Graduation 2008 - University of Hawaii at Hilo

2
Spring issue 7: May 6, 2008
Editor-in-Chief
Joni Fishback
fishback@hawaii.edu
Assistant Editor
Sharisse Buenafe
kalahea.assted@gmail.com
Design and Layout Editor
ryan Kerbs
kerbs@hawaii.edu
UH Hilo News Editor
diveena Marcus
kalahea.uhhnews@gmail.com
HawCC News Editor
Luke Linhoff
llinhoff@hawaii.edu
Arts & Culture Editor
decemeil dixon
kalahea.ac@gmail.com
Sports Editor
Patrick Fleming
kalahea.sports@gmail.com
Faculty Advisor
Patsy iwasaki
piwasaki@hawaii.edu
Staff Writers
Bethany trieb
Contributing Writers
Joelle d’arienzo, Ji Eun Kim
Business/Account Manager
alohi Gronquist
Advertising Manager
Howard Suguitan
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Forward from the Editor
Aloha and welcome to our very last issue of Ke Kalahea. I present
to you our Senior Edition, stock full of profiles of students
graduating this semester from both the University of Hawa`i at
Hilo and Hawai`i Community College.
Added in this edition are a few informative pieces such as the
Becoming Culturally Aware Project and Dr. Binder’s publishing
in a prestigious academic journal regarding his findings on complex
systems.
As the last week of instruction comes to a close and finals quickly
approach, I wish all of you the best of luck. For those who are
As the world turns...
Joelle d’arienzo
Contributing Writer
The circle is an ancient form that has been
known to man since the dawn of civilization.
What is its significance? How can we
imagine the magnitude of its importance?
According to one professor, “Life is cyclic,”
yet she concludes that “it’s a positive circle.”
Roberta Brashear-Kaulfers has really come
full circle. Since her days studying in New
Jersey to her time spent traveling and teaching
throughout the world, she has been one
to note how the world turns.
Kaulfers, conscientious, neat-kept and
dedicated, is currently an instructor of
Biological Science at Hawai`i Community
College in the University of Hawai`i
system. She recently gained her instructor
position, a service that has done her justice
since her history as one of the schools
longest-running lecturers in science. After
12 years, she has finally achieved her deserved
place as a full-time instructor. One
thing that stands out about Kaulfers, besides
her gentile and inviting manner, is her vast
resource of knowledge.
Kaulfers began her academic career in
Upper Montclair, New Jersey at Montclair
State University while majoring in Biology.
Originally, she had planned to go to
Florida State University to major in Marine
Science but was “hijacked into genetics”
by a female professor in the field. After
graduating with Bachelor’s Degrees in Biology
and Chemistry, she continued on to
pursue a Master’s in Tissue Culture. While
developing this knowledge she attended the
Tissue Culture Consortium in Lake Placid,
New York focusing on genetics and tissue
culture. She was fortunate enough to spark
the interest of an instructor in the genetics
department at the University of Hawai`i at
Mânoa. Professor Stuart helped forward
Kaulfers’ rotation into the UH system by
helping her achieve a grant from the National
Science Foundation.
Kaulfers’ exciting scholastic history
doesn’t end there. While studying as a
graduate student she was able to teach in
the summers at the University of Hawai`i
at Mânoa while double-timing for the full
term at the College of Micronesia in Majuro
through the UH system. She later went on
to instruct at Hawai`i Pacific University in
Honolulu. In addition, her experience in
Saipan proved valuable from 1993 to 1995
when she taught high school biology in the
Northern Marianas region . “The people are
wonderful,” she remembers, “The experience
for me was truly amazing.”
A seasoned traveler, Roberta has been to
Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Australia, Bali, the Philippines,
and Palau, just to name a few. However,
she claims her greatest highlight to be
her excursion to Mt. Everest in Nepal. For
the sum of $2,000 an individual is invited to
trek up to the Everest base camp as Kaulfers
has, that is, if they’re not equipped to make
the descent to the peak, which costs $60,000!
“China’s another one of my favorite places.
I’ve been to China four times,” she said.
One of her trips included the attendance of
a Women’s Conference. When asked about
her thoughts regarding the current situation
in China and the recurring problems
with Nepal she simply stated, “It’s a reality
check for China,” the upcoming summer
Olympic games excluded; “This is a good
time for recognition of Tibet… people are
just really angry.”
Just as the world turns, these days of
our lives as American citizens are becoming
increasingly less glamorous. Kaulfers
addresses this issue with expertise, “This
is the reality check; we are consuming
way too much.” She observes that when
you are out of work or non-complacent
in financial terms, “You learn to live with
what you have.”
Kaulfers is a strong advocate of recycling,
“I recycle things to its last life.” When asked
what citizens can do to help the environment
she commented, “There are a lot of
things people can do on their own… I recycle
all of my papers.” She even goes so far
as to use the recycled-paper mulch in her
garden. She also believes that we have an
advantage in Hawai`i with its lush tropical
heat, bountiful water supplies and clean air.
“We live in an area where you could live
sustainably so easily. Theoretically, we could
live from what’s growing in our backyards;
there’s no excuses.”
Kaulfers involvement in the Sierra Club
on both the national and local level has provided
her a stimulating way to experience
the Big Island. When she first moved here
she became acquainted with the landscape
through her work as a hiking leader with
graduating, CONGRATULATIONS and happy wishes on your
future endeavors.
Speaking for the entire staff of Ke Kalahea, it has been our pleasure
to be your voice and serve as an outlet for information.
I would also like to personally thank our staff for their hard
work over this semester and to those who are leaving us at the
end of the month, you will be missed.
Mahalo nui loa and have a great summer,
Sharisse Buenafe, Assistant Editor-in-Chief
PHd Comics www.phdcomics.com
opinion
the Sierra Club. With sustainability becoming
more intensely vital in our developing
world`, Kaulfers recognizes its crucial
significance for the future. She says, “You
know, it’s not for me, I’m too old already,
this is for the future generations.” Catchment
water systems, organic methods of
agriculture, compost recycling, compact
fluorescent light bulbs…what can we do as
children of this earth to make sure the cycle
has turned in a positive light? According to
Kaulfers, “My dream on the Big Island is to
stop development, if not limit it to areas that
are not in conservation districts or contain
native vegetation.” She advocates for more
support of the “2% Bill” recently passed
to allocate funds for protected lands and
recreation facilities. She also would like to
see expanded renewable energy with wind
power and solar energy, “we have those
capabilities.”
For Kaulfers, the circle has really come
around, in late 2004 she married Randy
Kaulfers who, 25 years ago, was her college
sweetheart. She recognizes how coincidental
it is that she is still involved in the same
subject matter that she was 25 years ago.
Trends will come and go and then come
back again. Your mothers blouse from the
70s may still be cool today. For Roberta
Brashear-Kaulfers, Hawai’i should remain
the same “This is a place to enjoy, the Big
Island is a beautiful place.” “Explore, enjoy
and protect;” the motto of the Sierra Club
can give us insight into what’s ahead: to
treasure the precious environment that
human beings should continue to value.
This will keep the revolving door of positive
change open, for if you take care of the
earth, she will take care of you.