Ten graduate programs at the are in the nation’s top 50, and an additional 17 programs are in the top 100, according to the 2026 , released on April 7.

UH Mānoa’s (JABSOM) also placed in the nation’s top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care, and UH �ᾱ����’s ranked in a in the nation.

The highest ranked UH Mānoa programs were in the , ranking No. 18 (tied) for best environmental law programs and law schools with most grads in federal clerkships, No. 24 for best part-time law programs, No. 41 (tied) for best international law programs, No. 47 (tied) for best dispute resolution programs and No. 48 (tied) for best legal writing programs.

The ranked No. 22 (tied) for best international programs, and the (SOEST) placed No. 40 (tied) for best Earth sciences programs. JABSOM ranked No. 42 for most graduates practicing in rural areas and No. 45 for most graduates practicing in primary care.

“UH Mānoa’s strong showing in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings underscores our commitment to excellence in teaching, research and student success,” said UH Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos. “These results reflect the talent and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, and �鶹��ý can take pride in knowing their university is preparing the next generation of leaders and changemakers for our community and the world.”

Rankings were based on multiple factors, including research activity (such as publications and citations), student and alumni outcomes (employment and earnings), quality assessments (from peers and recruiters), student selectivity (GPA and test scores), and faculty resources (doctoral degrees awarded and student-to-faculty ratios).

Note: not all programs are ranked every year. See these UH News stories on previous years’ rankings: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Jump to program rankings:
William S. Richardson School of Law  |  John A. Burns School of Medicine  |  Shidler College of Business  |  School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology  |  School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene  |  College of Education  |  Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health  |  College of Social Sciences  |  College of Engineering  |  College of Natural Sciences  |  College of Arts, Languages & Letters

William S. Richardson School of Law

The William S. Richardson School of Law was ranked in 16 categories by U.S. News and World Report. In addition to its ranking of No. 18 (tied) for best environmental law programs and law schools with most grads in federal clerkships, No. 24 for best part-time law programs, No. 41 (tied) for best international law programs, No. 47 (tied) for best dispute resolution programs and No. 48 (tied) for best legal writing programs, the �鶹��ýlaw school placed No. 91 (tied) among the top law schools in the nation.

Other law school rankings include:

• Tax law: No. 80 (tied)
• Criminal law: No. 88 (tied)
• Contracts/commercial law: No. 92 (tied)
• Health care law: No. 92 (tied)
• Constitutional law: No. 95 (tied)
• Business/corporate law: No. 101 (tied)
• Clinical training: No. 102 (tied)
• Intellectual property law: No. 127 (tied)
• Trial advocacy: No. 175 (tied)

John A. Burns School of Medicine

JABSOM was one of 16 schools that placed in the nation’s top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care. JABSOM also placed in tier 3 for best medical schools for research.
In addition, JABSOM ranked No. 42 for most graduates practicing in rural areas, No. 45 for most graduates practicing in primary care, No. 139 for speech language pathology and No. 171 for most graduates practicing in medically underserved areas. .

Shidler College of Business

The Shidler College of Business placed in nine subject areas. Leading the way were international programs at No. 22 (tied), accounting programs at No. 68 (tied), information systems programs at No. 72 (tied) and marketing programs at No. 91 (tied). In addition, Shidler ranked at No. 104 (tied) for best management programs, No. 113 (tied) for best executive programs, No. 123 (tied) for best finance programs, No. 125 (tied) for best entrepreneurship programs and No. 142 (tied) for best part-time MBA programs.

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

SOEST placed No. 40 (tied) among the nation’s best Earth sciences programs.

School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene

The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene placed No. 55 (tied) for best nursing school–master’s and No. 62 (tied) for best nursing school–doctor of nursing practice (DNP). Both were the only programs in �鶹��ý to be ranked by U.S. News and World Report.

College of Education

The College of Education ranked No. 57 (tied) in the U.S., the 21st straight year the college has been listed as one of the nation’s top 100 education programs. Nationally accredited since 2000, the College of Education continues to be recognized for its award-winning programs and people.

Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health

The ranked No. 89 (tied) among the nation’s top public health schools and programs in the U.S. accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The Department of Public Health Sciences offers a ; a , with specializations in , , and , and a , as well as PhD program in , specializing in community-based and translational research and a PhD in . The Department of Public Health Sciences is also home to an online master of public health program to meet workforce demands.

College of Social Sciences

The College of Social Sciences placed among the nation’s best in at No. 90 (tied) and at No. 92 (tied).

College of Engineering

The ranked among the nation’s best in at No. 91 (tied), at No. 92 (tied), and at No. 128 (tied). The College of Engineering overall ranked No. 164 (tied) among the top engineering schools in the U.S. that grant doctoral degrees.

College of Natural Sciences

The placed among the nation’s best in at No. 97 (tied), and at No. 115 (tied), and at No. 125 (tied).

College of Arts, Languages & Letters

UH Mānoa placed No. 106 (tied) among the nation’s best for fine arts programs.

