2023 Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Research Symposium Friday December 8, 2023 9:00 am - 4:30 pm (followed by pau hana) Location: Keoni Auditorium, East-West Center About the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Research Symposium This in-person symposium showcases ocean and coastal research projects ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Nori Tarui Co-INVESTIGATORS: Takahiro Tsuge Graduate Fellow: Marcus Peng How much would we lose with further Waikīkī Beach erosion? Though the value is likely substantial, no study has a holistic estimate of various types of values ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Lisa McManus Co-INVESTIGATORS: Yoshimi Rii, Kawika Winter, Ryan Okano, Sophia Rahnke PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability The global decline of coral reef environments poses complex challenges for researchers, managers, and coastal ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Chip Fletcher Co-INVESTIGATORS: Mark Merrifield, Douglas Luther Graduate Fellows: Kammie Tavares, Anna Baker Mikkelson The proposed project will develop and institute a next-generation program for monitoring short and long-term changes in shoreline location and beach ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andrea Kealoha Co-INVESTIGATOR: Katie Shamberger PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Research Track: Ocean Acidification Coral reefs are threatened by a range of stressors, including those related to global climate change and local land-use. These stressors decrease coral ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Daniele Spirandelli Graduate Fellow: Theresa Dean Clean water is vital for stable economic growth, as well as human and environmental health. Water, wastewater services, and other critical infrastructures enable communities to prosper while protecting sensitive ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Leah Bremer Co-INVESTIGATORS: Tamara Ticktin, Kiana Frank, Zoe Hastings Silao PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability Well-managed coastal forests, including agroforests, provide important climate adaptation benefits, including erosion control, flood mitigation, and ...

In this episode, we’re designing, building, and conducting underwater experiments to learn about macro algae, fish, and the reef’s interdependencies. Watch the trailer for Season 3, Episode 12 on Vimeo or Youtube. FULL EPISODE Or watch this episode on YouTube Curriculum Connections: Grades 6-12: ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Eric DeCarlo Co-INVESTIGATORS: Michael Guidry, Fred Mackenzie Graduate Fellow: Lucie Knor Human emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere have led to partial uptake of this gas by the oceans. This process increases the acidity ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Craig Glenn Co-INVESTIGATORS: Henrietta Dulai, Aly El-Kadi, Craig Nelson, Celia Smith, Robert Whittier Graduate Fellow: Michael Mathioudakis The risk that sewage effluent released to the environment poses to human health and the environment is well documented, ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Craig Glenn Co-INVESTIGATORS: Aly El-Kadi, Henrietta Dulai, Celia Smith, Robert Whittier Graduate Fellows: Jordan Mason, Lucas Ellison The risk that sewage effluent released to the environment poses to human health and the environment is well documented, and ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Craig Glenn Co-INVESTIGATORS: Aly El-Kadi, Celia Smith, Marek Kirs, Niels Grobbe, Robert Whittier Graduate Fellows: John Cameron, Matthew Duff The risk that sewage effluent released to the environment poses to human health and the environment is well ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Nina Rønsted Co-INVESTIGATORS: Tim Gallaher, Tamara Ticktin, Kalikoaloha Martin PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability Pandanus (screwpine or hala) forests historically covered large stretches of the Hawaiian coastline, protecting them from storm ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Eric DeCarlo Co-INVESTIGATOR: Michael Guidry Graduate Fellow: Lucie Knor This study offers to continue the highly successful MAPCO2 buoy program that we have been conducting at four coral reef sites around the island of Oʻahu, ...

In this episode, we learn about the importance of long-term marine research in a changing environment. Researchers from UC Santa Barbara have been studying the reefs in French Polynesia, on the island of Moorea, for over two decades. Their research ...

Many of our research projects have involve deploying sensors in buildings to measure temperature, humidity, light, and power use. Some of these sensors have been deployed for years and we need reliable, customized software to automatically acquire sensor data and ...

