To conserve fragile ecosystems, we must understand the ecology and connectivity of individual species. My projects examine pieces of the puzzle, such as genetic connectivity, habitat use, and species interactions. Good decisions are made based on understanding the relationships between actions and outcomes. The research in my lab sits at this nexus, co-developed with land stewards and communities to improve conservation outcomes. 

Graduated from the Hawaii Wildlife Ecology Lab in 2022 with a PhD in Natural Resources and Environmental Management, specializing in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology. Her doctoral research used spatial and statistical models to assess environmental impacts on Hawaiian waterbird reproductive success and the role of Hawaiian Indigenous resource management in recovery efforts. She completed the first statewide assessment of projected waterbird nesting habitat loss due to sea level rise in Hawaiʻi and evaluated the potential for Indigenous wetland agro-ecosystems (loʻi) to offset these losses. She now serves as a Project Coordinator at the Hawaii Wildlife Ecology Lab, supporting decision analysis projects to optimize resource allocation for long-term natural resource persistence, and remains active in community outreach and youth education programs.

An ecologist specializing in quantitative methods, including ecological modeling, spatial prioritization, and GIS techniques for wildlife and resource management. He earned his Master’s degree from the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Ecology Lab in 2019, and his work bridges scientific research with practical conservation and natural resource management solutions. His current research focuses on the impacts of invasive wild ungulates under both environmental and human-mediated conditions to improve wildlife management strategies across Hawaiʻi. He is also engaged in projects centered on sustainable recreational trail use and design. Born on the windward side of Oʻahu, he is an avid hiker who enjoys walking his dog along the beach and surfing whenever possible.

Claire was born in Pennsylvania and led a wild and winding life through her early twenties. She graduated with a B.S. in Natural Resources & Environmental Management from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa after completing the first two years of her degree at the Community College of Denver. Claire is interested in many aspects of coastal ecology and grounds her work through growing and sustaining reciprocal relationships to place, community, and collaborators. She is currently working to understand the occupancy and resource partitioning of migratory shorebirds in Heʻeia, Oʻahu.

Molly is a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in the Natural Resources & Environmental Management department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She is focused on studying the population genetics of the Pueo (Hawaiian Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus sandwichensis), but is also interested in the genetic structure of Short-eared owls at a global scale. Molly grew up in Texas and received her undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2010, she moved to Hawaiʻi and began working at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, where she still serves as the manager of the Vertebrate Zoology collections.

Wade is a graduate student who originally started as an intern in the lab as a freshman in undergrad. Being born and raised in Hawai'i, he has always had a keen sense of pride with natural resources in our environment. He is pursuing a masters degree to better his knowledge on our natural resources to better the ecosystem for future generations. Wade has worked on multiple projects in the lab as an intern in the past, but he will be focusing his time in grad school on axis deer movement on Maui.

Mary is a graduate student in Natural Resources and Environmental Management at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Born and raised in Rizal, Philippines, her background and experiences living in urban environments have shaped her interest in the relationships between people and place. Her current research focuses on the philanthropic gap between local businesses and environmental nonprofits, examining how cross-sector partnerships can better support community-based restoration and stewardship efforts.

Hermary is a graduate student and NSF GRFP fellow pursuing an M.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Management at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She was born and raised on Oʻahu and moved to the Midwest after high school, where she graduated with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her past experiences include Spotted Owl and Barred Owl research, White-winged Dove banding, and Smooth Greensnake surveys. In the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Ecology Lab, her work focuses on using decision science to optimize conservation efforts on Oʻahu.

Chasity Bae was born and raised in the ahupua’a of Waipiʻo on the island of Oʻahu. Chasity earned a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Management at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is continuing as a graduate student in the MEM program to work on the Oʻahu Conservation Planning Project where decision analysis will be used to guide stewardship practices for native flora and fauna. Prior to joining the lab, Chasity has worked with the Snail Extinction Prevention Program (SEPP), Paepae ʻO Heʻeia, and was an intern with the Pacific Internship Program for Exploring Sciences (PIPES)
in the LOHE Lab at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She also works part-time with Kamehameha Schools as an intern with their Mālama ʻĀina hui.

Hannah is a Master of Environmental Management student in the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa’s Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Management. As part of the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Ecology Lab, her research focuses on ʻUaʻu kani (Wedge-tailed shearwaters, Ardenna pacifica), analyzing how populations have recovered following the removal of mammalian predators on Oʻahu’s offshore islets, utilizing this analysis to inform effective management protocols. Prior to starting her Master’s degree, Hannah worked in environmental consulting – which she continues to do alongside her studies – worked for the San Diego Bird Alliance, and in wetland mitigation monitoring (as well as various coffee shops!). She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental & Ocean Science at the University of San Diego where she studied urban greenery as mitigation for urban heat island effects and the inequity of access to these spaces. Being born and raised in California inspired her interest in coastlines and the dynamic intersection of marine and terrestrial worlds. She hopes to pursue a career in coastal resource management and conservation after the completion of her Master’s degree.