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Issue 41 | September 21, 2015 | Archive | Subscribe News & EventsIn Style in HamiltonHave a passion for fashion history? You can feed
your craving at Hamilton Library, where the second-floor Bridge Gallery is
hosting a costume exhibition curated by ShuHwa Lin (FDM) with help from Minako McMarthy, JuYoung
Kang, Melody van Buren, ShuFeng Lin, and Jennifer Bright (all FDM). In Style:
Celebrating 50 Years of the UHM Costume Collection is an exhibition of
19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century clothing, textiles, and dolls from the Costume
Collection’s Hawai‘i and Asian sub-collections. This exhibit, which runs September
16 through December 6, features a Qing Dynasty dragon robe, a Japanese uchikake from
the 1970s, and a variety of aloha wear, along with 17 research posters and
15 Asian dolls. While
most of the documentation of the artifacts was provided by Collection
inaugurators Oma Umbel and Mary Ellen Des Jarlais, former curators and other
experts were consulted, including Hamilton's Jack Kormos and Deborah Dunn, Andy Reilly (FDM), and Theresa Sull and Rayneld Johnson. Thanks also
go to Ryan Kurasaki (MBBE) for delivering eight professional mannequins and transporting
the costumes, as well as to Jacqueline Tani and Wayne Fujino (both FCS), and members from of
the FDM 491 course on Costume Museum Management. “A Fair With Local Flair”Anyone who’s going to be on Maui on September 24 through 27 is in for a treat at the 93rd Annual Maui
Fair! CTAHR’s presence will be strong, including faculty presentations such as
“Pest of the Hour,” “Healthy Living Across the Lifespan,” “Technology for
Independent Living,” and “Clean Your Huli”; the launch of the Maui Adopt-A-Garden
giving opportunity, with free gifts for anyone donating during the fair; Master Gardeners selling
plants and honey from the Maui CES garden; a community needs-assessment survey being
conducted by M’Randa Sandlin, with free gifts for everyone who completes a
survey, and CTAHR department informational brochures, publications, and
business cards being distributed. Don’t miss it! GoFarm Going StrongHeard about GoFarm and want to
find out what all the buzz is about? You’re in luck! Cohort 4 of GoFarm Hawai‘i at
Leeward’s beginning farmer training program will be kicking off with the free
AgCurious event scheduled for November 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Leeward Community
College, room GT105. Come learn about farming in Hawai‘i and the GoFarm Hawai‘i
program and sign up for the next cohort of aspiring farmers! Just RSVP by
sending your name to leeward@gofarmhawaii.org,
and you, too, can…GoFarm! ROD Squad at the ParkOn the Big Island and concerned about the dying trees? JB
Friday (NREM) and collaborators Lisa Keith of PBARC and Flint Hughes of USDA’s Forest Service Institute of
Pacific Islands Forestry will discuss Rapid ‘Ohi‘a
Death (ROD) at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s Kilauea Visitor Center
Auditorium, on Sept. 29 from 7 to 8 p.m., as part of the park’s After Dark in
the Park series. Click here and scroll down for more information. Save the Date for Professional DevelopmentThe Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program’s 2015 Agricultural
Professional Development Workshop will be held October 13th and 14th at
the Maui Cooperative Extension Office in Kahului. This 2-day program,
sponsored by WSARE and CTAHR, is designed for the continued professional development of Extension educators, NRCS
field staff, and other agriculture professionals. If you are interested in attending please contact Jari Sugano or Theodore Radovich (both TPSS) at suganoj@ctahr.hawaii.edu or theodore@hawaii.edu. A limited number of travel scholarships are
available, so apply to get a free ride to Maui! Grants & AwardsWhat’s in Your Soil?Susan Crow (NREM) is part of a working group that has been recently
funded by the USGS Powell Center to map the vulnerability of soil carbon to
change and understand how changes to the soil will feedback to the climate
system. The group’s proposal asks, “What lies below? Improving quantification and prediction of
soil carbon storage, stability, and susceptibility to disturbance.” As it
explains, “Soils are a
vast reservoir of organic carbon (C), rendering the fate of soil C an important
control on the global climate system. Widespread changes in soil C storage
capacity present a potentially strong feedback to global change. Yet, a
comprehensive understanding of how soil C will respond to climate and/or
land use disturbance remains elusive, resulting in major uncertainties in
global climate models. Our working group will synthesize information on
the processes controlling soil C storage across different spatial scales
and develop new procedures to translate local measurements to the regional
and global scale datasets used by models. These activities will improve
our ability to map the vulnerability of soil C and constrain the role
of soil change on the climate system.” Congratulations to Susan and her
working group on their important and timely work! Down With Waste, Up With Fuel!Two undergraduate students mentored by Eunsung Kan (MBBE)
won 1st place in oral presentations at the 2015 IKE Scholars Symposium, a competition in the Native Hawaiian
Science and Engineering Mentorship Program sponsored by NSF. Vallerie Smith and Chad Morrow, both juniors in
Civil and Environmental Engineering, conducted their
research on “A Novel Algal
Bioreactor for Wastewater Treatment and Biofuel Production”
over the course of the summer and were also mentored by grad student Yong Hoon Yoo (right).
