On June 3, for the first time since 2019, the hosted by the (CSAV) at the , welcomed a class of 12 participants from around the world.

The eight-week summer course is designed to assist volcanologists and technicians from developing nations in attaining self-sufficiency in monitoring volcanoes. The field training on Hawaiʻi Island and in Vancouver, Washington, emphasizes volcano monitoring methods, both data collection and interpretation, in use by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The participants also learn proper use and maintenance of volcano monitoring instruments.

The program was initiated in 1991 as a collaborative effort among the 东精影业 Hilo , the (HIGP) at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, and the USGS . More than 30 individuals will be contributing to the course this year, with instruction provided by HIGP and 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 faculty, and current and retired USGS staff from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Cascades Volcano Observatory and Alaska Volcano Observatory.

“Hawaiian volcanoes are among the most active in the world, but unlike violently explosive volcanoes, they can be approached and studied without significant risk,” said Don Thomas, director of CSAV and faculty member at HIGP in the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 . “As a result, the course and Hawaiʻi Island provide the ideal environment for practicing volcano monitoring techniques.”

Monitoring, analyzing and interpreting data

The curriculum covers available monitoring technology, but emphasizes technology that is accessible to the volcano observatories in participants鈥� home countries. 东精影业ees learn to properly install seismic stations, precision GPS stations and tiltmeters; and analyze and interpret data from those types of equipment. They also practice monitoring and interpreting the chemistry of volcanic gas emissions; mapping lava flows and explosive deposits, and interpreting those maps in the context of eruption magnitude and risk; and assessing satellite remote sensing and thermal imagery.

“We also provide training on crisis management during a volcanic crisis: how to interact with the media during a crisis, how to educate the general public about volcanic hazards, and how to respond during a volcanic crisis,” said Thomas. “With this focus on forecasting and rapid response, we really aim to bolster volcano observatories around the world in their efforts to save lives and property.”

Connecting colleagues around the world

Since 1991, 264 from 30 countries have participated in the training program. Most attendees have been funded through the USGS Volcano Disaster Assistance Program with funding from USAID. The vast majority of participants are volcanologists or technicians actively monitoring volcanoes in their home countries. A typical cohort consists of trainees from five or six different countries, providing a valuable opportunity for international practitioners focused on volcanic hazards to connect.

“As the cohort progresses through the training program, they become colleagues with similar interests, work objectives and common challenges in fulfilling their volcano monitoring roles,” said Thomas. “After they return home, they have a network of colleagues that they can call on for help in problem-solving and brainstorming and dealing with the inevitable challenges that they’ll face in dealing with their home volcanoes.”

—By Marcie Grabowski

The $1.7-trillion federal government omnibus funding bill for fiscal year 2023 includes millions of dollars to help the University of Hawaiʻi serve the people of our islands thanks to the committed and effective support of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 congressional delegation—U.S. Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono and U.S. Representatives Ed Case and Kai Kahele.

Some of the funds appropriated specifically for 东精影业 programs include:

• $6.5 million for the 东精影业 Cancer Center for the construction of the new Early Phase Clinical Trial Research Center that will provide individuals with cancer access to Phase I clinical trials, which is currently only available in the continental U.S. Learn more
• $2.25 million to 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, to establish the Shoreline Equity and Adaptation Hub to support the development of predictive sea-level rise models, economic and policy models for decision making, outreach and community engagement, and resilient landscape and community designs.
• $1 million to support planning and infrastructure for the 东精影业 Office of Indigenous Innovation to establish an Indigenous Data Science Hub with a living laboratory that could incubate up to 10 community-based innovation pilots in support of global resilience.
• $500,000 to the 东精影业 Sea Grant College Program to facilitate public planning and engagement to identify green and nature-based infrastructure approaches for resilience in the Waik墨k墨 watershed.

One of the provisions that will directly benefit Hawaiʻi college students is the increase of $24.6 billion for federal student aid programs, which includes increasing the maximum Pell Grant award by $500 to $7,395 for the 2023–24 academic year.

