Two seniors beat out hundreds of global competitors—including corporate research teams—to win a $50,000 national NASA award by proving ancient Hawaiian farming holds the key to feeding astronauts on Mars.

Out of more than 100 final competitors in , ʻOhā Kanu—created by Leilani Jensen and Raven Kromer—was selected as one of five winning designs nationwide. Their design adapts the ancient Hawaiian ahupuaʻa land management system into a modern, multi-zone space agricultural framework. By integrating hydroponics, aquaculture, field crops, and orchards, the zero-waste system creates a self-sustaining ecosystem that eliminates reliance on resupply from Earth.

“One of the jokes we made was, ‘Ancient Hawaiians were the first space explorers,’” said Kromer, an astronomy and English major who publishes research under the name Raven Daegmorgan.

Ancient wisdom meets deep space tech

The project name, ʻOhā Kanu, references the young taro offshoot (ʻohā) and the act of planting (kanu). Unlike standard agricultural models that maximize short-term yield, ʻOhā Kanu focuses on long-term resilience and complete nutrient cycling.

“We drew upon traditional and Indigenous perspectives for how to produce food,” explained Jensen, a tropical agroecology and environmental science double major. “It was not about designing for maximized productivity. It was designed so that there’s always food on the table, no matter what happens.”

Gabrielle (Gabi) Kics, now a student at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�, participated in a summer work exchange program on a permaculture farm in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador following her high school graduation. This experience sparked her interest in sustainable land management practices and has taken her around the world to explore native forests and the interconnectedness of nature and humans.

“I am interested in native ecosystem restoration as a means to address climate resilience and watershed stability, and as a means for individuals and communities to continue having relationships with native plants and spaces,” she shared.

Kics was drawn to the (GES) program in the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� (SOEST) as an opportunity to learn about a broad spectrum of environmental issues and conduct research. Now, Kics is wrapping up her degree and her latest research experiences, which included projects in Mākaha Valley on Oʻahu and South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Mākaha Valley to Indonesia

Kics’s senior research project centers around native forest restoration in Mākaha Valley with ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� professor Tamara Ticktin and ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� professor Travis Idol. Her project explores how planting a native sedge at different densities and weeded at different intervals impacts native and invasive plant recruitment.

“As a result of western contact, native Hawaiian forests have been degraded, which includes habitat loss, species extinction, invasion of foreign species, changes in watershed, and alteration of soil stability,” Kics explained. “The project I’m working on supports restoration of native forests in order to increase ecosystem stability, protect endangered species, and maintain the connection between people and native plants and animals.”

“Conventional forest restoration starts with planting one or two native overstory trees to create an overstory canopy and favorable environment for planting other native species in the understory,” Idol shared. “Gabi’s project is using a native ground cover to hopefully suppress invasive species and thus create a more favorable environment for natural regeneration of native species. This would help rebuild ecosystem resilience, along with biodiversity.”

Kics also received a grant from the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program to support her participation in research projects in South Sulawesi, Indonesia for the past two years in partnership with a university in Makassar.

“Through this research, I learned that government-imposed land management policies harm local livelihoods and connections to forests,” Kics shared. “We further learned how villagers resist these pressures through upholding their cultural practices and identity. This experience has really emphasized the importance of co-creating management practices with communities in order to address ecosystem and community resilience.”

The ranked in nearly 20 academic subjects in the released in September 2026, including four subjects that placed among the top 16 in the country and another six placed in the nation’s top 27.

Oceanography ranked No. 4 in the U.S. and No. 6 globally, while atmospheric science ranked No. 9 in the U.S. and No. 15 worldwide. Geography tied for No. 14 in the U.S. and No. 51–75 tier in the world, and hospitality and tourism management ranked No. 16 in the U.S. and No. 43 globally.

������Ƶ Mānoa also ranked across a broad range of science, engineering, social science and other academic and research fields. In the U.S., public administration tied for No. 21, civil engineering tied for No. 23, Earth sciences tied for No. 24, agricultural sciences tied for No. 26 and ecology and food science and technology tied for No. 27. Public administration, Earth sciences and ecology placed in the No. 76–100 tier globally, civil engineering and agricultural sciences ranked in the No. 151–200 tier worldwide, and food science and technology placed in the No. 301–400 tier globally.

The rankings were released by the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy and are considered one of the most comprehensive and objective assessments of university performance by discipline.

“Rankings like these reflect the breadth and quality of the work being done by our faculty and students at ������Ƶ Mānoa,” Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “Their important contributions through research, teaching and innovation across a wide range of disciplines, further strengthens our place as Hawaiʻi’s flagship campus—where access meets excellence.”

Additional ������Ƶ Mānoa subjects recognized in the 2026 rankings include:

• Water resources: Tied No. 44 U.S., No. 201–300 world
• Environmental science and engineering: Tied No. 56 U.S., No. 301–400 world
• Political science: Tied No. 69 U.S., No. 201–300 world
• Sociology: Tied No. 69 U.S., No. 201–300 world
• Biological sciences: Tied No. 75 U.S., No. 301–400 world
• Education: Tied No. 79 U.S., No. 201–300 world
• Management: Tied No. 110 U.S., No. 401–500 world

������Ƶ Mānoa was evaluated alongside approximately 2,000 universities from nearly 100 countries and regions, selected from a global pool of more than 25,000 institutions. The rankings are based on measures such as world-class faculty, world-class research output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.

