Michael B. Kantar

Michael B. Kantar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. His research bridges plant breeding, genomics, and agroecology to address food security and climate resilience through crop improvement.

• Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Minnesota
• Co-founder of the Crop Evolution Lab
• 2018 AAAS Leshner Fellow for public engagement

His work focuses on neo-domestication, crop wild relatives, and the genetic basis of local adaptation, with applications in sustainable agriculture and soil health. Recent publications emphasize climate-resilient breeding, agro-biodiversity, and genomic-environmental interactions. He leads interdisciplinary projects like Edible Fire Buffers and Soil Health Modeling using machine learning.

Scientific Awards:

• Emerging Leader in Plant Science (University of Minnesota, 2020)
• Bard Senior Fellowship (US-Israel ARD, 2019-2020)
• AAAS Leshner Leadership Institute (2018)

His students span genomics, ecology, and agricultural economics, with active collaborations in coral heat tolerance, tropical crop improvement, and data science training. The lab employs high-throughput phenotyping, population genetics, and socio-ecological modeling to create adaptive food systems.