Georges Frem, a University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 graduate from Lebanon, traded a career in engineering for a future dedicated to science and service, inspired by the deep cultural values he encountered in Hawaiʻi.

Frem will cross the stage in December 2025 to accept his bachelor of science in biology from the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 , marking the completion of an academic journey that started and ended on opposite sides of the globe. After finishing his first degree in mechanical engineering at the American University of Beirut, Frem made a life-changing decision to pursue his true passion for nature and animals at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补.

From classroom to independent research

Frem pointed to his experience with the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 (UROP) as the single most valuable part of his academic career. After taking a BIOL 305 course with Associate Professor Amber Wright in fall 2024, he reached out to her about a project.

“We brainstormed ideas and decided to apply for a UROP grant to conduct field collections to gain insights about trophic interactions among lizards on Oʻahu through stable isotope analysis,” Frem said. “I secured the money and managed to conduct my own personal research project from start to finish.”

Frem has remained a part of the Wright lab and is currently writing a manuscript based on his UROP work for potential publication. “This immersion in the scientific process has served as extremely valuable data for the deliberation of my future career choice,” Frem said. “Having had the privilege to execute science in this manner has definitely incited me to consider a career as a scientist a lot more seriously.”

Inspired by kuleana

Frem came to Hawaiʻi partly looking for cultural exposure, but he wasn’t prepared for the commitment he found within the 东精影业 community. He was surprised by the university’s role as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, integrating place-based science into academics and the collective consciousness.

“The fierce passion expressed by members of the 东精影业 community when talking about Hawaiian culture and place-based science was surprising to me,” Frem said. “I was saddened by the realization that we Lebanese, seldom exhibit that same awareness, pride, and responsibility when it comes to our own culture and nation, especially as it relates to our unique ecosystems.”

This realization inspired him to act. He joined community work days and got a firsthand taste of the community’s sense of kuleana (responsibility). These efforts included:

• Helping out at 东精影业’s Ka Papa Loʻi Kanewai and planting kalo (taro) at the Waiman膩lo Research Station.
• Volunteering at Loko Ea fishpond to remove invasive grasses.
• Assisting the 惭腻苍辞补 Cliff Restoration Project to remove invasive ginger.

“I have been humbled by the deep sense of care fostered by 东精影业 and the Hawaiian community in general, and am deeply inspired to promote those same values in my own ʻ腻颈苍补,” he said.

Returning home

As his undergraduate journey ends, Frem is focused on how he can be useful to his home country, Lebanon.

“I know I want to contribute to Lebanon and bring forth the best in it,” he stated. His future will involve science, although he is still weighing options—possibly as a researcher studying Lebanon’s native ecosystems, or starting science-based businesses to fund community initiatives.

One thing is certain: he is ready for the next step. “I am most likely going to be applying to grad school, and my time here has undoubtedly prepared me very well for that,” Frem said.

Improving our ability to predict and manage water quality risks in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 coastal zones is the focus of a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa project that was awarded a .

Coastal beaches are vital for recreation, tourism and ecosystem health; however, they are increasingly threatened by fecal contaminants. These fecal bacteria can enter beach environments through human wastewater, stormwater runoff and animal waste, accumulating in the sand and shallow groundwater. Natural coastal processes, such as tides and waves, can then mobilize and transport these contaminants across the land鈥搒ea boundary, posing risks to both public health and marine ecosystems.

This project will investigate how coastal hydrologic forces, including tidal fluctuations and wave action, influence the accumulation, movement and discharge of fecal contaminants in beach aquifers. The research team will conduct fieldwork and groundwater sampling at two beaches in Hawaiʻi, where fecal contamination is known to occur, and will develop advanced computer models to simulate how bacteria move through beach sediments. The findings will improve our ability to predict and manage water quality risks in coastal zones.

Xiaolong “Leo” Geng, the project鈥檚 principal investigator and assistant professor at 东精影业鈥檚 (WRRC) and in the , will direct the project activities and supervise graduate and undergraduate students hired by this project.

“Beaches are at the heart of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 culture, economy and ecosystems, yet they are increasingly vulnerable to fecal contamination,” Geng said. “Our research will shed light on how bacteria move through sand and groundwater, helping to safeguard public health and marine environments. Just as importantly, we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists and strengthen community stewardship of our coastal waters.”

Geng鈥檚 co-principal investigator is Tao Yan, WRRC director.

Student and community outreach

Broader benefits of the project include training two graduate students and engaging undergraduate students through 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 . The team also plans to involve local communities through educational outreach and citizen science activities to support long-term coastal water stewardship in Hawaiʻi.

