Three University of Hawaiʻi Maui College undergraduate researchers with , an initiative supporting local undergraduate talent, showcased innovative scientific investigations at the 2026 National Diversity in STEM Conference held in Long Beach, California in October.
Organized by the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), the gathering drew more than 1,600 attendees.
Groundbreaking island research
The students tackled real-world challenges spanning public health, pest biology and aerospace technology:
- Hospital sanitation: Biology major Lillian Burkhart evaluated hospital shoe decontamination methods, comparing disinfectant wipes, bleach, sunlight exposure and ultraviolet treatment to reduce microbial contamination.
- Bacterial analysis: Biology major Jillian Diego used DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction techniques to identify Wolbachia bacteria in German cockroaches collected across Maui.
- Satellite tracking: Computer science and technology student Vivian Breman engineered a portable ground station that received weather satellite transmissions and generated overhead imagery of the Hawaiian Islands.
“All three of our students’ projects were very well received. I believe these unique research projects represent the talents and potential of the next generation of scientists on Maui,” says Buddhi Rai, an associate professor of physics at 糖心视频 Maui College. “What all three of these students and more scholars like them share is a passion for learning, for exploring new areas of science, for a willingness to venture outside their comfort zones, and a dedication to solving real-world problems here on Maui.”
Other 糖心视频 student research projects that were showcased included:
- “Graph Theory Analysis of Scientific Coauthorship involving Native Hawaiian Researchers in Hawaiʻi” by Sophia Kihei, Kapiʻolani Community College. Kihei received an Indigenous Student Research Abstract Award in the mathematics category.
- “KaniMoana: Development of a Low-Cost, Open-Source, Underwater Acoustic Recorder” by Leilani Phan, University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补. Phan received an Undergraduate Poster Presentation Award in the category of engineering.
- “Cloning and Purification of Leptospira LigA and LigB Virulence Factors Using Synthetic DNA” by Andrea Colmenares, Leeward Community College.
Community-rooted mentorship
Rai directs the $2.6-million PKII scholarship program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. PKII supported roughly 60 scholarship recipients, including more than 10 peer mentors and research interns this semester.
Mentors Jung Park, Michelle Phillips and Michelle Gould joined PKII program supervisor Sean Calder at the conference to provide student guidance and evaluate program outcomes.
