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Home West O‘ahu Happenings Wildfires in Hawaiʻi topic of next Math + Science + X Seminar

Wildfires in Hawaiʻi topic of next Math + Science + X Seminar

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Image courtesy of Guduru Ajay Bhargav from Pexels

Learn about Hawaiʻi wildfires and the need for wildland fire professionals at the next Math + Science + X Seminar, “The Scientific and Related Operational Challenges of Managing Wildfires in Hawaiʻi,” 10 to 11 a.m. on Friday, March 11, via Zoom.

The presentation features Dr. Francis Fujioka, who retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. Fujioka was project leader of the Fire Meteorology Research with the Riverside Fire Lab in Riverside, Calif.

According to an event description, people-caused wildfires are not a new problem for Hawaiʻi. The state requested technical assistance for wildfire management from the USDA Forest Service more than 50 years ago.

Attendees will sit in on a brief history of the fire science that unfolded during Fujioka’s personal involvement in this work from the 1970s through 2010 in service of state, federal, and local fire management.

After attending public schools in ʻEwa, Waipahu, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Fujioka’s only preparation for a career in fire meteorology research was an abiding interest in science and math. Educational opportunities in the field are still limited, but climate change is exacerbating the wildfire problem globally, which will press the need for wildland fire professionals schooled in subject areas encompassing physical, biological, data, and social sciences.

Math + Science + X seminars help Mathematics, Natural, and Health Sciences faculty at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu promote fascinating, interesting, and current topics that are happening in STEM. STEM community members around the island, mainland, and within the university are invited to give presentations. Each seminar is geared to introduce UH West Oʻahu undergraduates, faculty, staff, and interested community members to a variety of research and career development or opportunities.

Click here to register for “The Scientific and Related Operational Challenges of Managing Wildfires in Hawai’i.” Zoom meeting ID is 920 1538 4200 and passcode is MSX2022. For more information, email ogeorge@hawaii.edu.

Image courtesy of Guduru Ajay Bhargav from Pexels