Tracy N. Wiegner

Dr. Tracy N. Wiegner is a Professor of Marine Science at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UH Hilo), affiliated with the Marine Science Department in the College of Natural and Health Sciences (CNHS). She also serves as Faculty Advisor for the UH Hilo Analytical Lab and manages the laboratory facilities. Her research focuses on aquatic biogeochemistry, particularly human impacts on freshwater and coastal water quality, with emphases on nutrient dynamics, dissolved organic matter, and sewage pollution tracking using isotopes, bacteria, and tracer studies. Dr. Wiegner has received the 2019 Excellence in Scholarly Creative Activities Award from UH Hilo.

• Education: Ph.D. in Oceanography (Rutgers University, 2002); B.S. in Biology (Cornell University, 1995)
• Key Research Themes: Eutrophication, microbial pollution, Staphylococcus aureus distribution, and land-sea connectivity in coral reef ecosystems

Her recent projects include investigating sewage pollution hotspots in Hilo Bay, tracking microbial contamination in Puakō coral reefs, and analyzing climate-driven shifts in water quality parameters. She has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom have contributed to peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Wiegner collaborates with agencies like NOAA, NSF, and USGS on grants addressing coastal ecosystem health and resource management.

Publications highlight her work on bacterial pathogen distribution, nutrient cycling in invaded streams, and the role of invasive species in altering freshwater ecosystems. She teaches courses in global change, chemical oceanography, and watershed analysis, integrating fieldwork and lab-based research into student training.

• Labs/Teams: UH Hilo Analytical Laboratory (manages isotope ratio mass spectrometry facilities)
• Advising: Over 50 graduate and undergraduate students since 2007, many supported through NSF, NIH, and other programs