Other rankings

UH Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings by Subject, March 25, 2026
• 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

Fourteen University of �鶹��ý 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,” UH Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “They showcase the university’s global standing and reinforce that UH Mānoa offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

UH 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

UH 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

Lab instruction at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo is not limited to rooms filled with beakers and microscopes. A genetics class, guided by their biology professor, geneticist Natalie Graham, took a field trip this February to Kaumaui, a loko iʻa (traditional fishpond) in Keaukaha at the southern side of Hilo Bay. The class worked with community stewards of the fishpond to collect water samples for DNA testing back at UH �ᾱ����’s . They also restored sections of the fishpond’s rock walls.

The water samples they collected hold tiny traces of genetic material shed by fish and limu. Back on campus, students will analyze that material to better understand what species are present in the pond and how abundant they are.

“Bringing Western science and Hawaiian culture together creates a powerful synergy that honors generations of kilo (careful observation) and the ancestral natural history preserved in ʻike kūpuna (ancestral knowledge),” said Graham who founded ʻElala Biodiversity Laboratory.

Kaumaui is cared for by Hui ���ʻ�DZ��𾱳�������ō, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring Hawaiian fishponds and teaching the community about their value. The brackish waters there nurture juvenile fish, endemic limu or seaweed, seabirds and native plants.

For more go to .

Extinction rates for island land snails commonly range from 30% to as high as 80% on some volcanic islands, according to a new that confirms “devastation” is no exaggeration for the state of global snail biodiversity. Lead author Robert Cowie of the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (SOEST) and an international team of researchers published their findings in .

“The Hawaiian Islands, especially, were home to at least 750 known species,” said Cowie, who is a research professor with the in SOEST. “All but a tiny handful of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Estimates have suggested that only 10–35% of this spectacular diversity, including some of the well-known and beautiful Hawaiian tree snails, still survive, a mere fraction of the unique native Hawaiian natural heritage.”

Tracking trends through ‘shell bank’

Cowie, along with Philippe Bouchet and Benoît Fontaine of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris, placed an emphasis on �鶹��ý and other Pacific Islands because this region has experienced the highest numbers of land snail species extinctions.

“Many islands are remote, and the level of interest in land snails as a component of the global biodiversity conservation agenda is low,” the authors noted. “The conservation status of many island land snails thus remains, at best, out of date.

However, land snails have an asset that other animal groups, especially invertebrates, do not — their shells, which can remain in the soil for many tens or several hundreds of years after the death of the animal. These shells, persisting in the soil for centuries, create a “shell bank” that allows researchers to identify species that went extinct before they could ever be officially recorded by modern science.

Extinctions and their causes

Most land snail extinctions have been caused primarily by habitat loss and the introduction of non-native species. Many high volcanic islands had diverse and highly endemic land snail faunas, with 50–100 endemic species on even very small islands such as Rapa in the Austral Islands.

The research team identified a recurring pattern of extinction that follows human arrival: deforestation and the indirect impacts of invasive species began with the initial arrival of people and became even more extensive and catastrophic following Western colonization. Direct impacts of invasive species on island land snails are exemplified by rats and deliberately introduced predators such as the rosy wolf snail (Euglandina) and the New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari), both snail predators.

“These have probably been the ultimate cause of extinction following the devastating habitat loss that initiated the extinction process,” said Cowie.

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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.

UH 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 UH 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 UH 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.”

UH 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

For their research into therapeutic strategies aimed at combating Alzheimer’s disease, two University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� undergraduate students earned an award at an international biomedical meeting in October.

Christine Lau and Marie Ishida traveled to Daejeon, South Korea, to attend the 13th International Symposium on Selenium in Biology and Medicine. They delivered a poster presentation and an oral presentation describing their work. Lau and Ishida were recognized with an award for Top Poster Presentation from the publisher Springer–Nature.

Lau and Ishida conduct research under the mentorship of UH Researcher Daniel Torres at the , where they study the ability of the micronutrient selenium to counteract the production of tau and beta–amyloid, two proteins involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Lau is double majoring in psychology and molecular and cell biology, and recently started her BAM (bachelor’s and master’s) combined degree program for educational psychology. She hopes to go to medical school and become a forensic psychiatrist.

Ishida is majoring in biology, and is working toward attending medical school and becoming a physician. She said, “the symposium was an unforgettable experience that allowed me to witness the various projects that researchers are conducting.”

Georges Frem, a University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� graduate from Lebanon, traded a career in engineering for a future dedicated to science and service, inspired by the deep cultural values he encountered in �鶹��ý.

Frem will cross the stage in December 2025 to accept his bachelor of science in biology from the UH ����ԴDz� , marking the completion of an academic journey that started and ended on opposite sides of the globe. After finishing his first degree in mechanical engineering at the American University of Beirut, Frem made a life-changing decision to pursue his true passion for nature and animals at UH ����ԴDz�.

From classroom to independent research

Frem pointed to his experience with the UH ����ԴDz� (UROP) as the single most valuable part of his academic career. After taking a BIOL 305 course with Associate Professor Amber Wright in fall 2024, he reached out to her about a project.

