Natural and Computational Science Events and News

SPRING 2013

April 11 - CNCS Faculty participates in the the 1st Annual Hawaii Sustainability in Higher Education Summit April 11th-12th. Dr. Stephen Allen and Dr. Regina Ostergaard-Klem will both be presenting and taking part in panel sessions. The Summit will focus on how university campus and community members can help create more sustainable universities in Hawaii.  (Summit Information) (Presentation Agenda)

March 21- David Horgen, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Natural and Computational Sciences continues research at National Cancer Institute-designated facility. His team is examining compounds drawn from marine life that could have important cancer-fighting properties. (Full Story) (Pacific Business News link)

March 19 - HPU researcher Dr. Gideon Berger and colleagues were recentely awarded the Weinman Innovator Award from the UH Cancer Center for the. The Weinman Innovator Award, is awarded as an annual grant of $50,000 for research. (Full Story)

March 15 - Hawai'i Pacific University Environmental Science and Environmental Studies students built a rain garden at the Hawaii Loa Campus along with community partner Hui o Ko'olaupoko. Check out this video to see how they did it.

March 11 - Japanese tsunami debris makes its way into Hawaiian birds, CNN story featuring HPU's Professor Dr. David Hyrenbach. (Full Story)

March 2 - HPU Marine Mammal Strading Coordinator, Dr. Kristi West, leads whale stranding investigation in American Samoa (Samoa News)

January 27 - Oceanic Institute takes lead in yellow tang culture technology. A research effort at the Oceanic Institute (OI) has created aquaculture techniques that may someday lead to production capability of one of the world’s most popular aquarium fish.  Chatham K. Callan, Ph.D., OI research scientist serves as the principal investigator on this research. (HPU News) (Honolulu Civil Beat coverage with video)

January 16 - The death of a baby whale will help marine research with help from the HPU Marine Stranding Program. A team consisting of biologist and students from HPU and veterinarians from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration performed a necropsy on the deceased whale for further investigation as to the cause of the death of the whale. (KITV Story with video) ( Star Advertiser)

FALL 2012

Dr. David Hyrenbach, has been awarded the Society's Program Research Award by the Hawaii Audubon Society. This is awarded to a public servant for their research that has had major effect on conservation in Hawai'i. Dr. Hyrenbach currently has ongoing work towards the conservation of Hawaiian seabirds.

November 28 - Impacts of plastic marine debris in Hawaii – see story and Associate Professor David Hyrenbach on NBC news (link)

November 6 - HPU student team wins computing competition for fourth time, shows well nationally. Under the leadership of Curt Powley, Ph.D., chair of the HPU Department of Computer Science,  Hawai‘i Pacific University took first place Saturday at the Hawai‘i site of this year’s ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) for the second year in a row and fourth time since 2003. (Full story)

November 2 - Research vessel travels through Pacific garbage patch with Hawaii Pacific University graduate student Zora McGinnis who conducted research on plastic debris during the voyage. (HPU Story) (Star advertiser story)  Zora will appear on Hawaii Public Radio on November 12, 2012.

October 9 - Breakthrough research from HPU scientists on rare Longman's beaked whale. (KHON Story) and (Hawaii News Now story with video clip). (MSNBC story) (Smithsonian Science story)

Dr. Sam Kahng's research on coral in the Pacific ocean is featured in HPU Today on pages 8 and 9. HPU Today is published three times a year for alumni and friends and contains in depth feature stories and news about the University. (HPU Today)

Seabirds, ocean health and HPU (760-AM Hawaii’s Tomorrow)
Asst. Prof. of Oceanography David Hyrenbach was  recentely a featured guest on a monthly radio program   titled "All Things Marine" that is produced by the Hawaii-based Center for Ocean Sciences and Education excellence.

