In the world of landscape architecture, a student at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa is making waves with her outstanding achievements and commitment to redefining the field by garnering multiple national awards.

Jade Rhodes, a second-year student, was selected as one of the five national 2023 . The LAF Ignite program is a highly regarded initiative that provides scholarships, internships and mentorship opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color students.

Additionally, Rhodes was awarded with the National Black Landscape Architects Network . This scholarship highlights her exceptional contributions to the landscape architecture domain.

Rhodes, originally from Detroit, brings a unique perspective rooted in policy and anthropology, showcasing the interdisciplinary nature of her work. “My background was not in the traditional sense of design, it is more so in policy and anthropology,” she said. “Winning these awards feels incredible, and that I can do anything I put my mind to. It’s a testament to my passion for the field.”

Rhodes is currently exploring the possibilities of landscape architecture in �鶹��ý, drawing inspiration from her roots in Detroit. Her vision includes establishing a community-powered landscape through food, especially in public park areas. She emphasizes the need to reconnect with land, space and plants to heal communities affected by urbanization.

“There is a huge gap happening between people and place,” said Rhodes. “My goal is to start an interdisciplinary firm that focuses on placemaking for underserved communities. So my goal is to find ways on refitting how food can play a huge part in landscape architecture.”

Rhodes’ was also nominated by faculty for the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture 2024 . The program celebrates individuals who contribute to the landscape architecture field and demonstrate exceptional promise.

“As her program director and instructor, I’ve been delighted by Jade’s passion for ecological resilience, biocultural restoration, commitment to reconnecting people with the land, and fostering community empowerment,” said Judith Stilgenbauer, a professor of landscape architecture. “Her recent, juried national-level recognitions are not mere symbols but tangible reflections of Jade’s and our newly accredited MLA program’s pursuit of the highest standards in landscape architecture.”

The lush plants and trees of the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� provide a vibrant environment for research and recreation, making it one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. The health of those flora are in part due to an initiative to manage green debris on campus and make mulch (material spread around or over a plant to enrich or insulate) 100% from campus resources.

Green debris from UH ����ԴDz� facilities are processed in an on-campus machine called a forestry tub grinder, creating organic mulch that helps regulate soil temperature; retains water and reduces water usage; adds micronutrients to flora as it decomposes; helps suppress grass or weeds competing for water and nutrients; and adds to the beautification of the campus.

Green debris grinding saves the green

Previously, the landscaping department utilized a chipper to help break down green debris, and large green debris that could not fit in the chipper was transported to in Wahiawa—two to three truckloads were transported per week. Moreover, landscaping had to purchase mulch when the in-house supply fell short.

Once the tub grinder was introduced to the campus in 2010, landscaping was able to more effectively grind the campus’ green debris down to organic mulch. With the expertise of Siausage “Sonny” Ugaitafa, one of the equipment operators who processes the green debris, the campus was able to go from turning 30% of green debris to mulch in 2010, to 70% in 2017, and now 100% reusable mulch.

“Our mulch initiative has developed significantly over the past decade,” said UH ����ԴDz� Landscape Manager Yosuke Jo. “Since we are able to produce 100% sustainable mulch on-campus, we save nearly $500,000 a year in transportation and mulch purchase costs. We hope to continue our mulch initiative with improved technology.”

Ugaitafa received a for his work in the mulch initiative. He helped identify designated areas for green debris pick up and removal while ensuring the campus remains safe and upkeeps aesthetic standards.

“The process to create 100% sustainable mulch has been very efficient,” said Ugaitafa. “I’m proud to play a major role in the campus’ mulch initiative, and the health and beauty in our campus plants and trees is a testament to the landscaping department’s hard work and dedication to the initiative.”

The landscaping department also distributed mulch to , , the �鶹��ý Department of Land and Natural Resources, the reforestation project and others.

Battle against beetles

Mulch is a common breeding ground for the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), a pest known to kill and damage the native endemic Hawaiian loulu, a palm tree with fanned fronds, which grows in protected populations due to their threatened and endangered status.

