A team from the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo is taking a bird’s-eye view in the fight against one of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s most damaging invasive insects, the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB).

Researchers from UH �ᾱ����’s (SDAV) Lab joined the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) on an aerial survey over Kona in October. Flying aboard a helicopter equipped with high-powered cameras and GPS, the group scanned about 4,000 acres for mulch piles and signs of beetle activity.

“The goal of this survey was to fly over residential areas to search for mulch and green waste piles so BIISC can better target their ground surveys for CRB grubs and beetles,” said Olivia Jarvis, a geospatial research associate who earned a bachelor’s degree in and a master’s degree in at UH Hilo.

The flight team included pilot David Okita from Volcano Helicopters, BIISC’s Dustin Swan, and SDAV researchers Jarvis and Andrew Meyer and Ryan Perroy, a UH Hilo professor who leads the SDAV lab.

“My main contribution on the day was to help set up SDAV’s helicopter imaging rig, which allows us to securely mount visual cameras for helicopter based mapping operations,” said Meyer who also earned an environmental science degree at UH Hilo. “I was also providing our skillful pilot, David Okita, a flight guide to ensure we effectively map the area of interest.”

Back to the lab

Back in Hilo, the SDAV team analyzed more than 6,000 high-resolution images, digitally stitched into a single mosaic map. Researchers searched for mulch piles, damaged coconut trees, or other clues of beetle presence.

Researchers hope the view from above can make tracking the invasive beetle faster and far more effective.

—By Susan Enright, UH Hilo Stories

In the waters surrounding Pohnpei, a young researcher set out to protect the coastline he called home. Bryan Tonga, a former major and graduate student at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo, led the first island-wide study of nearshore water quality in Pohnpei, part of the Federated States of Micronesia. His work was recently published—nearly four years after his death.

Tonga died in a hiking accident in August 2020, just one class and a completed thesis away from earning his graduate degree in the . He was awarded that degree posthumously in 2021. His professors and a classmate at UH Hilo completed Tonga’s study in his honor. Coauthors include fellow student Devon Aguiar, now working in Hilo on coral reef protection, and marine science faculty Tracy Wiegner, Karla McDermid and Steven Colbert.

“Since 2020, we’ve been working on and off to complete his manuscript,” said Wiegner, a marine science professor.

Establishing baseline water conditions

Tonga’s research focused on identifying sewage pollution along Pohnpei’s coastline. He spent two summers collecting water and algae samples from 31 stations around the island.

In a 2020 interview with , Tonga explained, “In order to figure out if the macroalgae are getting nutrients from sewage pollution in the water, we’re taking readings of Nitrogen-15, which has very specific values for human sewage.”

Tonga’s work now serves as a baseline for Pohnpei and other Pacific islands facing climate change.

“In Pohnpei, like here on the island of �鶹��ý, a lot of houses use cesspools,” Wiegner said. “With rising sea levels, they can become inundated with sea water and sewage can flow out to the nearshore reefs.”

Tonga’s samples were analyzed at UH �ᾱ����’s , where he worked as a student assistant for six years.

Invaluable legacy

His research contributes not only to Pohnpei’s future but to the broader Pacific region’s efforts to protect reefs and manage pollution. Wiegner called his work “cutting edge.”

“He was so happy to see how much he had accomplished,” noted Wiegner. “He was in a good, happy place!”

—By Susan Enright

A newly published study confirms that wastewater from cesspools and the Hilo sewage treatment plant is reaching nearshore waters, impacting coral reefs and potentially human health. The findings are the result of two years of research by UH Hilo marine scientists and students, who used dye tracer tests to track sewage movement.

“We found dye emerge at the shoreline every time,” said Steve Colbert, UH Hilo associate professor of . “And the water moved fast, one to two football fields [in length], including end zones, each day.”

‘Pilau meter’

The project began after Keaukaha residents raised concerns about strong sewage odors and possible health risks from pollution. Lead researcher Shayla Waiki, a former UH Hilo graduate student, focused her thesis on tracking sewage in Keaukaha. Waiki is now a natural resources specialist with the Army National Guard and plans to apply to UH ����ԴDz�’s this year.