September 29 - HPU Marine Science students (supervised by Drs. Chris Winn and Sam Kahng) conduct oceanographic research aboard a NOAA ship in the NW Hawaiian Islands (Oiwi TV story) and (Hawaii Reporter Story) and (The Star Advertiser)

September 20 - HPU Marine Science students conduct oceanographic  research aboard a NOAA ship in the NW Hawaiian Islands (Oiwi TV story)

“Photovoltaic Systems Design" course at HPU, taught by Dr. Stephen Allen, is added to list of scholarship eligible courses by the State Energy Sector Partnership and Job Training Grant Hawaii.

August 23- HPU  scientist Dr. Andrew Greene conducts innovative research on Kīlauea Volcano lava.

August 22 - Dr. David Hyrenbach and MSMS graduate Pam Michaels contributes to new ‘Winged Ambassadors’ ocean stewardship lesson package”

SPRING 2013

April 25 - Seminar "Shedding the Light on Calicheamicin Biosynthesis: Early Steps in the Assembly of Enediyne Core Structures" by Katherine Belecki, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University. 2:30-3:30 pm, Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai. (See Abstract)

April 24 - Seminar, “ Development of culture technologies for marine ornamentals; an overview of recent research at Oceanic Institute” by Chatham K Callan, Ph.D. Department of Natural Sciences Affiliate Faculty Candidate. 3:00-4:00 pm in AC 204 at the HPU Hawaii Loa Campus. (See flyer)

April 24 - Campus Activty Board presents, Last Lecture ‘‘Making the Most Out of College, Making the Most Out of Life’’ by CNCS own Dr. Gideon Berger. Light lunch & refreshments will be served. 12:00 - 1:15 pm in AC 205 at the HPU Hawaii Loa Campus. (See flyer)

April 22 - Seminar, “Linking Recreation and Research: A Critical Evaluation of Coral Reef Health Monitoring Data Derived from Reef Check Hawaii Volunteers”. Thesis defense presented by MSMS graduate candidate, Rachel Knapstein. 9:00 am - 10:00am in AC 101 at the HPU Hawaii Loa Campus. (See flyer)

April 19 - Seminar, “The use of compound-specific isotope analysis to elucidate dietary nitrogen sources and trophic position in the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) and Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)”. Thesis defense presented by MSMS graduate candidate,Eileen Downs. 2:30pm - 3:30pm in AC 210 at the HPU Hawaii Loa Campus.  (See flyer)

April 16 - Seminar, “Characterizing Growth Patterns to Facilitate Restoration of the seagrass Halophila hawaiiana”. Thesis defense presented by MSMS graduate candidate, Amelia Murphy. 2:00pm - 3:00pm in AC 309 at the HPU Hawaii Loa Campus.  (See flyer)

April 15 - Seminar, “Persistent Organic Pollutants in Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals”. Presented by MSMS graduate Jessica Lopez. 6:30pm - 8:00pm Univeristy of Hawaii - Manoa, Architecture auditorium. (See flyer)

April 11 - Seminar, “Fish Scales and Other Fish Debris as Indicators of Changes in Small Pelagic Fishes: Fishing or Natural Variability?”. Thesis defense presented by MSMS graduate candidate, Kimberly Rose. 4:00 - 5:00pm in Nursin Annex A1 at the Hawaii Loa Campus. (See flyer)

April 3 - CNCS Student Seminar Series, "Career opportunities for students in the Natural Sciences". Presented by Various CNCS Professors. 3:00pm - 4:30pm Hawaii Loa Campus, Front Lanai. (See Flyer)

March 20- Biological Oceanography Lecture: World-renowned oceanographer, Dr. Jeffrey Polovina, delivers a guest lecture on "Hawaii longline fishery and the subtropical ecosystem". Dr. Polovina works with NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) and has made groundbreaking contributions to the field of marine ecosystem research and management. (OI Learning Center, 8:30am)(Announcement)

March 14 Seminar, Integrating Project-based Computing into Secondary Science and Mathematics by Stewart Crawford, Associate Professor of Computer Science. UB 11th Floor Conference Room. (Announcement)

