Co-Presidents:
Wendy Lagareta (Chapter Affairs)
Dr. Carol Stratford (National Affairs)
Vice President - Membership:
Patricia (Patty) Lee
Treasurer: Susan Moore
Secretaries:
Roslyn (Roz) Pearson (Recording)
Patricia LaPorte (Corresponding)
Directors:
Cheryl Ernst (Communications)
Dr. Jane Schoonmaker (University Relations)
Dr. Jacqueline (Jacquie) Maly (Parliamentarian)
Immediate Past President:
Cheryl Ernst
ARCS Foundation Honolulu Chapter is an all-volunteer, non-profit, women's orgnization that provides financial support to exceptional University of Hawai‘i students pursuing graduate studies and conducting research in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health.
Our members come from community, business, government, and education sectors. We are united by our keen interest in things scientific and our strong commitment to advancing U.S. leadership in STEM fields … not to mention our delight in good company and fun events.
Since 1974, we have provided more than $2.8 million in ARCS Scholar Awards to 689 students. Funding for these unrestricted grants comes from two sources:
– ARCS Award endowments managed by the University of Hawai‘i Foundation and Hawai‘i Community Foundation
– annual chapter fundraising efforts
We depend on dues to cover operational expenses; donations and proceeds from fundraising efforts go toward ARCS Scholar Awards. As a result, $8 out of every $10 expended by our chapter goes directly to our student scholars.
"I hustle to make sure that my expenses are covered, often working part-time jobs to make ends meet. Receiving this award means that I can place greater focus on my academic research work."
2024 Helen Jones Farrar ARCS Scholar Ben Wiseman quantifies nematodes to study soil health and explores new cover crops as an effective, sustainable way to control the pest in sweet potato fields.
“Because most species in the deep sea are slow growing and long-lived, deep-sea species are actually more vulnerable to human impacts than many shallow-water ecosystems.”
– 1999 Honolulu ARCS Scholar Dr. Amy Baco-Taylor, explaining the importance of her research on deep sea ecosystems in a Q&A on the Florida State University website where she is now a professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science. Read the profile
"I am especially grateful that ARCS Honolulu appreciates the mentoring of graduate students, who are society’s future scientists during an era when science is increasingly under attack."
ARCS Honolulu Chapter named marine ecologist Dr. Mark Hixon its 2021 ARCS Scientist of the Year for his remarkable record of research, mentorship and public outreach. He is the Sidney and Erika Hsiao Endowed Chair in Marine Biology and chairs the Zoology Graduate Program at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Photo by Chris Pala