Using water samples and the “Pilau-meter,” a public reporting tool for bad smells at Puhi Bay, researchers confirmed what the community suspected—sewage is present, and it’s traveling through groundwater quickly. Pilau is the Hawaiian word for stink, rotten, foul.

UH Hilo researchers found that sewage in Keaukaha’s coastal waters is moving faster than previously recorded in �鶹��ý. They stress that Hilo should be a top priority for cesspool conversion to prevent further contamination.

Health and environmental risks

Keaukaha, home to �ᾱ����’s sewage treatment plant, also has numerous cesspools near the shoreline. Wastewater from these systems can introduce harmful bacteria and pollutants into coastal waters, raising concerns about infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among residents.

The study’s findings are already driving action.

“Results from this research have been shared with the community and �鶹��ý county, and are being used by the county to help prioritize locations for sewer line expansion in Hilo as part of the statewide effort to transition away from cesspools,” said Tracy Wiegner, a professor at UH Hilo who co-authored the study.

Team effort

The study was a collaboration between �鶹��ýHilo faculty and students, including former graduate students Joseph Nakoa and Devon Aguiar, and marine science undergraduates Nicolas Storie and Ashlynn Overly. Today, they are continuing environmental work in doctoral programs and conservation efforts across �鶹��ý.

UH Hilo marine science undergraduates Darienne Kealoha, Kaitlin Villafuerte, Finn Reil and Brooke Enright, and graduate student Walter Boger also contributed to the study. Other co-authors include Karla McDermid (marine science professor, UH Hilo), Noe Puniwai ( associate professor, UH ����ԴDz�) and Craig Nelson ( professor, UH ����ԴDz�).

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—By Susan Enright

A pair of University of �鶹��ý alumni received the 2025 (PAEMST)—the nation’s highest award that a science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the U.S.

Whitney Aragaki earned her PhD in education from the and MS from the , and Gregory Kent earned his MEd in and BEd in from UH ����ԴDz�.

Aragaki: biology, environmental science, research educator

Aragaki teaches biology, environmental science and research at Waiākea High School in Hilo. In 2021, she was selected as one of three state finalists in the science category and was named the �鶹��ý State Teacher of the Year. She was also selected to the inaugural cohort of the Obama Foundation Leaders USA program in 2023.

“This award underscores the impact of our daily work as science and math educators,” Aragaki said. “The teaching community in �鶹��ý is so strong and passionate about supporting our local students, and I am in awe of the work of those that I have the honor of sharing this award with. My work is also enlivened by the opportunity to engage with youth every day, and I do not take that for granted.”

Read more about Aragaki on the and in .

Kent: STEM, technology coordinator

Kent works with PreK–6th grade teachers on STEM units as the technology coordinator at Kailua Elementary School. He was the state finalist in the math category in 2022 and a finalist for the �鶹��ý State Teacher of the Year in 2024.

“This award highlights the importance of science and math globally, nationally and in our community,” Kent said. “I really feel like I am where I belong, and this award motivates me to create more meaningful learning experiences for all of our students, including more career and technical education opportunities for our school and our community.”

Read more about Kent on the .

As PAEMST awardees, Aragaki and Kent received a certificate signed by then President Joe Biden, a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

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

A alumna is shedding light on the critical decline of reef and water quality on the Kohala coast with an innovative interactive “story map.” Katie Gaut, who founded , a geographic information system firm, inputted data collected by UH Hilo marine scientists to create the which documents alarming sewage pollution issues impacting one of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s most important coral reefs.

Once boasting 53% coral cover, Puakō’s reef has plummeted to less than 5% and according to experts is on the verge of collapse. The story map documents sewage pollution issues at Puakō, backed by scientific research conducted through the years by UH Hilo marine science faculty and students. Lead researchers on the Puakō project are professors Tracy Wiegner, Steve Colbert and Jim Beets, an emeritus professor who mentored Gaut during her graduate studies.

