People

Paulo is our newest MS student from Brazil. He holds a BS in forest engineering through the Federal University of Vicosa. He worked in plant care, sustainable agriculture, and ornamental plant cultivation before moving to Hawaii. Paulo is a Certified Master Gardener through University of Idaho as well as an ISA certified arborist. His proposed research topic is macro and micropropagation of variegated Carex wahuensis.

John is a current MS student from Kauai currently studying seed dormancy and conservation of the endemic Hawaiian caper, Capparis sandwichiana.  

Lindsey received her undergraduate degree in Botany from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her current MS project is on seed dormancy and landscape performance of Carex wahuensis.

Christine received her BA degree in Architecture and BS degree in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her current MS project is on characterization and hanging basket trials of Melanthera integrifolia accessions

Christyn received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences. Her MS plan B project was on tissue culture and acclimatization of Peperomia sandwicensis.

Darel finished his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture major in Agronomy from Central Mindanao University, Bukidnon, Philippines.  His research interests are: 1) plant genetic resources conservation, 2) the development of propagation techniques and 3) exploring the potential uses of underutilized native plants.  He did research on germplasm collection, selection and evaluation of ilima (Sida fallax) and pāʻū o hiʻiaka (Jacquemontia sandwicensis) as potted flowering plants. Check out his MS Plan A seminar in the student theses defense videos section!

Patrick was an Tropical Agriculture and the Environment undergraduate student. He has 2 years experience in resort landscaping as well as multiple conservation internships on Kauai. He is interested in native Hawaiian plants and would like to utilize more of them in landscaping. In the lab, he conducted research on the indoor performance of Peperomia blanda selections. He also was responsible for maintaining the outdoor native germplasm collection at Magoon.

Aleta received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences.  Her love for ornamental floriculture and native Hawaiian plants encouraged her to pursue higher education.  Aleta’s Masters project focused on the propagation and indoor light evaluation of four native Hawaiian Peperomia species.  Check out her MS Plan B seminar in the student theses defense videos section!

Hrithi was a visiting student from Wells International School, Thailand (2019 Summer science program at UH). She assisted in the maintenance of native plant germplasm and helped in collecting propagation data.

Sapal was a visiting student from Wells International School, Thailand (2018 Summer science program at UH). He conducted propagation research on accessions of the native Hawaiian endemic, nehe (Melanthera integrifolia).