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: ROBERT TOONEN Graduate Student: Johanna Wren The exchange of individuals among populations, termed connectivity, is a central element of population persistence and maintenance of genetic diversity, and influences most ecological and evolutionary phenomena. To date, field studies of ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Carmella Vizza Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Adrian Dougherty Research Track: Aquaculture Wetland restoration efforts in Hawaiʻi exist at the unique interface of traditional Hawaiian practices, conservation, agriculture, and aquaculture. These efforts involve enlarging endangered Hawaiian ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Wendy Meguro Co-INVESTIGATOR: Charles Fletcher Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability Since 2020, the interdisciplinary research team has enhanced Hawai‘i’s resilience by gathering feedback from hundreds of community members to create ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andre Seale Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Tyler Goodearly Research Track: Aquaculture Sea cucumbers comprise a group of echinoderms that have become increasingly important economically, with the rise in aquaculture efforts and the restoration of traditional ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Craig Nelson Co-INVESTIGATORS: Tracy Wiegner Graduate Fellow: Nicolas Vanderzyl Sewage contamination of coastal waters is a global phenomenon and is an important public health concern. In tropical areas where coral reefs thrive in relatively pristine waters, even trace ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: John Lynham Co-INVESTIGATOR: Arlan Brucal Seawalls protect homes but also cause beach loss. Is the benefit worth the cost? One way to estimate the cost is to see how much property values and associated property ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Peter Fuleky Co-INVESTIGATOR: Kimberly Burnett Graduate Fellow: Sisi Zhang Water management authorities on Oʻahu are increasingly looking for improved methods to plan for future water demand. Our proposed project will provide an innovative way to ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Peter Fuleky Co-INVESTIGATORS: Makena Coffman, Nori Tarui, Victoria Keener Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Sadichchha Shrestha, Luke Miller Research Track: Interdisciplinary There is clear scientific evidence that climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andrea Kealoha Co-INVESTIGATOR: Craig Nelson PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability Climate change is increasing sediment delivery to Hawaiian coral reefs. However, differences in the source, composition, and ecological impacts of sediments ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Lisa McManus Co-INVESTIGATORS: Elizabeth Madin, Yoshimi Rii, Kawika Winter, Anne Innes-Gold PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Research Track: Aquaculture Loko i‘a (traditional Hawaiian fishponds) once played a large role in an integrated agroecology system. Historically, loko i‘a ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Rob Toonen Co-INVESTIGATOR: Chris Jury Graduate Fellow: Paolo Marra-Biggs Native Hawaiians used the ahupuaʻa system to successfully manage their natural resources for centuries prior to Western contact. Following Western contact, this land management system was largely abandoned, ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Craig Nelson Co-INVESTIGATORS: Anna Neuheimer, Grieg Steward, Margaret McManus Graduate Fellow: Jessica Bullington Microbial pathogen contamination of coastal ecosystems in Hawaiʻi is a significant threat to both human and ecological health and can have major impacts on ...

December 2, 2021 – Zero Energy Home Design The need for zero-energy homes is greater than ever as Hawaii transitions to 100 percent clean energy. This webinar provided information to help designers and contractors to integrate efficiency, solar energy, and ...

Energy Monitoring and Simulation Aims to Save Money for Residents Relevance: Reducing energy use in buildings is vital to achieve Hawaiʻi’s 100 percent clean energy goal by 2045 and mitigate climate change. Response: Monitoring and simulation of energy use in ...

Energy Performance Recommendations Inform Plans and Incentives for Multi-family Housing Associated with Rail Development Assistant professor Wendy Meguro and consultant WSP, an engineering firm, identified energy targets and effective energy efficiency measures in multi-family buildings and estimated the effects of ...

The Technology | Architecture + Design journal article by associate professor Wendy Meguro and Elliot Glassman from WSP, "Evaluating Energy Targets and Efficiency Measures in Multifamily Subtropical Buildings through Automated Simulation" (April 2021) is available free online here This study ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Leah Bremer Co-INVESTIGATORS: Tamara Ticktin, Clay Trauernicht, Natalie Kurashima PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Tressa Hoppe Research Track: Interdisciplinary Agroforestry systems, along with loʻi kalo and other systems, were abundant in historical Hawaiʻi, and there is great ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Peter Marko Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Patrick Nichols Given the rapid pace of climate change, successful conservation relies on frequent, fast, and reliable monitoring of at-risk organisms and habitats. Most coral reef monitoring relies on time-consuming ...

