University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Skip BreadcrumbHome >> CTAHR News

CTAHR News

[2024] [2023] [2022] [2021] [2020] [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013] [2012] [2011] [2010] [2009] [2008] [2007] [2006] [2005] [2004] [2003] [2002] [2001


2014


December



Getting Businesses Off the Ground

12/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image for Startup 101 classThe College of Engineering and Outreach College are jointly offering a class that may be of interest to CTAHRites or clients: Startup 101, a hands-on workshop that “introduces and simulates the startup experience.” It will be given on Mondays and Wednesdays, January 26 through May 6, from noon to 1:15 at the UHM Sakamaki Innovation Zone, D101. Participants will learn all about launching a startup company, everything from market assessment and financing to legal knowledge and fundraising, and beyond. The class is free to UHM undergrads, $75 for all others. Call 956-8400 or check here for more information.

GMOs: How Do You Know?

12/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Biotech in Focus 23 coverIs your “non-GMO”-labeled food really 100-percent free of genetically modified organisms? How is this categorization determined? Find out some of the questions surrounding the labeling controversy in the latest Biotech in Focus newsletter from Ania Wieczorek (TPSS)—as well as how many insect fragments are acceptable in flour! You can also find back issues of the newsletter at the Biotech in Focus website.

Cutting-Edge Design

12/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

BreadfruitWant to see the wave of the tech future? You’re invited to attend the final design presentations for students in BE 420 (Sensors and Instrumentation for Biological Systems), on Thursday, December 18, from noon to 2:00 p.m. in Ag Engineering 123 (that’s the room at the back of the machine shop between Gilmore and St. John). Students will present design projects that can help users to trap mosquitoes, keep cool using a wearable device, test for breadfruit ripeness, and other useful and exciting pursuits. Check them out now—and when you see them in the Sharper Image catalogue, you’ll be able to say you saw them first!

The Season for Science

12/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

girl with maginfying glassIn this season of giving, there’s an opportunity for community service for any CTAHR students or faculty who are interested in helping St. Ann’s School in Kane‘ohe with their Science Fair. The time commitment is just a few hours on January 6, 2015, spent judging student projects. There will be around 32 students in the 6th through the 8th grades participating, for whom the school hopes to have at least 10 volunteer judges. The students are often enthusiastic about what they have done, and those who have been involved in this and similar science fairs say that they find the experience satisfying and inspiring. Please contact Halina Zaleski (HNFAS) at halina@hawaii.edu or Tony Ostrowski at aostrowski808@yahoo.com for more information. They need to know by December 20, so put on your Santa hats and lab coats!

Going Ballistic in Maui

12/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Cindy Reeves by helicopterMaui County Administrator Cindy Reeves got up close and personal with James Leary’s (NREM) Herbicide Ballistic Technology: she rode shotgun on a helicopter ride to survey for and target the invasive miconia overrunning Maui’s watershed areas. It was a wonderful experience, she says. She is pictured between Teya Penniman of the Maui Invasive Species Council and James, who’s all suited up for the flight.

Far Beyond Lederhosen

12/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Kickstarter campaign for Berlin Street StyleAndy Reilly (FCS) will be teaching a study-abroad class this summer in Berlin. The class, “Fashion in 20th Century Germany,” examines the political influences and uses of clothing and fashion in this culture- and history-rich city. For example, clothing was entertainment in the Weimar Era and social control in the Nazi era, and when Germany was split it was propaganda for both sides. Now, fashion in Berlin is big business. Andy’s also hoping to have his students work on a book on Berlin street style, a companion piece to his recently published Honolulu Street Style. The students would help with scouting residents to photograph and interview and with photography, interviewing, and writing. He’s got a publisher but needs to help defray costs, so he’s put together a campaign on Kickstarter to bring in donations for this fashion-forward educational project. Good luck, Andy…or is that “viel Glück”?

The Water Disasterscape

12/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

New England watershedsChennat Gopalakrishnan (NREM, emeritus) edited the January 2015 issue of the Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research, now out, on the topic “Designing Water Disaster Management Policies: Theory and Empirics.” Gopal explains that ossified governance structures, polycentric decision-making entities, entropy-ridden institutions, cascading conflict scenarios, deep-seated and wide-ranging internal feuds and precariously perched, top-heavy decision agencies significantly add to the complexity of policy domains in the water disasterscape. Such an intractable combination of essentially incompatible forces and features renders the design and implementation of effective and efficient disaster risk management policies an extraordinarily challenging proposition. Against this bleak backdrop, well-intentioned policies stumble into a collision course, making the emergence of workable policies exceedingly difficult. This special issue helps to identify, examine, analyze and assess the complex world of disaster management and to design robust, effective, implementation-friendly, widely accessible and affordable policies. It should be of considerable appeal to a large audience, in view of the increasing intensity and frequency of water disasters in recent years globally. Free access to some of the papers is available here.

Cultural and Ecological Restoration

12/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Kawika WinterKawika Winter, the director of Limahuli Garden and Preserve and the coordinator of Ha‘ena Makai Watch, will be offering the latest installment of NREM’s ‘Imi ‘Ike Research Seminar Series, taking place on Wednesday, December 10, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Sherman 103. Dr. Winter will be discussing “Conservation Past and Present: Applying ‘Traditional Ecological Knowledge’ Philosophies to Contemporary Conservation Practices on Kaua‘i.” An unintended consequence of applying imported conservation philosophies, the presentation explains, is the alienation of both Native and local Hawaiian communities from conservation efforts in the resource management areas that they depend upon and are engaged with. In order to reverse this trend, Dr. Winter suggests building conservation programs founded in Hawaiian conservation philosophies so that communities can embrace conservation efforts as part of overall efforts at cultural restoration.

Sweet and Bright

12/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Poinsettia plant and Christmas cookiesWhat says Christmas like poinsettias and yummy baked goods? Well, now these two iconic avatars of holiday delight have been combined into one sale, the Horticulture Club’s Poinsettia and Bake Sale, happening on Wednesday, December 10, in St. John 10. The sale will start at 10 a.m. and continue as long as there are any blooms or cookies left to sell. Get yourself some cheer for eye and stomach!

Kalo Call-Out

12/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students harvesting taroCTAHR’s hybrid taro varieties are favorably mentioned in a recent article and introduction to all things taro in Kaua‘i’s Garden Island newspaper—they’re “large, moist” and “ideal for making poi.” But whether you choose a high-producing CTAHR hybrid, as many commercial poi producers do, or whether you’d prefer to go with one of the traditional varieties that are also grown in the college’s test plots, why not try some taro? Reading this article is a good way to begin if you’re not sure how to enter the world of taro consumption; then, start eating! You’ll be culturally, gastronomically, and professionally glad you did.

International Extension for Successful Collaboration

12/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Kheng CheahKheng Cheah is back from China after spending half of November at the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) in Hainan and the Flower Research Institute of the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Kunming. The trip is part of ongoing cooperative research collaborations in tissue culture, a continuation of her international Extension work in opening new markets for Hawai‘i growers and establishing an international tissue culture network. She gave presentations on woody plant tissue culture and provided problem-solving, strategic planning, and troubleshooting consultations on tissue culture protocol development to some 20 researchers engaged in individual projects with tropical crops in both research centers. A trip highlight was the successful production of 30,000 tissue-cultured oil palm plants by researchers at the Rubber Research Institute, CATAS. Over the last two years Kheng has provided training on technical and project management aspects of oil palm tissue culture, contributing to their success. Another highlight is the continuing development of FRI’s commercial tissue-culture facility, currently producing 1 million plants per year and planning to reach 30 million. This visit also served to overcome licensing obstacles related to shipping, import/export procedures, and payments for three Hawai‘i growers, and FRI is interested in licensing new plants from Hawai‘i breeders and growers.

Raining Weed-Doom From on High

12/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

James Leary by helicopterFor those who are fascinated by James Leary’s (NREM) Herbicide Ballistic Technology but aren’t exactly sure how it works or what its effects are, the recent article in Dow AgroSciences’ newsletter Vistas is a great—and deservedly laudatory—explanation of the genesis, deployment, and successes of HBT. This technology, the article explains, allows invasive-species managers to find and destroy Miconia and other weed species in remote inaccessible areas where they are compromising the integrity of the watershed and crowding out native species. The project has been going on for less than three years, and as the article reports, “The results have been phenomenal. Control levels for treated plants are near 100 percent. And…the spread of Miconia is slowing down.” But James’s rate of success hasn’t slowed down at all!

Flee, Fruit Fly!

12/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Russell Messing in a treeRussell Messing (PEPS) and Associate Dean Ken Grace have applied to the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture for a permit to release a biocontrol wasp into the environment. The tiny wasp, Fopius ceratitivorus, attacks the Mediterranean fruit fly, which causes millions of dollars’ worth of crop damage in Hawai‘i. It lays its eggs in the young of the medfly, and the larvae eat the young fly. Russell (pictured up a tree, photo courtesy of Dan Rubinoff) first imported the wasp into quarantine and spent several years testing its safety and efficacy, and his lab’s environmental assessment found there would be no significant impact if the wasp were released in the Islands. Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Messing worked with colleagues from Florida and Texas conducting studies in Kenyan coffee fields, where F. certitivorus was found. Various strategies have been used to help control the medfly in Hawai‘i, including pesticide-treated bait sprays, field sanitation, and the release of sterile females to reduce reproduction, and Ken Grace argues that the wasp is an additional tool that could be used. In Guatemalan coffee plantations, field releases of the wasp resulted in a 50- to 60-percent reduction of the medfly. The initial release of several hundred to 1,000 of the wasps would be done at the Kaua‘i Agricultural Research Center, in the winter.

Fact Finding on Pesticide Effects

12/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Mehana VaughanMehana Vaughn (NREM) will serve as one of three group selection advisers for a joint fact finding (JFF) group convened by planner and mediator Peter Adler, who will be facilitating a $100,000 process to examine possible health and environmental impacts associated with the use of pesticides applied to genetically modified agricultural products. The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Kaua‘i County are partners in the project, providing funding and consultation support. The JFF method is an analytic deliberation process designed to gather facts pertinent to a specific problem in a disciplined manner, through courteous but rigorous evidence-based debate. Central to the process is a carefully designed working group, which Mehana will help to assemble, made up of experts who often have diverse political and policy opinions but who are willing to engage in robust and healthy factual discussions. In this case, nine or more individuals who have pertinent backgrounds, experience, or understanding of agriculture, environmental health, epidemiology, toxicology, biostatistics, medicine, or other related disciplines will be chosen to serve. The process should start in January 2015, if not sooner, and be completed within 12 months.

Fashion Forward

12/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from cover of Key Concepts in FashionAndy Reilly (FCS) has just published Key Concepts for the Fashion Industry, the latest addition to the Understanding Fashion series, which is aimed at providing students with introductory material about the discipline. Andy’s breezy and readable textbook, the first of its kind, covers theories, concepts, and hypotheses related to trends and changes in fashions. The book is divided into four sections: the individual’s influence on fashion change, society’s influence on fashion change, culture’s influence on fashion change, and the industry’s influence on fashion change, illustrated by enlivening discussions of famous fashion blunders, how the Yakuza influenced style trends, and the shifting understanding of what parts of the body are erogenous zones. Check it out—you’ll never look at a man wearing socks with sandals the same way again!

The College and Aquaponics

12/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Maria Gallo and Cheng-Sheng LeeMaria Gallo has been appointed the new chair of the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture (CTSA) Board of Directors, an appointment that will work toward enhancing the college’s working relationship with CTSA. Dean Gallo, pictured with CTSA’s Executive Director Cheng-Sheng Lee, will succeed Dr. JoAnn Leong, who will continue to advise the Center. CTSA is one of five regional aquaculture centers in the United States established and funded by USDA NIFA that integrate individual and institutional expertise and resources in support of commercial aquaculture development. CTSA was established in 1986 and is jointly administered by the Oceanic Institute and the University of Hawai‘i.

Give the Gift of Recognition

12/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CTAHR Awards Banquet logoSanta’s already started making his list, so you should, too. Who among your colleagues deserves recognition as an exemplary APT, civil service, or Extension or research faculty member or demonstrates administrative leadership potential? Nominations for CTAHR excellence and service awards officially open in January, but it’s never too early to start thinking of who’s been especially nice to the college and the community.

Well Dressed for the Holidays

12/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CTAHR aloha shirtsRemember last year’s CTAHR Aloha Shirt Design Contest? Fashion students vied in creating a fabric design incorporating the CTAHR petroglyph spirit mark and a shirt style proudly fashioned from that material. Well, the vision has finally become a reality: the winning concept—created by Chloe Rivera—chosen, the pattern designed, the material milled, and the shirts made and shipped and waiting for you in Gilmore 119! The fabric, an easy-care poly-cotton blend, melds images of waterfalls and rainbows recalling Manoa, overlaid with the spirit mark. Both women’s and men’s cuts, modeled here by Janis Morita and Carl Evensen, are available, though in limited quantities. Pick up some spirit today!

Cook Local, It Tastes Great!

12/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

"Buy Local, It Matters" logoHawai‘i’s first-ever statewide high school recipe and cooking contest is being conducted as part of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture’s “Buy Local, It Matters” campaign. CTAHR was an early collaborator in creating the campaign to promote the use of local foods. The contest drew an enthusiastic response of over 65 entries, but they’ve been narrowed down to five finalists who will cook their winning recipes, using locally grown or produced ingredients, for a panel of three judges on Friday, December 5, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the certified kitchen in AgSci 224. Dean Gallo will present a trophy to the winning student chef, and the winning recipe will also be featured at Sheraton Waikiki’s Kai Marketplace restaurant.

November



Good Energy at the Energy House

11/25/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CTAHR Energy HouseHosts COF, FCS, and the Energy House are delighted to announce that 82 people showed up for breakfast last week to learn about the many useful and interesting projects that are headquartered there. First they went on an outdoor tour with the aid of handy maps showing the geographic distribution of staple food crops, many of which are being grown in the surrounding gardens, and then went inside to marvel at the eco-friendly construction of the cozy Little-House-That-Could. Then, having worked up an appetite, they tucked in to the delightfully Parisian-inspired fare while parlez-vous-ing with fellow attendees. And a bon temps was had by all!

The Way to Give Thanks

11/25/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Whole roasted pigCTAHR’s annual Thanksgiving educational program and gathering at Waimanalo Research Station was hosted, as per tradition, by the inimitable Roger Corrales, station manager, ably assisted by his family and the rest of the Station faculty and staff. The 60-plus participants enjoyed and were edified by presentations by Steven Chiang on the GoFarm program and by community coordinator Ilima Ho-Lastimosa on her recently expanded partnership with the college, topped off by a tour of the Station’s taro plots and a demonstration of traditional and modern methods of making poi (electric juicers, anyone?). But the centerpiece (literally) of the celebration was the enormous roasted pig hunted right at the Station, flanked by other local and Filipino delicacies and the many desserts contributed by attendees. And the spirit of thanks was definitely alive within everyone!

Going Nuts for Fruits

11/25/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Mangoes on treeTPSS will be interviewing three candidates for Assistant Researcher in Sustainable Farming Systems with an Emphasis on Fruit & Nut Production. Everyone is invited to attend the candidates’ iterations of the teaching seminar “Introduction to Sustainable Management Practices in Tropical Fruit & Nut Crops” on the following days: Dr. Eric Brennan on Wednesday, December 3; Ms. Alyssa Cho on Monday, December 8; and Dr. Wenjing Guan on Thursday, December 11. Each of these seminars will be given at 10:30 a.m. at St. John 106. Everyone is also invited to attend the candidates’ three versions of the research/Extension seminar “Developing a Research and Outreach Program in Sustainable Farming Systems for Tropical Fruits & Nuts” on the following days: Dr. Eric Brennan on Thursday, December 4; Ms. Alyssa Cho on Tuesday, December 9; and Dr. Wenjing Guan on Friday, December 12. Each of these seminars will be given at 10:30 a.m. at USDA-ARS PBARC conference room in Hilo. Candidates’ CVs and information on remote access to these talks can be found on the CTAHR employee website.

The ‘Rainbow’ Connection

11/18/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

papaya with ringspotThe focus of this week’s Biotech in Focus is on the origin and growth of Hawai‘i’s GMO papaya industry. The newsletter by Ania Wieczorek (TPSS) argues that the Puna papaya industry probably would not exist today without the work of CTAHR researchers, who in collaboration with Cornell, USDA, and Upjohn Corporation created the ‘Rainbow’ papaya, which is resistant to Papaya Ringspot Virus. The team even won the prestigious Humboldt Prize in 2002 for their work! Read all about it and check out back issues at the Biotech in Focus web page.

Dietetics of Champions

11/18/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

2014 Dietetics InternsCongratulations to the newly graduated second class of dietetics interns! CTAHR’s Dietetic Internship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics ACEND of the national Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and requires a stunning 1,200 hours of experience, after which graduates are qualified to take the Registered Dietitian’s Exam. The internship provides dietetics graduates with an opportunity to increase their knowledge of food and nutrition science, and to acquire competencies needed to practice dietetics in a variety of settings including clinical, food service, and community. The program offers a Community Concentration and focuses on Hawai’i’s unique community. Through its activities, the internship will promote education of students in the multicultural environment, service in a variety of community settings and participation in various professional organizations. Pictured from left to right are the 2014 Dietetic Intern class and former UH graduates: Andie Kida, Elizabeth Jimenez, Sara Carlson, Kali Ryan Morimoto, Savanna Sussman, Yun Chi Cheng, and Christina Mariano.

A Kona Odyssey

11/18/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students doing meaningful experienceTwenty-one CTAHR students and staff recently traveled to Kona on the Big Island for the Eleventh Annual Meaningful Experience trip. They first headed to the Mealani Research Station, where Marla Fergerstrom and other staff members led the students on a tour of the facility’s tea, blueberries, and cattle operations. After lunch at the locavorous Village Burger, the group headed to the Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm, where they learned the ideal conditions in Kailua-Kona for raising these delicate creatures. The highlight of the tour was when the seahorses curled around the participants’ fingers! The day continued with teambuilding activities, led by MBBE alumna Malina Ivey. The next morning, the group woke up early to head up to Kohala for a cultural tour of this historic area, riding ATVs to places where King Kamehameha traveled. The route included a secluded beach area, Parker Ranch, and a macadamia orchard. Then everyone hiked down to a scenic black sand beach at the mouth of Pololu Valley, where they relaxed a little before moving on to the final activity of their trip: the Hawaii Wildlife Center. There, they learned about the center’s efforts at helping injured birds recuperate and return to the wild. It was an education- and fun-filled weekend! Thank yous go to Marla Fergerstrom and the staff of Mealani Research Station for hosting the visit and to ASUH and ASAO for supporting the students’ trip. Lastly, much mahalo goes to the students who participated and made this experience meaningful for the entire group.

Big Plans in the Pacific

11/18/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jim HollyerJim Hollyer—author, ADAP leader, food safety expert, and CHL staffer—has entered a new and illustrious phase in his career: he’s the new Associate Director for Extension and Associate Dean of the University of Guam. “Jim is one of the best examples of how one leads by instilling trust and partnership among the extension family,” says Dean Yudin of the University of Guam, who recruited Jim from his work in Japan. Find out more about this globe-trotting Renaissance man here!

Ear Ye, Ear Ye!

11/18/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Corn saleCalling all corn-lovers for the event you await all year, the Great Corn Sale! Fresh, sweet, juicy, luscious CTAHR-grown corn...what could be better? This year the sale will take place on Tuesday, November 25, from 9:00 a.m. until sell-out, in the driveway between Ag Engineering and St. John. And the cost is only $2 for 5 ears! Just make sure you’re stocked up on plenty of butter and those handy little prongs to poke into the ears!

The Best Read for Weeds

11/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

James Leary in helicopterWeed all about it! The Weed Science Society of America has selected an article co-authored by NREM faculty James Leary, Linda Cox, and John Yanagida as its Outstanding Paper of the Year in Invasive Plant Science and Management. “Reducing Nascent Miconia (Miconia calvescens DC) Patches With an Accelerated Intervention Strategy Utilizing Herbicide Ballistic Technology (HBT)” was selected from all the papers submitted from the end of 2013 to the third issue of 2014 for this honor. The proud authors will be recognized at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the WSSA in Lexington, KY, in February.

Happy Pies to You!

11/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

pumpkin pieThanksgiving is almost here, and once again the FSHN Council is having their annual Thanksgiving Bake Sale! The sale raises funds for FSHN Council activities such the annual fall leadership retreat, guest speakers, club activities, and subsidization to send students to the Hawai‘i Dietetics Association's annual meeting in the spring. Get your pre-sale orders in now for homemade apple crumble pie ($13) and pumpkin pie ($10)—the pre-order period ends Friday, November 14. To place a pre-order for any of the pies, click on this link and fill out the form. After you have placed your pre-order, please visit Agricultural Science 216 to submit your payment. There you will find a collection box with envelopes. Please submit payment by Friday, November 21, 4:00 p.m. The pie pick-up date is Monday, November 24, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Agricultural Science building lobby.

Farmer Suicides in India

11/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Biotech in Focus 20 coverThe new issue of Biotech in Focus tackles a difficult subject: “What Are the Roots of Farmer Suicide in India?” India is the second most populous country on earth, and it represented 21% of the world’s suicides in 2010. This issue questions whether they were related to the use of genetically engineered cotton. Previous editions of Biotech in Focus are available at the website.

Encouraging Exchange

11/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Andy Hashimoto at Kyoto UniversityAndrew Hashimoto (MBBE) visited Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Agriculture this October to encourage GSA students to participate in the CTAHR-GSA exchange program. GSA international committee chair Naoshi Kondo as well as student affairs and research administration officers arranged an information session for those interested in the program. More than ten GSA students, including some from Bangladesh, China, Italy, and Kenya, attended the session to learn about the exchange opportunities made available by the agreement. Read more at the Kyoto University website.

Bugs for Kids at Leeward

11/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

LCC Discovery Day with bugsPEPS students and faculty displayed two exhibitions, “Bug City” and “Worms and Germs,” at Leeward Community College’s Annual Discovery Fair on November 1. Hundreds of children visited CTAHR booths with their families to learn about insects, nematodes, and fungi while exploring many other fun activities taking place at this event. Check out more pictures from the LCC Discovery Fair!

Park Designs for ‘Ohana

11/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Aiea Park designsAndy Kaufman (TPSS) and his Residential Design Studio class recently presented Master Plan Designs for a possible new park to be situated next to the New Aiea Library at the old sugar mill site in Aiea. The class presented four different master plan designs at the Aiea Community Association meeting for a new “‘ohana-type” park called "Ka Ola O ‘Aiea,” which translates to “The Life of Aiea.” The designs were so well received that the class was asked to present at the Monthly Aiea Public Board this past Monday, at which state senators and City Council members were in attendance. After the presentations, it was requested that the designs be posted for public viewing and comments in the library. Once comments have been received, the Community Association wants to have the designs presented at the next legislative session for funding the new park. Great vision!

Food Behavior Guidelines on Limited Means

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jinan BannaJinan Banna (HNFAS) and Opal Vanessa Buchthal (Public Health Studies) were awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund the project “Development of a Food Behavior Checklist for Limited-Resource Filipinos.” As Filipino Americans are the most rapidly growing population of immigrants in the U.S. and suffer disproportionately from a number of chronic health conditions, culturally tailored nutrition education efforts are necessary, as well as use of evaluation tools appropriate for this audience. The proposed research seeks to adapt and assess the face validity of a food behavior checklist in Tagalog using a multi-step method involving translation of an English-language tool, evaluation of content by a panel of experts, and cognitive testing with the target population. Following this study, additional assessment of validity and reliability will be performed to yield a rigorously tested tool that may be used to evaluate the USDA’s nutrition education programs and culturally tailored health interventions.

Food Security Up Close

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Thomas Lumpkin with wheat and cornYou’ll have an opportunity to meet Thomas Lumpkin, CTAHR’s 2014 Outstanding Alumnus, before his public talk on “Global Food Security by 2050: Challenges and Opportunities” on Monday, November 10, 1:30–2:30 p.m. for faculty only, and 2:30–3:30 p.m. for faculty, staff, and students, in Gilmore 212. Dr. Lumpkin’s public talk will be in the Architecture auditorium at 4:00 p.m. Since 2008, Lumpkin has been director general of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), an organization dedicated to sustainably increasing agricultural productivity to ensure global food security and reduce poverty. CIMMYT gained public attention when its chief scientist, Norman Borlaug, received the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for launching the green revolution with a robust dwarf wheat hybrid that helped Mexico become self-sufficient in grain production and dramatically increased yields in India and Pakistan. If you’d like to meet Dr. Lumpkin, please RSVP to nrem@ctahr.hawaii.edu.

Bring a Little Tree Into Your Life

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from last yearEver feel the need for more greens? How about a new tree? The Urban Garden Center celebrates the trees with their 21st Arbor Day Tree Give Away on Saturday, November 8, starting at 7:00 a.m. and continuing until all the trees have happy homes. UCG volunteers have propagated over 2,700 appropriate trees and shrubs for this year’s Arbor Day distribution. Trees available include native species such as a‘ali‘i and koki‘o ‘ula ‘ula and other trees such as Meyer lemon, fig, and Tahitian lime. O‘ahu Master Gardeners and certified arborists will be on hand to assist the public with the tree giveaway as well as a mini plant sale. This year’s partners include Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO), the Kaulunani Program, the Urban Garden Center, the Wahiawa Botanical Gardens, and the Waimea Valley Audubon Center. The trees are first come first served, and in past years, the trees were gone within a few hours after the 7 am opening. Come down and get a tree!

Remember When Everything was Covered in Mud?

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from the 2004 floodIt’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since the Great Manoa Flood, and it is amazing how the UH community (and campus) has recovered. Check out Doug Vincent's images from the damage caused by the flood of 2004 and read about the cleanup effort. It’s a great reminder of how the CTAHR ‘ohana can come together in times of unexpected adversity.

Celebrating Aquaponics

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

The cover of UH MagazineThe fall issue of UH Magazine features aquaponics expert Clyde Tamaru (MBBE) and new Waimanalo community coordinator Ilima Ho-Lastimosa and their work with sustainable agriculture. The article talks about several successful aquaponics ventures including Mari’s Garden, Ho‘oulu Pacific, and the Waiawa Correctional Facility farm. UH Magazine is a bi-annual publication that is distributed to more than 145,000 readers, all of whom also got a chance to see the full-page ad CTAHR placed in this issue, featuring six exceptional stories celebrating our students and alumni.

Exploring the Poamoho Fields

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from the Poamoho Field DayMore than 50 people attended the Poamoho Research Station's field day on October 25. The field day was coordinated by CTAHR’s Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program (SOAP) and Center for Rural Agricultural Training and Entrepreneurship (CRATE), and the USDA NRCS. NRCS Acting Director of the Pacific Islands Area Craig Derickson presented CTAHR's Cooperative Extension with a certificate of appreciation for working with farmers and ranchers to implement cover crops and soil health practices. Participants got to see the great work being done at the station and learned about soil health and pest management. Check out the pictures here!

United Against the Ants

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

GoFarm Hawaii volunteers test for little fire antsVolunteers from the GoFarm Hawai‘i program surveyed areas in Waimanalo for little fire ants on November 1, which was designated as Stop Little Fire Ant Day. In addition to looking for the invasive pest, volunteers also tested areas to make sure current infestations don’t spread. Experts believe the invasive species found its way to O‘ahu from the Big Island, but they don’t want it to find its way around this island! Infestations in both Waimanalo and Mililani-Mauka have already been discovered. Watch KHON’s video about LFA and the brave GoFarm Hawai‘i volunteers.

Guiding Hawai‘i’s Agribusiness

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Yukio KitagawaFormer CES Assistant Director Yukio “Yuki” Kitagawa has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Agribusiness Development Corporation. The mission of the ADC is to acquire and manage, in partnership with farmers, ranchers, and aquaculture groups, selected high-value lands, water systems, and infrastructure for commercial agricultural use, as well as to direct research into areas that will lead to the development of new crops and markets and lower production costs. Yuki currently serves on the Hawaii Agriculture Resource Center Board of Directors and the City & County of Honolulu Agriculture Development Task Force.

Digesting for Science!

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Christine Badua flanked by studentsOn October 25, Punahou School hosted the 13th annual Astronaut Lacy Veach Day of Discovery, promoting STEM to 4th- through 12th-grade students and their parents. 600 participants from 70 schools statewide attended the event. Maria Stewart (HNFAS) and two CTAHR undergrad students, Christine Badua (pictured with two students) and Jennifer Lum (both FSHN) presented two hands-on workshops for the participants in which they explored how the digestive system breaks down nutrients. This marks the second year that HNFAS participated in this event. Great job, current CTAHR and future scientists!

Keeping Our Kiwikiu

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Hannah Mounce and KiwikiuMeet the woman who cares for the kiwikiu (Maui parrotbill)! Hanna Mounce, interim project coordinator for the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, will present “Recovery of the Kiwikiu” on Wednesday, November 12, at 3:30 p.m. in Sherman 103 as part of the NREM ‘Imi ‘Ike Series. The presentation will describe her hands-on experiences working with Hawaiian honeycreepers and report on key research findings about factors limiting the kiwikiu population. This is also your last chance to purchase plush kiwikiu toys! Your $15 purchase goes towards habitat management for the kiwikiu as well as to NREM GSO. To purchase a kiwikiu stuffed animal, contact Katie Wilson at kawils65@hawaii.edu or Jody Smith at smithjos@hawaii.edu.

Bringing the Community Together

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ilima Ho-LastimosaThe Waimanalo Research Station welcomes Ilima Ho-Lastimosa as the new community coordinator for the Waimanalo Learning Center. Ilima is a lifelong resident of Waimanalo and a Master Gardener, and she has extensive hands-on experience in community development. She is already busy strengthening our existing relationships and developing new ones. In addition to her duties as the community coordinator, Ilima is currently a master’s candidate in the UH School of Social Work with a focus on behavioral and mental health, as well as the executive director and director of operations for God’s Country Waimanalo, the Waimanalo Ahupua‘a coalition that works to perpetuate traditional Hawaiian culture. Welcome, Ilima! CTAHR and the Station are lucky to have you!

Keeping Diets Healthy

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Shelley WongAlumna Shelley Wong (FSHN) is keeping her eye on what people eat. She works as a clinical dietitian at the UCSF Medical Center, where she previously did an internship as a dietetics graduate. Her internship included rotations in adult and pediatric units within the medical center as well as outpatient, community, and management/food service rotations. In September she passed her Registered Dietitian Exam to become Shelley Wong, RD. She’s enthusiastic about the change: “I’m responsible for my own learning and must make decisions using my best judgment. It’s a big change from being an intern but an exciting and necessary step forward in my journey to becoming a proficient RD!”

Rooted to Tradition

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Taro field day on MolokaiHigh temperatures didn’t keep a crowd of taro growers and enthusiasts from participating in the recent 2014 Moloka‘i Taro Variety Field Day, where they were able to evaluate the taste of 9 different varieties of taro and the poi made from them, as well as kulolo made from 7 varieties. The favored variety for taro and kulolo was Haokea; the best poi was made from Piialii. Participants also were able to take home more kalo to eat, huli to grow their own, and even some young ulu trees to plant. Extension agent Alton Arakaki, the organizer of the event, stressed that everyone should think about increasing their intake of the indigenous carbohydrate food sources that were highlighted during the Field Day. “Many of the varieties I select for my taste testing are relatively unknown to consumers today,” Alton explains, because when poi-making moved to factories, manufacturers wanted only certain varieties. However, he adds, “By reintroducing traditional varieties that have lost their presence today, we might find value in producing them in gardens and farms for their commercial, health and cultural values.”

Lots of Love for Larvae

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Black soldier fly larvaeSamir Khanal (MBBE) is leading the joint effort between CTAHR’s Bioenergy and Environment Research group and the bioconversion company ProtaCulture, an alum of the Ag Incubator, to convert food waste into biodiesel products and animal/fish feed through harvesting black soldier fly larvae. The partnership was selected for a grant from Energy Excelerator, a non-profit group focused on helping startups solve the world’s energy challenges. “The major challenge of producing renewable energy, especially biofuel and animal feed, is the availability of local bioresources,” says Samir. “However, Hawai‘i produces a significant amount of food wastes, which primarily go to the landfill. This innovative project not only aims to provide biodiesel locally at different islands using various organic wastes, but also to produce feed for local poultry and aquaculture industries.” Sounds like a win-win! Find out more here.

