A cohort from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) was recognized out of 16 schools by the Western Extension Directors Association (WEDA) and agInnovation-West for leadership in education, research, and Cooperative extension.
“At CTAHR, we are building a movement rooted in collaborative innovation,” said CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal. “These honors reflect our commitment to bringing out the best in our students and faculty as they lead the way in creating solutions that support families and communities, food producers, and the natural environment.”
WEDA presented its Award of Excellence in Programming for a Team to the Organic Sweetpotato Integrated Pest Management and Soil Health Management Team. Led by Koon-Hui Wang of the Department of Plant & Environmental Protection Sciences, the Hawaiʻi team includes Amjad Ahmad, Thao Le and Brent Sipes, along with collaborators from Auburn University’s College of Agriculture.
The combined team has secured more than $1 million in competitive funding and developed tools for pest management and soil health, on-farm research trials, and educational resources that strengthen organic farming systems.
The 2026 Excellence in Agricultural Research Innovation Award – Lifetime was presented to Professor Rachel Novotny of CTAHR’s Department of Human Nutrition, Food & Animal Science.
Novotny has dedicated her career to building scientific evidence and policies to improve the nutrition of underserved communities throughout Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Her signature achievement is establishing the college’s Children’s Healthy Living Center in 2011. This initiative has played a major role in helping thousands of children and families lead healthier, more active lives.
The Western region’s land-grant network awarded the 2026 Western Region New Teaching Award to Professor Andy Reilly.
Reilly is a professor in CTAHR‘s Fashion Design and Merchandising program whose academic research explores the historic and cultural aspects of the fashion industry in Hawaiʻi. He has authored seven books and 40 academic papers, and is now writing a comprehensive book on fashion in Hawaiʻi.
The awards were presented at the 2026 Western Region Joint Summer Meeting, hosted by CTAHR in Hilo, from June 22 to 25.
