Alumni News

Good management of open-space rangeland is the raison d'être of the Hawaiʻi Rangeland Stewardship Foundation. And true to its goal of funding a “broad variety of educational, research, and outreach programs targeted at bringing together the best of resource and industry management expertise, science, and those who are the boots on the ground,” the foundation has created a brand-new scholarship – and one of the first recipients is CTAHR Student Ambassador Cody Ching! "Being born and raised in Hawaiʻi, spreading awareness about local food production is very important to me,” says Cody. “I feel we must acknowledge the growing importance of sustainable agriculture in Hawaiʻi and how traditional practices and research are the stepping stones to that goal. My initial interests have developed into a passion for this topic, where not only do I understand the significance, but also feel a responsibility to share my knowledge with future generations."

Cody might be the first, but certainly won’t be the last CTAHR student to benefit from this scholarship. Mahalo, Hawaiʻi Rangeland Stewardship Foundation, for supporting our young conservationists!

From simple aquaponics to integrated multi-trophic systems, the burgeoning field of aquaculture presents many opportunities to sustainably produce food on small and large scales. That said, we cannot overlook the potential burden on the environment from aquaculture operations. Cheng-Sheng Lee, Executive Director of the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture, goes on to discuss CTSA’s 2021 request for proposals, Hawaiian fishponds, Aquaclips, and more in the latest Regional e-Notes newsletter. “The increased amount of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere is a large contributing factor to the exacerbation of climate change,” Cheng concludes. “Therefore, areas like forests that can sequester, or contain, carbon are increasingly valuable. Some bodies of water can sequester up to five times the amount of carbon that tropical forests do. Supporting these ecosystems and the industries within them, such as fisheries and aquaculture, is incredibly important to realizing this potential in the fight against climate change.”

Read more at CTSA.

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CTSA is one of five regional aquaculture centers in the U.S. established and funded by the DOA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. These centers integrate individual and institutional expertise and resources in support of commercial aquaculture development. CTSA is jointly administered by CTAHR and the Oceanic Institute of Hawaiʻi Pacific University.

HDFS alumni Kiley is currently an Educational Psychology Masters graduate student. She focuses on the research concepts and statistical techniques that will assist her in program evaluation and other data-related plans. “In my first years before discovering HDFS, I didn’t know what I wanted to do…

HDFS alumni Melissa is currently a graduate student at UH Manoa in Nursing. She completed an accelerated BSN program and is now in her 2^nd year to earn her Doctorate in Family Nursing Practice. “During undergrad, I knew I wanted to be in healthcare and what I learned from HDFS is invaluable and will always be a part of my nursing career...

HDFS alumna Maricar is currently a 2^nd year Law Student at UH Manoa. While an undergraduate, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in family law after receiving her BS because it would allow her to explore different concept and issues surrounding human and family development. “Looking back at, I’m really glad I was an HDFS student...