“We brainstormed ideas and decided to apply for a UROP grant to conduct field collections to gain insights about trophic interactions among lizards on Oʻahu through stable isotope analysis,” Frem said. “I secured the money and managed to conduct my own personal research project from start to finish.”

Frem has remained a part of the Wright lab and is currently writing a manuscript based on his UROP work for potential publication. “This immersion in the scientific process has served as extremely valuable data for the deliberation of my future career choice,” Frem said. “Having had the privilege to execute science in this manner has definitely incited me to consider a career as a scientist a lot more seriously.”

Inspired by kuleana

Frem came to �鶹��ý partly looking for cultural exposure, but he wasn’t prepared for the commitment he found within the UH community. He was surprised by the university’s role as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, integrating place-based science into academics and the collective consciousness.

“The fierce passion expressed by members of the UH community when talking about Hawaiian culture and place-based science was surprising to me,” Frem said. “I was saddened by the realization that we Lebanese, seldom exhibit that same awareness, pride, and responsibility when it comes to our own culture and nation, especially as it relates to our unique ecosystems.”

This realization inspired him to act. He joined community work days and got a firsthand taste of the community’s sense of kuleana (responsibility). These efforts included:

• Helping out at UH’s Ka Papa Loʻi Kanewai and planting kalo (taro) at the Waimanālo Research Station.
• Volunteering at Loko Ea fishpond to remove invasive grasses.
• Assisting the ����ԴDz� Cliff Restoration Project to remove invasive ginger.

“I have been humbled by the deep sense of care fostered by UH and the Hawaiian community in general, and am deeply inspired to promote those same values in my own ʻ�徱�Բ�,” he said.

Returning home

As his undergraduate journey ends, Frem is focused on how he can be useful to his home country, Lebanon.

“I know I want to contribute to Lebanon and bring forth the best in it,” he stated. His future will involve science, although he is still weighing options—possibly as a researcher studying Lebanon’s native ecosystems, or starting science-based businesses to fund community initiatives.

One thing is certain: he is ready for the next step. “I am most likely going to be applying to grad school, and my time here has undoubtedly prepared me very well for that,” Frem said.

For the first time, scientists have calculated a detailed “energetic budget” for �鶹��ý‘s short-finned pilot whales, revealing what it takes to power their extreme, 800-meter (2,600-feet) dives for food.

A new study led by the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s (HIMB) found an average adult whale must eat 142 squid daily to survive, scaling up to 416 million squid annually for the entire population of short-finned pilot whales. This data, published in the , provides a new benchmark for protecting the historically understudied marine mammals.

“Pilot whales are one of the only oceanic dolphins that regularly dive to extreme depths—up to 1,000 meters—to find prey,” said William Gough, (MMRP) postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study. “This deep-diving, high-risk foraging strategy requires a delicate balance between the energy they spend and the energy they acquire. Our study is the first step in quantifying that balance for this specific population.”

Understanding precisely how much energy the animals require is essential for understanding how to effectively manage against threats and ensure their survival.

“This detailed scientific data gives �鶹��ý management agencies a critical tool to monitor how changes in the ocean—from warming waters to ship noise—might push the pilot whales past their survival limit,” said Lars Bejder, MMRP director and co-author of the study.

The deep waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands are home to a genetically distinct population of short-finned pilot whales. These highly social, toothed whales are not migratory; they remain with their tight-knit, multi-generational families in one region for life. The population forages year-round where they pursue their preferred prey: squid.

Requirements can inform effective management

“Deep-diving species like pilot whales are especially vulnerable to human-induced disturbances, such as noises from ships or changes in ocean temperature, which can disrupt foraging or increase their energetic costs,” said Gough. “If they use more energy than they can find, they face an energy crisis that weakens their health, hurts their ability to fight off disease, and ultimately limits their ability to reproduce and recover the population.”

Despite this inherent vulnerability, the Hawaiian pilot whale population benefits from a stable and abundant squid food source, which may better equip them to cope with environmental disturbances than populations elsewhere.

The team placed advanced Customized Animal Tracking Solutions (CATS) tags on eight short-finned pilot whales off the coast of Lānaʻi between 2021 and 2024. The tags recorded movement, depth and sound, and used 2K cameras with LED headlights to observe the whales in their lightless, 800-meter-deep hunting habitat. The researchers developed a new method to estimate minute changes in energy usage by combining data from tags with body measurements from aerial drone footage.

“Getting to be on the water and close to these animals is an absolute joy,” said Gough. “But the fact that we can see into their world, even at 800 meters and under extreme pressures [80 times that at the surface], and observe them capturing their food in complete darkness, feels unbelievable to me. It’s truly a privilege to document the lives of these elusive, deep-diving whales.”

For Kelsea Kanoho Hosoda, receiving the American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s (AISES) Blazing Flame Professional Award marks a full-circle moment in her mission to uplift Indigenous students in STEM. The national honor recognizes her decades of work expanding opportunities for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.

