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CTAHR Alumni & Friends

Issue 17   |   June 04, 2012   |   Archive

News & Events

Another Quick CTAHR Response

Basil growingIn recent weeks, four O‘ahu farms have been identified as using illegal pesticides on basil. This reduced the supply of basil to consumers, and farmers suffered financially when their crops were plowed under, a loss to everyone. When the crisis was first discovered, CTAHR went into action. Jim Hollyer, Janice Uchida, Barry Brennan, and Mike Kawate (all PEPS), as well as Dean Sylvia Yuen, met with key officials from the Hawaii Departments of Health and Agriculture and the US Food and Drug Administration to collaborate on a comprehensive strategy for solving the problem. The goals were to keep the food supply safe and to prevent such occurrences from happening in the future. CTAHR’s Farm Food Safety and Local & Immigrant Farmer Education (LIFE) programs have proactively begun to address the need for information on the subject. Jari Sugano, Steve Fukuda (retired), Koon-Hui Wang, and Donna Meyer quickly convened a meeting with basil farmers, many of whom are non-English-speaking immigrants. With student Shuya Lou as interpreter, the farmers identified problems that caused the misuse of pesticides. Mike Kawate, Cathy Tarutani, and Charlie Nagamine (all above are PEPS) of the CTAHR Pesticide Education Program, along with plant pathologist Janice Uchida, are providing support on proper pesticide choices and pest management. The CTAHR team is developing a flyer, with across-agency information, that will help growers access information on pesticides and their proper use. CTAHR will continue to work collectively within the college and with its state and federal agency partners to help farmers understand their responsibilities and options for pest control.

New Horizons

Sylvia Yuen and M.R.C. GreenwoodWhen she leaves the CTAHR Dean’s position on July 15, there will be no time for rest and relaxation for Sylvia Yuen as she begins her new position as President M.R.C. Greenwood’s Special Assistant the following day. President Greenwood’s aim is to have the UH’s research enterprise become a driving force for economic growth in the state of Hawai‘i. To achieve that aim, collaborations are needed not only across university campuses but with the business community, state agencies, and policymakers as well. Because of her experience and proven abilities, Dean Yuen was requested to serve on the President’s leadership team, where her focus will include food security and safety, among other issues. The good news is that she will continue to be a part of CTAHR, and the college will continue to be a central focal area in her future work and endeavors.

Images of Celebration

Paul Singleton and his familyThis year’s sold-out Awards Banquet did more than give folks a good time: it honored the talented, hardworking, and dedicated recipients of numerous awards, and it raised $35,000 to create an endowed scholarship for the Mary and Marie Blanco Scholarship Fund. See what you missed or just relive the memories with these great photos from UH Foundation. You can also check out the videos commemorating the two highest honorees, Paul Singleton (pictured, with family), winner of the Outstanding Alumnus award, and Marie Blanco, winner of the Ka Lei Hano award.

Wanted: Friends of Hawai'i Agriculture

Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation farm fair logoVolunteers are needed for Saturday, Jul. 7, and Sunday, Jul. 8, for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and Hawaii Livestock Council’s State Farm Fair at Kualoa Ranch. In celebration of the State Farm Fair’s 50th anniversary, children and full-time students of all ages are welcomed to attend free, thanks to the title sponsor, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Fair tickets for all others will be $5.00. However, there’s another way to get free admission, as well as a warm sense of community involvement: Come and volunteer for a four-hour shift, then stay to enjoy the fair! Volunteers receive a t-shirt and a meal as well as free admission. Volunteer positions are open for ticket sales, ticket collection, re-entry/VIP gate, country market produce stockers, and courtesy counter checkers. Saturday shifts for all positions are 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., noon–4:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.–7:30 pm. Sunday shifts for all positions are 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and noon–5:00 p.m. There will be plenty of free parking for all. Please call Joy Gold at 848-2074 or email joy@hfbf.org by Jun. 8 to sign up.

Keep Your Walls Standing

Cartoon of dead termiteCTAHR’s Termite Project is offering a free informational seminar on, you guessed it, termites, on Thursday, Jun. 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Windward Community College. The free public seminar will provide termite facts and tips, including how to identify what’s eating your house and how to prevent it from doing so. UH termite expert Julian Yates will also provide a Q&A session for more specific answers. The UH Termite Project: Educate to Eradicate addresses research, extension and instruction, and brings scientists together with the community in an effort to control termite damage to residences and public buildings. Registration is required: Contact Windward Community College Continuing Education at 235-7433 or visit their Web site.

Grants & Awards

Big Money for Tiny Particles

Biological Engineering undergraduate student Kunliang Xiao, who is sponsored by Winston Su (MBBE), was recently awarded $3,000 by the UH Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) for research on a novel mixing technology for processing magnetic nanoparticles. He will be required to present his findings in a poster and oral presentation at the Fall Forum or Spring Symposium.

Spotlight on Our Community

Gunning for Invasive Species

James Leary shooting Herbicide Ballistic Technology pellets at miconiaJames Leary’s pesticide-shooting paintball gun irresistibly captures the imagination. Picture it: using specially formulated capsules of herbicide and an ordinary paintball gun, weed-control specialists using “Herbicide Ballistic Technology” can target invasive species with “surgical” precision, minimizing collateral damage to surrounding plants, and they can also get at hard-to-reach plants on steep cliffs or mountainsides. And those who’ve tried it say not only does it work; it’s also a whole lot of fun! The latest innovation is shooting the herbicide pellets from a helicopter, so as to get at invasive miconia lurking in even more inaccessible locations, as detailed by Maui Time and shown first-person-shooter-style in this video. Wildly creative, ecologically sensitive, effective, and fun—what more could one ask of an herbicide? Or indeed of a weekend outing, for that matter?

Stand Up and Be Counted!

We’re looking to celebrate all the unsung heroes who help keep CTAHR going and growing. We’d like to feature stories and photos of the volunteers, including retired faculty and staff and community members, who help CTAHR. Please send your information to ctahrnotes@ctahr.hawaii.edu so we can let all our readers know how lucky we are. What makes you volunteer? What are some interesting experiences you’ve had while volunteering? What would you tell someone who is just getting started?