The University of �鶹��ý has been designated as a new Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute (Pacific RRCI) by the (NOAA) to support coral reef conservation in the Pacific through research, collaboration and public education.

The Pacific RRCI will be housed in UH’s , under the aegis of the , and will perform the following critical functions: conduct federally directed research to fill national and regional gaps; collaborate with relevant states and territories, Indigenous groups, coral reef managers, non-governmental organizations, and other coral reef research centers; assist in the implementation of the NOAA’s National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy and coral reef action plans; build non-federal capacity for management and restoration practices; and conduct public education and awareness programs.

“This new institute combines UH’s strengths in cutting-edge, ocean-related research and our collaborative, place-based approach to working with resource managers throughout �鶹��ý and the Pacific to protect our vital coral reefs,” said Chad B. Walton, UH interim vice president for research and innovation. “At the same time, it provides us with further opportunities to develop our region’s next generation of researchers and managers in the field of conservation futures.”

To restore and preserve coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. from natural and human-related effects, the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 was reauthorized and modernized by the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2021, which was included in the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act that became law in 2022. The reauthorized law required the designation of two RRCIs, one each in the Atlantic and Pacific basins, was required. The RRCIs were chosen from 32 preselected coral reef research centers and were designated based on the results of technical merit and panel reviews. The Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2021 was introduced and sponsored by �鶹��ý Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie K. Hirono, and Congressman Ed Case.

The UH-led institute will be guided by experienced reef researchers from UH Mānoa’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory and the �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology, UH Hilo’s Marine Sciences program, and the University of Guam’s Marine Laboratory. It will support research, monitoring, capacity building and outreach for coral reef management throughout the U.S states and territories of American Samoa, Guam, �鶹��ý, and the Northern Marianas Islands and with the Freely Associated States of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

“Many people worked many years to make this vision for collaborative reef research across the Pacific a reality,” said Suzanne Case, director of the Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures. “We’re excited to jump in with scientists and communities and agencies across the region to take it forward.”

Danielle Bartz, a PhD candidate in at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, has received a . Initially selected by the Zonta Club of Hilo for a $2,000 local award, Bartz advanced to the international competition, where she emerged as one of 16 recipients worldwide. This $10,000 award recognizes outstanding women in STEM, with honorees representing nine countries in this year’s cohort.

Bartz’s research leverages cutting-edge environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies combined with local ecological knowledge shared by the community to monitor marine biodiversity and assess critical habitats. She developed a novel, low-cost eDNA water filtration system, which has the potential to revolutionize marine biodiversity monitoring by making it more accessible and cost-effective, particularly in resource-limited settings. This project was supported by the Patents2Products Fellowship through the UH Office of Innovation and Commercialization.

“It’s an honor to be part of a global group of women working to advance STEM, and I am very thankful for the opportunities I’ve found through the Zonta Club,” Bartz said. “I’ve connected with this phenomenal network of women supporting women. My goal is to make marine research more accessible while working alongside local communities to protect culturally and ecologically important species.”

Bartz’s dissertation examines the disappearance of a culturally and ecologically significant shark species in �鶹��ý. Her research, which confirmed a shark nursery habitat in Hilo Bay, contributed to the area’s first formal recognition as a vital shark habitat by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

• Related UH News story: Shark nursery habitat research earns PhD candidate top international award, March 20, 2025

The Zonta Women in STEM Award uplifts innovation and celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of women between 18-35 years of age in STEM fields and acknowledges their groundbreaking research, pioneering discoveries, and/or exemplary contributions to advancing knowledge and innovation in a STEM field.

The Marine Biology Graduate Program is an interdisciplinary program co-administered by UH Mānoa‘s and the .

A breakthrough in marine mammal health surveillance can now detect deadly diseases in whales and dolphins in oceans, beaches and remote locations, thanks to new research from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa.

The UH Health and Stranding Lab at the (CTAHR) worked together with international researchers to validate a portable, field-deployable molecular diagnostic tool for Cetacean Morbillivirus (CeMV). The study was published in .

Rapid detection in the field

CeMV has caused mass deaths of thousands of marine animals globally. Traditionally, detecting such pathogens required sending samples to specialized laboratories, often resulting in delays of weeks to months.