“I’ve been a part of AISES since I was an undergraduate, and they really helped me flourish—from undergrad to graduate school and now in my professional career,” said Hosoda, director of the at the University of awaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM). “So this award, to me, is more than just recognition from a national organization—it also means a lot for �鶹��ý.”

At JABSOM, Hosoda leads initiatives that improve Native Hawaiian health through education, research & community engagement, encouraging students to pursue careers in medicine and other health professions.

Bridging communities through mentorship

Hosoda’s involvement with UH ����ԴDz�’s Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP) inspired her to co-found the university’s first AISES student chapter with her husband, creating a bridge between local and national Indigenous STEM communities. She later helped revise AISES policies to expand eligibility for scholarships and internships to all Indigenous students.

Related UH News story: Advancing the science of mentorships

Over the past 12 years, Hosoda has mentored more than 100 students—many now working in research and medicine. Through programs such as Kauhale Medical Scholars, she continues to guide pre-med students from �鶹��ý’s neighbor islands and public schools.

“Being part of AISES taught me to bring my whole self to work,” Hosoda said. “That sense of balance and authenticity is something I try to pass on to my students.”

A proud UH ����ԴDz� alumna, she earned her bachelor’s in biology and Hawaiian language, a master’s in molecular biosciences and bioengineering, and a PhD in communication and information sciences—experiences that deepened her integration of ʻIke �鶹��ý and STEM.

Hosoda will receive the Blazing Flame Professional Award at the AISES National Conference in Minneapolis this October.

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Kapiʻolani Community College students are helping to uncover how the Manu o Kū (white tern, Gygis alba)—a small seabird with cultural and navigational significance in �鶹��ý—thrives in the heart of the city. Guided by biology and ecology professor Wendy Kuntz, students are gaining hands-on research experience through a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project exploring the nesting and movement of the culturally significant seabird.

“My undergraduate research on the Manu o Kū has allowed me to gain real-world experience through an ecology perspective,” said Kriss Yeow, a Kapiʻolani CC student pursuing an associate in science degree in natural resources and environmental management. “By studying the interactions between birds, plants, and humans, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of conservation and how landscape changes are linked to �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s resource use and land stewardship.”

A $200,000 NSF grant for Kuntz’s project, The City Life of Manu o Kū: Nesting and Movement Ecology of White Terns in Urban Honolulu, builds on her existing campus monitoring program, which tracks nesting sites at Kapiʻolani CC.

“With more than 40 nesting sites on our campus, the Manu o Kū has become part of everyday life at Kapiʻolani,” said Kuntz. “Once locally extinct in the main Hawaiian Islands, their return to urban areas like ours is a powerful reminder of resilience. By studying their nesting biology and sharing data through community partnerships, our students contribute to a broader understanding of how people and wildlife coexist in �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s urban landscapes.”

A key goal of the project is to engage Kapiʻolani CC students, particularly Native Hawaiian and underrepresented students, in hands-on ecological research conducted on campus and throughout Honolulu.

“At a time of rapid changes in federal funding priorities, Dr. Wendy Kuntz’s success in securing this National Science Foundation grant is especially meaningful,” said Chancellor Misaki Takabayashi. “Her work will inspire our students to learn from �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s own ʻāina and native species, deepening both scientific understanding and a sense of kuleana (responsibility) for our islands.”

In collaboration with and , the project offers students training in field techniques and conservation science—preparing the next generation of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s environmental stewards.

University of �鶹��ý at Hilo graduate Pascale Pinner has been inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF) in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to education. Now in her 38th year teaching science at Hilo Intermediate School, Pinner’s journey reflects a lifelong commitment to learning and community—one deeply influenced by UH �ᾱ����’s supportive environment.

“I developed a good handful of friends, and we stuck together and supported each other through everything,” said Pinner. “I keep in touch with many of them to this day. That’s what makes UH Hilo so special . . . small class size, small university feel, rigorous curriculum, but culturally this integration of everybody together, supporting each other to be one big ʻohana (family).”

Her induction into the NTHF was a surprise orchestrated by her school community. Sixty students arrived with lei and honored her one by one, until the stack reached her eyes. It was a celebration of the appreciation and respect earned over the years.

Full circle mentorship

Pinner earned a bachelorʻs degree in from UH Hilo in 1987 and a professional diploma in education in 1991. She credits several UH Hilo faculty members as being influential in her development as an educator—naming Bob Fox, Marlene Hapai, Nina Buchanan and Don Hemmes as mentors who encouraged her to consider teaching.

In addition to teaching at Hilo Intermediate, Pinner also taught in the UH Hilo for four years. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership, and her community ties run deep. Her principal is a former student, and she has also taught four current colleagues.

Joy of teaching

Today, Pinner continues to teach because of the impact science education has on her students.

“The number one thing that makes my day, makes my week, makes my year is when students experience something during a science lesson and you can just see the awe and wonder pop out in their face,” said Pinner. “That kind of energy has allowed me to continue in this position for those 38 years.”

