Kala McDonald.
HPU honors in marine biology student Kala McDonald has been awarded the Coordinator’s Choice Award at this year’s Islands of Opportunity Alliance (IOA) Student Symposium. The event, held at Kīlauea Military Camp in Volcanoes National Park, brought together student researchers from across the Pacific who are supported by The Islands of Opportunity Alliance-Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Program (IOA-LSAMP), an initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote diversity in STEM fields.
This marks the second consecutive year that an HPU student has earned this distinction. Last year, the award was given to Kailei’a Duriano, whose research was guided by HPU Professor Carmella Vizza, Ph.D. The continued success of HPU students at this symposium underscores the University's commitment to fostering research excellence and supporting underrepresented groups in STEM.
The NSF recently approved a grant proposal submitted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo to continue the IOA-LSAMP project for another five years. This renewal means HPU will continue to receive funding to support student research stipends and activities aimed at increasing the participation of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and other underrepresented groups in STEM.
McDonald’s award-winning presentation, titled “Coastal Resilience in Hawaiʻi: A Mixed Methods Assessment of Oʻahu Fishponds,” was one of the notable projects showcased at this year’s symposium. McDonald conducted her capstone research at Waiane’e Lako Pono and Kawainui, two traditional Hawaiian fishponds where she worked under the guidance of Vizza and was co-advised by HPU Assistant Professor Barbara Quimby, PhD. The research is part of a broader effort to understand and preserve coastal ecosystems in Hawaiʻi, blending modern scientific methods with traditional knowledge.
Vizza’s work and her students' research was recently featured in an episode of "Voice of the Sea," a television series that highlights ocean research and STEM careers across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The episode also spotlighted Natalie Ovena, an IOA-LSAMP graduate from HPU, who has contributed significantly to the research at Waiane’e Lako Pono.
HPU’s participation in the IOA-LSAMP program and the achievements of students like Kala McDonald and Kailei’a Duriano reflect the University’s ongoing dedication to nurturing the next generation of STEM leaders. To learn more about STEM degree programs at HPU, click here.
