UH Hilo College of Natural and Health Sciences honors outstanding students of the academic year

Posted on May 5, 2026May 14, 2026 by Staff

By Staff/UH Hilo Stories.

The College of Natural and Health Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo hosted its annual awards ceremony April 24 recognizing outstanding students of the year. The event showcases the college’s highest achieving students with awards across all departments.

This year’s awardees:

Biology

Christian Lee

CNHS Excellence Award in Biology ($1K scholarship): Christian Lee. Chancellor’s Scholar. Serves as secretary of the Future Health Care Leaders Society. Has earned a medical assistant certification. Has been involved with research for three years in the lab of Prof. Jon Awaya, studying the relationship between environmental non tuberculosis mycobacteria and Acanthamoeba. Organized a donation drive to support his high school science program and improve its molecular biology equipment.
Don Hemmes Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior in Cell, Molecular,and Biomedical Sciences: Kadden Kobayashi and Cameron Loxley.
Mae Mull Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior in Ecology, Evolution,and Conservation Biology: Samson David.
Outstanding Graduating Senior in Biology, BA Track: Melanie Hiu.

Chemistry

Benjamin Rudo

CNHS Excellence Award in Chemistry ($1K scholarship): Benjamin Rudo. Serves as Vice President of the UH Hilo Student Association. Active in research in the Chemistry department and will be a research fellow at CalTech this summer working on AI integration in electron microscopy. Presented past research to the American Chemical Society, the largest chemistry conference in the world. Invited to attend the prestigious ACS Lasting Encounters Between Aspiring and Distinguished Scientists (LEADS) conference which connects students directly with Nobel laureates to facilitate career development, mentoring, networking, and technical discussions. Serves as the District 4 Youth Commissioner for the County of Hawaiʻi and actively engages in local governance. Avid adventurer, attempting to summit all of Hawaiʻi’s mountains. In the fall, will spend a semester abroad in Uppsala, Sweden.
Outstanding Freshman Student Award: Jade Fernandez and Jazlynn Marie Nazaire.
Ernest Kho Outstanding Organic Chemistry Award: Luz Espinoza Vargas and Maria Depillis-Shintaku.
Outstanding Graduating Senior in Chemistry Award: Jodee Miguel.

Computer Science and Data Science

Samuel Chiu

CNHS Excellence Award in Data Science (1K scholarship): Samuel Chiu. Grandchild of Chinese and Japanese immigrants. Double major in Data Science and Marine Science with a minor in Mathematics. Completed a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship with PICASC and Sea Grant in 2024 working with Lillian Tuttle Raz. Since summer 2025, worked under the mentorship of Prof. Travis Mandel on an AI research project. Serves as a peer mentor to other students in DATA 172. Is a PADI Divemaster.
Daniel G. Fox Award for Excellence ($1200 tuition grant plus $500 cash awarded): Kaipoʻi Murray.

Geology

Sarah Huegler

CNHS Excellence Award in Geology ($1K scholarship): Sarah Huegler. Came to UH Hilo from rural Pennsylvania. In her second year of the UH Hilo Bonner Student Leadership Program and has volunteered all over the island as part of this program. Involved with dance since age three and is trained in jazz, ballet, contemporary, and aerial dance. Geology Club president. Working on a capstone project in GIS with a local community partner. Involved in a STEM Honors research project with Geology faculty and scientists from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory looking at active volcanism at Kīlauea.
Outstanding Graduating Senior Award (name added to perpetual plaque): Lichen Forster.
Walter Barnard Award ($350 award): Lucas Chinchiolo.

Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences

Sophia Potter

CNHS Excellence Award in Kinesiology & Exercise Sciences ($1K scholarship): Sophia Potter. Hails from Kapaʻa, Kauai. Was a triathlete in high school: soccer, tennis, cross country. President of the UH Hilo tennis club. Has experience in many types of dance: ballet, jazz, flamenco, and body dynamics. Is also seeking a minor in Dance, exploring hula and aerial dance. Involved in volunteerism and community outreach such as agricultural work and helping in senior citizen centers. Works for a local PT center as a clinical aid as she prepares for her future career goal of being a physical therapist. Preparing for a study abroad experience in Brazil.
KES Outstanding Student Award: Deanna Juodzevich.

