“Our college is guided by a deep commitment to integrate agriculture, cultural heritage, community outreach, and sustainability, with insights to the future,” says Thomas Lim of CTAHR’s Office of Planning and Management Systems. “And this omnibus philosophy is what...

The prevalence of obesity among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders is statistically high and continues to rise, putting members of these communities at greater and greater risk for developing diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases.

It’s been a long-term objective of CTAHR to establish an aquaculture facility on the UH Mānoa campus. That objective was realized in 2024. With funding from the UHM Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research, CTAHR, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Andre Seale of the...

For the second time in three years, CTAHR students in the Dept. of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences won 1st prize in Cobb Bowl Jeopardy at the annual meeting of the Society of Nematologists, held August 4-9 in Park City, UT. Competing as “Aloha Nema,” our super-capable PEPS...

Kent Kobayashi has been in the Dept. of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences for more than 40 years. Throughout his career, he has attended the annual conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), which this year will be held at Hilton Hawaiian Village, September...

This morning’s CTAHR Notes is the final edition under Mark Berthold’s stewardship. Until a new director of the Office of Communication Services is hired, please work directly with UH News to publicize your achievements and other announcements.

Since 2019, Ted Radovich has been conducting science interviews as part of the “Science Zone” segment on his radio show, “In Your Head with Professor Ted,” which airs this Friday 9-12 on KTUH. Ted’s show, which is supported by producer Mikey Kantar (both of the Dept....

This summer, youths across the state learned and cooked their way through “4-H Camp Kau Kau,” a new week-long summer culinary camp from CTAHR’s 4-H Youth Development Program. Recipes and lessons focused on the context and diversity of local food in Hawai‘i, with hands-on...

Congrats Kirsten, or should we say, “Commissioner Oleson.” The professor in the Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Management was appointed Aug. 7 to the City and County of Honolulu’s Climate Change Commission. 

Is Kent Kobayashi a perpetual motion machine? The long-tenured professor in the Dept. of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences was recently named Interim Department Chair for TPSS. He will be teaching a newly developed course in the upcoming semester, "Controlled Environment Agriculture,”...

When CTAHR serves the community, and the community helps the College, everybody wins. The Mānana ahupuaʻa is home to several new food-growing systems after Oʻahu County Extension wrapped up its third annual summer workday series at the Urban Garden Center. 

Congrats to Kyhl Austin, grad student in the Dept. of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, who took home Best Student Talk (and a big cash prize!) in the graduate student competition at the North American Meeting of the Lepidopterist’s Society, held at Cornell U. last month.

The 61st annual meeting of The Clay Minerals Society and 5th Asian Clay Conference, held jointly at UHM, could not have come at a better time, given the pressing environmental challenges facing the Pacific Islands.

A new UH-led project will use artificial intelligence to achieve sustainable water use in Hawaiʻi agriculture. It has received a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and represents a significant step toward revolutionizing farming irrigation practices in our state.

The Urban Garden Center is more than a green oasis that calls to commuters as they drive through Pearl City. It’s a living classroom where community growers and gardeners can learn how to keep plants — and the environment — healthy and beautiful. 

Garlic is one of the most widely used spices for cooking across many different ethnic groups, yet it is one of Hawaiʻi’s most rarely produced spices. One of the challenges, explains Jensen Uyeda of the Dept. of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, is that garlic requires a cold...

What’s the appetite for hot peppers among local growers in the community? On one hand, Hawaiian chili types are well known and one of the more widely produced peppers in the state. And of course, chili peppers are commonly used, both fresh and dried, in many different culinary...

Non-native, fire-prone vegetation covers more than one million acres of the Hawaiian islands. But Clay Trauernicht of the Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Management believes that threat could be somewhat alleviated by restoring ecosystems with non-invasive and native plants.

Pravin Mishra, a graduate student in the Dept. of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, has been elected Junior Student Director for the Poultry Science Association. This significant achievement was announced following a competitive election, where Pravin shined, showcasing his commitment to...

Mahalo to the Oʻahu County ʻOhana for your ongoing support of our various CTAHR programs in the county, especially our student summer program. Whether it’s picking plumeria, teaching students how to transplant seedlings, approving their supply purchases, packing...

The Hawaiian Islands have just the right water resources and climate to support the aquaculture farming of fish, shellfish, algae, etc. So what’s holding back this potentially profitable industry? A lack of affordable local feed. Feed accounts for 60%+ of aquaculture production costs, and...

Frederick Waichi Fujimoto, 92, of Mililani, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and granduncle, passed away on May 23. He was born on September 24, 1931, in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, and is survived by son Owen Fujimoto (Yuan-Sun); daughter Donna Fujimoto-Saka (Alan); and 4 grandchildren.

Dictyota sp. is a seaweed native to Hawaiian waters that is notable for its ability to produce fucoidan and alginate. What are these compounds, you might ask? Why, they’re high-value ingredients with wide application in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food...

In ancient Hawaiʻi, fishponds were remarkably successful in ensuring a steady supply of food. In modern times, these seafood “farms” can greatly relieve pressure on wild stocks and supplement market demands – especially local species that are increasingly...