Aloha mai! My name is Amber Needham. I come from Kalāwahine, Oʻahu and am a Tropical Plant and Soil Science graduate of 2016 (Bachelors) and 2019 (Masters). Following my degree completion, I worked for the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture as a Plant Quarantine Inspector both in Honolulu and Kailua Kona. I currently live in Hōlualoa, Hawaiʻi, with my husband and baby on the way.

During my time in the ICS lab, I worked on analyzing the nutritional content of different breadfruit varieties grown in different Hawaiian landscapes. I attempted to form relationships between environmental characteristics of growing sites and nutritional components, however in the end there were too many confounding factors to make clear connections. Regardless, the nutritional analysis of the fruits were still fascinating and I hope have become valuable information for the breadfruit and agricultural communities of Hawaiʻi today.

Max was a member of the ICS lab from 2017-2020, leading to a Master's degree in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences. His research focuses on competitive underground interactions between plants in agricultural systems. "The ICS lab was the right place for my research because of our focus on Pacific island products and traditional agricultural methods. We used historical knowledge on pacific island plants, like breadfruit ('ulu) and māmaki, to inform our hypotheses on how these plants will interact in modern agricultural systems. As pacific island agricultural products are the key to a food secure Hawai'i, our work in this lab is integral to the sustainable intensification of local agriculture in the Pacific." 

Blaire grew up in a small town on the East Coast, exploring the forests, streams, and beaches of New Jersey. Her love for the outdoors inspired her to earn a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Stockton University in 2012 and a Master of Science in Natural Resource and Environmental Management at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 2018. 

During Blaire’s graduate studies, she worked as a Research Assistant in the Indigenous Cropping Systems Lab on a number of projects concerned with the agronomy of breadfruit (A. altilis), or ‘ulu. The work she enjoyed most entailed interviewing breadfruit farmers around the state in order to gather data on the farmers’ practices, tree care methods, and tree health. Blaire also launched a citizen science project, the ‘Ulu Phenology Project,” tasking volunteers and community members with collecting and submitting data on the fruiting and flowering of breadfruit trees in their backyards and public natural spaces. Working closely with farmers, community members and volunteers on these projects, Blaire came to understand how social equity is tied to the conservation of nature, and the two are stronger together, especially in small developing communities. Blaire now works with the Hawai‘i Marine Program at The Nature Conservancy as an Assistant Marine Coordinator.

I was a CTAHR Junior Extension Agent who served as the GET (Grow Eat Think) Local: Waianae Farm-to-School Coordinator. I am passionate about creating a sustainable and equitable food system that connects youth and communities to thriving local farms.

My study interests lie in the effects of varying soil moisture regimes on soil nutrient dynamics, crop production in rain-fed agricultural systems, and how climate change plays a part in these. The rainfed systems on Hawai’i Island present me with the opportunity to evaluate, as my thesis research, scenarios of plant-available nitrogen and ‘uala (sweet potato) production under indigenous soil moisture conservation practices in dryland field systems of Puanui, Kohala. I am also helping the lab compile climatic data collected from automatic weather stations in the Puanui field system to determine growth patterns of ‘uala across the ahupua’a using a crop simulation model. Other than this, an extra hand is always needed in the 'ulu variety trials and establishment/maintaining of agroforestry plots on Oahu. 

Being part of the ICS lab gave me a deeper appreciation for myself as an indigenous Papua New Guinean, as it not only incorporates scientific knowledge in understanding and developing similar indigenous crops and cropping systems for modern-day food security, but also the cultural, social and economical obligations of which still play an important part in Pacific communities.  

B.S. Environmental Soil Sciences; MSc, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, UHM

Humble greetings, kākou! I am an aspiring farmer, interested in exploring the ways our Hawaiian ancestors cultivated foods and managed for natural resource abundance, otherwise known as ʻāina momona. For my masterʻs thesis, I explored the nutritional requirements of a traditional staple crop, breadfruit, or ʻulu in Hawaiian. ʻUlu has long represented abundance in the Hawaiian culture, as the historical accounts of this tree parallels with stories of famine. ʻUlu has become my greatest mentor and teacher throughout my academic journey, teaching me the values of reciprocity, lōkahi (balancing mind, body, and spirit), and abundance already present in our ecosystems. My mission is to inspire others in perceiving the abundance present within themselves and in their surrounding environment, which was realized through my experience with the ICS lab. I live by the ʻōlelo noʻeau, “ma ka hana ka ʻike” (in doing, one learns), because the reciprocal relationship we develop with the land is a reflection of ourselves and our true nature and spirit.

MSc, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, UHM

My work examined carbon sequestration in breadfruit, with my thesis being published in the journal Sustainbility, titled Determining Allometry and Carbon Sequestration Potential of Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) as a Climate-Smart Staple in Hawai‘i.

Kohlby Soong did his senior thesis through UH Hilo with the Indigenous Cropping Systems Laboratory, where he focused on amassing a GIS database of agricultural archaeology. Starting with over 25,000 archaeological points provided by agreement through the State Historic Preservation Division, he whittled the database down to the relevant points representing agrarian infrastructure and classified several thousand points based on their archaeological descriptions. This geospatial database was used to explore the accuracy of geospatial models depicting traditional Hawaiian agriculture. He further worked with Dr. Lincoln to revise the thesis into a journal article that was published in the Journal of Archaeological Society, titled Assessing Spatial Models of Hawaiian Agroecological Extents. 

Aloha! I majored in Environmental science with a minor in Agriculture. During my time at the lab, I worked on the 'ulu germ-plasm plot at the Waiakea Research Station in Panaewa, Hawaiʻi county. I’m interested in helping with this project because 'ulu is one of the crops for helping Hawaiʻi agriculture become more sustainable.

I am a University of Hawaii undergrad alumni who worked with the ICS Lab as a research assistant. I was involved with the lab's breadfruit propagation and variety trials. I am interested in supporting and learning more about tropical agriculture, natural farming methods, and local food systems, therefore it's a privilege to help this team with data entry and various projects.

Paul Santiago was the longest standing technician with the ICS Lab, having started as a research assistant nearly three years ago!  Having finished his undergraduate degree, he has continued to work at the lab as a Research Manager, overseeing our O'ahu-based research and maintaining a number of ongoing research projects. 

Aloha! I am a former undergrad student studying Environmental Science and Agriculture. I had the pleasure of being involved with various projects including 'ulu variety field trials, 'ulu propagation, and soil sampling and analysis.