Return to Coconut Island
ARCS Foundation Honolulu Chapter started with a meeting on Coconut Island, where Barbara Pauley, a charter member of the Los Angeles Founding Chapter. She and her husband enjoyed visiting with Univeristy of Hawai‘i scientists working on the state-owned perimeter while staying at their vacation home on the island's interior. The ARCS Honolulu Chaoter provided $2.5 million for UH graduate students in STEM fields in the 50 years following that 1974 meeting. And Pauley later re-purchased the privately held portion of the island and gifted it to the university for expansion of the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology. Honolulu members returned to the island for a tour and picnic with guests attending the January 2024 National Board Meeting in Honolulu.
Scholar Update: Lunar Luminary Paul Lucey
"When I began research in planetary science as an undergraduate, I saw it as a tangible way to explore space and make meaningful contributions to that endeavor. As time passed, I have enjoyed helping many students do the same, and watch them become successful scientists."
1987 Honolulu ARCS Scholar Dr. Paul Lucey received the NASA Eugene Shoemaker Distinguished Scientist Medal recipient for lifetime achievement in the study of the Moon and other rocky planets. A professor in the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa's Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, he has been instrumental in developing imaging spectrometers for NASA. His use of hyperspectral imagery to efficiently map lunar materials and quantitative modeling of near-infrared spectra have generated key insights regarding the composition of the lunar crust and interior. Read more
Scholar Alumna Pays it Forward
“ARCS Honolulu Chapter provided recognition that my efforts and education were a worthwhile investment at a time when others could see little future for me.”
1976 Honolulu ARCS Scholar and Tampa Chapter member Pamela Hallock Muller was named one of 25 Top Women Professors in Florida. The University of South Florida marine scientist overcame gender discrimination and has mentored 60 graduate students, 10 of them from underrepresented minorities.
To Quote a Scholar: Benjamin Wiseman
"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.