Student and Faculty Activities

This year, CTAHR hit an all time record by sponsoring the biggest Blood Drive on the UHM campus and exceeding our Blood Drive pint goal by collecting 103 pints of blood. What an exciting way to kick off our Centennial year! Since each unit of blood can be separated into three components, as many as 309 lives can be saved as a direct result of our generous donors. Our gratitude extends to all who participated in this important community event. Your time and efforts are truly appreciated by not only the Blood Bank of Hawaii, but the many families whose lives are affected by your gift of life.

CTAHR's 20th Annual Student Research Symposium, held April 11-12, drew students from all six departments in CTAHR to present their findings and learn new ideas and techniques. The Agricultural Sciences building was an excellent venue for bringing students, faculty, and friends together in an informal, intimate setting that promoted inquiry and discussion. A total of 93 (45 poster and 48 oral) presentations, more than ever before, described scholarly work ranging from fundamental investigations to novel applications and undergraduate capstone projects, representing all stages of the research and development process, and undergraduate learning process. Thirty- four student presenters, more than ever before, received awards from the college, Gamma Sigma Delta, and CTAHR’s departments, in recognition of their excellent work. Thank you to the student participants, the Symposium Planning Committee, judges, session moderators and friends of CTAHR for contributing to this lively educational exchange.

This year we will be honoring two exceptional individuals. Our Ka Lei Hano Awardee is Monty Richards, Chairman of the Board of Kahua Ranch and longtime member of the Dean’s Board of Advisors, as well as a leader in the community and a dedicated supporter of agriculture. The Outstanding Alumnus of the Year is Dr. Po-Yung Lai, Vice President of Academic Affairs of the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in his native Taiwan, and a former administrator with both the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and CTAHR.

Ans: 461 million gallons, aphid, c. wind

Did you get all the answers correct? More than 500 fifth graders from schools around Oahu were able to explore these questions at the Oahu Agriculture and Environmental Awareness Day on April 24, 2008. The students arrived at CTAHR’s Urban Garden Center in Pearl City eager for a fun-filled, thrill seeking adventure into the vast world of agricultural and environmental careers. More than 30 presenters and exhibitors from CTAHR’s departments and programs, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Honolulu Community College, US Department of Homeland Security, Hawaii Nature Center, Board of Water Supply, Hawaii Department of Agriculture – Plant Quarantine Branch, and many others came out to help expose students to important issues in agriculture and natural resource management. At the same time students were introduced to the broad spectrum of careers in the agriculture and environmental sciences.

The students also completed an Agriculture and Environmental Awareness Day Quiz as they visited the various exhibits and sessions. We would like to congratulate the students from Momilani Elementary who averaged the highest scores on the quiz. Those students will be enjoying a pizza party on CTAHR for a job well done.

This year’s event was again well covered by the media – KHNL and K5 broadcasted several news items on Agriculture and Environmental Awareness Day, and Star Bulletin included several pictures from the event.

Agriculture and Environmental Awareness Day is born out of an idea from Dr. Terry Sekioka from the Cooperative Extension Office on Kauai and Sue Keller from Kauai Farm Bureau. It has been held on Kauai for 12 years. This is the second year that the Agriculture and Environmental Awareness Day was held on Oahu at the Pearl City Urban Garden Center. Due to its success in creating greater awareness about agriculture and natural resources, CTAHR hopes to continue this event in all counties every year.

Thanks to the many volunteers from CTAHR, and the presenters from CTAHR and other organizations who were key to providing this educational opportunity to Oahu’s youth. We would especially like to thank Ray Uchida, Steve Nagano and the UGC volunteers for hosting the event, and the Waialee station staff for setting up and breaking down the tents. Thanks also to our deans and others from CTAHR and Representative Mark Takai, who came out to support us that day. We hope that those who volunteered this year will generously do so again next year and those who weren’t able to participate this year will join us next year.

Facing off in this year’s competition were Matthew Gonzalez (Family and Consumer Sciences), Zachary Bergeron (Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering), Dana Ogle (Natural Resources and Environmental Management), Yangrae Cho (Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences), Ryan Hodges (Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences), Justin Lozano (Office of Communication Services), and Charly Kinoshita (Academic and Student Affairs Office). Dressed as a “Transformer,” Matthew Gonzalez and FCS took home the costume title, while top honors for ice-cream eating went to NREM’s Dana Ogle. We thank the volunteer partners who participated with the contestants in the ice-cream-eating contest.

