{"id":184733,"date":"2023-10-09T10:44:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-09T20:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=184733"},"modified":"2023-10-12T15:56:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T01:56:07","slug":"galpagos-islands-research-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/10\/09\/galpagos-islands-research-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Gal\u00e1pagos Islands: apply for all-expenses-paid undergrad research program"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><figure id=\"attachment_184734\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-184734\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos.jpg\" alt=\"mountains and landscape\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-184734\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-184734\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gal&#225;pagos Islands (Photo credit: Andres Cruz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Approximately 24 University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> at M\u0101noa undergraduate students will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct research over the next three summers. The students who apply and are accepted for the all-expenses-paid project will spend a summer at one of the richest locations for ecological research in the world outside of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>&#8212;the Gal&#225;pagos Islands.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/undergrad\/urop\/nsf-ires\/\">National Science Foundation&#8212;International Research Experiences for Students: Immersive Research in Gal&#225;pagos<\/a> program encompasses a unique blend of Indigenous and Western science and culture, with a core focus on the field of island invasion biology in the Pacific.<\/p>\n<p>Research areas are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Creating the <span aria-label=\"moolelo\">mo&#699;olelo<\/span> (story) of the <span aria-label=\"huakai\">huaka&#699;i<\/span> (journey) to and from the Gal&#225;pagos Islands through a Native Hawaiian cosmological and cultural perspective<\/li>\n<li>Understanding mechanisms of invasion by problematic introduced terrestrial plant and animal species<\/li>\n<li>Assessing the extent and impact of non-Indigenous species on marine ecosystems of the Gal&#225;pagos Marine Reserve<\/li>\n<li>Evaluating techniques to reduce the impacts of the invasive Avian Vampire Fly, <em>Philornis downsi<\/em>, on Darwin\u2019s finches and other small land birds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Applicants for the summer 2024 eight-week program must be a <abbr title=\"东精影业\">东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa undergraduate student with a graduation date no earlier than December 2024. Students from all academic backgrounds and degree programs are encouraged to apply, and at least eight students will be selected. The program covers travel, accommodations and a summer stipend. In addition, students will take a required spring course and will be able to register for summer directed research credits that can be used as elective credits towards degree program requirements.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_184737\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-184737\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-mountain-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"green mountain in the clouds\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-184737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-mountain-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-mountain-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-mountain.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-184737\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gal&#225;pagos Islands (Photo credit: Bernie Jacome)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;<abbr>UROP<\/abbr> (<a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/undergrad\/urop\/\">Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program<\/a>) is very excited to help bring this opportunity to our campus for <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa undergraduate students to get real-world, applied research experience in one of the most iconic and intensely studied island chains in the world,&rdquo; said <abbr>UROP<\/abbr> Director Creighton Litton. &ldquo;The parallels between <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> and Gal&#225;pagos are remarkable, both in terms of their biology and geology, but also the threats that native species and ecosystems face today such as the introduction and spread of invasive species. As such, participating students will be able to bring and apply the knowledge and experiences gained in Gal&#225;pagos back home to <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This unique opportunity is the result of a collaboration between <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.darwinfoundation.org\/en\/\">Charles Darwin Foundation<\/a>, and is funded by the National Science Foundation&#8212;International Research Experiences for Students ($300,000 grant), the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Provost\u2019s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning ($100,000) and the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship ($50,000). The funds will make the program available to <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa undergraduate students for three years.<\/p>\n<h2>Research integrates Indigenous knowledge, place-based science<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_184736\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-184736\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-bird-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"bird sitting on a branch\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-184736\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-bird-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-bird-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/manoa-urop-galapagos-bird.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-184736\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Photo credit: Andres Cruz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Accepted students will be required to take a four-credit Island Invasion Biology course in spring 2024 taught by <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa faculty. The immersive lab and lecture course will be rooted in place-based science and is designed to equip students with a solid understanding of the impacts of invasive species in island ecosystems, and the options for managing them. But it\u2019s not just about western scientific knowledge and practice; it\u2019s also about fostering an appreciation for Hawaiian culture, Indigenous resource management and human connections to land- and seascapes through aloha <span aria-label=\"aina\">&#699;\u0101ina<\/span> and m\u0101lama <span aria-label=\"aina\">&#699;\u0101ina<\/span> activities.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;By embracing the values of <span aria-label=\"mookuauhau\">mo&#699;okuauhau<\/span> (ancestral connections), <span aria-label=\"kaikuaana\">kaikua&#699;ana<\/span> and kaikaina (mentoring relationships), kuleana (responsibility), m\u0101lama <span aria-label=\"aina\">&#699;\u0101ina<\/span> (environmental stewardship), and h\u0101nai and <span aria-label=\"hoomalu\">ho&#699;omalu<\/span> (care and protection) and weaving together Indigenous wisdom with contemporary understanding, our program will provide a transformative experience that encourages students to explore innovative approaches to problem-solving,&rdquo; said <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbrc.hawaii.edu\/\">Pacific Biosciences Research Center<\/a> Assistant Professor Kiana Frank. &ldquo;Our intentional approach will expand students&#8217; thinking beyond convention and equip them to address future ecological challenges in the Gal&#225;pagos, <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>, and other island systems with creativity and adaptability, mirroring the wisdom of our k\u016bpuna (ancestors).&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the spring, selected students will design research proposals for the summer in Gal\u00e1pagos, collaborate on group projects in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>, and form pilina (connections\/relationships) with place, as well as each other and mentors from <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa and the Charles Darwin Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There are many parallels between these two Pacific archipelagos and lessons to be learned from each,&rdquo; said Rakan Zahawi, Charles Darwin Foundation executive director and chief executive officer, and former director of <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s Lyon Arboretum. &ldquo;Since moving here from <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>, I have been amazed at how much similarity there is between them. So, we anticipate that this immersive experience for <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa students will transform how they view and care for these incredibly fragile insular systems and make them better stewards and ambassadors for their conservation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><abbr>UROP<\/abbr> is hosting an informational session about the program on October 17, 3:30&#8211;4:30 p.m. on Zoom. For more information and to apply, <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/undergrad\/urop\/nsf-ires\/\">visit <abbr>UROP<\/abbr>\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The program encompasses a unique blend of Indigenous and Western science and culture, with a core focus on the field of island invasion biology in the Pacific.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[254,1466,1465,1363,1314,149,73,9,1497],"class_list":["post-184733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-biology","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-manoa-native-hawaiian-place-of-learning","tag-manoa-research","tag-manoa-sustainability","tag-pacific-biosciences-research-center","tag-sustainability","tag-uh-manoa","tag-urop","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=184733"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":184751,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184733\/revisions\/184751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=184733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=184733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=184733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}