Our work starts in Hawaiʻi’s forests and with the communities who care for them. We ask questions about how species interact, how ecosystems change, and what the future of our ʻāina might look like as it faces biological invasions, emerging forest pathogens, and climate change. Some of our work focuses on ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), a tree central to Hawaiian forests and culture, now threatened by the fungal pathogen causing Rapid Ohia Death (ROD). Other projects look at how invasive plants and animals can potentially rearrange entire ecosystems. To study these changes, we use molecular ecology — fieldwork and lab work aimed at sequencing whole communities, using traditional entomology sampling or environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling techniques. These methods can describe the community context of anthropogenic changes happening rapidly and drastically right under our noses! We are also very interested in population genetics — getting at the demography and specific genes involved in adaptation to new environments — both for our endemic taxa and invasive species.

The deeper questions that drive our work are: What makes an ecosystem resilient? What do we lose when species disappear—or arrive uninvited? How can our science help land managers and inform conservation decisions? The ʻElala Lab is built on collaboration and connection. We work closely with community partners, mentor graduate students, and host Pacific Internships for Exploring Science (PIPES) and IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) interns, alongside mainland and international collaborators.Together, we aim to co-create science that is rigorous, responsive, and can bridge both basic and applied questions. By weaving together innovative research, Kanaka ʻŌiwi ways of knowing, and local perspectives, we aim to train future stewards and share knowledge that serves both Hawai‘i and the wider world. Whether your interests lie in invasive species, ecosystem health, or the ties between science and community, you’ll find space here to grow—as a researcher and as a caretaker of Hawai‘i’s biodiversity.