Congratulations to Vallerie, Chad, Eunsung, and Yong Hoon! Starve the Invasives to Save the NativesAmanda Knauf (MS student, NREM) gave two professional presentations this summer
on her thesis research and was the runner-up for the Outstanding Student Poster award at both: the Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation held in Honolulu—sponsored in part by NREM—and the Hawaii Conservation Conference of the
Hawaii Conservation Alliance held in Hilo. Amanda is working in Creighton Litton’s lab on a study to examine competitive dynamics between native and nonnative plants across a range of soil nutrient availabilities. Soil nutrient availability commonly increases
following disturbances, and elevated nutrient levels in the post-disturbance environment have a large influence on the resulting plant community. Nonnative plants are thought to be better adapted to take advantage of increased soil nutrients, at the expense
of native plants. So Amanda’s research is testing the idea that reducing soil nutrients can tip the competitive advantage back in the favor of native plants. It’s a promising idea—from a researcher with a promising future! Land Use in the West MauisTPSS PhD
student Kim Falinski won the Best Student Oral award—and $500!—at the Hawaii Conservation
Conference in Hilo this summer. Many other grad students from CTAHR also attended
the important conference, at which managers, scientists, non-profits, and government
agencies come together annually to help solve Hawai‘i’s conservation problems.
The talk, entitled “Visualizing Two Centuries of Land Use Change in West Maui,”
discussed
a variety of changes in the native forest contributing to the land’s ability to
retain water, sediment, and nutrients, including the presence of feral pigs
throughout the watershed and changing agricultural practices. She explained
that land managers need to be able to understand the effects on ecosystem
services in watersheds where fallow agriculture lands are being re-developed,
and to predict what future land use will provide the most valuable ecosystem
goods and services. Kim, who works with partners at the Natural Capital
project at Stanford and The Nature Conservancy under Kirsten Oleson (NREM), compared
sediment and nutrient retention, water yield, and carbon sequestration for
different periods in Hawaii’s history (pre-settlement, agricultural boom, 2010,
and a 2020 future scenario). The results show the tradeoffs land use managers
made in the past and suggest possible alternatives for the future. Congratulations,
Kim! Fueling Bio-Fuel ResearchFour students from
Samir Khanal’s (MBBE) Energy and Environmental Research group received NSF
conference grant funding to attend
S1041, the Science and
Engineering for a Bio-Based Industry and Economy Annual Meeting and Symposium,
in Wooster, Ohio earlier in August. The award recipients are MS students Edward
Drielak (second from left) and Shilva Shrestha (right) and PhD students
Chayanon Sawatdeenarunat (second from right) and Duc Nguyen (left). The students presented posters of their research
work in the symposium: Edward’s on “Dilute Acid
Pretreatment: Investigation of Acid Concentration, Time, Temperature and Solid
to Liquid Ratio on Total Sugar Release from Napier Grass”; Shilva’s on “Anaerobic
Digestion of Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Rumen Contents For Enhanced Biogas
Production”; Chayanon’s on “Enhanced Volatile Fatty Acids Production With
Micro-Oxygenation During Anaerobic Digestion of Lignocellulosic Biomass”; and
Duc’s on “Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP)-based Micro-aeration for
Anaerobic Digestion.” Thanks go to the students, and to Samir, for their work
towards increased energy self-sufficiency! Spotlight on Our CommunityA Bash to RememberAt the 27th Annual Welcome Back Ice Cream Bash,
representatives from CTAHR’s departments and administration vied for the top
honors in the costume contest and the ice cream-eating competition. Competing this
year were Von Kaanaana (FCS), Makena Dyer (HNFAS), Roberto Rodriguez (MBBE),
Jonathan Marshall (NREM), Gerald Crank (PEPS), Nicholas Krueger (TPSS), and Cheryl
Ernst (Admin). Congratulations to Nicholas—aka Brock—for winning the costume
contest dressed as a funkadelic broccoli stalk and Von—to-ga! To-ga!—for his
athleticism and coordination during the relay race and for downing his ice cream in record time. Then
students, faculty, and staff enjoyed free ice cream and popsicles generously
