HAPPENINGS

Leigh Engel was born in rural, upstate New York. She worked and was shaped by communities in New Orleans, LA and Sitka, AK. She enjoys being outdoors, in or around the ocean, and having genuine conversations with others. She is a PI-CASC Graduate Scholar working with Dr. Yinphan Tsang on the project, “Impacts of extreme events on the native and nonnative aquatic species of Hawaiʻi stream ecosystems.” Leigh graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Fall 2024 with a M.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Management.

We caught up with Leigh for a talk story.

Tell us about your project

I researched how climate change in Hawaiian streams, like increasing stream temperatures, and more frequent and intense extreme events, like flash floods, affect freshwater fish populations. My thesis, “Temperature enhances swimming performance of invasive species in Hawaiian streams”, tested three of the most common invasive species in Hawaiʻi, hybridized mollies from the three Poecilia species introduced to Oʻahu streams (Poecilia salvatoris/mexicana/sphenops), Green Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii), and Blackchin Tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron) at three temperature treatments. Individuals were placed in a 10-L recirculating flow tank and subjected to increasing water velocities, measuring their ability to withstand or swim against increasing flow at three different temperatures, 20.0, 26.0, and 32.0°C. Regardless of species, the ability to withstand flow, i.e. remain in place, increased at higher temperature, suggesting that warming streams may allow the tested species to establish and maintain populations in higher gradient portions of Hawaiian watersheds despite predicted increases in extreme flow events.

Why do you think climate adaptation is important?

Climate adaptation is important because it fosters agency and community discussions, supports communities already engaged in resilient work, and embraces creative, interdisciplinary solutions rooted in traditional ecological knowledge. It acknowledges shared challenges, incorporates different perspectives, and identifies common goals, integrating both people and place in forward-thinking, “horizon-gazing” strategies for sustainable success.

How did the Graduate Scholars program help your academic journey?

Without the Graduate Scholar’s program, I wouldn’t have been able to leave my full-time position in Alaska. It facilitated me, a non-traditional student, through funding, program assistance, network through staff experience, peers, and resources support to relocate, pursue, and complete my master’s.

What was the most memorable experience as a graduate scholar?

The Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference mixer was a fantastic post-presentation celebration with local and visiting colleagues and peers that was full circle. I got to visit with my colleagues and community in AK, and the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center (AK-CASC). Walking the halls and seeing so many familiar faces, talking with local managers, practitioners, fellow students, and friends gave me such a sense of belonging and purpose.

The best part of graduation was…

Immediate: The overwhelming outpouring of love and support, people in attendance of my defense, the thoughtful gift of leis, and the care and intention behind them—it was incredibly moving.

Long-term: Achieving a goal I once thought might be out of reach. The journey, shaped by a series of experiences, made me all the more appreciative of the knowledge gained and the skills developed along the way that made this possible.

What do you plan on doing next?

I recently visited family and friends on the mainland and went to Peru with my 70+ mom as a bucket list. I have a long list of thank you cards, visits, and work I need to reciprocate to all the people who helped get me here that I need to attend to.

Looking ahead, I hope to commit myself to the work here on Oʻahu. I’m currently job searching for fisheries related work that serves community, place, and resources.

Personally, I hope to do a lot of things. I want to continue to grow my circle of friends and community, get back into ʻāina volunteer days, maybe pick-up a canoe club, and be a mentor for other up and coming students.

Give a shoutout

Thank you all who initiated and perpetuated this work, gave it shape, provided me support, perspective, and trust both in communities and places, before, during, and after. Especially my committee members and respective lab ʻohana from Yin-Phan Tsang, Tim Grabowski and Jacob Johansen, Cory Yap and Andi Charuk at Paēpaē o Waikolu, the NREM Department and community, TAPDINTO-STEM peers and support staff, the facilities people and place of Moku o Loʻe, staff and peers at PI-CASC.

To my former and current colleagues, supervisors, friends, Tribal partners, places, and support network: I am an aggregate of you. Thank you for the gifts.