From tracking invasive marine species, to exploring vegetation recovery on degraded, uninhabited islands, to studying tiny beetles threatening mangroves, eight University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa undergraduates spent two months this summer in the Galápagos Islands. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation with additional support from UH Mānoa, and guided by research mentors from UH Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, the students conducted hands-on research on invasive species that connected them to ʻāina (land/sea), kānaka (people) and mālama ʻāina (stewardship).

The experience built on a preparatory spring course (NREM 491), where students learned the foundations of island invasion biology and developed their own research proposals.

Monitoring invasive species

Cienna Kahrobaie, a major, studied invasive marine species at boat docks around Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Using settlement plates (small experimental surfaces for marine organisms to grow on) deployed for two months, she compared species richness, percent cover, and community composition at docks experiencing differential boat traffic, and learned valuable identification techniques from experts at the Charles Darwin Foundation and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

“Settlement plates allow scientists to get a glimpse of what is growing in marine communities around boat docks, so if we employ them at sites with specific maritime traffic patterns, we can more quickly detect invasive species of concern,” Kahrobaie said. “This would allow conservationists to respond quicker to these marine invasions and prevent their establishment.”

While conducting research, she found a moment of discovery while resting in a tidepool. By staying still, she observed fish, hermit crabs and even an octopus up close, learning that sometimes slowing down revealed more than trying to see it all at once.

Studying connections between islands

Riley Herron, a major, conducted research on Santa Fé Island, a remote, uninhabited Galápagos island recovering from heavy feral goat degradation and resulting ecological damage. She studied how the island’s microtopography affects microclimates critical for woody plant seedling establishment, setting up large plots to measure environmental conditions and seedling presence for the island’s three dominant woody species. Through her research, Herron found connections between the Galápagos and �鶹��ý.

“I hope my research helps highlight the interconnectedness of our ecosystems,” Herron said. “There are so many large-scale processes that shape what happens on the micro level, and as our climate continues to change, understanding those small-scale interactions becomes more important than ever. As island ecosystems are isolated, limited in resources and filled with endemism, they are the first to be impacted, emphasizing how important island conservation is globally.”

Tiny threatening beetles

Lana Mitchell, a major, studied how an invasive mangrove bark beetle affects native red mangrove seedlings, testing whether fertilizer could offset beetle damage. The project challenged her to conduct independent research while navigating new skills, from kayaking to communicating in Spanish, all while deepening her passion for conservation.

“I hope that this can aid scientists in measuring how much of a difference in survival and growth a propagule (a young mangrove seedling) can undergo with and without beetle infestations,” Mitchell said. “This research could help to determine the overall survival of native species in exposure to invasives, giving scientists a window of time in which to provide native species with resources to better sustain their growth and longevity in island ecosystems.”

Mitchell was struck by how comfortable Galápagos wildlife are around humans, spotting sea lions resting just steps away during her research. According to Mitchell, the experiences reinforced the local community’s dedication to conservation and strengthened her connection to the islands’ unique ecosystems.

“This immersive summer research program in the Galápagos is a collaborative effort that provides applied research experiences in invasive species ecology to UH Mānoa undergraduate students from across campus,” said Creighton Litton, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management professor, (UROP) director, and one of the eight UH Mānoa faculty members who designed and implemented the program over the past three years. “The success of this program stems from committed research mentors from both UH Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, financial support from NSF and UH Mānoa and, most importantly, fully engaged students from our campus who commit to a full research experience, from learning the basics and developing proposals on campus in the spring, to field data collection, analysis and write-up in the summer.”

This opportunity is the result of a collaboration between UH Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students, the UH Mānoa Provost’s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning and the UH Mānoa Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship.

The deadline to apply for the 2026 program is October 15. .

The first University of �鶹��ý Program—integrating human and veterinary medicine and environmental science—graduates accepted their certificates at the UH ����ԴDz� Commencement Ceremony on May 17. The inaugural One Health certificate recipients were molecular biosciences and biotechnology major Braxton Ramos, and biology major Zarek Kon.

Ramos conducted her capstone research project, “Effect of Environmental Selenium on Microbial Diversity in Culex quinquefasciatus” under the mentorship of Associate Researcher Lucia Seale and Associate Professor Matthew Medeiros at the Pacific Biosciences Research Center. Her study focused on an important symbiotic gut fungus, and aims to profile microbial diversity of the gut microbiome in the presence of increased selenium. Ramos plans to continue her training after graduation to become a physician’s assistant.

Kon’s capstone research project, “Environmental Surveillance of Leptospira in �鶹��ý: Evaluating DNA Extraction Methods for Soil and Water Samples” was mentored by Assistant Professor Jourdan McMillan and Professor Sandra Chang at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). His findings demonstrated that commercial DNA extraction kits can successfully identify pathogenic Leptospira in environmental samples. Kon will enter JABSOM as a first-year medical student in fall 2025.

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More on the certificate

The prepares students with the skills and knowledge to work collaboratively across disciplines to solve real-world problems.

The One Health certificate will benefit students pursuing a wide range of professions in human, animal or environmental health. Besides specific jobs in these areas, other One Health-related careers include science writing, food safety, disaster preparedness, global disease surveillance, policy and sustainability practices.

