Meet Our Team!
Staff
Dr. Ania WieczorekDirector of the GENE-ius Day Program
Professor Wieczorek’s work in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has two areas of focus, administering science education to the public and working in her Molecular Ecology Lab. Dr. Ania created the GENE-ius Day program in 2008.
Kristin MatsumotoJunior Specialist
Kristin has been with program since 2015. She develops the curriculum for the middle and high school program and is an instructor for these classes. She has received her M.S. in Zoology and Secondary Education Teaching Certificate in science from UH Mānoa.
Robyn ScreenPh.D Student in Zoology
Robyn’s research focuses on urban ecology and invasion ecology. She is studying behavioral and physiological characteristics that may be allowing the brown anole (Anolis sagrei) to thrive in urban environments in Hawaii.
Robyn is an instructor for the Saturday GENE-iuses classes. She oversees the grades 1-6 program and builds curriculum for the high shool classes.
Instructors
Jessie Radovich
This year, Jessie has joined our awesome team of instructors; however, she has been with the program as a graphic artist since 2008. Jessie provides design expertise and creative input for many of our outreach materials. She also designs all of the PowerPoint presentations that you see in class.
Robyn ScreenPh.D Student in Zoology
Robyn’s research focuses on urban ecology and invasion ecology. She is studying behavioral and physiological characteristics that may be allowing the brown anole (Anolis sagrei) to thrive in urban environments in Hawaii.
Robyn is an instructor for the Saturday GENE-iuses classes. She oversees the grades 1-6 program and builds curriculum for the high shool classes.
Sean CanfieldPh.D. Candidate in Zoology
Sean studies shark genetics and evolution, specializing in population genetics and phylogenetics. He examines evolutionary relationships between closely related species to figure out how and why species are distributed the way they are, and looks at fine-scale population genetic structure to figure out how far - and how often - sharks migrate from place to place.
Sean is an instructor for the grades 1-3 Saturday GENE-iuses classes.
Garrinn PereiraM.S. Candidate in Food Science
Garrinn is an instructor for the Saturday Gene-iuses Program.
Alexis R. KerverMasters Candidate, Environmental Policy and Economics
Aleixs is an instructor for the grades 4-6 and grade 7 Saturday GENE-iuses classes.
Undergraduate Assistants
Rachel Beth MaglayUndergraduate in Psychology
Rachel plans on obtaining her bachelors degree in psychology. In the future, she plans to go back to school to go for her Master’s in Clinical Psychology. She aspires to work as a psychologist.
Mia HaffUndergraduate in Food Science
Mia is currently pursuing her Bachelors in food science and human nutrition. She hopes to obtain a masters in dietetics and work in a hospital as a clinical dietician.
Justine JumalonUndergraduate Student
Justine is currently pursuing her Bachelorʻs in Elementary Education. She is a part of the Ka Malu o Kaiona Elementary Education Program cohort that is based on the Waiʻanae Coast. After graduation, Justine plans to teach for a few years, then go back for her Master's in Educational Administration.
High School Interns
Royce Daniel IlagaWaipahu High School (Class of 2021)
Emma ChunHigh Shcool Student
Danica Reigne IllagaWaipahu High School (Class of 2022)
