students are diving into marine science, by helping count and study 80 endangered green sea turtles along �鶹��ý Island’s coastlines in the first year of the college’s nascent (MOP).

“I took a zoology class at �鶹��ý CC and in my lab portion we got to go to Punaluʻu. We did turtle tagging, which was very inspiring to me because since I was a child I’ve wanted to do marine science,” said �鶹��ý CC graduate Eliea Mitchell-Butler. “And to be able to do it and get involved with the local community was very touching because [the 40-year data set at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach] is the largest and longest-going database worldwide on green sea turtles.”

Students worked hands-on in the Hilo Sea Turtle Health and Population Assessment Program through a special research permit with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Under faculty supervision, they hand-captured turtles, assessed their health, measured and weighed them, and applied tags for tracking. Research was conducted at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach and Haʻena Beach on �鶹��ý Island.

“Even though we’re the youngest program in the entire system, �鶹��ý CC’s Marine Option Program is one of the most unique in that we offer research in sea turtles,” said MOP program coordinator Jen Sims.

Recent �鶹��ý CC graduate Christian Reynolds said, “I never thought I would be part of real conservation science this soon in my undergraduate education. I joined MOP at �鶹��ý Community College because it offered me the same opportunities that I would have otherwise had at a four-year university but at a much lower price.”

MOP also offers internships, research projects and cultural fieldwork open to all majors.

For more information about the Marine Option Program at �鶹��ý CC, email Sims at jlsims@hawaii.edu or visit the .

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is by Jason Leonard from the .

From the post: “Our MOP (University of �鶹��ý ) and QUEST () students onboard the current NOAA RAMP expedition to Papahānaumokuākea have had a long and hard road from sunrise on the beach at Keʻei, �鶹��ý Island during QUEST field camp, to sunrise on the bow of the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette at Nihoa. To our MOP and QUEST students, of this year and all past years…Mahalo for sharing this journey with us. The ocean connects Moku o Keawe (�鶹��ý Island) and Papahānaumokuākea. Now, so do you. You are now a part of this special place, and it, in turn, is now a part of you. One ocean, one archipelago. There are no Main Hawaiian Islands or Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is all �鶹��ý. It is the ocean of our ancestors, and we sail in the wake of their canoes.”

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In response to recent discoveries of illegal releases from private marine aquariums across the state, the University of �鶹��ý and other organizations launched an awareness campaign, “,” aimed at stopping this unlawful behavior.

The campaign is spearheaded by Christy Martin, program manager of the (CGAPS), a project of the UH ����ԴDz� housed in the UH ����ԴDz� .

One instance of an aquarium release involved the illegal soft coral known as “pulse coral” or “pulsing xenia” (Unomia stolonifera). It has spread from what is believed to be the initial release site to now occupy a nearly 80-acre footprint near the mouth of Pearl Harbor.

Some marine aquarium releases are thought to be from hobbyists that were not aware of no-kill and rehoming alternatives, possible harm to the environment, or that the species released were illegal to import and possess.

The has also responded to several public reports of non-native or suspicious marine species of hard corals and anemones that appear to have been purposefully outplanted from illegal aquariums into nearshore environments by hobbyists, for later collection and sale on the black market. This is also illegal and poses multiple risks to the marine environment.

“During the past year, a similar marine aquarium species of soft coral native to the Red Sea was found spreading on reefs in Puerto Rico. With the global increase in marine aquarium ownership, and the U.S. being the largest consumer, we should expect to see an increase in releases,” Martin said.

UH student designs logo

Martin has served as a guest speaker for UH classes, highlighting current issues, needs and opportunities to participate. In fall 2023, she shared her description of the situation in Pearl Harbor with the (MOP) class and piqued the interest of Hannah Chang, a recent graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, who is working on her second bachelor’s degree in marine biology. Chang created the logo for the new campaign.

