Alumni News

Come to a guest seminar hosted by the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, where Dr. Tiffany Lowe-Power of UC-Davis will discuss “Life Cycle Stage-Specific Adaptations of the Bacterial Wilt Pathogen.” Bacterial wilt is an economically important agricultural pest in Hawai‘i, affecting ginger, pepper, and tomato.

Morning sunlight bouncedoff animated faces as the busloads of 5^th-graders disembarked at the Oʻahu Urban Garden Center. The occasion was Agriculture and Environmental Awareness Day, and the 555 students and 48 teachers on this November 2 field trip were in for a special treat. Awaiting them were rows of outdoor exhibits, hands-on presentations, fun activities, food samples—even a small pen with live goats. 

Imagine a large room, with 30 professional chefs all cooking up something special with locally farmed ingredients. At the 2nd Variety Showcase held recently at Kapi‘olani Community College, that foodie’s dream was brought to reality. The event pairs up local farmers and breeders with local culinary experts, builds community and collaboration, and invites the public to learn more and taste the results: some awesome food, made in Hawai‘i.

Andy Reilly, in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program, was consulted for a recent article in the PBS News Hour about new clothing manufacturers who are targeting a wider range of consumers, including those who are transgender or have another less traditional gender presentation or lack thereof. 

Andre Seale (Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences) and collaborators have published two new studies on aquacultured tilapia, a common and adaptable farmed fish in the Islands. Both discuss the ways the fish are affected by the water they are raised in and other environmental conditions, including salinity, light and darkness, and chemicals.