How We Feel About Renewable Energy

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Solar panels on a house.The Center on the Family recently published a research brief entitled “Public Attitudes About Renewable Energy in Hawai‘i” that is now available for download. The report, using data gathered in the course of a project by Andrew Hashimoto (MBBE) to research high-yield feedstock and biomass technology, highlights findings from a representative survey of 1,214 Hawai‘i residents conducted for the purpose of assessing public attitudes about different technologies for generating electricity. Renewable energy (RE) technologies were very highly favored: 97% of the public supported increased development of at least some forms of RE in our state. Solar and wind power were the most widely accepted forms of RE (garnering 92% and 86% favorable opinions, respectively), followed by hydroelectric (76%) and geothermal power (75%). Municipal waste (58%) and biomass combustion (53%) were less widely endorsed but were still acceptable to the majority of residents. Only a small segment of the public endorsed conventional sources of energy generation—nuclear (22%), oil (13%), and coal (12%). There were modest differences in attitudes as a function of age, gender, and education, but no differences across counties. Support for RE was motivated by concerns for environmental protection, sustainability, and energy independence and by frustration with local energy prices. Let’s hope that the powers-that-be in the state are listening!

Cleaning/Composting Combo

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students collecting algaeSometimes green can get even greener! On September 27, a group of students from NREM/PEPS 210 Introduction to Environmental Science participated in a clean-up event that removed invasive algae from Kane‘ohe Bay. More than one ton of algae was gathered and taken to the Waimanalo Research Station for use in compost. These algae are high in minerals that are difficult to find in the environment and can be used to make some sweet, bioactive soil amendment. In fact, CTAHR has been employing these algae for more than 3 years—and helping to make the bay a happier place for native sea creatures and plants at the same time. The student group enjoyed their day at this service learning activity. Great job!

Global Food Access and GMOs

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Biotech In Focus issue 19The new issues of Biotech in Focus look at global access to food and GMO use worldwide. Issue 18, Hunger in a World of Food, discusses the imbalance of food access around the world and the issues that create and perpetuate food insecurity. Issue 19, GMOs Go Global, addresses how GM crops have altered the agricultural landscape around the world. And as always, check out the many informative back issues at the Biotech in Focus website.

Nobel Laureate's Contributions to Natural Resource Management

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Elinor OstromChennat Gopalakrishnan (NREM, Emeritus) has edited a symposium on economist Elinor Ostrom, 2009 Nobel Laureate in Economics, in the Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research. The symposium highlights Ostrom’s pioneering contributions to multiple aspects of natural resource management and policy, with special reference to common-pool resources such as fisheries and forests. It features seven original papers by leading natural resource economists and policy analysts, offering their thoughts and insights on Ostrom's contributions, in which they examine how her work has impacted the discourse on natural resource management, planning, governance, and institutional design. The papers should be of special interest to CTAHR researchers who are engaged in research pertaining to natural resource and environmental management. Free access to some of the papers is available at the journal website.

Representing Hawai‘i in China

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Wai-Kit NipRetired CTAHR food science professor Wai-Kit Nip is representing the Chinese community in Hawai‘i at the 2014 Commissioners’ Conference of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, a major annual event bringing together overseas Chinese leaders from around the world. Wai-Kit is in his third year as a commissioner, having been appointed by President Ma Yin-jeou of the Republic of China (Taiwan). At the conference, more than 200 commissioners and overseas representatives from around the world will meet in Taipei, Taiwan to contribute suggestions on overseas community affairs policy. This year, for the first time, the commissioners will visit ministries focusing on national issues of particular interest to discuss their opinions and ideas. Region-based discussions will also be held during the conference, allowing for focus on local issues pertinent to overseas Chinese in different areas. In addition to his international community work, Wai-Kit was honored last year as an Outstanding Alumnus by the National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan. Congratulations, Wai-Kit, on your international honor!

4-H Blasts Off for Science!

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

4-H students with their rocketIf you thought you saw small spacecraft flying through the air around the Extension offices on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, Kona, and Hilo on Friday, October 10, you weren’t imagining things; you were witness to young aerospace engineers building and testing their rockets. The 4-H participants were given the task of building a rocket that they could launch and that would hit a target many miles away so they could deliver food to a remote area in case of a disaster. Sixty-five budding scientists and humanitarians from Hawai‘i joined the million other 4-H kids from across the nation in participating in the 4-H National Youth Science Day. This was also the first statewide Polycom conference: each office set up their Polycom system so 4-H’ers could gather around the TV for an overview of this national project that gathered youth from all states. They were given instructions on building the launcher and how to make their rockets, and then each group of three 4-H participants was given a kit to build a launcher and the materials to build a rocket. The fun part was testing their skills at flying their rocket so it would hit their designated target. And the next time a hurricane leaves part of the state stranded, perhaps the students will be sending them rockets with aid!

Mealani Magic!

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Pre-Vet students at the Mealani Taste of the Hawaiian RangeMealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range successfully held its 19th annual celebration of local agriculture at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on September 26, with more than 2000 participants. This event is more than just about grinding on delicious dishes made by approximately 30 local chefs – it’s about educating the public, chefs, and students about the sustainability, health, and environmental benefits of eating locally raised meats, fruits, and vegetables. The event is also the largest zero-waste event on Hawai‘i Island, with all generated waste separated into recycling/reuse streams. Extension Agent Glenn Fukumoto presented a “Primer on Local Beef” to Hawai‘i Community College culinary students about the challenges facing ranchers trying to sustainably raise cattle on Big Island pastures. Then, later during the main food-grazing event, pre-veterinary program students Jessica Wood, Tyler Smith, and Melissa Dumas (left to right) conducted a consumer survey to determine whether attendees had developed an increased awareness of Island-raised animal products and other locally produced vegetables and fruits. The survey indicated that 91% of respondents agreed that this event raised their awareness of locally produced animals and that 80% do buy locally produced meats, even if they cost more. Sixty-four percent indicated that they eat beef several times a week. For more information about pasture-raised beef, sustainability, and recipes, go to the Taste It Blog!

CTAHR Blooming Strong on Maui

11/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Charlotte Nakamura and Dean Gallo plant the Charlotte Nakamura hibiscusThe recent Maui County Fair showcased a strong CTAHR presence, from Master Gardeners, who checked in exhibits for the competitions and sold plants and honey, to the speakers providing talks throughout the fair on topics including plant health care, fruit fly management, container gardening, little red fire ants, the coconut rhinoceros beetle, and the creative uses of flowers. And less than a week after the excitement of the Fair, on Friday, October 10, Maui Extension conducted a Centennial Celebration, complete with the ceremonial planting of two hibiscus plants: the ‘Minnie Lee II’, the designated Centennial flower, and the ‘Charlotte Nakamura’ hibiscus honoring the retired Extension agent after whom it was named. ‘Charlotte’ (the hibiscus) was bred by Mrs. Edith Izumi, member of the Maui University Homemakers Organization, as a gift to Charlotte (the person) for her many years of service to the community. The Centennial Planting event was attended by Dean Gallo; numerous Extension supporters; Master Gardeners; 4-H’ers; current and retired Maui CTAHR faculty and staff; neighbor island guests; and representatives from the Maui Farm Bureau, Maui Association of Family and Community Education, Maui Office of Economic Opportunity, and Maui Aquaponics. Check out the Maui Centennial celebration and the two new lovely hibiscus plants!

Avian Influenza Analysis

11/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Avian influenza H5N1Chinh C. Tran (NREM) will be defending his PhD dissertation “Geospatial and Computational Economic Analyses for the Occurrence Prediction, Economic Impacts and Prevention of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Subtype H5N1: Case Studies in the Red River Delta of Vietnam” on Wednesday, November 5, at 9:30 a.m. in Sherman 111. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 poses severe threats to both animals and humans. This dissertation looks at how to improve disease detection and prevention and evaluate the potential economic consequences to smallholder producers in the Red River Delta of Vietnam through a series of three essays: spatial and temporal occurrences of HPAI H5N1, economic impacts, and vaccination policies.

Watershed, Climate Change, and Invasive Species

11/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ayron StrauchAyron M. Strauch (NREM) will be speaking on the “Consequences of Climate Change and Invasive Species on Tropical Island Watershed Hydrology: Hawai‘i Island as a Model System” on Wednesday, November 5, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Sherman 103 as part of the NREM ‘Imi ‘Ike Series. Polycom will be available as well. Ayron is also a hydrologist with the Commission on Water Resource Management for the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

October



The Mealybug-Virus Connection

10/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Mealybugs on roots
Kishore Dey (PEPS) defends his PhD dissertation, “Further Characterization and Detection of Pineapple Mealybug Wilt Associated With Viruses (PMWaVs),” on Friday, October 31, at 10:00 a.m. in Gilmore 301. The members of Kishore’s committee are John Hu, Steve Ferreira, Ming Li Wang, Brent Sipes, and Richard Manshardt.

To Satellites and Beyond!

10/14/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Tomoaki MiuraJoin Tomoaki Miura (NREM) for his seminar “Developing a New Satellite Program—What We Do for It” on Wednesday, October 15, at 3:30 p.m. in Sherman 103. The current weather forecasting systems in the U.S. routinely utilize remotely sensed data obtained from satellite sensors operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), while one significant tool used in the U.S. Global Change Research program is a set of global satellite sensors developed by NASA. Since 2011, Tomoaki has served on a joint NOAA-NASA science team for the development of the next generation satellite program of the U.S. Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). In this seminar, he will present an overview of the JPSS program and discuss his roles within it.

Woo-hoo! Food Day!

10/14/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students at Food DayFood is fabulous, so join the UH Dietetic Interns in celebrating the fourth annual Food Day on Thursday, October 23, from 11:00 am to 1:30 p.m. at the Manoa Campus Center Ballroom. Food Day is a nationwide event to build awareness of healthy, affordable, and sustainable foods. Learn from guest speakers about natural farming, sustainability, and recycling tips; visit booths and participate in activities; win a free prize by playing fun games; and enjoy healthy food samples! For more information and to RSVP, visit the Food Day at UH Manoa web page. Hooray for food!

Get Educated About Educating

10/14/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Graphic of teacher at blackboardStaff, faculty, post-docs, and grad students who are interested in current instructional approaches are invited to the latest installments in this fall’s Instructional Innovations Workshop Series. In the second workshop of the series, Kavita Rao, of the College of Education, will speak on “Universal Instructional Design” on Wednesday, October 15, 3:30–4:30 p.m. in Ag Sci 219. Dr. Rao will be discussing educational approaches that address more learning styles than conventional lecturing does, a timely and important subject. Also added to workshop schedule is a presentation by Jinan Banna (HNFAS) on Wednesday, October 22, also 3:30–4:30 p.m. in Ag Sci 219. Jinan’s topic is qualitative data analysis, which is particularly useful for individuals who wish to use eCAFE or other survey data for research purposes.

Help the One Who’s Helped You

10/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Lori YancuraThe deadline to nominate outstanding CTAHR instructional faculty for a 2015 UH Excellence in Teaching Award is less than a week away—next Monday, October 13! Please take a moment (5 minutes, max) to nominate an exceptional CTAHR teacher. Teaching awards will be made in the following categories: Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching, Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching—pictured is Loriena Yancura (FCS), last year’s winner for the Chancellor’s Citation. Any full-time faculty member with instructional responsibilities and a record of outstanding teaching at UH during the last three years is eligible (previous recipients of Board of Regents awards are not eligible for the same award). And the faculty member selected by the college to be considered for the UH award will be eligible to receive CTAHR’s Excellence in Teaching Award, which will be presented at CTAHR’s upcoming Annual Awards Banquet, May 8, 2015. Help recognize CTAHR’s best!

Skin Tumors and Tomato Pathogens

10/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

C.michiganensisNot one but two MBBE PhD candidates will defend their dissertations on Tuesday, October 14! First, Lauren Fonseca, whose committee chair is Joe Ramos, will present “The Role of RasGRP1 in Ras-Induced Human Epidermal Neoplasia” at 11:00 a.m. at the UH Cancer Center’s Sullivan Conference Center. Then Jared Yasuhara-Bell, whose committee chair is Anne Alvarez, will present “Establishment and Validation Loop-Mediated Amplification (LAMP) for Specific Detection of Tomato Bacterial Pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis” at 1:30 p.m. in AgSci 210 (pictured: C. michiganensis itself). A feast of dissertation defenses!

Just How Much Are That Pancit and Kalbi Worth?

10/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Mainstream ethnic foods graphicAurora Saulo (TPSS), Howard Moskowitz, and Nadejda Livshits of iNovum will present the seminar “Will It Sell in Peoria?” on Friday, October 10, at 3:00 p.m. in St. John 106. With the demographic composition of the U.S. constantly shifting, the notion of a traditional “white majority” is changing as well. Increasing minority populations mean that people are being exposed to many new foods and food customs and practices, some of which have now become part of Americans’ everyday diet. This seminar explores the behavioral economics of these “mainstream ethnic foods” from the point of view of the customer. What is their dollar value? The presentation introduces Mind Genomics and its application in terms of understanding the dollar value of the food experience. Hawai‘i knows a little something when it comes to embracing food from other cultures, so come for a serving of science after your lunch!

A Great Gathering of Master Gardeners

10/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Master Gardener logoCalling all green thumbs, toes, elbows, etc.! Kaua‘i may be the Garden Isle, but Maui is where the UH Master Gardener Statewide Conference will be taking place, October 24–26. The theme, in conjunction with the centennial of Cooperative Extension, is “Celebrating 100 Years ~ Extending Knowledge and Changing Lives.” The three-day conference includes a choice of three amazing Maui tours; a conference banquet complete with awards ceremony; and advanced training in a variety of topics, including honeybees, aquaponics, grafting, fruit tree management, ethnobotany, and school gardens. And as always, the conference is a great opportunity to meet with fellow Master Gardeners from around the state and catch up on the great work they do. Check out the conference website for details, or download the conference brochure, and register for your place at the Master Gardener Statewide Conference today.

Stuffed Birds Help Real Birds, Take Two

10/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students holding kiwikiu bird toysThe kiwikiu, or Maui parrotbill, is one of Maui’s critically endangered honeycreepers and needs your help! This fall semester, the NREM Graduate Student Organization is selling kiwikiu plush toys for only $15 on behalf of the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project. The Recovery Project teamed up with Wild Republic to design the plush kiwikiu to sing the bird's actual song—how cool is that! Proceeds will go towards habitat management for the kiwikiu and other endangered Maui birds and also towards NREM GSO. If you are interested in purchasing a kiwikiu stuffed animal, please contact Katie Wilson kawils65@hawaii.edu or Jody Smith smithjos@hawaii.edu. Add an adorable kiwikiu (toy) to your collection to help keep a kiwikiu (real bird!) in the forest!

CTAHR Is an Upholder of Core Responsiblities

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Chancellor Bley-VromanInterim Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman’s first talk to the Manoa campus on September 2 twice touched on CTAHR while defining the university’s six core responsibilities. Bley-Vroman cited sustainable tropical agriculture as one of the niche areas Manoa should focus on in embracing a research university’s responsibility for advancing knowledge. He also added that Manoa’s responsibility of service to the community is one of engaged scholarship, giving as an example of this, “You don’t just do tropical agriculture research, you have to be out there helping farmers.” The other core responsibilities are providing a high-quality undergraduate liberal arts education, offering a wide range of undergraduate specializations and majors, offering specialized graduate education in areas that are in strong demand or build on our unique strengths, and serving the world as a beacon of what a university should be. He pledged to take questions at a second campus talk next month.

Back With a Bash!

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jordie Ocenar (PEPS), Benny Ron (HNFAS), Kellie Kong (Admin), Sheldon Arakawa (MBBE), Ashley Perreira (FCS), and Jonathan Marshall (NREM)The CTAHR ‘ohana welcomed in the new fall semester with the 26th annual Welcome Back Ice Cream Bash, complete with costumes, ice-cream eating competitions, cold water bucket challenges, and of course, ice cream and popsicles generously provided by Meadow Gold Dairies of Hawai‘i. Competing in this year’s contests were (l to r) Jordie Ocenar (PEPS), Benny Ron (HNFAS), Kellie Kong (Admin), Sheldon Arakawa (MBBE), Ashley Perreira (FCS), and Jonathan Marshall (NREM). Congratulations to Kellie Kong as Demeter, Greek goddess of the harvest, for winning the costume contest and to HNFAS’s Benny Ron for scavenging for M&Ms in his ice cream with lightning speed and downing the contents of his ice cream bowl in record time! This year’s beneficiary for monetary donations was the FSHN Council, which will use the funds to support numerous conferences, service projects, and leadership development opportunities. The Council agreed to douse a member in icy water for every $35 raised, and with more than $250 collected, there was lots of dousing! Thank-yous go to all who attended the bash, the contestants, and especially those who donated. Big mahalos go out to Meadow Gold Dairies for its continuous support of CTAHR; Ryan Kurasaki, Joannie Dobbs, and the HNFAS and NREM departments for the use of their facilities; Ray Uchida of the O‘ahu Extension Office and Lito Cacho and Richard Fisher of Pearl City Urban Garden Center for tent coverage; and the tireless ice cream scoopers. Lastly, a thank you is due to co-emcees Jason McMurray and Vanessa Pulido and the rest of the planning committee, scholarship recipients, ASAO, and all who made the Bash a smashing success!

CTAHR, Represent!

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from the UH Manoa commercialAssociate Dean Ken Grace, Tessie Amore (TPSS), the Magoon Research Station’s anthurium plants and shadehouse, and the Waimanalo taro plots all represent CTAHR in the latest UH Manoa commercial. Over the next two years, the institutional spot will air nationally when the Rainbow Warriors play football on major television networks like CBS Sports, ESPN, etc. The university recently took advantage of a great opportunity to advertise on the Duke’s Ocean Fest surfing competition, and the commercial will reach an estimated 8.2 million households over the course of the year on the surfing channel. UH Manoa is also advertising in local movie theaters, so be sure to look for CTAHR people and places during the previews throughout the upcoming holiday blockbuster period. And of course, we'll see them both on the jumbotrons at Aloha Stadium and the Stan Sheriff Center Arena. Take advantage of this good excuse to kick back and watch some sports and movies...after all, you’re supporting the college!

Hotel Hydroponics

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Members of the hydroponics project at the Grand Hyatt KauaiKaua‘i CTAHR Extension staff has teamed up with Kaua‘i Community College and the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa on a plan to include freshly grown produce from the resort’s own hydroponic gardens in their guest menu. The hydroponic garden project, which was featured in an article in The Garden Isle, will be constructed right on the grounds of the resort.

Yes! We Have Uploaded Bananas!

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

A worker treats a banana tree with pesticideIf you missed the 2014 Banana Mini-Conference, you can still check out the great presentations online at the Banana Research Update page. The presentations include common pests in banana production, an overview of the newly registered pesticide Movento and other products in the pipeline for future registration, BBTV resistance screenings on existing and newly introduced banana cultivars in Hawai‘i, current status and future perspectives on development of a BBTV-resistant banana, and an Integrated Pest Management program for banana: from BBTV and nematodes to Black Sigatoka. Soak up that banana research!

These Swords Can’t Fight Drought

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Silversword on HaleakalaNothing is more iconic of Haleakala than the silversword. But while this lovely plant has survived hungry goats and over-eager tourists, climate change might be its most formidable challenge yet. A study by Paul Krushelnycky (PEPS) that looked at 30 years of data shows a steady decline in silverswords from the early 1990s. Paul linked the decline to climate data; as summers got drier, the silversword population thinned. Paul is currently looking for genetic variations among plants to see which can best tolerate drought conditions, as well as at the effects of elevation on silversword survival. Read more about Paul’s work with silverswords at The Maui News or the Maui Invasive Species Committee website.

It’s All Happening at the Zoo

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Freshness test for local egg at the zooLaura Schulman, coordinator of the Buy Local—It Matters program, and Alvin Huang (both HNFAS) took their educational display to the Honolulu Zoo on September 6. It was part of the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival’s Keiki in the Kitchen: Food, Fitness and Fun day. In addition to yummy local foods, Laura invited people to compare local and mainland eggs in a freshness test, proving once again that local products rule! Animal Sciences student Cody Morden, who is a zoo volunteer, showed off a huge local egg—an ostrich egg!—and the replica of a giraffe vertabra.

Hort Around the World

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Peter Toves giving presentationTPSS graduate students Peter Toves (pictured) and Jeana Cadby presented their research at the International Horticultural Congress held in Brisbane, Australia during the summer. Peter, whose major professor is Teresita Amore, presented a digital poster on “Spathe pH for Color Engineering of Anthurium.” Jeana, whose major professor is Bob Paull, presented a paper entitled “The Effect of Invasive Seaweed (Eucheuma spp.) Soil Amendment on Leafy Vegetable Growth and Quality.” This was a wonderful opportunity for students to network with professionals and share cutting-edge research in horticulture. It was a truly global event, featuring over 2,400 papers by researchers representing over 100 countries. It highlighted the importance of horticulture in supplying fruits, vegetables, flowers, and greenery for improved human health and happiness!

A Growing Tradition

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Noelani students in new gardenThe SOFT club is keeping up its fertile tradition of collaboration with Noelani Elementary School—this year’s first planting is now taking root at Magoon. SOFT students Michi Atkinson Sweeny and Mitchell Loo (TPSS) are heading this semester’s keiki learning garden project with an exciting plan for companion gardening—growing plants that like to be together. It’s lucky that the first-graders like to be together, too—Michi and Mitchell point out that because this year there are four classes, instead of three, “we discovered that the 1st graders work quite well in close quarters...literally! Thanks everyone for their time, energy, and support, including all the Noelani teachers and UH student volunteers and faculty who assisted with the 1st grade garden program this past Wednesday morning.”

Sorry, Albizia, You Have to Go

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Base of an albizia treeThe Lyon Arboretum is removing 12 albizia trees that tower over the main trail and throughout the garden of the popular UH Manoa facility. Albizias are a fast-growing invasive species that are very large and have extremely heavy, long limbs. “This particular species is very prone to suddenly having branches break and fall,” said Carl Evensen, the Lyon Arboretum interim director. “In the process, they will destroy and crush everything beneath the trees, and we need to remove that hazard.” This is, of course, the tree that caused so much trouble in Puna in the wake of the recent hurricane. Lyon is lucky to have Carl on hand to keep its plants and people safe! Check out the video of the trees at the Arboretum.

‘Ukulele in the Peace Garden

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Roy Sakuma and Dean GalloOh, the peaceful sound of the ‘ukulele. Musical educators and ‘ukulele ambassadors Roy and Kathy Sakuma were honored as the 2014 Distinguished Peacemakers of the Year at Peace Day Hawai‘i at the Urban Garden Center on September 21. This year’s theme was “Creating Cultures of Peace through Art” in support of educational awareness of how engaging in artistic activities and cultivating artistic expression nurtures the spirit of peace from within. Roy Sakuma and Kathy Sakuma have dedicated their lives to peace education by teaching and perpetuating the Aloha spirit through the art form of the ‘ukulele. As musical educators, they have both taught countless children, adults, and seniors important lessons about discipline, artistry, and a respect for both their own lives and those of others. For over 44 years, they have brought people of all ages from around the world to celebrate laughter, love, and hope at the annual ‘Ukulele Festival in Kapi‘olani Park. Play it!

CTAHR Science Ready to XLR8

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

XLR8UH scienceThe group comprised of Daniel Jenkins (MBBE) and Diagenetix Inc. is one of the first seven cohorts of XLR8UH, a major commitment to transform the university’s world-class research and talent into viable products and businesses. Diagenetix Inc., founded by MBBE alumnus Ryo Kubota and other UH alumni, develops hand-held instruments for agricultural producers to enable detection of everything from plant disease to the sex of a papaya. “XLR8UH” is the name of the university’s first Proof of Concept Center. The focus is on investing in innovative ideas and providing a launch pad for commercialization. “I think to have a business environment and have the university facilitate, having the mentorship and the business community back up these ventures, is really important in order to really develop these commercial products,” said Daniel. UH faculty, students, and alumni can apply with their research to be part of the XLR8UH program. Check out the video about the project!

Student Leaders for Health

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Harold Smyth with his certificateCongratulations to the five CTAHR students who participated in the Health Occupation Students of America National Leadership Conference! All five students either won medals or placed in the top 10 in their competitive events. Kathren Bulaquena (FSHN) placed 3rd in Nutrition, Samantha De Leon (FSHN) placed 6th in Medical Reading, Carramae Madayag (ANSC) placed 3rd in Veterinary Science, Chelsie Smyth (FAMR) won gold in Public Health, and Harold Smyth (ANSC, pictured) won gold in Health Issues Exam and placed 8th in CPR/First Aid. The conference was held in June at Disney World in Orlando and was attended by nearly 8,000 people from around the nation. Great job, everyone!

Extension Development and Networking

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Joan Chong and Julia Zee with Smith and LeverExtension educators Joan Chong (FCS) and Julia Zee (HNFAS) recently attended the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences 2014 Annual Session in Lexington, Kentucky, and “met” US Senators Hoke Smith (D-GA) and Asbury Lever (D-SC), eponyms of the well-known Smith-Lever funds, who introduced the legislation that established the Cooperative Extension System in 1914. Joan and Julia had the opportunity to network with over 600 Extension professionals from across the U.S. and attend professional development sessions on a myriad of topics. Joan also received the NEAFCS Continued Excellence Award, which recognizes members for active involvement in professional improvement programs, promotion of professional development, and leadership. Congratulations, Joan!

And Now, a CTAHR Centennial Scholar

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Maili SaboCongratulations to Maili Sabo (FSHN), the first recipient of CTAHR’s Centennial Scholarship. The scholarship, which reached endowment status just last year, assists incoming freshmen and transfer students who are first-generation college students pursue a bachelor’s degree in one of the college’s nine undergraduate majors. Maili, a freshmen from Orange County, California, is majoring in FSHN with a focus on sports and wellness. An athlete throughout her life, participating on the swim team and water polo team and serving as a pool lifeguard, Maili knew that she wanted to do something related to fitness, coaching, sports, and nutrition. The Sports and Wellness track in FSHN is a perfect fit for her. Maili’s mother moved from Hawai‘i to California many years ago, but her lasting fondness for the Islands resulted in Maili’s having a name with a local flavor. Throughout her childhood, Maili visited Hawai‘i often and has grown to love the Islands. She moved here in August to attend college and is having the experience of her life. Congratulations to Maili on this scholarship!

New Caretakers of the Forest

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

The first class of Forest StewardsCTAHR’s Forestry Extension program congratulates its third class of Forest Stewards (pictured here, the inaugural class)! Despite delays due to Hurricane Iselle and cancellations due to impending lava flows, eleven participants successfully completed a 30-hour intensive training program held September 18th through the 21st at Kilauea Military Camp, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Morning and evening sessions were taught by J.B. Friday (NREM, forestry), Clay Trauernicht (NREM, wildfire science), Faith Inman-Narahari (NREM, koa forestry), and other local experts. Participants, all of whom own or manage forest lands, learned about topics including Hawaiian culture and natural history, wildlife habitat, invasive species, forest management and protection, koa forestry, agroforestry, taxes, estate planning, and financial matters. Afternoon field trips to local managed private forests provided valuable experiences to balance the class sessions. The new graduates are committed to giving back to their local communities through activities such as hosting field days on their own property and other efforts to help landowners manage their forests.

They’ve Got It Covered With Cover Crops

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Koon-Hui Wang at Field Day at PoamohoPI Koon-Hui Wang (PEPS) and collaborators Archana Pant, Ted Radovich, Nguyen Hue, Jari Sugano, Jensen Uyeda (all TPSS) and Nick Andrew (Oregon State University) were recently awarded $474,043 through USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grants to promote the use of a Cover Crop Calculator for the Tropics as a Nitrogen Management Tool and the use of Cover Crops for Soil Health Management Guidelines. Leguminous cover crops can contribute significant amounts of nitrogen to crop production, but farmers need a better tool to accurately estimate the nitrogen contribution so as to precisely reduce fertilizer rates. A simple calculator to address this issue was developed, and this project will expand on and modify this technology for tropical climates and soil types in the Pacific Islands. The overall goal of this project is to increase the incentive for farmers in Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands to adopt cover cropping into their farming systems. Recipients of USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grants demonstrate innovative approaches to improve soil health, air and water quality, conserve energy, and enhance wildlife habitat in balance with productive agricultural systems.

Get Ready to GoFarm!

10/3/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

GoFarm Hawai‘i LogoNew farmer education begins again at Leeward CC as the GoFarm Hawai‘i program launches a new cohort with the free AgCurious seminar on Tuesday, October 7, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the GT building 105. GoFarm alumni will be on hand to discuss what’s great about the program, and inspired participants can apply for AgXposure, a hands-on learning experience on educational and research farms. AgXposure students also take comprehensive classes about all aspects of the business and science of sustainable farming. If you or someone you know is looking for a career or supplemental income in sustainable farming, wants to play an active role in the sustainable, local food movement on O‘ahu, and wants a get-your-hands-dirty opportunity to give it a try, satisfy that AgCuriosity at Leeward! Please confirm your attendance at the AgCurious seminar by emailing Lynne Constantinides at linne@hawaii.edu or calling 455-0401.

September



Promote, Promote, Promote

9/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

People talking to the mediaGot great research and want to share it with the world? The UH Foundation presents the workshop “Communicating Your Research to Funders and the Media” on Wednesday, October 1, at 12:00 noon in POST 723. This discussion is appropriate for both new faculty and longtime research staff interested in expanding their funding horizons and better communicating their work. It will be led by a representative from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and UH Foundation’s Corporate and Foundation Relations office. The workshop covers how to approach corporate and foundation funders and, having approached them, how to present your work to them; the types of research and creative scholarship that make the news; and how to get help preparing and pitching a story about your work to the media. Seats are limited, so RSVP today!

Model Islands and Island-Dwellers

9/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Peter VitousekPeter Vitousek of Stanford University will speak on “Islands as Models for Understanding Ecosystems and Human-Environment Interactions” on Wednesday, October 1, at 3:30 p.m. in St. John 11. This presentation is part of the ‘Imi ‘Ike NREM Research Seminar Series. As Dr. Vitousek explains, islands have long been used as models for understanding evolution and speciation—and they can contribute as much to understanding human-environment interactions. The islands of Polynesia—particularly Hawai‘i—are especially useful, as a well-defined people and culture discovered and colonized an extraordinary diverse array of islands and found ways of living that were shaped in part by the characteristics of their islands, even as they also shaped the lands they discovered. There will also be a discussion on the rain-fed field systems of Hawai‘i Nui and Maui as examples of how societies shaped land and land shaped societies in the pre-Contact Pacific.

Put the Info in the Graphic, and Mix It All Up

9/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Infographic graphicAdd some graphics to your info at the next Distance Education Workshop on Infographics, on Thursday, October 23, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Gilmore 212. Learn how to combine text, images, and data with Piktochart and ThingLink, and find out all about digital images and copyright issues. You’ll need a laptop, an idea for an infographic, the data to support it, and a nice lunch. There will be online access for neighbor island attendees, with details closer to the event. In the meantime, if you’re ready to combine words with text, please RSVP by October 16.

Speaking of Plant Doctors

9/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

The Plant Doctor appProgram this date into your smartphone: Scot Nelson (PEPS) will speak on his app The Plant Doctor onFriday, October 3, at 1:30 p.m. in St. John 302. The Plant Doctor provides interactive diagnosis for plant diseases in gardens, landscapes, nurseries, and farms. It’s been used around the world from Guam to Scandinavia, Russia to South Africa, and, of course, here in Hawai‘i. It’s free and available for both iOS and Android smartphone users, so check it out!

