RCUH honors 20 employees for impactful research, leadership

October 31, 2023
UH News

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group of people holding a certificate — Nahua Guilloz (CMS Director of Stewardship) with Maunakea Rangers Tommy Waltjen, Oscar Pouoa, Mark Ellis, Robert Madrigal and UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin

The Research Corporation of the University of Hawaiʻi (RCUH) has recognized 20 exemplary employees for their contributions and impact to research at UH conducted on Oʻahu, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island.

The awards were based on the following categories:

Initiative, leadership and resourcefulness in carrying out their achievements
Impact of their achievements on the project, professional field and/or larger community
Other variables such as the significance or quality of their achievements
Each individual received a certificate and cash award. First-place awardees received $1,000 (shared equally by team members), while second-place awardees received $500 (shared equally by team members).

Team Category

First place (tie): Center for Maunakea Stewardship, UH Hilo (Mark Ellis, Robert Madrigal, Oscar Poua, Tommy Waltjen)
Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) (Corinne Amir, Jonny Charendoff, Mia Lamirand, Frances Lichowski
Second Place: Ola HAWAII, UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (Grace Matsuura, Kimberley Spencer-Tolentino, JoAnn Tsark)
Honorable Mention: Applied Research Laboratory, UH Maui (Yvette Gurule, Gerry Smith, Kelly Suzuki Payba, Lynette Yamamoto)

Project Support Staff category

First place: Upward Bound, UH Maui College (Jennifer Benitez)

Researcher/Project Manager category

First place: Hawaiʻi Wildlife Ecology Lab, UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (Derek Risch)
Second place: Sea Level Center, UH Mānoa SOEST (Matthew Widlansky)
Honorable Mention: Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Russell Kackley)
Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory, UH Mānoa SOEST (Natalie Wallsgrove)

The awards were presented at a luncheon event on October 24. A selection committee comprised of Peter Adler, Sarah Guay and Taryn Salmon selected the awardees. For more information, visit RCUH’s website.