Marine Science

Ashley Pieratt

CNHS Excellence Award in Marine Science ($1K scholarship): Ashley Pieratt. Returned to school after 31 years as a pharmacy technician in Phoenix, AZ. Transferred to UH Hilo from Hawaiʻi Community College. Strong intellectual engagement, including developing independent research ideas in coral ecology. Once studied abroad in Belize and returns nearly every year to explore its tropical marine environment. Certified scuba diver. Member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Helps with community cleanup efforts.
Rising Explorer Grant: Fiona Ryan.
NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship: Sarah Ngo.
Women Divers Hall of Fame Award: Maria Pla Prahl.
Marine Option Program Symposium Awards (UH Hilo awardees):
- - Best Research Project (co-winner): Forrest Greene. “DNA Meta-Barcoding of Unidentified Anchialine Nemertean Worms Collected at Kaloko-Honokōhau and Kapoho Anchialine Pools.”
  - Best Research Project (co-winner): Isabelle Dengel. “Effects of a small boat harbor on the coral reefs at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park.”
  - Best Internship Project: Mariela Burns. “Mapping ʻOpihi Distribution Along Rocky Coastlines on Hawaiʻi Island: SURF Internship with MEGA Lab.”
  - Pacon Award: Eliea Mitchell-Butler. “Using artificial intelligence for Chelonia mydas identification.”

Mathematics

Mieko Pahari

CNHS Excellence Award in Mathematics ($1K scholarship): Mieko Pahari. Triple major in Mathematics, Environmental Science, and Agriculture. Regularly assists her peers with challenging coursework, taking the time to clearly explain concepts and techniques to ensure thorough understanding. Holds a certificate in digital media arts and maintains a dedication to artistic expression. Also designs and creates clothing and accessories, crocheting colorful, stylish sweaters, bags, and hats. Lives on a farm and actively cares for a variety of tropical fruit trees and a vegetable garden.
Outstanding Underclassman in Mathematics Award: Johanna Roggenkamp.
Outstanding Graduating Senior in Mathematics Award: Miki Kaneao.

Nursing

Denver Branco

CNHS Excellence Award in Nursing ($1K scholarship): Denver Branco. She is named after a certain famous NFL team. Played volleyball for eight years. Volunteers with the Go Mālama Crew at Hilo Benioff Medical Center with a focus on bettering patient experiences. Serves as a leader for high school students volunteers. Volunteered at several SON events such as Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi Ladies’ Night Out, Barrio Fiesta, and Philippine Nurses Association of Hawaii (PNAH). Education Day. Engaged in multiple research projects: evidence-based practice project focused on patient falls and how they can be connected to nursing issues and trends; cultural and client-centered ways to address the issue of breast cancer in Hawaiʻi.

Physics and Astronomy

Dylan Hively

CNHS Excellence Award in Physics & Astronomy ($1K scholarship): Dylan Hively. Hails from San Jose, CA. Bilingual in English and Spanish. Lab assistant in Physics department. Former member of FIRST Robotics Competition Team 254. Currently working under the mentorship of Sébastien Vievard with whom he will work on a Space Grant projec. Works at an education-oriented summer camp and volunteers at the Second Harvest Food Bank in San Jose. Enjoys playing guitar, writing, running, Dungeons and Dragons, and working with power tools.
Daniel K. Inouye Scholarship in Astronomy ($3600 award): Yannie Cheng.
Paul H.I. Coleman Endowed Scholarship for Astronomy ($1500 award): Aaron Fernandez.
Physics and Astronomy Distinguished Student Award: Honoka Sugihara.
Walter and Betty Steiger Physics & Astronomy Scholarship ($1500 award): Eline Garcia Vos.
Richard A. Crowe Memorial Scholarship ($500 award): Elizabeth Olsen.

STEM Honors

Kaipoʻi Murray

CNHS Excellence Award in STEM Honors ($1K scholarship): Kaipoʻi Murray. Primary research focus on comparative security analysis of consumer IoT devices against various network and RF attack vectors. Received STEM Honors scholarship award this semester. Has been involved in Scouting America for 14 years and holds the title of Eagle Scout. Mentored and led younger scouts in leadership development, outdoor skills, and community service as Assistant Scoutmaster. Accumulated 1,650+ hours of volunteer service and 145 hours of community service throughout scouting tenure. Enjoys hiking and camping, as well as playing guitar and photography.