“This is the first application of a field-deployable system for rapid testing for whales and dolphins,” said Kristi West, director of the UH Health and Stranding Lab. “It breaks down barriers to detection because it can be used remotely, even without a traditional lab nearby.”

The portable unit delivers results in about an hour, aiding decision-making during mass stranding events. It is designed for hot, humid environments, making it essential for detecting outbreaks early and potentially preventing larger epidemics. The system uses high-speed testing to provide rapid, on-site results. It proved effective across multiple divergent strains from �鶹��ý, Europe and Brazil, even in archived tissues up to 28 years old.

“We want to train others so we can increase what we know about disease in many other areas of the world,” West said.

Global collaboration and training

To ensure this technology reaches those who need it most, UH researchers hosted a workshop in Honolulu with Professor Wei-Cheng Yang from National Taiwan University’s Veterinary School to train stranding responders and scientists from across the Pacific.

Participants included staff from the Taiwanese Cetacean Society, and representatives from the �鶹��ý Department of Land and Natural Resource’s Division of Aquatic Resources, NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center, biologists from Guam and Saipan and CTAHR graduate students.

During the workshop, researchers ran tests on known positive and negative samples for diseases impacting dolphins and Nene, the endemic Hawaiian goose. The Taiwanese team also shared their insights from a mass stranding of 11 pygmy killer whales they had responded to just days before arriving in �鶹��ý, which resulted in the successful release of seven whales.

The project is supported by U.S. Pacific Fleet Environmental Readiness Division and a joint zoonotic disease grant with the state of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s Department of Land and Natural Resources and involves collaborators from Taiwan, the Philippines, Spain, and Brazil.

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

The , a beacon of marine education and conservation for over a century, is marking its 122nd anniversary in March. Under the new leadership of Interim Director Judy Lemus, the institution is embarking on a period of revitalization, with innovative exhibits, strategic collaborations, and a continued commitment to the unique aquatic ecosystems of �鶹��ý and the tropical Pacific.

The aquarium will host a 122nd birthday celebration on March 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day kicks off with a community coastal cleanup followed by a suite of family-friendly activities.

A new chapter

Lemus brings a wealth of experience in marine facility management, research, and education. Lemus served for four years as the interim director of the (HIMB) within the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (SOEST) and is currently the interim associate dean for academic affairs in SOEST. Her primary focus at the aquarium is on operational improvements and enhancing the institutionʻs role in education, marine conservation, collaborative research, and community engagement.

“Managing the Waikīkī Aquarium is about more than just animal husbandry; it’s also about our engagement with the public and contribution to conservation of Pacific species, and our role as a public outlet for UH research,” said Lemus. “As we celebrate 122 years, we are not just honoring our history, but building the systems, facilities, and stories that will carry us through the next century.”

One major accomplishment under her leadership has been the successful return of Hōʻailona, the beloved Hawaiian monk seal, to his refurbished enclosure.

New and upcoming exhibits:

• The Aquaculture Tank: In partnership with Biota, a local aquaculture company, this exhibit will feature fish and coral raised entirely in aquaculture facilities at the Oceanic Institute and Waikīkī Aquarium. This “no-collection” model highlights sustainable trade and will also showcase 3-D structures from HIMB researcher Josh Madin’s Lab that facilitate coral growth.
• The Edge of Reef Redesign: Formerly an iconic outdoor exhibit, the Edge of Reef was dismantled to make way for a critical infrastructure project. A redesign is planned for this exhibit with support from UH, the �鶹��ýFoundation, and the Friends of the Waikīkī Aquarium.
• New Tank for Mullet and More: The large tank that previously featured mullet, a species revered in �鶹��ý as a staple food and in loko ʻia (Hawaiian fishpond) aquaculture, is being dismantled to make way for a modern habitat. The new enclosure may house mullet and possibly other compatible species such as rays or sea turtles.
• The aquarium is planning new collaborations with a variety of UH faculty and labs to help bring their work to broader audiences.
• AZA Accreditation: The aquarium is starting a Pathway Toward Membership program with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the gold standard in accreditation for zoos and aquariums, with the goal of achieving AZA accreditation for Waikīkī Aquarium in about 5 years.

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This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from the UH ����ԴDz� �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB).

