Alumni News

Tune in this Thursday, Oct. 28, at 3:00 p.m. for “Sustainable & Organic Farming Practices.” Amjad Ahmad of Extension will host this virtual mini-conference with updates on banana tissue culture, BBTV, mango, thrips in bulb onions, cover crops for water conservation, and more!

GoFarm Hawaiʻi, the award-winning new farmer training program, will bring its magic back to the Garden Isle next month. Potential cohort applicants are invited to join the GoFarm staff at its training site in Lihue to check out current student farm plots, talk to the coach and marketing specialist, and learn more about upcoming program applications and timelines. Interested participants can register here for the November 6 GoFarm Field Day @ 2pm.

• Register here for the January 13, 2022, AgCurious webinar @ 6pm. This virtual meeting is the mandatory first step to participate in GoFarm’s 2022 beginning farmer training program (Feb-Sept, 2022).
• Detailed dates and information are available at GoFarm Kauaʻi.

“We are excited to announce outreach and recruitment for our next GoFarm Hawaii training program cohort on Kauaʻi,” says Janel Yamamoto. “Please share the following dates with your networks as we look for our next group of aspiring farmers!”

Rose Saito was born and raised on Maui. She started working at CTAHR as an Extension Home Economist in 1974 and retired in 2014, after 40 years of service. During her tenure in Oʻahu County, Rose developed exceptional educational programs that focused on youth development. She expanded her 4-H Hawaiʻi program to integrate more senior citizens (retirees) as volunteers, as she believed retirees had a wealth of knowledge and a strong willingness to share their vast experiences. She trained volunteers in the areas of food and nutrition so they could assist with outreach programs in schools and local communities, teaching youth the basic life skills. Her work was recognized with a Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of Extension Home Economists.

Rose was a lifelong educator and engaged herself with all aspects of County Agent work. She never stopped learning new things. She served as an excellent role model in working across academic departments and disciplines. In addition to working on 4-H and family consumer science issues, she worked with young agricultural Extension agents in developing standards for food processing and taste testing, such as poi, māmaki/green tea, eggplant, daikon, hydroponics lettuce, and more.

Rose loved to cook and eat local kine grinds. She babysat her grandchildren, swam at the local community center, and enjoyed traveling in her free time. She looked forward to traveling with Chef Alan Wong on his many Connoisseur’s cruises. After returning from her travels, Rose would prepare a gourmet lunch buffet for faculty, ag technicians, and starving students at the research station using locally grown ingredients infused with different ethnic foods from her travels. Nothing was wasted; food trimmings were fed to her beloved vermicomposting worms.

Rose touched many lives at CTAHR. We are deeply saddened to hear the news of her passing. Her passion for education, food, and youth development left a lasting impression on many hearts. Her colleagues will dedicate a tree in her honor at the Urban Garden Center, a place where she dedicated a lot of her time. We will surround it with love, aloha, and some of her prized vermicompost.

Dr. Wen Hsiung Ko of CTAHR’s Plant Pathology and the Beaumont Research Station has passed. Dr. Ko was born in Taiwan in 1939. He completed a Bachelor Science degree at National Taiwan University in 1962 and proceeded to earn his Doctor of Philosophy from Michigan State University in 1966. After a post-doctoral period and Michigan State University, he started at the University of Hawaiʻi in 1969 as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Ko worked on the Big Island at the Beaumont Research Center in Hilo. He moved through the faculty ranks reaching Professor. He was granted Emeritus status upon his retirement in 2005.

Dr. Ko relocated to the National Chung Hsing University of Science and Technology and spent the next 16 years continuing his research in plant pathology. He received the American Phytopathological Society Ruth Allen Award in 1984 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to hormonal regulation of sexual reproduction in Phytophthora.

In 1990, Dr. Ko was named a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society. He was named as one of the Ninety Fabulous Faculty during the 90th anniversary of the founding of the University of Hawaiʻi in 1997. He is renowned among Hawaiian growers for his virgin soil technique for papaya planting, which remains in practice today.

Dr. Ko published numerous peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and symposium papers. During his career, he mentored many mycologists throughout the world.

A new study needs you! to participate by testing out a body composition feature on the new Samsung Galaxy watches. Participants will required to make a one-time visit to the UH Cancer Center Body Composition Lab, which will take around 1.5 hours. The researchers are looking for people who are 18-80 years old, do not have metal objects or medical implants, and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) under 18.5 or over 30 (calculate your BMI here) – but there may still be space available in other categories).

Participants do not need an Android phone, since all the necessary equipment is in the lab. Participants will receive a Gift Card for their time, as well as their body composition results.

“This study explores the use of a new and portablebody composition device that measures body fat,” says John Shepard, a member of the Nutritional Sciences graduate program based in the Dept. of Human Nutrition, Food & Animal Sciences. “If you are interested in participating, please call (808) 440-5234."