2022 Scholars
2022 Honolulu ARCS ScholarsThe Honolulu Chapter awarded 20 ARCS Scholar awards in May 2021 to doctoral students in STEM fields at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. The $5,000 unrestricted grants provide resources for professional travel, computer and research equipment and materials, and educational and personal expenses. Two $1,000 ARCS Scholar of the Year Awards were also presented.
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Nicholas K. A. KawasakiSherry Lundeen ARCS Scholar of the Year (Biological Sciences)
Guy Mouton Yates ARCS Award
Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine; (Dr. Takashi Matsui, Advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Characterizing the Role of Ferroptosis in Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Education: BS in cellular and molecular biology, Johns Hopkins University
Goal: A career in medicine, researching cardiovascular health
Intended use for award: Research and professional travel expenses
Interests: Trying recipes, assisting high school speech and debate with the Hawai‘i Speech League
Miles D. LucasJacquie Maly ARCS Scholar of the Year (Physical Sciences)
George Orton and Mona Marine Elmore ARCS Award
Institute for Astronomy (Dr. Michael Bottom, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Glimpsing the Birth of Exoplanets
Education: BS in physics, Iowa State University of Science and Technology; MS in astronomy, UH Manoa
Goal: Career in observation and instrumentation research and/or research software engineering
Intended use for award: Travel abroad to present instrumentation research
Interests: Programming, photography, hiking, camping
Ahmed S. AfifiBretzlaff Foundation ARS Award in Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering (Dr. Albert Kim, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Impacts of International Trade on Water Resources
Education: BS in construction engineering, American University in Cairo; MLS in environmental and natural resources laws and policies, University of Denver; MS in civil and environmental engineering, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Goal: Resolve water distribution conflicts by incorporating “virtual water” into water resource management mitigation strategies
Interests: Sailing, diving and other hobbies
Richard S. "Trey" Carney IIISarah Ann Martin ARCS Award
Mathematics, College of Natural Sciences (Dr. Monique Chyba, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Graph Theoretic Techniques in Network Systems, Applications and Modeling the Pandemic
Education: BS in mathematics, BA in physics, Wake Forest University; MS in mathematics, Florida State University
Intended use for award: Update computer and “try to make it to graduation without taking on any more student debt”
Interests: Music, science fiction, NBA, SCUBA
Rina M. CarrilloHelen Jones Farrar ARS Award
Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering (Dr. David Christopher, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Protein disulfide isomerase 9 modulates heat stress in plants through the unfolded protein response pathway
Education: BS in biology, UH Manoa
Goal: Research career in molecular biology and plant sciences
Intended use for award: Support continued enrollment and completion of PhD thesis
Interests: Running, hiking, dogs
Marley A. ChertokToby Lee ARCS Award in Earth Sciences
Earth Sciences, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (Dr. Paul Lucey, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Discovering Ancient Lunar Lava Flows
Education: BS geology, Temple University
Goal: Use remote sensing to understand planetary bodies throughout the solar system
Intended use for award: Supplement income to allow time for writing and publishing results
Interests: Outdoor activities, puzzles and board games, cooking and sharing meals
Terrence J. "TJ" Corrigan JR.George Orton and Mona Marien Elmore ARCS Award
Atmospheric Sciences, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (Dr. Steven Businger, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Measuring Low-Level Wind Fields in Severe Warned Storms
Education: BS in mechanical engineering, MS in renewable and clean energy, University of Dayton
Goal: Research and teaching faculty position
Intended use for award: Purchase SAMM cameras for research
Interests: Weather chasing, hydroponics, cooking, coffee, piano, soccer
Ana I. FloresMaybelle F. Roth ARCS Award in Conservation Biology
Botany, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences (Dr. Kasey Barton, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Trait Variation as Plants Grow Up: Simultaneous Effects of Ontogeny and Phenotypic Plasticity3
Education: BS in biological sciences, Florida International University, Miami
Goal: Pursue research-focused work
Intended use for award: Travel, lodging and supplies for large field experiment
Interests: Reading fiction, baseball, science fiction movies, plants, historical botanical art
Kazuumi A. FujiokaSara Ann Martin ARCS Award
Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences (Dr. Rui Sun, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Application and Development of Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics
Education: BS in mathematics and chemistry, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Goal: Conduct research and teach the next generation of students in academia
Intended use for award: Add computer nodes to speed calculations and expand long-term computer memory storage
Interests: Hiking video games, board games
Aneesa R. GolshanKai Bowden ARCS Award
Tropical Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine (Dr. George Hui, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Investigating the use of ultra-small iron oxide nanoparticles as a sub-unit vaccine delivery platform with adjuvant-like properties