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Announced on August 15, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy ranked ������Ƶ Mānoa in the No. 95—111 tier in the U.S. and No. 401—500 tier worldwide in the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Recent rankings

������Ƶ Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2027 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges ranking, September 22, 2026
• 2027 The Princeton Review “The Best 392 Colleges” guide, August 19, 2026
• 2026–27 Global University Visibility Rankings, July 23, 2026
• 2027 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings, June 17, 2026
• 2026–27 U.S. News and World Report Best Global Universities rankings, June 16, 2026

For more information, visit the .

Recent Kona low flooding has heightened concerns about leptospirosis, a bacterial disease transmitted through contaminated floodwaters. Now, University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� student researchers at the (JABSOM) are exploring new methods to track and detect the pathogen.

“For years, we’ve primarily thought of this as a waterborne disease,” said graduate student Rodson Zorilla. “Now, we also see the soil as a possible variable. It could serve as another agent that helps transmit the bacteria.”

These insights broaden understanding of exposure risks, revealing that soil acts as an often overlooked variable in the spread of leptospirosis during flooding events.

Researching environmental spread, prevention

Undergraduate student Colby Macapagal is studying how leptospirosis spreads through Hawaiʻi‘s waterways, including ahupuaʻa systems carrying contaminants from the mountains to urban areas. He notes that floodwaters can carry bacteria into local communities, creating health risks for people and wildlife, and emphasizes the need to further study how these contaminants travel downstream.

Other JABSOM researchers are working to improve detection. While current rapid tests are fast, they can lack precision. Researchers are now developing more advanced diagnostic tools that can better identify immune responses and improve early detection.

Sophomore undergraduate Duy Linh Nguyen Tran is working on improving screening methods using blood samples, while also uncovering a concerning trend. Historical long-term data shows leptospirosis remains present in Hawaiʻi, with positivity rates of 3.8% in 1943 and 2.65% from 2020–2024.

“There have to be some innovative ideas now in which you can really push for prevention,” Nguyen Tran said. “Those ideas will be important for the community to see.”

Zorilla emphasized a broader framework. “These findings highlight what researchers describe as a One Health approach—recognizing the connection between environmental, animal and human health.”

As extreme weather events increase attention on leptospirosis, researchers say improved understanding, detection and prevention remain critical to protecting public health.

The work is supported in part by a Hawaiʻi Community Foundation grant awarded to JABSOM virologist Vivek Nerurkar, with additional support from ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� programs including the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and Minority Health Research Training (MHRT) program.

Tori Kiliʻohu Cashman Valdez has spent her years at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo training in everything required to care for the ʻāina (land)—studying ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) over late nights with fellow haumāna (students) at the campus’ , then analyzing aerial imagery the next morning in the .

This spring 2026, she graduates with a double major in and , headed into a master’s program where the full breadth of her training meets a single research focus.

For Valdez, the choice to pursue two seemingly different degrees was a natural extension of her upbringing in Waimea, Hawaiʻi and Kailua, Oʻahu.

“We very intimately see the connection between the condition of our ʻāina and its impact on our livelihoods,” she explained.

This “ʻāina-first” perspective is what led her to ������Ƶ �ᾱ����’s , where she found a community dedicated to the perpetuation of culture.

“We cannot care for ʻāina in Hawaiʻi without that ʻike (knowledge) about language, about culture, about people, about history,” Valdez said.

Valdez said she was deeply inspired by her ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi class with associate professor of Hawaiian language and literature, Kumu Hiapo Perreira, whose passion for language unlocked a desire for her to find even more meaningful ways to solidify the intersection of ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge) in and across all areas of life in Hawaiʻi—including her interest in science.

Valdez’s time at ������Ƶ Hilo has been defined by rigorous academic achievement and high-level research. Working in the under geography and environmental science Professor Ryan Perroy, she has utilized aerial imagery for coconut rhinoceros beetle detection and presented her findings at the Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference.

Despite a grueling schedule—often reaching 18 credits per semester in order to complete her double major within four years—Valdez found her “home away from home” through Kīpuka.

“Hilo takes care,” she noted, reflecting on nights spent playing music and speaking ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi with friends. “Hilo makes it easier [to be away from home].”

Valdez’s journey at ������Ƶ Hilo doesn’t end with her undergraduate degrees. She has already been accepted into the master’s program, where she will use LIDAR, a laser-based mapping technology to protect cultural historic sites from climate change.

Fourteen University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa academic subjects were ranked among the world’s best in the 2026 , released on March 25.

Four subjects placed in the top 22 in the nation and top 100 in the world. Leading the way was geology (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), geophysics (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), Earth and marine sciences (No. 21 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world) and linguistics (No. 22 in the U.S. and No. 61 in the world).

