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2025 News
15th Annual TCBES Symposium Showcases Resilience Through Science and Stewardship
Scenes from the 15th Annual TCBES Symposium
Held on April 10–11, 2025, the 15th Annual Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science (TCBES) Symposium at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo brought together students, researchers, and community members under the theme "Aligning with ʻĀina: Cultivating Resilient Communities." The two-day event, hosted in Campus Center 301, celebrated local and regional work in ecosystem conservation, cultural revitalization, and community resilience in the face of ongoing environmental change.
The symposium featured a dynamic lineup of presentations, including 5-minute project proposals, 10-minute conference-length talks, and a dedicated poster session that highlighted research-in-progress and completed studies. Participants shared insights ranging from native species restoration and climate adaptation strategies to culturally rooted stewardship practices.
In addition to spotlighting the next generation of conservation scientists, the event was sustained by proceeds from the annual Kaiameaola Silent Auction, which supports TCBES student-led initiatives and future programming.
Mahalo to all who attended, presented, and contributed to the continued growth of the TCBES ‘ohana and its commitment to research aligned with ʻāina.
Spring 2025 Thesis Defenses
Olivia Jarvis: Evaluating high-resolution remote sensing data and machine learning for detecting strawberry guava (Psidium cattleyanum) and its biocontrol on Hawai‘i Island
Date: April 4
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Kilohana Academic Success Center, first floor of UH Hilo Mookini Library, Room 123 and via Zoom.
Olivia Jarvis
Abstract:
Abstract:
Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleyanum), the most abundant invasive tree species across the Hawaiian Islands, can form impenetrable thickets across rugged terrain and is difficult to map. The Brazilian scale (Tectococcus ovatus), a gall forming insect, is currently being deployed as the biocontrol to reduce the spread of strawberry guava. This thesis examines using high resolution aerial imagery, lidar data, and machine learning to detect strawberry guava and biocontrol spread in ‘Ōla‘a Forest Reserve. Aerial images of strawberry guava canopies during different phenological stages and mm-resolution images of leaves with Brazilian scale galls present were annotated and used to train object detection convolutional neural network (CNN) models. Lidar data were used to derive forest structure metrics including canopy height, foliage height diversity, plant area index, and point density at four to six meter elevations and used to train a random forest classification model to identify strawberry guava trees. CNN models were able to detect strawberry guava canopies better during phenological periods of red flush, or new leaf growth, (mAP = 0.85 (SD 0.02); F1 score = 0.58 (SD 0.03)) compared to periods of green leaf canopies (mAP = 0.79 (SD 0.02); F1 score = 0.50 (SD 0.02)). The random forest model to detect strawberry guava using lidar metrics performed better in terms of precision and F1-score (mAP=0.72, F1 score=0.72). All models showed an increase in detected strawberry guava as strawberry guava density increased across three 20x20m ground truth plots. I developed another CNN model to detect biocontrol galling on strawberry guava leaves (mAP = 0.57 (SD 0.03); F1 score = 0.40 (SD 0.02)), but false positive predictions due to rain drops, discoloration, image blur, and lighting were common. These developed models can detect strawberry guava trees and Brazilian scale galls to inform where future biocontrol deployments should take place and monitor the progress of the biocontrol over time. This thesis demonstrates the potential of remote sensing and machine learning to support invasive species response efforts in Hawai‘i.
Lauren Moe: Movement Patterns of Juvenile Blacktip Sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) within a Tropical Nursery Habitat
Date: March 31
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Wentworth 1 and via Zoom
Lauren Moe
Abstract:
Blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) are a circumglobal species who rely on nearshore nursery habitats during their early years. Juvenile blacktip sharks (n = 29) were caught and tagged using VEMCO V-13 PPM acoustic transmitters in Hilo Bay, Hawai‘i, USA, from June 10 to July 6, 2022, and June 2 to 30, 2023. Tracking occurred every 2-5 weeks between July 20, 2022, and January 28, 2024, in which 44 stations throughout Hilo Bay were actively monitored using a VR-100 receiver and VH-165 omnidirectional hydrophone. Results showed that juvenile blacktip sharks were present in the Bay year-round with peak residency (41.3-50.0%) between March and August, and minimal residency (24.1-30.1%) between October and January. Average observed residency was 287 days, with one individual present periodically from the first to last day of sampling (598 days). Tagged sharks were detected within Hilo Bay more during the day than at night, likely due to excursions into deeper waters during heightened nocturnal foraging activity. Accordingly, C. limbatus were detected more frequently in deeper waters at night (p = 0.006). Detections were consistently higher in areas where the benthic composition was predominately mud as opposed to coral or rock (p < 0.001), but at night, stations with benthic rock composition also had greater detection frequency than coral (p = 0.007). Temperature and salinity did not significantly vary between stations, and as such, were not influential factors in C. limbatus habitat usage, though DO was a limiting factor during the day when levels were lowest. Thus, juvenile blacktip sharks appear to preferentially utilize deeper habitats with mud or rock substrates within Hilo Bay and are limited in these areas by DO. This comprehensive analysis of habitat usage and residency patterns suggests that juvenile blacktip sharks reside predominantly within Hilo Bay year-round for the first few years of their life. The results presented here are the first to delineate Hilo Bay as a C. limbatus nursery habitat in Hawaiian waters.