Education: BS in immunology and infectious disease, Pennsylvania State University; MS in public health, Tulane University
Goal: Research host-parasite interactions and vector-borne diseases
Intended use for award: Living expenses
Interests: Running, surfing, hiking
Rintaro HayashiFrederick M. Kresser ARCS Award in Engineering
Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering (Dr. John Allen, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Pumping, Swimming and Sensing Robots in a Highly Viscous Fluid
Education: BS, MS in mechanical engineering, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Goal: Complete PhD
Intended use for award: Tuition and living expenses
Honors: Three first-author publications
Jason T. HinkleColumbia Communications ARCS Award in Astronomy
Institute for Astronomy (Dr. Benjamin Shappee, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Rainbow Tide: Multi-Wavelength Follow-up of Tidal Disruption Events
Education: BS in astronomy, BS in physics, University of Maryland; MS in astronomy, UH Manoa
Goal: Faculty position at a research university
Intended use for award: Travel to attend a conference or meet with an international collaborator
Interests: Musicals, movies, hiking, mentoring student research
Stephen Holden JonesGeorge Orton and Mona Marie Elmore ARCS Award
Botany, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences (Dr. Rakan Zahawi, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Amphibian Conservation in Cacao Plantations
Education: BA in biology, Lewis & Clark College
Goal: Do research and develop methods to facilitate recovery and preserve biodiversity in an academiac, government or NGO role
Intended use for award: Supplement Fulbright research stipend for a year of research in Ecuador
Interests: Outdoor activities, board games, basketball, birdwatching, languages, music
Kevin P. KeefeHonolulu ARCS Award
Physics, College of Naural Sciences (Dr. Kurtis Nishimura, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresenation: Beyond Standard Model Physics
Education: BS in physics, MEd specializing in physics education, University of Florida
Goal: Experimental post-doctoral position in a national laboratory or university
Intended use for award: Lab and computer equipment
Interests: Running, pull-ups, snorkeling, free-diving, hiking, audiobooks and podcasts, videogames
Katie C. Y. LeeGeorge Orton and Mona Marie Elmore ARCS Award
Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine (Dr. Ralph V. Shohet, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Regulation of Metabolism by PKM2 in the Mouse Heart
Education: BS in biochemistry, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Goal: Make a novel discovery that will shape the way disease is treated
Intended use for award: Pay rent for a year
Interests: Digital art
Shannon M. McClishGeoge Orton and Mona Marie Elmore ARCS Award
Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (Dr. Seth Bushinsky, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Characterizing the impact of seasonal sea ice on phytoplankton blooms and net community production in the Southern Ocean
Education: BS in earth and planetary science, UC Santa Cruz
Goal: Career in academia or at the nexus of ocean science and policy
Intended use for award: Conference travel to expand research, gain technical expertise and network
Interests: Surfing, swimming, advocating for sustainability
Benjamin N. "Benjy" StraussEllen M. Koenig ARCS Award
Computer Science, College of Natural Science (Dr. Mahdi Belcaid, advisor)
VIEW HIS VIDEOPresentation: Computational Prediction of Protein Structure and Function
Education: AS in mathematics, AS in computer science, Foothill College; BS in computer science, UC Santa Cruz; MS in computer science, San Jose State University
Goal: Professorship in computer science
Intended use for award: Essentials, living costs
Interests: Data/computational science, game design, computer science education
Helen W. SungEllen M. Koenig ARCS Award
Zoology, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences (Dr. Floyd Reed, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Conservation Genomics and the Adaptive Potential of Hybridizing Crocodiles
Education: BS in ecology, behavior and evolu-tion, minor in conservation biology, UCLA
Goal: Use empirically based research to bridge scientist-practitioner gap and promote crocodilian conservation and management
Intended use for award: Attend a major con-servation working group meeting in Mexico
Interests: Rock climbing, roller skating, hiking, surfing, snowboarding
Sarah J. TuckerGeorge Orton andMona Marie Elmore ARCS Award
Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (Dr. Michael S. Rappé, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Ecological Differentiation in a Globally Abundant Marine Bacteria
Education: BA in biological science with minor in environmental science and policy, Smith College
Goal: Communicate science and engage the public as a research professor or government scientist
Intended use for award: Student fees, publication costs, professional development
Interests: Water sports, travel, science communication
Shannon M. WilsonJoseph Parker ARCS Award
Entomology, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (Dr. Mark Wright, advisor)
VIEW HER VIDEOPresentation: Biology, Ecology and Management of the Twolined Spittlebug in Kona
Education: BS in biology with a minor in chemistry, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
Goal: Research invasive insect biology and behavioral ecology to develop sustainable pest management practices
Intended use for award: Greenhouse and field research supplies, travel and costs
Interests: Golfing, hiking, going to the beach