Ten additional subjects placed in the world’s top 2% (within top 500 in the world out of ):

• English language and literature: No. 28 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Anthropology: No. 31 U.S., No. 101–200 world
• Modern languages: No. 41 U.S., No. 251–300 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 66 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 68 U.S., No. 251–275 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 70 U.S., No. 401–450 world
• Education: No. 78 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Medicine: No. 99 U.S., No. 451–500 world
• Biological sciences: No. 100 U.S., No. 451–500 world

“These rankings highlight the exceptional work and commitment of our faculty, students and staff,” ������Ƶ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “They showcase the university’s global standing and reinforce that ������Ƶ Mānoa offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

������Ƶ Mānoa was ranked in three broad subject areas and 14 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs by asking academic experts to nominate universities based on their subject area of expertise), employer reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs among employers), research citations per paper (measures the impact and quality of the scientific work done by institutions, on average per publication), H-index (measures both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar) and international research network (measure of an institution’s success in creating and sustaining research partnerships with institutions in other locations).

The 2026 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 18,300 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities in 100 locations around the world.

Other rankings

������Ƶ Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 U.S. News and World Report best online programs, January 27, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 21, 2026
• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026

Five subject areas were placed in the world’s top 1%, and an additional four earned top 2% honors in the 2026 , released on January 21.

Education led the way, ranked in the No. 101–125 tier, followed by physical sciences at No. 126–150, arts and humanities at No. 151–175, and law and life sciences each at No. 201–250. To qualify in the world’s top 1%, rankings must be within the top 250 in the world () ������Ƶ Mānoa was ranked in all 11 of the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject lists.

“We are proud that ������Ƶ Mānoa continues to be recognized globally, reflecting our commitment to academic excellence, research and the student experience,” ������Ƶ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “These rankings underscore the hard work and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, who make ������Ƶ Mānoa a truly exceptional place.”

All ������Ƶ Mānoa rankings:

• Education studies: No. 101–125
• Physical sciences: No. 126–150
• Arts and humanities: No. 151–175
• Law: No. 201–250
• Life sciences: No. 201–250
• Social sciences: No. 251–300
• Medical and health: No. 301–400
• Psychology: No. 301–400
• Business and economics: No. 401–500
• Computer science: No. 501–600
• Engineering: No. 501–600

Times Higher Education considers the following factors for its rankings: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income and international outlook. Regarded as one of the leading national and international university rankings focused on research and academic excellence, Times Higher Education considered between 425–1,555 of the top institutions for each of its subject rankings, out of more than 25,000 institutions worldwide, to be eligible for its World University Rankings by Subject.

Other rankings

������Ƶ Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 9, 2025
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, October 2, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, September 23, 2025

For more information, .

The earned high marks in nearly 20 academic subjects in the , with , and leading the way among the highest-ranked programs.

Oceanography ranked No. 5 in the U.S. and No. 7 in the world, atmospheric science placed No. 8 nationally and No. 11 worldwide, and hospitality and tourism management ranked No. 12 in the U.S. and No. 32 in the world.

The rankings were released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy and is considered one of the most comprehensive and objective assessments of university performance by discipline.

������Ƶ Mānoa also posted strong global and national placements across science, engineering, social science and other fields. tied for No. 17 in the U.S. and ranked No. 51–75 worldwide, while ecology and each tied for No. 24 nationally and placed No. 76–100 globally.

Additional ������Ƶ Mānoa subjects recognized in the 2025 rankings include communication, education, political science, water resources, biological sciences, civil engineering, food science and technology, environmental science and engineering, agricultural sciences, economics, management and physics.

“These rankings reflect the depth and consistency of excellence at ������Ƶ Mānoa,” Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “Our faculty are advancing research that matters locally and globally, while preparing students to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our world.”

������Ƶ Mānoa was evaluated alongside approximately 2,000 universities from more than 100 countries and regions, selected from a global pool of more than 25,000 institutions. The rankings are based on measures such as world-class faculty, world-class research output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.

Other recent rankings:

• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 9, 2025
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, October 2, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, September 23, 2025

For more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

Members from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� (SOEST) and (JABSOM) were featured in the new documentary , which premiered at the 45th Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (HIFF) on October 23, 2025.

Contributing to the film were several leading oceanographers from SOEST including Jeff Drazen (professor), Jamison Gove (alumni and research affiliate), Nikolai Maximenko (senior researcher), Margaret McManus (chairwoman of the Department of Oceanography and director of the Uehiro Center for the Advancement of Oceanography), and Jonathan Whitney (alumni, former postdoctoral researcher, and research affiliate); and a scientist at JABSOM’s , Rodrigo Weingrill. The ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� experts joined filmmakers, professional athletes, and community partners at the festival for the premiere of KULEANA.

Weingrill was selected for the film for his research on microplastics, including studies showing an accumulation of microplastics in human placentas in Hawaiʻi. The film highlights that plastic pollution has become a human health concern.

A central scene follows professional surfer Kai Lenny as Weingrill’s team tests his blood, finding 33 microplastic particles in just 2 milliliters. With an average adult having about five liters of blood, Weingrill estimated that Lenny would have “around 80,000 particles in all his blood.”

Related ������Ƶ News story: Rise of microplastics discovered in placentas of Hawaiʻi mothers

“I think the message is to educate our communities to prevent this exposure,” Weingrill said. He suggested making small lifestyle changes such as using glass or stainless-steel containers instead of plastic, to reduce how much plastic we take in every day.

Reflecting on his experience being featured in the film, he added, “I never expected that, I never wished that, to tell you the truth. I always wanted to do good science to help people.” He credited collaborators Johann Urschitz, Men-Jean Lee, Steve Ward and the Department of OB-GYN & Women’s Health for supporting the research.