Growing up in Chandler, Arizona, thousands of miles from the nearest coastline, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa major and undergraduate student Landon Schumaker never imagined his future would take him to the farthest reaches of the deep sea. But this summer, Schumaker conducted research in Perth, Australia, with the support of the , a funding opportunity administered by the 东精影业 Mānoa (UROP) and the .

From June through August, Schumaker worked with the Minderoo-University of Western Australia Deep-Sea Research Centre to study the Nova Canton Trough, a hadal region more than 6,000 meters deep. This area had never been studied at such scale and depth until recently.

Schumaker said that last year scientists conducted an expedition to the Nova Canton Trough and deployed cameras to assess deep-sea biodiversity between 2,471 and 7,983 meters deep. He contributed to meticulous work on this footage, including taxonomic identifications, statistical analyses and visualizations.

“The deep sea fascinates me because it feels like an entirely different world,” Schumaker said. “It鈥檚 a world that is perceived to be so far away, yet in reality, is on our planet and right beneath our surface waters. There are vast knowledge gaps, and every expedition brings the possibility of discovering something new.”

Schumaker鈥檚 work was complemented by monthly virtual check-ins with his 东精影业 Mānoa mentor, Professor Jeff Drazen in the , who has guided him for more than a year.

“Landon was pretty familiar with the deep ocean when he departed for Australia, and he had already analyzed deep-sea videos. But in Australia he really dug into big datasets, and he dramatically increased his ability to use statistical modeling to explore research results,” Drazen said. “I鈥檓 really impressed that he analyzed the data and has a draft of a peer reviewed paper. This was a stellar opportunity for Landon and he really capitalized on it.”

Looking ahead, the results from the Nova Canton Trough study are expected to lead to at least two scientific publications, with Schumaker as a co-author, and potentially lead author. Long-term, he hopes to pursue a PhD in biological oceanography and dedicate his career to exploring and protecting the deep sea.

More on the Tyler Fellowship

“The Tyler Fellowship provided me with the financial support I needed to travel, live abroad for an extended period and gave me the opportunity to learn about so many different projects going on around the world,” Schumaker said. “This fellowship meant a lot to me, as it was something I put a lot of effort into between developing a proposal and a project plan, and then being entrusted with this award. Receiving it was both rewarding and humbling.”

• Related 东精影业 News story: New UROP fellowship supports international undergraduate research, creative work, March 11, 2025

Applications for the Tyler Fellowship for summer 2026 are expected to open in spring 2026.

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From tracking invasive marine species, to exploring vegetation recovery on degraded, uninhabited islands, to studying tiny beetles threatening mangroves, eight University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa undergraduates spent two months this summer in the Galápagos Islands. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation with additional support from 东精影业 Mānoa, and guided by research mentors from 东精影业 Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, the students conducted hands-on research on invasive species that connected them to ʻāina (land/sea), k膩naka (people) and mālama ʻāina (stewardship).

The experience built on a preparatory spring course (NREM 491), where students learned the foundations of island invasion biology and developed their own research proposals.

Monitoring invasive species

Cienna Kahrobaie, a major, studied invasive marine species at boat docks around Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Using settlement plates (small experimental surfaces for marine organisms to grow on) deployed for two months, she compared species richness, percent cover, and community composition at docks experiencing differential boat traffic, and learned valuable identification techniques from experts at the Charles Darwin Foundation and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

“Settlement plates allow scientists to get a glimpse of what is growing in marine communities around boat docks, so if we employ them at sites with specific maritime traffic patterns, we can more quickly detect invasive species of concern,” Kahrobaie said. “This would allow conservationists to respond quicker to these marine invasions and prevent their establishment.”

While conducting research, she found a moment of discovery while resting in a tidepool. By staying still, she observed fish, hermit crabs and even an octopus up close, learning that sometimes slowing down revealed more than trying to see it all at once.

Studying connections between islands

Riley Herron, a major, conducted research on Santa Fé Island, a remote, uninhabited Galápagos island recovering from heavy feral goat degradation and resulting ecological damage. She studied how the island鈥檚 microtopography affects microclimates critical for woody plant seedling establishment, setting up large plots to measure environmental conditions and seedling presence for the island鈥檚 three dominant woody species. Through her research, Herron found connections between the Gal谩pagos and Hawaiʻi.

“I hope my research helps highlight the interconnectedness of our ecosystems,” Herron said. “There are so many large-scale processes that shape what happens on the micro level, and as our climate continues to change, understanding those small-scale interactions becomes more important than ever. As island ecosystems are isolated, limited in resources and filled with endemism, they are the first to be impacted, emphasizing how important island conservation is globally.”

