University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Associate Professor Diane Ragone has been recognized for her global leadership in advocating for ʻulu.
Awarded by the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTGB), the Fairchild Medal honors her four decades of work in increasing the understanding, conservation and use of ʻulu, a food source in Hawaiʻi and throughout the Pacific Rim. Her fieldwork has reached across 51 islands, including Pohnpei, Fiji, Samoa and the Hawaiian Islands, where she documented and collected material from more than 600 trees.
During Ragone’s travels, she interviewed hundreds of local communities, farmers and cultural practitioners, recording invaluable knowledge about the use of these essential cultivars.
Roots in CTAHR
Ragone’s connection to Hawaiʻi‘s agricultural heritage began with earning master’s and doctoral degrees in horticulture from 东精影业 Mānoa. She is an associate professor in the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences at the (CTAHR), and was named the college’s outstanding alumna in 2015.
“The support and encouragement I received from my professors, the staff, and my fellow students in CTAHR and other programs, such as Pacific Islands Studies, were critical to my breadfruit journey,” Ragone said.
Global center for ʻulu research
Another major contribution from Ragone was founding the Breadfruit Institute at NTBG in 2003 and leading the program until 2022. Under her direction, the institute created the world’s largest repository of breadfruit cultivars, a living conservation collection of 150 varieties housed in NTBG‘s gardens. The institute has grown into a global center for research into agroforestry, climate resilience and international food security.
Her dedication ensures that the heritage and potential of ʻulu continue to benefit communities around the world.