“We’re trying to do something good for everybody and that’s the everyday goal—to help our communities, to help our people, to have a healthier life, live longer and have a really happy everyday routine,” he said.

KULEANA was directed and produced by Georgia Scott and narrated by Woody Harrelson. HIFF will also screen the documentary on November 1, at and on November 9 and 15, on Maui.

“KULEANA powerfully captures how plastic pollution is infiltrating the lives of ocean animals, with Hawaiʻi standing at an epicenter of this global crisis,” said Whitney, marine ecologist at NOAA, who co-led a study with Gove and McManus showing that prey-sized plastics are invading larval fish nurseries. “Our research revealed an invisible threat at the foundation of ocean food webs, and it’s an honor to collaborate with talented filmmakers who can bring these scientific stories to life for the world to see.”

Read more at and .

A team from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is taking a bird’s-eye view in the fight against one of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s most damaging invasive insects, the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB).

Researchers from ������Ƶ �ᾱ����’s (SDAV) Lab joined the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) on an aerial survey over Kona in October. Flying aboard a helicopter equipped with high-powered cameras and GPS, the group scanned about 4,000 acres for mulch piles and signs of beetle activity.

“The goal of this survey was to fly over residential areas to search for mulch and green waste piles so BIISC can better target their ground surveys for CRB grubs and beetles,” said Olivia Jarvis, a geospatial research associate who earned a bachelor’s degree in and a master’s degree in at ������Ƶ Hilo.

The flight team included pilot David Okita from Volcano Helicopters, BIISC’s Dustin Swan, and SDAV researchers Jarvis and Andrew Meyer and Ryan Perroy, a ������Ƶ Hilo professor who leads the SDAV lab.

“My main contribution on the day was to help set up SDAV’s helicopter imaging rig, which allows us to securely mount visual cameras for helicopter based mapping operations,” said Meyer who also earned an environmental science degree at ������Ƶ Hilo. “I was also providing our skillful pilot, David Okita, a flight guide to ensure we effectively map the area of interest.”

Back to the lab

Back in Hilo, the SDAV team analyzed more than 6,000 high-resolution images, digitally stitched into a single mosaic map. Researchers searched for mulch piles, damaged coconut trees, or other clues of beetle presence.

Researchers hope the view from above can make tracking the invasive beetle faster and far more effective.

—By Susan Enright, ������Ƶ Hilo Stories

Spring 2025 graduates of the (GES) undergraduate program at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� took with them a bachelor’s degree and real-world, hands-on experiences with research that benefits communities and ecosystems in Hawaiʻi and beyond. Through the GES program in the at the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� , students like , engage in original research, write a senior thesis, and present their findings at a research symposium.

From astrobiology to environmental science

Born and raised in ʻAiea, Jacang would often go snorkeling with his uncle. Jacang started his college career as an astronomy major but during his sophomore year, an astrobiology course helped him rediscover his long-held interest in fish and environmental science, prompting him to pursue the GES degree.

Jacang knew he wanted to focus his senior research project on loko iʻa (Hawaiian fishponds), ecology, and fish. He connected with Bradley (Kai) Fox, aquaculture extension specialist at Hawaiʻi Sea Grant. Jacang pursued a project focused on evaluating fish hatcheries as a tool for fish recruitment for loko iʻa.

Connecting Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems and Indigenous knowledge

“For me, learning about loko iʻa and the ahupuaʻa system, which encompasses the mountains to the sea, was the most interesting component of my project,” Jacang said. “Native Hawaiians having an intimate connection with the ʻāina and building their natural resource management around it allowed them to live sustainably pre-contact. Loko iʻa themselves are one component of the ahupuaʻa system, and I’ve learned about the interconnectedness of different food systems within an ahupuaʻa, for example loko iʻa and dryland kalo. Overall, I think it is important that these systems are restored and maintained, as they are an important part of Hawaiian culture and a way to strengthen our food security and food sovereignty.”

A summer internship with KUPU, a local nonprofit, further cemented Jacang’s connection to Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems and Indigenous knowledge. Internship participants went to various locations on O‘ahu where organizations are focused on island sustainability. They helped with weeding, preparing kalo patches, or fishing out invasive species. Jacang shared that this experience was enriched by learning the historical and cultural significance of the sites they worked on.

Through his participation in the Maile Mentoring Bridge Program, Jacang found invaluable support and practical advice from Shaun Wriston, lead oceanographic technician for the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System, who is also a GES alumni.

“It was great to know that someone had experienced what I was going through during my college journey and I would definitely recommend the program,” said Jacang.

After graduation, Jacang will mainly focus on gaining experience within conservation and aquatic resource management, with hopes of eventually working with the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources.

“I commend and congratulate our graduates for successfully completing their required faculty-mentored thesis experience,” said Michael Guidry, chair of the GES Program. “Kade did a fantastic job finding a thesis project and mentor that fit his interests. His research results are important contributions to the ongoing, extensive efforts to revitalize and reinvigorate local food production; especially via loko iʻa. I look forward to seeing his future achievements in, and contributions to, conservation and resource management.”

–By Marcie Grabowski

As a kid, Maya Singh heard from her family stories about the ocean and land in Fiji that inspired her passion for the outdoors and, ultimately, for environmental science.