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Wendy Meguro Co-INVESTIGATOR: Charles Fletcher Graduate Fellows: Josephine Briones, Ireland Castillo, Graduate Research Assistants: Eric Teeples, Gerry Failano Junior Research Assistants: Aiko Tells, Desiree Malabed SOEST Partners: Georgina Casey Sea Grant Partners: Eileen Peppard, Dolan Eversole, Melanie Lander ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Wendy Meguro Co-INVESTIGATOR: Charles Fletcher Graduate Fellows: Josephine Briones, Ireland Castillo This proposal addresses the problem of adaptation of a coastal urban area to flooding as sea level rises in Waikīkī, with globally replicable methods. Waikīkī, ...

Waikīkī is the economic hub of Hawai‘i’s tourism industry and is threatened by flooding from sea level rise, king tides, high wave events, rainfall and storm drain backflow, groundwater inundation, and overflow of the Ala Wai canal. This research merges ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Nori Tarui Co-INVESTIGATORS: Takahiro Tsuge, Takahiro Kubo Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability Tourism is one of the leading drivers of economic activity in Hawaiʻi, with beaches and ocean recreation making ...

Estimating Thermal Comfort and Energy Use with Future Warmer Weather The whole-building energy model estimates that the prototypical, unconditioned multifamily building in Honolulu, HI will be warmer and less comfortable in the future, but ceiling fans and design strategies to ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Haunani Kane Co-INVESTIGATORS: Atsuko Fukunaga, John Burns, Kainalu Steward PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability Healthy and productive intertidal ecosystems support cultural identity through subsistence gathering and restoration of traditional food types ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Craig Nelson Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Sean Swift Research Track: Aquaculture The primary nutrient source for limu aquaculture by Ocean Era, LLC, an industry partner, is deep ocean water retrieved from 3,000 ft using a ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Brian Bowen Co-INVESTIGATOR: Stephan Karl Graduate Fellow: Derek Kraft The proposed research will track fish from egg production to the reefs where they settle and enter local fisheries on Oʻahu and adjacent islands. To promote sustainable use of ...

We’re investigating the origins of Hawaiian reef fishes with Dr. Brian Bowen’s lab at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology. The Hawaiian islands are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean Basin and far away from other coral reefs—meaning that ...

Flood Hazard and Sea Level Rise Mitigation Standards Incorporated into Updated Waikiki Guidelines Relevance: The urgent regional need to address sea level rise is evident in The Hawai'i Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Resport's predicted predicted $19 billion in ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Barbara Bruno Co-INVESTIGATORS: Daniela Bottler-Wilson, Jennifer Engels Graduate Scholars: Tineill Dudoit In Hawai‘i and the Pacific, coastal communities are facing unprecedented stresses, which are adversely impacting water quality, quantity, and ecosystem health. The solutions lie ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Robert Toonen PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Paolo Marra-Biggs Some scientists consider giant clams (Genus Tridacna) as keystone species, as they benefit species of all ecological levels, and they have among the highest rates of photosynthesis of any ...

To support Hawai'i's 100% renewable energy goal by 2045, Hawai'i Sea Grant faculty, their colleagues, and seven student researchers just published a paper to show how house design and construction practices can be modified to meet the newly adopted, more ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Peter Marko Graduate Fellow: Claire Lewis Healthy corals are crucial to coral reef ecosystems, a fundamental part of the Hawaiian economy.  Unfortunately, coral reefs are threatened worldwide by human activity and climate change.  Nowhere is ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Brian Bowen Co-INVESTIGATOR: Michelle Gaither Graduate Fellow: Cassie Lyons, Mykle Hoban This proposal is to use environmental DNA (eDNA) to monitor the health of coral reefs in protected and non-protected areas around the Hawaiian Islands. All organisms ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Robert Toonen Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Nākoa Goo Research Track: Aquaculture Hawaiian fishponds, or loko iʻa, are generally considered the most technologically advanced of ancient aquaculture systems. By mimicking and enhancing natural processes, a strategy ...

