The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) awarded Early Career Research Fellowships to three outstanding scholars: Sara Kahanamoku-Meyer, Camille Pagniello and Christopher Wall.
Sara Kahanamoku-Meyer
Kahanamoku-Meyer, a specialist in place-based, ʻŌiwi-led paleoecology, uses paleoecology, applied through a kanaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiian) lens, to study the impacts of climate change and colonialism on Pacific marine ecosystems.
“This fellowship will allow me to bring conservation paleobiology—a relatively new focus for Hawaiʻi—back to my home community after over a decade living on the continent,” said Kahanamoku-Meyer. “I am particularly excited to be in SOEST, as its faculty, staff, and students all hold a wealth of place-based and interdisciplinary expertise and understand the value of doing research that supports the communities of Hawaiʻi.”
Camille Pagniello
Pagniello’s research lies at the intersection of oceanography, engineering, data science and marine biology with a focus on developing new tools and approaches to study fish movement, communication and biodiversity in our changing ocean.
“I will be utilizing data science techniques to extract novel information about the ocean from existing data streams and developing new instrumentation platforms to expand the existing ocean observing network,” said Pagniello. “This will provide an ideal environment for conducting impactful research at the forefront of oceanography and to harness the power of low-cost sensors to address interdisciplinary, sustainability-relevant questions.”
Christopher Wall
Wall is a physiological ecologist whose research has focused on coral reefs, wetlands, forests and alpine lakes. Wall uses stable isotopes and molecular techniques to study symbioses, food webs and microbiomes.
“I will be applying cutting-edge molecular tools to understand the interactions between reef corals and macroalgae in the Main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands,” said Wall. “This fellowship represents a unique opportunity for me to return to Hawaiʻi where I can pursue my passions for coral reef research, student mentorship, and community engagement.”
“After a decade of silence, the SOEST Early Career Research Fellowship has come roaring back to life with our selection of three early career scholars,” said Chip Fletcher, SOEST interim dean. “Our goal is to attract and support stellar talent who are hired as faculty and provided with the authority to write grants and develop prominent research programs. We couldn’t be more pleased with the selection of Sara, Camille, and Chris as our new SOEST Fellows and are looking forward to promoting their future success.”