“I grew up in British Columbia, Canada, but my family is from Fiji,” said Singh, who will be graduating this month from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� with a bachelor’s degree in (GES). “My grandpa would tell me stories of him and his brothers catching shrimp outside and playing in the ocean and rivers. It really inspired me to want to live closer to the ocean.”

With a passion for the environment and ocean, Singh moved to Hawaiʻi after graduating high school to pursue a degree at the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� . For her senior research, Singh worked with mentor and Assistant Prof. to support coastal management and preservation on ����Բ�ʻ��. She developed a beach carrying capacity tool to determine the maximum number of visitors a beach can hold without surpassing the limits of acceptable environmental or social change at the beach.

As the culmination of this research effort, Singh wrote a senior thesis and presented her findings at the Spring 2025 GES Symposium, a showcase of the research conducted by graduating GES students.

“This tool was developed as a means to understand the changes at the beach and how we can best preserve the beach for future generations,” said Singh. “The thing I enjoy most about conducting this research is being able to work with the community and make a difference. Talking to the local community in the field and connecting with high school students to share the research we are conducting and why it’s important is very fulfilling.”

Meet more amazing ������Ƶ spring graduates

Supported by funding from the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� , Singh also worked with Keiko Wilkins, a doctoral candidate in Bob Richmond’s research group at , to investigate how plastic pollution threatens marine ecosystems. Specifically, she tested the effects of microplastics on sea urchin fertilization. Singh also assisted with collecting and preparing coral samples for Wilkins’s dissertation research on microplastic effects on corals in the Pacific Ocean.

The academic and research experiences Singh has had through the GES program have solidified her commitment to pursuing a career in Hawaiʻi in environmental science after graduation. Eventually, she hopes to continue with her education by working toward a graduate degree in oceanography.

—By Marcie Grabowski

The Ballroom Dance Club at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� defended its national championship at the (NCDC), in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 28–30.

Competing against more than 40 colleges, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� won first place once again for “highest point average,” as well as second place for both the overall team championship and the formation team competition, asserting its place as the ballroom dance college team to beat in the U.S. Winning top honors in the highest point average requires all members of the team to perform exceptionally well in all events.

The dancers are trained and coached by Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti (choreographer and instructor). Narayan and Sumukti also represented Hawaiʻi in the amateur USA Dance National DanceSport Championships in the senior age division.

“It was an incredibly proud moment to defend our highest point average victory—it speaks volumes about our team’s dedication and passion,” said Narayan, co-instructor of the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Ballroom Dance Club and an adjunct faculty member in the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� . “To finish second overall against such fierce competition is a testament to the discipline and the hundreds of hours of hard work that our students put into their training.”

Two years of success

This was just the second year the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� team competed at the national competition since the formation of the club in September 2022. Last year, the students took first place for “highest team average” and finished in fourth place overall.

“Nationals was one of the most challenging yet rewarding tasks I’ve ever accomplished,” ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� computer science student Shaelyn Loo said. “Being able to dance and compete with such supportive coaches and teammates helped ease the nerves of competition so I could focus on having fun and performing.”

Andrew Lin, a ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� computer science student, added, “Nationals was an unforgettable experience that evoked a whirlwind of emotions—excitement, frustration, acceptance, pride and gratitude. Despite the challenges, the friendships we forged, lessons we learned and our love for ballroom dancing made it all worthwhile.”

Endurance competition

The NCDC is a grueling competition with events starting at 7 a.m. every morning. It consisted of multiple events based on proficiency (bronze, silver, gold, etc.) and age level (youth, collegiate, adult, senior, etc.). Each student danced in approximately 15 to 32 different events in both the collegiate and adult age categories at the bronze and silver skill levels. They competed in all four styles of ballroom dance including International Standard (waltz, foxtrot, tango and quickstep), American Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot and viennese waltz), American Rhythm (chacha, rumba, swing and bolero) and International Latin (samba, chacha, rumba and jive). Several students took individual first place awards in their respective divisions defeating up to 70 other competitors in some competitions. The NCDC trip was designed to give the team exposure to a collegiate competition, as Hawaiʻi has no statewide collegiate ballroom competitions.

An audience member and parent of a high school junior said, “Thanks to your team, my daughter (who has never done ballroom dance before) wants to join your team and is now seriously considering the University of Hawaiʻi as an option for her undergraduate studies.”

More about the Ballroom Dance Club

The Ballroom Dance Club offers beginner classes to all ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� students, faculty and staff in studio 2 in the athletics department from 6–7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. No dance experience is required. For more information, or visit their Instagram page @bdcuhm.

The team would like to thank the Department of Information and Computer Sciences, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� athletics department, Student Activity and Program Fee Board, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi and USA Dance, Inc. for facility and financial support.