Women in STEM 2025 Uplifts Women's Voices and ʻĀina Stewardship at UH Hilo
Scenes from the 2025 Women in STEM
On February 28, 2025, the Kaiameaola Club proudly hosted the Women in STEM 2025 Conference at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Campus Center. This vibrant, community-centered event brought together students, professionals, and allies to celebrate and uplift women working across STEM to protect and steward the ʻāina.
The day opened with two powerful panel sessions—Reclaiming Science: Weaving Together Identity, Culture, and Place-Based Experiences and Resonating Narratives: Storytelling and Science Communication—which highlighted the vital intersections of culture, science, and storytelling in shaping more inclusive and grounded scientific futures in the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific.
In the afternoon, attendees participated in hands-on workshops ranging from plant dyeing with Avalon Paradea to data science skill-building with Patricia Perez, alongside a variety of drop-in sessions. The event fostered meaningful dialogue, creative learning, and connection across generations and disciplines. With free meals, merch, and a lucky number drawing, the conference cultivated not only knowledge but community.
The Kaiameaola Club and TCBES Program extend their deepest gratitude to all participants and organizers who made the event a memorable and empowering experience.
2024 News
Our 2024 TCBES Cohort
Newsletters
Check out all the accomplishments of our amazing TCBES students, faculty, and alumni over the course of Summer and Fall Semesters in 2024:
2023 News
Our 2023 TCBES Cohort
Newsletters
Check out all the accomplishments of our amazing TCBES students, faculty, and alumni over the course of Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters in 2023:
Hoʻomaikaʻi to our Spring 2023 Graduates!
Thesis-Track:
Stephanie Mladinich: Pockets and pathways to invasion - Developing improved mosquitomonitoring methods in high elevation forests on Hawaiʻi Island
Casey Anuhea Robins: ‘O Ke Kahua Ma Mua, Ma Hope Ke Kūkulu - Investigating the relationship between the functional traits of leaf litter and litter-dwelling arthropods
Internship-Track:
Mikayla Barnwell: Developing place-based coral restoration in West Hawai‘i - A guide toplanning and implementation
Alejandro Caamaño Barrientos: Implementing sustainable methods for seafood production with BlueOcean Mariculture
Lucy Chalgren: Place-based science communication methods in Hawai‘i - Social media tostudent curriculum
Cienna-Lei Ku‘ulileialohaiwili‘ia Daog: Evaluating the native fish species of Āhole (Kuhlia xenura) as a substitutefor introduced species in aquaculture
Hannah Hartmann: Aligning with fungi to heal the ‘āina and huli the system
David Girbino: As above, so below - Envisioning food forestry and indigenousmicroorganism networks as foundations of Hawaiian food sovereignty
Avalon Dawn Paradea: Nā Pilina ‘Āina - Relationships between the communities and environmentsof Kohala Hema, Kona ‘Akau, and beyond
David Mark Kahopeloaonapua Russell: Understanding plants of the past to inform community reforestation efforts in the future - A place-based approach for promoting resilience in the Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a community-based subsistence forestarea, North Kona, Hawaiʻi
2022 News
Newsletters
Check out all the accomplishments of our amazing TCBES students, faculty, and alumni over the course of Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters in 2022:
UH Hilo alumna nominated for 2022 Teacher of the Year
High school science teacher, Whitney Aragaki, wins the 2022 Hawaiʻi Teacher of the Year Award
TCBES alumna, Whitney Aragaki, was recently nominated for 2022 National Teacher of the Year for her exceptional teaching at Waiākea High School. Congratulations on this incredible accomplishment, Whitney!
2021 News
Newsletters
Check out all the accomplishments of our amazing TCBES students, faculty, and alumni over the course of Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters in 2021:
2021 TCBES Symposium Now Available on YouTube
Aloha TCBES 'Ohana! Were you unable to attend this year's symposium featuring the groundbreaking research being conducted within the TCBES community? If so, today is your lucky day! The 2021 TCBES Symposium is available to watch on the official TCBES YouTube page
Spring 2021 Professional Internship Presentation Day
It is my honor to announce the Spring 2021 University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Master of Science in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Professional Internship Presentation Day event. In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Professional Internship Track, six UH Hilo TCBES graduate students will showcase their professional internship projects.
Please join us via the UH Hilo TCBES Graduate Program's YouTube Channel for a Livestream of the day's presentations or please register to attend the Zoom meeting if you would like to ask a presenter a question via the Zoom chat feature. Our presentation event will begin at 8:30 AM with an Oli, Land Acknowledgement, and a short address by the UH Hilo TCBES Director and Associate Director, Drs. Wiegner and Ostertag, respectively.