No Better Taste than the Hawaiian Range

9/23/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

ChefMealani’s A Taste of the Hawaiian Range will be celebrating its 19th year with approximately 30 chefs featuring creative dishes of pasture-raised meat and locally produced fruits and vegetables. It’s all happening Friday, September 26, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Hilton Waikoloa on the Island of Hawai‘i. Exhibitors will show off their artisanal products ranging from coffee to tea to honey, and there will be a Cooking Pasture-Raised Beef 101 demonstration by Chef Peter Abarcar Jr. of the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel at 3:00 p.m. This is Hawai‘i Island’s premier food-grazing event, which seeks to educate students, chefs, and the public on the importance of supporting local agriculture. Check out the website for tickets and more information.

How to Prevent Wildfires and Manage an Ahupua‘a

9/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Wildfire on slopeTwo times the information—this week there will be two speakers in the ‘Imi ‘Ike: Natural Resources and Environmental Management Departmental Seminar Series. Come to Sherman 103 on Wednesday, September 17, from 3:30 to 4:30, and you’ll get hear all about two exciting projects from NREM faculty: Kirsten Oleson will discuss ridge-to-reef ecosystem service modeling, and then Clay Trauernicht will tell about wildfire increase and prevention. It promises to be an exciting pair of seminars, so come on by.

FSHN Council Retreat a Smashing Success!

9/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

FSHN CouncilTwenty-eight students recently attended the FSHN Council Leadership and Diversity Retreat at Camp Kokokahi in Kaneohe. Twenty-four were prospective or current FSHN students, while 4 students represented Kinesiology, Business, and Pre-Nursing. Students bonded and learned interpersonal and leadership skills through the guidance of extraordinary mentors and also had the opportunity to personally reflect upon themselves. Activities were led by Dr. Lori Ideta, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Students and Dean of Students at UHM, and Mr. Rouel Velasco, Student Life Coordinator at UHWO. Activities included the Blind Trust Walk, True Colors, and the “Where I'm From” narrative. Students also had the opportunity to cook one of the delicious meals planned by C.N. Lee or Soojin Jun (both HNFAS) or the FSHN Council Board members. Kim chee fried rice, pancit, and an elaborate pasta bar were on the weekend’s menu. Incredible mentors facilitated purposeful life skills experiences such as building relationships, teamwork, ho‘oponopono, and preparing nutritional meals. Special thanks are due to the USDA-NIFA-funded Agribusiness Education, Training and Incubation Project, CTAHR Academic and Student Affairs Office, and Student Activity and Program Fee Board for partial funding for this event! Big mahalos also go to Lori Ideta, Rouel Velasco, C.N. Lee, Soojin Jun, and FSHN Council Board members for making this event a success!

Feed Your Curiosity

9/16/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

GoFarm logoIf you’re interested in becoming a production farmer in Hawai‘i, you should attend one of the two upcoming AgCurious seminars! You’ll get to find out what it’s really like to be in ag in Hawai‘i and hear all about the experiences of farmers and former and present GoFarm Hawaii students. Applications for the next cohort of students for the GoFarm Hawai‘i beginning farmer training program will be handed out at this seminar (it’s free, but you need to register). The AgCurious seminar for the GoFarm Hawai‘i at Windward Community College program is on September 17, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the WCC’s Hale Akoakoa building, room 105. RSVP by emailing your name to windward@gofarmhawaii.org or calling 236-9265. The AgCurious seminar for the GoFarm Hawai‘i at Leeward Community College program is on October 7, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. (note the later start time) at LCC (96-045 Ala Ike St., Aiea) in the GT bldg (lower level), Room 105. RSVP by emailing your name to leeward@gofarmhawaii.org or calling 455-0401.

Still Celebrating the Centennial!

9/9/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Sonny RamaswamyThe National Institute of Food and Agriculture has extended an invitation to join Director Sonny Ramaswamy at an event celebrating 100 years of Cooperative Extension in the United States. Dr. Ramaswamy will present his vision for Extension in the 21st century on September 10 from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. (HST) at USDA’s Whitten Building. The event will be available in streaming format. As the nation moves toward a new global economy, Cooperative Extension’s role will continue to evolve to meet the challenges facing society. Hear this enlightening presentation by Dr. Ramaswamy and learn more about the importance role that Cooperative Extension plays and will continue to play in communities across the nation.

From CTAHR to Environmental Law

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

SylvaPEPS alumnus Matthew Alan Sylva has continued going strong since he won the CTAHR Award for Merit for Undergraduates for Oral Presentations at the CTAHR/COE Symposium in April, and first place for Natural Sciences Presentations at the Honors/UROP Symposium in May based on his work with wiliwili trees. Matthew spent his summer working with Native Hawaiian plants at the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethno-Botanical Garden in Kealakekua before embarking on the next phase of his educational journey: the William S. Richardson School of Law, where he will work toward a certificate in environmental law. “I would say that my mentor and thesis adviser Dr. Leyla Kaufman has been crucial to helping me to get where I am today,” Matthew says. “I wouldn't have been able to conduct such a fascinating thesis out in the field, on a neighbor island, with such autonomy (especially as an undergrad) under anyone else within CTAHR. Both she and Dr. Mark Wright are inspirations to me. They're so smart and accomplished, but never make you feel too intimidated, and they are unbelievably helpful and nice.” Praise is due to all three!

Speaking of Organic Seeds in New York

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

SOSS logoFarm coach Jay Bost and banana expert Gabe Sachter-Smith (both TPSS graduate students) presented at the Student Organic Seed Symposium this August in Ithaca, New York. There they shared experiences in applying their work towards moving agriculture in the direction of increased sustainability and regionalism. Jay was also one of the event organizers. The theme for this year’s symposium was “Regional Adaptation for Sustainable Food and Seed Systems,” and the event assembled a diverse interdisciplinary group of speakers and graduate students, with a focus on plant breeding and related disciplines.

When Two Plants Love Each Other…

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Biotech in Focus 15 cover
The new issue of Biotech in Focus examines the question, “Is there potential for movement of genes between genetically modified plants and others?” The bulletin explores how plants reproduce, and what kind of hybrids can result from the combination of GM and wild plants. Check out the new issue and all the archived issues of Biotech in Focus on the website!

Quality Information on Water Quality Safety for Farms

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Water quality publication imageJari Sugano (PEPS) and Jensen Uyeda (TPSS) have released their preliminary findings on food safety and water quality in the publication “Evaluations of Various Pathogen Remediation Strategies for Soil and Soilless Farming Systems in Anticipation of the New Food Safety Guidelines.” The objective of the study was to evaluate various pathogen reduction steps for soil and soilless farmers to consider when E. coli action thresholds are surpassed in non-contact irrigation water. The study is ongoing to help farmers maintain their best individualized on-farm operating procedures.

Big Reaction for the Bioreactor

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Eunsung KanEunsung Kan (MBBE, pictured) mentored and supervised the first prize-winning graduate student team of Rommel Yanos, Bertram Booker, and Stuart Watson at the August 16 Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike 3rd annual ‘IKE Scholars Symposium. The topic of their presentation was “Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in a Novel Bioreactor.” The judges, comprised of UH faculty, UH administration, professional engineers, industry representatives, and UH graduate students, chose the MBBE presentation from among the 11 entries in the symposium. The symposium featured student presentations of projects supported through ‘IKE both in the Summer Engineering Experiences (SEEs) and Undergraduate Research Experiences (URE). ‘IKE students hail from six UH campuses. Congratulations, Eunsung, Rommel, Bertram and Stuart!

Hort Hot Shot

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Bob PaullRobert Paull (TPSS) was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS) for his outstanding contributions to horticulture and the Society. ASHS promotes and encourages national and international interest in scientific research and education in horticulture in all its branches, and the ASHS Fellows Award is the highest honor bestowed on a member. Bob received the award at the annual meeting held in Orlando, Florida. As if that were not sufficient, Bob was also named a Fellow of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) for his outstanding contributions to horticultural science worldwide! ISHS is the world’s leading independent organization of horticultural scientists. We clearly have a horticultural star in our midst!

Digestible Science

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Two students and Maria Stewart working in the lab for the Super Science Fair ExchangeNothing brings people together like sharing food. Or, in this case, sharing about how the digestive system breaks down food. On July 31, Maria Stewart (HNFAS) organized an activity for the 'Iolani/Ritsumeikan Super Science Fair Exchange to learn about the science of nutrition. Sixteen high school students from Iolani High School in Honolulu and Ritsumeikan High School in Kyoto, Japan, participated in a series of lab activities that demonstrated how the digestive system works. The students are part of the Super Science Fair Exchange program for high-achieving high school students who wish to pursue careers in science. Mark Lindsay, the teacher from Iolani School, reported that the students really enjoyed the lab and presentation, especially the hands-on activities and the explanation of the chemical and physical changes that nutrients undergo during digestion. The science of digestion...yummy!

Here’s to 4-H and ‘Minnie Lee’!

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

4-H Extension Agents: Claire Nakatsuka, Kate Everett, Joan Chong, Becky Settlage, Laura Kawamura, Rose Saito, Steve Nagano, plant Minnie Lee II at the Urban Garden CenterNice to see you again, ‘Minnie Lee’! 4-H Extension Agents (L-R clockwise) Claire Nakatsuka (O‘ahu), Kate Everett (Maui), Joan Chong (Kona), Becky Settlage (Hilo), Laura Kawamura (Kaua‘i), Rose Saito (O‘ahu), and Steve Nagano (O‘ahu), met at the Urban Garden Center August 1 for a meeting and to plant a ‘Minnie Lee II’ hibiscus to commemorate Cooperative Extension's Centennial. Its caretaker will be Aubin Stremler, a UGC volunteer. Kaua‘i administrator Roy Yamakawa provided the plant, but how it got there was a long, strange trip! The original ‘Minnie Lee’, the Extension hibiscus and the official flower of the Hawai‘i Extension Homemaker’s Council, was bred by A.M. Bush on Maui in 1929 and named for the wife and daughter of William Lloyd, who formally established Hawai‘i’s Extension Service. Although a thousand cuttings were distributed to 4-H’ers back in the 1930s, it was nowhere to be found by the ’90s. So Terry Sekioka, a now-retired CTAHR plant breeder, taught the University Extension (UE) ladies on Kaua‘i how to breed hibiscus, and Mrs. Hisayo Niitani, one of the charter members of Kaua‘i UE, successfully made a cross between the initial parents to produce ‘Minnie Lee II’ and distributed it to UE club ladies on Kaua‘i. Then, to produce the plant at UGC, one of those plants was grafted! So, as it says in the song dedicated to ‘Minnie Lee, “here’s to the yellow hibiscus, our aloha for farm and for home”...and here’s to those who made sure she’s still blooming!

Sharing and Learning in Hong Kong

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CTAHR students working in the fields on the Hong Kong study tourCTAHR students Tyler Daguay (PEPS), Miho Fujii (FSHN), Felicia Geronimo (TPSS), and Kelli Zakimi (FSHN), along with Sylvia Trinh of the Academic and Student Affairs Office, are back from 10 days in Hong Kong spent learning about agriculture and food issues. They arrived at the Wing Lung Ecological Farm located on the outskirts of Hong Kong, where Hong Kong campers joined them for the work-camp experience. Students helped to weed, till, repair various facilities, uproot trees, and do pest control management during their stay. After Wing Lung, they journeyed to other farms stretched across the region. First was a Buddhist organic farm experimenting with different crops to see which ones fare well in Hong Kong weather. They then traveled to Ping Che, where locals were on a mission to revive the regional culture and arts. The CTAHR group shared their own Hawai‘i culture with the villagers and other international work-campers. The students’ last tour was the rice fields in Long Valley, where the group harvested, milled, sifted, and bagged rice. Thanks are due to the VolTra organization in Hong Kong for organizing the study tour and to Bird Tang, Anson, Chun-On Lai, and Stephanie Chan for hosting the CTAHR group and going out of their way to make the experience so enjoyable. Thanks also go out to everyone the group met on their adventure, including KK and the friendly Ping Che residents, the volunteers, and the farmers they visited. Mahalo to ASAO for supporting these adventurous students, and to the students themselves, who made this experience meaningful for everyone they encountered in Hong Kong!

Exploring the Global Mosaic in Taiwan

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jasmine Asuncion in the Mosaic Taiwan programCTAHR alumna Jasmine Asuncion (FAMR) was one of two UH students/alumnae selected for Mosaic Taiwan, a three-week fellowship program led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan. The program selected 30 scholars from across the country. Mosaic Taiwan provides young students and professionals with an interest in global affairs with the opportunity to explore the beauty of Taiwan’s natural environment and to better understand its culture and society through extensive exchanges with local leaders from various fields. This year’s program ran from June 15 to July 5, during which the participants took part in team-building and leadership-development exercises; tours of various businesses, museums, and cultural sites; and meet-and-greet sessions with government officials, educators, community representatives and young leaders in Taiwan. They even got to meet President Ma Ying-jeou and Vice President Wu Den-yih! Most important, they also got to contribute to Taiwan's cultural mosaic.

Floriculture Fantastic

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Emily LloydCongratulations to PhD student Emily Lloyd (TPSS), who was awarded the John Carew Memorial Scholarship from the American Floral Endowment! The American Floral Endowment is an independent, nonprofit organization that funds research and scholarships in floriculture and environmental horticulture for the benefit of growers, wholesalers, retailers, allied industry organizations, and the general public. Emily was drawn to the intersection of aesthetics and science in the production of ornamentals, which inspired her to research them for her doctorate. We know her research and her success will continue to flower!

Hort Hall of Famer

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Andrew Kawabata honored with the 2014 MIDPAC Hall of Fame awardAndrew Kawabata (TPSS) was honored with the 2014 MIDPAC Hall of Fame award at the Hawai‘i MidPac Horticultural Conference & Expo held July 23-25 at the Hapuna Prince Hotel. Andrew's clients nominated and selected him for this honor. The MidPac Conference is an annual event that brings together growers and buyers of Hawai‘i's ornamental products. The Hawai‘i Export Nursery Association (HENA), Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association (HFNA), and Orchid Growers of Hawai‘i (OGOH) partnered to organize this year's event with the able assistance of Andrew and Kelvin Sewake (PEPS). Congratulations, Andrew!

GoFarm on Kaua‘i!

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Koon Hui Wang discusses insect pests with students Alfred Amasiu Jr. and Michael BascukThe GoFarm Hawai‘i program received $25,000 in support of their program at Kaua‘i Community College from the Doc Buyers Fund at Hawai‘i Community Foundation. GoFarm Hawai‘i began training beginning farmers on Kaua‘i this year and is looking forward to continuing to develop new farmers to meet Hawai‘i’s need for more commercial farmers with the support of this most recent funding. GoFarm Hawai‘i also receives financial support from Kamehameha Schools, the Ulupono Initiative, and the U.S. Department of Labor. Read more about Kaua‘i’s GoFarm program at Midweek Kaua‘i.

No Beef With Beef

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Alan Titchenal and Joannie DobbsAlan Titchenal and Joannie Dobbs (both HNFAS) share beef facts in their Health Options column for the Star Advertiser. Beef provides protein as well as iron and zinc, they explain, two vital minerals that are often lacking in many diets. Beef cattle are also an important part of Hawai‘i’s agriculture and can benefit the health of pasture lands when managed properly. Read more about beef at Alan and Joannie’s website.

Perfect Pesticide Practices

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from the Good Agricultural Practices: A Best Practices Kit for Safe, Legal, and Effective Pesticide Application in Hawai‘i kitCollaborators from PEPS, NREM, and HNFAS, along with UH Hilo and the Hawaii Department of Ag, have published Good Agricultural Practices: A Best Practices Kit for Safe, Legal, and Effective Pesticide Application in Hawai‘i. The project was spearheaded by Jim Hollyer (HNFAS), Donna Meyer, and Fred Brooks (both PEPS). The kit includes guidelines for choosing the proper spray nozzle, a checklist of responsibilities for the safe use of pesticides on farms, an example of a pesticide label, basic guidance on the use of personal protective equipment, an onsite pesticide registry log for pesticide use on various types of plants, and a pesticide application log for Hawai‘i conventional and organic farms. The kit incorporates information from the handy pesticide education wall charts, if you don’t happen to have four feet of wall space handy for the originals. It’s an invaluable guide for a variety of plant-oriented industries in Hawai‘i. Spray safely and responsibly!

Beloved Plant Guide by Beloved Plant Expert Back in Print

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Plants of Hawaii
Some wisdom never changes, but it’s always good to supplement it with new information. Gardening expert and former CTAHR publicist Fortunato Teho’s Plants of Hawai‘i—How to Grow Them, originally published in 1971, has been reprinted by Petroglyph Press, now with Integrated Pest Management, earth-friendly recipes for pest control, and a list of current gardening resources. The book is an easy-to-read guide offering a description of each plant and its origins, as well as information about propagation, culture, and pest control. In 1927, Fortunato was the first Filipino to graduate from UH, earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural technology. He worked as a publicist for UH’s College of Tropical Agriculture for 25 years and became the voice of gardening in Hawai‘i for decades, creating and producing more than 700 radio and television programs as well as countless articles for various publications. The first run of Plants of Hawai‘i—How to Grow Them sold more than 50,000 copies before going out of print.

Sharing English and Food Science

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CTAHR students with Nihon University students ‘Ono! Oishii! Science! CTAHR students Alex Navarro, Jay Gibson, Jennie Yano, Saya Kataoka, Flora Wang, and Ross Villiger (HNFAS) and Allie Kim (MBBE) volunteered with the Nihon University Summer Program August 6 and 11. The CTAHR student volunteers participated in English conversation as part of the Nihon University students’ English language courses at UH. The 16 students from Nihon University are spending 10 days in Hawai‘i studying English and topics in Food Science and Human Nutrition at UH.

Pulling for Puna!

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Sharon Motomura with ice bag
Big Island CTAHR Extension is lending a helping hand with hurricane relief in Puna. A big mahalo to Extension agents Becky Settlage for leading the CTAHR and East Hawai‘i 4-H’er charge, and Sharon Motomura for helping to bag ice for East Hawai‘i 4-H to distribute to families in need in the Puna area!

After the Storm

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Hurricane damage to WaiakeaWhew! It looks like Hawai‘i County research stations escaped major damage from Hurricane Iselle. Volcano, Kona, and Lalamilo reported no damage, and Mealani reported downed branches on an electric fence, which were cleared, and a tree leaning into power lines. Waiakea Station had the most serious damage, with a 20 x 30-foot section of the roof of a tractor garage peeled off and many broken tree branches and toppled trees. No injuries, though!

Way Cool, Wekiu!

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Wekiu bug scavenging a flyJesse Eiben and Dan Rubinoff (both PEPS) published “Application of Agriculture-Developed Demographic Analysis for the Conservation of the Hawaiian Alpine Wekiu Bug” in the August issue of the highly prestigious journal Conservation Biology. Jesse and Dan developed a series of laboratory experiments to study rare and difficult-to-access insects such as the wekiu bug, shown here scavenging a fly head. By studying insects in the lab, they were able to develop “life tables,” which represent population growth parameters, environmental models for wekiu bug life cycles, and demographic changes. The experiments can be used to help conservation efforts of rare insects by allowing researchers to optimize their field monitoring methods and timing. That means there are fewer potential impacts on the summit from looking for the insects at the wrong times and more efficient and cost-effective field work. Most importantly, if there are ever negative impacts to the population of the wekiu bug, researchers and land managers would be able to discover this decline faster and could predict when the bugs would likely recover. Read more about the wekiu bug at Conservation Biology.

Style on the Radio

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Andy Reilly and Malie MoranAndy Reilly (FCS) and Malie Moran took to the Hawai‘i Public Radio airwaves to discuss Honolulu’s street fashion and their recent book, Honolulu Street Style. The book includes a fabulous collection of photographs and goes into the diverse global trends that influence Hawai‘i, as well as the unique local neighborhood cultures that put their own spin on fashion. Honolulu Street Style is available from your favorite bookseller.

4-H “Makes the Best Better” on the Big Island

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

3-H Helpers on the Big IslandIn the wake of the recent Hurricane Iselle, East Hawai‘i 4-H’ers and their families have devoted countless volunteer hours in the past 12 days to helping hurricane victims. 4-H families helped to serve hot meals to those in need and collected almost 3,700 pounds of ice, bottled water, and canned goods, as well as bedding, personal hygiene items, and batteries. There were also diapers, baby food, stuffed animals, and toys for area keiki. East Hawai‘i 4-H would like to say mahalo to all who made donations and also to many of the Hawai‘i County CTAHR faculty for all their support and assistance. And we’d like to say mahalo to East Hawai‘i 4-H!

Albizia Are Bad for (Cleanup) Business

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Clean up efforts on the Big IslandThe albizia tree strikes again (literally)! Ken Leonhardt (TPSS) talked to KHON about what makes albizia a particularly problematic tree, especially when it comes to the clean-up efforts in Puna. Albizia are fast-growing trees that can be found on every island, where they pose a potential hazard during high wind situations such as Tropical Storm Iselle. In Puna, downed albizia trees have damaged numerous power lines and have impeded progress in the recovery. Ken recommends getting rid of the trees if they are on your property and keeping on guard in areas where albizia grow near power lines and private property.

Plant Nutrients From Sea Birds

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Julia RoweAn article in the August issue of Environment Hawai‘i, “Marine Subsidies for Montane Soils,” highlighted a presentation PhD candidate Julia Rowe (NREM) gave at the recent Hawaii Ecosystems Meeting in Hilo. Julia has been studying levels of nutrients in soil at upper Limahuli and Hono o Napali on the north shore of Kaua‘i. She has seen differences between seabird and non-seabird areas and is continuing research into the connection between seabirds and nitrogen levels in the soil. The August issue of Environment Hawai‘i also includes an update on Jesse Eiben (PEPS) and his work with the wekiu bug!

Welcome to CTAHR! Enjoy Your College!

9/8/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

New students at the New Student OrientationThe 35 newest members of our college were welcomed at the 2014 New Student Orientation by Associate Dean Charly Kinoshita and Lisa Kitagawa-Akagi (ASAO). Representatives from student clubs and organizations encouraged new students to get involved, followed by a slideshow of pictures from college events during the past academic year. Afterward, the new students broke into groups, led by current CTAHR students who gave them lots of good advice. They shared their personal development of skills that will help in life after college and answered any questions the incoming students had. Afterward, groups went out on a campus tour, came back to Gilmore Hall for a tasty lunch, and met with an academic advisor, where they received guidance on classes to take and what to expect in college from their academic careers. A big thank you goes to the student committee members and scholarship recipients who served as NSO leaders: Sheldon Arakawa, Arby Barone, Stanley Chan, Jerrisa Ching, Noel Gibeau, Abraham Kwan, Hailey Pederson, Jason McMurray, Brandon Ngao, Ryan Ringuette, Trexia Sison, Angela Stein, Ericka Yiu, and Kelli Zakimi. Mahalo is also owed to faculty advisors, student club and organization representatives, and ASAO for helping to welcome the newest members of our college!

A Different Kind of Tweeting

9/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

girl with recording deviceIs human noise changing bird noise? NREM graduate student Wanda Sowa started a project to study bird songs in an urban landscape, specifically whether humans and noise pollution affect the way birds sing. The goal of the project is to use birdsong as a measure to see if speciation is occurring between island and mainland populations of non-native birds. Wanda has a fundraiser site for the project to fund recording equipment and travel expenses. She is also looking for bird-loving volunteers to help with the recording. If you or your students are interested in capturing the lovely landscape of birdsong, contact Wanda at wsowa@hawaii.edu.

Genes on the Move

9/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ryo KubotaRyo Kubota, MBBE alumnus and collaborator, will be presenting a seminar on “Mobile Gene-Based Diagnostics: Facilitation of Routine Surveillance for Pathogen Control in Remote Settings.” Being able to figure out which pathogen is infecting your crops quickly and in the field is a great boon to food producers, and Ryo is helping to make that a reality. Find out all about it in St. John 302 at 1:30 p.m. on September 5.

Cleaning Up Pig Waste

9/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jonathan DeenikJoin Jonathan Deenik (TPSS) for a presentation on piggery waste management strategies to protect and enhance water and soil quality in Pohnpei on Wednesday, September 3, at 3:30 p.m. in Sherman 103. Pigs play a central role as tribute and food in Pohnpeian culture. However, the widespread practice of washing pig waste into surface waters poses a serious threat to water quality. A multi-disciplinary effort established in Pohnpei in 2012 to assess water quality found widespread E. coli contamination. The study went on to introduce dry litter technology to mitigate negative impacts on stream water and enhance soil quality. This seminar is part of the Imi ‘Ike NREM Research Seminar Series.

Spore Scores

9/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Pallid zucchini infected by Zucchini yellow mosaic virusToo many—or not enough—spores in your life? Check out these new Extension publications from Scot Nelson (PEPS) and co-authors and solve either problem: revel in pictures of glorious viruses and fungi, or learn how to banish the beasties from your pristine produce. In “Gibberella and Fusarium Ear Rots of Maize in Hawai‘i,” you’ll not only be introduced to one of the best phrases you’ll hear all year (say it aloud—“earrrrrots”); you’ll learn how to grow corn that’s blessedly free of these debilitating diseases. One look at the pallid, bloated zucchini and tormented leaves caused by Zucchini yellow mosaic virus will get you scrambling to avoid this pest in your fields, while the symptoms of Cucumber mosaic virus can be quite ornamental, though still to be avoided. And the tips on avoiding the widespread Papaya anthracnose will allow you to eat luscious, non-scrofulous papaya again. What a score!

Where the Boys Are

9/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Andy ReillyAndy Reilly (FCS) has recently published two articles on men’s appearance and body image. In “Extending the Theory of Shifting Erogenous Zones to Men’s Tattoos,” he shows that while today’s body-revealing fashions have lessened the eroticization of specific body parts, this eroticization may be accomplished by tattooing specific parts of the body. In particular, he shows that men’s tattoos eroticize the bicep, upper arm, and lower back. In “A Review of Men’s Body Image: What We Know and Need to Know,” Andy and his co-authors show that men’s bodies are now exploited by the media as much as women’s bodies, and that men often are subject to the same types of lowered self-esteem after viewing images of idealized, muscular male bodies as women may be after looking at idealized female models. At last the academic subject of men’s appearance is being addressed.

Soil-Builders

9/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Cover crop lablabTed Radovich, Archana Pant, Amjad Ahmad, and Nguyen Hue (all TPSS) and longtime CTAHR collaborator Craig Elevitch have just published “Enhancing Soil Function and Plant Health With Locally Available Resources” as part of the Food-Producing Agroforestry Landscapes of the Pacific series. The publication looks at the balance between keeping farmers competitive and improving food security. It is intended to be a concise, practical guide for local food producers on the inputs, pros, and cons of various locally available fertilizers. Go forth and fertilize!

The Aloha of Mindfulness

9/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Thao Le and students at Leilehua HSThao Le (FCS) recently published “Mindfulness and the Aloha Response” in the Journal of Indigenous Social Development. The article discusses the resonance between mindfulness, which is often associated with Buddhist tradition, and aloha, the lifestyle and cultural tradition of Hawai‘i. Thao looks at mindfulness as a tool and a form of mental energy that facilitates the aloha response and shows how to nurture individual and collective consciousness, particularly for social work practitioners. In addition to publishing her article, Thao lately shared mindfulness with Leilehua High School students in a meditation program—see how mindful they look now?

August



GM Crops, Pesticides, and the Environment

8/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Biotech In Focus issue 14While the last issue of Biotech in Focus looked at conventional and organic farming, the new issue focuses specifically on the most common genetically modified crops and how they have changed the use of pesticides on farms. Ania Wieczorek explains the challenges, evaluations, and positive impacts of two different types of GM crop. Also check out past issues of Biotech in Focus at the website.

And in the Morning, I’m Making Waffles!

8/27/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ania Wieczorek making waffles
TPSS welcomed back faculty, staff, and students to the new fall semester with a waffle breakfast. Ania Wieczorek and other faculty served up fruity, breakfasty deliciousness to all who attended, while everyone fortified themselves and got in some welcome socializing and bonding before the work of the semester ahead.

The Eggplants Are Long, Not the Day

8/27/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Eggplants saying HiCommercial growers and Master Gardeners are invited to the Long Eggplant Field Day on September 2, 10:30–11:30 a.m. at the Komohana Research and Extension Center Master Gardner Demo Garden. Be the first to see the long eggplant hybrids currently being evaluated for future release from the UH Seed Lab. There will also be short informal presentations by Extension staff Jari Sugano (PEPS), Steve Fukuda, Sharon Motomura, and Jensen Uyeda (TPSS) about the statewide eggplant trial and the different hybrid lines, as well as how to grow, fertilize, and manage potential eggplant pests. Go long, eggplants!

Corn and the Maya Collapse

8/27/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image for seminar on Maya civilization and cornCivilizations rise and fall on their stomachs, and Jim Brewbaker (TPSS) explores the evidence in the upcoming seminar “Corn and the Maya Collapse” on Friday, August 29, 2:00 p.m. at St. John 11. Corn, rice, or wheat provided at least half of the caloric energy of all major prehistoric civilizations. The Maya had only corn, but they created a major civilization with two million people in tropical rainforests. The civilization “collapsed,” i.e., was abandoned, in the 800s, but why? Various researchers have developed numerous theories, but none suggest a problem with corn. In this seminar, Dr. B will explore the possibility that a corn virus was the culprit of the Maya’s demise. He will review recent evidence supporting this theory, and extend the idea to the Anazasi, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, and other Mesoamerican civilizations.

Yes, We Have Some Bananas!

8/19/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Banana imagesB-A-N-A-N-A-S! Come check out the ongoing Extension work on our local bananas at the O‘ahu Banana Mini Conference. It all takes place on Tuesday, August 26, from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. at the Kane‘ohe Extension Office. Researchers, professors, and Extension staff from CTAHR will provide updates on common pests in banana production; provide an overview of the newly registered broad-spectrum insecticide Movento and other products in the pipeline for future registration; update stakeholders on BBTV-resistance screenings on existing and newly introduced banana cultivars in Hawai‘i; share the current status and future perspectives of development of a BBTV-resistant banana; and discuss the developing Integrated Disease Management Program for banana. This workshop is free and open to new and longtime banana producers. Go, go, bananas!

County Fair Fun on Kaua‘i

8/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Mangoes at the Fruit and Vegetable ShowNothing says fun like farming! The Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair celebrates their Kaua‘i roots and the history of Cooperative Extension August 21–24 at Vidinha Stadium in Lihu‘e. The fair has nearly 100 years of history, so it’s fitting that it will be honoring 100 years of Cooperative Extension! This year’s fair will be dedicated to the collaborative partners in the Lihu‘e Cooperative Extension Office, and the dedication ceremony is scheduled for August 21, 6:15 p.m. at the center stage entertainment tent. CTAHR will also be involved in the Fruit and Vegetable Show, gardening demonstrations (by our lovely Kaua‘i Master Gardeners), and more! If you’re on Kaua‘i, join the fun, food, and farming!

Pork Study Money

8/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

PigsThe Pork Safety, Quality and Human Nutrition Committee is requesting pre-proposals in human nutrition research. The proposal process requires an initial letter of intent, which will be used for initial screening. If the review looks promising, a request for a full proposal application will be made by the National Pork Board to the Principal Investigator. The specific research areas are protein in a healthy diet, cardiometabolic well-being, and dietary nutrients and functions, all in connection with dietary pork. For more information, visit the Pork Checkoff website.

Second Saturday for August 9 Cancelled

8/7/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Dean Gallo at Urban GardenThis week's Second Saturday at the Garden event, scheduled for August 9 at the Urban Garden Center (UGC) on O‘ahu, has been cancelled. There will be no plant sales, and the facility will be closed due to inclement weather conditions of Tropical Storm Iselle. Stay informed of future UGC activities here.

