UH Mānoa’s C-MORE Hale marks 15 years of world-class ocean science – University of Hawaii System

Report on the 15th Anniversary of the Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) Hale

Introduction: A Nexus for Sustainable Development

On its 15th anniversary, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) Hale is recognized for its significant contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The facility serves as a global hub for research critical to SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), while its physical infrastructure exemplifies SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Sustainable Infrastructure and Global Partnerships

A Model for Sustainable Infrastructure (SDG 9 & SDG 6)

C-MORE Hale stands as a benchmark for sustainable scientific infrastructure. In 2012, it became the first research laboratory in Hawaiʻi to achieve LEED Platinum certification, demonstrating a profound commitment to environmental stewardship. Its design and operational features directly support key SDG targets:

• Energy Efficiency: The facility incorporates advanced energy-efficient systems and smart lighting controls, reducing its carbon footprint and aligning with goals for sustainable industrialization.
• Water Conservation: Through low-flow plumbing and innovative water recycling technologies, the building has reduced its potable water consumption by nearly 50%, directly contributing to the efficient use of water resources as outlined in SDG 6.
• Resilient Design: The building’s award-winning design provides a resilient and collaborative environment for world-class scientific research.

Fostering Global Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)

Established with a $36.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), C-MORE operates as an NSF Science and Technology Center. This model unites specialists in biology, chemistry, oceanography, and engineering from six partner institutions. The facility’s 50-seat auditorium, equipped with video conferencing and live webcasting capabilities, fosters the international collaboration essential for addressing complex global challenges and achieving the SDGs.

Advancing Research on Climate Action and Life Below Water

Pioneering Research in Microbial Oceanography (SDG 13 & SDG 14)

Under the leadership of founding director David M. Karl, C-MORE has positioned the University of Hawaiʻi as a global leader in microbial oceanography. The center’s research directly addresses the urgent need to understand and protect marine ecosystems and mitigate climate change. Key research has established the integral link between marine microbes and their role in regulating Earth’s climate by driving global biogeochemical cycles. This work provides critical data for understanding and conserving marine biodiversity and combating climate change.

Integrated Research for Predictive Modeling

The center’s research program is structured around four integrated themes, allowing for a comprehensive approach to ocean science that supports predictive modeling of environmental changes.

1. Microbial biodiversity
2. Metabolism and nutrient flow
3. Remote and continuous sensing of ocean processes
4. Ecosystem modeling and prediction

This integrated approach enhances the scientific community’s ability to model how marine ecosystems will respond to climate change, providing vital information for policy-making related to SDG 13 and SDG 14.

Long-Term Monitoring at Station ALOHA

The Hawaiʻi Ocean Time-Series (HOT) program and its research station, Station ALOHA, serve as a critical sentinel for observing the long-term effects of climate change on marine microbial communities. The American Society for Microbiology designated Station ALOHA a Milestones in Microbiology Site in 2015, recognizing its historic contributions to understanding the microbial life that underpins planetary habitability, a cornerstone of SDG 14.

Commitment to Quality Education and Future Leadership (SDG 4)

Building Human Capital in Ocean Science

C-MORE is dedicated to fostering the next generation of scientific leaders, directly contributing to SDG 4 (Quality Education). The center supports a wide range of educational and outreach initiatives designed to build capacity and promote inclusive and equitable quality education in ocean science. These programs include pre-college curricula, teacher training workshops, and advanced research opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral scholars, ensuring a sustained legacy of scientific excellence and environmental stewardship.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article highlights C-MORE’s commitment to education by mentioning its “education and outreach programs that inspire future ocean scientists.” It specifically notes support for “pre-college curricula and teacher training to graduate and postdoctoral research opportunities,” which directly contributes to inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• The facility’s sustainable design directly addresses this goal. The article states that C-MORE Hale incorporates “low-flow plumbing” and “water recycling technologies that reduce potable water use by nearly half,” demonstrating a clear effort towards ensuring the sustainable management of water.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• The building’s design focuses on energy efficiency. It is described as having “energy-efficient systems” and “smart lighting controls,” which aligns with the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• C-MORE Hale is presented as a piece of resilient and sustainable infrastructure. The article describes it as a “state-of-the-art building” and the “first research laboratory building in Hawaiʻi to achieve LEED Platinum certification.” Its purpose as a “hub for groundbreaking research” that fosters scientific innovation is a central theme.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The article emphasizes the building’s “sustainable design,” which earned it a LEED Platinum certification. This contributes to making the University of Hawaiʻi campus, a form of human settlement, more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by reducing its environmental footprint.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The core research mission of the center is directly linked to climate action. The article states that its scientists investigate how “ocean life regulates Earth’s climate” and develop “predictive models of how marine environments respond to environmental change,” thereby strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• This is the most central SDG in the article. The entire facility is the “Center for Microbial Oceanography,” dedicated to studying “marine microbes—organisms that play a vital role in the health of the planet’s oceans.” The research on “microbial biodiversity,” “carbon storage,” and “ocean ecosystems” directly supports the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article details the collaborative nature of the center’s establishment and operation. It was founded with a “$36.8 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant” and “unites specialists in biology, chemistry, oceanography and engineering from six partner institutions.” The mention of funding from “private, public, federal, state” sources, including the Moore Foundation, exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships needed to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 4.7: Education for sustainable development and global citizenship

