2009 Outstanding Alumnus -Dr. P. Suresh Chandra Rao

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Suresh Rao has had a distinguished career as an educator and scholar in the areas of soil science and environmental hydrology. His diverse range of research interests have spanned from labscale, process-level studies on the environmental fate and transport of various contaminant classes to aquifer-scale and watershed-scale studies on water quality impacts of agricultural, industrial, and urban land uses.

Suresh graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in 1974 with a PhD in soil physics. He returned to the university from 1985 to 1986 while on sabbatical. During his time as a visiting professor, he contributed significantly to the assessment and solution of water quality issues in Hawai‘i related to chemical use in agriculture. His leadership led to the first organized collaborative effort by the university and state agencies to address the problems of groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals.

He has been successful in the development of novel technologies for remediation of contaminated soils and groundwater, and he has received patents with two other colleagues at the University of Florida. The first patent was granted in 1998 for developing a new tracer technique for measuring the interfacial areas between immiscible fluids (airwater and oil-water) in flow systems. The second U.S. patent, granted in 2001, was for a new device to measure water and solute fluxes in aquifers.

His frequent receipt of invitations to present lectures, seminars, and papers around the world is a strong testament to his standing as a well-recognized and highly respected scientist. His work has been reported nationally and internationally in over 250 refereed publications, book chapters, technical reports, and conference proceedings. Perhaps most impressive, Suresh was named an ISI Highly Cited Researcher, an honor bestowed on less than one half of one percent of the five million researchers in the ISI database.

Suresh was designated a fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy, and the American Geophysical Union. Additional honors include a distinguished research award from the University of Florida, the Soil Science Research Award from the Soil Science Society of America, the Environmental Quality Research Award from the American Society of Agronomy, the Scientific and Technology Achievement Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and his being named a Sir Frederick McMaster Fellow by the Council of Industrial Organizations in Australia. He has served on a number of national advisory committees, including the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Research Council.

In addition to his research work, Suresh is dedicated to interdisciplinary graduate education and has taught graduate courses in soil physics, contaminant chemodynamics, contaminant subsurface hydrology, water resources sustainability, and ecological sustainability and resilience. He has also served as chair or co-chair of committees for many PhD and master’s degree candidates in both science and engineering.

Suresh is currently the Lee A. Rieth Chair and Distinguished Professor in the School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University, with a joint appointment in the Agronomy Department within the School of Agriculture. Prior to his move to Purdue in 1999, he was on the faculty of the University of Florida for 25 years, where he was eventually appointed the special title of Graduate Research Professor, a position held by less than one percent of that university’s faculty. He still holds an appointment as emeritus graduate research professor and maintains active collaborations with colleagues there.

Suresh Rao has made outstanding contributions to agricultural research and education, and we are proud to honor him as the CTAHR Outstanding Alumnus for 2009.

2009 Ka Lei Hano Heritage Award - Susan Au Doyle

As the president and chief professional officer at Aloha United Way, Susan Au Doyle leads, manages, and directs the organization to help improve lives, motivate people to help others, increase resources to meet needs, and inspire collective solutions to community problems.

Under her leadership, Aloha United Way identified five areas of great community need: early childhood development, financial stability and independence, crime and drug use, homelessness, and emergency and crisis services. This year, Aloha United Way initiated its new funding strategy in three of these areas—early childhood development, financial stability and independence and emergency and crisis services—investing $1.5 million in targeted funds to make a difference in a variety of areas including developmental screening for preschoolers, emergency food and job training.

Aloha United Way partnered with CTAHR’s Center on the Family to bring public awareness to these issues through groundbreaking publications that have been used extensively throughout Hawai‘i.

Quality of Life in Hawai‘i presented carefully selected community data in six key domains of life, School Readiness in Hawai‘i looked at different facets of school readiness and recommended actions that promote children's healthy development and school success, and Economic Well-being in Hawai‘i presented financial data on why people are struggling to meet the basic expenses of daily living. This partnership provided the scientific knowledge foundation upon which policy and program decisions can be made to assist Hawai‘i’s most vulnerable people.