The landscaping department remains diligent in the battle against CRB in their mulch initiative by carefully monitoring the green debris that is processed; maintaining CRB compliance with the �鶹��ý Department of Agriculture ; and, since October 2022, only exchanging with entities that are also CRB compliant.

Furthermore, the landscaping department participates in training sessions to remain up-to-date and educated on CRB. Led by Michael Melzer, an associate researcher in the ’ , landscaping staff attend an in-person classroom lecture that discusses the history, biology, symptoms and control methods available for CRB, followed by a visit to the containment lab to see CRB larvae and adults. Landscaping leadership also receive CRB compliance agreement training.

“[The landscaping department has] been very engaging and keen to keep the beetle off campus,” said Melzer. “I am impressed by their genuine concern for how the campus looks, and am thrilled every time I get a question as to whether they are seeing CRB damage.”

The hala tree, its sprawling leaves famously used for woven lauhala pieces and iconic in Hawaiian and Polynesian culture, is being threatened by a critical invasive pest—the hala scale. Experts at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (CTAHR), the UH and UH ����ԴDz� teamed up to save the trees on campus. Thanks to their collaborative efforts, the pest was eradicated at UH ����ԴDz� in August 2022.

The hala scale is an invasive insect that damages hala leaves as well as the tree’s fruit and young seedlings, which can prevent the regeneration of new hala. Common signs of infestation include wilted leaves and tiny black specks found primarily on the underside of leaves, as well as on the tops of leaves and on the hala fruit. Hala scale originated in Hāna, Maui in 1995 but has since spread to Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. In November 2021, UH ����ԴDz� was identified as one of three Oʻahu hot spots of the pest.

Prior to hala scale removal, UH ����ԴDz� was home to 54 hala trees. The hala scale on UH ����ԴDz�’s campus was concentrated in two main areas: the lower campus athletics complex and the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. In addition to being a popular landscape plant, the hala is iconic in �鶹��ý and Polynesia for its versatility.

“It was used by many cultures for thousands of years, most notably the leaves being used and woven into basic necessities at the time, 1,500 years ago,” said Nōweo Kai, curator at the UH Campus Arboretum. “It was used for medicine, famine food and fibers. Hala leaves (lauhala) were even used to make sails for double-hull canoes.”

Researching solutions

Zhiqiang Cheng, an associate professor and extension specialist at CTAHR’s Department of , has been researching hala scale with his since 2016.

“HDOA staff reached out to me in 2016, and asked me to review the hala scale infestation situation on Chaminade University’s campus and set up a field research trial there,” said Cheng. “I then received funding to conduct a larger scale research trial on Maui, where hala scale is widespread.”

Working alongside Cheng is Mason Russo, a CTAHR PhD student in . Their research has so far identified several low-risk insecticides that are effective against hala scale. One of the insecticides—imidacloprid—was used to combat the hala scale at UH ����ԴDz�.

Eradicating the pest

Starting in January 2022, UH ����ԴDz� Landscape Services collaborated with Cheng and Russo to begin efforts for hala scale removal and treatment. Cheng communicated best practices for managing the pest, which landscaping then implemented.

Their efforts mainly involved the careful removal of infected hala. Landscaping personnel would cut down infected hala, placing it into a dedicated roll-off bin. After removal, they would drench the contents of the bin with imidacloprid (the insecticide that Cheng recommended), and leave the bin covered for two weeks before sending it to H-POWER for incineration. As a preventative measure, they also applied the insecticide to the ground below each tree that was removed. Anyone who worked on removal each day had to disinfect themselves and their tools with rubbing alcohol to prevent further spread of the pest.

Fifteen hala trees were removed from campus due to scale infestation. Hala that were not infested to the point of removal were also treated with imidacloprid. These efforts were well worth it, when the hala scale was officially deemed eradicated at UH ����ԴDz�.