donated by Meadow Gold. Over $175 was collected to
support CTAHR’s Pre-Veterinary Club. Big mahalos go out to Meadow Gold for its continuous support of CTAHR; Joannie Dobbs and the NREM and MBBE
departments for use of their facilities; Ray Uchida of the O‘ahu Extension
Office and Ernesto Ortal and Nester Dela Cruz of Pearl City UGC for tent
coverage; and the tireless ice cream scoopers. Thanks are also due to co-emcees
Alex Navarro and Hailey Pederson and the rest of the planning committee,
scholarship recipients, ASAO, SAPFB, and everyone whose efforts made the 27th
Annual Welcome Back Ice Cream Bash a huge success! Seeing the Forest Stewards for the TreesNow entering its fourth year, the Hawaii Forest Stewards Program
celebrates its class of 2015. Sixteen forest landowners gathered at Kilauea
Military Camp at Volcano to participate in an intensive three-day workshop,
balancing half-day classroom sessions with afternoon field trips to managed
private forests. Forest Stewards from the inaugural class of 2012 and the class
of 2013 returned to relate their experiences with applying good forest
management and conservation techniques learned at the workshop to their own
land. They also shared stories of how they reach out to friends and neighbors
to pass on their new forestry knowledge. There are now over 58 graduates of the
Hawaii Forest Stewards program serving the Hawaii community via a wide range of
activities such as school outreach, forest tours, and planting native trees in
public areas! Looking for HomeEthel Villalobos (PEPS), the director
of the UH Honeybee Project, is featured in a recent KITV news story about the
increasing amount of bee swarms that are being seen. The warm, wet weather is
just right for bees, and Ethel explains that overcrowded bee colonies are expanding,
which causes swarms as groups of bees leave with their queen to create a new
colony elsewhere. This is all great news for the bees and for the crops they
pollinate, and Ethel reassures those who may be nervous of the swarms that all
the bees are looking for is a peaceful place to settle down; they don’t want to
attack, so don’t give them any reason to change their minds! Green on the GoKristen Jamieson
(NREM, senior) has been appointed Student Sustainability Coordinator for the entire UH System. Kristen, who
is minoring in TPSS, is looking forward to teaching students the importance of
improving the health of their planet while still having fun, a recent Ka Leo
article about the appointment reported. She’s looking into opportunities for
paid students jobs funded by UH’s sustainability office and will help connect
students with faculty or other members of the community to work together
towards sustainability. She also wants to help the different campuses connect
to share sustainable ideas. Kristen will be helping to organize the annual
Hawai‘i Sustainability in Higher Education Summit in Spring 2015, as she did
last year as a volunteer for Sustainable UH. This year, with the help of
some colleagues, she’s starting up a “compost
pilot project,” which will gather food waste from campus housing and
compost it near the SOFT greenhouse; if possible, she envisions food waste bins
outside of every dorm. Go, Kristen! Passion for Fashion in BerlinAndy Reilly (FDM) took seven UHM students to Berlin this past summer through
the Study Abroad Program. A mix of FDM students and German-language
students, they had the choice of taking classes in either German or English; those
taking English classes took Andy’s course on fashion and society in
20th-century Germany. The group spent six weeks there, the last week
coinciding with Berlin’s fashion week. Students went to fashion shows,
attended a retail convention, visited designers and manufactures, and toured
museum exhibitions that centered around the fashion industry. One student,
Jeremy Divinagracia, was even asked to model in a fashion show for the menswear
brand Evidence on Monday! Here Jeremy (left) stands next to Evidence on Monday
designer and founder Marcin Kleiber. Much Ado About MulchLeyla Kaufman, Marisol Quintanilla, and Mark Wright (all PEPS),
in conjunction with WSARE, held a field day that showcased the benefits of using
reflective plastic mulch in tomato production at the Poamoho Research Station. Eighteen
farmers and agricultural professionals attended the event. There, participants
were able to see firsthand the differences of on-farm application, and the improvements
over conventionally used black plastic mulch were (almost literally!) blinding.