Before joining Aloha United Way, Susan was president and CEO of the YWCA of O‘ahu and deputy director of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. An alumna of Brown University, she holds a master’s degree in business administration from UH and is a member of the Shidler College of Business Alumni Hall of Honor. She was also named Pacific Business Magazine’s Businesswoman of the Year in 2007.

Susan was a board member for the UH Alumni Association and serves on the UH Ma noa School of Social Work and Queen Lili‘uokalani Children’s Center advisory committees. She is also on the board of the Rotary Club of Honolulu and the Hawaii Employers Council. She has been an active community volunteer, serving on many nonprofit boards and committees focused on children, economic and workforce development, cable television access, and other efforts to improve the well being of Hawai‘i residents.

Strengthening families and communities is one of the three areas of emphasis in CTAHR. Susan clearly has done a lot in this area and has been a valued member of the CTAHR Board of Advisors. Aloha United Way is one of the major agencies that help the most needy in our communities, and it is appropriate to recognize her leadership of that organization that serves the community so well and works so closely with the Center on the Family and others in CTAHR. We are pleased to honor Susan Doyle with the Ka Lei Hano Heritage Award for her dedication to the values of CTAHR and for enriching the lives of those around her.

2009 Ka Pouhana(Mentor) Award - Dr. Mary Martini, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

With a vision of creating a family education center at the University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa, Dr. Mary Martini and a colleague set out to develop a place where students could gain practical experience as well as help families lead more productive and happier lives. The Family Education Training Center of Hawaii (FETCH) opened its doors in February 2004, just two months after initial plans for the center were formulated.

As the co-founder and director of FETCH, Mary volunteers her time to develop and support the program. Through her hard work, dedication, and commitment, FETCH has helped more than 120 students develop their skills and engage in experiential learning, while another 600 students in parenting classes have observed theories in action and given back to their community through service learning. The program has also helped over 300 families, including more than 450 children.

She has enriched the lives of many CTAHR students by giving them opportunities to work with faculty and mental health professionals and educational experiences that prepare them for future career paths. Her belief in teaching stretches beyond the classroom, and she is devoted to the FETCH program in addition to her duties as a professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Her co-curricular efforts are her gift to the students, the community, and the university. Mary Martini generously gives her time to coach and mentor students and families, and we are pleased to honor her with this year’s Ka Pouhana Award.

2009 Excellence in Teaching Award - Dr. Michael Dunn, Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences

Dr. Michael Dunn has the ability to show his students the “bigger picture.” An acclaimed associate professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, his undeniable passion for teaching is shown through his endless dedication to his students.

Michael has the capacity to translate his depth of knowledge into extremely effective and comprehensive teaching of complex subjects, which is a rare gift. He has made outstanding contributions to both his profession and the various nutrition and allied health fields, and to the training of graduate and undergraduate students through a well-balanced research and instruction program.

His breadth of knowledge, technical proficiency, and devotion to student advising and mentoring make him an ideal person to serve as both an undergraduate adviser and the chair of the Nutritional Sciences Graduate Program. He has led development of several new graduate courses, has chaired numerous thesis research programs, and has taught graduate and undergraduate students for the past 20 years. He has also led the effort in establishing a PhD program in Nutrition, which took many years and much persistence to accomplish.

A fellow colleague said that Michael is an “outstanding, dynamic, and exceptionally competent and knowledgeable faculty member who has demonstrated unusual professional maturity and is an asset to academia.” He possesses excellent personal qualities that transfer over to his teachings, and an abundant number of his students will vouch to anyone that as a teacher, Michael is incomparable. We are delighted to have him as part of our faculty and are pleased to present him with the Excellence in Teaching Award.

2009 Excellence in Research Award - Dr. Chennat Gopalakrishnan, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Dr. Chennat Gopalakrishnan, “Gopal” to his colleagues and friends, is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in the field of water economics and policy. Throughout his distinguished professional-academic career, his research has made a valued contribution to the profession, to Hawai‘i, and to sustainable natural resource management nationally and globally.

The impact of his work can be gauged by the many honors and awards he has received, such as his selection as a fellow of the American Water Resources Association in 2003 and as a fellow of the International Water Resources Association in 2008. Gopal is the only individual from the state of Hawai‘i to garner both awards. He is also an active member in six professional organizations, including the American Agricultural Economics Association and the Western Agricultural Economics Association.