Tiny threatening beetles

Lana Mitchell, a major, studied how an invasive mangrove bark beetle affects native red mangrove seedlings, testing whether fertilizer could offset beetle damage. The project challenged her to conduct independent research while navigating new skills, from kayaking to communicating in Spanish, all while deepening her passion for conservation.

“I hope that this can aid scientists in measuring how much of a difference in survival and growth a propagule (a young mangrove seedling) can undergo with and without beetle infestations,” Mitchell said. “This research could help to determine the overall survival of native species in exposure to invasives, giving scientists a window of time in which to provide native species with resources to better sustain their growth and longevity in island ecosystems.”

Mitchell was struck by how comfortable Galápagos wildlife are around humans, spotting sea lions resting just steps away during her research. According to Mitchell, the experiences reinforced the local community鈥檚 dedication to conservation and strengthened her connection to the islands鈥� unique ecosystems.

“This immersive summer research program in the Galápagos is a collaborative effort that provides applied research experiences in invasive species ecology to 东精影业 Mānoa undergraduate students from across campus,” said Creighton Litton, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management professor, (UROP) director, and one of the eight 东精影业 Mānoa faculty members who designed and implemented the program over the past three years. “The success of this program stems from committed research mentors from both 东精影业 Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, financial support from NSF and 东精影业 Mānoa and, most importantly, fully engaged students from our campus who commit to a full research experience, from learning the basics and developing proposals on campus in the spring, to field data collection, analysis and write-up in the summer.”

This opportunity is the result of a collaboration between 东精影业 Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students, the 东精影业 Mānoa Provost鈥檚 Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning and the 东精影业 Mānoa Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship.

The deadline to apply for the 2026 program is October 15. .

Approximately 90 undergraduate students from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, Leeward Community College and other universities across the nation showcased their research and creative projects at the 2025 (SURE) Symposium on August 1.

Hosted annually by the 东精影业 Mānoa (UROP), the event featured oral and poster presentations at the Hawaiʻi Imin International Conference Center.

“The symposium reflects the breadth and depth of student scholarship across all disciplines at 东精影业 Mānoa, as well as the university鈥檚 profile as an institution of academic excellence,” said UROP Program Coordinator Noah Perales-Estoesta. “As a land-grant and R1 university, 东精影业 Mānoa has a three-part mission to advance student education, promote research and serve the broader public. UROP is very proud to administer programming like the SURE Symposium that supports every part of that mission.”

Students presented research and creative work on topics including the potential of generative AI for personalized language learning and persistent organic pollutants in the waters of Pearl Harbor. Their projects also included studies on sustainable agriculture and the impact of performing arts as an interdisciplinary experience.

Presenters included UROP funding recipients, participants in National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates and participants in the 鈥檚 new Summer Research Institute.

东精影业 President Wendy Hensel and 东精影业 Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos delivered opening remarks, highlighting the value of undergraduate research and creative work.

UROP funding support

Each year, UROP awards more than $500,000 in merit-based scholarships directly to students to support mentored undergraduate research and creative work projects and presentations. An additional $135,000 is awarded directly to mentors to support undergraduate research and creative work during the summer. The SURE Symposium is one of several regular on-campus presentation venues organized/co-organized by UROP. During the fall and spring semesters, UROP co-organizes the with the .

As a kid, Maya Singh heard from her family stories about the ocean and land in Fiji that inspired her passion for the outdoors and, ultimately, for environmental science.

“I grew up in British Columbia, Canada, but my family is from Fiji,” said Singh, who will be graduating this month from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in (GES). “My grandpa would tell me stories of him and his brothers catching shrimp outside and playing in the ocean and rivers. It really inspired me to want to live closer to the ocean.”

With a passion for the environment and ocean, Singh moved to Hawaiʻi after graduating high school to pursue a degree at the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 . For her senior research, Singh worked with mentor and Assistant Prof. to support coastal management and preservation on 尝腻苍补ʻ颈. She developed a beach carrying capacity tool to determine the maximum number of visitors a beach can hold without surpassing the limits of acceptable environmental or social change at the beach.

As the culmination of this research effort, Singh wrote a senior thesis and presented her findings at the Spring 2025 GES Symposium, a showcase of the research conducted by graduating GES students.

“This tool was developed as a means to understand the changes at the beach and how we can best preserve the beach for future generations,” said Singh. “The thing I enjoy most about conducting this research is being able to work with the community and make a difference. Talking to the local community in the field and connecting with high school students to share the research we are conducting and why it’s important is very fulfilling.”