• Related UH News story: Puakō sewage runoff leads to wastewater treatment plant recommendation, December 13, 2021

“It’s not the kind of water that I would want to be swimming in, and it also has implications for our coral reef health,” said Colbert.

Hope for restoration

Despite the grim data, the story map offers hope, highlighting efforts by local residents and scientists to restore the reef.

“This is about more than just the reef, it’s about respect for land and culture,” said Kawehi Apo, a Puakō descendant and cultural practitioner.

Since 2014, UH Hilo researchers have been studying the Puakō reef, uncovering the damaging effects of sewage on coastal waters. Their data reveals elevated levels of harmful bacteria, pathogens, and nutrients that exceed health department standards. Excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus fuel the growth of marine algae, which suffocates the coral. The area has also experienced coral die-offs and bleaching events, worsened by pollution.

UH Hilo based research reveals that wastewater from homes in the area enters the ocean within hours, contributing to the reef’s rapid decline.

• Related UH News story: UH Hilo researchers track sewage leakage rate into Kahaluʻu Bay, August 19, 2024

The story map shows that solutions are possible and features photos and visuals expressing resiliency and the hope for revitalization, all grounded in not only the data, but in a deep respect for the original stewards.

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—By Susan Enright

Marine scientists from the conducted an eye-catching experiment on August 9, along the coastline of Kahaluʻu Bay, just south of Kailua-Kona. The team introduced a small amount of fluorescein dye, which glows bright green under sunlight, into a local residence’s sewage disposal system. This test was designed to track whether the dye would reach the shoreline and, if so, how quickly.

• Related UH News story: Rising public risk of infection at Hilo Bay linked to climate change, August 12, 2024

“Sure enough, the dye emerged at a shoreline spring, telling us that the wastewater from at least one home, and possibly more, is flowing out into Kahaluʻu Bay,” said Steve Colbert, a UH Hilo professor who is leading the study.

Kahaluʻu Bay is home to a unique coral reef ecosystem and is also one of the state’s most popular snorkeling locations. According to the County of �鶹��ý, more than 400,000 people visit the shallow, nearshore reef each year to view its diverse marine life, colorful fish and coral colonies.

Faster flow rate

UH Hilo researchers said what surprised them the most during the testing was how fast the groundwater was carrying sewage to the shoreline.

“We measured groundwater flow rates of 304 yards per day,” said Colbert. “So for homes with cesspools near Aliʻi Drive, sewage can reach the shoreline in less than six hours. Put another way, a toilet flush at high tide may be at the shoreline by the next low tide.”

Colbert noted this is faster than any flow rate the researchers have measured in Keaukaha, Hilo, and twice as fast as the fastest flow at Puakō.

Rising sea levels

The research team included UH Hilo graduate student Ihilani Kamau, who is studying how rising sea levels due to global warming will affect sewer infrastructure and water quality in Kailua-Kona.

“Another purpose is to document and identify sewage pollution hotspots along the Kailua-Kona shoreline and determine which onsite sewage disposal systems and wastewater treatment infrastructures will be affected by sea level rise,” said Kamau who is in the graduate program.

Research at Kahaluʻu Beach Park is a part of a larger project funded by the , which is a collaboration between UH Hilo, UH ����ԴDz� and the U.S. Geological Survey.

For more go to .

—By Susan Enright

Scientists and kiaʻi loko (fishpond practitioners) have a new tool to aid their efforts to restore and ensure the resilience of Native Hawaiian fishponds. Researchers from the University of �鶹��ý and fishpond stewards in Hilo, are using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, to support integrated coastal zone management, including at cultural heritage sites. The study was published in the .

“We discovered that drones are effective and cost-efficient tools for mapping loko iʻa at the community level, providing kiaʻi loko iʻa with better insights into the timing and locations of flooding and future sea level rise impacts on their fishponds,” said Kainalu Steward, lead author of the study and doctoral student in the UH Mānoa (SOEST).

Loko iʻa, traditional Hawaiian fishponds located along the coastline, have historically provided sustainable seafood sources. These culturally important sites are undergoing revitalization through community-driven restoration efforts. However, as sea-level rise poses a significant climate-induced threat to coastal areas, loko iʻa managers are seeking adaptive strategies to address related concerns such as flooding, water quality, and the viability of native fish species.