• The center’s mission to provide “education and outreach programs that inspire future ocean scientists” and train “the next generation of leaders” directly supports the goal of ensuring learners acquire knowledge and skills for sustainable development, including an appreciation of the Earth’s natural systems.

Target 6.4: Increase water-use efficiency

• The article explicitly states that the building’s “water recycling technologies… reduce potable water use by nearly half,” which is a direct contribution to substantially increasing water-use efficiency.

Target 7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

• The facility’s incorporation of “energy-efficient systems and smart lighting controls,” leading to a LEED Platinum certification, aligns with the objective of improving energy efficiency.

Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research and upgrade technology

• The article describes C-MORE as a center for “cutting-edge discovery” and “groundbreaking research” that has positioned the University of Hawaiʻi as a “global leader in microbial oceanography.” This directly reflects the goal of enhancing scientific research and upgrading technological capabilities.

Target 11.6: Reduce the environmental impact of cities

• The building’s achievement of “LEED Platinum certification for environmental design” is a concrete action toward reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of the university community by focusing on resource efficiency and sustainable construction.

Target 13.3: Improve education and awareness on climate change

• The center’s research, which “has shaped modern understanding of how ocean life regulates Earth’s climate,” and its educational outreach contribute to improving human and institutional capacity for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Target 14.a: Increase scientific knowledge and research capacity to improve ocean health

• The entire purpose of C-MORE, as described in the article, is to advance the scientific understanding of marine microbes and their role in ocean health, carbon storage, and nutrient cycles. The establishment of the “Hawaiʻi Ocean Time-Series” and “Station ALOHA” are prime examples of developing research capacity to improve ocean health.

Target 17.17: Encourage effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

• The article highlights the center’s funding model, which includes support from the “National Science Foundation” (public, federal) and the “Moore Foundation” (private), as well as state support. This collaboration between “private, public, federal, state” entities is a clear example of this target in action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicator for Target 6.4: Change in water-use efficiency

• The article provides a specific metric: “reduce potable water use by nearly half.” This is a direct, quantifiable indicator of increased water-use efficiency.

Indicator for Targets 7.3 & 11.6: Sustainable building certification

• The achievement of “LEED Platinum certification” is a recognized indicator for measuring the sustainability and energy efficiency of a building, serving as a proxy for progress towards reducing environmental impact and improving energy efficiency.

Indicator for Target 9.5: Research and development funding

• The article mentions the “$36.8 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant” and “tens of millions of dollars” in further funding. This financial investment serves as an indicator of the resources dedicated to enhancing scientific research.

Indicator for Target 14.a: Investment in research infrastructure

• The existence of the C-MORE Hale facility itself, the long-term research station “Station ALOHA,” and the use of the “R/V Kilo Moana” research vessel are tangible indicators of investment in infrastructure and capacity for marine scientific research.

Indicator for Target 4.7: Number of trained professionals

• The article implies an increase in trained professionals by mentioning its role in “training the next generation of leaders” and providing “graduate and postdoctoral research opportunities.” The number of students and researchers who pass through these programs would be a direct indicator.

Indicator for Target 17.17: Number and type of partnerships

• The article explicitly mentions partnerships with “six partner institutions” and funding from a mix of “private, public, federal, state” sources. This demonstrates the existence and effectiveness of multi-stakeholder collaborations.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: hawaii.edu