UH Hilo Students Win Big at Marine Option Program Symposium

Students from the University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH Hilo) walked away with a number of prestigious awards at the 19th Annual Marine Option Program Student Symposium that was held recently at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa campus.

Each year students from Marine Option Program campuses throughout the UH system compete for awards based on formal presentations of their projects. This year‘s competition featured students and faculty from UH Manoa, UH Hilo, and UH West Oʻahu, along with Honolulu, Leeward, Windward, Maui and Kauaʻi Community Colleges.

Darla White was UH Hilo‘s big winner, capturing two awards including the Anna Toy Ng Memorial Scholarship for ocean stewardship, marine scholarship, participation and involvement in the Marine Option Program. White also finished in a two-way tie with fellow UH Hilo student Cynthia Oppenheimer in the competition for Best Research Paper. The shared award maintained a tradition for UH Hilo, which has won the Best Research Paper award each year dating back to 1989. UH Hilo‘s other winner was Anne Ghiulamila, who captured the PACON International Award, given for a project with a Pacific focus using technology to benefit mankind.

"We‘re understandably proud of these students, whose hard work and dedication has earned them well-deserved recognition," said Dr. Walter Dudley, professor of marine geology and oceanography. "We also salute the efforts of faculty advisors Marta deMaintenon, Mike Parsons and Karla McDermid, along with John Coney, who helped the students put together their Power Point presentations."