Going forward, landscaping plans to continue the pesticide treatment on an annual basis. Through continued collaboration and due diligence, the hope is to prevent the remainder of the hala on campus from being infested and to mitigate further hala scale spread across Oʻahu.

—By Alisha Churma

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� , based in the , celebrated the legacy of the late Alice Augusta Ball under the chaulmoogra tree behind Bachman Hall on Friday, February 28. The tree was planted in her honor by the King Prajadhipok of Siam in 1935.

Ball is a 1915 UH ����ԴDz� graduate with an impressive list of firsts. She was the first woman to earn a master’s degree in chemistry and the school’s first African American female chemistry instructor.

An instructor and then head of the chemistry department, Ball first studied kava but later began to research chaulmoogra, a tree that had long been used in Ayurvedic medicine. She succeeded in creating an injectable form of chaulmoogra oil, which became the most effective treatment for Hansen’s disease in the first half of the twentieth century. Ball, who died at the age of 24, is forever memorialized with a plaque that sits in front of the tree.

• More on Alice Ball: UH graduate honored alongside Madam Curie and Florence Nightingale, February 4, 2020

A group of Master Gardeners, with the support of the UH Campus Arboretum, including the UH ����ԴDz� grounds and landscaping crew, have adopted and cared for the chaulmoogra tree over the past two years. The group has pruned the tree and brought in mulch, fertilizer and compost to improve its health.

“It’s great to work with such a passionate group of Master Gardeners, who have given this tree some aloha. They’re breathing new life into it, which is what we’re here celebrating today,” said Roxanne Adams, UH ����ԴDz� director of buildings and grounds.

The group hopes to harvest seeds from the tree to propagate a seedling to give to Kalaupapa National Historical Park, the site of the former Hansen’s disease community of Molokaʻi. Some members of the group have already brought seed pods from the chaulmoogra tree at Foster Botanical Garden to the settlement to begin propagating an exhibit tree there. Another chaulmoogra tree is planted at UH’s .

UH Master Gardener Julian Lipsher said, “Propagating the seeds from the chaulmoogra tree and establishing a relationship with Kalaupapa National Historical Park further enables us to acknowledge and carry on the legacy of Alice Ball.”

Some Wahiawā residents have a dream for their hometown. One envisions a great lawn—shaded by native trees—that would provide a public place of solitude along Lake Wilson. Others would appreciate stormwater treatment along the wetlands to improve the water quality in the lake, which could lead to enhanced access for fishing and recreational activities.

Those were some of the ideas discussed by Central Oʻahu residents at a well-attended July 23 community meeting to reenvision the Wahiawā Freshwater State Recreation Area. , led by the (UHCDC) in UH Mānoa’s , was commissioned by the state (DLNR) with a tentative deadline of December 2019.

After the UHCDC draft master plan was shared with meeting attendees, they divided into small discussion groups to share their thoughts. They focused on ecological design, resource protection, placemaking, recreational activities and scenarios for low-impact state-park lodging.

“Our freshwater park project benefits from a collaboration of highly engaged community members seeking near-home opportunities to access recreation and nature, and our UH , staff and faculty, who have the design tools to create public open space amenities for future generations of park users,” said Judith Stilgenbauer, principal investigator and associate professor. “We are confident that this synergy will result in a proposal for a beautiful and ecologically resilient waterfront park for the public to utilize and enjoy.”

The community meeting was held in partnership with DLNR, with assistance from the Blue Zones Project and Wahiawā Fresh! Opening remarks were shared by state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, area lawmaker and project proponent.

The overall study and proof-of-concept design project will conceptualize the programming and innovative redesign of the state park and its facilities.

For more information, contact Hayley Diamond, UHCDC senior research associate, at hayleyd@hawaii.edu.

, associate professor in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa , has won the 2018 Poʻokela Award, the highest recognition from the (ASLA).

The award, presented during ASLA �鶹��ý‘s Triennial Awards Ceremony on October 5 at the Pacific Club, recognizes landscape architects who have made significant contributions and changed the way the profession looks at landscape architecture.