Through the regular (non-earmark) process, the appropriations bill also funds a number of high-priority programs through which 东精影业 advances statewide and national interests, including:

• $30 million for U.S. Navy Alternative Energy Research, an increase of $2.5 million, which supports renewable energy activities at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 through the Hawaiʻi Natural Energy Institute as well as sea-level rise research through the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.
• $5 million for a new Center for Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islander (NHPIUSAPI) Health to focus on research, data collection and practice improvement to better serve NHPIUSAPI veterans, in partnership with 东精影业.
• $9 million for the Resilient Innovative Sustainable Economies via University Partnerships program (RISE-UP Initiative), which supports 东精影业, the University of Alaska, and the University of Rhode Island.
• $25 million for the Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program, an increase of $3 million, that will support tutoring, mentorships, internships, faculty development and other activities to support Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students at the collegiate level.
• $19 million for the Strengthening Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program, an increase of $8 million.
• $302 million, an increase for the High Performance Computing Modernization Program in the Department of Defense, which supports the 东精影业-managed Maui High Performance Computing Center.
• $101 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, which includes the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补.
• $80 million for the Sea Grant Program, which supports coastal and Great Lakes communities through research, extension and education, including the 东精影业 Sea Grant College Program.
• $83 million for the U.S. Geological Survey鈥檚 Climate Adaptation Science Centers, which includes the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center based out of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补. These Centers provide regionally relevant scientific information, tools and techniques to resource managers and communities in Hawaiʻi in response to our changing climate.
• $38 million for the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program, which provides continuing support to the 东精影业 Hilo Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes.
• $2 million in new funding for Medical-Legal Partnerships, which provide value to underserved communities by combining health and legal services at a single site of care.
• $4 million to support unmanned vehicle research in partnership with the U.S. Navy.
• $2 million increase for the National Mesonet Program, with language encouraging expansion in non-contiguous areas.
• $9.5 billion for the National Science Foundation, an increase of $700 million. NSF support of 东精影业 research helped the university set a record in extramural funding last fiscal year.
• $470 million for Advanced Research Projects—Energy and High Energy Physics, which supports groundbreaking research at 东精影业 aimed at rapidly developing energy technologies to address the nation鈥檚 critical economic, environmental and energy security challenges.

The bill also instructs the U.S. Department of State to consider increasing the number of scholarships available for Pacific Islanders to study in the United States, many of whom study at 东精影业.

“This appropriations bill will give our state funding to grow our local economy, improve roads and public transit, protect our environment, and strengthen housing, education, and health care programs,” said Schatz in a news release after the Senate passed the bipartisan bill.

“From protecting our environment, to strengthening our state鈥檚 emergency management capabilities, to supporting community health organizations and more, these projects will benefit people and communities across our state,” said Hirono in a news release.

“This funding measure continues to showcase a very productive partnership between our Hawaiʻi congressional delegation and 东精影业, our flagship institution of higher education and engine of our economy, with its excellent record of attracting hundreds of millions in research funding,” said Case in a news release.

“We are thrilled with the amazing support we get from our congressional delegation individually and collectively in the federal appropriations process,” said 东精影业 President David Lassner. “It is truly an honor and a pleasure to work together to advance critical priorities for Hawaiʻi and our nation.”

The eruption of Maunaloa has created a fiery living laboratory and real world classroom for students, faculty and staff at the .

Steve Lundblad, a professor, took his introductory geology class on an excursion two days after the first fissure opened to safely view the flow from Saddle Road. They based their observations at Gilbert Kahele Park.

“We talked about Maunaloa and Maunakea, and the Maunakea cinder cones surrounded by newer Maunaloa lava flows,” Lundblad explained. He expressed, students were mostly busy looking at the eruption through binoculars.

The curriculum of Lundblad鈥檚 class is designed to prepare students for further studies in geology. They study the features and materials that make up Earth, with emphasis on structures, various erosional and depositional processes, and the role of plate tectonics.

