In the final three years of her undergraduate (GES) degree at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Mānoa, Tina Huynh-Nguyen conducted research on a non-native, invasive seaweed, Avrainvillea lacerata, that is threatening ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±¡¯²õ native marine biodiversity.
As a student in the GES Bachelor of Science degree program in the ¡¯s (SOEST) , Huynh-Nguyen investigated this bio-invader in the hopes of helping Â鶹´«Ã½ reef managers gain better insight into environmental drivers that contribute to the expansion of A. lacerata.
Huynh-Nguyen was born and raised in Honolulu and has long enjoyed exploring ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±¡¯²õ natural environment.
“I was first introduced to intertidal monitoring from the Our Project in ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±¡¯²õ Intertidal program and the Coral Bleach Watch with the Marine Option Program at Kapiʻolani Community College,” she said. “This really sparked my interest in pursuing a degree in marine or environmental science.”
Protecting ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±¡¯²õ reef ecosystems
For her research thesis in the GES program, Huynh-Nguyen worked with UH ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹¡¯²õ Professor and Marine Botanist Celia Smith. Huynh-Nguyen was funded for this work via a (UROP) award. With that funding, they analyzed natural-occurring isotopes of nitrogen in the seaweed blades of the A. lacerata population from Kualoa and then compared with another UROP student¡¯s work with the same plant at Paikō reef.
Together, these findings suggest that the alga is adept at acquiring nutrients from various nitrogen sources—making the species particularly competitive against native algae, or limu. With this information, marine resource managers are better informed to protect ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±¡¯²õ reef ecosystems.
Inspiring keiki
Having graduated in May 2021, Huynh-Nguyen is the first in her family to earn a college degree, and her future plans will allow her to inspire others to follow in her footsteps. She enrolled in the UH Mānoa Pathway program while working toward her GES degree. Huynh-Nguyen plans to teach full-time in a Â鶹´«Ã½ public school—preparing and encouraging students to follow their dreams.
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–By Marcie Grabowski