“When I learned about the impacts that pulse coral is having in �鶹��ý, I wanted to find a way to help,” Chang said, whose experience includes scientific illustrations and whimsical character designs. “Working on this project helped me gain some real-world experience and I am happy with the responses to the new logo.”

Chang’s logo was officially introduced and launched at a media event on October 28 at the Waikīkī Aquarium. She hopes to continue to use her background in art and marine biology as a science communicator to raise awareness about marine biodiversity.

“Awareness campaigns are critically important, and Hannah’s contributions to this effort are deeply appreciated,” Martin said.

UH MOP Director Cindy Hunter added, “This is a great example of how the Marine Option Program provides opportunities for any UH student with ocean interests to engage in real-world experiences as they progress toward their career goals.”

Growing up in California, Jennifer Smith loved spending time in the water. But it wasn’t until pursuing a year-long exchange at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo and graduate studies at UH ����ԴDz�, that she found her calling in researching and teaching conservation biology, human impacts on marine communities, ocean sustainability and more.

“For people who are interested in studying tropical ecosystems, whether it be on land or in the ocean, there’s no better place in the entire United States than to go to UH because you literally have these natural laboratories right outside your door,” Smith said.

Making a difference in �鶹��ý

Smith, who is now a professor in marine ecology and conservation at the in San Diego, California, went to UH Hilo to focus on marine science, while she was earning her bachelor’s degrees in biology and zoology from Humboldt State.

“The time I spent there underwater, realizing there were all these issues happening in �鶹��ý that weren’t really being addressed with invasive seaweeds taking over reefs, and there were big seaweed blooms choking out coral in a lot of places,” Smith said. “There were also other different things happening, everything from sewage runoff, fueling these massive seaweed blooms, to overfishing of parrotfish and surgeonfish, causing seaweeds to take over in other places.”

Her experiences fueled her interest in more research opportunities. After talking with her UH Hilo professors, they recommended pursuing a graduate degree at UH ����ԴDz� under the guidance of Professors Celia Smith and Cindy Hunter. Smith said that UH ����ԴDz� was the only program she applied to and was ecstatic when she got accepted.

Smith remembers spending countless hours doing the research she enjoyed out in the ocean, and even got opportunities to travel across many of the Hawaiian Islands and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, before it was deemed a marine conservation area.

“It’s hard to imagine having something that could have been better for what I was doing, which was spending a lot of time underwater trying to characterize what was going on across the reef and across the whole state,” Smith said.

Learning from the ‘First Lady of Limu’

Smith also recalls many encounters with Professor Emerita Isabella Aiona Abbott, also known as the “First Lady of Limu,” as their offices were down the hall from each other. Smith said she frequently brought Abbott “gifts from the ocean” since she wasn’t getting out into the field as much and relied on students and faculty members to bring her samples.

Abbott became the first woman and the first person of color to become a full professor of biology at Stanford University and co-wrote a book called Marine Algae of California, which Smith said is like the Bible for studying seaweeds on the California coast.

“When I look at the book, it’s like having a conversation with Izzy,” Smith said. “I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had that opportunity at UH. I try to pass on her stories and her passion to all of my students.”

Annual return to Maui waters

Smith graduated with her PhD in botany, ecology, evolution and conservation biology from UH ����ԴDz� in 2003. Her dissertation was on the impact of algal blooms (rapid increase in the density of algae in an aquatic system) on coral reefs statewide.

After graduation, Smith continued that work as a faculty researcher at UH ����ԴDz�. She then became a marine ecology researcher at Scripps for a year, before joining the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara as a postdoctoral scholar. Smith then rejoined Scripps in 2008 where she worked her way up from an assistant professor to an associate professor and to a full professor where she is now.

Smith also said that she has continued the work she started in waters off Maui every year since her graduate studies, taking her students to survey and document the health of the coral reefs along with other UH scientists and the Maui Division of Aquatic Resources.