July



Researching Biofilms to Help Cancer Patients

7/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from Detection and quantification of bacterial biofilms combining high-frequency acoustic microscopy and targeted lipid microparticlesPhD student Pavlos Anastasiadis (MBBE) and his co-authors published “Detection and quantification of bacterial biofilms combining high-frequency acoustic microscopy and targeted lipid microparticles” in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology. Immuno-compromised patients such as those undergoing cancer chemotherapy are susceptible to bacterial infections, which leads to biofilm matrix formation. Early diagnosis of biofilm matrix formation is a challenge in treating cancer patients with infection-associated biofilms, because in vivo imaging and detection of biofilm matrices is difficult. In a novel approach, the researchers report that a combined optical and acoustic evaluation of infectious biofilm matrices can be used to enhance biofilm imaging and early detection.

Soil Respiration and Climate Change

7/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

SoilCreighton Litton, Susan Crow (both NREM) and Christian Giardina (US Forest Service and NREM affiliate) recently published the article “Warming-related increases in soil CO2 efflux are explained by increased below-ground carbon flux” in the prestigious journal Nature Climate Change. The article is based on a whole-ecosystem study, the first of its kind, along an elevation/temperature gradient in tropical montane wet forests on Hawai‘i Island, which the authors used to sort through the many processes that connect soil carbon stocks and fluxes with rising temperature to test previously held scientific assumptions. They discovered that rising temperatures increased the amount of carbon both entering and leaving soils. But, surprisingly, long-term warming had no effect on the overall storage of tropical forest soil carbon, contrary to current scientific understanding. That is, the often observed increase in the rate of soil respiration with rising temperatures appears to be due to an increase in the amount of C entering the soil, not from a decrease in the overall amount of carbon stored in the soil. This is good news for tropical forests, which play a disproportionately large role in the global carbon cycle, and therefore global climate, due to their high rates of productivity. So while future warming will likely continue with the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere from human activities, previous assumptions about a positive soil carbon cycling feedback on warming require more detailed observation.

Get Growing in Waimanalo!

7/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Waimanalo Co-op LogoThe Waimanalo Market Co-op is ready to grow! The community market, which opened in November 2013 and operates at the old Mel’s Market site, was featured in MidWeek magazine. The co-op is operated by community members, including Ted Radovich (TPSS) and CTAHR collaborator Leina‘ala Bright, and it gives artists, farmers, backyard growers, and the Windward CC GoFarm! program a venue to sell their arts, crafts, and produce. Plans to improve the Waimanalo operations include the installation of electricity, refrigerators, a kitchen, and the expansion of items such as pickled mango, smoked meats, and lilikoi butter. If you’re looking for fresh, local, interesting produce and goods, take a swing by the Waimanalo Market Co-op, or consider joining the Co-op at their August 3 pa‘ina.

Horticulture Apps for Everyone!

7/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Smartphone with horticultural appAndroid smartphone and iPhone users can agree on at least one thing: free horticulture apps are great! Kent Kobayashi (TPSS) has created two lists of 190 free apps for smartphone-loving horticulturalists. Kent has separated the apps in to broad categories, and the lists can be sorted by app title or by category. The lists also provide a brief description of each app. From GPS to farm management, soil to social media, you’re sure to find a horticultural app for you, whichever smartphone platform you prefer! Check out the free Android app list, and the free iPhone app list.

Field Day Fabulous!

7/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ted Radovich showcases the work done at the Waimanalo Research StationCheck out the pics from the Organic Field Day and Legislators’ Open House at the lush farmland of the Waimanalo Research Station! Between the two events, more than 100 visitors came to soak in the awesome agriculture, with presentations and demonstrations by around 30 members of the CTAHR ‘ohana. Visitors included legislators Suzanne Chun Oakland, Richard Creagan, Lauren Matsumoto, Glen Wakai, Laura Thielen, and Marcus Oshiro, as well as representatives from Angus McKelvey, Sam Slom, Kalani English, Will Espero, the Hawai‘i Farmers Union Unites, and the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau Federation. It was a farm-tastic two days in Waimanalo!

Got (Selenium-Enriched) Milk?

7/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Dr. Harsharn GillDr. Harsharn Gill will present the seminar “Selenium-Enriched Milk: From Production to Demonstration of Health Benefits” on Monday, August 4, at 2:00 p.m. in Gilmore 212. Dr. Gill is a professor of Food & Health Biosciences at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, and has more than 20 years of experience in R&D related to food, nutrition, and health. His research interests include the role of food (particularly dairy foods) and intestinal microflora in health and disease.

Science Policy and Food Safety Funding Opportunities

7/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Investigating innovative science policy or food safety systems? There are two new grants that may be for you! The National Science Foundation grant supports research designed to advance the scientific basis of science and innovation policy with the aim of developing, improving, and expanding models, analytical tools, data, and metrics that can be applied in the science policy decision-making process. The program places a high priority on broadening participation and encourages proposals from junior faculty, women, other underrepresented minorities, Research Undergraduate Institutions, and EPSCoR states, including Hawai‘i. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration grant is designed to facilitate longterm improvements to the national food safety system by providing states with information to help identify needed changes and resources to enforce produce safety requirements modeled after FDA’s produce safety rule. The information also would assist FDA in implementing the produce safety rule. Could these funding opportunities help your work? Worth a look!

Go Forth and Landscape

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

LICT training session participantsThe landscape industry is a vital part of Hawai‘i’s agriculture and a key component of our visitor economy. For the first time in 12 years, a Landscape Industry Certification Test (LICT) was offered on Maui, preceded by a 12-session training program organized by Extension agent Norman Nagata (TPSS). This great collaborative effort brought numerous landscape-related businesses together with CTAHR Cooperative Extension-Maui, UH Maui College, and the County of Maui Office of Economic Development to raise the bar of professional landscaping on Maui. Just as they help the plants they work with to flourish, the initial 22 landscapers who participated in the training are helping to grow an industry of professionals.

Let's Farm Naturally!

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Collecting seawaterIf you read the recent Impact Report, you know about Mike DuPonte’s (HNFAS) exciting work with Korean Natural Farming, a sustainable and bio-active method of agricultural production. If you want to get involved yourself, find out how to make some of the inputs that will keep your green friends fruitful and thriving: Fish Amino Acid acts as a locally sourced fertilizer that doesn’t damage water quality like many commercial fertilizers, and Water-Soluble Calcium, which can be made from eggshells and rice vinegar, will help regulate plant growth and development. Oriental Herbal Nutrient provides plants and soil microorganisms with nutritional support that increases plants’ resilience to environmental stress, while Diluted Seawater, the easiest of all to make, can be used to encourage ripening and for soil nutrition. Get started utilizing the powerful and beneficial indigenous microorganisms around you today!

More Trees, More Beauty

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

ColevilleAs recent outbreaks of plant diseases and pests have shown us, diversity is useful in landscaping so we’re not left with denuded landscapes, nurseries, and backyards if something attacks a particular species. It also helps to address landscape challenges and client preferences, replace invasive or otherwise detrimental species, and help create a variegated and interesting landscape. In pursuit of arboreal diversity, Richard Criley (TPSS) and his co-authors have created a series of publications describing beautiful, useful, and underutilized trees—many of which can be found on the UH Manoa campus but in few other places around the Islands. Check out these possibilities: Aali‘i, Alahe‘e, Beach Heliotrope, Colville’s Glory (pictured), Fern Pine, Hispaniolan Rosy Trumpet, Hong Kong Orchid, Lignum Vitae, Lonomea, Naio, Na‘u

To Protect and Serve

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from Protecting Tree Plantations From Fire in Hawai‘iFrom the forest to the factory to the farm, our college is working to keep the community safe! Want to keep your trees green and healthy, not blackened and charred? J.B. Friday, Doug Cram, and Clay Trauernicht (all NREM) have published a guide to minimize risks of wildfires for tree plantations. Need to keep your food-production facility free from dangerous and illegal chemical, biological, and physical adulterants? Luisa Castro (formerly of NREM) and Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) published a guide to assist growers with state and federal standards for food safety. Every day, in every way, CTAHR means safety!

After the Harvest

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from Growing Grapes in Hawai‘iHawai‘i is awesome for its delicious, year-round fruit, and we benefit not only from great fruit-growing weather but also from the variety of fruits that can be produced throughout the Islands. But warm weather also brings its own concerns. Bob Paull (TPSS) and his co-authors, including Nancy Chen (also TPSS) have new publications out on how to maintain the best quality for fruit after harvest. Check them out! Carambola, Dragon Fruit, Durian, Longan, Lychee, Papaya, Pineapple, and Rambutan. Bob also has a guide to Growing Grapes in Hawai‘i from trellis to harvest. For fig growers and lovers, Scot Nelson (PEPS) and his student Ann Verga describe effective methods to combat fig rust.

CBB on TV

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Mark Wright on KHONKHON recently reported on efforts to combat the Coffee Berry Borer on Big Island coffee farms and the gains made by coffee growers since 2010. It looks as though things are starting to look up for coffee farmers, thanks in part to CTAHR’s research and outreach. Mark Wright (PEPS) weighs in on what farmers can do to help their farms and stresses that diligence in best practices will play an important part in successful CBB management. Check out the video.

Details of Dietary Data

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Mexican foodJinan Banna and Marie Kainoa Fialkowski (both HNFAS) recently had their manuscript “Misreporting of dietary intake affects estimated nutrient intakes in low-income Spanish-speaking women,” co-written with Dr. Marilyn Townsend at UC-Davis, accepted for publication in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This study involved classifying reported energy intakes from 24-hour dietary recalls completed by Mexican-American women in Northern California as biologically plausible or implausible to determine if those with plausibly reported intakes would be more likely to meet dietary guidelines. Findings revealed that plausibility status significantly influenced whether a participant met recommendations for several nutrients. These results support the importance of evaluating plausibility of reported intake when analyzing self-reported dietary data to determine whether a population is meeting recommendations. The topic of validity of self-reported dietary data is a timely one, addressed in detail at the recent Experimental Biology session entitled “Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted and Not Everything That Can Be Counted Counts: How Should We Collect Dietary Data for Research?”

Akamai-zing the Flow of Energy

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Akamai Short Course participantsIn June, PhD student Kauahi Perez (TPSS) participated as an instructor and facilitator in the Akamai Short Course, a 4-day intensive course hosted at UH Hilo that prepares undergraduates for their upcoming internship projects. Taught by graduate students and post-docs trained in the ISEE Professional Development Program, the Short Course uses inquiry learning to enhance interns’ research, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills. Kauahi was part of the Renewable Energy Team of instructors—comprised of UH Manoa and UC Santa Cruz graduates—that designed an engineering-based activity entitled “Akamai-zing the Flow of Energy.” Using their akamai (intelligence/skills), students collaboratively engaged in optimizing (“akamai-zing”) energy flow by augmenting hypothetical networks of technologies (i.e., wind turbines, wave turbines, photovoltaic systems, and battery storage systems) that could harvest enough energy from renewable sources to meet the Big Island’s current energy demand. The Akamai Short Course is one component of the Akamai Internship Program, which provides an opportunity for undergraduates who are interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields to get involved in high-tech research and industry. The 2014 Akamai Internship Program was funded by the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory, the University of Hawai‘i, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. You’re aka-mazing, Kauahi!

Ag Economics Affects Everyone!

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CBB in coffee cherryOwing to the advent of the coffee berry borer and other pests, there is growing concern as to how the coffee industry will be affected. And to fully understand that, it’s necessary to look at the industry’s economic status before CBB. Dilini Hemachandra (NREM), Stuart Nakamoto (HNFAS), and John Woodill have published an overview of the Hawai‘i coffee industry that does just that. For another important look at where ag is going in terms of where it’s been, Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) teamed up with Matthew Loke (NREM) to report on the changing demographics of Hawai‘i farmers over the past 100 years. Find out when the greatest number of Filipino farmers were principal operators, when women became a force in the field, and more!

Taking Care of Keiki 2014

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

The KIDS COUNT 2014 Data Book coverThe 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book, released on July 22 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, marks 25 years of bringing attention to national and state-level data on the well-being of children. According to data presented in the annual report, Hawai‘i ranks 25th out of 50 states on overall child well-being. “The well-being of our children is the most important indicator of how well our state is doing in terms of longterm economic success and how well we will do in the future,” says Hawai‘i KIDS COUNT project director Ivette Rodriguez Stern (COF). “The good news is that we’re no longer slipping in rank where it comes to the overall well-being of Hawai‘i’s children, as had been the case in recent years. We’re now somewhere in the middle, and while we’re doing well in the areas of health and in the family and community context, we’re ranked much lower where it comes to the economic well-being of our children and education.” Take a look at how our keiki are doing at in the 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book the Annie E. Casey Foundation website.

The Plant Doctor’s Android Update

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

The Plant Doctor appA new version of the very useful Plant Doctor smartphone app is now available for Android users. The old version will no longer work, so developer Scot Nelson (PEPS) encourages all Android users to delete it and install the new one, pronto! The Plant Doctor provides interactive diagnosis for plant diseases in gardens, landscapes, nurseries, and farms. It’s been used around the world from Guam to Scandinavia, Russia to South Africa, and, of course, here in Hawai‘i. Update your app and diagnose your plants!

Along Came a Spider

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

The Mediterranean recluse spiderEek! Spider bite! Dan Rubinoff (PEPS) talks about the spider that bit Hamilton Library educator Teri Skillman and ultimately sent her to the hospital for five days of treatment. Dan believes the culprit was a Mediterranean recluse spider, which is very rarely encountered in the Islands; in fact, he says people are more likely to get struck by lightning than bitten by this spider. This is lucky, as you’ll see if you watch the video about the bite at Hawai‘i News Now. Just to be on the safe side, watch out for spiders!

Spray Safe

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Pesticide Safety ChartThe Western Front, a newsletter about Integrated Pest Management, recently featured the multilingual pesticide safety charts developed by Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) and a tireless team of CTAHR and HDOA collaborators. The charts, titled “Protect Yourself and Workers From Pesticides” and “Apply Pesticides Safely, Legally, Effectively” include instructions in English, Mandarin, Ilocano, and Lao and are designed for use in classroom presentations as well as on-farm training. They’re available at HDOA offices and workshops, and the editable files are also available to any state or country entity wanting to modify and use them. Download the PDF versions, or email Jim at hollyer@hawaii.edu for the raw files. Spray safe, stay safe!

Go! Farm! Windward!

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

GoFarm Windward CC graduatesCongratulations to the graduates of GoFarm Hawai‘i at Windward CC’s AgSchool2. Ten months of hard work and learning have resulted in the development of some fine farmers (pictured with their GoFarm Hawai‘i alumni caps and farm coach Jay Bost in the back row). Some of the new alumni will start to farm their own land in Waimanalo or on land provided by Kamehameha Schools. Others have chosen to enter the AgIncubator plots at CTAHR's Waimanalo Agricultural Research Station to begin their careers as real farmers! Great job, future farmers of Hawai‘i!

What’s This? What’s This? There’s Insects Everywhere!

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Insect sorting at The Insect MuseumThe sorting of bugs is a fascinating matter, so the Insect Museum held its 5th annual insect sorting event on June 27 with help from wonderful, bug-loving volunteers. An insect sort becomes necessary as specimens accumulate through field collections, and until an organizational event, these insects are not easy for experts studying different groups to locate in the museum. During a sort, labeled insects are categorized with the other insects to which they are closely related. Then they are placed in their proper spot in the museum collection where experts can find them and identify them in more detail. Check out pictures from the Great Insect Sort of 2014 and listen to Dan Rubinoff talk bug sorting on KHPR (scroll down)!

Extension and Grocers

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from The Hawaii Grocer magazineWe're still celebrating 100 years of Extension! Joannie Dobbs and Alan Titchenal (HNFAS) published an upbeat and informative article about the 100th anniversary of Cooperative Extension in the Hawaii Retail Grocer, the magazine of the Hawai‘i food industry association. The article describes how Extension agents and specialists helped the growth of the food industry in Hawai‘i. This issue also includes a profile of Carey Miller, the “dean of nutritionists,” and her contributions to UH and the dietary practices in Hawai‘i. Read both articles at the Hawaii Retail Grocer.

Food Safety at the Farmers Market

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from the Hawai‘i Farmers Market and Agritourism Venues manualFarmers markets are a great opportunity for growers to showcase their fabulous foods, and CTAHR collaborated with UH Hilo’s College of Continuing Education and Community Service to create the Hawai‘i Farmers Market and Agritourism Venues manual for those who want to get started doing just that. The 36-page cookbook-style guide is an easy-to-read rapid reference for new and experienced vendors at farmers markets and agriculture tourism venues. Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) and Luisa Castro (formerly of CTAHR) worked with with five current farmers market and agritourism managers to craft a Hawai‘i-specific best practices manual. Download this helpful new guide here!

Let’s Go Climb a Tree

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Woman climbing a treeNREM graduate student Laura Mo has her head (and the rest of herself) in the trees! Laura participated in the Wahine Tree Climbing Workshop offered by Lyon Arboretum, and now enjoys the vertical aspect of movement. “I just really enjoy movement,” Laura said. “When all you do is sit and walk, you kind of forget that you can do other things.” Read more about Laura and the Wahine Tree Climbing Workshop at the Star-Advertiser. And check out the Lyon Arboretum website for the next Wahine Tree Climbing Workshop and other fun classes, including keeping chickens in the backyard!

Farmers Get Knocked Down, but They Get Up Again

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from Glen TevesEveryone knows farming is hard work, but sometimes beginning farmers don’t realize just what that “work” means. Moloka‘i Extension agent Glenn Teves (TPSS) has some great advice for anyone interested in becoming a farmer in the Hawai‘i Homegrown newsletter. In his letter to “Sonny,” Glen explains the many aspects of farming, from the sheer amount of personal motivation needed to the specialized knowledge of agriculture and business that farmers require to be successful. He breaks down the economic and practical realities of the complex, sometimes difficult, but ultimately rewarding vocation of farming. Read his advice at Hawai‘i Homegrown.

Koa’s Distant Close Relative

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Koa treeIt’s a small world, even for koa trees! Nature magazine featured TPSS alumnus Johannes “Jaco” LeRoux and his research on the incredibly improbable dispersal of koa trees from Hawai‘i to Réunion Island. First, Hawai‘i and Réunion Island are 18,000 kilometers apart, almost the farthest apart any two places can be. Second, the dispersal happened between two small islands. Jaco proposed that a sea bird brought a koa seed from Hawai‘i to Réunion in its stomach or stuck to its feet in a one-time event about 1.4 million years ago. He and his team sequenced the DNA from 88 trees and created an acacia family tree that showed the acaia on Réunion are very closely related to one type of Hawaiian koa. The team then used a molecular clock to determine when the dispersal event took place. Read more about Koa and its Réunion relative at Nature magazine.

Kalo Theft Hurts Everyone

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Damaged taro fields after the June theftMore than 700 pounds of kalo were stolen from the Waimanalo Research Station on June 23, only a few days before harvest. Two weeks before that theft, 300 pounds were stolen. The kalo was part of a research project focused on organic cultivation that had been ongoing for about eight months. Waimanalo Research Station brought the college’s taro germplasm collection over from its Moloka‘i Applied Farm in 2008. Since then, the huli have been used to support various organizations and farmers across the state. “We’re disappointed. It’s not just a faceless entity that they were stealing from. This is actually folks working long and hard with the community to really try to generate some data that is valuable. They’re not stealing from nobody; they're impacting people,” said Ted Radovich (TPSS). A special, huge mahalo to all the wonderful growers who generously offered to replace huli at the station. Watch the video about the theft at Hawai‘i News Now.

It’s a Tradition

7/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image of cover of 2nd quarter 2014 Impact ReportThe 2014 Second Quarter Impact Report is here! Last quarter’s Report looked at CTAHR’s high-tech solutions to ag, horticulture, and environmental issues, while this quarter’s turns the tables and focuses instead on the ways the college gains inspiration from traditional knowledge and practices. Check out Skip Bittenbender’s (TPSS) kava studies and outreach, Clyde Tamaru’s (MBBE) assistant Leina‘ala Bright’s research into aquaponically growing Hawaiian herbal medicines, Thao Le’s (FCS) work with youth through mindfulness techniques, and Michael DuPonte’s great work with Korean Natural Farming. Check out the Report and get inspired!

Distance Extension

7/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image from Special Topics in Extension and AdoptionIn honor of Cooperative Extension’s 100th anniversary, Helen Spafford and Jari Sugano (both PEPS) utilized CTAHR’s distance education services, managed by Kellie Kong, to offer the course “Special Topics in Extension and Adoption,” affectionately known as “Extension 101.” Nine students from O‘ahu as well as the neighbor islands had the opportunity to learn from 22 guest lecturers, from Miles Hakoda (OCS) to Lyon Arboretum director and interim dean of Extension Carl Evensen, speak on 26 different topics including land-grant universities, how to look for funding, how to develop programs specifically for children or adults, and much more. Helen and Jari are planning to offer the course again in the future, and we know there will be takers for it.

Sharing Food Science in China

7/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jinen Banna and Chinese studentsA good relationship often starts with the sharing of food, and Jinan Banna (HNFAS) improved on that by sharing food science with students in China. From June 9th through June 20th, Jinan taught two courses, “The Science of Human Nutrition” to 70 students and “Introduction to Food Science” to 140 students, at Hunan Agricultural University (HAU) in Changsha, Hunan, China. The teaching assignment ranged from three to five hours per day, with time on the weekend and after the end of the courses to visit interesting sites such as Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Yuelu Mountain. Jinan’s visit was the start of a collaborative relationship between HAU and UH facilitated by Dr. Ching Yuan Hu. HAU would like to sponsor a group of instructors to travel to Changsha to teach courses in December 2014, as well as in the summer of 2015. For the December session, the group of instructors would ideally be able to offer one course in Economics and Management in Agriculture and Forestry, and two courses in Food Science. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Jinan at jcbanna@hawaii.edu to discuss potential dates and courses you wish to teach. Let’s build strong relationships with CTAHR skills!

Best. Corn. Ever?

7/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students working at the Corn SaleFor those of you who purchased corn from the Horticultural Society’s recent corn sale (here are some pictures of that toothsome event), what did you think of those succulent ears? Desmond Ogata (UH Seed Lab) and Roger Corrales (Waimanalo Research Station) want your candid opinion on the new variety of corn. Dr. B has been working for years trying to perfect this hybrid corn, and this year produced an awesome harvest—three pickup-truckloads were sold over the two-day sale! Please send your feedback—Inferior, Okay, Good, Excellent, Broke da Mout—to seed@ctahr.hawaii.edu. And, as always, a big mahalo to all the corn lovers who came out and supported the Horticultural Society at their corn sale!

Organic Fantastic at Waimanalo!

7/23/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Waimanalo Research StationCome celebrate 20 years of organic research at CTAHR and join the Sustainable and Agriculture Program's Organic Ag Field Day on Saturday, July 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Waimanalo Research Station! Visitors can learn more about variety trials of hot pepper and eggplant and check out displays of kalo, ‘uala, papaya, and fertilizers. And if you want to beat the summer heat (at least for your plants), try the shade house demonstration. With all the recent rain, it should be nice and green in Waimanalo!

Farm Harm and the Environment

7/15/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Biotech In Focus issue 13Want to know more about potential impacts of farming on the environment? Check out the new issue of Biotech in Focus, which examines issues related to conventional and organic farming and how the environment is affected by each. Ania Wieczorek (TPSS) explains “green” farming, pesticide use, crop rotation, and sustainability. The newsletter also touches on genetically modified crops and their compatibility with sustainable agriculture. If you want to learn even more, check out the archives of Biotech in Focus at the website!

Bring on the Biology

7/9/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Island Biology Conference imageSeveral members of the CTAHR ‘ohana are involved in the Island Biology Conference, July 7–11 on the Manoa campus. This is the first international conference to focus specifically on island biology, and the more than 400 participants come from at least 35 countries. As many CTAHR research projects involve the unique life found on our islands, CTAHR folks are chairing sessions and presenting at this first-of-its-kind conference. Check out the program for Island Biology 2014.

June



Raise High the Roof Beams!

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Classes at WaimanaloThe Waimanalo Research Station now has an official UH Foundation fundraising page for their Learning Pavilion roof. After the original classroom collapsed in a 2011 storm, the station was fortunate to receive funding to build the base and columns of the Waimanalo Learning Pavilion, which will be able to accommodate 100 students at a time. However, the funding did not extend to roofing. Check out the new fundraising page, and give a little shelter to get eager students out of the sun and rain!

Mmm, Persimmons

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Hashimoto persimmonsFormer Maui County agent Clark Hashimoto and his family’s persimmon farm are featured in Hana Hou: The Magazine of Hawaiian Airlines. The Hashimoto Persimmon Farm on Maui had its beginnings in the early 20th century when Clark’s great grandfather decided to grow the Japanese fruit on his land. The autumn favorite has increased in popularity over the years, and the Hashimotos work to continue the family farming tradition today as well as to support other family-owned farms in the area. Read about the Hashimotos and their delicious persimmons at the Hana Hou website.

How to Take Over the World, One Aquaponics Tank at a Time

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Benny Ron and the Bytemarks CastDid you ever want to learn everything—seriously, everything—about aquaponics and hydroponics all at one time? Tetsuzan “Benny” Ron (HNFAS) covers quite a bit about both during his interview on the Bytemarks Cafe talk show on June 4. He discusses not only aquaponics and hydroponics but also vertical agriculture, recirculating aquaculture systems, biofloc technology, and airlift pump technology. Want more? He touches on fish, plants, bacteria, speciality crops, moving water, air, efficiency, renewable energy, food security, LED lighting, taro and poi, recycling, protein, carbohydrates, and oils. But wait—there’s more! He tells about the Aquaculture Hub, the Aquaculture Training On-Line Learning (ATOLL) program, STEM and HOT STEAM education (that one stands for Hands-On Training in Science, Technology, Engineering, Aquaculture/Agriculture, and Mathematics), business resources, and of course HNFAS and CTAHR scientists who work with fish, plants, pests, and bacteria. Listen to the podcast at the Bytemarks Cafe...and get drunk on information! Benny’s interview starts around 21 minutes in.

Mapping Power!

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

GPS Field Tags imageCTAHR has an app-etite for apps! Dan Jenkins (MBBE) and his lab have just published GPS Field Tags, a free Android app designed to record textual information and locations interactively on a Google map (including trackline information). Then you can view the recorded information on the map and share csv files, openable in Excel, populated with the recorded information. The app was originally designed to automatically record GPS and other information about invasive plants targeted by aerial application of James Leary’s (NREM) Herbicide Ballistic Technology. Recognizing its usefulness for other applications (it’s designed to be more intuitive than other GPS apps currently available), Dan wrote the free standalone app to share with the public. Just search for “Field Tags” in Google Play, and the app will come right up. And if you’re feeling creative, Dan is looking for possible replacement images for the GPS Field Tags icon.

Banquet Memories

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Derek Kurisu and Dean Gallo making SPAM musubiThe Dean chanting an ‘oli! Derek Kurisu making SPAM musubi! The amazing Extension birthday cake! It’s all there in living color, so relive the memories from this year’s Awards Banquet by checking out all the celebrational pictures from the event. The Banquet, attended by over 400 well-dressed members of the CTAHR ‘ohana and assorted friends and supporters, garnered 14 sponsorships and raised $24,000 for the CTAHR Centennial Scholarship fund. Award winners, sponsors, and other vital stats can be found at the banquet page. And remember, it’s not too early to start thinking about next year’s Banquet—the date’s already been set for May 8, 2015!

New York Elements of Style

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

FDM students in New YorkJust back from the Big Apple and in a New York state of mind are Abby Cristi (FDM) and her students, after a whirlwind tour of one of the fashion capitals of the world. They had an opportunity to meet with fashion industry professionals focusing on fashion forecasting, design, manufacturing, and retail. The fashion fabulous group visited Rag & Bone (retail, with APDM alum Dan Weaver, Apparel Design and Manufacturing), Assembly New York (apparel design and retail); the MET (Charles James: Beyond Fashion Exhibit); Dyenamix (textile dyeing); Macy’s (retail); Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT; Senior Design Exhibit and Costume Collection); Lost Art (leather design); Tobe Forecasting (consulting and forecasting); Adrienne Landau (fur manufacturing). Work your style, students!

Fight Fire with Science

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Creighton LittonFire ecologist Creighton Litton (NREM) and his former graduate student Lisa Ellsworth were recently featured in Fire Science Digest for their work with Hawai‘i wildfires, which are unique amongst wildland fires. The Islands’ tropical landscape makes tools developed for mainland wildfires unreliable. Invasive species and continued development of Hawai‘i’s lands have also created an environment where wildfires are becoming more common, and more difficult to control. It’s lucky Creighton and Lisa and other members of the CTAHR ‘ohana like Clay Trauernicht (NREM) are working on ways to predict and prevent these destructive and potentially deadly threats.

Alumna on Fire

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Lisa EllsworthNREM alumna Lisa Ellsworth has been fighting fires, one way or another, for 15 years. She started as a wildland firefighter and then earned a PhD from CTAHR as a fire ecologist. Since leaving Hawai‘i, Lisa has been involved in postdoctoral work at Oregon State University. Her current research is investigating the longterm responses of sagebrush communities to fire. Lisa has been the PI or co-PI on grant funding for fire research totaling more than $800,000 and she credits Doug Vincent’s (HNFAS) grant-writing class for much of her grant writing success. Two publications based on her dissertation have been published, and two more are forthcoming, along with a publication from her postdoctoral work. She thanks her advisor Creighton Litton and the other CTAHR members of her committee, James Leary, Tomoaki Miura, and Chris Lepczyk (all NREM) for being instrumental in her training as a fire scientist and readying her for an academic career in fire science and fire ecology. “It would be great to stay involved in fire research in Hawai‘i!” she says. We hope she comes back!

Kamehameha Schools Says, GoFarm!

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

GoFarm classAs part of their Agricultural Strategic Plan, Kamehameha Schools is supporting development of new farmers by helping to fund UH’s GoFarm Hawai‘i program, a collaboration between CTAHR and Windward, Leeward, and Kaua‘i Community Colleges. Not only has Kamehameha Schools provided over $97,000 for the current year, it has committed to providing another $110,00 in the 2014-2015 fiscal year to support continued operation and development of distance curriculum for this growing program. GoFarm has also received generous financial support from the US Department of Labor and the Ulupono Initiative. GoFarm’s third cohort is going strong right now, and the fourth class will be starting up with the AgCurious seminar in late September. Soon, even more students can GoFarm!

Happy Snails to You

6/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

A variety of cone snailsJP Bingham (MBBE) and his fascinating, dangerous cone snails were featured in the Ocean Watch column in the Star-Advertiser. In his lab, JP and his students study the multiple toxins in cone snail venom, which have great potential in medical and pharmaceutical research. There are at least 64 species of cone snails in Hawai‘i, and while all cone snails are venomous, no deaths have been reported in the Islands. But it’s still much safer to look at but not touch the snails and their beautiful shells.

Plant App-Tastic!

6/23/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Video on The Plant Doctor and Pic-a-Papaya appsScot Nelson (PEPS), creator of the soon-to-be viral Plant Doctor and Pic-A-Papaya apps, has just released a new one, the Leaf Doctor. Speaking of viral, this app allows users to take a picture of a diseased leaf and then calculate the area of disease coverage on it, important information for plant pathologists and epidemiologists who are tracking the spread of disease over space or time as well as for breeders testing new varieties for disease resistance. So far, there have been nearly 100 downloads! Meanwhile, his other apps have been continuing to make news! An article on The Plant Doctor pest diagnosis app was featured in the Green section of The Huffington Post. And both the Plant Doctor and Pic-A-Papaya, which was co-developed by Richard Manshardt (TPSS) to identify and diagnose papaya ringspot virus, were part of the Hawai‘i News Now’s Hawai‘i Geek Beat, highlighting locally grown apps. Watch the video here!

What’s Growing in China

6/23/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

David Shepard, Aleta Corpuz, Flora Chen, and Hye-Ji Kim.Hye-Ji Kim (TPSS) and her students will present their amazing experiences on their Horticulture Production in China study abroad tour in a seminar on Tuesday, June 24, at 12:00 in St. John 106. The two-week trip included tours of the Beijing Agriculture Research Station, the National Agriculture Science and Tech Demonstration Park, tea plantations, biotechnology and agricultural development companies, the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Science, the Nanjing Agricultural University, the Ruyiqing Exhibition Center, botanical gardens, fruit production facilities, and more. If you can’t make the seminar, check out the awesome (and picture-full) blogs created by the students, David Shepard, Aleta Corpuz, and Flora Chen.