Rosemary Bearden has always felt a strong connection to �鶹��ý’s native plants and animals. This spring she graduated from the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo with a , and is now preparing to turn that connection into action—helping to care for and restore �鶹��ý Island’s precious ecosystems.

“I’m deeply passionate about their conservation and protection,” she said.

Bearden graduated on May 17 as a UH Hilo Chancellor’s Scholar, a full-tuition award for local high school graduates with strong leadership and academic performance. She grew up on the Hāmākua Coast and graduated from Waiākea High School in 2021.

Hands-on conservation

During her time at UH Hilo, Bearden gained hands-on experience in the field. Under biology Professor Becky Ostertag, she explored the effect of shade on the health of outplanted trees in a Hawaiian lowland wet forest. She also credits biology Professor Patrick Hart with inspiring her interest in native bird conservation.

“I love volunteering because it allows me to get out into the field—and mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (care for the land),” said Bearden, who worked with organizations such as the Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project and the Three Mountain Alliance.

In summer 2023, she joined the Kupu �鶹��ý Youth Conservation Corps, where she gained experience while learning about conservation rooted in Native Hawaiian culture.

Studying abroad: ‘Absolutely amazing’

According to Bearden, a highlight of her college journey was studying abroad in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

“It was an absolutely amazing experience,” she said. “I especially loved meeting like-minded people from other countries and, of course, spending time in nature there.”

This summer, Bearden will intern with the also known as PIPES, which supports ʻ�徱�Բ� (land)-based learning and career development. After that, she’s planning to pursue a full-time role in conservation.

For more go to .

World Turtle Day is May 23. University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� Professor Robert Thomson is an expert on evolutionary and conservation biology, and much of his research focuses on the evolutionary history of turtles. Thomson shared his thoughts on World Turtle Day, and the challenges turtles are facing in �鶹��ý and around the world.

Why should turtles be celebrated?

It’s an opportunity to recognize an important component of biodiversity that often gets ignored. Something to know about turtles is that they’re both extraordinarily ancient—older than dinosaurs, they’re older than mammals, birds, almost any other vertebrate you’ll see on the Hawaiian landscape—and they’re extraordinarily endangered. Around 60% of species are threatened with extinction today.

Your previous research highlights that turtles face a “daunting future.” What are the biggest threats to their survival today?

There’s two major threats in particular and they’re threats that are shared by a lot of biodiversity today. One is loss of habitat. Turtles have a lot of their species richness on coastlines, in rivers and other aquatic habitats that humans tend to modify and degrade in important ways. Because of this, turtles are experiencing wholesale habitat loss at an enormous scale for the last century. The second thing that influences turtle conservation is collection—both for pet trade and the food trade, as well as traditional cultural uses.

Can you explain how climate change is affecting turtle populations, especially here in �鶹��ý?

As global sea levels rise, they’re losing nesting beaches, places where they lay their eggs. A recent example of that happened in 2018. In the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, there’s a particular islet in French Frigate Shoals called East Island, that was the nesting area for around 95% of all green sea turtles in �鶹��ý. It’s a huge amount of the population. A major storm came through and wiped that island off the map. It was gone. That led to a lot of concern that this is the sort of thing we expect to see as the climate continues to change and storms become more powerful and sea levels rise. The good news, at least in the short term, is the island is now reforming. Crews went out last year, and that island once again exists, and it has turtles nesting on it.

How hopeful are you that conservation efforts can help turtle populations in the future?

This is the big question in biodiversity conservation. The hope comes from the idea that this is no longer a scientific mystery. We know what is causing the declines, and in many cases we know how to fix them. We need to protect habitats. We need to restore habitats. We need to stop market trade. The question is whether there is societal and political will to deal with these problems that we already have solutions for, and will we do that quickly enough before these declines turn into extinctions.

Turtles have been around for millions of years. What can they teach us about resilience, survival or even vulnerability in today’s world?

This is a lineage that has existed for 200 million years. That’s a length of time that we truly can’t comprehend. Now, just in the last few centuries, we’re seeing dramatic extinctions and global endangerment. So it shows the impact that humans are having on natural environments and on biodiversity broadly. If this lineage that has been stable and resilient through hundreds of millions of years—through the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs—is suddenly globally endangered, that speaks to the severity of the impacts that we are having on native ecosystems.

What can people do to help protect turtles and their habitats, both in �鶹��ý and globally?

You can use what tools you have available to you to support wildlife conservation, particularly habitat conservation. I think in the United States, there’s not many people participating in turtle markets anymore other than in the pet trade, so this issue sometimes gets ignored. But there is still significant commercial collection of turtles that, in turn, get shipped to market in other countries. Wild populations can not sustain this. Other than that, the biggest messages are the same messages as support for biodiversity conservation generally: protecting habitats, advocacy for sustainable systems and voting in ways that help save ecosystems.

In a series of newly published groundbreaking studies, researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (HIMB) identified 10 new species of marine sponges found in Kāneʻohe Bay, shedding light on an often-overlooked but vital part of coral reef ecosystems.

