RESEARCH PROJECTS
PI-CASC supports research that generates actionable climate science within several key focus areas defined by regional stakeholder needs.
A shoreline inventory for Hawai‘i island to increase resilience
PI: Ryan Perroy, Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Science, UH Hilo
Graduate Scholar: Aloha Kapono, Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Program, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2020
Graduate Scholar: Aloha Kapono, Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Program, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2020
Optimizing techniques to restore forest to increase endangered species habitat and mitigate future drought
PI: Jonathan Price, Professor of Geography , UH Hilo
MCC Graduate Scholar: Amberly Pigao, Tropical Conservation Biology & Environmental Science, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2020
MCC Graduate Scholar: Amberly Pigao, Tropical Conservation Biology & Environmental Science, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2020
Understanding plants of the past to inform community reforestation efforts in the future
PI: Jonathan Price, Professor of Geography , UH Hilo
MCC Graduate Scholar: David Russell , Restoration & Outplanting Field Assistant, Nāpuʻu Natural Resources Management
Funded: FY2020
MCC Graduate Scholar: David Russell , Restoration & Outplanting Field Assistant, Nāpuʻu Natural Resources Management
Funded: FY2020
Sea-level rise impacts on coral reef and mangrove interactions and resulting coastal flooding hazards
PI: Curt Storlazzi, Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Co-I: Karen Thorne, Research Ecologist, USGS Western Ecological Research Center
Funded: FY2020
Co-I: Karen Thorne, Research Ecologist, USGS Western Ecological Research Center
Funded: FY2020
Sea-level rise viewer for American Samoa
PI: Phil Thompson, Associate Director of UH Sea Level center, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Carla Baizeau, Department of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Kelley Anderson Tagarino, Extension Specialist, American Samoa Community College; Justin E. Stopa, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Curt Storlazzi, Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funded: FY2020
Graduate Scholar: Carla Baizeau, Department of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Kelley Anderson Tagarino, Extension Specialist, American Samoa Community College; Justin E. Stopa, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Curt Storlazzi, Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funded: FY2020
Connecting ecosystems from mountains to the sea in a changing climate
PI: Yinphan Tsang, Associate Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholars: Yu-Fen Huang, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa; Maxime Gayte, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Tim Grabowski, Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, USGS
Funded: FY2020
Graduate Scholars: Yu-Fen Huang, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa; Maxime Gayte, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Tim Grabowski, Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, USGS
Funded: FY2020
Impacts of extreme events on native and nonnative Hawaiian aquatic species
PI: Yinphan Tsang, Associate Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Leigh Engel, Dept of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Abigail Lynch, Climate Adaptation Science Centers; Timothy Grabowski, Hawaiʻi Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Funded: FY2020
Graduate Scholar: Leigh Engel, Dept of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Abigail Lynch, Climate Adaptation Science Centers; Timothy Grabowski, Hawaiʻi Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Funded: FY2020
Develop, coordinate, and build capacity for educational and community outreach opportunities for PI-CASC
PI: Sheree Watson, Program Director, USGS Office of Science Quality & Integrity
Funded: FY2020
Funded: FY2020
Predicting the Effects of Climate Change on the Spread of Fire-Promoting Plants in Hawai‘i
PI: Curt Daehler, Professor of Botany, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Lucas Fortini, Research Ecologist, USGS Pacific Islands Ecosystem Research Center; Clay Trauernicht Associate Fire Specialist, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2019
Co-Is: Lucas Fortini, Research Ecologist, USGS Pacific Islands Ecosystem Research Center; Clay Trauernicht Associate Fire Specialist, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2019
Climate change, variability, and drought in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands
PI: Abby Frazier, Research Fellow, East-West Center, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Christian Giardina, Research Ecologist, Inst. of Pacific Islands Forestry, US Forest Service; Susan Cordell, Research Ecologist, USDA Forest Service; Clay Trauernicht, Associate Fire Specialist, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2019
Co-Is: Christian Giardina, Research Ecologist, Inst. of Pacific Islands Forestry, US Forest Service; Susan Cordell, Research Ecologist, USDA Forest Service; Clay Trauernicht, Associate Fire Specialist, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2019
Assessing mosquito populations in Kauaʻi to help limit the spread of avian disease and inform the conservation of Hawaiian forest birds
PI: Dennis LaPointe, Research Ecologist, USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
Funded: FY2019
Funded: FY2019
The impact of climate change and sea-level rise on the future flooding of coastal parks and refuges in Hawaiʻi and the US Affiliated Pacific Islands
PI: Curt Storlazzi , Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funded: FY2019
Funded: FY2019
Visualizing sea-level rise at Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historic Park
PI: Philip Thompson, Assoc. Director of UH Sea Level center, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Nemanja Komar , Scientific Programmer, UH Sea Level center, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2019
Co-Is: Nemanja Komar , Scientific Programmer, UH Sea Level center, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2019
The future resiliency of mangrove forests to sea-level rise in the Western Pacific
PI: Karen Thorne, Research Ecologist, USGS Western Ecological Research Center
Co-I: Richard MacKenzie, Research Ecologist, US Forest Service
Funded: FY2019
Co-I: Richard MacKenzie, Research Ecologist, US Forest Service
Funded: FY2019
Water Quality in the face of Climate Change: Establishing a baseline in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
PI: Tracy Wiegner, Assoc. Professor of Marine Science, UH Hilo
Graduate Scholar: Bryan Tonga, Tropical Conservation Biology & Environmental Science, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2019
Graduate Scholar: Bryan Tonga, Tropical Conservation Biology & Environmental Science, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2019