Lava sample study

Staff from the U.S. Geological Survey鈥檚 (USGS-HVO) continue to collect and bring samples of fresh lava to the 东精影业 Hilo for analysis on the Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer, commonly called the EDXRF machine, which analyzes groups of elements simultaneously.

“Our student worker Baylee McDade will help prepare the samples, grinding them into powder, for analysis on the EDXRF machine…after the rocks finish in the drying oven,” said Darcy Bevens, an educational specialist at the 东精影业 Hilo .

“The analysis will give HVO details about the composition of the rock,” Bevens added.

Lundblad and colleague Peter Mills, an professor, have operated the X-Ray Fluoresence Spectrometer for the past 20 years, working on archaeological materials.

In past years, they also have worked with geology lecturer Cheryl Gansecki on newly erupted samples from K墨lauea—and now this week, Maunaloa—to track changes in the eruption. They do this by taking samples from the active flows, which are run through the EDXRF machine and analyzed for changes from one sample to the next.

In-depth tracking

东精影业 Hilo has been analyzing lava flow samples from K墨lauea since 2013 however the composition barely changed until May 2018. First there was magma that had been stored, older, colder, and then as the fissures progressed, the scientists started to see, younger, hotter, magma coming in. This type of lava is more fluid and can travel longer distances.

“We successfully tracked changes during the 2018 eruption from magma that was stored in the lower East Rift zone to new magma that traveled from the summit reservoir,” Lundblad said.

The chemical change detected by the 东精影业 Hilo team preceded the change in K墨lauea鈥檚 eruptive behavior by two to three days which gave officials advanced warning in their task of protecting the public.

Now the 东精影业 Hilo team is at work on the Maunaloa flows.

“Because Maunaloa is a new eruption, we are hoping to help the USGS-HVO folks track changes from the early phases of the eruption to later stages,” Lundblad said.

For more information go to .

For the first time in its history, the University of Hawaiʻi 10-campus system topped half a billion dollars in extramural funding with a record $505 million in fiscal year 2022 (FY2022), which ended June 30. The record total tops 东精影业鈥檚 previous record of $488.6 million in FY2011 and is a $19.5 million or 4% increase over FY2021.

Extramural funding is external investments from the federal government, industry and non-profit organizations that support research and academic activities conducted by university faculty and staff. Extramural projects support research and innovation—increasing knowledge and providing solutions to improve quality of life.

“We are extremely pleased to have reached this significant milestone in our extramural funding history,” said 东精影业 Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “Much of the credit is due to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and graduate students who keep the 东精影业 research enterprise on a steady course despite significant challenges from our economy, world affairs and fallout from the recent pandemic.”

东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, the system鈥檚 flagship campus, accounted for $366 million of the extramural awards, followed by units at the 东精影业 System level ($70.6 million), 东精影业 Community Colleges ($43.6 million), 东精影业 Hilo ($18.0 million) and 东精影业 West Oʻahu ($6.7 million).

东精影业 research expenditures contribute to Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy through business sales, employee earnings, state tax revenue and job creation; and serve as the main component in the diversification of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy. According to a 2021 economic impact report by the 东精影业 Economic Research Organization, 东精影业 research-related expenditures of $476.8 million in extramural funding in FY2020 generated $734.8 million in total business sales, $236.9 million in spending, $41.2 million in state tax revenue, while supporting an estimated 5,428 jobs.

“We are incredibly proud to have grown our 东精影业 extramural enterprise into a major economic sector for Hawaiʻi that creates thousands of jobs and provides economic stimulation across our islands,” said 东精影业 President David Lassner. “Our faculty and staff are collaborating with and training our students to engage in research and problem-solving that addresses the great challenges and opportunities that face Hawaiʻi and the world. This includes everything from climate change and energy solutions to addressing health disparities, educational inequities and training our residents for the jobs of today and tomorrow.”