Hawai‘i Cesspool Prioritization Tool  The Hawai‘i Cesspool Prioritization Tool (HCPT) is a map-based tool that displays the prioritization level for each of Hawai‘i's 83,000+ cesspools. Per Act 125 Session Laws of Hawai‘i (2017), all cesspool owners are required to upgrade, ...

HAWAIʻI SEA GRANT GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM The Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Graduate Fellowship Program provided skills training to graduate students preparing to become scientists and coastal and ocean resource managers through opportunities to engage in outreach, science communication, and informal education ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kiana Frank Sedimentation has been identified as one of the top five challenges for restoration faced by fishpond stewards. It is not clear what the most effective (and cheap) mechanisms are for removing such large ...

Hawaiian Newspapers Illuminate an 1871 Storm How 114 years of Hawaiian-language newspapers starting in 1834 extend our knowledge of natural disasters into the nineteenth century and to precontact times ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Tracy Wiegner Co-INVESTIGATORS: Steven Colbert, Craig Nelson Graduate Fellows: Shayla Waiki, Joseph Nakoa With the majority of the world’s population living within coastal areas, sewage pollution is a growing global problem. In rural areas, like much of ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andre Seale Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Tyler Goodearly Research Track: Aquaculture In Hawaiʻi, there is rising market demand for locally-produced seafood. For the past several years, revitalization and restoration of traditional Hawaiian fishponds, or loko i‘a, ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Camilo Mora Co-INVESTIGATORS: A Zachary Trimble, Kasey Barton Graduate Fellow: Devon DeBevoise Plants sustain humanity, directly providing food, fiber, fuel, and oxygen, and are the foundation for some of the most diverse habitats in the world. In ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Daniele Spirandelli Graduate Fellow: Alisha Summers Like many low-lying coastal regions of the world, the County of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi is vulnerable to the impacts of present and future hazards associated with climate change. While ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Mehana Vaughan Co-INVESTIGATOR: Meghan Tait PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Kapono Gaughen Communities and marine ecosystems around the world are facing increasing impacts from climate change, including rising sea levels, intensifying storms, and degradation of coral reefs ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Robert Toonen Graduate Fellow: Kaleonani Hurley Hawaiian fishponds, or loko iʻa, are ancient aquaculture systems that are models of sustainable aquatic resource management based on long-term experience from traditional Native Hawaiian practices. There is much ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Robert Toonen Graduate Fellow: Evan Barba Hawaiian coral reefs have been valued at over $33.5 billion per year to the US public, and are a major driver of tourism revenue in the State. Yet, coral ...

Humpback Whale Vocal Communications Between Mothers and Calves Wastewater’s Influence on Coastal Groundwater Quality and the Health of Coral Reefs in Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu Attack of the Drones: Characterizing Groundwater Discharge on Maui Using the Latest Research Tools Simulating Sea-Level ...

Hawai‘i ’s Water Resources Submarine Groundwater Discharge Water Resources Research Center Highlight: Dr. Aly El-Kadi UH Water Resources Research Center and Sea Grant Partner on $20 M Water Sustainability Project Increasing Access to Safe Drinking Water on Hawai‘i Island The ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Megan Donahue Co-INVESTIGATOR: Stephen Karl Graduate Fellows: Eileen Nalley, Julie Zill Pollutants, such as metals, pose a serious threat to coral reef ecosystems. In the past century Hawaiʻi has experienced significant changes in land use, ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Megan Donahue Co-INVESTIGATORS: Kim Falinski Graduate Fellow: Honour Booth This research will examine land-based pollutants, such as metals and persistent organic pollutants (e.g., PCBs), in coastal ecosystems in Hawaiʻi. Ongoing habitat degradation and coastal development, along with ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kanesa Seraphin Co-INVESTIGATOR: Joanna Philippoff Graduate Fellow: Florybeth LaValle At the base of the watershed, the intertidal zone is affected by everything that happens upstream, from pollution to development. The intertidal is also vulnerable to threats such ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Lillian J. Tuttle Raz Co-INVESTIGATORS: Megan J. Donahue, Kim Falinski Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Research Track: Island Resilience and Sustainability Successful reef restoration requires detailed, site-specific information on the tolerances to prevailing environmental threats of ...