After the sugar buzz has faded and the photos have been added to ASAO’s on-line gallery, the most enduring part of each year’s Ice Cream Bash is the money collected for a charitable organization. This year we raised over $300 for Operation: Military Kids to fund the production of Hero Packs, backpacks filled with mementos and items designed to help connect keiki with their deployed family members. We salute the sacrifices that children of military parents make while their parents serve our country abroad.

Mahalo to all who attended the bash, and especially to those who donated to Operation: Military Kids. Thanks also to Meadow Gold of Hawaii and to everyone whose efforts made the 20th Annual Welcome Back Ice Cream Bash a success.

After touring the UH Manoa campus, students participated in engaging educational activities hosted by CTAHR faculty, students, and staff, including a visit to the Magoon Research and Instruction Facilities, a hands-on lesson on composting with worms, “Feed Your Tribe” (an exercise relating to seeds and natural selection), and an opportunity to extract DNA from papaya.

Mahalo to Glenn Sakamoto (HDOA Plant Quarantine); TPSS’s Ted Radovich, Brooke Moreno, Ania Wieczorek, Gayle Hori, Carol Tran, and Marsia Galambao; and Christina Theocharis (Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences) for making this educational outreach possible.

Bright and early on the morning of September 21, 2007, 19 students along with 6 staff members from the CTAHR Academic and Student Affairs Office and Co-Curricular Activities, Programs and Services Office departed for Hilo on the Big Island for the fourth annual Meaningful Experience trip. Our journey began with a tour of the historic Hilo Bay where we learned about the local history and culture from a few stores in the area. Our first site was the Pacific Tsunami Center, where we learned about the formations and destruction of historical Tsunami’s throughout the world. We then studied the local culture and heritage of Hawaiian prints at Sig Zane’s clothing store. Finally, we concluded our tour by visiting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where we learned about the preservation and marine life of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. After lunch at Kuhio Grille, we visited Green Point Nursery where Harold Tanouye educated us about the production line and breeding of different types of anthuriums. Continuing on our trip, we visited DeLuz Woods where we were treated to a special demonstration of Dan’s craftsmanship with wood. While there, we toured his store and observed all of his beautiful wood carvings. We ended our long day of sightseeing by checking into the Kilauea Military Camp and participating in memorable leadership and team building activities planned by Lisa Kitagawa of Co-Curricular Activities, Programs, and Services at UH Manoa.

After an early morning breakfast and weather in the 60’s, the group toured the Kilauea Crater at Halema‘uma‘u. The group enjoyed visiting the different parts of the tour, which included the Jaggar Museum, steam vents, sulfur banks, Thurston lava tube, and the 1982 lava flow. After the crater rim drive, we took the bus to take a tour of the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. While there, we enjoyed watching a show on the evolution of Earth and interacted with the various scientific exhibits. After the astronomy center, we concluded our trip with a tour and free taste testing of the delicious candies, cookies, coffees, and other goodies from the Big Island Candies store. Overall, the students and staff from CTAHR had a very fun and memorable experience while creating life-long friendships.

Pirates, a fairy princess, Wonder Woman, the Queen of Hearts, and Barney were just some of the identities that people assumed that night. After those in costume paraded around the lawn, costume contest judges narrowed down the competition to five finalists. By a show of applause, the little Darth Vader, Kahia Acopan, emerged from the dark side with the first place prize. Throughout the evening gift cards, movie packs, CTAHR gift sets and other great door prizes were given away. Everyone waited anxiously for the grand prize giveaway of an iPod Nano, which was won by Family Resources student, Courtney Takase.

Without many generous donations, this event would not have been possible. CTAHR would like to thank Meadow Gold, Aloun Farms, Dole, Matsuda Fukuyama Farms, Kamiya Gold Inc., Charles Nelson, Harriet Iwamura, Allene Chun, Craig Okazaki, and Drs. Skip Bittenbender, Ken Leonhardt, Robert Paull, James Brewbaker, Joe DeFrank, Charly Kinoshita, and Stephen Ferreira. A big thanks also goes out to CTAHR graduate students James Leary, Mike Melzer, and Pierriden Perez for initiating and planning the event, as well as Dean Andrew Hashimoto for providing funds to support the event on behalf of CTAHR.