Nelda Quensell is an associate professor of botany at Kapi‘olani Community College. Her classes transcend theory and lecture as they are conducted not only in the lab but out in the real world. Her students can be found gathering samples anywhere from Queen’s Beach to Ka‘ena Point to Mt. Ka‘ala. Whether it’s cleaning up a shoreline or working in a taro lo‘i or planting limu in Ewa Beach, Quensell’s students receive a valuable hands-on experience that incites lifelong learning.

Quensell is dedicated to bringing her students an understanding of the delicate balance that exists in Hawai‘i’s unique natural ecosystems. Through her instruction and by example, Quensell instills a sense of ecological responsibility and urgency in her students. They come away from her classes with the important understanding of interdependence between species and environment.

This technologically savvy instructor consistently strives to improve her professional development by participating in various activities such as the biotechnology workshop at Leeward CC, a fellowship at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua‘i and the annual Excellence in Teaching Colloquia, which she hasn't missed since its inception. For more than a decade, she has been designated the bilingual advisor for students of Filipino ancestry on campus.