In this episode, we learn how scientists use chemical signatures to track the flow of freshwater underground and into the ocean as part of the ‘Ike Wai project’s work to map and model the aquifer system of underground, stored freshwater ...

In this episode, we're invited inside the cleanest room in Hawaii to see how scientists study pollutants in the food web. Watch the trailer for Season 3, Episode 16 on Vimeo or Youtube— Season 3, Episode 16.  FULL EPISODE Or watch ...

In this episode, we learn how scientists use isotope analysis to understand food webs and how organisms are interacting. Watch the trailer for Season 3, Episode 15 on Vimeo or Youtube. FULL EPISODE Or watch this episode on YouTube Curriculum Connections: Grade 5: Energy ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Rosanna Alegado Graduate Scholar: Becca Lensing The red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) was introduced to Molokaʻi in 1902 and has spread quickly across the main Hawaiian islands. Mangroves are critical to the health of environment where they ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Ruth Gates Graduate Fellow: Shayle Matsuda Reef-building corals engineer the reef structure that provides habitat for an incredible amount of biodiversity. These diverse ecosystems generate economic services valued at billions of dollars annually and have profound cultural ...

In this episode, we're in French Polynesia, on the island of Moorea at the Gump Research Station. Scientists are discovering exciting new examples of mutualism on the reef. Watch the trailer for Season 3, Episode 10 on Vimeo or Youtube. FULL EPISODE Or watch ...

The FROG Classrooms on the UH Manoa College of Education Campus Serve as a Living Laboratory for Sustainable Design Research Energy research at the UH College of Education net-zero energy classrooms is part of an 8-year collaboration between The University ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Crawford Drury Research Track: Aquaculture Coral reefs are important ecosystems that support marine diversity, but they are threatened by multiple stressors, including climate change. Among these stressors, increasing temperatures are particularly dangerous and lead to ...

Campus Spatial Survey and Integrated Planning Light Pollution in Hawaiʻi Delamping Initiative Forest City Military Community Energy Efficiency Monitoring Kuykendall Hall Water Resources Working Group ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Joanna Philippoff Co-INVESTIGATORS: Heather Spalding, Craig Nelson Graduate Fellow: Patrick Nichols Although a culturally and ecologically important ecosystem, the intertidal is vulnerable to climate change, species invasions, overharvesting, and land-use practices. However, the intertidal zone of ...

Meet Dr. Brian Bowen and Michael Hoban and learn about their project tracking important aquaculture fish species from egg production to the reefs where they settle and grow. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Peter Fuleky and Sisi Zhang are conducting an innovative study to identify the relationship between economic conditions in different sectors (tourism, health, agriculture, etc.) and the state’s limited water resources. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Megan Donahue and Eileen Nalley look for traces of land-based, metallic pollutants in tissues of commonly eaten reef fishes and the mechanisms involved in their transport from land to fishes. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Brian Bowen, Cassie Lyons, and Mykle Hoban capitalize on a new technique of using free-floating environmental DNA sampled from above coral reefs to monitor their health based on the species present. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Chip Fletcher and Anna Mikkelson employ drones to regularly generate profiles of Waikiki Beach to understand and monitor the movement of sand on, off, and across the beach through time. Read more about their project here ...

Jordan Mason and Lucas Ellison work with Dr. Craig Glenn using drones to explore possible pollution of Waialua Bay from local on-site sewage disposal systems leaking into groundwater that flows to the bay. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Daniele Spirandelli and Alisha Summers work with Kauaʻi communities to develop assessments of their vulnerability to developing coastal hazards associated with climate change. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Craig Nelson and Jessica Bullington tackle the issue of bacterial pathogens in the Ala Wai Canal, developing a model to determine the risks of infection along the canal and offshore. Read more about their project here ...