March 05-  Seminar hosted by Student Life:"Dynamic Communication for Science Students", presented by Biology Instructor, Anglea Costanzo. Learn how science-based leaders communicate with other humans via tools, techniques, best practices and also common pitfalls of communication. (12:00-1:00 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

February 27- Undergraduate Seminar Series: “Do you want A's or F's?” presented by Dr. Gideon Berger. The seminar will touch base with improving study habits, skills, and overall approach to school in order to achieve academic success. (3:00-4:00 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)

Feb 6 - HPU's Second Annual Global Issue Lecture Series on Sustainability: CNCS Professor Dr. Regina Ostergaard-Klem will present "The Role of the Genuine Progress Indicator at the Sub-national Level: The Case of Hawai‘I," Downtown 11:50-12:50pm in MP 319.  Free lunch will be provided.. (Click here for flyer)

January 31: Seminar - Offline Particle Tracking: Using Numerical Models to Investigate Marine Debris. Presented by James Potemra, Ph.D. International Pacific Research Center School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology University of Hawaii. Hawaii Loa Campus, Front Lanai. (See flyer)

December 10, 2012 College Town Hall Meeting, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Front Lanai, Hawaii Loa Campus.
The CNCS will hold a town hall meeting to present and discuss the current drafts of the College’s mission and vision statements, and your ideas for future growth and needed improvement areas. Your cooperation and input will be tastefully rewarded!

December 6- College Seminar Series: “Protein aggregation involved in biomedical and biotech problems” presented by Dr. Lei Wang (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)

November 29- College Seminar Series: “Kīlauea’s Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption (1983-2012): Current research on the Hawaiian hotspot” presented by Dr. Andrew Greene (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

November 26- Underwater Photography at Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District presented by Dr. Varis Grundmanis (5:30-6:30p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus room AC 309) (Announcement)

November 15- College Seminar Series: “Striving to engineer and build medicines inspired from nature” presented by Dr. Gideon Berger (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

November 8- College Seminar Series: “Lessons learned from an NSF-sponsored teaching workshop: Application to an HPU Marine Biology lab course” presented by Kimberly Andrews, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Oceanography Department, UH Manoa (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

November 1- College Seminar Series: “Conservation oceanography: Mapping protected species and their dynamic environments” presented by Dr. David Hyrenbach (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)

October 29 - Join us at an upcoming Webinar on October 29, 2012 to learn more about the Master of Science in Marince Science (MSMS)  Click here to RSVP.

October 25- College Seminar Series: “Characterizing the Kona crab fishery in the MHI” presented by HPU MSMS Graduate Lennon Thomas (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

October 18- College Seminar Series: “Fluorescence characterization in biophysics” presented by Dr. Georgianna Martin (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

October 11- College Seminar Series: “Current research of the marine turtle research program of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fishery Science Center” presented by HPU MSMS Graduate Devon Franke (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

October 4- College Seminar Series: “Development of production technologies for marine fishes” presented by Dr. Chad Callan (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai) (Announcement)

October 4- Seminar : “The end of cheap energy” presented by Dr. Fred Duennebier (3:40-5:00 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)

October 3 - Richard Dawkins,  Sean Faircloth, and Elisabeth Cornwell to speak at HPU-sponsored event at Aloha Tower (Press release - click here)

September 27 - College Seminar Series: "International Wildlife Trade, Environmental Laws and the U.S. Import/Export Requirement" presented by Tony Palermo  (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)

September 20- College Seminar Series: “Interactions between NMDA and GABA_A receptors” presented by Dr. Yongli Chen (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)

September 13- College Seminar Series: “Impacts of early 20^th century warming on the California current ecosystem” presented by Dr. David Field (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)

September 6- College Seminar Series: “Is the bridge safe?: Research on estimating the overall behavior of composite materials based on classical principal and modern integration” presented by Dr. Hyunsun Lee (2:30-3:30 p.m., Hawaii Loa Campus Front Lanai)