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� 2025 nationals team roster:

• Ravi Narayan, faculty (computer science) and coach
• Synthia Sumukti, coach
• Florence Liu, faculty (math)
• D’Elle Martin, architecture
• Julietta Lopez, architecture
• Epsilon Austin, biotechnology
• Luis Hernandez, computer engineering
• Yong-Sung Masuda, computer science
• Courtney Hisamoto, computer science
• Elijah Saloma, computer science
• Shaelyn Loo, computer science
• Andrew Lin, computer science
• Michaella Villanueva, computer science
• Alexander Picken, Earth science
• Kyoko Suzuki, environmental science
• Mayumi Watanabe, hospitality
• Christopher Ramirez, linguistics
• Gregory Snyder, mechanical engineering
• Matthew Rummel, political science
• Andrea Siochi, psychology
• Sydney Kim, alumni, computer science
• Jason Aguda, alumni, computer engineering
• Wilson Tran, alumni, computer science
• Emily Pham, alumni, computer engineering

Formation team

Swing

Viennese Waltz

Waltz

A newly published study confirms that wastewater from cesspools and the Hilo sewage treatment plant is reaching nearshore waters, impacting coral reefs and potentially human health. The findings are the result of two years of research by ������Ƶ Hilo marine scientists and students, who used dye tracer tests to track sewage movement.

“We found dye emerge at the shoreline every time,” said Steve Colbert, ������Ƶ Hilo associate professor of . “And the water moved fast, one to two football fields [in length], including end zones, each day.”

‘Pilau meter’

The project began after Keaukaha residents raised concerns about strong sewage odors and possible health risks from pollution. Lead researcher Shayla Waiki, a former ������Ƶ Hilo graduate student, focused her thesis on tracking sewage in Keaukaha. Waiki is now a natural resources specialist with the Army National Guard and plans to apply to ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s this year.

Using water samples and the “Pilau-meter,” a public reporting tool for bad smells at Puhi Bay, researchers confirmed what the community suspected—sewage is present, and it’s traveling through groundwater quickly. Pilau is the Hawaiian word for stink, rotten, foul.

������Ƶ Hilo researchers found that sewage in Keaukaha’s coastal waters is moving faster than previously recorded in Hawaiʻi. They stress that Hilo should be a top priority for cesspool conversion to prevent further contamination.

Health and environmental risks

Keaukaha, home to �ᾱ����’s sewage treatment plant, also has numerous cesspools near the shoreline. Wastewater from these systems can introduce harmful bacteria and pollutants into coastal waters, raising concerns about infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among residents.

The study’s findings are already driving action.

“Results from this research have been shared with the community and Hawaiʻi county, and are being used by the county to help prioritize locations for sewer line expansion in Hilo as part of the statewide effort to transition away from cesspools,” said Tracy Wiegner, a professor at ������Ƶ Hilo who co-authored the study.

Team effort

The study was a collaboration between ������Ƶ Hilo faculty and students, including former graduate students Joseph Nakoa and Devon Aguiar, and marine science undergraduates Nicolas Storie and Ashlynn Overly. Today, they are continuing environmental work in doctoral programs and conservation efforts across Hawaiʻi.

������Ƶ Hilo marine science undergraduates Darienne Kealoha, Kaitlin Villafuerte, Finn Reil and Brooke Enright, and graduate student Walter Boger also contributed to the study. Other co-authors include Karla McDermid (marine science professor, ������Ƶ Hilo), Noe Puniwai ( associate professor, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�) and Craig Nelson ( professor, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�).

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—By Susan Enright

Aaliyah Thomas, who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (SOEST), was selected to participate in an in summer 2024.

Born and raised in Waimānalo, Thomas graduated from Kamehameha High School and attended . Though she loves musical theater and earned an associate’s degree in liberal arts at Windward CC, Thomas enjoyed her STEM-oriented classes most. During her transition from Windward CC to ������Ƶ Mānoa, she enrolled in the .

Galapagos summer internship

Thomas was thrilled by the opportunity to visit the place that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Once she was selected for the program, she spent a semester preparing a project to analyze the water quality surrounding areas with a high abundance of an invasive algae.

“When I arrived I was told that they had run out of lab equipment crucial for my study, and that if we were to purchase more it would take too long to arrive; thus I was unable to do the water quality analysis,” Thomas said.

Turning challenge into opportunity

Living on the research station, Thomas visited the beach frequently and noticed there was always a sheen on the top of the water and that it was more obvious during low tide.

“The ocean water seemed less buoyant than what I was used to in Hawaiʻi, and my teaching assistant, James Fumo, noticed little rivulets of water flowing from the rocks at the shore during low tide,” Thomas said. “Sure enough when we tasted it, it tasted notably fresher than ocean water. Quickly my biggest challenge became the beginning of one of my most enjoyable experiences.”

The island of Santa Cruz, Galapagos is thought to be waterless and prior to Thomas’s arrival, she was told by members of the research station that submarine groundwater discharge was not a factor on the island in the same way it is in Hawaiʻi. However, all of her chemical data, and the lack of streams, runoff and rain, suggested it is very plausible that what she was measuring was submarine groundwater discharge.

“This was an exciting discovery!” Thomas said. “My biggest hope is that my work in the Galapagos can help decision-makers who are responsible for that land. I hope that showing there’s SGD going into the Galapagos Marine Reserve will bring awareness to everyone within the watershed that their contaminants or over withdrawal can most definitely impact the coastal ecosystem they are so well known for.”

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–By Marcie Grabowski

Eight undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� experienced an all-expenses-paid research trip of a lifetime—spending eight weeks in summer 2024 immersed in the Galápagos Islands. They engaged in mentored research via a transformational journey that promoted deep connections to ʻ�徱�Բ� (land/sea), kānaka (people) communities and mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (stewardship of places and people).