Stilgenbauer was honored for her tireless work and leadership in establishing the at UH Mānoa this fall. It is the first and only professional landscape architecture degree program in �鶹��ý and the general Polynesian region. A professional license is required to practice landscape architecture; an accredited degree in landscape architecture is needed for licensure.

“Judith was indefatigable in the long effort to bring this much needed MLA program to fruition,” said , School of Architecture interim dean. “The enormous amount of work required for a new UH Mānoa degree would never have been completed without her leadership and extraordinary effort.”

Stilgenbauer currently serves as the school’s director of graduate studies, and is also a member of the ASLA national board of trustees.

The at the will offer a new professional graduate degree, the master of landscape architecture (MLA), beginning in fall 2018. Graduates will obtain a thorough knowledge of the core skills and applications of contemporary landscape architecture with a focus on sustainable design in tropical and subtropical, Hawaiian and Asia/Pacific environments.

The MLA, the first landscape architecture degree offered in the state, is recognized by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board.

The program is open to qualified applicants with bachelor’s degrees in any field of study.

“�鶹��ý, with its rich natural and cultural history and manifold environmental and social challenges, provides a unique place of learning and opportunity for cutting-edge landscape architectural research, teaching and practice,” said Judith Stilgenbauer, MLA program director and associate professor.

Informational session

The public is invited to an informational session on Monday, December 11, 2 p.m. in Architecture Building room 215. This talk story is open to those interested in landscape architecture as a potential career option. Informational materials, visuals of award-winning landscape architecture projects and refreshments will be available.

Attendees may chat with representatives of the local landscape architecture community and professional organizations, such as the , architecture students, and members of the School of Architecture faculty and student services team.

For more information, email Stilgenbauer at jstilg@hawaii.edu.

Each year, the chancellor recognizes the leadership and service of faculty, staff and students committed to enhancing the university’s mission of excellence. The ceremony was held on May 1 at Orvis Auditorium*.

2017 Mānoa Awards winners

Robert W. Clopton Award for Distinguished Service to the Community

The Robert W. Clopton Award for Outstanding Service to the Community recognizes a UH Mānoa faculty member for playing a socially significant role by applying intellectual leadership and academic expertise to the improvement of the community.

• James H. Pietsch, professor at the
  Known as Mr. Elder Law for inaugurating this specialized field of law in UH, his stellar reputation in the medical, social work and legal community places him at the nexus for legal and ethics consultation on the multiple and complex issues that arise at the end of life.

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Mānoa Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching

The Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching recognizes Mānoa faculty members who have made significant contributions to teaching and student learning.

• Michael Cheang, associate professor at the
  Over the past 20 years Cheang has evolved his role as an educator from that of a teacher, to that of a facilitator and learning partner. His teaching is grounded in learning theories and aligned with research on best practices across the nation.
• Gretchenjan Gavero, assistant professor at the
  Gavero’s teaching philosophy is built on four tenets: an attitude of gratitude for opportunities to learn and to give back, a strength-based approach toward each and every learner, being attentive to the dynamic nature of learning and the generation gap between teachers and learning and the inherently collaborative nature of learning.
• Jenifer Griswold, assistant professor at the
  Griswold strives to engage students through innovative labs, challenging problem-solving projects, peer-to-peer interaction and real-world examples of the principles of the field.
• Daniel E. Harris-McCoy, assistant professor at the
  Harris-McCoy is described as an innovative teacher who has inspired a renewed interest among students for studying the classics.
• Scott T. Kikiloi, assistant professor at the
  Kikiloi adeptly draws from many schools of thought from ancient, sacred, contemporary and disciplinary canons to engage students in critical teaching and learning in Hawaiian studies.
• Vickery K. Lebbin, teaching librarian at
  Lebbin’s goal is for students to gain an understanding of what sources are, why they matter and how to use them ethically and convincingly.

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Mānoa Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Service

The Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Service honors Mānoa staff members who demonstrate outstanding work performance, service and leadership.

