Research Projects

PI-CASC supports research that generates actionable climate science within several key focus areas defined by regional stakeholder needs.

With their tops in the clouds and crossed by a vibrant rainbow, steep, eroded green mountains drop abruptly to a calm ocean coastline

Machine learning for high-resolution downscaling in the Hawaiian Islands

PI: Peter Sadowski, Associate Professor of Computer Science, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Yusuke Hatanaka Dept of Information and Computer Science, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Thomas Giambelluca, Professor of Geography, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024

A wet, muddy road is flanked by downed trees draped across power lines, while road crews work on the trees down the road

Refining precipitation model projections for the Hawaiian Islands using generative machine learning

PI: Peter Sadowski, Associate Professor of Computer Science, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Thomas Giambelluca, Professor of Geography, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024

Underwater image of hundreds of pale yellow jellyfish with clear bells and short bundles of stingers floating in green-tinged water

Predicting and managing the future of Ongeim’l Tketau (Jellyfish Lake), Palau in a changing climate

PI: Romina King, Associate Professor of Geography, University of Guam
Co-PI: Sharon Patris, Research Biologist, Coral Reef research Foundation
Funded: FY2023

Close up of two delicate 6-petalled white flowers against dark green leaves; a black round seedpod is visible to the left.

Assessing the success and vulnerability of Hawaiian rare plant introductions to inform future stabilization efforts

PI: Tamara Ticktin, Professor of Botany, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Julia Douglas, School of Life Sciences, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Clay Trauernicht, Associate Specialist, UH Mānoa; Tim Chambers, Center for Plant Conservation Officer, ANRPO; Lucas Fortini, Research Ecologist, PIERC, USGS
Funded: FY2023

A sun-dappled, dense understory of ferns mixes with mature ʻōhiʻa trees

Developing a climate-resilient restoration approach combining functional, climate, and geographic data

PI: Rebecca Ostertag, Professor of Biology, UH Hilo
MCC Graduate Scholar: Konapiliahi Dancil, TCBES, UH Hilo
Co-I: Jonathan Price Professor of Geography, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2022

A wide, chaotic streambed is flanked by green trees and underlain by irregular pahoehoe lava rocks.

Shifts in carbon exports from a Hawaiian watershed under a changing climate

PI: Tracy Wiegner, Professor of Marine Science, UH Hilo
Graduate Scholar: Walter Boger, TCBES, UH Hilo
Co-PIs: Steven Colbert, Assistant Professor of Marine Science, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2022

Two students stand recording data at the water’s edge near a black rocky outcropping, while another student walks up the sand.

Predicting sea level rise impacts to coastal wastewater infrastructure and water quality

PI: Tracy Wiegner, Professor of Marine Sciences, UH Hilo
MCC Graduate Scholar: Ihilani Kamau, TCBES, UH Hilo
Co-Is: Steven Colbert, Associate Professor of Marine Sciences, UH Hilo; Ryan Perroy, Professor of Geography, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2022

Map of the Hawaiian Island chain is colored in bands, illustrating the strong variability of temperatures around and across the islands

Making regional climate model outputs more accessible to diverse user community

PI: Tom Giambelluca, Professor of Geography, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Co-I: Oliver Elison Timm, Research Assoc. Professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Science, University of Albany
Funded: FY2021

Six students smile from within zoom boxes

2021 SURF Projects

Six students completed projects in climate adaptation science for the 2021 SURF program, investigating stream flow quality and variability, coastal erosion, fish thermal tolerance, fishpond phytoplankton distribution, and reef microplastics.

Open forest view of taller trees and lower ferns

Machine learning approaches to improve projections of future climate in Hawai‘i

PI: Tom Giambelluca, Professor of Geography, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Yusuke Hatanaka, Department of Computer and Data Science, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2020

Analyzing future precipitation extremes for resource management planning

PI: Rick Lader, Research Associate, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Co-Is: Abby Frazier, Assistant Professor of Geography, Clark University; Thomas Giambelluca, Professor of Geography, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2020

Spume-capped waves crash against a low black basalt rock shoreline

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

Underwater scene of colorful corals and fish

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

View down a white sandy beach overhung with palms, being lapped by sparkling waters with steep green mountains further along the coast

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

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