What’s That You Say?

6/11/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Hand to earEh? Think you might need your hearing checked? Alan Titchenal and Joannie Dobbs (both HNFAS) discuss hearing loss and the (at the moment) free National Hearing Test in their Health Options column. While the test is free (at least until June 15), call 866-223-7575 and follow the directions. Use a landline phone with a number pad separate from the handset; the test may not be valid if taken with a cellphone. Over a background of white noise, you will listen to a voice speaking sequences of three numbers, and indicate the numbers you heard by pressing them on the telephone keypad. As you go through the process with each ear separately, the volume of the three spoken digits declines until you can’t decipher what you heard. Read more about hearing loss, and then check out the test—it takes less than 10 minutes, and you (or those around you) may be glad you did!

A Distinguished Scholar Among Us

6/4/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Chennat GopalakrishnanChennat Gopalakrishnan (NREM Emeritus), will be presented with the Distinguished Scholar Award at the Western Agricultural Economics Association (WAEA) meeting in Colorado Springs in June. The award grants the highest recognition to WAEA members who have made an enduring contribution over their career to agricultural or other applied, resource, or environmental economics in the Western states and to the WAEA. This isn’t the only award for Gopal: he was honored in 2009 with the CTAHR Excellence in Research Award and in 2003 with the CTAHR Ka Pouhana (Mentor) Award. In retirement, he continues to be active in his field, editing the Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research; developing farm-level water management strategies and examining the relationship between water issues and energy, environmental policy, and climate change; and working on two books!

CES Centennial Celebrations!

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Centennial LogoThe Star Advertiser celebrated the CES Centennial with an op/ed by Dean Maria Gallo on the amazing work done by CTAHR’s Extension specialists in the past 100 years, touching on everything from preventing wildfires to helping elder caregivers. Alan Titchenal and Joannie Dobbs (both HNFAS) likewise laud Cooperative Extension’s accomplishments in an easy-to-assimilate Q&A format in their Star Advertiser column, also available at the Nutrition ATC website. The best question and answer: “Who benefits from Cooperative Extension? Everyone!” Check the pieces out! It will give you a warm and happy glow to know that you’re part of a great system. Speaking of which, did you know that May 9, 2014, was designated Cooperative Extension Service Day in Hawai‘i? It’s true!

Taking Fashion on the Road...and the Internet Superhighway

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Roam Hawai‘i truckJust think shrimp truck...but less messy and more fashion-forward. APDM (now FCS) alumna Cassandra Rull and other former fashion students, including previous CTAHR student Melissa Jasniy, showed off their fabulous designs and business success in a Star Advertiser article on mobile clothing stores. Their store, Roam Hawai‘i, began as a truck carrying their designs around the island. Today, their brand has a global following online!

Green Points of Success

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Green Point OhanaLongtime CTAHR collaborator Green Point Nurseries was just featured in the Star Advertiser, in an article highlighting the success of the third-generation family business. Green Point specializes in orchids, tropical flowers, and greenery, as well as their iconic and prize-winning anthuriums. Located in Hilo, the nursery offers lovely blooms and leaves that can be found throughout the Islands, including at many CTAHR Awards Banquets. The business was established by the late Harold Tanouye, who cultivated and maintained strong support for and partnership with CTAHR, and now is being ably led by his son Eric.

Exellent Events, Excellent Pictures

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Aquaponics demonstrationCheck out pictures from two great events featuring great CTAHR people! First the UH Manoa Chancellor's Awards ceremony, where Lori Yancura (FCS), Marla Fergerstrom (Big Island Extension), and Chino Cabalteja (MS student, MBBE) were honored with awards for Meritorious Teaching, Outstanding Civil Service, and Student Excellence in Research, respectively. Congratulations to all! Then check out the pictures from the Growth of Aquaponics: East Meets West seminar. Highlights included Weber State University’s demonstration of the prototype of a very futuristic-looking aquaponic system, reports on the commercialization of aquaponics statewide, sustainable models, CTAHR research, and Cooperative Extension support on O‘ahu for Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Mindful Adventures for Military Youth

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Thao LeThao Le (FCS) discusses positive youth outcomes in her article “Mindfulness-Based Adventure Camp for Military Youth,” recently published in the Journal of Extension. Her research suggests that military youth have higher rates of anxiety and socio-emotional difficulties compared to their non-military peers, due in part to the unique stressors of military life. The study provides feasibility findings of a mindfulness-based adventure camp that was conducted in Colorado and Hawai‘i with 292 military youth, through a partnership with 4-H Extension Professionals/Operation: Military Kids. The results suggest that military youth were highly satisfied with the camp experience and that mindfulness tools could be used to help deal with stress. Mindfulness-based programs could be one way for Extension professionals to work with youth. This June, Thao will further her research into mindfulness at the 2014 Mind and Life Summer Research Institute as a Senior Investigator at the Garrison Institute in New York, doing her part to advance collaborative research in behavioral science, neuroscience, and mind-body medicine based on a process of inquiry, dialogue, and collaboration with contemplative practitioners and scholars of contemplative traditions.

Aquaponics in Action

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

LeinaLast week Leina‘ala Bright presented an exciting and unique application of aquaponics techniques at her daylong hands-on workshop, Waihona La‘au Lapa‘au, or the Hawaiian Herbal Medicine Cabinet. At the Magoon Research Center’s aquaponics facility, Hale Tuahine, Leina‘ala first offered a PowerPoint presentation and an aquaponics tour to the more than 25 fascinated participants, one of whom had traveled from Moloka‘i just for the event. After the introduction to both aquaponics and la‘au lapa‘au, or Native Hawaiian healing herbs, she described and demonstrated techniques for picking and preparing la‘au and cooking i‘a, fish, inviting the workshop attendees to create their own Native Hawaiian remedies and then to choose the (still-swimming) aquaponically raised fish that they would enjoy for lunch, ably harvested by her husband and son. Leina‘ala then discussed the ‘A‘ali‘i Indigenous Student Science Center soon to be built at Magoon and concluded an information-rich day with a lomilomi oil demonstration, including basic paola lomi techniques. Leina‘ala is a graduate student in the Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge who works with MBBE’s Clyde Tamaru on aquaponics.

Partners for Future Natural Resource Management

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Hauoli Mau Loa scholarship recipientsNREM recently celebrated its partnership with Hau‘oli Mau Loa Foundation, recognizing the upcoming graduation of the first three Hau‘oli Mau Loa fellows, Alex Lau, Jon Lance, and Nick Wilhoite, who were awarded fellowships through the Foundation in 2012. Also recognized at the event were mid-degree fellows Danielle Fujii-Doe, Michelle Lazaro, and Leah Laramee, who were awarded fellowships in 2013. Hau‘oli Mau Loa provides generous funds for the fellowships, which include a tuition exemption, graduate assistantship, and funds for professional development. The fellowship is part of the Foundation’s Environmental Leadership Pathways initiative, which partners with key Hawai‘i-based organizations to engage and prepare the next generation of environmental resource management professionals in Hawai‘i. The event was an opportunity to thank the Hau‘oli Mau Loa Foundation for their past, current, and future support for NREM’s graduate program and a chance for Hau‘oli Mau Loa staff Janis Reischmann, Brant Chillingworth, and Keahi Makaimoku to meet the fellows, their advisors, and NREM staff and faculty.

Awesome Animal Docs of the Future

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Charles Reid Scholarship recipientsA big congratulations to the 11 HNFAS students receiving the 2014 Charles Reid, DVM Memorial Scholarships! Three graduating awardees have been accepted to veterinary school: Geneva Graef to Washington State, Jonathan Onaga to Colorado State, and Kaleigh Morrison to University of Illinois. The continuing student awardees are Brandy Stewart, Sylvia Lee, Krystle Ito, Jerrisa Ching, Walter Benavitz, Andrew Haro, and Kealaaumoe Stibbard. Not pictured is Franscisco Valenzuela, who was awarded the freshman Charles Reid, DVM Memorial Scholarship and will be joining the Pre-Veterinary Program this fall. Great job, everyone, and keep those animals healthy!

Kona on the Radio

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Coffee berry borerHawai‘i Public Radio recently interviewed Kona Extension agents Andrea Kawabata and Ty McDonald about issues relevant to the Big Island and beyond. Andrea talked about the damage caused by the coffee berry borer to crops, famers, and the economy, bringing listeners up to date on the fight against the pest and the plans for future control. Ty explained tree safety and the dangers of working with trees, not only in the landscape industry but also for construction workers, crop producers, and homeowners. There’s a lot to know when partnering with nature, and these two agents are doing their part to inform the community about it.

Attack on Banyan

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Infested banyanWhen two new damaging insects were discovered on Hawai‘i’s banyan trees, and particularly on the Manoa campus, Zhiqiang Cheng (PEPS) was ready for battle. KHON and Honolulu Civil Beat spoke to Zhiqiang about the fight against the lobate lac scale and the stem-galling wasp, two relatively new pests in the state, which are responsible for the death or removal of banyans around O‘ahu. The treatment research for campus trees started in July 2013 when an arborist noticed the stem-galling wasp problem on the East-West Center trees. The research was split between 45 Chinese banyans (36 treated, 9 control), and 10 weeping banyans (5 treated, 5 control). Zhiqiang compared two pesticides in an effort to limit further damage to the trees. Watch the KHON video or read the Civil Beat article. Those who love these iconic and shapely shade trees on campus and throughout the Honolulu urban landscape should be grateful for his efforts!

Celebration, Congratulations, Convocation!

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CTAHR Spring 2014 ConvocationOn Wednesday, May 7, more than 200 CTAHR students, their families and friends, and CTAHR faculty and staff attended the CTAHR Convocation in the Campus Center Ballroom. This intimate celebration, emceed by Lisa Kitagawa-Akagi, began with congratulatory remarks from Dean Maria Gallo and CTAHR Alumni Association and Friends president Dr. Susan Miller. Spring 2014 student marshals Maili Huck (FSHN) and Ryan Pe‘a (NREM), selected for their academic achievements, leadership, and service to CTAHR and the university, were then called on stage to be recognized. Afterwards, graduating students active in CTAHR-affiliated student organizations were acknowledged for their participation. Five students who completed the Dietetic Internship Program were also recognized. The ceremony concluded with the individual recognition of 61 graduates, followed by refreshments and a chance to mingle. A big mahalo to all those who supported the graduating students: to SAPFB for partial funding, the CTAHR Alumni Association and Friends for their support, Steven and Karen Sato for donating lei, CTAHR scholarship recipients and student ambassadors for volunteering, and ASAO for providing the CTAHR memorabilia presented to the graduates and organizing the event. Congratulations to our graduating students for achieving such a milestone! Good luck in your future endeavors!

Farm Healthy and Farm Safely

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jim Hollyer and Bradley "Kai" FoxJim Hollyer (CHL) and Bradley “Kai” Fox (formerly of MBBE) recently published the article “Good Agricultural Practices and Aquaponics” in the intriguingly named journal Aquaponics Survival Communities. The extensive guide suggests using best food safety practices from day one and includes methods for avoiding a variety of types of contamination, a list of different pesticides that may be used, and information on state and federal guidelines for pesticide use for small farmers and small-scale growers.

Making FETCH Happen

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

FETCH studentOn Mother’s Day at the UH Manoa Energy House, CTAHR’s Family Education Training Center of Hawai‘i (FETCH) celebrated its 10th year of providing services to the community by strengthening families and developing youth potential by teaching sustainable science concepts and lifestyles. Fifty community members attended the event, where they toured the 12 “regions of the world” gardens designed by landscape architecture student Chris Telomen. They also got to sample food from each region, view teens’ science-fair projects, plant flowers in Mother’s Day pots, view photo collages of FETCH participants over the last decade, reminisce, and eat cake. Participants described how FETCH had helped their families and dozens of others. FETCH runs weekly sustainability workshops at Hale Tuahine, where families grow and maintain organic gardens, build hydroponic and composting systems, and learn to cook their freshly harvested produce. At monthly PermaBlitzes, participants help each other start sustainable gardens at their homes. Teens complete a 10-month advanced internship in Community Supported Agriculture farming. Youth and staff renovated the Energy House, under the supervision of master builder James Estrella, and they also built the Energy House gardens, systems, and structures. The Energy House will hold an open house each month, to which the public will be invited to tour the gardens and learn sustainable gardening.

The Peak of Student Global Agriculture

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students at the IAAS summitArby Barone and Tiffany Ulep (both MBBE) were selected to attend the national summit of the International Association of Students in Agriculture and Related Sciences in Seattle. This network of students works to promote the exchange of knowledge, experience, and ideas and to foster mutual understanding between students in agricultural and related sciences around the world. “Overall, the 2014 National Summit was an inspiring and educational experience,” Arby says. “Having the opportunity to share with students, advisors, and professionals from across the nation about the state of agriculture in Hawai'i, both in the forums and at the trade fair (which highlights each state’s unique agriculture), was encouraging.” Tiffany was also encouraged by her experiences at the summit: “From participating in this conference I got to meet students who have gone to Ethiopia, Chile, South Africa, and Rwanda for research; who have been in the Peace Corps and had internships all relating to agriculture. Overall I feel, especially coming from Hawai'i, that this conference has opened my eyes to larger pictures like global food security, international markets and trades, and cultural inequality.”

Learning on the Job

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Jade McMillen and Representative Richard OnishiNREM major Jade McMillen recently finished an internship with State Representative Richard Onishi’s office in which she worked with his staff to research various aspects of the bills introduced in the 2014 legislative session. “Through this internship I was able to become much more familiar with policy language and processes,” she says. “I learned how complex the policy process is and that effective implementation of even the most well-supported measures can be challenging. This experience helped to bring more insight to the topics discussed in my classes and also reinforced my interest in the policy aspects of natural resource and environmental management issues.” Great job, Jade!

Preventing Pathogens

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Matthew GooCTAHR alumnus Matthew Goo is safeguarding U.S. agriculture and facilitating international trade. A plant pathologist for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Plant Progection and Quarantine, he earned his bachelor’s degree in horticulture science and his master’s in plant pathology from the college. Matthew works with stakeholders, including the public, to convey the impact of plant pathogens. He identifies pathogens from mainly foreign cargo shipments and navigates the different socioeconomic issues of international agricultural trade. Matthew credits the CTAHR ‘ohana past and present with supporting him to make a difference in his chosen field. Those who inspired him come from across CTAHR, including Sylvia Yuen, Allene Chun, Desmond Ogata, Donald Schmitt, Stephen Ferreira, Mann Ko, John Hu, Brent Sipes, and Donna Meyer. “But most importantly,” he says of the college, “I feel very fortunate to be able to work with an organization that continues to remain consistent in cultivating human potential through education, research, and cooperative extension.” It has certainly cultivated it in Matthew!

The Impact (Report) of Technology

6/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Image of Impact Report coverRejoice! The 2014 Spring Impact Report is here! It focuses on the different ways CTAHR faculty, staff, and students use today’s technology to advance their projects, with a particular eye on Extension. Read about the college's innovative use of smartphones, data maps, Facebook, and more, all bringing information about campus trees, Island wildfires, plant diseases, and the state insect to the community. And as always, the Impact Report webpage has previous Impact Reports on the great work done by CTAHR.

May



WSARE Aware

5/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

SOAP students and their tomatoesThe Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program (SOAP) will welcome Teryl Roper, the new director of Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) on Friday, June 6, at 3:00 p.m. in Gilmore 306. WSARE has been very supportive of research and education efforts in Hawai‘i, and they also support an annual Professional Development Program for Ag Professionals that Ted Radovich, Jody Smith and Jari Sugano help to coordinate. Anyone interested in WSARE funding should come down and meet the new director!

T&P Congrats!

5/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ivette Stern, J-P Bingham, Maria Stewart, Matthew Stevenson, Gernot Presting, Ashley StokesCongratulations to all newly tenured and promoted CTAHR personnel! Ivette Stern (COF) received tenure as a junior specialist. Jon-Paul Bingham (MBBE) and Maria Stewart (HNFAS) received tenure and promotion to the rank of associate professor. Matthew Stevenson (HNFAS) received tenure and promotion to associate extension agent, while Gernot Presting (MBBE) and Ashley Stokes (HNFAS) were promoted to professor and specialist, respectively. CTAHR is fortunate in having such highly qualified members of its ‘ohana!

A New Brew From Coffee Cherries?

5/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Coffee CherriesCome check out the awesome final design presentations for Daniel Jenkins’ (MBBE) BE 420 class, Sensors and Instrumentation for Biological Systems, on Thursday, May 15, at 12:00 noon in AEI 123. The students will proudly showcase designs for a digital hydrometer for a home-brewing vessel; a discrete haptic device for facilitating mobility in the sight-impaired; and the design, fabrication, and testing of a low-cost, compact 6 DOF accelerometer/gyro sensor to be integrated with a magnetic levitation haptic interface (if you don’t know what that is, it’s time you found out!). Daniel will provide some pizza, and if all goes well, the home-brewing vessel will yield samples of a “refreshingly delicious” fermented beverage made from coffee cherries. You certainly don’t want to miss that!

Farm Those Resources!

5/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Kauai farmFind out what’s available to help your farm! Multi-agency Farmers’ Resource Workshops will be held Friday, May 16, at 4:00 p.m. at OCET 106 at Kaua‘i Community College, and Friday, May 23, at 4:00 p.m. at the Aupuni Center in Hilo. The workshops will highlight the services offered by the state and federal government to farmers. CTAHR Extension agent Robin Shimabuku and emeritus agent Steve Fukuda join the traveling multi-agency team to explain spray calibration and coverage issues. For more information or to RSVP, contact Steve Russo at Steve.Russo@Hawaii.gov or 973-9409. Previous events have filled up quickly, so reserve your spot today!

Keep Calm and Prevent Cancer

5/13/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Roderick DashwoodFormer MBBE faculty Dr. Roderick Dashwood will be returning to the Islands to present the seminar “HDAC Inhibitors and Cancer Chemoprevention” on Tuesday, May 20, at 10:00 a.m. at the UH Cancer Center’s Sullivan Conference Room. Dr. Dashwood is the director for the Center for Epigenetics and Disease Prevention in the Institute of Biosciences and Technology at the Texas A&M Health Science Center. For more information, contact Pratibha Nerurkar (also MBBE) at pratibha@hawaii.edu or 956-9195. Be there or lack preventive measures!

The Many Steps of GMO Regulation

5/6/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Biotech In Focus issue 8Ever wonder how genetically modified crops are assessed and vetted for safety? Then you'll want to read the new issue of Biotech in Focus, which addresses the rules for commercially distributing genetically engineered crops in the US. Ania Wieczorek (TPSS) explains how new GMO crops are regulated as they move from the labs to the fields to the market to feedlots and dining room tables. The newsletter also lists which government organizations play a role in GMO regulation. When you finish the new issue, check out the archives of Biotech in Focus on the website!

Centennial Starts Now!

5/6/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Centennial LogoThursday, May 8, 2014, marks the 100th anniversary of the signing into law the provisions of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service. A celebration will commence in Washington, DC, at 9:30 a.m. EDT and will continue throughout the day. You can view the live stream here. If you’re on Facebook, check out and friend the “CES CTAHR” FB page. If you’re on Twitter, use #ctahrces100 for CTAHR’s celebration, or #ext100years to share with your national colleagues. In addition, there will be a special hashtag to be used to post special messages on May 8 only, #CoopExt. Please send your stories about how CES has influenced your life or the lives of your clientele to @ctahrces100 or ces100@ctahr.hawaii.edu. Read even more about Hawaii CES at the CES 100 web page and in CTAHR in Focus. The Hamilton Library has also put up a Library Research Page about Cooperative Extension. Lastly, at the 2014 CTAHR Awards Banquet, Friday, May 9, the CES centennial will be featured alongside the many awardees. Happy 100 years of fantastic Extension service by amazing specialists, agents, and staff! Here’s to 100 more!

Yoga Balls and Expressive Writing

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ronelyn Ganir and Melissa BlaisdellCongratulations to Melissa Blaisdell and Ronelyn Ganir, two FamR majors who were awarded highly competitive UHM 2014 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) fellowships for their research proposals! Melissa was funded to conduct a study entitled “Yoga Balls in the Elementary School Classroom.” Her study will examine whether sitting on yoga balls can increase concentration and learning in first grade students at a local elementary school. Ronelyn (left) was funded to conduct a study entitled “The Effects of Expressive Writing on Stress, Blood Pressure, and Cortisol.” Ronelyn’s study will use pre-post tests to determine if participation in a four-week expressive writing program can lower stress and its physiological correlates in college students. Both students were mentored by Lori Yancura (FCS, right). All undergraduate students are eligible to apply for UROP fellowships to fund independent research projects under the direction of a faculty mentor. Go for it, Melissa and Ronelyn!

The Origins of Fruit Fly Invasion

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Michael San JosePhD candidate Michael San Jose (PEPS) will be honored with the prestigious 2014 Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Helen Jones Farrar Award in Tropical Agriculture. This honor comes in the wake of being selected for the Gamma Sigma Delta PhD Student Oral Presentation Award in the 2014 CTAHR/COE Student Research Symposium. Michael delivered an oral and poster presentation at the 2014 ARCS Symposium, “Systematics and Population Genetics of the Bactrocera dorsalis Complex.” Fruit flies in the genus Bactrocera have invaded many countries worldwide, causing economic hardship not only through crop damage but also through trade restrictions. With his PEPS mentors Luc LeBlanc and Dan Rubinoff, Michael conducted a population genetics analysis of fruit flies across their native and invasive populations with the goals of identifying a possible origin of invasion and developing reliable identification tools for growers and inspectors to maximize control efforts. The Helen Jones Farrar Award will be presented to Michael at the ARCS Scholar Award Banquet on May 5. Congratulations, Michael!

On the Web

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Happy face spiderIn honor of the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man 2, the Star-Advertiser featured CTAHR’s Insect Museum and the wealth of web-crawling spiders housed and researched there. Museum director Dan Rubinoff and Paul Krushelnycky (both PEPS) describe some of the more notable of Hawai‘i’s 128 endemic and 100 introduced species of spiders, including some that masquerade as ants, steal from other spiders’ webs, hunt by spearing flying insects, and even resemble happy faces or Orson Welles!

Dreams of Fashion

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Stingray dress at 48th Annual CTAHR Student Fashion ShowThe 2014 Senior Fashion Show, Réverie, was dreamy. The show’s 48th annual incarnation unfolded this past weekend at the Waikiki Beach Mariott to a full and enthusiastic house and garnered a laudatory review in the blog Nonstop Online Entertainment Honolulu by Amanda Stevens. Stevens praises the various collections and individual pieces, from an “imaginative, sexy and colorful” stingray-inspired dress (pictured) to Tori Speere’s “tres romantic” and “chic” styles. Some of the pieces are fit for a gala, she maintains; others ready to grace the wardrobe of actresses like Zooey Deschanel. And a look at the gallery of images, courtesy of Lyle Amine, shows that this high praise is nothing but the truth.

Taking the Fight to the Weeds

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

James LearyThe eXtension.org Garden Professors blog knows an explosive story when they see one: they featured NREM’s James Leary’s Herbicide Ballistic Technology in their “Go ahead, weed, make my day…” entry. James recently presented a seminar at Michigan State University about his creative system of invasive plant control and his work with the Maui Invasive Species committee to eliminate miconia in Hawai‘i’s forests.

Finding Wealth

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Michael CheangAs the Cooperative Extension Service continues its triumphant yearlong celebration of a century of outreach and community engagement, it’s good to hear praises from some of those helped by Extension agents and programs. As Michael Cheang explains, he has foci on two opposite ends of the lifespan in his work as an Extension agent—efforts to get elementary school children to save money for their future, and baby boomers caring for their aging parents. The parents of the children and the children of the elders are both grateful he’s chosen these areas: the father of an enthusiastic six-year-old saver relates affectionately that when his son heard he had $7.20, “he yelled out in excitement, ‘Dad! Oh boy…I’m gonna be rich!’” Also feeling rich is the caretaker of her 92-year-old father: “This workshop has opened my eyes to so many possibilities of engaging my dad,” she exclaims; “I no longer see him as a burden, but remember him as the vibrant, curious, enthusiastic businessman. Now I see him as a care partner…he can care for me as much as I care for him. How amazing life has turned out to be!”

The Economics of Distinguished Scholarship

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Chennat GopalakrishnanChennat Gopalakrishnan (NREM, Emeritus) will be presented the Distinguished Scholar Award at the Western Agricultural Economics Association (WAEA) meeting in Colorado Springs in June. The award grants the highest recognition to WAEA members making an enduring contribution over their career to agricultural or other type of applied, resource, and/or environmental economics in the Western states and the WAEA. Nominees must have demonstrated excellence in two or more of the following areas of performance: basic and applied economics research; integration of knowledge (textbook writing or synthetic reviews); service or outreach drawing on economic expertise; teaching; and administration or service. Of course, Gopal is a poet of economics as well, which just makes him the more distinguished!

Cooperative at the Library

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CES display in Hamilton LibraryWhere better to do research than at the library—or the library’s website? In honor of the CES centennial, Manoa’s Hamilton Library has put together an awesome, extensive online research guide to CTAHR’s Cooperative Extension Services. The guide is full of Extension goodness, with links to information about history, programs, videos, resources, and more. If you visit Hamilton Library, there’s also a physical exhibit of vintage extension publications.

Showcasing Aquaponics

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Clyde TamaruWant to know about local and international aquaponics? Come join the “Growth of Aquaponics: East Meets West” seminar on Saturday, May 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Art Building Auditorium. The event, organized by Clyde Tamaru (MBBE, pictured), highlights current efforts in aquaponics in Hawai‘i, Japan, and Utah. Dean Maria Gallo will open the seminar, and CTAHR’s Marissa Lee (MBBE), Harry Ako (MBBE), Jensen Uyeda (TPPS), Jari Sugano (PEPS), and Clyde will present. The seminar also features speakers from Japan’s Horimasa International, Utah’s Weber State University, and local Mari’s Garden and Pacific American Foundation. Highlights include WSU’s demonstration of a behind-the-scenes prototype of an actual working aquaponic system, reports on commercialization of aquaponics statewide, sustainable models, CTAHR research, and Cooperative Extension support on O‘ahu for Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Read the entire program, and register now. Seats are limited!

Get Healthy!

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Alan Titchenal and Joannie DobbsHealth starts with a healthy mindset, so check out three new Health Options articles by Alan Titchenal and Joannie Dobbs (both HNFAS). Their March 11 article focuses on iron deficiency, the symptoms, and how to incorporate more iron into your diet. On March 25, they explored the consequences of labeling food “good” and “bad,”particularly fats and cholesterol. And their most recent article encourages consumers to enjoy locally-grown vegetables. Go get these articles and other healthy tips on the Health Options website!

Plants of Yesteryear, Seeds of Tomorrow

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Students learning about seedsWith funding support from CTAHR, students in TPSS 421 Tropical Seed Science had the opportunity to visit the USDA National Resource Conservation Service station on Moloka‘i to learn about the production of native plant seeds for conservation and roadside planting and restoration of vegetation on Kaho‘olawe. Accompanied by their instructor, Richard Criley (TPSS), the students learned about the challenges of producing quantities of seeds of native species for which there was no previous experience. They saw field plantings of ‘a‘ali‘i, ‘ilima, ‘uhaloa, and pili grass, which are among target species for roadside planting to reduce erosion and maintenance in programs such as those initiated by Joe DeFrank (TPSS) and his students. Hosts Glenn Sakamoto and Kawika Duvachelle demonstrated seed-cleaning equipment such as threshers, shakers, and screens, as well as aspirators to extract seed from previously collected seedheads. Additional research at the station is concerned with the use of native plants as resources for pollinators such as bees, flies, and other insects. CTAHR is privileged to have emeritus faculty like Richard who continue to contribute to the college in retirement!

What Lies Beneath...the Soil

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Ray Uchida on KHONCES Agriculture Diagnostic Service Center Manager Ray Uchida recently appeared on KHON to offer his expertise on the soil contaminants found at Radford High School. Work on an all-weather track around the football field was halted in December when toxic chemicals were found buried under the campus, and testing revealed lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury in the soil. Because the chemicals were found two to three feet below the surface, the high levels are considered safe, but Ray still recommends caution, particularly about the lead. “I would be concerned with it because you don’t know what might happen if you scrape it off, but it won’t move upward,” he said. Watch the video at the KHON website.

Maui Ag-Tastic!

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

CTAHR people enjoying the Maui Agricultural FestivalMaui residents and visitors alike learned about the array of CTAHR programs at the 2014 Maui Agricultural Festival at Maui Tropical Plantation. Highlights included the events celebrating the Centennial of Cooperative Extension. The Green Valley Clovers 4-H Club brought the Centennial Passport Scavenger Hunt to life, encouraging participants to learn more about CTAHR programs for agricultural businesses, home gardeners, and families. Cooperative Extension exhibits included Pest of the Hour, Master Gardeners, fruit fly management, the Weed Doctor, Aging with Dignity, the Maui Educational Apiary Project, 4-H, the Sustainable and Organic Agricultural Program (SOAP), Nutrition Education for Wellness (NEW), and the Maui Cooperative Extension Centennial timeline. In addition to the CTAHR CES bonanza, Maui Agricultural Research Center (MARC) showcased their breeding work with taro and Protea family plants, offering plant material and expert advice on how to cultivate these plants in gardens and farms as well as cooked samples of selected taro varieties (and yes, they had the required temporary food permit). Then, for people interested in our academic programs, who better to ask than Charly Kinoshita, who offered his encouragement and expertise? A big mahalo to everyone who helped make this an Ag Fesitval success!

Everyone Loves a (Science) Fair

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Lily Jenkins and Brent Sipes at the 2014 Science FairThis year 11 generous CTAHR faculty and graduate students volunteered as judges in the 57th Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair, April 1 and 2, at the Hawaii Convention Center. Jinan Banna (HNFAS), Rajesh Jha (HNFAS), Soojin Jun (HNFAS), Hye-Ji Kim (TPSS), Associate Dean Charles Kinoshita, Kent Kobayashi (TPSS), Robert Paull (TPSS), Nora Robertson (MBBE), Brent Sipes (PEPS), Brian Turano (TPSS), and Russell Yost (TPSS) all got to marvel at the accomplishments of hundreds of Hawai‘i’s best and brightest middle- and high-school students. With funding from USDA-NIFA, CTAHR presented a $500 award on behalf of all campuses in the UH system to Lily Jenkins (pictured with Brent Sipes), a 9th-grader at Molokai High and Intermediate School, who presented findings from her research project, “Ecological Effects of Non-Native Vegetation at Man-Made Canal at Pukuo‘o, Molokai.” Concerned about the sediment accumulating in the pond across the street from her home, Lily embarked on a 12-month effort of observation, sampling, and data analysis of the water, plants, and sediment in the pond. Based on her research, she concluded that the invasive vegetation found in Puko‘o Canal is a contributing factor to stream-flow blockage and sedimentation. Lily presently is working with the landowner to develop a plan to remove the invasive species and restore the pond. The CTAHR Alumni Association also presented $100 awards to two high school students at the Fair. Mahalo to the many CTAHR faculty, staff, and students who generously mentored the next generation of scientists and engineers participating in this year’s Fair!

Congratulations, Awesome Awardees!

5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

Awards Banquet logo CTAHR proudly announces the 2014 recipients of awards for exceptional performance and service. Faculty, staff, and student awardees (drumroll, please):
  • Excellence in Teaching, Christopher Lepczyk, associate professor, NREM
  • Excellence in Research, Gernot Presting, associate professor, MBBE
  • Excellence in Extension, Michael DuPonte, county extension agent, Komohana
  • Outstanding Service by an APT Employee, Lisa Kitagawa-Akagi, student services specialist, OASA
  • Outstanding Civil Service, Deborah Wong, secretary, NREM
  • Alvin T. and Charlotte C. Nakamura “Hoku” Award for demonstrated commitment and leadership potential, Ashley Stokes, associate professor, HNFAS
  • Ka Pouhana “Mentor” Award, Mark Segobiano, instructor, HNFAS
  • Ka Hana Po‘okela Award for undergraduate contributions to a student organization and/or the community, Jay Gibson, FSHN major.
  • 2014 UH Manoa Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award, Loriena Yancura, associate professor, FCS
  • Recipients will be honored at CTAHR’s 26th Annual Awards Banquet, Friday, May 9 at the Ala Moana Hotel.

