Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology

The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) is widely recognized for its contributions to marine biological studies in coral reef ecology, conservation biology, molecular evolution, aquaculture, biogeochemistry, bioacoustics and marine animal behavior, and physiology. Built on an island surrounded by coral reefs and close to deep ocean water, HIMB scientists are able to examine estuarine and coastal/pelagic processes that are important for global societies in the face of climate change and sea level rise.

Hawai‘i Ocean Time-series: The 250th Expedition

In March 2013, the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) program completed its 250th research expedition to its open ocean field site. After nearly 25 years of near-monthly sampling, the HOT program measurements serve as an important barometer of global change, providing unprecedented views on changes to the subtropical North Pacific Ocean. This program has been supported by research grants from the National Science Foundation.

The video is the National Science Foundation’s Science 360 video of the day for 25 April 2013!

Click on the preview image or the title to view the video in a pop-up window (you may need to turn off pop-up blockers). Please visit our video page to see more SOEST videos.

Sea level influenced tropical climate during last ice age

In a new study published online in the journal Nature Geoscience, SOEST Young Investigator Pedro DiNezio of the International Pacific Research Center (IPRC), and Jessica Tierney of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), report on their investigation of preserved geological clues (called “proxies”) of rainfall patterns during the last ice age, when the planet was dramatically colder than today. Comparing these patterns with computer model simulations, they found that the exposed Sunda Shelf between present-day Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Thailand during the last ice age shifted rainfall and convection westward.

Read more about it at Science Daily, redOrbit, EurekAlert!, and Science Codex. Image courtesy of P. DiNezio/IPRC; click on it to see the full version, including the present-day coastlines.

HNEI energy research at Kawaikini School classroom

Students at Kawaikini New Century Public Charter School in Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i, have the unique opportunity to learn in new classrooms that are themselves research and learning platforms. Two 1,200-sq. foot, state-of-the-art structures created by California-based Project Frog, Inc have been installed at the school for energy research lead by the Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), testing the effectiveness of innovative energy efficient buildings powered by renewable energy. “Kawaikini values hands-on experiences as well as academics in the Hawaiian language and cultural learning environments that we create here. This building is a living model of sustainable design.” said Kaleimakamae Ka‘auwai, Executive Director of the School.

Read more about it in the UH Mānoa News; see also the SOEST press release PDF. Image courtesy of Project Frog; click on it to see the full version.

Scientists survey diseased reefs off Kaua‘i

A coral disease continues to attack brown rice coral off the island of Kaua‘i’s northern coast. Commenting on recent work off Hanalei by a team lead by Bernardo Vargas-Angel, a NOAA coral ecologist, HIMB assistant researcher Greta Aeby said, “The disease levels have gotten much higher than they were. We were seeing two or three colonies on all of our transects and now you’re counting five, six, ten colonies.” Vargas-Angel noted that, “Because it’s a rapid tissue loss disease you can see it spreading.” His four-person team surveyed 36 sites and found the white coral disease in every site.

Read more about it and see the video at Hawaii News Now; see also the related archived new item from October 2012, Image courtesy of Terry Lilley; click on it to see the full version.

Please visit SOEST in the News: 2013 for archived news articles, with links to previous years.

SOEST Quicklinks

Environmental Conditions

• Hawai‘i Beach Hazard Forecast Site
• Meteorology Weather Server
• Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System
• UH Sea Level Center
• Vog Measurement and Prediction (VMAP)

Academics and Education

• Information portal for new and continuing undergraduate and graduate students, including requirements, scholarships and awards, employment, internships, and more.

Marine Operations

• UH Marine Operations (updated 03-07-13)

Emergency Preparation / Information

• Hurricane / Disaster Checklist (PDF)
• PacIOOS Coastal Hazards page
• UH Sea Grant Homeowner's Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards
• UH Sea Grant Hawai‘i Boater's Hurricane Safety Manual
• UH Office of Emergency Management.

[ Top of this page ]

Technical, Web, and Other Support

• Computer and Network Support (RCF)
• SOEST Logos and UH Mānoa seals
• Physical Plant Support Facility Work Order Forms:
  ¤ Work Order Request Procedure (PDF)
  ¤ Fillable Work Order Request Form (PDF)
¤ Work Order Request Form (.xls)
• Support and Facilities
• Video Conferencing System
• SOEST Web Site Policies
• Fiscal Services (revised link 04-03-13)

Employment

• Job Opportunities
• Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
  (with links to UH employment policies)
• Gender Equity and Non-discrimination Policy

The Dean’s Overview of the School

• Dean Brian Taylor’s message from the SOEST brochure, describing the school’s mission. Download a high-res (50MB) or low-res (6MB) PDF of the entire brochure (funding profile updated 05-25-12).
• Faculty Meeting Presentations (PDFs)
• New! 2013 (31MB) (added 05-11-13)
• 2012 (55MB)
• Dean’s report: Nov. 2011 (40MB)
• 2011 (35MB)