Events Highlights

Recent ARCS Events

In its first in-person event since the pandemic struck, ARCS Honolulu Chapter presented twenty 2022 ARCS Scholar Awards at the Outrigger Canoe Club May 5. Miles Lucas was named ARCS Scholar of the Year (Physical Sciences) for his work to design instruments, observational techniques and processing methods for directly imaging exoplanets and planet-forming regions in the hopes of “seeing” largely invisible gasses will help explain planet formation. Nicholas Kawasaki was named ARCS Scholar of the Year (Biological Sciences) for his investigation of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death that occurs in the heart after blood flow is restored following a heart attack.

Read more about the 2022 Scholars or view their videos, in which they describe their research.

Special guests included the 2021 Scholar of the Year, asronomy scholar Erica Bufanda, and 1987 ARCS Scholar Paul Lucey, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa earth scientist who is he advisor to 2022 Scholar Marley Chertok.

2022 Honolulu ARCS Scholars of the Year Miles Lucas (Physical Sciences) and Nicholas Kawasaki (Biological Sciences)
College of Natural Sciences ARCS Scholars Holden Jones, Helen Sung, Kazuumi Fujioka, Trey Carney, Ana Flores, Sarah Tucker, Benjy Strauss. Not pictured, Kevin Keefe.
John A. Burns School of Medicine ARCS Scholars Katie Lee, Nicholas Kawasaki and Aneesa Golshan
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources ARCS Scholars Rina Carrillo and Shannon Wilson
Institute for Astronomy Scholars Jason Hinkle and Miles Lucas
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technnology ARCS Scholars Marley Chertok, Shannon McClish and Sarah Tucker. Not pictured, Terrence "TJ" Corrigan.
College of Engineering ARCS Scholars Ahmed Afifi and Rintaro Hayashi
Roz Pearson with Kai Bowden ARCS Scholar Aneesa Golshan.
Roz Pearson with George and Mona Elmore ARCS Scholar Nicholas Kawasaki
Roz Pearson with George and Mona Elmore ARCS Scholar Katie C.Y. Lee
Wendy Lagareta with Sarah Ann Martin ARCS Scholar Kazuumi Fujioka
Wendy Lagareta with Sarah Ann Martin ARCS Scholar Trey Carney
Wendy Lagareta with Maybelle F. Roth ARCS Scholar Ana Flores
Wendy Lagareta withEllen M. Koenig ARCS Scholar Benjy Strauss
Wendy Lagareta with George and Mona Elmore ARCS Scholar Sarah Tucker
Wendy Lagareta with Ellen M. Koenig ARCS Scholar Helen Sung
Wendy Lagareta with ARCS Honolulu Scholar Holden Jones
Dr. Jacquie Maly with George and Mona Elmore ARCS Scholar Miles Lucas
Dr. Jacquie Maly with Columbia Communications ARCS Scholar Jason Hinkle
Dr. Jacquie Maly with ARCS Scholar of the Year Miles Lucas
Patty Lee with Toby Lee ARCS Scholar Marley Chertok
Patty Lee with George and Mona Elmore ARCS Scholar Shannon McClish
Jessie Radovich with Joseph Parker ARCS Scholar Shannon Wilson
Jessie Radovich with Helen Jones Farrar ARCS Scholar Rina Carrillo
Dr. Jackie Maly with Bretzlaff Foundation ARCS Scholar Ahmed Afifi
Dr. Jacquie Maly and Frederick Kresser ARCS Scholar Rintaro Hayashi

To Quote a Scholar: Mason Russo

Mason Russo in front of poster

"I have conducted comprehensive studies on two invasive insect pests in the Hawaiian Islands that are severely impacting Hawaiian ecosystems. The coconut rhinoceros beetle is spreading fast across Oahu and has reached other islands. The hala scale impacts native coastal hala forests."

Besides offsetting the high cost of living in Hawai‘i, funds from the 2024 Maybelle F. Roth ARCS Scholar and Honolulu Scholar of the Year awards would allow Mason Russo to return to Asia if an initial survey produces promising biological control agents for the battle against destructive insects that threaten Hawai‘i trees.

Scholar Update: Marine Biologist Shayle Matsuda

Shayle Matsuda at ocean overlook

“The increasing frequency and severity of global coral bleaching events, the devastation to reef ecosystems and the communities who rely on them led to my dedication to coral reef conservation.”

As a University of Hawai‘i at Manoa doctoral candidate, 2019 Honolulu ARCS Scholar Shayle Matsuda pioneered new molecular techniques to study symbioses between coral, algae and bacteria. He continues that work as part of an international coral reef restoration project under a 2021 David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship—a premier postdoctoral program in conservation science that supports early-career scientists and seeks solutions to the most pressing conservation challenges.