The Botany section within the School of Life Sciences at UH Mānoa showcases active research and educational opportunities in Hawaiʻi’s native plant sciences. It highlights faculty involved in tropical botany, conservation biology, ecology, evolution, ethnobotany, and more. Programs span undergraduate majors and graduate MS/PhD degrees, featuring access to the Joseph F. Rock Herbarium, Lyon Arboretum, and laboratories like St. John Plant Science. The emphasis is on Hawaiʻi’s unique flora and supporting place-based, culture-centered study and stewardship.
“Meet-the-Faculty” Research Fair
Students interview or hear from UH Mānoa faculty (e.g., Dr. Ann Sakai on native species breeding or Dr. David Duffy on conservation ecology).
Prepare question panels about topics like pollination, restoration, or seed banking, fostering connection to Hawaiʻi-based research.
Herbarium Sample-to-Garden Workshop
Visit the Rock Herbarium to examine preserved native specimens.
Then walk to Lyon Arboretum to compare with live plant examples. Assign students to sketch both and write notes on morphological adaptation or ethnobotanical use.
Course Path Integration Map
Create a flowchart showing how undergraduate coursework (e.g., BOT 101/201/305) connects to faculty research themes and field-based opportunities at UH.
Graduate Research Poster Series
Use graduate students’ MS/PhD projects as case studies (e.g., tropical ecology, pollinator networks, invasive species).
Students critique posters, draft outreach blurbs, and discuss relevance to Hawaiʻi’s plant conservation.
Seed Banking & Restoration Simulation
Explore Lyon Arboretum’s seed bank work (33 million seeds, including many endemic taxa).
Students simulate collection, storage, and planning for reintroduction of a native species in a restoration scenario.
Tropical and native plant biodiversity in Hawaiʻi
Herbarium-based taxonomy and documentation
Conservation biology, ecological restoration, and seed banking
Pollination ecology, plant breeding systems, and ethnobotany
University-level botany education pathways (BA/BS, MS, PhD)
Integration of place-based research with Pacific cultural values