At the University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa, Gopal has conducted extensive research in the natural resources field, resulting in the publication of 6 books, more than 60 refereed journal publications, 7 invited book reviews, and over 65 conference papers. He has also had many advisory roles. His research has contributed significantly to advancing the discourse on various aspects of water resources development and management, both nationally and internationally, on a sustained basis.

Gopal produced early and definitive work in marine economics and energy economics and is the founding editor of a new academic journal, published by Routledge, the Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research. He has most generously contributed his scientific and academic knowledge among his peers and students, and it is with great pride that we honor his outstanding work.

2009 Excellence in Extension Award - Andrew Kawabata, Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences

For the past six years, as a county extension agent, Andrew Kawabata has organized and developed various programs and projects on the Big Island, such as the thriving East Hawai‘i Master Gardener program, and an ornamental nursery extension program.

His applied research to develop science-based information is important in helping the Hawai‘i nursery industry to maintain its competitive edge. Andrew received a prestigious grant from the County of Hawai‘i’s Research and Development program and is a co-principal investigator in a USDA/ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center project.

He also collaborated with another extension agent to establish the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, which brings together more than a dozen organizations to collectively address relevant issues. Another of Andrew’s innovations is the successful annual Pest Control Field Day, which has had a major impact on the industry by making it aware of pest problems and management.

Andrew is a key factor in the success of many other associations, including the Hawaii Export Nursery Association and the Big Island Association of Nurserymen, and he has been an asset in scholarly productivity, with his authorship of numerous extension publications, published proceedings, and abstracts. Through his wide knowledge, exceptional work ethic, and ability to solve problems, including many of the industry’s plant disease issues, Andrew continues to demonstrate why his work is beyond outstanding. Thank you, Andrew Kawabata, for all that you have contributed to CTAHR’s extension program.

2009 Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Civil Service - Angel Magno, Waiakea Research Station, Hawai‘i County

As foreman at the Waiakea Research Station, Angel Magno arrives before 5 a.m. each morning, well before the other agricultural research technicians report to work, and he will stay after hours and often comes in on weekends. His work ethic and positive attitude are exceptional. Since 1982, Angel has worked diligently and consistently, and he has greatly contributed to the improvement of CTAHR.

One of his greatest assets is his knowledge of electrical repair, maintenance, and installation. Although this role is not included in his job description, Angel uses what he has learned for the benefit of CTAHR. He has an AS degree in electrical installation and maintenance technology and currently attends night school at Hawai‘i Community College. He has saved thousands of dollars by handling projects such as upgrading nine of our Hawai‘i island facilities and research station greenhouses to meet or exceed current electrical code and safety requirements; he also installed a CISCO network antenna connecting the Komohana Agricultural
Complex to the Cal-Tech Observatory.

Angel supervises seven technicians, more than any other foreman in the Hawai‘i research station system. He has earned the respect of both his subordinates and his supervisors. He is innovative, coming up with practical solutions to difficult problems, and whatever the job, he gets it done.

His skills, expertise, and pleasant disposition have made him indispensible to our agricultural research program. Faculty and staff have come to rely on him heavily, always requesting his assistance personally. We are proud to recognize Angel Magno for his 27 years of outstanding service to the college.

2009 Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Service by an Administrative, Professional, and Technical Employee - Brian Bushe, Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences

As the support person for CTAHR’s Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center Hilo branch, Brian Bushe excels at all of the 40- plus duties and responsibilities listed in his job description. He produces quick and accurate diagnoses of insect pests, plant diseases, and plant-parasitic nematodes, as well as recommendations on how to control them.

He has clearly demonstrated competence and sustained efficiency as a diagnostician. The fact that he is able to handle insect identification, disease diagnosis, and nematode identification and counts, which could be the jobs of three people, is both remarkable and cost-efficient.

Brian has also been instrumental in raising public awareness and support for the college. He regularly volunteers to give talks to growers, students, and the community, and to conduct field clinics to which the public can bring plant samples for diagnoses of pest or disease problems.

