Current graduate students
Roshan Paudel (PhD candidate)
Roshan focuses on the sustainable management of soil-borne pests, particularly plant-parasitic nematodes and fungal pathogens. He studies cover crops for soil health and plans to explore how soil microbes help plants withstand biotic and abiotic stresses. He has experience using free-living nematodes as indicators of soil health.
Lauren Braley (PhD candidate)
Lauren’s research interests include sustainable pest management of agricultural and forest ecosystems, soil nematode ecology and biodiversity, and the use of new molecular tools for early detection of invasive and emerging soil-borne plant pathogens. Current work involves evaluating the use of dried, papaya ground seed as an alternative treatment against soil-borne plant-parasitic nematodes and plant-pathogenic fungi in locally grown crops in Hawai`i, and the assessment of soil nematode communities across Hawai`i through metadata analysis.
Benjamin Wiseman (PhD candidate)
Ben's PhD dissertation research focuses on organic pest management for sweet potatoes in Hawaii. He is studying the impact of velvet bean cover crops on biological suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes and soil-borne pests of sweet potatoes. Ben uses laboratory and greenhouse bioassays, controlled field experiments, and collaborative farmer field trials to understand both the theoretical and applied aspects of biological pest management.
Achyut Raj Adhikari (PhD candidate)
Achyut studies Phytophthora root rot in avocados, focusing on pathogen characterization, resistance screening, and integrated management strategies. He explores fungal and oomycete biology, aiming to develop sustainable agricultural practices.
Angelina Johnson (MS student)
Angelina's research focuses on using nitrogen-fixing shelterbelt trees and sheet mulching to improve soil health. She uses nematode community indicators and SOLVITA soil health testing kits to evaluate soil health and nutrient cycling.
Kekoa Larger (MS student)
Kekoa recently graduated with his Bachelor's in Tropical Agriculture and has worked in the lab since 2023. He will continue working with the lab as a graduate student with interests in sustainable pest management
Quynn Cytryn (MS student)
Lab Alumni
Justin Mew, MS, 2023
Sabina Budathoki, MS, 2021
Philip Waisen, PhD, 2019
Josiah Marquez, MS, 2017
Shova Miishra, MS, 2016
Shelby Ching, MS, 2015
Sharad Marahattha, PhD, 2011
Exchange students
Ruka Kawasumi (PhD student - Osaka metropolitan University)
Ruka studies about suppressiveness and mechanism of vermicompost made from bamboo and rape seed oilcake against plant pathogens including oomycetes and plant-parasitic nematodes. Bamboo is one of the most invasive plants in Japan, and Ruka's research provides an incentive for the usage of such kinds of invasive plants.