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HAWAIʻI
UNGULATES
Meet Our Team!
Derek Risch
Research Coordinator and Wildlife Ecologist
Derek is a wildlife ecologist with expertise in quantitative methods including ecological modeling, spatial prioritization, and GIS analysis for conservation and land management. He received his Master’s Degree from the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Ecology Lab in 2019. His current research centers on the ecology and management of invasive mammals in Hawaiʻi, with an emphasis on understanding how environmental and human-driven factors shape their distribution and impacts. Derek’s work supports the development of science-based strategies to mitigate ecological damage, protect native ecosystems, and inform sustainable ungulate management across the islands.
Dr. Melissa Price
Lead Principle Investigator
Melissa is a conservation biologist and professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She is dedicated to protecting endangered species and restoring ecological balance across the Hawaiian Islands. With a passion for collaborative research, she founded the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Ecology Lab, focused on understanding how management actions influence conservation outcomes. Her work is co-developed with land managers and local communities, ensuring that science is grounded in real-world needs and supports place-based solutions. Melissa is committed to help shift Hawaiʻi from the "Extinction Capital of the World" to the "Recovery Capital of the World".
Wade Naguwa
Graduate Student
Wade is a graduate student who originally started as an intern in the lab as a freshman in undergrad. Being born and raised in Hawaiʻi, he has always had a keen sense of pride and responsibility toward the natural resources in our environment. He is pursuing a Master’s degree to expand his knowledge of local ecosystems and contribute to efforts that protect and restore them for future generations. Wade has worked on multiple research projects in the lab as an intern in the past, gaining valuable field and data experience, but he will be focusing his time in grad school on studying axis deer movement on Maui to support improved management strategies.
Lauren Katayama
Graduate Student
Lauren was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu and has always had a deep connection to Hawaiʻi’s natural environment. She earned her B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Management from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is currently pursuing her M.S. in the same program. Lauren brings research experience from work with native Hawaiian waterbirds and kāhuli (native snails), and now focuses on invasive ungulates. Her graduate research investigates the impacts of species such as feral pigs, mouflon sheep, and axis deer on ranchlands across Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, with the goal of informing more effective and locally relevant management strategies.
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