The Hawaiian Islands, with their extraordinary landscape variation, are one of the best places in the world to research and teach environmental science, and this Career Development Plan will take full advantage of this strategic location. Hawaiian forests that are low in nutrients will be studied to determine the mechanisms by which plants respond differently to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization, and what the consequences may be of these differences for overcoming nutrient limitations to forest productivity. The education component of the award will address the tremendous environmental interest in the local student population, but also the incomplete understanding that this interest can lead to a viable career. Undergraduate students will assist in the development of environmental career resources, including a website on environmental opportunities in Hawaii and a series of workshops led by faculty, resource managers, and students. The broader impacts focus on capacity building at this minority-serving institution, with the aim to inform students about the culture of career development.