Several examples of 东精影业 programs that attracted the attention of funders:

• The and 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (SOEST) was awarded $5.5 million, part of a five-year $25 million investment by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, to develop an engineered coral reef ecosystem to protect coastlines. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• 东精影业 received over $11 million for natural resource management programs covering endangered and invasive species, as well as marine and coastal ecosystems protection.
• 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (HNEI) received $6.2 million from the (ONR) for its Asia-Pacific Research Initiative for Sustainable Energy Systems for testing and evaluation of renewable generation and power system controls for smart- and micro-grids. HNEI also received $6 million from ONR to continue its research and maintenance support of the U.S. Navy鈥檚 Wave Energy Test Site in 碍腻苍别ʻ辞丑别 Bay. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• The 东精影业 System received more than $5 million from ONR for tank inspection (东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 ), hydrogeological research of groundwater and contaminant flow (SOEST) and enhanced water quality testing (东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 ) related to the Red Hill water crisis.
• The was awarded $4.6 million, part of a five-year $23 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for Ola HAWAIʻI, a multidisciplinary research center that addresses health disparities in the underserved, multiethnic populations in Hawaiʻi. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• 东精影业鈥檚 Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research received $3.5 million, part of a five-year $20 million grant by the , to integrate climate and data science research under its Change HI initiative. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• DHHS awarded $2.9 million to the to continue its important Multiethnic Cohort Study. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• received $2 million from the National Science Foundation for its Akeakamai I Ka L膩 Hiki Ola initiative that encourages and promotes STEM education to Native Hawaiian students.
• received a $1 million donation from the to create the Hawaiʻi Institute for Sustainable Community Food Systems, a food system transformation hub grounded in complementary STEM disciplines, indigenous knowledge and cultural practices. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• 东精影业 贬颈濒辞鈥檚 received $712,000 from the U.S. Department of the Interior to conduct geological, geochemical, geophysical and risk mitigation research related to the K墨lauea, Mauna Loa and Haleakal膩 volcanoes.

On December 8 more than 300 Pāhoa Elementary students became the first of more than 1,000 students this week who will get a close-up view of a lava flow that forced them to change schools. The field trip turned into a hands-on science lesson as students met with geologists, touched hardened lava and shared their feelings of relocating to a new school.

Students were invited by and other county officials and geologists to view parts of Apaʻa Street and the Pāhoa Transfer Station, closed due to lava from the June 27 lava flow.

“Today’s tour gave students the opportunity to visibly see the magnitude of this episode and why they were forced to move,” says Keone Farias, incoming complex area superintendent for Kaʻu-Keaʻau-Pāhoa. “Today’s event helps tie in what they’re learning in the classroom with what’s happening in nature. It also helps them build their academic vocabulary and give context to their writing.”

The students viewed seven different learning stations hosted by scientists and experts from Civil Defense, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s (CSAV), 东精影业 Hilo and .

Each station featured hands-on activities to engage students, including an informational video by 东精影业 Hilo geologists Cheryl Gansecki and Ken Hon, demonstrations of the speed of the lava and interactive games.

• 东精影业 News story:

“This week both the 东精影业 Hilo geology department and CSAV have been helping Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense teach elementary school children from Pāhoa about what happened during the recent lava flows, how lava works, and what measures were during the passed flow,” says Hon. “Civil Defense set up stations and 东精影业 Hilo ran two of these. About 300 elementary school kids are visiting each day this week and so far it has been a great success.”

Ten 东精影业 Hilo geology majors are helping with interpretation during the tours.

The most poignant moment came when students offered a makana (gift) to Pele at the edge of the now-stalled lava flow and talked about their feelings about being at a new school. After offering their gift, students were able to touch the fresh lava and see that although it has since cooled on the surface, it is still sharp and continues to cool underneath.

Read the full story and see more photos from the tour on the .

—By Susan Enright

To promote the importance of understanding and respecting the volcanoes on which we live, January is celebrated as Volcano Awareness Month on the island of Hawaiʻi.

Now in its third year, Volcano Awareness Month is a cooperative effort organized by the , and .