From Maria Frostic, HIMB communications coordinator: The HIMB Shark Lab recently celebrated a historic ‘Personal Best’ with the capture and tagging of a 470 cm (15’ 5”) female tiger shark—the longest in the lab’s 30-year history.

Initially tagged on October 7, 2025, near Kapapa Island by a team including Edward Cardona, Molly Deppmeier, Michaela Johnson, and David Itano, the shark was remarkably recaptured seven weeks later within Kāneʻohe Bay. This second interaction enabled visiting researcher Takuya Fukuoka to deploy a short-term biologging tag that was successfully recovered at Penguin Bank. Data from her satellite transmitter now shows the shark frequently traveling between the bay and the bank, providing researchers with invaluable oceanographic insights.

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A PhD candidate at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa was selected as one of five 2025 NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)–Sea Grant Joint Fellows across the U.S. Leon Tran is representing the and joins four other fellows who are pursuing doctoral degrees at universities in other states.

The research projects span topics related to modeling and managing systems of living marine resources and fisheries, as well as the economics of their conservation and management.

“I’m honored to be selected for such an exciting opportunity and to contribute to the program’s legacy of conserving our oceans,” said Tran. “Through the fellowship, I’ll be able to move my experimental work in the lab into the conservation sphere, and help me advance my career as a marine conservation biologist and ocean steward.”

Under the guidance of �鶹��ý–based fisheries researchers Jacob Johansen, Erik Franklin, Tye Kindinger and Lisa McManus, Tran is developing a tool to forecast how future changes impact habitat suitability for important subsistence fisheries. By integrating laboratory studies on the metabolism of the convict tang (manini) and day octopus (heʻe mauli) with computer–based habitat models, he is exploring where these species can thrive across the Pacific. As coral reefs change under local and global pressures, this work helps reveal how animal physiology shapes where it can live, providing essential insight into how coral reef ecosystems can shift in the future.

Former NMFS–Sea Grant Joint Fellows have gone on to serve in key roles within NOAA Fisheries, other agencies, academic institutions and fishery management councils, making substantial contributions to the management and conservation of marine ecosystems.

Since 1999, this fellowship program has supported more than 134 population dynamics fellows and 42 marine resource economics fellows.

–By Cindy Knapman

From the coral reefs of the tropics to the oyster reefs of temperate estuaries, nature’s most diverse ecosystems are built by “master architects.” A study revealed that the complex shapes of these reefs are not random—they follow precise geometric rules that maximize survival.

The collaborative research of the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (HIMB) and Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, offers a proven guide for reviving damaged marine habitats and protecting the vital seafood sources that communities depend on.

“This work shows that there are universal architectural rules for reef persistence,” said Joshua Madin, a senior author of the study, HIMB research professor, and a principal investigator of the HIMB Conservation Innovation Group. “Nature has already solved the design problem. Our job is to read that blueprint and scale it up to help reefs grow faster and survive longer.”

Geometry of survival

Using high-resolution 3D mapping and field experiments in Australia, the team engineered concrete structures spanning a wide range of surface complexities. They discovered that while simple structures left juvenile oysters exposed to predators, and overly complex structures offered diminishing returns, survival peaked at a specific, optimal combination of height and fractal dimension—exactly the geometry found in thriving natural reefs.

“Reefs are not just piles of skeletons or shells,” said Juan Esquivel-Muelbert, the study’s lead author from Macquarie University. “They are finely tuned three-dimensional machines. Their shape controls who lives, who dies, and how fast the reef grows.”

While the fieldwork focused on oysters, the theoretical principles were developed at HIMB and apply directly to coral reefs.

R3D project

The study provides the biological validation for cutting-edge restoration work currently underway in �鶹��ý. The geometric principles utilized in this paper are a driving force behind the UH project Rapid Resilient Reefs for Coastal Defense (R3D), a project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that is deploying immense, geometric reef modules off the coast of Oʻahu.

By mimicking the “optimal geometry” of coral reef, using the same principles identified in the study, these artificial structures are designed to do more than just break waves—they are engineered to attract coral larvae, protect them from predators and grow into a thriving coral reef.