If you missed this event and are curious about the results of this research,
you can access the Extension field day handouts here or watch this video of the
field day from the comfort of your home or office. Thanks go to the O‘ahu Extension Office for facilitating the field day! History and Future on Moloka‘iTwelve
members of the student Horticulture Society visited Moloka‘i to explore its horticulture
and agriculture. Proceeds from plant sales hosted by the society are
used to help reduce the costs of their annual trip. They visited and toured
UH’s Demonstration Farm, near Kualapuu. There they met Extension agent Alton Arakaki, who gave
a brief history of the farm and explained its future endeavors to foster
diversification in Hawai‘i’s ag sector. They saw test plots of peppers, onions,
kalo, and koa, and compared windbreaks of cassava, banana, and shade cloth for
effectiveness. Commercial fences and green fence material were discussed in
terms of keeping the increasing populations of deer out of cash crops. The
group got to hike into the Kalawao/Kalaupapa settlement
to learn the history of Hansen’s disease and to help out the National
Park Service. They helped with beach cleanups, weeded the grounds at
the native plant greenhouse, collected rare palm seeds for propagation efforts,
and air-layered avocado trees planted by past patients. Some even participated
in the annual Hapai Pohaku workshop, in which volunteers rehabilitate and
rebuild old stone walls, recording and photographing artifacts found within the
walls. Ken Leonhardt (TPSS) also visited Kalaupapa to solidify future positions
and internships for upcoming CTAHR students. Thanks to USDA-NIFA for partially funding the trip! Never Enough Pie…County Extension agent Becky
Settlage gives new meaning to the phrase “Big Ag” with the giant pumpkin she
grew for Hilo 4-H’s 2015 Giant Pumpkin Contest. It’s not just a pumpkin,
though; it’s an edible advertisement for the 7th
Annual Big Island Giant Pumpkin Contest, which is coming up in October. The
contest is an activity of the Hawai‘i 4-H Junior Master Gardener Program, in
collaboration with Kekela Farm Market, Waimea Towne Market at Parker School,
and the Hawaii Island School Garden Network. Last year’s contest not only
featured the weighing and displaying of the mammoth squash; there were also
pumpkin-cooking contests, a “Best-Tasting Tomato” contest, and a display of other
giant and unusual-looking vegetables. Expect as much fun and enormous plant
products this year! Guardians of the Garden IsleScores of Kauai residents braved steady
rain showers to participate in the first annual Guardians of the Garden Island event
at the Kaua‘i Agricultural Research
Center. Organized and hosted by the Kauai Invasive Species Committee,
and sponsored in part by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the event brought
together presenters from CTAHR, the Kokee Resource Conservation Program, U.S.
