Tropical HTIRC Legacy

Achyut is a MS student at the University of Hawai‘i, studying biology of koa reproduction and vegetative propagation, to help overcome koa wilt.

Lilian was an MS student at Purdue University, studying genetic variation in cold tolerance, survival, and growth of high-elevation koa.

Gaoussou completed his Ph.D. at the University of Hawai‘i in 2015, studying seedling nutrition.

Aziz Embrahimi, a post-doctoral fellow at Purdue University, is studying forest-climate interactions, cold tolerance genes in koa, and phylogenomics of Juglans species. His focus lies in landscape genomics, phylogeny, and tree species evolution.

Erin completed her M.S. at the University of Hawai‘i in 2016, studying vegetative propagation.

Faith was Tropical HTIRC project coordinator and Research / Extension Faculty with University of Hawai‘i from 2013-2016.

Bradley completed his M.S. at the University of Hawai‘i in 2016, studying nursery systems. He was then Tropical HTIRC project coordinator and propagation specialist until 2018.

Oriana completed her M.S. at Purdue University of Hawai‘i in 2014, studying tree improvement. She was a Tropical HTIRC research associate and University of Hawai‘i Junior Extension Agent until 2016.

Shaneka is a Research Plant Physiologist with the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, studying genetic variation among koa populations and genes regulating the formation of figured wood.

Bob was a Tropical HTIRC senior advisor from 2010-2017.

Charles was a USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Project Leader and the first Tropical HTIRC director.

Quinn Moon is a senior Global Environmental Science and biology student at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. For the past few years, he has helped on a number of research projects including the early establishment of ‘iliahi with endemic host species and studying the symbiotic nutrient transfer between koa and ‘iliahi. In 2022, Quinn traveled to Hawai‘i Island to assist Emily Thyroff in both greenhouse and field experiments. Quinn is planning to begin a PhD studying the ecology and evolution of plant-fungal interactions.

Juan was a visiting professor with Tropical HTIRC during 2014-2015, studying ecophysiology of forest restoration. He is a Professor at the Technological University of Madrid, Spain.

Indira is a post-doctoral scientist at Purdue University, studying adaptiveness of koa populations to resource availability.

Kyle completed his Ph.D. at Purdue University in 2017, studying the adaptive role of heteroblasty in koa.

Kylle Roy is a PhD candidate at Purdue University in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. Kylle is studying the chemical ecology of beetles, fungi, and ʻōhiʻa trees in association with Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD).

Anna was a post-doctoral scientist at Purdue University, studying use of intraspecific variation to predict seedling performance in koa.

Emily Thyroff is a a post-doctoral fellow at Purdue University, studying tropical dry forest restoration with regeneration of endemic Santalum species, known as ‘iliahi or Hawaiian sandalwood.

Adel is a post-doctoral scientist at the University of Hawai‘i, studying clonal propagation of koa.