“We are applying these exact principles to coral restoration here in �鶹��ý,” said Madin. “Recent work at HIMB testing these 3D-printed designs showed we could increase the settlement and survival of corals by 80-fold compared to natural reef surfaces. By building with the right geometry, we can jump-start the feedback loops that allow reefs to build themselves.”

New University of �鶹��ý research confirms that “Sharktober” is real, revealing a statistically significant spike in shark bite incidents in Hawaiian waters every October. The study, which analyzed 30 years of data (1995–2024), found that about 20% of all recorded bites occurred in that single month, a frequency far exceeding any other time of the year. Researchers at UH ����ԴDz�’s (HIMB) Shark Lab .

The research, led by HIMB Professor Carl G. Meyer, determined that this pronounced pattern, informally known as “Sharktober,” is primarily driven by the seasonal movements and biological needs of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier), which account for at least 63% of the incidents during this month.

“The October spike is real and statistically significant, but the overall risk remains very low,” said Meyer. “This pattern appears to be driven by tiger shark biology, not by more people being in the water.”

Extra caution advised

The study uses �鶹��ý-specific data to provide science-based information that allows residents and visitors to make informed decisions about ocean use during this time of year, supporting awareness and coexistence without sensationalism.

“Understanding when risk is slightly elevated helps people make informed choices, not fearful ones,” said Meyer.

Ocean users are advised to be aware that tiger sharks are more likely to be present in the nearshore waters of the main Hawaiian Islands during October, and extra caution is advised during this month, particularly for high-risk, solo activities such as surfing or swimming in coastal areas.

Postpartum tiger sharks

The findings suggest a strong link between the October spike and the tiger shark’s reproductive cycle, specifically parturition (giving birth), which occurs during the months of September and October. The evidence indicates two primary mechanisms acting together.

First, there is a temporary increase in the abundance of large adult females in nearshore habitats, including a partial migration of mature females from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the main Hawaiian Islands.

Second, giving birth to a large litter is energetically taxing, likely leaving postpartum females in a state of poor nutritional condition and increasing their motivation to forage actively to recover energy reserves.

This conclusion is supported by multiple independent lines of evidence, including the peak in tiger shark sightings at ecotourism sites that aligns precisely with the pupping season.

Future research will focus on directly studying adult female tiger sharks during the pupping season, including tracking their movements and using non-invasive tools to assess their reproductive status and body condition. The work was conducted as part of the HIMB Shark Lab program at UH ����ԴDz�, utilizing publicly available shark incident data compiled by the �鶹��ý Department of Land and Natural Resources.

A team of shark researchers from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� has solved a long-standing mystery, identifying the first-ever documented mating hub for tiger sharks. , led by the (HIMB) Shark Lab, utilized six years of acoustic tracking data to pinpoint Olowalu, Maui and the nature of tiger shark mating.

This challenges the conventional understanding of tiger sharks as purely solitary animals, revealing a predictable seasonal convergence of mature males and females that coincides with the humpback whale calving season in �鶹��ý.

Solving the mating mystery

For years, it was unclear how tiger sharks, which are typically solitary wanderers, came together to reproduce, or if mating was simply a result of random encounters.

“Tiger sharks typically roam widely in what can seem like random patterns, so finding such a strong and consistent seasonal trend in their movements around Maui was unexpected,” said Paige Wernli, lead author of the study and a graduate student in the HIMB Shark Lab.

The long-term tracking data revealed a strong, predictable seasonal presence and high overlap of both mature male and female sharks at Olowalu, with both sexes exhibiting physical signs of mating activity.

“To our knowledge, no group mating site for tiger sharks has ever been identified. This paper adds an important piece to the puzzle of tiger shark reproduction,” said Carl Meyer, co-author of the paper and principal investigator of the HIMB Shark Lab.

Dual motivations

The timing of the sharks’ convergence also aligns with the arrival of humpback whale mothers and newborn calves in the area. This unique ecological overlap indicates that the sharks may be positioning themselves to take advantage of foraging opportunities, such as vulnerable calves or placental falls.

“Mating and foraging on humpback whales may not be mutually exclusive,” said Wernli, “and both could influence tiger shark movement patterns in Hawaiʻi.”

The researchers noted that these gatherings are not dense but rather diffuse, spanning multiple months and several kilometers.

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