Since the Fall 2022 launch of UROP’s Entering Research & Creative Work (ERC) funding opportunity, a steadily increasing number of UH Mānoa undergraduates are claiming the distinction of having earned all three of UROP’s student-funding awards (also including Project and Presentation funding). The research of one such student, recent graduate and Marine Biology major Cameron Nemeth, was recently published as a paper in the Journal of Experimental Biology, bringing his studies of humpback whales—begun with UROP’s support—full circle.

Nemeth’s research focused on how the unique pectoral flippers of the humpback whale allow them to maneuver incredibly efficiently despite their large body size, using their signature bubble-net feeding tactic as a case-study. In this behavior, a whale swims in a tight spiral while exhaling air through its blowhole, creating a rising ring of bubbles that corrals small fish or krill into a dense cluster. This “net” allows the whale to concentrate its prey and increase the efficiency of its engulfment.

Nemeth investigated this phenomenon over the course of years at the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) of the Hawai‘i Institute for Marine Biology (HIMB), where his research exposed him to fieldwork in Kona, Waiʻanae, Maui, and Mexico, and developed his proficiency in skills such as drone-based data capture, photo grading, and data cleaning. All this began for him in Summer 2023 with the support of a UROP ERC award. Cameron noted, “I started at MMRP shortly before receiving my ERC award, though the position, like many early internships, was unpaid. I was excited about the idea of applying for UROP’s ERC award because it would allow me to reduce hours at my part-time job and devote more time to my work at MMRP.”

Nemeth, who was pursuing a second undergraduate degree at UH Mānoa following a psychology degree on the mainland, followed his ERC award with more UROP funding. His Project award in Spring 2024 supported the quantification of humpback turning performance from a pre-existing set of MMRP bubble-net foraging data, and later that year he shared his findings with UROP Presentation funding at the 25th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Perth, Australia. “It felt surreal to present my research halfway across the world to a room full of researchers I deeply admire, especially knowing that only a couple of years earlier I knew almost nothing about marine mammals,” said Nemeth. “The entire journey gave me a deep sense of pride and confidence in my growth academically that I will get to carry forward with me.”

Nemeth’s mentor, Dr. Lars Bejder (Research Professor at MMRP), stated, “It has been a privilege working with Cameron over the past couple of years. His skillsets and confidence have grown significantly throughout the process as a direct result of the UROP initiative, and he has excelled at all levels. He has developed very strong field and analytical expertise skills that are providing him with further opportunities in the field of marine biology. I look forward to working with Cameron during his graduate degree.” 

Nemeth’s paper, titled “The key to bubble-net feeding: how humpback whale morphology functionally differs from other baleen whales,” was accepted for publication shortly after his graduation in May 2025 and, in its final form, includes a translation of the abstract into ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i. Cameron mentioned, “After moving to Hawaiʻi, I prioritized learning Hawaiian to a proficient level that enables me to translate my work, with the goal of giving back to the community by expanding the body of written text in the language. I was fortunate that many of the staff at UH Mānoa’s Kawaihuelani worked with me to develop these skills, and that Kumu Kaipo of St. Louis High School generously assisted in editing my translation to ensure the work reflected scientific writing grounded in manaʻo Hawaiʻi.”

Since graduating earlier this year, Nemeth has continued working at MMRP and is preparing to begin a PhD in Fall 2026, as well as to take lead on the lab’s ongoing humpback-whale research project on Maui. Cameron said he is most excited to “dive fully into his work at MMRP without the additional stress of undergraduate courses and part-time work.”