Meet Dr. Daniele Spirandelli and Theresa Dean and delve into the vulnerability of Hawaiʻi's wastewater infrastructure to a changing climate. Read more about their project here ...

Meet Dr. Henrietta Dulai and Trista McKenzie and learn about their efforts to map submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) into Kāneʻohe Bay to measure the nutrient flow from groundwater compared with streams. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Martin Guiles and Camilla Tognacchini explore the risks to west Maui of inundation and increased erosion from ordinary ocean waves as base-line sea levels rise. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Camilo Mora and Devon DeBevoise are investigating the relative tolerance of invasive and endemic plants to growing with a wide range of water and temperature conditions that may occur with climate change. Read more about their project here ...

Meet Dr. Craig Nelson and Krissy Remple and hear about their attempts to develop a new rapid, cost-effective tool to determine water quality where groundwater contamination might occur. Read more about their project here ...

Meet Dr. Brian Popp and Leilei Shih as they describe their project to evaluate the role of a recent invasive sponge population in Kāneʻohe Bay--for bad or good. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Joanna Philippoff and Patrick Nichols are leading a longterm project that enlists the help of students to characterize the algae and invertebrate species of Hawaiʻi’s intertidal zone. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Peter Marko and Claire Lewis are determining the optimal conditions for growth of the coral Pavona variens to aid in restoration efforts of Hawaiian coral reefs. Read more about their project here ...

Meet Dr. Michael Roberts and Nathan DeMaagd and discover the intricacies of the economics of shifting water demands in the face of climate change. Read more about their project here ...

Dr. Kiana Frank combines modern microbial biology with traditional fishpond management techniques to explore sediment removal from Hawaiian fishponds. Read more about her project here ...

Dr. Rob Toonen and Evan Barba explore sediment distribution across the sensitive ecosystems of the mesophotic zone and its connection to land use management decisions. Read more about their project here ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Robert Toonen Graduate Fellow: Lindsay Veazey Although there is little question about the economic, ecological, cultural, and conservation value of coral reef habitats, growing population, tourism, and coastal development are rapidly degrading them. Our fundamental ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Michael Roberts Graduate Fellow: Nathan DeMaagd How will climate change affect supply and demand for water? The answer to this question is complex, uncertain and depends critically on location and context. On the supply side, ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Marek Kirs Graduate Fellow: Eduardo Guimares Climate change is projected to increase the risk of loss for people, assets, economies and ecosystems as extreme weather events, such as tropical storms and hurricanes, are projected to increase ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Maria Haws Co-INVESTIGATOR: Karla J. McDermid Smith Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Christian Colo Research Track: Aquaculture The Hilo Bay Research and Training Farm is one of the few open-water, near-shore examples of mariculture in Hawaiʻi ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Brian Bowen Graduate Fellow: Emily Conklin, Cassie Kaʻapu-Lyons As the demand for sea food continues to rise, wild stocks are dwindling or disappearing. Meanwhile, the supply of marine ornamental fishes for the aquarium trade faces similar ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Brian Bowen Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Cassie Kaʻapu-Lyons Research Track: Aquaculture The majority of the freshwater fishes in the pet store are raised in captivity on fish farms, while the vast majority of the marine ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Shimi Rii Co-INVESTIGATORS: Rosanna Alegado, Kawika Winter PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Sheldon Rosa Research Track: Aquaculture Moʻolelo (Hawaiian oral traditions) speak of Meheanu, the moʻo or reptilian freshwater guardian of Heʻeia Fishpond, who functioned as the bringer ...

Retaining a Healthy Indoor Environment in On-Demand Mixed-Mode ClassroomsA study to measure energy performance and CO2 concentrations was conducted in two Hawai‘i classrooms to determine the impact of user decision-making on adequacy of fresh air. Using CO2 as a marker for indoor ...

Sea Grant awards $8.1 million to strengthen community resilience nationwide   February 2, 2023 (Honolulu, HI) – To build on Sea Grant’s nationwide initiatives to improve coastal community resilience, NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program recently announced two complementary initiatives ...

