Research Mentor Directory

Below you will find a list of University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa faculty members and/or programs on campus in a variety of fields including those within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (e.g. atmospheric sciences, earth sciences, oceanography, renewable energy) and in the other Colleges including the School of Life Sciences (e.g. biology, botany) within the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Social Sciences (e.g. economics, geography, urban and regional planning) and the College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources (e.g. natural resources and environmental management, tropical plant and soil sciences).

This directory is not an all-inclusive list; it is curated as a starting point to help you identify prospective mentors and projects to fulfill your GES research and thesis requirement. Click on the tabs below to expand and see potential project mentors and their research areas of interest.

Research mentors in this directory have given consent to be listed as a resource but please note that it does not imply or guarantee that they will take you on as a mentee. Additionally, each mentor and/or project may have their own set of requirements and application protocols. When approaching mentors and working on research projects, students should conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner at all times.

You are more than welcome to explore other UH Mānoa departments, Research Centers, and Research Units (by college) to search for mentors/projects on your own! Always make sure your project proposal has been approved by the GES Chair before you begin any work.

Additional resources to help you brainstorm ideas include GES students’ co-curricular experiences and theses written by GES graduates.

If you have questions about the thesis requirement, refer to Frequently Asked Questions.

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
Rosie Alegadomarine microbial ecology, influence of bacteria on animal evolution, Hawaiian fishpondsAlegado Lab
Seth Bushinskyocean biogeochemistry, air-sea carbon and oxygen exchange, oxygen sensor improvementBushinsky Lab
Glenn Carterocean mixing, deep-sea processes, internal waves and internal tidesUnder construction
Email
Jeffrey Drazendeep-sea ecology, trophic ecology, fish and fisheriesDeep-Sea Fish Ecology Lab
Kyle Edwards NEWphytoplankton ecology, viral ecology, microbial food webs, mathematical ecologyEdwards Lab
Fanny Girard NEWdeep-sea ecology, monitoring, mapping, deep-sea corals, human impactsUnder construction
Email
Brian Glazerbiogeochemical processes in marine environmentsGlazer Lab
Erica Goetzeplankton ecology, molecular ecology, deep-sea biogeography and human impactsUnder construction
Email
Nicholas Hawco NEWnutrient limitation of marine ecosystems, ocean cycles of metals and nutrientsHawco Lab
Andrea Kealoha NEWocean warming, coastal acidification, stressors to coral reef environmentsKealoha Lab
Margaret McManuscoastal oceanography, biological-physical couplingMcManus Lab
Craig Nelsoncoral reef ecosystem microbiologyNelson Lab
Brian Powellocean predictability, ocean circulation, ecosystem dynamicsPowell Research Lab
Nyssa Silbiger NEWcoral reef ecology, coral reef biogeochemistry, intertidal ecosystems, organismal physiology, ecosystem functioningSilbiger Lab

ATMO department website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
Alison Nugent NEWNugent Research Group
Giuseppe Torriclouds and thunderstorms, severe weather, tropical meteorology, Hawaiʻi weather and climate, climate data, renewable energyTorri Research Group

ERTH department website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
Henrietta Dulaienvironmental chemistry, water quality, water resources, coastal biogeochemistry, radiochemistry and nuclear chemistryERTH Profile
Charles “Chip” Fletchercommunity resilience, sea level rise impacts, coastal processes and mapping, climate change analysis and assessment, coastal geologyClimate Resilience Collaborative

HIGP department website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
James “Jim” Potemraocean and climate, in situ oceanographic measurements, data product developmentHIGP Profile
Frances “Frankie” Zhuspacecraft and mission design, dynamics and control,
machine learning, robotics, intelligent systems		Zhu Lab

ORE department website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
Justin Stopawind and wave climate, remote sensing, satellites, surfing scienceORE Profile

PBRC unit website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
Andrea Janimicrobial ecology, microbiome science, symbiosis, fermented food microbiology, disease ecology, freshwater ecologyJani Lab
Matthew Medeirosmicrobial symbiosis, microbial community ecology, microbial-mediated conservation, infectious disease ecology, mosquito biology, avian biology,
natural history of Hawai’i		Medeiros Lab Hui

University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program

Hawaiʻi Sea Grant website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
Rosie Alegadomarine microbial ecology, influence of bacteria on animal evolution, Hawaiian fishpondsAlegado Lab
Kasey Bartonisland botany, plant functional ecology, salinity toleranceBarton Lab
Henrietta Dulaienvironmental chemistry, water quality, water resources, coastal biogeochemistry, radiochemistry and nuclear chemistryERTH Profile
Eileen Nalley NEWenvironmental justice, marine debris, ciguatera, coastal health, contaminant transfer, sustainable fisheriesSea Grant Profile
Craig Nelsoncoral reef ecosystem microbiologyNelson Lab

College of Social Sciences

GEO department website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
David Beilmanterrestrial ecosystems, carbon, climate change, long-term environmental change, wetlands, Hawaii/Pacific, AntarcticaGEO Profile

School of Life Sciences

BOT department website

FacultyResearch AreasWebsite
Kasey Bartonisland botany, plant functional ecology, salinity toleranceBarton Lab

Prospective GES research mentors

Thank you for your interest in mentoring GES students on their undergraduate research and thesis project! Information on eligibility criteria and responsibilities as well as resources are accessible on the Resources for Research, Thesis, and Presentation webpage. Contact us if you need clarification!

Updated May 8, 2024