumner, Warren Stallings, Michael Simmons

The Hawthorne RECON team is involved through the Mineral County School District.