Meet more amazing 东精影业 spring graduates

Supported by funding from the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 , Singh also worked with Keiko Wilkins, a doctoral candidate in Bob Richmond鈥檚 research group at , to investigate how plastic pollution threatens marine ecosystems. Specifically, she tested the effects of microplastics on sea urchin fertilization. Singh also assisted with collecting and preparing coral samples for Wilkins鈥檚 dissertation research on microplastic effects on corals in the Pacific Ocean.

The academic and research experiences Singh has had through the GES program have solidified her commitment to pursuing a career in Hawaiʻi in environmental science after graduation. Eventually, she hopes to continue with her education by working toward a graduate degree in oceanography.

—By Marcie Grabowski

A hands-on learning initiative designed to introduce Hawaiʻi preschool keiki and their ʻohana (families) to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, agriculture and mathematics) concepts is expanding, thanks to funding from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (UROP).

The S.T.E.A.M. on the Bookshelf program, developed in collaboration with 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (CTAHR) Cooperative Extension faculty with initial funding from the Maui County Department of Agriculture, has already engaged over 200 ʻohana on Maui. Designed to support parent-child learning, the program provides preschoolers with themed books, interactive activities and family workbooks aimed at making STEAM curriculum accessible in a home-based setting.

“Parents state that their children love completing the learning activities and often request the books as bedtime stories,” 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Instructor Chad Junkermeier said. “We鈥檝e heard from parents that were in the program that their children are now reading the books to younger siblings.”

Bringing learning home

The initiative builds on an idea first proposed nearly 15 years ago by Heather Greenwood, a 东精影业 CTAHR associate extension agent based on Maui. Recognizing that many Head Start ʻohana struggled to attend evening financial and nutrition training sessions, she helped develop a model where young children brought home books and activities covering these topics, effectively engaging parents through their children鈥檚 learning experiences. This project built on the initial model, enhancing it to incorporate more parent-child interaction and hands-on learning.

The initial age-appropriate physics and engineering curriculum was piloted with families and 东精影业 Maui College faculty and staff in 2021. With additional funding from the Maui County Department of Agriculture in 2023–24, the project expanded to include an agriculture and gardening curriculum, reaching 213 ʻohana across 15 preschool classrooms that school year.

Of the physics and engineering curriculum, one of the preschool parents stated, “They are learning advanced concepts in an easy to [understand] format.”

With support from 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program鈥檚 , two undergraduate students will work with the team to refine and expand the physics and engineering curriculum into three tracks: physics, astronomy and engineering. The funding, totaling $10,000, will allow the team to develop engaging learning activities tailored for young children.

As the program grows, efforts are also underway to incorporate new subject areas. 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Associate Professor Sladjana Prišić has joined the project to develop a microbiology curriculum, further broadening the educational scope of S.T.E.A.M. on the Bookshelf.

The program鈥檚 success is gaining academic recognition, with its first peer-reviewed manuscript recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Extension. The study highlights the effectiveness of the home-based model in fostering early STEAM learning and strengthening family engagement.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy and the School of Life Sciences are housed in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .

Undergraduate students from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 traveled to Washington, D.C., in March, as part of the (STR) program. Chloé Houy, Kayla Lum and Kristyn Miyamoto participated in months of research advocacy training, preparing them to effectively communicate the importance of undergraduate research to policymakers. They are mentored by Associate Professor Sladjana Prišić and work on research projects in the Prišić Lab.

Their training, which began in November 2024, included workshops on relationship building with legislators, writing policy briefs and crafting persuasive op-eds. The students鈥� efforts culminated in meetings with the offices of Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Ed Case.

Drawing from their experiences conducting microbiology research in the Prišić Lab, the students highlighted how undergraduate research fosters scientific discovery and professional development. They emphasized the critical role of federal support from agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health in sustaining research opportunities that shape future scientists and medical professionals.

“Advocating for undergraduate research on Capitol Hill was an incredible experience that showed me how science and policy intersect to shape the future of research opportunities,” Lum said.

Prišić added, “Seeing my students confidently communicate the impact of their research to policymakers reinforced the importance of mentorship and the role of advocacy in advancing scientific discovery.”

Through the STR program, the students gained hands-on experience in research advocacy while refining their ability to communicate scientific concepts to a broad audience. Their participation not only amplified the value of student research at 东精影业 but also underscored the broader impact of continued investment in scientific exploration and education. Their research and trip were funded by the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 (UROP) and a grant from the National Science Foundation awarded to Prišić.

Expanding support for undergraduate research

Noah Perales-Estoesta, UROP program coordinator, also participated in the STR program. His goal was to explore how UROP can adapt programming similar to what is offered by STR for undergraduate students at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补.