Several recent 东精影业-related volcano items are listed below. If you have more to suggest, please add them in the comments.

• Public Talk: Impacts of the Kalapana lava flows
• Open House: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Centennial Celebration
• Interpretive Hike: Footprints Trail to Mauna Iki
• Academics: Study at the Center for the Study of Volcanoes in Hilo
• Rare video: Scientists record a fiery underwater eruption
• Research: Recent publications expand understanding of volcanoes

Impacts of the Kalapana lava flows

Eruptions on Kilauea’s east rift zone have sent lava flows into Kalapana four times over the past 35 years, with vastly different impacts each time.

Kenneth Hon, a 东精影业 Hilo professor of geology/volcanology and former USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist, will talk about the eruptions, including how they affected the community and helped volcano scientists gain a better understanding of the dynamics of flowing lava.

Thursday, January 19, 7 p.m.
东精影业 Hilo University Classroom Building Room 100
Free and open to the public

This talk is part of a weekly series at 东精影业 Hilo that concludes January 27 with a talk entitled A Seismic Time Machine: 100 Years of Earthquake Monitoring in Hawaiʻi. Learn more by downloading the full schedule of (PDF).

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Centennial Celebration

Kenneth Hon and Cheryl Gansecki of the 东精影业 Hilo and Don Thomas, Director of the Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes, are among the experts celebrating the centennial of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory at a day-long open house.

Highlights include hands-on activities for the whole family, interpretive walks, talks including information on volcano hazards mitigation and a chance to tour the observatory, which is normally closed to the public.

Saturday, January 21, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Kīlauea Visitor Center
Free and open to the public. (PDF).

Hike the Footprints Trail to Mauna Iki with Darcy Bevins

东精影业 Hilo Educational Specialist Darcy Bevens leads a 4-mile, guided geological hike along the Footprints Trail. The hike is hosted by the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park; registration is required.

Bevens has worked at the Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes for more than two decades, both in administration and in the field.

Sunday, January 29, 8:30 a.m.–noon
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Registration required.

Study at the Center for the Study of Volcanoes in Hilo

The Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes at 东精影业 Hilo is accepting applications for a three-week undergraduate summer course called Field Methods in Volcanology.

The course gives students a chance to work with the instruments a volcanologist uses, collect data on an active volcano and interpret the results. Prerequisites include previous university-level coursework in geology, mathematics and natural sciences. The course website provides more details and contact information.

Program administrator Darcy Bevens, produced this video to share some of the highlights of a typical field trip to the active volcano in the school’s back yard.

Rare video of a fiery underwater volcanic eruption

东精影业 Mānoa geologist Kenneth Rubin was among the first scientists to witness exploding rock and molten lava from a deep sea volcano during a 2009 expedition. The findings were .

The expedition, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation, pinpointed the location of the West Mata volcano, erupting 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) below the surface in the Southwest Pacific Ocean.

“Everything about the eruption itself—how fast, how intense, the ratio of lava to explosive fragments, the amount and composition of gas released—is new to us,” said Rubin.

Watch video of the eruption.

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Recent publications expand understanding of volcanoes

Recent papers published by 东精影业 researchers advance scientific understanding of volcanoes. Among them—

• The most lethal volcano is how 东精影业 Mānoa Professor of Mike Garcia and undergraduate Adonara Mucek describe the history of explosive volcanic eruptions by Kīlauea volcano on Hawaiʻi Island in a paper co-authored and presented at the American Geophysical Union 2011 fall meeting by Don Swanson of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Gordon A. Macdonald Professor of Volcanology Bruce Houghton described the potential economic impact of an explosive phase.
• Lava fingerprinting reveals differences between twin volcano chains, the Loa and Kea trends, scientists from 东精影业 Mānoa, University of British Columbia and University of Massachusetts, Amherst, reported in . Their study is the first to conclusively relate geochemical differences in surface lava rocks from both chains to differences in their deep mantle sources, more than 1,700 miles below Earth’s surface.