Hawai'i briefs

Advertiser Staff

Railway Society to dedicate bridge

The Hawaiian Railway Society will dedicate Bridge 35 between Kahe Point and Kahe Point Beach Park on the Wai'anae Coast at 11 a.m. today. The society's passenger train will be present at the dedication.

The public is invited to the event, which celebrates the first time the bridge has been open to train passengers since 1947. Society volunteers recently repaired the small bridge. For society information, call 681-5461.

Marine biology program at Manoa

The newly approved bachelor's degree in marine biology at the Manoa campus of University of Hawai'i will join a decade-old marine science degree program that has been highly successful at the University of Hawai'i-Hilo.

The UH Board of Regents approved the degree at its last meeting. Planning for it has been under way for a year.

It was added in response to strong student demand, and because of the increasing interest in marine sciences and the rising number of jobs available for those with an undergraduate degree.

While Manoa officials say the new program will give the O'ahu campus added depth in ocean sciences, students have been able to study that area at Hilo for years, according to Walter Dudley, professor of oceanography on the Hilo campus.

"The UH-Hilo marine science degree program not only has a strong marine biology focus but gives students added breadth by covering other areas of marine science including marine chemistry, physics and geology," said Dudley. "Our program has grown to be the largest major in the natural sciences at UH-Hilo, with more than 200 student majors."

Until last week Hawai'i Pacific University was the only O'ahu four-year institution with a bachelor's degree program in marine biology.