“A major part of what UROP does is support the dissemination of student research and creative work, usually in the form of presentations and publications,” Perales-Estoesta said. “Especially in today鈥檚 university climate, I think we should be encouraging students to think more creatively about the broader impacts of their work and, from the administrative side, about how to provide them with the infrastructure to realize and articulate those impacts. STR provides a great model for this, and I look forward to exploring what similar efforts UROP can develop.”

Each year, UROP awards more than $500,000 in merit-based scholarships directly to students to support mentored undergraduate research and creative work projects and presentations. An additional $135,000 is awarded directly to mentors to support undergraduate research and creative work during the summer via the .

The (UROP) at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 is offering its first-ever funding opportunity specifically for undergraduate students to perform research or creative work projects abroad.

东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 was selected as one of 12 institutions nationwide to apply and receive up to $20,000 in private funding to support international research from the Tyler Center for Global Studies. According to the center, the awarded institutions “have articulated the significance of inquiry, cross-cultural engagement and experiential learning in undergraduate research.”

“While UROP has always provided financial support for students to conduct research abroad, we anticipate that this new funding opportunity specifically geared for international experiences will inspire even more students to pursue their scholarship goals around the world,” UROP Director Creighton Litton said. “The Tyler Fellowship is much more than an academic opportunity—it鈥檚 a chance to make a meaningful impact on the global stage, and then bring that newly acquired knowledge back home to Hawaiʻi.”

While the deadline to apply for summer 2025 has passed, Litton hopes UROP will continue to offer this fellowship in the years to come.

Angel Sanchez, a 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 student majoring in , conducted research in Venice, Italy in summer 2024 and was supported through funding from UROP. Her project was about comparing European and international cinema at the Venice International Film Festival. Sanchez encourages 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 students to take advantage of this new funding opportunity.

“Curiosity and understanding of international culture allows for future collaboration, meeting different people, learning from each other, creating something new and sharing things you create to a wider audience,” Sanchez said. “Overall, international research gives you an opportunity to expand your worldview knowledge and reflect about your own lifestyle and culture as you try to apply what you learned to yourself and from there, create something new.”

This new funding opportunity is possible via a collaboration among UROP, 东精影业 Foundation and the Study Abroad Center that provides a funding mechanism and student/mentor international travel training.

Each year, UROP awards more than $500,000 in merit-based scholarships directly to students to support mentored undergraduate research and creative work projects and presentations. An additional $125,000 is awarded directly to mentors to support undergraduate research and creative work during the summer via the .

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Aaliyah Thomas, who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (SOEST), was selected to participate in an in summer 2024.

Born and raised in Waimānalo, Thomas graduated from Kamehameha High School and attended . Though she loves musical theater and earned an associate鈥檚 degree in liberal arts at Windward CC, Thomas enjoyed her STEM-oriented classes most. During her transition from Windward CC to 东精影业 Mānoa, she enrolled in the .

Galapagos summer internship

Thomas was thrilled by the opportunity to visit the place that inspired Charles Darwin鈥檚 theory of natural selection. Once she was selected for the program, she spent a semester preparing a project to analyze the water quality surrounding areas with a high abundance of an invasive algae.

“When I arrived I was told that they had run out of lab equipment crucial for my study, and that if we were to purchase more it would take too long to arrive; thus I was unable to do the water quality analysis,” Thomas said.

Turning challenge into opportunity

Living on the research station, Thomas visited the beach frequently and noticed there was always a sheen on the top of the water and that it was more obvious during low tide.

“The ocean water seemed less buoyant than what I was used to in Hawaiʻi, and my teaching assistant, James Fumo, noticed little rivulets of water flowing from the rocks at the shore during low tide,” Thomas said. “Sure enough when we tasted it, it tasted notably fresher than ocean water. Quickly my biggest challenge became the beginning of one of my most enjoyable experiences.”

The island of Santa Cruz, Galapagos is thought to be waterless and prior to Thomas鈥檚 arrival, she was told by members of the research station that submarine groundwater discharge was not a factor on the island in the same way it is in Hawaiʻi. However, all of her chemical data, and the lack of streams, runoff and rain, suggested it is very plausible that what she was measuring was submarine groundwater discharge.

“This was an exciting discovery!” Thomas said. “My biggest hope is that my work in the Galapagos can help decision-makers who are responsible for that land. I hope that showing there’s SGD going into the Galapagos Marine Reserve will bring awareness to everyone within the watershed that their contaminants or over withdrawal can most definitely impact the coastal ecosystem they are so well known for.”

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–By Marcie Grabowski