King Tides as estimate of future sea level

The researchers’ surveys determined that by 2060, the average sea level along the Keaukaha coastline in Hilo will be similar to the extreme tidal events, known as King Tides, during summer 2023. Steward and Brianna Ninomoto, a master’s student in at , devised a plan to investigate how future sea-level rise will affect loko iʻa by assessing the impacts of the summer 2023 King Tides.

Throughout the summer, including during the extreme high tide events, researchers collected drone imagery in real time and monitored water levels using sensors submerged at each loko iʻa. They compared flooding predicted from drone-derived topography models and more commonly used Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived models to the observed flooding documented by drone imagery.

The team found that digital elevation models derived from drone surveys accurately estimated observed flooding during extreme high tide events, whereas LiDAR flood models, which are nearly 20 years old for the Hilo region, significantly overestimated observed flooding by 2–5 times. Loko iʻa practitioners, however, reported that occasionally during severe weather and large swell events, these particular areas modeled from LiDAR data do flood. This suggests that data collected by LiDAR offers a more conservative and cautious understanding of coastal flooding, emphasizing that data collected by drone and LiDAR are important components when forecasting and managing the areas.

Supporting Native Hawaiian scientists, community

Funding for this research was awarded through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) for the project, “,” led by co-author and SOEST Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences Haunani Kane. The program engages underrepresented populations through a wide variety of initiatives. Multiyear grants are awarded to assist Minority Institution faculty and students in research related to pertinent missions.

“One of the goals of this project is to increase the capacity of Native Hawaiian students in assessing and evaluating impacts of sea level rise upon cultural resource sites,” said Kane. “This project supports five undergraduate students and three local Native Hawaiian students as they work towards obtaining their master’s and doctorate degrees in science at the University of �鶹��ý.”

“This research is important for enhancing coastal community adaptation, resilience, and food security in the face of climate change,” said Ninomoto. “This work was ultimately done to support loko iʻa practitioners along Keaukaha and the future management of their ʻāina as the impacts of flooding become more severe.”

Another component of the NASA-funded project is storytelling and outreach to the community. John Burns, study co-author and UH Hilo associate professor in and , and the have a community lab space at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in Downtown Hilo where the research team uses virtual reality and short films to share stories and engage the community in discussions of how climate change is impacting coastal resources in �鶹��ý.

UH researchers plan to continue working with the kiaʻi loko iʻa in Keaukaha, to provide up-to-date aerial imagery of their fishpond to support restoration efforts.

“Loko iʻa are examples of how our kūpuna have adapted to changes in climate for generations, and we want to contribute towards their resilience and perpetuation by integrating modern technology,” said Steward.

–By Marcie Grabowski

It’s been 20 years since Don Price, then a biology professor at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo, used funding from a $9 million grant from the National Science Foundation to start a new graduate program focused on preparing students for careers in conservation and environmental science.

Two decades later, students from the UH Hilo now serve as conservation and environmental scientists and managers throughout �鶹��ý.

“The overall mission of the proposed program is to provide recent baccalaureate graduates and those currently working in conservation biology and environmental science with graduate training that will prepare them for careers as conservation and environmental scientists and managers,” said Price in a 2004 media release.

An interdisciplinary and diversity rich program

The TCBES program has given graduate students the opportunity to immerse themselves in studies, research, and environmental and community service in interdisciplinary fields ranging from animal science, anthropology, applied engineering, to pharmacy, philosophy and psychology.

“One of the most gratifying things about teaching and mentoring TCBES students is witnessing their growth during their master’s process, and the incredible success they have had in landing jobs after, or sometimes even before, graduation,” said Becky Ostertag, a professor and former director of the TCBES graduate program.

Collaborative research between faculty, students and federal and state agencies is a hallmark of the program. Students follow one of two tracks; conduct a thesis or professional internship. Much of the work published by students is largely based in Hawaiian environments such as marine, tropical rainforests and urban areas.

