{"id":215848,"date":"2025-05-13T15:05:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T01:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=215848"},"modified":"2025-05-17T22:22:04","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T08:22:04","slug":"fijian-roots-stories-inspired-grad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/05\/13\/fijian-roots-stories-inspired-grad\/","title":{"rendered":"Fijian roots, stories inspired environmental sciences graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Maya Singh working in the Kealoha lab for her senior research thesis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a kid, Maya Singh heard from her family stories about the ocean and land in Fiji that inspired her passion for the outdoors and, ultimately, for environmental science.<\/p>\n

“I grew up in British Columbia, Canada, but my family is from Fiji,” said Singh, who will be graduating this month from the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa with a bachelor\u2019s degree in global environmental science<\/a> (GES<\/abbr>). “My grandpa would tell me stories of him and his brothers catching shrimp outside and playing in the ocean and rivers. It really inspired me to want to live closer to the ocean.”<\/p>\n

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Singh in the field collecting water samples.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With a passion for the environment and ocean, Singh moved to Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> after graduating high school to pursue a degree at the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology<\/a>. For her senior research, Singh worked with mentor and oceanography<\/a> Assistant Prof<\/abbr>. Andrea Kealoha<\/a> to support coastal management and preservation on L\u0101naʻi<\/span>. She developed a beach carrying capacity tool to determine the maximum number of visitors a beach can hold without surpassing the limits of acceptable environmental or social change at the beach.<\/p>\n

As the culmination of this research effort, Singh wrote a senior thesis and presented her findings at the Spring 2025 GES<\/abbr> Symposium, a showcase of the research conducted by graduating GES<\/abbr> students.<\/p>\n

“This tool was developed as a means to understand the changes at the beach and how we can best preserve the beach for future generations,” said Singh. “The thing I enjoy most about conducting this research is being able to work with the community and make a difference. Talking to the local community in the field and connecting with high school students to share the research we are conducting and why it’s important is very fulfilling.”<\/p>\n

Meet more amazing UH<\/abbr> spring graduates<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Supported by funding from the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program<\/a>, Singh also worked with Keiko Wilkins, a doctoral candidate in Bob Richmond\u2019s research group at Kewalo Marine Laboratory<\/a>, to investigate how plastic pollution threatens marine ecosystems. Specifically, she tested the effects of microplastics on sea urchin fertilization. Singh also assisted with collecting and preparing coral samples for Wilkins\u2019s dissertation research on microplastic effects on corals in the Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n

The academic and research experiences Singh has had through the GES<\/abbr> program have solidified her commitment to pursuing a career in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> in environmental science after graduation. Eventually, she hopes to continue with her education by working toward a graduate degree in oceanography.<\/p>\n

—By Marcie Grabowski<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maya Singh is graduating from UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa with a degree in environmental science and a mission to protect coastal ecosystems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":215851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[234,662,758,1298,508,1466,1467,1314,107,92,660,73,9,1450,1497],"class_list":["post-215848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-commencement","tag-environment","tag-environmental-science","tag-global-environmental-science","tag-kewalo-marine-laboratory","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-manoa-excellence-in-research","tag-manoa-sustainability","tag-oceanography","tag-school-of-ocean-and-earth-science-and-technology","tag-student-recognition","tag-sustainability","tag-uh-manoa","tag-undergraduate","tag-urop","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t