Hawaiʻi Student’s Coconut Fungi Research Offers Hope for Cleaner Oceans
A Honolulu high school senior has earned statewide recognition for an inventive project that could help remove plastic and sunscreen pollution from the ocean.
Vera Wang of Kaiser High School received multiple honors at the 2026 Hawaiʻi State Science & Engineering Fair, including first place in the Microbiology category and a scholarship from the McInerny Foundation. Her achievement also qualified her for the International Science & Engineering Fair in Arizona.
Working in Anthony Amend’s laboratory at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Wang discovered that fungi living naturally in coconut husks may be capable of breaking down plastics and sunscreen. Genetic testing suggested that some of the fungi might even belong to previously uncharacterized species.
The promising research grew from an idea Wang began developing during her sophomore year. Inspired by traditional Polynesian weaving and modern environmental science, she designed an ocean filter that could collect sunscreen and microplastics from surface water. The sustainable filter was made entirely from discarded coconut material.
After finding an effective way to capture the pollutants, Wang began considering the next important step: disposing of them responsibly.
“I learned that the pore structure of coconut fiber supports the movement of air and water, which can create a favorable environment for microbes,” Wang said. “That led me to wonder whether coconut husk could do more than physically capture pollutants. So this year, my research at the Amend Lab began exploring the fungal communities living in coconut husks and studying their growth and degradation abilities on sunscreen and plastic media.”
Her experiments showed that fungi found on coconut husks can biodegrade sunscreen and plastic. The research also indicated that a tannin compound could help identify fungi with these useful abilities. Tannins naturally present in coconut fibers may be helping the complex degraders grow.
Wang conducted the research with support from Amend and Kaylee Christensen, a graduate student in the Marine Biology Graduate Program.
“I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to pursue my project in the Amend Lab,” Wang said.
“My research would have never, ever, been possible without Anthony and Kaylee. This project has been part of a much longer journey, so having it recognized feels both surreal and deeply rewarding.”
Her mentors are equally delighted by what her creativity, persistence and care for the environment have accomplished.
“This work was made possible because of Vera’s vision, and it gives me such optimism about the future of science in Hawaiʻi,” said Amend, who works at the Pacific Biosciences Research Center within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.
“Her success is a testament to our public school system which is doing a wonderful job supporting and training our next generation of students. I can’t wait to see what discoveries she makes in college.”
By combining traditional inspiration, sustainable materials and thoughtful scientific investigation, Wang has created a project filled with promise—for Hawaiʻi’s young scientists and for cleaner oceans around the world.
