A pair of marine science majors at the University of Hawaii (UH) Hilo are the recipients of $1,000 each to continue their work on ocean conservation efforts.
According to the university's website, Kara Murphy and Cecelia Rudo received Ocean Conservation Awards, which are funded from a donation made by the Global High Seas Marine Preserve and managed by the UH Foundation. Lisa Parr, an instructor of marine science and chair of the Marine Option Program at UH Hilo, serves as a mentor to the students.
“Kara and Cecelia are excellent marine science students who both have the drive to contribute to ocean conservation with projects that benefit the community and engage with local students,” Parr said, according to the UH website.
Murphy, a freshman, will focus on educating the public about the impacts of non-compostable plastics on marine life. She will oversee the creation of community outreach and a media campaign to increase awareness of the problem.
“The non-compostability of plastic is a growing problem in Hawaii and globally, and the Big Island has no effective recycling program,” Murphy told the university's website. “From the ingestion and entanglement of wildlife to the spread of coral disease, plastic pollution is having devastating effects on the marine environment. Working with a group of local high school students, I will oversee the creation of a media campaign and community outreach program to increase awareness and work towards reduction of plastic usage in the Hilo community, and to get local students involved in marine conservation."
Rudo, a senior, will look into ways to grow community-based coral reef conservation in East Hawaii. For this project, she will team up with Eyes of the Reef (EOR) Hawaii. Lindsey Kramer, a conservationist with the organization, is serving as a mentor during the project.
“The goal of the EOR UH team will be to have students trained in identifying coral species, diseases, coral bleaching and invasive species affecting coral,” Rudo said, according to the UH website. “I plan on expanding the EOR team outside of the college into the local community and holding training seminars at local schools. EOR allows community members to be engaged and educated about the reefs around them, and my project will bring this resource to the community.”
Murphy and Rudo are among 10 recipients from the University of Hawaii’s campus system, which includes 10 campuses statewide. Each of the recipients will be paired with a faculty mentor who is an expert on ocean conservation issues. The projects will be completed during the current academic year.