Published in the journals and , these findings were discovered using an innovative technique that explores both genes and structural characteristics. Despite their status as one of Earth’s oldest lifeforms, marine sponges remain vastly understudied. These newly identified species contribute to a broadening understanding of sponge biodiversity within the Hawaiian archipelago and throughout Oceania.

The HIMB research team, working out of the , used autonomous reef monitoring structures (ARMS)—specialized devices that mimic the reef’s natural environment—to collect sponge specimens without disturbing the fragile ecosystem.

“We used ARMS to collect sponges from within the reef,” said Rachel Nunley, a Scientists in Parks (SIP) intern at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park and lead author of the PeerJ study that identified six new species. “After sponge collection, we used DNA analysis to narrow down what species we were looking at. We found that these species in Kāneʻohe Bay were new to science and have not been documented anywhere else in the world.”

Kāneʻohe Bay, where HIMB is located, is abundant with small, isolated “patch reefs,” which are teeming with undescribed sponge species as well as non-native species introduced from the Caribbean and the Western Indo-Pacific.

Challenges of studying sponges

Unlike other marine life, sponges present unique research challenges due to their small size, fragility and dynamic nature.

“Sponges are found within the ‘nooks and crannies’ of the reef, making them difficult to collect without destroying the reef,” said Jan Vicente, a postdoctoral researcher at ToBo Lab and lead author of the Zootaxa study that identified four additional sponge species.

“Sponges are widely underappreciated, even though they play an essential role in cycling nutrients that help maintain coral reef biodiversity in remote island archipelagos where nutrients in coral reefs are scarce,” said Vicente.

Merging science with ʻike �鶹��ý (ancestral knowledge)

To honor the cultural significance of their discovery, researchers named the new species based on traditional moʻolelo (stories) or ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) that reflect the species’ characteristics.

“They were found in Kāneʻohe Bay off the island of Moku o Loʻe, and their names come from Native Hawaiian stories,” explained Robert Toonen, principal investigator of the ToBo lab and co-author on both studies. “�ĘL��ʻ��,’ for example, was the sister of three brothers who kept honesty within the family.”

Future of reef research

The research team has sampled more than 1,000 specimens from the coral reef cryptic fauna using ARMS in Kāneʻohe Bay, and they have also recovered ARMS from five different ecoregions across the Pacific. In time, they hope to understand the complete diversity of Oceania. HIMB researchers want to determine which species are endemic, native, and which have been introduced to the Hawaiian archipelago, and how the species are connected.

Funding for this research was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Acidification Program.

A new mural on the Sciences and Technology Building at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo tells the inspiring conservation success story of an endangered endemic manu (bird).

The artwork showcases the Hawaiian honeycreeper ʻakiapōlāʻau and was brought to life in just five days during November’s Thanksgiving break by Texas-based muralist Andrea Holmes. Holmes, who recently launched an ambitious global project to create 100 bird murals, depicted an ʻakiapōlāʻau perched on a koa tree with red ōhiʻa lehua blossoms below.

“Decades of koa restoration efforts at Hakalau have resulted in an increase in these birds, as koa is their favorite tree to forage in,” said Patrick Hart, a UH Hilo professor who specializes in endemic on �鶹��ý Island. “A rare success story in �鶹��ý conservation!”

• UH researchers use AI, Hawaiian chant to save native birds, December 8, 2024

Hart explained the highly endangered ʻakiapōlāʻau are found only on �鶹��ý Island and Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) above Hilo is one of the best places left to see them.

Fewer than 2,000 left

A dedication ceremony for the mural is planned for January 25 in conjunction with the annual membership meeting. The conservation group commissioned the artwork.

According to the group’s research, fewer than 2,000 ʻakiapōlāʻau remain in the wild. Long-term survey data from 1987 to 2019 reveals population fluctuations, with the most stable numbers found within the Hakalau Forest NWR. The protected area serves as a sanctuary for approximately 61% of the island’s remaining ʻakiapōlāʻau population, highlighting its critical role in conservation efforts.

A collaborative project

Professor Hart helped advise the artist on a number of early drafts of the mural. He also collaborated with several UH Hilo administrators on everything from mural placement to logistics: Pelehonuamea Harman (director of Native Hawaiian engagement) Simon Kattenhorn (dean of ) and Kalei Rapoza (vice chancellor for administrative affairs).

—By Susan Enright

Natalie Graham, an assistant professor of at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo is part of a groundbreaking research effort to combat invasive species in the Indo-Pacific. Backed by a nearly $2 million award by the Department of Defense (DoD)’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, the project’s goal is to develop methods for early detection using DNA and predictive modeling.

“This project aims to address the urgent need for early warning capabilities for invasive terrestrial arthropod species that threaten biodiversity and Department of Defense operations in the Indo-Pacific,” said Graham who runs the ʻElala Biodiversity Lab at UH Hilo.

Terrestrial arthropod species are invertebrates that live on land such as insects like ants and beetles as well as arachnids like spiders and myriapods such as centipedes.