More than 60% of students in the program are �鶹��ý residents. The program attracts, retains and graduates many minority students, including Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiian which account for 18% of participants. Many with Native Hawaiian ancestry are leaders in a movement to weave cultural values and
ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) into scientific endeavors and teaching.

—By Susan Enright

A team of researchers from the and are leading the charge to explore the relationship between hooved animals and the spread of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD). Maps of hard hit districts on �鶹��ý Island were recently released online from a collaborative study involving community, county, state and federal experts and in infecting ʻōhiʻa trees with the fatal fungus, Ceratocystis lukuohia, that cause ROD and how fencing can help prevent the spread of the disease.

According to UH researchers, the animals damage healthy trees by digging up roots and stripping off bark. The damage makes the tree more susceptible to infection by the fungal spores carried in soil or the wind.

Fence-off �鶹��ý’s forests

Spatial data, collected using remote-sensing technology, high-resolution satellite and helicopter imagery obtained from January 2019 through January 2023, show a greater spread of ʻōhiʻa die off in unfenced areas hooved animals can access and significantly lower ʻōhiʻa mortality in forest areas where hooved animals are blocked out by fencing. The UH researchers teamed with the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Department of Hawaiian Homelands, The Nature Conservancy, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assess data from forested areas within Hāmākua to Kaʻū on �鶹��ý Island. The project is funded by the DLNR and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

“The surveying and monitoring of ʻōhiʻa forests remains one of our team’s top priorities,” said Brian Tucker, a ROD data specialist at UH ����ԴDz� through the university’s Research Corporation. “These observations help guide our research projects, forest management practices and public outreach. We noticed a trend where the forests have less mortality due to ROD when protected from feral animals, especially cattle and pigs. We love our forests and it gives us hope because there are tools available for meaningful action to minimize the most devastating effects of ROD.”

Closer-look at ROD impacts

In October 2022, high-resolution satellite imagery analysis of two equally sized areas across the fenced boundary of �鶹��ý Volcanoes National Park showed 99% of the 3,398 suspected trees impacted by ROD were in the unfenced area.

Analysis of remote-sensing and high-resolution satellite imagery occurred collaboratively with Tucker and researchers at the UH Hilo (SDAV) laboratory, with UH Hilo student geospatial analyst Naiʻa Odachi performing much of the work. The lab specializes in geospatial technology, which is integral in obtaining aerial imagery to detect ʻōhiʻa mortality at an individual tree level.

“Remote sensing using aerial and high-resolution satellite imagery has allowed researchers to expand monitoring capabilities on �鶹��ý Island,” said Odachi, who is pursuing a master’s in at UH Hilo. “This imagery is used to identify individual dying ʻōhiʻa trees and can be used to direct field crews for sampling and ultimately lab analysis to confirm ROD infection.”

At the 2023 �鶹��ý Conservation Conference this summer, Odachi presented ROD investigations she conducted at UH �ᾱ����’s SDAV and won the Outstanding Graduate Student Oral Presentation Award.

This newly published study stems from led by UH Hilo Geographer Ryan Perroy, a professor of and director of the SDAV research lab. Perroy’s team revealed significant differences in areas on �鶹��ý Island with and without ungulates, suggesting that ungulate exclusion is an effective management tool to lessen the impacts of ROD in forested areas in �鶹��ý.

• Related UH News story: Rapid ʻōhiʻa death linked to hoofed animals in UH Hilo research, August 17, 2021

“With ʻōhiʻa making up 80% of our remaining native forests, preventing or reducing damage from ROD and hooved animals is critical for protecting our watersheds and only source of fresh water in �鶹��ý,” said Rob Hauff, state protection forester at �鶹��ý DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

ROD spread outlook

ʻŌhiʻa mortality has been observed in every district on �鶹��ý Island, with some areas showing very high rates of mortality. Outbreaks with significant ROD mortality were also reported on Kauaʻi. This collaborative study is geared toward building upon effective management strategies already in place to help protect �鶹��ý’s remaining ʻōhiʻa, and increase native forest regeneration and restoration.