Where: Livestream UH Hilo TCBES Graduate Program's YouTube channel or, if you would like to ask a presenter a question via the Zoom chat feature, Zoom meeting (registration required; after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting). Please note that the Zoom meeting capacity is 300 participants, and, if you join us via Zoom, please double-check that your Zoom microphone is muted. We will also record the presentations for later viewing at the UH Hilo TCBES Graduate Program's YouTube Channel for those with scheduling conflicts.
2021 TCBES Symposium
This Thursday and Friday (April 15 and 16) is the TCBES Symposium! This year's theme is "Kincentric Stewardship." The conference will be an incredible opportunity to learn about the groundbreaking research being conducted within the TCBES community.
Kelsey May Meagher's Professional Internship Presentation
Recent TCBES Graduate, Kelsey May Meagher's Professional Internship Presentation entitled: "Monitoring of the Critically Endangered, Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill (Honuʻea)" has been uploaded to the TCBES YouTube Channel! In addition to Kelsey's Zoom presentation you will find many of our graduate's thesis and professional internship presentations, where you will learn about all of the wonderful projects our students have been engaged in here at UH Hilo.
Congratulations Karen Gallardo Cruz and Kylle Roy for their recent scientific publications!
TCBES Graduates, Karen Gallardo-Cruz and Kylle Roy, have published scientific articles based on their MS thesis research! We are ecstatic with what our TCBES 'Ohana can achieve post-graduation :) Check out Karen's article titled, "Temporal changes in songbird vocalizations associated with helicopter noise in Hawai’i’s protected natural areas".
11th Annual TCBES Symposium
Aloha TCBES ʻOhana! On behalf of the TCBES Marine and Terrestrial Environmental Researchers (TCBES MATERs) Club, it is with great pleasure that I announce abstracts are now being accepted for the 11th Annual Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Symposium! This conference will be an incredible opportunity to learn about the groundbreaking research being conducted within the TCBES community. This event will be held virtually on April 15 and 16.
2020 News
Newsletters
Check out all the accomplishments of our amazing TCBES students, faculty, and alumni over the course of Spring and Fall Semesters in 2020:
Hau‘oli Mau Loa Foundation Graduate Fellowship Opportunity
Hauʻoli Mau Loa Graduate Fellowship recipients
The Hau‘oli Mau Loa Foundation and the Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science (TCBES) Graduate Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo are pleased to announce the availability of three graduate assistantships for students dedicated to careers in conservation biology and environmental science in the state of Hawaiʻi. Each assistantship comes with generous support for two years (2nd year pending satisfactory academic performance), including a Graduate Assistantship (stipend plus fringe benefits), a full tuition remission, and additional funds to be used for attendance costs (e.g., books, fees, professional development, including travel to local and national conferences, and supplies).
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo joins the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) allows master’s, graduate certificate, and doctoral students who are residents of WICHE member states to enroll in 900+ graduate programs at 60 public institutions outside of their home state and pay up to 150 percent of resident tuition. In fall 2019, 1,907 students enrolled through WRGP and saved $27.9 million in tuition.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) no longer required
The TCBES graduate program will no longer require the GRE test requirement as part of the program's application materials.
We are diminishing reliance on the test and looking at alternate markers of success, such as skills, testimonials, and character attributes that better predict future success in the life sciences.
TCBES Internship Presentations
Want a detailed look into what our Professional Internship students have accomplished during their journey in the TCBES graduate program? Then checkout the 2020 TCBES Professional Internship Presentations!
Published in Science: Study headed by UH Hilo evolutionary ecologist shows surprising findings about diversity and extinction
Dr. Matthew Knope
Matthew Knope, Assistant Professor of Biology at the UHH, publishes in the journal Science on "Ecologically diverse clades dominate the oceans via extinction resistance". Read Susan Enright's coverage on this wonderful feat! Congratulations Dr. Knope!
TCBES Graduate Students Help Judge the 2020 Hawaiʻi District Science and Engineering Fair
TCBES students, Lisa Mason (left-most) and Carmelita Villalobos (right-most), serving as judges at the 2020 Hawaiʻi District Science and Engineering Fair
Our very own TCBES graduate students, Lisa Mason and Carmelita Villalobos, served as judges at the 2020 Hawaiʻi District Science and Engineering Fair! This event is presented by UH at Hilo Sigma Xi Chapter and represents and supports Big Island schools and the community. Students conduct scientific research and disseminate this information to scientists and community groups. Pictured: Lisa Mason, Ernie Kho (Director), Carmelita Villalobos.
News Archive
Older news announcements can be found in our Archived Announcements.
We are now accepting applications for our next cohort.
Program Application Term: Fall 2026
Priority Deadline: December 1, 2025
Last day to submit an application: March 15, 2026