    He Talks to the Animals

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Eric Ako talks to CTAHR studentsIt’s always heartening to hear about alumni doing well. Dr. Eric Ako (BS AnSc 1978), who spoke to CTAHR students at a career workshop in March, has certainly been doing a lot since his graduation! Here’s a peek into his many activities and honors, and the mentors who helped him to get where he’s at. First of all, he’d like to acknowledge Professor Emeritus Allen Y Miyahara and Professor Bob Nakamura, whom he identifies as the main mentors for many veterinary students in the ’70s and ’80s. Prof. Miyahara sent him to Purdue, where he was a member of the veterinary honor society Phi Zeta, was awarded the AAHA Clinical Proficiency in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Award, and was the first Hawai‘i grad to earn his DVM. Since then he’s given back to the community through his association with numerous veterinary and animal-oriented organizations, including being past president of the Honolulu Veterinary Society, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, and the Honolulu Zoological Society; past chair of the Board of Veterinary Examiners of the state of Hawai‘i and past chair of UH IBC; a board member of the Hawaiian Humane Society; the co-founder and advisor for the WCC VT Program; and the Hawai‘i liaison of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. And he’s still executive vice president of the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association! But just to show that his interests aren’t simply one-sided (or four-footed), he’s also the recipient of the Distinguished Rifleman Badge of the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Way to take aim on a career from CTAHR!

    No Pain (Blockers), No Gain

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Chris SugaiMBBE MS student Chris Sugai has accepted an 8-month, all-expenses-paid internship in analytical development at Merck KGaA in Germany, where he will be purifying new chemical entities to eliminate variables as part of the testing process for new drugs in development. Afterward, he hopes to find a job there or elsewhere in Germany or another European country—after growing up on the Big Island, he says, he is ready to see more of the world. Chris comes from an old coffee-growing family—his grandfather and great-grandfather were growers in Kona—and the family is now having its run-ins with the coffee berry borer. His father broke with tradition to attend medical school in Hawai‘i and become a pediatrician, however, and Chris wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and help others, though he prefers the lab to the doctor’s office. He plans to return to school for his PhD in neuroscience after gaining some practical experience; after all, as he points out, the work he is doing in JP Bingham’s lab for his MS is itself neuroscience, studying the effects of pain blockers on the nervous system. Chris was also awarded a 2013 GSO research award, and is using the information gained from that research for his Master’s thesis. We can’t wait to see what he’ll do in his additional scholarly pursuits!

    How to Build a Toxin

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Chino CabaltejaChino Cabalteja (MBBE master’s student) was awarded the 2014 UHM Student Excellence in Research Award for his work in JP Bingham’s lab with conotoxins, poisons produced by cone snails that it is now possible to recreate in the lab. Chino explains that conotoxins are small peptides that can be formulated, amino acid by amino acid, but that an interesting discovery arising from his research is that human-made conotoxins have different configurations than those that are created naturally by the snails. It was this discovery that led to his award. Chino was honored at a UH Manoa awards ceremony on April 30 at the Orvis Auditorium and, with the rest of the CTAHR award winners, will be honored at the Awards Banquet on May 9. This wasn’t the only award for Chino, who’s known amongst his student colleagues as the lab superstar; he also won an award at last year’s CTAHR Research Symposium for best poster by a master’s student, also on the subject of peptides, and was awarded a travel stipend to attend several conferences. Chino will be attending the University of Pittsburgh’s prestigious PhD program in the fall, but when he’s earned his doctorate, he wants to come back to Hawai‘i. Originally from the Philippines, he grew up on Kaua‘i, where he says there wasn’t much in the way of science enrichment education. That situation is now changing thanks to such programs as the Kaua‘i Gene-ius Day program, which a cousin of his attended and loved, and he wants to be part of that change. Kaua‘i’s science community will be fortunate to have him!

    The App Heard ’Round the World

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Map of Plant Doctor usersCheck out the user locations for The Plant Doctor smartphone app created by Scot Nelson—Indonesia to Iceland, South Africa to Sweden! Since January 2013, the free plant pest diagnostic app has been used by growers around the globe. The Plant Doctor provides interactive diagnosis and advice about plant diseases in gardens, landscapes, nurseries, and farms. Download The Plant Doctor in English and Spanish, and get with the worldwide phenomenon!

    A Whole Range of Talents

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Marla Fergerstrom with a calfCongratulations to Mealani Research Station’s Marla Fergerstrom, recipient of the 2014 UH Manoa Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Service! Marla is invaluable to the ranching community, as well as to CTAHR, for her dedication to improving the herd and for keeping everything on track at the Mealani Research Station, from the livestock to the blueberry and tea plantations to the always fabulous Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range. The Manoa Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Service honors staff members who demonstrate outstanding work performance, service, and leadership. Marla was honored with the other Chancellor’s Award winners on April 30 and will be recognized at the Awards Banquet on May 9 along with all of the other illustrious members of the CTAHR ‘ohana. Marla was also honored in 2012 with CTAHR’s award for Outstanding Civil Service. And it’s clear her little friend thinks she’s pretty special, too!

    Nalo Hale

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Ted Radovich with schoolchildren at the Waimanalo Research StationTops are important. Just think: an umbrella without a top is just a stick. A bikini without a top is a wardrobe malfunction! A jug of milk without a top is a big mess. And the Waimanalo On-Farm Learning Pavilion without a roof can’t provide needed shelter to the many community members, CTAHR students, schoolchildren, and workshop participants who visit the Waimanalo Research Station. That’s the situation right now, and that’s why the Station has put up a campaign on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo to raise money so they can raise the roof! And now they need supporters in CTAHR to raise some buzz about the campaign. Know anyone who wants to donate (even a few dollars) to a worthy cause? Point them in the direction of Waimanalo! There’s still enough time left on the campaign to get some shelter on the pavilion.

    Pic That Papaya!

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Image from the Pic-a-Papaya appHawai‘i Public Radio recently interviewed Scot Nelson (PEPS) about the Pic-a-Papaya smartphone app to track the papaya ringspot virus on O‘ahu. The app was developed by Scot and Richard Manshardt (TPSS) to engage the public on this potentially devastating papaya pest. App users are encouraged to use their smartphones to take pictures of fruits potentially infected with ringspot virus and send them to the researchers for diagnosis. Listen to the Hawai‘i Public Radio interview, and then learn more about the Pic-a-Papaya app and how you can help fight ringspot disease! You can also send in leaf samples to get your papaya plant checked for GMO status, and receive free seeds to replace virus-infected or genetically engineered plants. What a good deal!

    From Little Seeds to Yummy Salad

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Noelani student with hydroponic lettuceNoelani Elementary B5 First Graders are getting an A in hydroponic lettuce! With the help of their teacher Lianne Morita, these future produce growers and appreciators used recycled milk cartons to grow their lettuce from seeds, a process they learned from Kent Kobayashi (TPSS). They watched the entire growing process over about five weeks, and when the lettuce was ready, they harvested it and made a wonderful, healthy salad. Check out the entire process, and the beautiful healthy lettuce (and keiki) at the project blog! Great job, B5 first graders!

    Outstanding Research!

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Students and their postersThe 26th annual CTAHR Student Research Symposium was held April 11 and 12, featuring 129 oral or poster presentations. Symposium topics ranged from fundamental investigations to novel applications, spanning engineering, production agriculture, environmental technologies, health and food sciences, family and consumer sciences, and natural sciences. The caliber of the students’ work was truly awesome...or, as Associate Dean Charly Kinoshita so aptly put it, it inspired “awe, and then some.” Thank-yous go to those whose hard work made this event successful, including the student participants and faculty advisers/mentors, judges and moderators, staff and student volunteers, and members of the Symposium Coordinating Committee (contributors and volunteers are listed on page 14 of the Symposium program). Special thanks goes to UH’s Student Activity Program and Fee Board for funding a significant portion of this event and to CTAHR’s Sylvia Trinh for applying for SAPFB funding and coordinating much of the event. Check the symposium website for CTAHR students whose oral and poster presentations received special recognition by the panel of judges. The top CTAHR Symposium awardees will be recognized at CTAHR’s 26th Annual Awards Banquet. Those who were unable to attend the Symposium can still get a taste of the excitement by downloading the program from the Symposium homepage, and checking out the photos of the awesome posters from April 11. Congratulations to all students who participated in this year's Student Research Symposium!

    Basic, Strange, and Landmark

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Dr. B smiling in a corn fieldSometimes breakthroughs in research come from unexpected places, and the American Journal of Botany has recognized Dr. B's non-traditional work. “When I was a kid in the 60’s, CTAHR’s Department of Horticulture not only allowed my lab to ‘play with pollen’ but let me nurture several grads through without obvious application to problems of Hawai‘i farmers,” Dr. B remembers. Fast-forward 50+ years, and the 100th anniversary volume of the American Journal of Botany reviewed the landmark contributions to pollen evolution research that came from Dr. B’s “basic, but strange” work, including the evolutionary law named after him, the Brewbaker-Schurhoff law. Read more at the American Journal of Botany website.

    Millions of Moth Years

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Hyposmocoma caterpillar casingsWill Haines and Dan Rubinoff (both PEPS) and Patrick Schmitz, formerly of PEPS as well, are taking a look back into the past with the moth genus Hyposmocoma, otherwise known as the Hawaiian fancy case caterpillar for the elaborate silk cases the larvae construct and carry on their backs. In their new study “Ancient diversification of Hyposmocoma moths in Hawai‘i” published in Nature Communications, the team shows that Hyposmocoma have been in Hawai‘i for about 15 million years, contrary to previous studies that suggested that the majority of organisms colonized the islands 5 million years ago. They show that Hyposmocoma has dispersed from the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the current high islands more than 20 times, something that has never been shown in another Hawaiian animal or plant group. Read the news release or peruse the article at the Nature Communications website.

    Ce-le-brate Good (Extension) Times!

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Cooperative Extension Centennial logoTake a look at the great outreach work done by the CTAHR ‘ohana at the new CTAHR CES Centennial website! In 1914, the Smith Lever Act was passed, and this year marks 100 years of Cooperative Extension in the U.S. Although outreach work had been going on in Hawai‘i for years, the University of Hawai‘i officially established the Cooperative Extension Service in 1928, and it’s been going strong ever since. You can also keep up with Centennial updates with the CTAHR CES twitter feed. Here's to the first 100 years, and many more in the future of Cooperative Extension!

    Open House Success!

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Visitors learn about CTAHR projects at Poamoho Research StationThe Poamoho Research Station held a successful Plant Propagation and Crop Nutrition Open House on March 29. Participants got to check out the great variety of crops at the station including lettuce, papaya, bananas, tea, and more. They also got to learn about organic, sustainable growing, and fertilizer, as well as hydroculture and other CTAHR projects. As the “price” of admission, they also were videotaped wishing Cooperative Extension a Happy 100th Birthday! See more pictures of the awesome event as well as the beautiful produce at the station, and watch the video of Jensen Uyeda (TPSS) talking about the event on Hawai‘i News Now. An extra mahalo to retirees Dot Higashi (CES) and Ken Takeda and Steve Fukuda (both TPSS) who came out to help!

    Oh, Happy (Ag) Day!

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Visitors at an Agriculture Awareness Day displayAs part of the 100-year Anniversary of Cooperative Extension, CTAHR celebrated Ag Day at the Capitol on March 28. Dean Maria Gallo and CTAHR alumni Dennis Gonsalves and Chris Robb participated in the Agricultural Coexistence panel discussion that focused on how organic farming and biotechnology fit in the modern agricultural landscape in Hawai‘i. CTAHR programs—Sustainable and Organic Agriculture (SOAP), Local and Immigrant Farmer Education (LIFE), Nutrition Education for Wellness (NEW), and the UH Honeybee Project—contributed displays and demonstrations for the public to view and experience. Check out more images of Agriculture Awareness Day. Great job, everyone!

    Celebrating Awesome Alumni

    5/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Thomas Lumpkin and Derek KurisuThis year’s Awards Banquet honors two exemplary alumni, international agronomist Dr. Thomas Lumpkin and Hawai‘i food industry executive Mr. Derek Kurisu. “The two are both remarkable men, working in very different places but united by a common dedication to using their knowledge and skills in creative ways to build community and improve people’s lives,” said Maria Gallo, CTAHR dean and director. “We are so proud to celebrate their accomplishments.” Thomas Lumpkin, CTAHR’s 2014 Outstanding Alumnus, has a long-standing interest in both agronomy and Asian studies. As director general of CIMMYT, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, since 2008, he greatly expanded initiatives to improve the lives and economic status of people in developing countries through horticulture, securing support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other funding sources. He is an expert on azuki, wasabi, and edible soybeans (edamame) and the use of the aquatic fern azolla as green manure and poultry feed. Derek Kurisu, himself selected as CTAHR’s Outstanding Alumnus in 2004, is this year’s recipient of the Ka Lei Hano Heritage Award, which honors a member of the community for exceptional service to the college. Executive vice president at KTA Super Stores, he created the Mountain Apple Brand, a private label that partners with producers to feature items grown or made in Hawai‘i. Mr. Kurisu draws on his plantation roots, his employer’s commitment to the community, and his own ability to come up with creative solutions and forge partnerships to diversify and promote local agriculture, expand availability of locally produced food, and encourage small vendors. Come celebrate Dr. Lumpkin’s and Mr. Kurisu’s accomplishments at the 26th Annual Awards Banquet on May 9!

    April



    Eat Your Biotech

    4/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    PapayasHNFAS presents the workshop “Communicating the Science of Food & Agricultural Biotechnology” on Friday, May 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Ag Sci 219. The workshop includes an introduction to food biotechnology; what the science says about its safety and benefits; environmental, food safety, and nutritional impacts of food production; consumer perceptions of food biotechnology; improving the sustainability of our food supply; ensuring continued access to food as the world population grows; overview of the IFIC Foundation communicator’s guide on food biotechnology; and an interactive discussion with science and nutrition experts. Space is limited, so please RSVP early! For more information, contact Jinan Banna (HNFAS) at jcbanna@hawaii.edu or 956-7857.

    A Duo of Fun Events in Pictures

    4/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Image from the Maui Agricultural Festival and Urban Garden CenterCheck out images from two great CTAHR events. Agriculture enthusiasts enjoyed the fun, fabulous, Maui Agricultural Festival and Centennial Extension Service celebration. And schoolchildren and rose lovers celebrated peace and heroes at the lovely dedication ceremony for the Urban Garden Center’s new rose gardens.

    Convocation Invocation

    4/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Convocation imageFriendly reminder! There’s still time to RSVP for the CTAHR Spring 2014 Graduation Convocation—the deadline is Friday, April 18. Please use the online form. Some questions will not apply to you, but just fill in the first four questions and hit submit! Your attendance on May 7, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Campus Center Ballroom, will help our graduating students celebrate their academic achievements. The evening will include an intimate graduation ceremony, presentation of our graduates, refreshments, lots of pride and goodwill, and maybe a few sentimental tears. Visit the website for more information and the online RSVP form.

    April Showers? Let’s Garden!

    4/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    A lovely home garden Julia Zee (HNFAS) recently posted her article “April showers—and a little gardening—bring May flowers” at the healthy lifestyle blog being808. Julia’s upbeat article celebrates April as National Gardening Month, and encourages the involvement of youngsters in the garden with creative containers like empty milk jugs and fun games that show how many parts of plants we eat. She also has great tips for beginning gardeners.

    Business Model for AquaFarmers

    4/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Donna “Sweetie” Kuehu and Avery LauAvery Lau and Donna “Sweetie” Kuehu (NREM) are competing in the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the University of Wisconsin-Madison 2014 Agricultural Innovation Prize, where teams vie for the chance to win $215,000 in prize money, with a grand prize of $100,000. Their ag innovation plan entry is for Hawaii AquaSeed & Distribution Company LLC (HADCO), a company conceived in ANSC 490 then established by Donna specifically for the competition. HADCO’s mission is to grow AquaFarmers by implementing its agriculture/aquaculture food system business model, which removes barriers and obstacles for small to medium-size operations, resulting in sustainable production of a fresh and nutritious food supply. The competition has narrowed down to the top 30 teams, including the HADCO team, which have been invited to participate in the semi-final and final rounds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Wisconsin Institute of Discovery on April 25 and 26. Please read HADCO’s business abstract and support the team by “liking” it on Facebook. The team with the most “like” votes will be eligible for an Audience Choice Prize. Your vote makes a difference, so please vote. Voting runs until April 24th. Go for it, Donna and Avery!

    Student Veggie Bounty

    4/30/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Student pak choy trialsThe vegetable crop production class (TPSS 401) ends the semester with a big harvest, of leafy greens and a few intangibles as well. Their replicated pak choi variety trial conducted at Magoon, which tested different varieties for assorted desirable characteristics, yielded information, nutritional veggies, and an improved awareness of the important and often difficult job our farmers have. All that and college credit, too!

    Happy Make-A-Sandwich Day!

    4/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Make-a-Sandwich Day graphicJoin That Sandwich Club under the leadership of HNFAS student Kaylin Infante for Make-A-Sandwich-Day, Tuesday, April 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Campus Center in front of Jamba Juice. The club is recruiting campus participation to make hundreds of sandwiches that will be delivered to the River of Life Mission for their homeless clients. Even if you only have 15 minutes, come on down to build sandwiches for a good cause, or just swing by to drop off donations of peanut butter, jam, foil, and paper towels. For more information, contact That Sandwich Club at thatsandwichclub@gmail.com.

    Invaders Alert

    4/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    rosy wolfsnailFeeling like your personal space is being…invaded? Check out the PEPS 350 class’s Invasive Species Student Research Symposium, and you’ll realize you ain’t seen nothing yet. It’s taking place on April 29, May 1, and May 6, each session from 10:30 to noon, in Gilmore 301. The Symposium will showcase invasive plants, snails, reptiles, insects, and mammals, weighing such important questions as “Kahili Ginger: Beauty or Beast?” and “Rosy Wolfsnail: Friend or Foe?” More dramatically, you’ll get to hear about the “Octopus Tree: Tentacle Grasp on Our Ecosystems,” “Furry Fury, Feral Cats,” and much, much more. All these invasive species are bad news for the Island ecosystem…but they’ll make for fascinating listening!

    Lost in Fashionable Thought

    4/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Reverie Fashion Show entriesJoin the fashion forward at FDM’s 48th Annual UHM Senior Fashion Show, Sunday, April 27, at the Waikiki Marriot Resort and Spa. The show schedule starts with a silent auction at 4:30 p.m., the doors open at 5:00, and the big show starts at 6:00. There is VIP and regular seating for the event; VIP tickets (limited) are $50, and general seating is $25 pre-sale. Valet parking is available or $8 lot parking with validation. This year’s show theme is Réverie. To be in a réverie, in French, is to be “lost in creative thought.” The collections that will be shown draw upon inspirations found everywhere. From daydreaming to army chic and intricate beading, this is one show you won’t want to miss! Senior designers worked in two special categories, “Reinvented Culture” and “Rational Science.” Reinvented Culture features sustainable designs using recycled materials, inspired by modern folkloric and ethnic inspirations, a nostalgic sensibility, and a sense of tradition, while Rational Science looks to high-tech materials and cutting-edge design. Check out Midweek’s article and slideshow! To purchase tickets, email Fdmproduction.uhmanoa@gmail.com.

    Be There for the Banquet!

    4/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Awards Banquet logoThursday is the deadline to register for CTAHR's 26th Annual Awards Banquet, which will take place Friday, May 9, at the Ala Moana Hotel. Compete for herb-tastic table centerpieces created by a CTAHR alumnus! Check out the fabulous Cooperative Extension Service Centennial table! Enjoy a meal of fresh CTAHR and other local produce! The menu features steak and locally sourced goodies from Kaua'i shrimp to a vegetarian option of sweet potato gnocchi, topped off with a dessert created with our own CTAHR Big Island blueberries! For the special CTAHR student registration rate, download the registration form and deliver it to Gilmore 124 by Thursday, April 24. Requests to be seated together will be accommodated to the extent possible on a first-come, first-assigned basis. Information about the banquet and online registration are available at the banquet website. Questions? Contact Cheryl Ernst at events@ctahr.hawaii.edu or 956-2405. See you there!

    Transgenic Crops and Genetic Diversity

    4/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Dr. Luis Herrera-EstrellaDr. Luis Herrera-Estrella presents this year’s Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecture, “Impact of Biotechnology on Current Life: Release of Transgenic Crops in a Center of Genetic Diversity,” on Wednesday, April 30, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the John A. Burns School of Medicine Medical Education Building 3rd floor auditorium. Dean Maria Gallo will introduce Dr. Herrera-Estrella, an internationally recognized authority of the physiology and metabolic engineering of plants. He is the director of the National Laboratory for Genomics of Biodiversity and a professor in the Department of Plant Genetic Engineering, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, National Polytechnic Institute, Irapuato, Mexico. His topic will be of interest to scientists, educators, public health professionals, students, and the general public who are interested in all aspects of genetically modified plants, including a topic of great concern in the Hawaiian islands, the release of transgenic crops in the environment. For more information, contact James Campbell at jamesrca@hawaii.edu or 971-8965.

    Just as Good as Activated Sludge!

    4/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Lutgarde Raskin presenting a lectureLutgarde Raskin will present the seminar "Energy Recovery from Domestic Wastewater Using Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor" on Thursday, April 10, 10:30 in Ag Sci 219. Dr. Raskin is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of environmental biotechnology, especially in the use of advanced molecular techniques for microbial community analysis. Anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) technology has emerged as a potentially eco-efficient domestic wastewater treatment strategy, and her experimental research has demonstrated that AnMBR can produce an effluent quality comparable to activated sludge processes even at relatively low temperatures (15°C).

    Support for Farmers

    4/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    FarmlandCome up to Kunia for the O‘ahu Farmers Resource Workshop, Friday, April 11, 5:00–9:00 p.m. at the Hawai‘i Agriculture Research Center on Kunia Road. CTAHR and state and federal programs will present the services they offer to local commercial farmers. Topics include pesticide resistance, food safety coaching, pesticide calculations, insurance programs, HDOH produce testing, loan programs and disaster assistance, clean water permits, conservation programs, and HDOA marketing and commodity programs. You’ll also get a chance to scope out the fabulous new pesticide education poster that’s the brainchild of Jim Hollyer and his crew of on-farm food safetyists. Come and learn about the many new and exciting updates on the road to building Hawai‘i’s diversified agriculture industry together. Last year’s workshop was so successful, the line was out the door! For more information or to RSVP, contact Steve Russo at (808) 973-9409 or Steve.Russo@Hawaii.Gov.

    Get Your Research On!

    4/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Student Research Symposium imagesStudents will be struttin' their research stuff on Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12, at the Student Research Symposium in the Agriculture Sciences building. This annual event brings together graduate and undergraduate students to share the research they are pursuing under the supervision of faculty in CTAHR and the College of Engineering. The students are able to present their findings, exchange information, and incorporate what they’ve learned from their peers into their own scholarly work, and the top winners will be recognized at the CTAHR Awards Banquet. This year's SRS will feature around 130 oral and poster presentations, spanning fundamental investigations to novel applications and encompassing engineering, production agriculture, environmental technologies, health and food sciences, family and consumer sciences, and natural sciences. Poster sessions run 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, with oral presentations 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. For more information and this year’s program, visit the Student Research Symposium website. Come support CTAHR students and their awesome research!

    Helping the Hungry

    4/10/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Food Bank logoGet ready to give! This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Hawai‘i Foodbank Annual Food Drive, and once again we ask for your help. Over the years, CTAHR has formed a proud tradition of contributing generously to the food drive. Please help us surpass last year's exceptional showing. Marietta Escobar-Solis (OCS) is the contact for CTAHR Administrative Offices and the CTAHR unit/dept. coordinators. Please contact your department coordinator for information about where to bring monetary donations and canned goods for your department. Checks are preferred, payable to Hawai‘i Foodbank, but you can also give by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT). Food and monetary donations will be accepted until April 25. And don’t forget to get a 25th Anniversary T-shirt! T-shirts must be individually ordered and paid for online and will be shipped by the Foodbank directly to the purchaser. When ordering, please select "State of Hawai‘i Coalition" from the drop-down menu. Then in the comments section, please type in your department/unit name. This way, your T-shirt orders will be credited to your department or unit. Print a copy of the confirmation for Marietta. Thanks for doing your part to combat hunger and maintain our tradition of service. For more information, contact Marietta at 956-7036 or ocs@ctahr.hawaii.edu.

    Bountiful Banquet

    4/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Awards Banquet logoThe 26th Annual Awards Banquet will honor exceptional CTAHR ‘ohana, May 9, at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom. Cocktails start at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. International agronomist Dr. Thomas Lumpkin will be honored as an Outstanding Alumnus and Hawai‘i food industry executive Derek Kurisu as the Ka Lei Hano Award winner, along with CTAHR scholarship recipients and student and faculty award winners. The event also provides an opportunity to honor college benefactor and veteran plant breeder James Brewbaker and recognize the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Cooperative Extension Service. For more information, visit the Awards Banquet website. The RSVP deadline is April 24, so register online, by mail or in person today! Can’t wait to see you there!

    Testing the Waters

    4/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Water quality testing suppliesClyde Tamaru and RuthEllen Klinger-Bowen (both MBBE) will present the Aquaponic Water Quality Workshop on Saturday, April 12, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon at the Hale Tuahine CTAHR Aquaponic Laboratory as part of the centennial celebration of Cooperative Extension. This course, for beginner aquaculturists and those maintaining aquaponics systems, is a three-hour combination lecture and hands-on training course, utilizing commercially available water test kits and actual water from operating aquaponics systems. At the conclusion of this workshop participants will be able to measure and determine basic water-quality parameters of pH, temperature, total ammonia nitorgen (TAN), nitrite, nitrate, and dissolved oxygen (DO) in an aquaponic system; use data obtained to assess the operating condition of an aquaponic system; make adjustments and optimize system water quality and performance; demonstrate mastery of basic water-quality parameters by using testing kits to accurately obtain data; identify and explain the nitrification cycle and water quality tests associated with maintaining a healthy aquaponics system environment for fish and plants. The registration fee is $39.95, with a discounted fee of $26.00 for Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association members. There are only five seats left, so register now!

    Bees, Gardeners, and More

    4/2/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Haku lei image from the Grow Hawaiian FestivalCome join the UH Honeybee Project and the O‘ahu Master Gardeners at the Grow Hawaiian Festival, Saturday, April 5, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Bishop Museum. The free event, a celebration of Hawai‘i’s culture, native plants, and sustainability, offers the whole family a day filled with activities, crafts, games, music, and food. Learn how to promote bee health in Hawai‘i with Ethel Villalobos (PEPS) of the UH Honeybee Project, and learn to grow native plants with the O‘ahu Master Gardeners. Watch the KITV video of Ethel’s tips for residents that can help the bee population. Check out all the events at the Grow Hawaiian Festival website and bring the whole family down for a good time!

    March



    Nalo Kala

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Waimanalo Research Station has just launched a crowdsourcing campaign to raise funds to build a roof to complete the construction of an On-Farm Learning Pavilion, and everyone is asked to spread the word about this great initiative! Since their original classroom collapsed in a 2011 storm, the station has been using temporary tents to provide a venue for their increasing number of classes and workshops and shelter for visitors. Partial funding has been granted by the Castle Foundation, O‘ahu County, and a CTAHR capacity-building grant, but $30,000 more is needed. And the campaign, hosted on the Indiegogo website, is already garnering support for its goal. Go, Waimanalo!

    Coffee Outlaw

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Emaravirus lesions on coffeeThere’s a new pest in town, but sheriffs Scot Nelson and Mike Melzer (PEPS) and Andrea Kawabata (TPSS) are donning their badges and rounding up the posse to make sure it doesn’t get too comfortable. The latest crop bad guy, which has not been reported anywhere else in the world as yet, was discovered on the Big Island in January 2014 through Scot’s Plant Doctor app. It creates lesions on the leaves and petioles of coffee and reportedly renders the cherries unmarketable, though much still needs to be learned about it. Check out more pictures of the intruder at the website Scot has created to monitor it, and report any sightings there or to Scot at snelson@hawaii.edu. Also see Scot’s interview on the pest on KITV.

    Research in the News

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Kamehameha butterfluPEPS’s Dan Rubinoff and William Haines’s citizen science-powered Pulelehua Project has captured the imagination of many as it seeks to capture images and locations of the elusive, iconic Kamehameha butterfly. The latest shout-out to the project comes from Kaunana Magazine, a compilation of UH-Manoa research news, which posted a video and description of the project. Nor is this CTAHR’s only recent mention in the magazine, which also features MBBE’s Dan Jenkins and the half-million-dollar grant he received to create and refine hand-held technology to detect Salmonella and other harmful bacteria quickly in crops growing in the field. CTAHR research—it has roots and wings!

    Ag-Aware Out There

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Students at CTAHR Ag and Environmental Awareness DayAbout 600 fifth-grade students and teachers attended the 2014 Agriculture and Environmental Awareness Day on March 7 out at the Pearl City Urban Garden Center. The purpose of this yearly outdoor event is to create a greater awareness and understanding of agriculture and the environment among today’s youth, teachers, and general public, as well as to introduce young students to potential Hawai‘i-based career opportunities in these fields. University faculty, staff, and students; government agencies; private industry; and community members volunteered their time to educate the students with 16 presentations and 12 interactive exhibits. Several exhibitors returned the next day for the Second Saturday at the Garden event open to the general public. CTAHR’s O‘ahu Cooperative Extension Office and Academic and Student Affairs partnered again to organize this annual event, while funding support was provided by USDA through CTAHR’s Agribusiness Education, Training, and Incubation Program. The City and County of Honolulu also provided generous funding for this event and gave the crowd of 600 a warming welcome in the middle of the morning. Thanks go to the Pearl City Urban Garden Center staff and volunteers, ASAO staff, and Waimanalo Research Station staff for planning and setting up the event, along with a big mahalo to the CTAHR faculty and staff, government agencies, community members, and company representatives who volunteered their time and knowledge for the presentations and exhibits at the Friday and Saturday events. Dr. Po-Yung Lai of the City and County of Honolulu also deserves gratitude for helping to acquire funding for this year’s event. Check out pictures of the day here!

    Conserving Resources for Sustainability

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Linda Cox interviewed on Generation AnthropoceneThe UHM Generation Anthropocene project, inspired by a similar project by graduate students at Stanford University, is a series of podcast interviews with faculty to discuss human impacts on the environment. The project’s creators, Brian LaCarter and Erin VanGorden, point out that humans are directly changing the earth, unlike at any other point in time, and invite various experts to focus on particular ways this is happening. The project’s video interviews have been selected for presentation at this year’s Sustainability Summit. An interview about community economics with Linda J. Cox (NREM) is now posted at the site, discussing the importance of controlling feral cats in order to keep them from killing native birds. Linda also stresses the necessity of thinking in the long term, pointing out that a time frame of one hundred years is appropriate for assessing the health of a community and that society’s tendency to consume all resources as quickly as possible is counter to the very notion of sustainability.

    A Milestone in the Journey

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    CTAHR student convocation 2013Everyone is invited to attend the CTAHR Spring 2014 Graduation Convocation on Wednesday, May 7, to help graduating students celebrate their academic achievements (pictured, last year’s event). Check out this website for more information. Please RSVP by Friday, April 18, for seating and refreshment purposes by completing the online form on the website (some questions will not pertain to you, so just fill in the first four questions and click the submit button). Check-in begins at 5:15 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom, followed by the program from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sylvia Trinh at strinh@hawaii.edu.