• Tae Song Ku, landscaper at the
  Ku has been with UH for 21 years. He works hard to ensure campus safety and to ensure that the campus provides a safe learning environment for faculty, staff and students.
• Trent Hata, assistant administrator at the
  Hata, a 30-year employee, has served six county administrators and provides invaluable stability and continuity with his uncompromising integrity, strong management skills and attention to detail.
• Laurie Onizuka, department secretary at the
  Onizuka keeps her office running efficiently while maintaining a cheerful demeanor and providing support to 21 full-time faculty members, nearly 350 undergraduate and graduate students, 9 teaching assistants and 6–12 lecturers.
• Allyson Tanouye, faculty specialist and director at the
  For 20 years Tanouye has provided a multitude of on-campus support services to students ranging from career counseling, support of distressed students and delivery of mental health services.

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Faculty Diversity Enhancement Award

The Faculty Diversity Enhancement Award from the UH Mānoa Commission on Inclusion and Diversity recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to enhancing diversity.

• Barbara Bruno, faculty specialist at the
  In her 20-year tenure, Bruno has served in a variety of roles. Her strategic vision, empathy and drive have enriched the lives of students and faculty throughout the UH System.

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Peter V. Garrod Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award

Established by the UH Mānoa Graduate Division in 2005, the Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award allows graduate students to nominate faculty for excellent mentoring, one of the foundations of outstanding graduate education.

• Jon-Paul Bingham, assistant professor and graduate chair at the (MBBE)
  Bingham has engaged MBBE graduate students to take responsibility for planning their future careers and professional goals, thus empowering them to prosper from their UH Mānoa education.

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Cooperative Education Student of the Year

Integrating classroom study with planned and supervised work, the Mānoa Career Center recognizes an outstanding cooperative education student who has made significant contributions in their co-op placements, campus and community.

• Melissa Henry, undergraduate student in the
  Henry is described as an avid learner who always asks excellent questions. Her commitment to her co-op at Straub Medical Center’s Emergency Department is evidenced by her high quality work.

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Outstanding Academic Advisor/Advising Unit Award

The Council of Academic Advisors recognizes an individual or unit who, over the past two years, has demonstrated excellence and/or innovation in advising, and/or has made a significant contribution to the advising community.

• Garrett Clanin, junior specialist academic advisor at the
  Clanin ensures that the GradesFirst system operates effectively and works with other advising units to determine if the web-based system will serve their students’ needs.
• 
  The Advising Center has developed and implemented new and innovative methods to improve its services and to provide students with the support they need to be successful.

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Student Excellence in Research (Doctoral Level)

The Student Excellence in Research Award is awarded by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research in recognition of outstanding scholarly research endeavors by students while they pursue a degree at the doctoral, master’s or bachelor’s level.

• Mapuana Antonio, Native Hawaiian doctoral student
  Antonio’s research explores associations involving stress, coping, obesity, diabetes and general health among Native Hawaiians. Her publications catalog successful public health programs addressing the mental and physical health of indigenous adolescents.
• William M. Best, astronomy doctoral student
  Best studies the properties of brown dwarfs (faint gaseous bodies with masses in between planets and stars) that reside in our neighborhood of the galaxy. His dissertation work is yielding new insights about how and when nearby brown dwarfs formed and change over time.
• Glen M. Chew, doctoral student at the
  Chew’s research focuses on understanding mechanisms driving immune dysfunction during chronic viral infections. His research will lead to ways to harness the immune system to prevent, control or eliminate HIV infection and optimize quality of life outcomes.

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Student Employee of the Year Award

The Student Employee of the Year Program was created in 1986 by the Mānoa Career Center to recognize and highlight the achievements and contributions of student employees on the UH Mānoa campus.

• Tyler Lum, undergraduate student in the
  Lum, of the Sea Grant College Program’s Hanauma Bay Education Program, skillfully combines the knowledge he has gained through the UH marine biology program with outreach activities at the nature preserve.

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*A separate UH News story will be published recognizing all the Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching, Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research and the Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching honorees.