In this episode, we look at the dramatic decline in the sea urchin population along Moorea's eastern reefs. Researcher Stella Swanson takes us out in the field as we look for evidence of what caused an entire species to be ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Craig Nelson Graduate Fellow: Kristina Remple Contamination of Hawaiian coastal waters by human activities is widespread and threatens coastal ecosystems and water quality. The high density of cesspools in Hawai‘i is potentially a significant source of ...

Student research assistants study energy consumption patterns of the UH Manoa Campus Sea Grant has teamed up with the UH Office of Sustainability to manage a vast quantity of electricity metering data while also training and educating students. Students have ...

In this episode, researcher Hillary Close takes us through the process of using chemical isotope analysis to uncover secrets of the ocean food web hidden in tiny, suspended particles. Watch the trailer for Season 3, Episode 17 on Vimeo or Youtube. FULL EPISODE Or ...

We’re working with Hawai'i Sea Grant researchers and graduate students to examine the water quality of freshwater as it heads to the ocean. Freshwater travels in streams and underground, picking up pollution from our cesspools and agricultural run-off. We take ...

 Research Projects 2024-2026 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andre Seale Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Reilly Merlo Research Track: Aquaculture Efforts to revitalize traditional Hawaiian fishponds aim to increase sustainable seafood production and reduce Hawaiʻi’s reliance on importation. However, fish production has encountered challenges ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Brian Popp Graduate Fellow: Joy Shih Coastal ecosystems are regions of remarkable biological productivity and diversity, yet they are among our most disturbed natural environments. Although many human activities cause change in the coastal zone, ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Henrietta Dulai Co-INVESTIGATORS: Craig Glenn, Paul Lucey Graduate Fellow: Trista McKenzie Recent findings suggest that in the Indo-Pacific region total submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is estimated to be 3 to 4 times greater than riverine freshwater ...

 Research Projects 2016-2018 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andre Seale Many agricultural and industrial chemicals have demonstrated the capacity to disrupt the physiology of wildlife by impacting the endocrine system. These man-made substances, termed endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), cause immediate physiological effects or ...

 Introduction From December 2018 to April 2019, 15 retail grocery stores, one fish market, and nine restaurants in American Samoa were surveyed by Hawai‘i Sea Grant Extension Agent Kelley Anderson Tagarino and American Samoa Community College student interns Raijeli Toanivere, ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Henrietta Dulai Co-INVESTIGATORS: Kim Falinksi Graduate Fellow: Casey McKenzie We propose to provide land use managers in the South Kohala Coastal Partnership information that identifies the path of the groundwater that emerges at the coast, and estimates ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kirsten Oleson PI-CASC Graduate Scholar: Louis Chua Bing Chao Research Track: Interdisciplinary Traditional economic indicators underestimate the value of marine ecosystems, despite their importance to people as sources of food, livelihood, and recreation. This undervaluation often ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kasey Barton Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dustin Wolkis, Seana Walsh, Tamara Sherrill Graduate Scholar: Anna McCormick Coastal habitats are critical for the welfare of island people, providing food, ensuring clean water, stabilizing beaches, and promoting cultural well-being. Due to ...

 Research Projects 2018-2020 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Douglas Luther Co-INVESTIGATOR: Mark Merrifield Graduate Fellow: Camilla Tognacchini The long-term rising trend in sea level (typically, an inch or so every 10 years around Hawaiʻi) alone will not be obvious to the casual observer at ...

 Research Projects 2020-2022 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Elizabeth Madin Graduate Fellow: Zackery Rago Coral reefs worldwide are threatened by a variety of human impacts. Fishing is among the most pressing threats to reefs, because it occurs on most reef systems and alters the ...

Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and School of Architecture Workforce Development in Sustainability Results in Job Placement for College Students Relevance: A knowledgeable and highly skilled workforce trained to excel in sustainability-related fields is required to meet Hawaiʻi’s goal of 100 percent ...

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Elizabeth Madin Co-INVESTIGATORS: Kirsten Oleson, Lisa McManus, Zack Rago Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Annie Innes-Gold Research Track: Interdisciplinary Nearshore fisheries provide extremely important services for coastal communities. However, nearly 25 percent of these fisheries, globally, ...