His expertise is not limited to plant pests but also to household pests, animal pests and parasites, and pests and pathogens that affect people’s health. Thus he is an indispensable part of the CTAHR Cooperative Extension Service team in Hilo.

Many praise Brian for the exceptional job he does and for his helpfulness and diagnostic abilities. He is a hard-working, selfmotivated individual with a sincere interest in serving his broad range of clients, including extension agents, farmers, landscapers, and home gardeners. Brian Bushe’s integrity and dedication to the mission of the service center and CTAHR’s extension program is unquestionable, and we thank him for his outstanding service.

Scholarships for Academic Year 2009 – 2010

Noel P. Kefford Scholarship Yudai Sumiyoshi Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Richard Shimabukuro Scholarship Joshua Silva Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Ka Hana Po‘okela Award Nicole Tsutahara Animal Sciences

Ka Hana Po‘okela Award Michael Teruel Biological Engineering

2009 Research Symposium Awards

Best PhD Student Oral Presentation Mathews Paret Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences	Best PhD Student Poster Presentation Philip Davy Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering
Best MS Student Oral Presentation Tai McClellan Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences	Best MS Student Poster Presentation Adam Baker Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering

CTAHR Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation  ....................................Kehaulani Lee,  MBBE

CTAHR Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation  ..................................Yudai Sumiyoshi,  TPSS

Gamma Sigma Delta PhD Student Oral Presentation Award of Merit  ................Kevin Schneider, MBBE

Gamma Sigma Delta PhD Student Poster Presentation Award of Merit  ..............Sharadchandra Marahatta, PEPS

Gamma Sigma Delta MS Student Oral Presentation Award of Merit  .................Tyler Ito, PEPS

Gamma Sigma Delta MS Student Poster Presentation Award of Merit  ...............Naomi Yamada, MBBE

Gamma Sigma Delta Undergraduate Oral Presentation Award of Merit  ..............Bobby Kwan, MBBE

Gamma Sigma Delta Undergraduate Poster Presentation Award of Merit  ............Parashar Thapa, MBBE

CTAHR PhD Student Oral Presentation Award of Merit  ............................Brian Andrews-Shigaki, MBBE

CTAHR PhD Student Poster Presentation Award of Merit  ..........................Ching Man Wai, TPSS

CTAHR MS Student Oral Presentation Award of Merit  .............................Jennifer Lai, HNFAS

CTAHR MS Student Poster Presentation Award of Merit  ...........................Melinda Moata, TPSS 

FCS Best Undergraduate Presentation  ...........................................Chelsea Huang

HNFAS Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation  .................................Maire Cahoon

HNFAS Best Graduate Student Poster Presentation  ...............................Mele Fernandez

HNFAS Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation  ....................................Beth Hopping

HNFAS Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation  ..................................Clarissa Koga

MBBE Best PhD Student Oral Presentation  .......................................Ratnesh  Singh

MBBE Best PhD Student Poster Presentation ......................................Kyung Ho Kim

MBBE Best MS Student Oral Presentation  ........................................Gideon  Kipyakwai

MBBE Best MS Student Poster Presentation  ......................................Shizu  Watanabe

MBBE Best Undergraduate Presentation  ..........................................Krystle  Salazar/Jennifer Fukagawa

NREM Best PhD Student Oral Presentation ........................................Cynthia Nazario-Leary

NREM Best PhD Student Poster Presentation  .....................................Mohammad Safeeq

NREM Best MS Student Oral Presentation .........................................Lukas Sheild

NREM Best MS Student Poster Presentation  ......................................Brianna  McDowell

NREM Best Undergraduate Presentation  ..........................................Emily  Phares

PEPS Best Entomology Graduate Student Oral Presentation  .......................Adam Vorsino

PEPS Best Tropical Plant Pathology Graduate Student Oral  Presentation .........Sayaka Aoki

PEPS Best Tropical Plant Pathology Graduate Student Poster  Presentation .......Takena Redfern

TPSS Best PhD Student Poster Presentation  .....................................Archana Pant

TPSS Best MS Student Oral Presentation  ........................................Orville  Baldos

TPSS Best MS Student Poster Presentation  ......................................Alberto  Ricordi

TPSS Best Undergraduate Presentation  ..........................................Daxi  Xu