Creighton Litton, professor, (UROP) director, and one of the eight ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� faculty members who designed and implemented the program over the past two years, said, “Mentored research opportunities for undergraduate students is a high impact practice that provides myriad benefits to students, mentors, our campus and our islands as a whole. This is an innovative program—possible via a strong collaboration with the (CDF) in Galápagos, and engagement by multiple faculty from across the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� campus—that provides our students with transformative learning experiences in research science within a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning context.”

More than 80 students applied, and 12 were invited to enroll in a new spring course on island invasion biology to provide a base of knowledge for their mentored research projects. Eight traveled to the Galápagos and four conducted research in Hawaiʻi.

Students developed research proposals in spring 2024 with mentors from ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and CDF. The collaborative mentorship approach allowed students to develop their research skills while contributing to real-world scientific questions. During the summer, the traveling students were housed at the CDF research station in the Galápagos, where they conducted their research projects focused on island invasion biology.

During the summer experience, students wrote research papers on every aspect of the scientific process, including literature review, data collection and analysis, conclusions and the socioecological implications of their findings. Each student also crafted a personal, contemporary kaʻao (epic story, tale) to document their experiences, from their hua (initial inspiration) to their haʻalele (preparing for the journey) to the huakaʻi (journey) to the hoʻina (reintegration) back into their on- and off-campus communities.

Important invasive species research

Matthew Kahokuloa’s project involved assessing plant diversity after the reintroduction of giant tortoises on Santa Fé Island.

“Being my first time leaving Hawaiʻi, it was amazing to experience the biodiversity and ecology of another archipelago’s ecosystem,” Kahokuloa said. “This trip provided me with invaluable field experience, especially in terms of working in remote environments and applying research methods.”

Emily Josefina Velasquez studied the impacts of Caulerpa racemosa (species of edible green alga) on sand dwelling benthic invertebrates (small aquatic animals that live on the bottom of bodies of water) in the Galápagos.

“You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean.” — Nicole Buyukacar

“The Galápagos was a place where my personal growth as an individual thrived and reaffirmed my passion and drive to work in academia,” Velasquez said. “It’s an unforgettable experience. You’re immersed in your project, living, breathing, and dreaming about it. I was surrounded by scientists from diverse backgrounds, and living and working in an environment where everyone shares a passion for understanding the world around them.”

Nicole Buyukacar’s project was about the developmental dynamics and temperature sensitivity of the avian vampire fly.

“The most remarkable thing about the town we worked in, Puerto Ayora, was the abundance of wildlife living right there on our doorstep all the time,” Buyukacar said. “You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean. The experience was an incredible blend of learning to integrate academically and socially into a completely different place while constantly being in awe of the natural beauty and learning to understand the reason why it all needs to be protected.”

The students presented their research and kaʻao products at the CDF research station and at the UROP SURE Symposium. Most students are continuing to work with their mentors to produce peer-reviewed journal publications.

This unique opportunity is the result of a collaboration between ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and CDF and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students ($300,000 grant), the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Provost’s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning ($100,000) and the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship ($80,000). The funds will make the program available to ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� undergraduate students for at least the next two years.

For more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

The placed in the nation’s top 20 in eight subjects, the best performance by ������Ƶ’s flagship institution in the .

Released April 10, QS’s 2024 version of the rankings listed ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� among the nation’s best in the following categories:

• Linguistics: No. 10 U.S., No. 22 world
• Hospitality and leisure management: No. 15 U.S., No. 46 world
• Anthropology: No. 19 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Modern languages: No. 19 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Geophysics: No. 20 U.S., No. 47 world
• Geology: No. 20 U.S., No. 49 world
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Geography: No. 20 U.S., No. 101–150 world

“These rankings are a testament to the excellence of our faculty and the dedication of our entire staff,” ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “To the communities that we serve, they affirm that this university represents the very best in scholarship and education. And to our prospective students and their families, the rankings are a strong endorsement of the quality and value of an education from ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�.”

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� also placed in the nation’s top 50 in nine additional subjects:

• English language and literature: No. 30 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Archaeology: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 39 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Sociology: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 44 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 46 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Arts and humanities: No. 47 U.S., No. 210 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 49 U.S., No. 251–300 world

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� was ranked in four broad subject areas and 24 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (survey responses from academics), employer reputation (survey responses from graduate employers worldwide), research citations per paper (citations data sourced from Elsevier Scopus), H-index (measures most cited papers and the number of citations) and international research network (reflects ability to diversify the geography of their international research network).

The 2024 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 16,400 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,500 universities in 96 locations around the world.

Recent rankings

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• 2024 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 9, 2024
• QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, December 11, 2023
• 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, October 29, 2023

For more information on rankings, see the .

—By Marc Arakaki

������Ƶors to the East Hawaiʻi Veterans Cemetery No.1 grounds in Hilo have a new map to assist them in locating gravesites thanks to a map created by student geographers from the . The team used drones, hands-on fieldwork and extensive geographic information system (GIS) programming to create the map.

The gives viewers an overhead view of the cemetery allowing them to click on each gravesite to see a photo of each gravestone. Viewers can also search by name.

The project was conducted under the guidance of Ryan Perroy, a professor of and director of the ������Ƶ Hilo .

“This has been a multi-year effort and we are now ready to share the mapping project with the public,” said Perroy. “We are honored to give something back to our veterans and their families.”

