Updated at 8:08 p.m., Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Iolani graduate awarded $500,000 fellowship

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hayashi

A 1985 'Iolani Schools graduate has been named one of 24 winners of unrestricted $500,000 fellowships from the Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Cheryl Hayashi, 40, won for her evolutionary biology research involving spider silks.

Hayashi, an associate professor of biology at the University of California at Riverside, is the daughter of Harold and Shirley Hayashi of Wahiawa.

Of Hayashi's research, the MacArthur Foundation states on its Web site:

"Her findings, already advancing our understanding of spider phylogenetics, also have the potential to influence the development of biomimetic material for a variety of applications, from biodegradable fishing lines to medical sutures to protective armor cloth. With a deep understanding of spider biology, Hayashi is contributing to a fundamental rethinking of arachnid phylogeny and revealing key information about spider silks to support the development of new synthetic materials."