Current Scholars

The Honolulu Chapter will award 18 ARCS Scholar Awards in May 2024 to doctoral students in STEM fields at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. The chapter kicked off it's 50th anniversary year by increasing ARCS Scholar Award funding to $6,000 for each scholar. The unrestricted grants provide resources for professional travel, computer and research equipment and materials, and educational and personal expenses at the recipient's discretion.

Two $1,000 ARCS Scholar of the Year Awards will be presented at the May 6 ARCS Scholar Awards Banquet. Watch for the announcement and photos.

Thomas Ken Awamura

Guy Moulton Yates Award
Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, Dr. Juwon Park, advisor
View his video

Research: Presentation Title
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Education: BS in Biology, Graduate certificate and MS in Tropical Medicine, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: cooking/baking, Pokemon, sharing enthusiasm for infectious diseases

Arianna R. Bunnell

Sarah Ann Martin Award
Information and Computer Science, Dr. Peter Sadowski, advisor
View her video

Research: Application of AI to Breast Cancer for Hawaiʻi and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands
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Education:

BS in Computer Science, BS in Statistics, Utah State University; MS in Computer Science, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: embroidery, baking, weightlifting

Saige J. Dacuycuy

Bretzlaff Foundation Award
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Dr. Wayne Shiroma, Dr. Aaron Ohta, advisors
View his video

Research: Liquid-Metal-Based Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Wireless Communications
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Education: BS in Physics, Coloado Mesa University; MS Electrical Engineering, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Interests: fishing, foley art, listening to audiobooks

Julia K. Douglas

Sarah Ann Martin Award
Botany, Dr. Tamara Ticktin, advisor
View her video

Research: Presentation Title
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Education: BA in Environmental Studies, University of Montana

Interests: hiking, botanizing, camping, tree climbing, ceramics, surfing, immersive backcountry trips

Lucas Ellison

Toby Lee Award
Earth Sciences, Dr. Sloan Coats, advisor
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Research: Presentation Title
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Education: BS in Earth System Science, McGill University; MS in Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: golf, running, watching baseball

James T. Fumo

H. Keith and Sue Ernst Award
Marine Biology, Dr. Alison Sherwood, advisor
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Research: Searching for the red alga Chondria tumulosa
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Education: BS in Marine Biology, University of California San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Interests: diving, camping, cooking, baking, reading, exploring

Jordie Ho

Ellen M. Koenig Award
Tropical Plant Pathology, Dr. Michael Melzer, advisor
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Research: Ecology, evolution, and emergence of plant pathogenic viruses with a focus on Higrevirus waimanalo
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Education: MS in Entomology, MS in Tropical Plant Pathology, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: reading, running, anime,

Jonathan H. Itokazu

Frederick M. Kresser Award
Electrical Engineering, Dr. Victor Lubecke, advisor
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Research: Polarimetric Radar for Contactless Physiological Sensing
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Education: BS, MS in Electrical Engineering, Electromagnetics and Power Electronics, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Interests: tinkering with electronics, rhythm games, spending time with family and friends

Christopher A. Kang

Ellen M. Koenig Award
Chemistry, Dr. Rui Sun, advisor
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Research: Molecular Dynamics Simulations in Drug Discovery
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Education: BS in Biochemistry, MS in Chemistry, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: video games, cooking, fishing

Melanie K. "Ku‘i" Keliipuleole

George Orton and Mona Marie Elmore Award
Zoology, Dr. Rosie Alegado, advisor
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Research: Ōpae ē, ʻōpae hoʻi: Ecosystem controls on anchialine pool shrimp species' presence and behaviors in North Kona, Hawaiʻi
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Education: AS in Life Science, Kapi‘olani Communityu College; BS in Global Environmental Science, MS in Marine Biology, Univeristy of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: tide pooling, hiking, snorkeling

Zachary M. Menzo

Ellen M. Koenig Award
Atmospheric Science, Dr. Cristina Karamperidou, advisor
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Research: Impacts of El Niño Diversity on Humid Heat under Different Warming Scenarios
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Education: BS in Geological Science, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor; Master of Advanced Studies in Climate Science and Policy, Scripps

Institution of Oceanography University of California - San Diego

Interests: piano, writing, hiking, kayaking

Andrew M. Meyer

Dr. Jacqueline Maly Award Name
Physics, Dr. Jelena Mericic, advisor
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Research: Measurement of the Absolute Flux of Reactor Antineutrinos
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Education: BS in Physics, University of Washington

Drew M. Polakowski

George Orton and Mona Marie Elmore Award
Mathematics, Dr. Asaf Hadari, advisor
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Research: Play Billiards Like a Mathematician: Trajectories on Flat Surfaces
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Education: BS in Mathematics, Univeristy of Massachusetts Amherst; MS in Mathematics, Universithy of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: painting, writing, chess

Mason H. Russo

Maybelle F. Roth Award in Conservation Biology
Entomology, Dr. Zhiqiang Cheng, advisor
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Research: Evaluating the impacts of the invasive hala scale on native hala forest regeneration in the Hawaiian Islands
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Education: BS in Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida; MS in Entomology, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

Interests: hiking, free diving, surfing

Nicholas K. Saunders

George Orton and Mona Marie Elmore Award
Astronomy, Dr. Daniel Huber, advisor
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Research: The Fate of Planets Orbiting Old Stars
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Education: BS in Astronomy and Physics, BA in Comparative Literature, University of Washington; MS in Astronomy, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Interests: violin, guitar, film, cooking

Blake R. Stoner-Osborne

George Orton and Mona Marie Elmore Award
Oceanography, Dr. Jeffrey Drazen, Dr. Brian Popp, advisors
View his video

Research: Presentation Title
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Education: BS in Molecular Environmental Biology, BA in Marine Science, University of Caliornia, Berkeley

Interests: hiking, traveling, diving

Benjamin J. Wiseman

Helen Jones Farrar Award
Plant and Environmental Protection Science, Dr. Koon-Hui Wang, advisor
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Research: Healthy Soil and Pest Management in Organic Sweet Potato Cultivation
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Education: BS in Biology, Whitworth University; MS in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa

Interests: student government, volunteer work, paddling, running

Hongwen Wu

Honolulu Chapter Award
Developmental and Reproducitve Biology, Dr. W. Steven Ward, advisor
View her video

Research: Presentation Title
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Education: Clinical Medicine. Zunyi Medical University; Master of Medicine. Chongqing Medical University

Interests: swimming, singing, hiking, snorkeling