    The Peaceful, Heroic Rose

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Peace rose bushThere’s a lot going on at the Urban Garden Center! Two new rose gardens, the Heroes Rose Garden and the Peace Rose Garden, have been established there. Tended by the Honolulu Rose Society, they are planted with roses whose names relate to heroes or to peace (pictured is the Peace rose) and were the impetus for a recent writing contest in which schoolchildren were encouraged to write about what peace or heroes meant to them. The winners will be honored at a ceremony on April 12 that will also feature a Hawaiian blessing for the gardens and the newly built Rose Pavilion. On the same day, the OUG will offer its traditional Second Saturday programs, which this month will include a free seed- and plant-sharing workshop and event. Experts will speak on seed saving and selection, and then members of the community are encouraged to bring their own saved seeds, huli, cuttings, and rhizomes to share and barter with others. Add in the usual plant sales, docent tour, garden demos, and plant question booth staffed by Master Gardeners, and it’s a full and fun—and peaceful and heroic—day! Pre-register to secure your seat by calling 453-6050, but walk-ins are welcome as space allows.

    Life After CTAHR?

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    CTAHR students at career eventYes! About 50 students and 9 employers gathered in Gilmore Hall on last week for the “Careers After CTAHR” workshop, which focused on careers related to the fields of study of Family Resources (FAMR), Animal Sciences (ANSC), and Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN). Local professionals, many of whom are CTAHR alums, came from a wide array of companies and organizations, including the Susannah Wesley Community Center, University Lab School, UH-Manoa Office of Admissions, WIC Services, HPC Foods, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, UH-Manoa Office of Research and Compliance, Hawaii Medical Veterinary Association, and WCC Veterinary Technology Program. Students learned about potential internship/career opportunities and the personal career pathways and experiences of those working in jobs related to their fields of study, and they received tips on how to prepare themselves for the workforce. Both students and employers benefited from the experience. Many thanks go to all the professionals who volunteered their time to share their valuable knowledge and experiences with the students, ASAO for organizing this event, CTAHR student volunteers, and the students who attended.

    Controlling Organic Pests?

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Ladybug and aphidsWell, the Organic Pest Control class at LCC may not teach precisely that, but it will tell you how to get rid of unwanted insect interlopers without synthetic chemicals. The class will be held in room CE-303 on Friday, April 4, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. It’s intended to assist organic farmers in defining what “organic” means in regard to USDA certification, determining whether a pesticide is organic or not, and clarifying what role the Hawaii Department of Agriculture has in regulating organic operations. Other hot topics of interest for organic farmers will be discussed, such as “Integrated Pest Management” and “How to Protect Pollinators.” Regulatory requirements such as the Worker Protection Standard will be reviewed to assure compliance by organic operations. The class, conducted by HDOA, will cost $25, and you can register here. This class is also good towards 2 recertification credits for private applicators of restricted-use pesticides! Its course number is AGR5040.

    Oyster Mushrooms

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Shelby ChingPEPS Tropical Plant Pathology graduate student Shelby Ching received a Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) Graduate Student Grant Award to work on “Spent oyster mushroom compost for nematode management” under the guidance of Koon-Hui Wang (PEPS). Beside many uses of oyster mushroom in the kitchen, Shelby and Koon-HuiuiHui are looking at fine-tuning the use of oyster mushroom compost for pre- and post-plant management of root-knot nematodes on fresh basil in Hawai‘i. Congratulations, Shelby and Koon-Hui!

    Researching Their Futures

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Jinan Banna, Samantha Erin De Leon, Maili HuckJinan Banna (HNFAS) (left) and FSHN undergraduate students Maili Huck (right) and Samantha Erin De Leon (center) received a travel grant from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology/Maximizing Access to Research Careers Program, which will provide funding for their attendance at the Experimental Biology annual meeting. Experimental Biology is a multidisciplinary scientific meeting open to those with interest in research and life sciences. Among the participating societies is the American Society for Nutrition, which will offer sessions hosted by various research interest sections. At the meeting, the students will have ample opportunity to network and identify career opportunities. Both students have an interest in incorporating research into their future careers; Maili plans to pursue a master’s degree in nutrition and obtain a credential as a registered dietitian, while Samantha wishes to practice medicine as a physician. Attending Experimental Biology will assist them in further clarifying their research interests as they move to the next steps in their career paths.

    Lori Yancura’s Awesome Teaching Skills

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Lori YancuraA big congratulations to Lori Yancura (FCS) for her wonderful and well-deserved honor as a recipient of the 2014 UH Manoa Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award. Lori will be recognized at the UH-Manoa Award ceremony on April 30. Lori provides excellence in teaching research methods to the department's more than 300 majors. Students create research projects and improve their science literacy for the investigation of factors underlying the resiliency of both individuals and fashion businesses. Congratulations, Lori!

    Fun With Alumni

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Touring the Kapiolani CC gardensThe CTAHR Alumni Association banquet on March 21 was enlivened by a tour of Kapi‘olani Community College's Culinary Arts program's aquaponics system, garden, and food-composting facility, led by pastry chef and KCC instructor Dave Brown. A yummy dinner prepared by the Culinary Arts students included poi bread pudding with haupia sauce and Bananas Foster cheesecake made with fruit provided by CTAHR student Gabe Sachter-Smith. Gabe, who is a member of the CTAHRAA board, also shared both bounty from his garden in Manoa and, in speech to the gathering, his bountiful information on growing food in the tropics. If you're new to gardening, skip the exotic bell peppers and beefsteak tomatoes in favor of plants such as cassava and pigeon peas, that like to grow in the tropics, he advised. Among the seeds and plant starts he shared was luffa, whose gourds can be eaten when young or harvested later for loofah sponges. The evening concluded with a raffle drawing for coveted prizes from golf balls to a queen-size quilt. Proceeds go toward CTAHR student scholarships.

    Persidangan Rayap!

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Ken Grace at termite conferenceKen Grace (Interim Associate Dean of Research) was keynote speaker in February at TRG10, the 10th conference (persidangan) of the Pacific Rim Termite (rayap) Research Group in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ken discussed CTAHR research on two of the most destructive termites worldwide, the Formosan and the Asian subterranean termites. In addition to two days of discussion on wood chewers, the group also took time to chew some delicious Malaysian food in a closing banquet in the Kuala Lumpur Tower, and visited Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), the government center for wood and forestry research.

    Spreading Mindfulness

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Thao Le on KGMBThao Le (FAMR) is everywhere! She was featured on Hawai‘i News Now March 18 and 19 for her mindfulness program to provide skills for stress reduction, self-regulation, and resiliency to incarcerated youth at the Hawai‘i Youth Correctional Facility. Thao also chaired the first panel at the Numata Conference sponsored by UH Department of Religion and the Numata Foundation, and presented her paper “Preventing Violence: Implementation and Outcome of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention in Hawai‘i and Vietnam.” In addition, her poster on this mindfulness program was also selected through a competitive selection process to participate in the special poster session “Adolescence in Diverse Contexts” at the Society for Research in Adolescence conference in Austin, Texas. Great work, Thao!

    Studying Abroad and Beyond

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Kacie HoKacie Ho, a FSHN alumna, was featured in the UHM Study Abroad Newsletter. She studied in Seville, Spain in the fall of 2011 with her academic advisor Wayne Iwaoka (HNFAS) and credits Wayne with encouraging her to gain a broader cultural understanding outside of Hawai‘i. After her experiences and work in Spain, Kacie presented the seminar "Spanish Olives: Growing, Harvesting, and Processing." Currently, Kacie is a graduate student in the Food Sciences Department at Purdue University, where she was featured in a Graduate Ag Research Spotlight. Her research focuses on lycopene, the compound that gives tomatoes their red-orange color. She is studying the use of microwaves to enhance the efficiency of extracting lycopene from tomato peels, a major and often discarded by-product of processing. Encapsulating the lycopene in nanoemulsions might allow it to be added to food products as a natural color or nutritional enhancement. Go for it, Kacie!

    Fashionable Honolulu Streets

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Image from Honolulu Street StyleAndrew Reilly’s new book Honolulu Street Style (last seen in the January 22 edition of CTAHR Notes) was featured in the Star Advertiser. "One thing I hope this book will accomplish is to show people that Hawai‘i does have a style and aesthetic beyond what they think it is, and understand there is a fashion industry here that I think is on an upswing now,” Andy says. “Hawai‘i had an impact on fashion from the 1930s through '60s, and I think it will make an impact again." Honolulu Street Style is available from Amazon. Read the whole Star Advertiser article here!

    Likeable Bug Science

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Dan Rubinoff on Likeable ScienceHawai‘i insects are very special! Dan Rubinoff (PEPS) discussed the diversity of Hawai‘i’s bugs, the Insect Museum, and the science of bugs on Likeable Science, an offshoot of ThinkTech Hawai‘i on ‘Olelo Community Media. He shared facts about some of the unique insects in Hawai‘i, including carnivorous caterpillars (complete with video of caterpillar carnage), amphibious caterpillars, and the Pulelehua Project’s Kamehameha butterfly. And speaking of pulelehua, according to the Project’s Facebook page the project has received many photo submissions from the public thanks to last week’s media exposure, with 10 new confirmed sightings of the Kamehameha butterfly on four islands, Moloka‘i, O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i! Check out What Bugs Hawai‘i on Youtube, as well as a funny comic strip about the hunt for the Kamehameha butterfly. Go, team insects!

    Going the Distance (Education!)

    3/31/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Faculty at the Distance Education open houseAbout 25 faculty members attended CTAHR’s first Distance Education Open House, both in person and from a distance. Distance Education Specialist Kellie Kong shared tips and resources for successful online teaching and offered a preview of instruction projects in the works from extension (GoFarm Hawai‘i and Maui Master Gardeners) to academic (FAMR 331). Helen Spafford (PEPS), who earned CTAHR’s Excellence in Teaching award and the Association for Education Communication and Technology’s Division of Distance Learning’s Crystal Award for her online course (PEPS 250 World of Insects), pointed out the value of being able to deliver Manoa coursework to students statewide. Susan Miyasaka (TPSS) shared the opposite experience, teaching courses to Manoa students from Hilo. Her Komohana colleague J.B. Friday (NREM) recommended approaching online teaching more like a science meeting than a traditional lecture. Young-Jin Bahng (FCS) said the efficiencies of teaching online allow her to include more non-majors in her course (FDM 471 International Apparel Trade Issues), which expands insights shared. Brent Sipes (PEPS) has adopted an asynchronous, unit-mastery module approach. “The students seem pretty independent, even eschewing email contact but doing pretty well,” he said; “maybe I need the interaction of the traditional classroom more than they do!”

    Genes and Seed Development

    3/26/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Bob Goldberg giving a lectureCheck out the genes in those seeds! Dr. Bob Goldberg will present the seminar “Dissecting Seed Development Using Genomics: Implications for Agriculture” on Thursday, March 27, 3:00 p.m. in the Agricultural Science building 319. Dr. Goldberg’s current research goal is to identify all soybean genes required to “make a seed” using state-of-the-art genomic and epigenomic technologies in order to develop crops that produce more, larger, and more nutritious seeds, and thereby significantly enhance our food supply. He was the founding editor and editor-in-chief of The Plant Cell, has received numerous awards for his pioneering research in plant molecular biology, and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2001. His commitment to undergraduate and graduate education earned him many prestigious teaching awards, and Newsweek Magazine named him one of America’s “Top Professors” in 2009.

    CTAHR and Sustainability

    3/26/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Sustainability SummitDoug Vincent and Joannie Dobbs (both HNFAS) presented at the 2nd Annual Sustainability in Higher Education Summit recently held at Windward Community College. The annual event is for empowering higher education in Hawai‘i to lead the sustainability transformation of our communities. Faculty, staff, students, and administrators from the UH 10 campus system, plus HPU, BYU, and Chaminade convened to establish and advance sustainability goals. Joannie and Doug presented posters on ANSC/FSHN 601 The Science of Food Systems and the CTAHR Food Systems Quiz Bowl. As part of a panel of higher education leaders, Dean Maria Gallo described CTAHR’s role in building in a sustainable Hawai‘i. Associate Extension Director Carl Evensen and Ashley Stokes (HNFAS) presented on the “Cooperative Extension: Educating our Community for a Sustainable Future.” Finally, Joannie gave a presentation entitled “True Sustainability Requires Providing Adequate Essential Nutrients for Humans.” Adding to the nutritional content, TPSS master's student Gabe Sachter-Smith provided bananas to the conference.

    Biotech and Pest Control

    3/25/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Biotech In Focus issue 5The new issue of Biotech in Focus features guest writer Mark Wright (PEPS) and explores the toll pests take on farmers. The issue explains natural resistance, biological control, what we’ve learned from synthetic insecticides such as DDT, and more. Read the new issue of Biotech in Focus, and find back issues on the website.

    Pest Invaders

    3/18/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    lychees in fruit bagTroubled by pests on the Big Island? UH-CTAHR’s Risk Management Hawaii program will be hosting the following events to boost your knowledge and production: on Thursday, March 27, be ready for thrills and chills as you explore “Alien Invaders of the Worst Kind - A Systems Approach to Pest Management” from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Waimea Civic Center conference room. On Friday, March 28, you can find out all about Lychee Pest Management at the Fruit Bagging and Fruit Fly Control Field Day, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in Kawika Tropical Fruit Orchards in Hakalau. This event is limited to 25 participants, and an RSVP is required—contact Gina by phone at (808) 322-4892 or by email at ginab@hawaii.edu by Mar. 27 to reserve your spot!

    Suck ’Em Up!

    3/18/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    LeafhopperGordon M. Bennett IV, a USDA NIFA post-doc at the University of Texas, Austin, will offer a lecture on the “Evolution and Symbioses of Sap-Feeding Insects” on Thursday, March 20, from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. in Gilmore 301. He points out that “the relationship between plants and insects is one of the most prolific evolutionary stories unfolding on earth” and that plant-insect interactions in sap-feeding insects have important implications for “ecosystem function and agricultural sustainability.” Dr. Bennett explores these interactions using molecular and genomic approaches, focusing on agriculturally important leafhoppers.

    Did You Know...

    3/11/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    CTAHR in focus...that in this time of economic belt-tightening and dwindling funding, CTAHR actually makes the State money? There's a 117-percent return on State investment in the college in terns of extramural funding generated for every State dollar allocated to CTAHR. Find out more inspiring and interesting facts about the college by checking out the recent publication CTAHR in Focus, if you haven't yet gotten the chance! With the Centennial of the national Cooperative Extension Service happening this year, there's no better time to fuel your CTAHR pride!

    Milestones of Tea

    3/11/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Sylvia Yuen and Harold Masumoto roll teaCTAHR’s Risk Management Hawaii program will be hosting its 10th monthly Tea 101 workshop on March 20 at the Mealani Research Station on the Big Island. Randy Hamasaki, county Extension agent, and Stuart Nakamoto, Extension economist, are the instructors. This has been a popular event on the Big Island and would not have been possible without the help of the Mealani Research Station crew: Marla, Lori, Roy, Les, and Sonny. Tea growers and others interested in tea production have been attending Tea 101 to learn the basics of tea growing and processing. To date, 84 people have completed this 7-hour workshop. The event features a small class size for a more personal, intimate learning experience and uses innovative training approaches such as the hands-on “Wok and Roll” method for teaching the basics of tea processing, here ably illustrated by former Interim Dean Sylvia Yuen and Harold Masumoto. In addition, participants get an intensive introduction into the growing (the tea plant, varieties, propagation, planting, shaping the plant, pruning, irrigation, fertilization, harvesting, and pest management) and market potential of Hawai‘i-grown tea. Based on evaluation surveys, workshop participants unanimously agreed or strongly agreed that the training increased their knowledge and understanding of tea growing and processing basics, and 100% also agreed or strongly agreed that the teaching methods used were appropriate. On average, participants responded that they will apply more than 9 things that they learned to their operation. Randy and Stuart plan to offer a Tea 102 workshop covering more in-depth topics such as propagation, fertilization, and other topics requested by Tea 101 participants. Due to the workshops’ popularity, there is a waiting list for future events; contact Randy at rth@hawaii.edu for more information.

    Don’t Panic! Survey Organic!

    3/11/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    SeedlingGot an extra minute? Why not spend it helping PEPS 421 students? They need your input for a survey on the public perception of organic produce, and if you’ve responded to other survey requests for this class, you know how helpful, painless, and productive of gratitude it is. Just click here! This is an educational exercise for the students, so any feedback you have on the survey questions too will be welcome. You can contact Helen Spafford, the class professor, via email and she will give the feedback to the students.

    Now You CBB, Now You Don’t

    3/11/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Coffee berry borers on coffee cherriesOn January 6, UH CTAHR’s Risk Management Hawaii (RMH) program hosted an informative and collaborative gathering at USDA-ARS-PBARC in Hilo to discuss the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB), which continues to pose major production, marketing, legal, and financial risks for coffee growers and processors in Hawai‘i. Thirty people involved with CBB research, education and outreach, funding, and administration participated in this very productive event. Attendees were research scientists, extension agents, specialists, and governmental agency personnel, as well as some growers who are collaborating on research projects. The goal of the summit was to inform participants of current research projects and to update the 2013 CBB Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Sampling Recommendations provided by CTAHR to growers and the coffee industry. Facilitators of this event were assistant extension agent Andrea Kawabata (also credited with the photo) and extension economist Stuart Nakamoto; also assisting were junior extension agents Ryan Tsutsui and Maria “Didi” Diaz-Lyke. As a result of the summit, a 2014 CBB IPM and Sampling Recommendation document is currently being drafted and will be distributed to summit participants and the Hawai‘i coffee industry. Andrea Kawabata and growers’ groups have begun providing RMH-sponsored educational workshops and field days to guide coffee growers on the implementation of these CBB IPM recommendations. The next CBB workshops happening in March will be Thursday, March 13 – CBB and Farm Health; 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.; Monday, March 17 – Spray Equipment Calibration and Spray Calculation Workshop and Field Day; 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.; and Wednesday, March 19 – CBB IPM with Focus on Field Sanitation, Sampling, Monitoring and Early Season Spraying; 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. All workshops take place at UH CTAHR Kona Cooperative Extension Service (KCES).

    Curators of Fashion

    3/11/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Grand Affair posterCome check out “The Grand Affair, an exhibition by FDM students in connection with UHM Museum Day. The exhibition runs March 10th through the 19th (including Sunday, March 16) in Miller 101 and 112. Students choose one or more items from the Historic Costume Collection to conduct a group exhibition. Admission is free, so be sure to take this chance to look at some of the amazing costumes on display!

    Science Tech and Plants

    3/4/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Image from Biotech in Focus issue 4
    Plant breeding goes high tech in the new issue of Biotech in Focus! This issue explores the history of selective breeding of plants and how science has kicked up the process through mutagenesis breeding, propagation, tissue culture, and hybrids. Check out the latest issue of Biotech in Focus and visit the website for previous issues.

    February



    Mike DuPonte Is Everywhere!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Mike DuPonte and a pigletMaking news with pigs and cattle! Mike DuPonte’s (HNFAS) work was featured in three news articles. The ACRES USA magazine and the Hawai‘i Tribune Herald featured Mike’s Korean Natural Farming (KNF) piggery on the Big Island, an odorless, fly-free facility, and his plans for expansion. Through Mike’s work, the KNF piggery was recognized by the USDA for “Best Management Practices.” The KNF piggery incorporates indigenous microorganisms into the soil to break down the animal waste. Using a deep green waste litter system and a building design that takes the sun’s position and natural ventilation into account, the piggery is clean and sustainable and requires no waste removal. The animals are less stressed, healthier, and more marketable. On Moloka‘i, the Maui News featured Mike’s efforts to revive Moloka‘i Ranch by introducing the famous Wagyu cattle DNA into the herd. The ranch is taking the first steps by artificially inseminating 50 cows with Wagyu semen in the hopes that in future years, Wagyu beef will be on the menu for Moloka‘i. Great work, Mike!

    Producing a Winner With Winning Produce

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Holoholo General Store logoAgribusiness Incubator Program client Holoholo General Store won the Mahiai Match-Up Agricultural Business Plan contest. The contest, sponsored by Kamehameha Schools and the Ke Alii Pauahi Foundation, looks for innovative local businesses that address an agricultural need in Hawai‘i with an eye toward financial and community sustainability. The winner receives $25,000 and an agricultural lease from Kamehameha Schools. Holoholo General Store delivers bags of local, organic, and sustainable produce for schools and businesses, and they hope to have a Holoholo General Store truck in the future to bring fresh produce to neighborhoods and communities. Read more in the Pacific Business News article. Congratulations!

    Go! Farm!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    GoFarm logo and image of plantsDo you think you’re the right fit for a farm? Windward is hosting a free AgCurious seminar on the GoFarm Hawai‘i program on March 3, 5:00 p.m. at Hale Akoakoa. Come hear successful O‘ahu farmers talk story about their start-up experiences the challenges and benefits of ag-centered lifestyles. Gain an understanding of the agriculture industry in Hawai‘i and its importance, and find out if you are ready to jump into the great world of farming. GoFarm alumni will be on hand to talk about what’s great about the program. You must attend this event to apply for GoFarm Hawai‘i @ Windward’s AgXposure and AgSchool programs. The last day to register is Friday, February 28. Email info@gofarmhawaii.org to register. Go, future farmers!

    Good Food and Good Alumni Friends!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Fresh produce and ingredientsPlease join the CTAHR Alumni Association and Friends for their annual dinner on March 21, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Tamarind Room in the Ohelo Building at Kapi‘olani Community College. The event includes a tour of the Culinary Garden and Facilities with Chef David Brown, a fabulous gourmet dinner, and a presentation on easy-to-grow vegetables for the home gardener. The cost is $40 per person, with checks payable to CTAHRAA. The proceeds will go to support the CTAHR Alumni Association. For more information, contact Susan Miller at 396-7816. Please mail in your reservation by March 1 to CTAHR Alumni Association c/o UH-Manoa, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 210, Honolulu, HI 96822.

    Science Fair Project Power

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Soojin Jun, Ariana Kim, and Kara YamadaWhat started as just a science project could end up saving lives. Ariana Kim, a St. Andrew’s Priory School sophomore, working with HNFAS' Soojin Jun and Kara Yamada (pictured flanking Ariana) developed a microwire sensor that can accurately detect E. coli bacteria in about 30 minutes, much faster than the 12-hour method currently used. The technology has the potential to have a major impact on the food industry and public health. Ariana won the CTAHR award at the 2013 Hawai‘i Science Fair for her microwire research under the mentorship of Soojin and Kara. Since then, she has been working in microbiology and micro-bio sensors with Soojin and his graduate students. Read the Star Advertiser article here. Great work, Ariana!

    A Home Where the Wagyu Roam

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Cows on Moloka‘i RanchWhere’s the beef? Moloka‘i! Hawai‘i News Now reported on work by Jinzen Yang (HNFAS) on introducing premium Wagyu genes into the stock on Moloka‘i Ranch. Of the 49 cows artificially inseminated with Wagyu breeding material, 27 were reported to be pregnant. Another 50 cows were recently inseminated with hopes for another 50% success rate. The plan for Moloka‘i Ranch is to produce Kobe-style beef not just through herd improvement but also through nutrition management. Mike DuPonte (also HNFAS) is working on the project, as CTAHR Notes reported last week. Check out the Hawai‘i News Now video here. Mmmm, beef.

    Attacking Albizia

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    James Leary treating an albizia trunk with herbicideIts foliage can be beautiful, but the fast-growing Albizia tree can be deadly. James Leary (NREM) was interviewed by KITV on the destructive effects of Albizias tree and methods to curb their invasive expansion. The trees grow tall, fast, and brittle and cause problems ranging from damaging power lines and blocking roads to choking out native plants. James explained his effective method of applying herbicide to small cuts in the trees’ trunks, a method that will kill the tree where it stands over time at minimal cost. Read more about James’s herbicide application process, and watch the video at KITV.

    Butterfly Power

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Kamehameha ButterflyThis project has wings! Television news and radio programs have been helping to boost the butterfly signal, enlisting the public’s help in tracking the Kamehameha butterfly for the Pulelehua Project. The state insect since 2009, the Kamehameha butterfly has an uncertain future, and Dan Rubinoff and Will Haines (both PEPS) created the Pulelehua Project in an effort to study and preserve this iconic winged insect. The project is asking for the public to report any sightings of the butterfly or its eggs, caterpillars, or chrysalises. Check out the KHON video and the Pulelehua Project website. A big mahalo to UH System’s Dan Meisenzahl for helping to get the word out!

    Feral Cat Population Management

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Feral catsCats make wonderful pets, but feral cats have been and still are a problem in the Islands. Cheryl Lohr and Christopher Lepczyk (both NREM) published “Desires and Management Preferences of Stakeholders Regarding Feral Cats in the Hawaiian Islands” in Conservation Biology. The study surveyed people from stakeholder groups as well as randomly selected state residents, and 87% of the more than 1,500 respondents want to see a decrease in the number of feral cats in the Islands. The stakeholder groups were animal welfare activists, hunters, conservation professionals, agriculturalists, and native Hawaiians. In addition to the support of reducing the feral cat population, respondents indicated that of seven feral cat management techniques (including lethal methods), “trap, neuter, and release” was the least preferred. Read more in the American Bird Conservancy press release.

    Social Physique Anxiety in Gay Men

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Andrew Reilly and Loriena YancuraAndrew Reilly and Loriena Yancura (both FCS) authored “Three Predictive Variables of Social Physique Anxiety Among Gay Men” in Psychology & Sexuality. Using a sociological framework, the study examined three variables related to gay men’s body image as possible predictors of social physique anxiety: drive for muscularity, internalized homophobia, and a new variable, sexual position identity. The study used the Internet to collect data from 542 gay men, with a mean age of 33 years. They were mostly white and college educated and lived in the United States. Findings from a regression analysis indicated that social physique anxiety was predicted by internalized homophobia, drive for muscularity, and sexual position identity, accounting for 22% of the variance. The study is available at the Psychology & Sexuality website.

    10 Fabulous Years!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Marietta Escobar-Solis
    Congratulations to Marietta Escobar-Solis for her 10 years of service to the university! Marietta came to OCS about two years ago from Kapi‘olani CC and has been keeping this bustling office on track ever since. She has also been making good use of the employee tuition waiver to pursue her AA degree. Mahalo for all the great work, Marietta!

    Honoring Dr. B, Again!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    James Brewbaker honored by the Honolulu City CouncilThe Honolulu City Council honored corn pioneer James Brewbaker (TPSS) on his selection for the 2013 Crop Science Society of America Presidential Award and for his many exceptional contributions to the community and the state of Hawai‘i. Dr. B was presented with a certificate on January 29 recognizing his more than 60 years of experience in plant breeding and his significant influence on crop science in Hawai‘i. The Crop Science Society of America Presidential Award recognizes outstanding contributions to crop science through education, national and international service, and research. Congratulations, Dr. B!

    A Full Flowering of Honors

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Kelvin Sewake with Dean Maria Gallo receiving the HFNA awardKelvin Sewake (PEPS) was recently honored for his 28 years of dedicated service to Hawai‘i’s floral and nursery industries in the Cooperative Extension Service. On January 18, Kelvin was recognized at the Hawai‘i Floriculture and Nursery Association/Hawai‘i Florists and Shippers 66th Annual Shinnenkai event in Hilo. Dean Maria Gallo introduced him and stated his many accomplishments in the ornamental industry. Kelvin received certificates expressing appreciation and recognizing his achievements from Hawai‘i County’s Mayor Billy Kenoi, from Senator Gilbert Kahele on behalf of the Hawai‘i State Senate, and from Representative Clift Tsuji on behalf of the Hawai‘i State House of Representatives. He credited his CTAHR colleagues and the hard-working farmers who help to keep Hawai‘i agriculture alive and well. On January 23, Kelvin was honored by the Tropical Orchid Growers Association of Hawai‘i at their annual installation dinner in Mapunapuna, where President Bernie Cagauan presented him with a Certificate of Appreciation. Kelvin has been assisting O‘ahu’s flower and nursery growers for the past 2-1/2 years, providing farm visits, educational presentations, and working with the industry organizations. Many congratulations!

    Awesome Case Study Review!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Journal of Agricultural & Food Information and Agricultural Markets in a Transitional Economy: An Albanian Case StudyThe Journal of Agricultural & Food Information published a review of Agricultural Markets in a Transitional Economy: An Albanian Case Study edited by Catherine Chan-Halbrendt and Jean Fantle-Lepczyk (NREM). The review, by Karen Lindquist, praises the book’s emphasis on the need for agricultural extension and the impact of the university on future market growth, particularly for developing countries. Lindquist also stresses the importance of case studies to agricultural economics because of the limitations on theory in rendering the economic and political impacts on the agricultural market. Read more of the review on the Journal of Agricultural & Food Information website.

    International Food Science Collaboration

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Dean Maria Gallo, Halina Zaleski, Sejong UniversityDean Maria Gallo welcomed Soo-Jong Um, dean of the College of Life Sciences at Sejong University, and colleagues to campus last week for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. The document opens doors for faculty and student exchanges and research collaboration, beginning with food-related sciences at CTAHR and the private Seoul, Korea institution. Observing were Sanghoon Ko of the Sejong Department of Food Science and Technology; Halina Zaleski, chair of HNFAS; and Sang-Ho Yoo, head of the Sejong Department of Bio-Integrated Science and Technology. More photos of the event are available on the CTAHR Flickr site.

    Dunking for Spring

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Students from the CTAHR Spring EventWoo hoo, spring! Enjoying a break in recent rainy weather, students, faculty, and staff gathered outside Gilmore Hall for a mini-carnival complete with free hotdogs, popcorn, and games with prizes. Balloon artists created whimsical characters and agriculturally significant insects on request, and students lined up for the chance to drop their faculty members into the drink in the ever-popular dunking booth. The event was free, but more than $250 in donations were collected for CTAHR's Urban Garden Center. Check out more pictures of the event at the CTAHR Flickr website. Big thanks to Ted Radovich (TPSS), Samir Khanal (MBBE), Helen Spafford (PEPS), Tomoaki Miura (NREM), Lori Yancura (FCS), and J-P Bingham (MBBE) for volunteering to get dunked. Mahalo to Charlie Nelson for assisting with food arrangements and the carnival layout. Also, great thanks to the Friends of the Urban Garden Center and Janice Uchida (PEPS) for donating potted plants for prizes and to SAPFB for partially funding this event. Mahalo to the Spring Event student committee, scholarship recipients and student ambassador volunteers, and ASAO for their time and dedication in making this a smooth and successful event. Lastly, thank you to everyone who attended and donated to this year’s cause and making this year’s carnival another memorable CTAHR event!

    CTAHR Highlights on Every Island!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    CTAHR In Focus imageCheck out the college’s new publication, CTAHR in Focus, a snapshot of CTAHR impacts statewide. Representative rather than comprehensive, it combines county-by-county data with profiles and features that provide a sample of how our People, Place, and Promise focus plays out across our departments and islands. CTAHR is making an impact everywhere!

    Spice It Up!

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Hawaiian chili pepperTed Radovich, Archana Pant (both TPSS), and J-P Bingham (MBBE) were featured in a Hana Hou: The Magazine of Hawaiian Airlines article, “The Tropic of Capsicum,” about the Hawaiian chili. The article highlights work on improving the unique and powerful chili, increasing the size of the chili, the yield for producers, and the size of the market. The Hawaiian chili is mostly known as the best component of chili pepper water, but this popular ingredient is hard to get, and even harder to get with reliable flavor consistency. Ted’s study looks to clarify the qualities of the Hawaiian chili for producers and consumers to help it find a niche market for chili lovers everywhere. Read the whole article on the Hana Hou website. The good stuff is on page two.

    Sustain, Renew, Produce

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    On-Farm Renewable Energy and Sustainable Local Food Production: A Case StudyGo, hydro-power! Center on the Family recently published On-Farm Renewable Energy and Sustainable Local Food Production: A Case Study. The report presents baseline data from a case study of a small-scale, on-farm hydro-power facility in Hawai‘i County. The hydro-power project was intended to demonstrate how a renewable energy source can support farm profitability and increased local food production. The report discusses three major themes that emerged from interviews that were conducted with tenant farmers at the site as well as several key community informants. The themes are (1) the importance of a cooperative family of farms model to the survival of small farmers, (2) the potential for on-farm renewable energy to increase production and profits, and (3) the contributions of local agriculture to regional rural economic development. Download On-Farm Renewable Energy and Sustainable Local Food Production: A Case Study from the Center on the Family website.

