Welcome Justin, Jenna, and Kai!

I am excited to welcome three new students who will be working on unlocking the mysteries of plant ecophysiology and evolution with me this summer. Mahalo to awards from UROP and NSF for supporting research experiences for undergraduates.

Justin Alter

Justin Alter will be joining us this summer all the way from Fall City, Washington. Justin is a senior at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As a Biology major, he is passionate about all aspects of life. He is particularly excited to use his background in phycology and virology to assist in using microscopy to study plant anatomy. Justin will be focusing his project on the size, density, and distribution of stomata in wild tomato species. In the future, he hopes to spread awareness regarding the importance of phytoplankton in micro and global environments.

Jenna Matsuyama

Jenna is a student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa who will be working on the adaptive significance of stomata distribution on leaves this summer. Her project will use light and transmission electron microscopy to study internal leaf anatomy in wild tomatoes. Jenna is currently starting her second year of college as a Botany major in the University’s College of Natural Life Sciences. Curious about plants and gardening at a young age, she decided to pursue botany as a chance to continue the growth of knowledge and answers she wishes to acquire. In her free time she loves to go out to the beach and read books from her favorite author, Jane Austen. She, of course, is a plant mom and spends her time taking care of her plants as well.

Kai Yasuda

Kai is a fourth year biology major, and a pre-med student with aspirations to practice medicine here in Hawaiʻi. This summer, he will be working as a research intern measuring photosynthetic rate and leaf venation. He plans to use the skills he learns from this experience to help with future research in medical school and beyond.