East Hawaiʻi Veterans Cemetery No. 1 is a resting place for more than 1,500 fallen soldiers and family members. Veterans from World War I, World War II, Vietnam and Afghanistan are laid to rest there.

GIS is the . Students utilized integrated computer hardware and software to analyze and visualize geographic data.

The project served as a learning experience for 48 students in various classes throughout the past three semesters such as , and . The work involved differential global positioning systems or GPS, GIS, photogrammetry, fieldwork, drones and web mapping. ������Ƶ Hilo undergraduate geography student Kanoa Lindiwe took the lead on the project, and graduate student Trina “Nikki” Henry, currently in the master’s program, also contributed.

The mapping project was conducted in partnership with the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Parks and Recreation. Staff from the ������Ƶ Hilo Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization Lab also contributed.

—By Susan Enright

Upon graduating in December, Keanu Rochette-Yu Tsuen could confidently say that he had seized every opportunity to have authentic, hands-on research experiences during his time as an undergraduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Rochette-Yu Tsuen grew up on the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia and moved to Hawaiʻi for college, first as a student at and then at ������Ƶ Mānoa where he completed his bachelor’s in the (GES) program in the (SOEST).

At Kapiʻolani CC, he had opportunities to participate in in botany, ethnobotany, ecology and microbiology with mentors Wendy Kuntz, John Berestecky and Mike Ross.

“Keanu is a real standout among our STEM students, who took full advantage of every opportunity to participate in undergraduate research both in and out of the classroom, including leading our Ecology Club students on interisland service projects,” said Kuntz, a professor of biology and ecology at Kapiʻolani CC. “We are so proud of his achievements.”

Microbiology at Hawaiian fishpond

GES students are required to complete a senior research thesis to build valuable experience and transferable skills. Support for Rochette-Yu Tsuen’s research project was provided by the (MARC) Program through ������Ƶ ��ā�ԴDz�’s , which aims to provide training in biological research for a diverse group of students who are underrepresented in the sciences.

Working with Rosie Alegado, associate professor in SOEST, Rochette-Yu Tsuen tested for the presence of bacteria in the Leptospiraceae family in samples collected at the Heʻeia fishpond on Oʻahu. This family of bacteria contains pathogenic members which can cause leptospirosis.

The goal of the project was to find environmental factors that correlate with the presence of Leptospiraceae in the Heʻeia fishpond, which could help researchers provide information about the risk of exposure to the Paepae o Heʻeia community.

“During my time in the Alegado Lab, I strengthened my ability to do research and I developed a better appreciation for microbiology and its application in environmental science,” said Rochette-Yu Tsuen. “I also enjoyed working in my lab because research projects are developed with the input of community members. It’s a different way to approach science and it makes the projects more significant.”

Coral reefs in French Polynesia

In the new year, Rochette-Yu Tsuen will begin a master’s degree in the at ������Ƶ Mānoa studying coral reefs closer to his home, this time in Mo‘orea, French Polynesia.

“Learning about the current ecological changes that threaten our coral reefs, related to climate change, local pollution, predation, and natural disasters, has reinforced my determination to work in preserving those coastal ecosystems and marine resources to better protect the communities that rely on them,” said Rochette-Yu Tsuen.

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In groundbreaking research at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, computer scientist Travis Mandel and his interdisciplinary team have garnered national acclaim for their innovative use of artificial intelligence in revolutionizing reef fish tracking. The team’s FISHTRAC software, a creation of collaboration among students, alumni and faculty, employs AI to meticulously follow individual fish through video footage and photographs, providing a transformative solution to the time-consuming task of image review in the realm of marine research.

Mandel and his team published their research paper in this past March and recently learned they won the editor’s choice award.

“It certainly works better than all the other algorithms we compared it to in the paper, which was a very large number,” said Mandel who is an associate professor of and director of ������Ƶ �ᾱ����’s interdisciplinary .

It’s still not perfect, he explained, but the reality is the AI allows for much less human effort and time in terms of someone sitting and watching a hundred videos and then drawing boxes around every frame, “because that takes forever.”

FISHTRAC software

The AI-based video identification would serve as an alternative to catch-and-release tagging research methods, a process that can be invasive to the fish. The central question the research team hoped to address: How can AI and machine learning systems work with humans to solve real problems?

Initially, Mandel was called on by environmental scientists at ������Ƶ Hilo to help with computer vision issues, or the ability of software to recognize objects consistently in photographs or videos. The process of teaching an AI engine to learn is complex, and projects such as these are on the cutting edge of computer science and environmental science today.

Although Mandel’s training was not in computer vision, the pressing need for research within this field quickly presented itself.

“A lot of people started reaching out to me, faculty members and grad students in different disciplines, saying, ‘Hey, can you help us with our computer vision problems?’” said Mandel.

Mandel co-authored the paper with ������Ƶ Hilo alumni Mark Jimenez (computer science), Emily Risley (computer science), Taishi Nammoto (physics) and Rebekka Williams (mathematics). ������Ƶ Hilo students Meynard Ballesteros (computer science) and Bobbie Suarez (tropical conservation biology and environmental science) also served as co-authors alongside Max Panoff, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Florida.

—By Evangeline Lemieux, who is double majoring in English and medical anthropology at ������Ƶ Hilo.