5 December • From Nature to Robots and Back: Designing with Collective Embodied Intelligence by Dr. Kirstin Petersen, Associate Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University. Location: Zoom.
From Nature to Robots and Back: Designing with Collective Embodied Intelligence
Speaker: Dr. Kirstin Petersen
Emerging challenges in environmental monitoring and restoration demand technologies that are not only effective, but also robust, field-deployable, and easily customized by users in response to changing conditions. Yet many state-of-the-art robotic systems rely on high-end computation, dense sensing, and advanced AI—tools that can be difficult to maintain, scale, or change in remote, harsh, or resource-limited field settings. To create low-cost systems capable of reliable long-term operation, we need to broaden our design paradigm. One promising direction is collective embodied intelligence, which draws inspiration from natural swarms and their ability to function in complex, dynamic environments. Such collectives achieve remarkable scalability and resilience not through sophisticated individuals, but through the interplay of simple agents, their morphology, their physical interactions, and the structures they create within their surroundings. In this talk, Dr. Petersen will show how these principles can expand the performance and adaptability of robotic systems. Examples will include soft and amorphous robot swarms, automation in construction and digital agriculture, and fluid-coupled micro-robots. She will close with their newest project on cooperative robots for microplastic removal, with the hope of finding new collaborators at UH Mānoa.
14 November • Advancing Soft Robotics for New Environmental Applications by Dr. Tianlu Wang, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Location: Zoom.
Advancing Soft Robotics for New Environmental Applications
Speaker: Dr. Tianlu Wang
Soft robotics represent a rapidly advancing field, in which machines are constructed from flexible, compliant materials that allow safer, more adaptive interactions with living systems and the environment. In this seminar, Dr. Wang will present recent progress in the design, fabrication, modeling, and control of bio-inspired soft robots, drawing inspiration from animals, including larval fish, jellyfish, and inchworms. These advances enable novel modes of movement and functions in environments that are difficult for conventional robots to reach. He will then highlight potential applications in environmental monitoring, sample collection, and remediation, particularly in remote or hazardous settings where human access is limited. Finally, Dr. Wang will outline remaining challenges and emerging opportunities that may define the next phase of soft robotics research for environmental applications.
27 October (3–4 p.m. HST) • Contaminants in Island Waters: From Fate to Solutions by Dr. Nicole Dennis, Environmental Toxicologist. Location: Kuykendall Hall Room 201 and Zoom.
Contaminants in Island Waters: From Fate to Solutions
Speaker: Dr. Nicole Dennis
Island communities face intertwined water challenges, from cesspools and urban runoff to wildfire debris and wastewater reuse, that deliver complex mixtures of contaminants to groundwater, streams, reefs, and seafood. In this seminar, faculty candidate Dr. Nicole Dennis presents an integrated aquatic toxicology program tailored to Hawai‘i. Focus Area 1 maps contaminant occurrence, dynamics, and bioaccumulation patterns across ridge-to-reef systems using active/passive sampling, sentinel species, and predictive fate models. Focus Area 2 uncovers what contaminants do once in the system, pairing chronic, sub-lethal bioassays (native fish, coral larvae, microbial communities) with mechanistic tools and advanced mixture modeling to predict interactive effects. Focus Area 3 turns science into impact, co-developing adaptive monitoring and decision-support frameworks with communities to guide wastewater reuse, post-disaster response, and reef protection. Together, these focus areas build a pipeline from foundational chemistry to biological effect to applied solutions, advancing policy-relevant science, training interdisciplinary scholars, and strengthening resilience for Hawai‘i’s ecosystems and communities.
23 October (3–4 p.m. HST) • Microbial Pathways Toward Applied Environmental Toxicology: Understanding and Mitigating Emerging Contaminants by Dr. Weila Li, Environmental Toxicologist at the Hawai‘i State Department of Health. Location: Kuykendall Hall Room 201 and Zoom.
Microbial Pathways Toward Applied Environmental Toxicology: Understanding and Mitigating Emerging Contaminants
Speaker: Dr. Weila Li
Protecting Hawai‘i’s unique aquatic ecosystems from emerging contaminants is a central goal of aquatic toxicology. This seminar explores how microorganisms serve as essential partners in assessing contaminant fate, transformation, and toxicity in water and soil systems. Drawing from studies on heavy metals, military pollutants, and PFAS, Dr. Li will discuss how microbial physiology and metabolism influence the persistence and mobility of these pollutants across environmental interfaces. Her work examines microbial strategies for detoxification, including enzymatic pathways and electron transfer mechanisms that drive contaminant degradation. Dr. Li also explores how natural materials, such as redox-active black carbon, can synergize with microbes to enhance remediation and restore ecosystem function. By integrating microbial biochemistry with environmental engineering approaches, this talk bridges fundamental microbial ecology with applied environmental toxicology. Ultimately, understanding these microbial processes provides a framework for developing predictive tools and sustainable, nature-inspired solutions to protect water quality, strengthen ecosystem resilience, and safeguard human health.
