Two University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate students, Victoria Assad and Syrena Whitner, were selected as this year’s Denise B. Evans Fellows. These awards support outstanding graduate students in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) who are chosen based on publications, presentations, research endeavors, and potential impact in their future careers.
Victoria Assad
Assad, an oceanography doctoral student with mentor Jeff Drazen, focuses her research on small fish, squid, crustaceans in the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone, specifically in an area that has been allocated for deep-sea mining. The aim of this research is to understand what organisms live in these communities, how they affect carbon sinking to the deep sea, and their life histories in order to understand both their resiliency and the impact that deep-sea mining may have on these communities and their environment.
“Being recognized by SOEST for my work is affirming as a scientist and oceanographer,” said Assad. “This fellowship will also allow me to focus-in on my research as I am coming closer to the end of my PhD and free up my time so I can get my work published and out to the public!”
Syrena Whitner
Whitner, a doctoral student in the Marine Biology Graduate Program with mentor Anthony Amend, is focused on understanding the ecological roles of marine fungi in oceanic carbon cycling. Her research also seeks to investigate the co-evolution of fungi and their associated viral symbionts, specifically how these viruses influence fungal host physiology and their capacity to engage in carbon processing.
“I am so grateful to have been selected as one of the recipients for this year, as this fellowship not only enables me to focus entirely on my research for my final year, but also supports the notion that marine fungi merit legitimate consideration in regard to global oceanic processes,” Whitner said.
A gift in 2013 established the Denise B. Evans Fellowship in Oceanographic Research at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) in SOEST. Each award is made in the amount of approximately $30,000 per year.
“As usual, the selection committee had a tough task ahead of them,” said Rob Wright, HIGP director. “We have excellent graduate students in SOEST and the quality of the proposals they submit is always high. But selecting the best of the best is a nice problem to have. Syrena and Victoria are doing fantastic work, and I am happy that the support provided by this fellowship will help them to continue.”
–By Marcie Grabowski