DNA sequencing

Graham, a molecular ecologist, focuses her research on the arthropods of the Hawaiian archipelago, leveraging their unique age-structured terrains—ranging from 44 years to 5.5 million years old—to study how species interactions evolve under human impact. Through DNA sequencing, she looks at those interactions across spatial and temporal gradients, advancing efforts to protect vulnerable ecosystems.

The research team aims to create a comprehensive DNA barcode reference library for Indo-Pacific arthropods, a critical resource for identifying invasive species. The project which will begin in January, is a collaborative effort with researchers from institutions including UH Mānoa, UC Berkeley, Virginia Tech, Northern Arizona University and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Arthropod library

Graham is also building a DNA reference library for Hawaiian arthropods, which will support studies on bird and bat diets and other species interactions.

“We are using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to rapidly assess species interactions, such as spider gut content analysis or pollination studies,” Graham explained.

In addition, the team will use arthropod traits and distribution records for horizon scanning, identifying invasion threats and biosecurity priorities. Predictive models will assess the risks and potential impacts of invasive species colonizing Indo-Pacific islands with DoD installations.

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Researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo are blending artificial intelligence (AI) and culture to help protect some of the state’s most precious native manu (birds). Many of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s forest birds are facing extinction, and UH Hilo biology professor Patrick Hart is employing a mix of high-tech tools and Native Hawaiian traditions to support their remaining populations.

Hart’s research, funded by the , uses AI to monitor bird populations in remote forests on �鶹��ý Island. By placing acoustic recorders in the forest, Hart’s team captures massive amounts of bird sound to understand where different species are and how they’re doing. Birds use sound as a way to keep track of other birds.

“It is becoming increasingly important to develop landscape-scale management tools to help prevent the decline and extinction of Hawaiian birds,” said Hart, who founded UH �ᾱ����’s or LOHE Lab, where data is analyzed. “But, in order for it to be effective, we need better info about how all of the different species are doing and exactly where they are.”

New AI algorithm

This past year, Hart has worked with Google, to develop a new algorithm, “Perch,” designed specifically for recognizing Hawaiian bird songs. With this new technology Perch can identify the unique sounds of Hawaiian birds with limited data, allowing Hart and his team to accurately estimate bird numbers across large areas.

“Hawaiian birds, in particular, are variable in what they say to each other, which is one reason why it has been so hard to train algorithms to automatically detect the songs and calls of these birds,” explained Hart.

Oli composition

In a parallel effort, Hart is collaborating with ʻĀhuimanu, a group dedicated to native bird conservation, to create a special oli (chant) that uplifts Hawaiian birds. The oli, led by cultural practitioner Kekuhi Kanahele Kealiʻikanakaʻoleohaililani, connects each bird to thriving elements in nature to promote balance and resilience.

“The mele recalls and reaffirms the relationships between ourselves, the birds, and the other aspects of the environment,” explained ʻĀhuimanu member Noah Gomes.

Critically endangered

2024 marks Makahiki O Nā Manu Nahele: Year of the Forest Birds. Of the 84 Hawaiian forest bird species known from observation and fossil records, 58 have vanished forever. Today, 24 of the remaining 26 species are endangered, with statuses ranging from “vulnerable” to “critically endangered.” Four honeycreeper species—ʻakikiki, ʻakekeʻe, kiwikiu and ʻākohekohe—face a high risk of extinction within the next decade if significant conservation measures are not taken.

Conservation biologist Joanna Wu, an alumna of the , is shining a bright spotlight on the study of North American songbirds. In her current research as a doctoral student at the University of California, Los Angeles, she is analyzing the survival rates of songbirds to better understand why male birds tend to have a longer lifespan than female birds.

“I went back to school because I was really compelled by this question of, ‘What’s the deal with female birds? What else do we not know,’” Wu said.

Now she’s making her own flight path into the study of female wild birds and their importance to conservation work.

Passion path

Her passion for birds began during fieldwork at UC Berkeley. She later chose UH Hilo for her master’s degree in the , drawn by �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s native birds.

At UH Hilo, she studied the ʻōmaʻo, a native thrush essential for spreading seeds and supporting forest health.

“There’s a unique problem with �鶹��ý, of course, with avian conservation,” said Wu. “So I felt like it would be a good place to go and learn about that, and I’m really glad I did.”

‘I learned to be a scientist’

�鶹��ý biologist, Professor Patrick Hart, founder of UH �ᾱ����’s , commonly called LOHE Lab, was among her thesis advisors.

During her time at UH Hilo, she tracked ʻōmaʻo movements in comparison to the warbling white-eye, a non-native bird sometimes studied to understand its role in local ecosystems, especially its potential impact on native bird species.

Wu said the university was an important part of her journey, a “great foundation” for her current work and personal development. “I certainly found adequate support academically; I learned to be a scientist there.”

Wu’s research continues to focus on bird conservation. She has helped launch , an initiative promoting awareness of female birds.

—By Sophia Kim-O’Sullivan