    Que Enfermedad Tiene Esta Planta?

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Plant Doctor app“Diagnóstico,” the Spanish-language version of “The Plant Doctor” app for iPhones and iOS devices, is ready for download at iTunes. To access the Spanish version, set the default language for your device to “Español” (in Settings - General - International - Language). Users will receive diagnoses and management recommendations in Spanish. During the past 12 months, more than 1,000 people from 42 states in the USA and from 35 foreign countries used the app for plant pest diagnoses. The Plant Doctor provides interactive diagnosis and advice about plant diseases in gardens, landscapes, nurseries and farms. The app provides descriptions of ten of the most common plant diseases. If users are unsure about the nature of their own problem, they can get a diagnosis totally free! For diagnosis, the app collects user-supplied text and photographs and sends it to a professional plant pathologist having more than 20 years of experience. The user receives communications from the pathologist, including the probable disease name and pathogen, disease management tactics, and contact information for local experts who may provide more information or examine samples. Get “The Plant Doctor” in English as well!

    Supporting Beef at the Top

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Beef Industry students at the capitolSometimes support for beef production comes far from the ranch. Supporting the beef industry in Hawai‘i, a $46M industry (3rd in diversified agriculture, HASS 2011), means more than understanding stocking rates and reproductive efficiency. It also means meeting legislators and talking about the importance of the beef industry and Hawai‘i agriculture to policymakers. Guided by Brent Buckley (HNFAS) and in conjunction with the Hawai‘i Cattlemen’s Council, nine Animal Sciences students visited legislators and staffers on January 29 to do just that. The ANSC 431 Beef Production class learned that “beef production” is more than cows and calves and pastures and forages. Attending were Krista Ann Lee, Janelle Parkin, Carramae Madayag, Mandy Chen, Alex Porlier Langlois, Melissa Dumas, Jeanette Tyson, Melissa Roach, and Casandra Kawamura. Spread the word about Hawai‘i’s beef!

    Extend Yourself

    2/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Cooperative Extension System centennial logoThis year marks the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Lever Act, which officially created the national Cooperative Extension System. Although extension agents didn’t come to Hawai‘i until 1929, the extension system is an important and integral part of CTAHR. The centennial is a great occasion to promote both cooperative extension and CTAHR in Hawai‘i, with information on the college’s website and via social media. There will also be several events that will be held on the Manoa campus and in the counties celebrating extension’s history and accomplishments as well as present contributions. The CES extends university-based research and knowledge to the community and is one of the pillars of our tripartite land-grant mission. Please share your stories about extension programs and events (awesome past ones and exciting new ones), or experiences that made a difference in someone’s life. If you have pictures, so much the better! Send write-ups, images, links to CES100@ctahr.hawaii.edu for possible inclusion in Twitter, Facebook, Impact Report, CTAHR Notes and Alumni & Friends, and more!

    What’s That Tree?

    2/27/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Be Still TreeCurious about the many lovely plants and trees on campus? Learn about Integrating Education, Maintenance and Environmental Awareness through Campus Landscape Mapping, Thursday, February 27, 12:00 noon at Kuykendall 101. In this session, Buildings and Grounds Management Director Roxanne Adams and Landscape Assistant Nathan Ortiz (TPSS student, yay!) will show how they used open-source programming to create the UHM Plant Map, which provides customers with search, sort, and navigational functions to campus trees from desktop or mobile devices. This project directly supports sustainable management decisions, while simultaneously increasing biodiversity and the education potential of the landscape. The target audience is two-fold: landscape crew and supervisors use the system for grounds management, while general public can use the maps to intelligently navigate the landscape. Check out The UHM Plant Map and put names to those familiar plants!

    Save Money, Save the Day

    2/27/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The UH Saves logoIt’s all about money! The UH Saves Day Financial Education Expo, co-sponsored by CES, celebrates smart financial planning to encourage students, faculty, and staff to save, pay down debt, and build wealth. On Wednesday, February 26, at Campus Center, there were interactive exhibits, a scavenger hunt, a photo booth, and lots of giveaways. On February 27, 5:30 p.m. at the Hale Aloha Courtyard, teams including one from FamR will compete in the LifeSmarts Challenge. The teams will be tested on various financial concepts, with two $500 scholarships going to the winning team. Money smarts save the day!

    By the Numbers

    2/21/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    An image of Aloha StadiumCTAHR has been putting up some impressive numbers! The number of individuals who had contact with CTAHR in 2012 would fill Aloha Stadium 19 times. There are 303 CTAHR-certified Master Gardeners who assist schools and homeowners statewide. There are 1,600 acres of off-campus facilities servicing the community in 29 locations across the state. CTAHR reaches 75 people a day, every day, all year long. Find out more fabulous CTAHR numbers, facts, and highlights throughout the state in the new CTAHR in Focus publication.

    Calling All Abstracts

    2/21/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Student Research Symposium logo and imagesThe 26th Annual CTAHR Student Research Symposium will take place on April 11 and 12 in the Agricultural Science Building. The Symposium, which serves as a multidisciplinary forum for the discussion and exchange of information, is open to graduate and undergraduate students conducting scholarly work under the supervision of faculty in Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, College of Engineering, and Hilo’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management. The deadline for submitting abstracts is March 11. Instructions on preparing and submitting abstracts and making presentations at the Symposium can be found on the Symposium website. If you have questions, please contact Felicia Geronimo (feliciar@hawaii.edu) or Charles Kinoshita (kinoshitac@ctahr.hawaii.edu). All students are encouraged to participate, so please set aside April 11 and 12. We look forward to seeing all of them and their awesome work at the 26th CTAHR Student Research Symposium!

    Curiosity Can Build a Farm

    2/21/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The GoFarm Hawai‘i logoAre you curious about farming? Looking for a career or an opportunity to earn supplemental income farming sustainably? Leeward is hosting a free AgCurious seminar on the GoFarm Hawai‘i program on Tuesday, February 25, 5:30 p.m. at the GT building, room 105. Come hear successful O‘ahu farmers talk story about their start-up experiences the challenges and benefits of ag-centered lifestyles. Gain an understanding of the agriculture industry in Hawai‘i and its importance. Learn about the GoFarm Hawai‘i @ Leeward CC training program. GoFarm alumni will be on hand to talk about what’s great about the program. Call 455-0401 or email (linne@hawaii.edu) to confirm your attendance!

    Sweet, Sweet Sweet Potatoes

    2/21/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Sweet Potato Field DayThe Waimanalo Research Station rocked its Sweet Potato Field Day! More than 100 participants, including farmers from the Big Island and Kaua‘i, braved the rainy day for a chance to check out the many awesome varieties of sweet potatoes (‘uala), many of which are native Hawaiian varieties. ‘Uala is nutritious and delicious and has much to contribute to sustainability in the Islands, being a locally available source of carbohydrates in an area without the space for large fields of grain.

    Check Out These Bugs!

    2/19/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Visitors to the Insect MuseumThe University of Hawai‘i Insect Museum had a lovely celebration of Darwin’s birthday, which included specimen preparation, lots of demonstrations, a cake graced with Darwin's portrait, and some delicious chocolate-covered mealworms, crickets, and other bugs for the more adventurous gourmets. Visitors of all ages enjoyed the many beautiful specimens (both live and preserved) available for viewing, including Hawai‘i’s iconic pulelehua. Yay for insects, yay for Darwin!

    Love Blooms

    2/12/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Flowers and heartsFlowers are love! The UH Horticulture Society will hold their annual Valentine’s Day Sale, in St. John 10B, Friday, February 14, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or whenever all the flowers are sold out. All flowers are grown by local nurseries and include mini gerbera daisies, kalanchoe, mini roses, azaleas, and calla lilies. Come out and support local businesses and brighten up someone’s day (it could be your own!) with some lovely blossoms.

    Wow! ‘Uala!

    2/12/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Sweet PotatoesStill craving more after your Valentine’s Day candy? If you want sweet, check out sweet potatoes! The Waimanalo Experiment Station’s Organic Plots will feature the diversity of sweet potatoes (‘uala) in Hawai‘i on Saturday, February 15, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon. Visitors can see and taste nearly 70 varieties of sweet potatoes, the majority of which are native Hawaiian varieties. The field day is a chance to learn about the propagation of ‘uala, and how this crop can contribute to health and sustainability in Hawai‘i. For more information, contact the field station at 259-7201 or email Jay Bost (jbost@hawaii.edu). Mmmm, sweet potatoes.

    Name Badge Bling

    2/12/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The CES Kahalui crew with CTAHR name badges
    Check out the Kahului CES crew rocking the new CTAHR name badges! Almost 350 badges were made for members of the CTAHR ‘ohana, and this swanky fashion accessory has been spotted at events all over the many campuses. CTAHR pride never goes out of style!

    Nutrition Online Excellence

    2/12/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Marie Fialkowski and her studentCongratulations to HNFAS’ Marie Fialkowski (right), whose online FSHN 185 course “The Science of Human Nutrition” was nominated for the UHM Excellence in Online Teaching Award. Nominated by students, Marie is among faculty teaching online courses considered to be demonstrating best practices. Marie is Assistant Program Director of the Children Healthy Living Program. Her students, who take the course via the Outreach College, are from across the Pacific, and may have limited science backgrounds. Working with Maria Stewart (HNFAS, left), Marie made changes to the online subject matter to reflect the unique content of diets and nutrition across the Pacific. This effort to meet the needs of these underserved students will, they hope, reduce the impacts of obesity and other chronic diseases in the Pacific region. Great job, Marie!

    Bugs Can Be Farm Friendly, Too

    2/5/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Robert Olivier and GrubbieBugs can contribute to sustainability! Robert Olivier will present the seminar “Why Farm Insects?” Thursday, February 6, 9:30–10:30 a.m. in AgSci 219. Robert Olivier is the founder and CEO of Prota Culture, LLC, a science-based small bio-tech business that is pioneering the design, development, and manufacturing of a sustainable insect-based production system to make local animal feed ingredients and biodiesel from organic wastes. Olivier’s goal is to reduce the amount of food waste disposed in landfills. Given enough food waste, one commercial BioPod™ produces as much protein from insects as an entire acre of land in California planted with soy. With these portable units, urban insect farmers could disrupt a $50 million food-waste disposal market on O'ahu while providing cheap, locally produced animal feed for poultry, fish, and pigs, thus making Hawai'i more self-reliant. Come hear more of his exciting ideas!

    DNA Is Everywhere

    2/5/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Image from Biotech in FocusThe new issue of Biotech in Focus is available! This issue, “Biotechnology Basics: DNA Goes to Work,” explores the meaning of “biotechnology” and discusses the many fields that benefit from DNA research. Subjects include medicine, industry, the environment, public safety, and agriculture. Download this issue of Biotech in Focus. Previous issues can be found on the Biotech in Focus webpage.

    Lovely, Lovely Lettuce

    2/5/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Red and green lettuceBe original this Valentine’s Day and give the gift of red lettuce instead of roses! The Poamoho Research Station will host a Green and Red Leaf Lettuce Field Day, a Pop-Up Tent Vegetable Science Education Event, on February 13, 9:00-10:30 a.m. At the request of aquaponic and hydroponic growers, Poamoho started evaluating lettuce varieties that could tolerate the heat on O‘ahu, though findings also have implications for farmers growing in the soil. The field day gives farmers the opportunity to “pop in” to see and evaluate the horticultural characteristics of more than 40 green and red lettuce cultivars. For more information, contact Jensen Uyeda (juyeda@hawaii.edu) or Jari Sugano (suganoj@ctahr.hawaii.edu) 622-4185.

    Keeping Student Bonds Strong

    2/5/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Student AmbassadorsAbout twenty Student Ambassadors met up on Saturday, January 25, for the CTAHR Student Ambassador Spring Retreat. They bonded and developed their leadership and communication skills through teambuilding activities headed by the Student Life and Development Office. Fun and useful exercises included the Ski Trolley, the Balance Beam, and Animal Sounds, each emphasizing creative thinking, trust, and team spirit. The retreat ended with a Mexican lunch. A big thanks to James Frizzell and Alycia Kiyabu from Student Life and Development for facilitating the morning teambuilding exercises. Also, mahalo to the Student Ambassadors for a productive, fun-filled retreat. Lastly, thank you to the Academic and Student Affairs Office for sponsoring this event. Great job, ambassadors!

    January



    Iron Does a Mommy Good

    1/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Alan Titchenal and Joannie DobbsLife with a new baby can be a challenge, but increased iron in the diet can really help. In a column in the Star Advertiser, Alan Titchenal and Joannie Dobbs (both HNFAS) explain the common problem of iron deficiency during and after pregnancy. Low iron, due to blood loss during birth, can cause both physical and mental postpartum issues including fatigue, anxiety, sleeping problems, decreased short-term memory, ADHD types of symptoms, and compromised immune function. The column discusses the issues of adequate iron consumption during and after pregnancy.

    Fashion Melding

    1/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    A Fighting Eel Matt Bruening fashion combinationIn a meeting of the unique, FDM alumni Lan Chung of Fighting Eel and Matt Bruening have joined their distinct styles for a fabulous new-year collection. Fighting Eel caters to career women and young mothers who want a modern look with comfort and quality, while Matt Bruening designs for the edgy, urban tomboy. Together their collection features Fighting Eel’s ease and day-to-night versatility and Matt Bruening’s sporty tops, seam-line details, raglan sleeves, and asymmetrical vented backs. The result is a stylish, comfortable collection that works for all hours. Read more at the Star Advertiser. And check out the styles at Fighting Eel and Matt Bruening!

    Eek! Ants!

    1/29/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Little Fire AntsKeep an eye out for new pests in town. The winter issue of the sustainable agriculture newsletter Hanai‘Ai features pest bulletins for the Little Fire Ant (LFA) and the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (featured in the January 17 CTAHR Notes). Over the holidays, a public report of a suspicious ant at a garden shop on Maui led to the confirmation that LFA colonies were present in hapu‘u logs imported from Hawai‘i island. These logs were for sale in multiple garden shops and nurseries on O‘ahu and Maui. Fire ants are a danger to the health of families, pets, the agriculture industry, and the local economy. Read more about LFA, how to detect them, and what to do if you spot any.

    Income and the Reading Gap

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Children reading in schoolIn Hawai‘i and the rest of the U.S. young readers face a pretty hefty challenge: income. COF, the designated Hawai‘i KIDS COUNT grantee, collaborated with the Annie E. Casey Foundation on Early Reading Proficiency in the United States, a KIDS COUNT data snapshot. The publication finds that while there have been overall improvements in reading scores over the past decade, the gap between students from higher- and lower-income families is growing wider, and a large majority of children in the U.S. are not reading proficiently by the time they reach fourth grade. According to Hawai‘i KIDS COUNT project director Ivette Rodriguez Stern (COF), Hawai‘i’s trend is similar to the nation’s. While the share of students not proficient in reading remains slightly higher in Hawai‘i than nationally, the state has seen an overall improvement in proficiency levels, with 70% of fourth graders reading below proficiency in 2013 compared to 79% in 2003. Despite these overall improvements, disparities between income groups persist. Read more about it in the KIDS COUNT report.

    Cover Crops Up High

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Cover CropsCome visit some cover crops in the sky! Or at least up high. The Lalamilo Research Station will hold a field day on Cover Crops for High Elevation in Hawai‘i on Wednesday, February 5, at 12 noon. Field day visitors will have an opportunity to learn about the benefits of cover crops and their “cocktail mix” and to view the growth of different cover crop mixtures at high elevation. The cover crop field trial was established in early December 2013, and its objectives are to collect data to develop a Cover Crop Calculator for Hawai‘i, and to evaluate the soil health improvement potential of cold climate cover crops. Guest speakers for the day are Archana Pant (TPSS) and Koon-Hui Wang (PEPS). For more information, contact Didi at 887-6183 or email (mddiaz@hawaii.edu).

    Woo Hoo! ‘Ulu!

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    An ulu plant ready to be plantedInterested in growing breadfruit (‘ulu)? Learn all about it at the ‘Ulu Production and Agronomy Field Day, Wednesday, February 7, 1 p.m. at the Mililani Ag Park. Mark Nickum (TPSS) and other speakers will discuss propagation techniques, nutrient needs, irrigation requirements, field prep and spacing, sources for nursery stock, and pruning ‘ulu. A take-home planting guide and refreshments will be provided. RSVP by February 6 at 343-8196.

    Beyond Aloha Shirts

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The covers of Honolulu Street StyleAndrew Reilly (FDM) was recently interviewed on KITV and ThinkTech regarding his upcoming book Honolulu Street Style. Situated at the crossroads of different cultures, Honolulu has a style all of its own, he explains. Honolulu Street Style captures this unique approach as it demonstrates how global trends are transformed by stylish Honolulu denizens to create a unique, local look. Divided into chapters on hair, hats, accessories, and beachwear, the book features the styles of people encountered on the street and in many different neighborhoods, with an essay on the history and clothing of Hawai’i as a whole. Check out the book on Amazon, too!

    Muscles, Bones, and Milestones

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Halina Zaleski, HNFAS Department Chair; Yong soo Kim, Researcher, and Jinzeng Yang, Associate Professor.Congratulations to HNFAS’ Yong-Soo Kim for 20 years of service and Jinzeng Yang for 10 years of service at the university! Both scientists study muscle development and molecular mechanisms and their applications to improving animal production efficiency. As animal scientists, they study efficient muscle growth critical to meat production, reduced feed efficiency, and environmental impacts. Jinzeng (right) and Yong-Soo (middle, pictured with department chair Halina Zaleski) work on the regulation of myostatin, a growth-differentiation factor that controls muscle mass. Whether it’s shrimp, fish, swine, or beef cattle, muscle growth appears to be controlled by different forms of myostatin. Mutations in myostatin genes can lead to significant muscle growth and thus increased meat production. With the understanding of myostatin, growth of muscle can be studied and made more efficient. Yong-Soo and Jinzeng also use animal models with depressed myostatin function and increased muscle mass to understand impacts of skeletal muscle on obesity and diabetes prevention. Enhanced skeletal muscle mass can be very effective in maintaining glucose homeostasis in both type I and type II diabetes. They are always looking for interested graduate students and scientists to work with them in this exciting subject of myostatin and skeletal muscle.

    Empowering Environmental Youth

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Rebecca BeralasAlumna Rebecca Beralas (NREM) has been sharing the ideas of conservation and environmental education through her work as the program outreach coordinator for Kupu. The mission of Kupu is to empower youth to serve their communities through character-building, service learning, and environmental stewardship opportunities. Some of the highlights of Rebecca’s journey include internship programs, planning and leading large-scale environmental community service events, and having the opportunity to educate and mentor hundreds of environmentally minded young adults each year. She credits her professors Christopher Lepczyk and Creighton Litton (both NREM) for inspiring her through their thoroughness, knowledge, and ability to push students to do their best while sharing opportunities with them. And in her free time, Rebecca will be releasing her debut reggae album later this year. Go for it, Rebecca!

    Go, Go, Gardeners!

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Kim PerryWhat better place for a garden than the Garden Isle? An article about the Kaua‘i Master Gardener Program appeared in Midweek Kauai, explaining the program and the classroom training as well as the volunteer responsibilities. Kaua‘i Master Gardener volunteers assist the university in its mission to deliver relevant, research-based, environmentally sound horticulture information to the public. Through community outreach and education, the university strives to promote sustainable gardening practices and environmental stewardship on Kaua‘i. Kim Perry, extension agent and Kaua‘i Master Gardener coordinator, will teach the introductory class, which covers gardening in Hawai‘i. Other teachers include Hector Valenzuela (PEPS) and Jonathan Deenik, Joe DeFrank, and Ted Radovich (all TPSS). Let's get out and plant responsibly!

    Memory Care

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Allyson FujiiFinding a job in one’s field of interest can be tough, so FAMR graduate Allyson Fujii is delighted to be working in gerontology as the activities assistant at Belmont Village Assisted Living in San Jose, California. At the village, she cares for elderly residents with mild cognitive impairment in the memory care program called the Circle of Friends. Although her job comes with its challenges, she enjoys spending time and reminiscing with the residents. Allyson credits Michael Cheang and Lori Yancura (both FCS) with sharing the knowledge and advice that inspired her to live a goal-oriented life and take an interest in the aging population. Congratulations, Allyson!

    Breadfruit Work Honored

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Diane Ragone with a breadfruit plantCTAHR collaborator and TPSS alumna Diane Ragone was selected as a Star of Oceania by the Pacific Business Center for her work as the director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s Breadfruit Institute. This honor comes on the heels of the November 15 announcement by the USDA that compounds in the male flowers of breadfruit are significantly more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET. These findings are the result of collaborative research conducted using NTBG’s breadfruit collection and published in a March 2012 paper co-authored by Diane. In October, the work of the Breadfruit Institute was featured in Science magazine. Congratulations, Diane!

    The Dr. B Fellowship

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Dr. BAfter decades of teaching, mentoring, and research, plant breeder and corn guru James Brewbaker (TPSS) has given another gift to the college. He has established an endowed fellowship with outright and estate gifts totaling $1 million, the largest gift ever received by the University of Hawai‘i. The James L. Brewbaker endowed fellowship will assist full-time TPSS graduate students studying plant breeding. “The two billion people this world held when I was born in ’26 have sadly grown to more than seven billion, of whom one billion go to bed hungry,” said Dr. B. “My gift simply underscores my faith that plant breeding can, and indeed will have to contribute even more than it has in the past. No better place than University of Hawai‘i.” Learn more about Dr. B’s gift and watch him present it at KITV. Then check out photos of the event here and here. Mahalo nui loa, Dr. B!

    White Flower, Blue Ribbon

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Hokuloa'Hokuloa', an anthurium developed by TPSS and PEPS, won a Blue Ribbon in the Society of American Florists' 2013 Outstanding Varieties Competition. The anthurium was entered by Hilo-based Green Point Nurseries, one of the state's largest cut flower producers and a longtime CTAHR collaborator. The bright white, heart-shaped 'Hokuloa' was named for the planet Venus, the morning and the evening star. A star is born!

    Cool Food Research

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Meat with thermometerHNFAS’s Soojin Jun’s food storage and preservation research was recently featured on the front page of Ka Leo. Soojin and co-PI Peter Berkelman in the School of Engineering are working on new technology to minimize freezing damage to food due to water crystallization by manipulating the water’s electric and magnetic fields. The proposed technology will not require sequential freezing-thawing processes for long-term food storage, so food quality can be maintained as fresh without structural damage, such as drip loss, softening, and loss of valuable nutrients. The project received a three-year, $500,000 Improving Food Quality and Value grant through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

    Highway Gardens

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Joe DeFrank and Paula AkanaThere are big plans for those empty patches of land along the highway. Turf specialist Joe DeFrank, postdoctoral researcher Orville Baldos and doctoral candidate Scott Lukas (all TPSS) were featured on KITV for their work introducing native plants to unused land along the highways. The project, coordinated with the Department of Transportation, aims to reduce soil erosion and battle invasive species by planting native species along the H1, as well as use the land along the highway to create seed farms for future plants.

    Kaka‘ako Kalo

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Andrew Dedrick, center, with Nate Ortiz, left, and Mitchell Loo among taro plantsAny place can be a farm, even a strip of dirt in a parking lot. Urban Farm Hawai‘i, founded by TPSS student Andrew Dedrick, is transforming land along the Kaka‘ako thoroughfare into an urban taro patch. Mitchell Loo and Nate Ortiz (also TPSS students) and volunteers spent a weekend planting more than 500 donated dryland taro plants in a patch of land fronting the former CompUSA building. The project is short term since the entire area is slated for redevelopment, but Urban Farm Hawai‘i expects the crop to yield lu‘au leaves and at least one harvest of taro. Read the Star Advertiser article here.

    International Aquaponics Connections

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Dean Gallo, Chancellor Apple, members of the Horimasa delegationDean Maria Gallo celebrated an international collaboration between MBBE’s aquaponics initiative, local farmers, local and State agencies, and the Japanese Horimasa Corporation at an event held at Mari’s Garden last November 18. The collaboration is looking to develop and refine aquaponics technology that will reduce water use and create a “two for one” harvest of both fish and food crops. Led by MBBE’s Clyde Tamaru and Bradley “Kai” Fox, the researchers have been working on a project to design a mobile, controlled-environment production facility to produce local, sustainable, and organic food. MBBE alumni Scott Shibata and Ryo Kubota of Diagenetix are also working with Horimasa on future food security-related projects. The event was attended by Chancellor Tom Apple, Governor Abercrombie, and members of the Horimasa Corp. Check out more photos of the evening. A big mahalo to Clyde’s student Domenick Barbo for his assistance in publicizing the event!

    Oh, No! More Invasive Pests!

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    A coconut rhinoceros beetleThe coconut rhinoceros beetle was detected on O'ahu during routine surveys conducted under a cooperative agreement between CTAHR and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection & Quarantine. The beetle was discovered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Dec. 23. Since the discovery, the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) and the USDA-PPQ have been working jointly with the military and CTAHR to survey and conduct trapping activities to determine the extent of the infestation. So far, nine adult beetles have been trapped. HDOA has more information on the identification of the coconut rhinoceros beetle and what to do if you see one.

    Golden Years, CTAHR Style

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Image of cover of 4th quarter Impact ReportThe previous quarter’s Impact Report looked at the ways CTAHR reaches out to the youth of the state, so it’s only right that the 4th Quarter Impact Statement, now available online and in print, focuses on the college’s work on behalf of Hawai‘i’s seniors. Get inspired by stories of extension projects helping grandparents caring for grandchildren, eating and lifestyle tips for healthy aging, and the Center on the Family’s database of publications and statistics on Hawai‘i’s elderly!

    Biotech Fun

    1/28/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    The Biotech in Focus publicationThe new Biotech in Focus series, begun this month by the Biotechnology Outreach Program under Ania Wieczorek, offers a general overview of biotechnology news and issues. The subjects covered in this series range from basic biological aspects to complex societal issues, including safety of biotech products, environmental compatibility, needs of modern agriculture, opinion pieces, and much, much more. Biotech in Focus will be published twice a month, with each bulletin presented in accessible form and providing pertinent science-based information in a non-technical and fun format. Read the first issue of Biotech in Focus, featuring DNA, what it is, and how it works, at the website.

    Keep Calm and Learn about Tea

    1/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Tea Field DayYay Team Tea! CTAHR’s Tea Project, Risk Management Hawai‘i, and the LIFE program are presenting the popular Tea 101: Production and Processing Basics on Wednesday, February 12, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Mealani Research Station. Led by Randy Hamasaki (PEPS) and Stuart Nakamoto (HNFAS), the workshop will give participants the chance to explore the possibilities of tea as a new crop in the Islands, including market feasibility, tea varieties, crop management, harvesting techniques, and evaluation of the final product. Randy and Stuart will also share current tea research conducted at the Mealani Station. Space is limited to 12 participants, so call 877-6183 or email mddiaz@hawaii.edu to reserve your spot.

    Welcome Back

    1/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Participants at NREM Welcome Back BreakfastThe CTAHR ‘ohana celebrated the new year and a fresh semester with NREM’s Welcome Back Breakfast on January 17 in the Sherman Courtyard. NREM served approximately 50 participants a continental breakfast of bagels, muffins, fruits, coffee, tea, and orange juice. One of the most common themes that was raised at every CTAHR strategic planning activity last year was the need for more socializing at the college level. This theme really resonated with the staff and faculty in the NREM Department, and they decided to host what they hope will be the first of many departmental social events this year. A big mahalo is due to organizers (left to right) Chi Ming (Lawrence) Chan, Donna Ching (FCS), Catherine Chan-Halbrendt, and Debbie Wong! What a great way to start the new year!

    Let Us Consider Lettuce

    1/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Romaine LettuceThe Poamoho Research Station held a Romaine Lettuce Observational Field Day on January 21, just ahead of the harvest scheduled for later in the week. The demonstration showcased more than 20 varieties of Romaine lettuce as part of a replicated field trial, and visitors were able to see the horticultural characteristics of the lettuce samples. Identification of promising new Romaine lettuce varieties for commercial production can minimize Hawai‘i’s dependence on mainland imports, and implications from previous replicated field studies suggest Romaine can be grown successfully on O‘ahu. Go, Team Romaine!

    Sustainability and Tradition

    1/22/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Tetzuzan "Benny" RonJoannie Dobbs and Alan Titchnal interviewed Tetsuzan “Benny” Ron (all are HNFAS) about food production and environmental sustainability in their Star Advertiser column. Benny stresses the need to learn from traditional Hawaiian agricultural practices and to incorporate native Hawaiian ideas into new technologies. He identifies core concepts as the conservation and preservation of our water supply, food production, and a respect for the Hawaiian culture, and explains his use of environmentally friendly aquaponics technologies and how the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics can be sustainable as well as economical.

    The Perfect Time to Plant and Prune

    1/17/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Lorraine BrooksWhile other parts of the country are freezing, it’s the right time in Hawai‘i to attend to those urban gardens. In an article in the Star Advertiser, Lorraine Brooks (TPSS) has advice for pruning ornamental shrubs and trees, as well as which vegetables can be planted in the Hawai‘i winter. She also offers tips on how to identify and control garden pests. Get those gardens revved up!

    Where and What Did You Spray When?

    1/17/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Image of pesticide use and record keepingCTAHR’s Risk Management Hawai‘i presents the workshop Recordkeeping Requirements for the Worker Protection Standard and Restricted Use Pesticides Regulation, Thursday, January 23, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm at the Waimea Civic Center conference room. Proper recordkeeping concerning pesticide use helps agricultural owners, employers, and managers better manage their production, labor, marketing, legal, and financial risks. Good recordkeeping is also a prerequisite for crop insurance and disaster assistance. Workers, pesticide applicators, agricultural growers, owners, employers, and managers will learn how to be compliant and how to implement the WPS requirements, thereby minimizing their risk of noncompliance and citations. Please bring your pesticide card to get 1.0 credit toward pesticide recertification (upon approval with HDOA). To RSVP, please call Didi or Perci at 887-6183 or email mddiaz@hawaii.edu by January 22.

    Helping Farms, Helping Hawai‘i

    1/6/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Dean Maria GalloDean Maria Gallo’s op-ed “Helping local farms more important than ever” was recently published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. In it, Dean Gallo stresses the importance of local agriculture for the state’s food security and explains how government investment in prime agricultural lands and infrastructure will reduce Hawai‘i’s dependence on outside food sources. She recommends investing in research, communication, outreach, and innovative collaboration. Read the entire piece here.

    Go, Go, Costume Funding!

    1/6/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Costume collection imageThe crowdfunding campaign for FDM’s Historic Costume Collection has broken $1,600! Spread the word about the awesome assemblage of historically and culturally irreplaceable (not to mention gorgeous!) items and the campaign to keep it going! There’s just under a month left to make the goal of $10,000, which will allow the Collection’s curators to conserve and display these fabulous pieces.

    Intergenerational Relationships

    1/6/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    Faculty Candidate imageJenjira Yahirun, candidate for the position of COF assistant researcher in social demography, will present the seminar “Intergenerational Relationships Across the Lifespan” on Tuesday, January 14, 10:30 a.m. in Miller 101. The seminar is open to interested members of the CTAHR community and is eminently relevant to Hawai‘i’s high rate of multi-generational households.

    CTAHR's Great, So Nominate!

    1/6/2014  Source: Office of Communication Services, CTAHR

    CTAHR Banquet logoReady to start a new year and to nominate some candidates for the CTAHR Awards Banquet? The official start date for nomination submission is Tuesday, January 21, and information on the nomination process is available on the Awards Banquet website. The nomination deadline for the Outstanding Alumnus/Alumna award is January 31, and the deadline for nominations for the six faculty/staff awards is February 20. The awards are Excellence in Teaching, in Research, and in Extension; Outstanding Civil Service and Service by an APT Employee; and the Alvin T. and Charlotte C. Nakamura Hoku Award for an Individual with Administrative Potential.