{"id":76562,"date":"2018-03-28T10:14:58","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T20:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=76562"},"modified":"2019-03-20T10:19:06","modified_gmt":"2019-03-20T20:19:06","slug":"next-generation-of-groundwater-scientists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2018\/03\/28\/next-generation-of-groundwater-scientists\/","title":{"rendered":"Tapping into the next generation of groundwater scientists"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Brytne Okuhata conducting research of Hawaiʻi<\/span> aquifer systems. (Photo courtesy of the 糖心视频<\/abbr> M\u0101noa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As many of Hawaiʻi<\/span>‘s leading water professionals near retirement, there’s an urgent need to train a new local workforce of scientists. That’s happening at the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa<\/a> thanks to ʻIke<\/span> Wai<\/a>, a large five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation that aims to understand how water moves and is captured and stored underground in Hawaiʻi<\/span>. Its main study sites include the Kona and Pearl Harbor aquifer systems.<\/p>\n

“We have been working to recruit new experts to enhance STEM<\/abbr> education locally and to train young folks from our communities to become scientists and stewards of our place,” said Darren Lerner<\/strong><\/a>, director of the Water Resources Research Center<\/a> at 糖心视频<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. “Ignoring the importance of cultural knowledge and sense of place creates the possibility for making decisions that are out of sync with cultural placed-based needs, driving a wedge between our communities and our policies.”<\/p>\n

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Brytne Okuhata<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Born and raised on Maui, graduate student Brytne Okuhata<\/strong> is one of the next generation of water professionals in training. In fall 2017, Okuhata successfully defended her research project, “Modeling Aquifer Response to Water Harvesting in Nuʻuanu<\/span> and Kalihi, Oʻahu<\/span>, Hawaiʻi<\/span>,” to receive her master of science degree in geology and geophysics in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Using her prior hydrogeology knowledge, Okuhata created a groundwater model to simulate aquifer systems in Nuʻuanu<\/span> and Kalihi, which will help to inform other scientists how subsurface groundwater flows so predictions can be made before conducting fieldwork in an area.<\/p>\n

Said Steve Anthony, director of the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Islands Water Science Center, “糖心视频<\/abbr> helps us develop the next generation hydrologists needed to conduct water-resources investigations in Hawaiʻi<\/span>. A thorough understanding of the hydrogeology of the islands and skills in numerical modeling of groundwater resources are critical attributes that the university is uniquely poised to offer.”<\/p>\n

Okuhata is now working on her doctorate degree in geology and geophysics<\/a>, guided by Professor Aly El-Kadi<\/strong><\/a>, who served as a mentor during her master’s thesis research. “Working on my master’s model helped me to better prepare for any obstacles that might come from working on the Kona model,” said Okuhata.<\/p>\n

Her dissertation research focuses on the aquifer systems in Kona on Hawaiʻi<\/span> Island and Pearl Harbor. “The Oʻahu<\/span> model is important because the aquifer systems contribute to the water supply for a large population and the Big Island model is important because it’s a poorly understood area,” she added.<\/p>\n

As a graduate scholar in the ʻIke<\/span> Wai project, Okuhata receives a tuition waiver and also earns a salary to conduct this research.<\/p>\n

Doing her part to understand the current situation of Hawaiʻi<\/span>‘s water recharge reduction through groundwater mapping, Okuhata belongs to a diverse group of scholars who aim to find solutions for this ongoing issue using different perspectives—geophysics, chemistry, economics and more to secure Hawaiʻi<\/span>‘s water future.<\/p>\n

—Written by Kayla Valera, an ʻIke<\/span> Wai undergraduate scholar from Kapiʻolani<\/span> Community College<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brytne Okuhata, who is working toward her doctorate in geology and geophysics, is focusing on the aquifer systems in Kona and Pearl Harbor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[378,92,9,1043,347],"class_list":["post-76562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-geology-and-geophysics","tag-school-of-ocean-and-earth-science-and-technology","tag-uh-manoa","tag-water","tag-water-resources-research-center","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t