20 October (3–4 p.m. HST) • From Micro- and Nanoplastics to Predictive Aquatic Toxicology: Unraveling the Sources and Impacts of Emerging Contaminants in a Changing World by Dr. Tong Yang, Postdoctoral Researcher at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Location: Kuykendall Hall Room 201 and Zoom.
From Micro- and Nanoplastics to Predictive Aquatic Toxicology: Unraveling the Sources and Impacts of Emerging Contaminants in a Changing World
Speaker: Dr. Tong Yang
Emerging contaminants, such as micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), have become ubiquitous in aquatic environments, posing growing concerns for ecosystem and human health. Yet, major knowledge gaps remain regarding their sources, formation mechanisms, and toxicological effects. This seminar will present an integrative research framework that combines experimental analysis, modeling, and data-driven approaches to illuminate the sources, release mechanisms, and biological impacts of MNPs. Drawing on case studies from synthetic textiles, Dr. Yang will demonstrate how microplastic fibers and nanoplastics are generated during daily uses, revealing previously unrecognized oligomer particles that blur the boundary between dissolved organic matter and nanoplastics. He will also highlight how probabilistic risk assessment and machine learning can bridge data gaps and improve the prediction of ecological risks for MNPs and other emerging contaminants, such as PFAS. Looking ahead, Dr. Yang will outline a vision for a predictive aquatic toxicology platform that integrates omics-based biomarkers, computational modeling, and community-engaged monitoring to address contaminant challenges unique to Hawai‘i’s ecosystems. This interdisciplinary approach aims to advance mechanistic understanding, inform water-quality policy, and strengthen the resilience of island environments in the face of global change.
3 October • Marine Debris and Microplastics Prevention and Management: Exploring the Challenges and Solutions by Dr. Zhong Pan, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of China. Location: Zoom.
Marine Debris and Microplastics Prevention and Management: Exploring the Challenges and Solutions
Speaker: Dr. Zhong Pan
Marine debris and microplastics have emerged as a critical global environmental pressor, threatening marine ecosystems, fisheries, coastal livelihoods, and human health. Their persistence, mobility, and interactions with chemical pollutants complicate both assessment and management. This talk explores current knowledge on sources, distribution, and ecological risks of marine debris and microplastics, with a focus on challenges that hinder effective prevention and control—such as transboundary transport, gaps in monitoring standards, and the limitations of existing waste management systems. A case study from Xiamen, China, a typical coastal environment, highlights how human activities, geomorphology, and hydrodynamics influence pollution levels. Building on these insights, the presentation evaluates potential solutions, ranging from upstream interventions in plastic production and circular economy strategies, to downstream approaches like advanced wastewater treatment, policy frameworks, and community-based initiatives. The goal is to provide a comprehensive perspective on bridging science, policy, and practice in tackling marine debris and microplastics, ultimately promoting resilient coastal ecosystems and sustainable ocean governance.
19 September • How Does Holocene Climate Change Impact the Availability of Freshwater in Arid Regions? by Dr. Xiaolang Zhang, Florida Atlantic University. Location: Zoom.
How Does Holocene Climate Change Impact the Availability of Freshwater in Arid Regions?
Speaker: Dr. Xiaolang Zhang
Groundwater plays a vital role in sustaining fragile water resources and ecosystems, particularly in arid landscapes. A striking example is found in the Badain Jaran Desert of northern China, the nation’s second-largest desert, which spans about 52,000 square kilometers and is renowned for hosting the world’s tallest sand dunes, alongside more than a hundred scattered saline lakes. All of these lakes are groundwater-fed, forming a tightly connected system in both quantity and quality. A high-resolution three-dimensional model was used to reconstruct the evolution of the desert’s lakes and aquifers over the past 30,000 years. The simulations indicate that lake areas expanded and contracted over time, reaching their maximum extent about 7,300 years ago. As some lakes became increasingly saline, brackish water gradually infiltrated into the subsurface, driving the long-term salinization of underlying aquifers. These findings highlight the coevolution of desert lakes and groundwater systems, offering important insights into the resilience and vulnerability of water resources in arid environments worldwide.