—By Marc Arakaki

The (MOP)—a University of �鶹��ý systemwide certificate program that provides educational opportunities for students from all disciplines who are interested in the ocean—held its first in-person gathering since 2019 in April at Leeward Community College. The 40th MOP Symposium featured the research and internship work of 19 students from UH ����ԴDz�, UH Hilo, Honolulu CC, Kapiʻolani CC and Leeward CC.

The hybrid format allowed students and faculty from abroad to participate. Leeward CC is also seeking to draw more attention to .

“With its proximity to wetlands and the harbor, Leeward is an ideal setting for a gathering of Marine Option Program students and coordinators from across the state,” said UH ����ԴDz� MOP Director Cindy Hunter. “We hope to see MOP grow at Leeward CC!”

Student awardees included:

• Best Research Paper: Caden Christensen (UH Hilo), “High Elevation Surveys for ʻuaʻu Burrows on Mauna Kea”
• Best Internship Paper: Chloe Malou (UH Hilo), “University of �鶹��ý at Hilo Seawords Liaison”
• Best Poster: Emma DeBenedictis (UH ����ԴDz�), “Enhancing Marine Stewardship Through Various Forms of Education Outreach”
• John P. Craven Award: Hayley Luke (Leeward CC), “He Pūkoʻa Kani ʻĀina”
• PACON International, �鶹��ý Chapter, MOP Symposium Award: Madison Coelho (UH Hilo), “Developing Theodolite Workshops For MOP And Secondary Students”
• Sherwood Maynard Award for Ocean Impact: Sidney Lewis (UH Hilo), “�鶹��ý Island Fishing Line Recycling & Public Education Program”
• Anna Toy Ng Memorial MOP Scholarship: Savannah Crosby (UH ����ԴDz�) and Sidney Lewis (UH Hilo)

The keynote speaker was Athline Clark, who recently retired as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s superintendent for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from UH ����ԴDz�. Clark shared her academic and professional journey during her presentation, while encouraging students to explore different fields of interest, explaining that their path, like hers, might not be a straight line.

The symposium also provided students with an opportunity to grow as ocean stewards and make connections with future graduate advisors and employers.

“I am honored to be part of this amazing program and I am constantly inspired by the students’ passion for the ocean and their drive to make the world a better place,” said Alyssa MacDonald, Leeward CC’s MOP coordinator.

—By Tad Saiki

The University of �鶹��ý (MOP) recognized six students from across four UH campuses for their resounding excellence in marine science. The 39th annual statewide MOP Student Symposium held on April 16 via Zoom, awarded the haumāna (students) after their projects were presented at the virtual event.

“These students made discoveries and developed new personal skills, culminating in their presentations at the annual MOP Student Symposium that wowed the audience,” said MOP Director Cynthia Hunter. “We continue to be so proud of and impressed by their hard work and ingenuity.”

• Olivia Jarvis (UH Hilo) won Best Research Paper for “Observing Patterns in UH Hilo MOP Turtle Tagging Data Through Statistical Analyses.”
• Lily Gavagan (UH Hilo) won Best Internship Paper for “Analyzing Coral Reef Health At The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.”
• Dylan Kelling (UH Hilo) captured the Sherwood Maynard Award for Ocean Impact for “Hoe! ʻŌ, ʻŌ, ʻŌia! Integrating Traditional Hawaiian Protocols Into Marine Field And Lab Courses.”
• Kelsie Kuniyoshi (UH Mānoa) earned the Anna Toy Ng Memorial MOP Scholarship for “Utilizing Graphic Design Principles For Effective Outreach And Education.”
• Gwen Arkin (UH Maui College) won the John P. Craven Award for “Photographs of Hawaiian Algae: Cyanotype Impressions.”
• Cameron Lau (Windward Community College) captured the PACON International, �鶹��ý Chapter, MOP Symposium Award for “Waikalua Loko Iʻa Native Oyster Study.”

MOP is a systemwide certificate program, offered on all UH campuses, providing educational opportunities for students from all disciplines who are interested in the ocean. The program is celebrating its 50th year at the university.