F&W, Malama Kauai, Makauwahi Cave Reserve, Kauai Forest Birds Recovery
Project, Nene Habitat Conservation Plan, Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery
Project (DLNR-DOFAW), and the Hanalei Watershed Hui. Several of these agencies
now have offices at the Research Station, which is increasingly recognized as a
community focal point for activities related to the interface of agriculture
and the environment. Here CTAHR partner Michelle Clark from the US Fish &
Wildlife Service highlights contraband wildlife artifacts in a display at the
Kauai Agricultural Research Center. Kudos to Rachel Smith, the KISC Outreach
team, and the CTAHR farm crew for organizing this event! Discover AgDiscovery!The USDA Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service, in conjunction with CTAHR, hosted its fifth annual
AgDiscovery program this summer. Ten high school students from Hawai‘i,
the Mainland, and American Samoa participated in two weeks of intense
ag learning and career exploration in animal and plant
health, veterinary science, animal and plant disease eradication, plant
pathology, entomology, and wildlife services. Participants lived on the Manoa
campus, learning about agricultural science from university professors,
practicing veterinarians, industry representatives, and US government professionals. AgDiscovery is a nationwide program, but Hawai‘i’s program
is unique in its emphasis on tropical agriculture and the traditional Native Hawaiian values. The students visited a local commercial aquaponics
operation, worked with anthuriums and orchids, learned about local ranching and
ecotourism, helped out at a lo’i, or taro patch, made Hawaiian cuisine using
traditional methods, learned about local biotechnology ventures, gained understanding
of the management of imports and exports to and from the state, and extracted
honey from the comb. Photos and videos can be found here
or here.
For more information, contact Charly Kinoshita at kinoshitac@ctahr.hawaii.edu. In Line for SuccessLynn Sakutori, a fashion design graduate
with local roots, has a new line of clothing, a-line, available in Macy’s
stores. The recent Midweek article about her collection explains that she’s
been making clothing ever since she was twelve, when she joined 4-H and began a
sewing project. After getting her degree in APDM (now FDM), Lynn worked in New
York for such celebrated designers as Nine West, Kenneth Cole, and The Limited.
Returning to Hawai‘i in 2007, she began her own lines, which have also been
carried by Nordstrom. Macy’s special event on November 23, Night of the Stars,
will include the chance to meet Lynn and receive a free clutch bag, so go check
it out! Eating Local, Big Isle StyleFaculty and staff from the Nutrition and Health program area
of Hawai‘i Extension recently spent two days on the Big Island learning about
local efforts in producing, marketing, and selling food that’s grown or made on
the island. The group learned about the Mountain Apple Brand with former Oustanding Alumnus Derek Kurisu
at KTA Super Stores; CTAHR research with farm manager Marla Fergerstrom at Mealani
Experiment Station; tomato production at Kawamata Farms; the outdoor living
classroom of the Mala‘ai Garden at Waimea Middle School; mushroom cultivation
at Hamakua Mushrooms; and the increasing availability of fresh fruits and
vegetables for the hungry through the Food Basket, Hawai‘i Island’s Food Bank, a
development that also supports local farmers. A Honey of a ProjectUH alumnus
and longtime supporter Samuel Kakazu, Jr., has a new plan to help the
university and the environment: the creation and marketing of bumper stickers
whose proceeds will help to support the UH Honeybee Project. In the spirit of
the popular “HE>i” logo, the stickers read “BEES>me.” Mr. Kakazu
explained, “The concept of the mark is a selfless one, in that the welfare of
our pollinators supersedes the individual. The goal of the campaign is to
increase the awareness of their plight and financially support projects
promoting the health of pollinators.” The stickers are on sale for $2.00 at all
Koolau Farmers locations and will also be available at special events. The
Kakazu family has developed a Facebook page to further the project. Horticulture in the Big EasyScience and fun went together at the American Society for
Horticultural Science (ASHS) meeting held in New Orleans in early August. Here,
TPSS grad student Kauahi Perez and junior Extension agent Sharon Motomura pose
for a photo op in Mardi Gras attire provided by ASHS. Kauahi presented a
poster on her plumeria research, and Sharon presented one on production of
ginger seed in Hawai‘i. Also presenting their research findings at the
ASHS conference were TPSS grad student Chandrappah Gangaiah and recent TPSS alumna
Amanda Ackerman. Other TPSS faculty and staff attending included Richard Criley,
Kent Kobayashi,
Nguyen Hue, Susan Miyasaka, and Amjad Ahmad. New PublicationsFathers in the ‘OhanaSelva Lewin-Bizan (FCS, research collaborator
with COF), has written a demographic report, “The State of Fathers in the
State of Hawaii,” for the State
Commission on Fatherhood (under the State Department of Human Services) about
fathers in Hawai‘i that’s been generating a lot of press, including a Honolulu
Star-Advertiser article and coverage on Hawaii Public Radio and KITV. Selva
showed that fathers in Hawai‘i score higher than the national
average in some important areas, including education, employment,
and income. They’re also more likely to be part of a two-parent family and are
less likely to be absent. However, Selva also pointed out areas which fathers
need support: in Hawaii there’s a greater proportion of single fathers among
men who have no formal schooling than those who have higher educational
attainment. The proportion of single fathers is higher among men with annual
earnings of less than $10,000 compared with any group of fathers with higher earnings.
“This combination of factors impairs some men’s ability to financially support
their children,” Selva is quoted as saying in the Star-Advertiser article. The
report, which was released at the state Legislature’s Keiki Caucus at the State
Capitol, is being hailed as an important tool to help the State to help those
father who need extra support. Sleepy Orange Isn’t So SleepyDan Rubinoff and Will Haines (both PEPS) are co-authors, with Janis Matsunaga and
Forest and Kim Starr, of an article in News
of the Lepidopterists’ Society describing a new butterfly that has crossed
the Pacific and rapidly established itself throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The
Sleepy Orange butterfly, they explain, was first seen in December of 2013 in
Waialua on O‘ahu and since has been seen on Maui, Kaua‘i, the Big Island,
Moloka‘i, and Kaho‘olawe, even becoming quite abundant on several islands. As
the article comments, “It is
remarkable how quickly and thoroughly A. nicippe spread throughout the
archipelago.” The larvae eat Senna species, which include shower trees. Oh, Gee, Algae!Check out
the latest issue of Biotech in Focus. This issue, based on a paper written by
student Megan Manley for the class TPSS 416 Introduction to Social, Ethical,
and Political Issues Associated With Biotechnology, focuses on the possibility
of using genetically engineered algae as a possible source of biofuel. As the
issue points out, “Algae are among the most efficient producers of biomass”;
therefore, they have the potentially to be a readily renewable source of a
variety of resources, including energy production. This issue and previous ones
can be found at the Biotech in Focus website. Anthuriums (Heart) Anthurium Blight WebsiteAre your anthuriums looking…blighted? Anthurium blight is a
serious disease that has severely impacted Hawai‘i’s anthurium industry. CTAHR
has been instrumental in the fight against the pest since it was first
discovered, and now a new website created by Scot Nelson (PEPS) describes its
history and shows what’s in store for the future. Anthurium Blight: Pathogen,
Symptoms and Management offers just what its title suggests, including what the
disease is, what’s been done about it in the past, and what is being done to
curb it now. The faculty involved with the associated 5-year HATCH project “Production,
assessment and disease management of hybrid anthurium cultivars” are PI Anne
Alvarez (PEPS) and co-PI’s Teresita Amore (TPSS) and Brent Sipes and Kelvin
Sewake (both PEPS). The website will continue to be updated over time as new
data and publications from the project and investigators become available. In MemoriamBill RaynorWe are saddened to report that CTAHR alumnus Bill
Raynor passed away at his home in Pohnpei. When Bill came to Pohnpei 34 years
ago as a Jesuit volunteer, he quickly learned that the Western-style production
agriculture he was trained in was not appropriate to an ancient Pacific Island culture.
He learned from local farmers and then studied agroforestry in CTAHR’s Agronomy
and Soil Science department under Dr. Jim Fownes. Together, they developed ways
to analyze and quantify properties of the traditional and very complex
Pohnpeian agroforestry system. He wrote several articles on agroforestry in
Pohnpei that remain fundamental papers in the field. He then led a watershed
conservation project in Pohnpei and eventually joined The Nature Conservancy,
first as director of the Micronesia program and eventually serving as director
of the Asia-Pacific region. In 2012 he was selected as keynote speaker for the
Hawaii Conservation Conference. But probably more important to Bill were his roots
in the community in Pohnpei, where he married and raised a large family. Fluent
in Pohnpeian, he earned the Pohnpeian honorific
title Soumadau en Pei ni Eng Eihr—the Lord of the Altar of the East Wind. Here
he is pictured (left) with friend and colleague JB Friday (NREM), who wrote the moving
tribute to Bill. He will be missed. If you would like to modify or end your subscription to CTAHR Alumni & Friends, please click here. |