CURRICULUM VITAE

Peter J. Melcher

Positions
University of Hawaii, Dept. of Botany, Teaching Assistant (1996 to present)
Responsible for conducting laboratories for upper level botany courses.

University of Hawaii, Dept. of Botany, Research Assistant (1995 to 1996)
Conducted dissertation research aimed at determining the mechanisms responsible for the assent of sap in plants. Designed a new technique to test the cavitation threshold of xylem sap in stems and leaves of plants using supersaturation gas pressures. Funded by the University of Hawaii, Project development fund.

University of Wurzburg, Dept. of Biotechnologie, Germany (12/1996 to 2/1997)
Trained to use the xylem pressure probe a direct technique used to measure xylem pressure in plants. Conducted water relations experiments on greenhouse grown tobacco plants.

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Short Term Fellow (5/1993 to 9/1993)
Implemented study and conducted field research measuring the physiological measurements on the co-evolutionary relationship between wasps and New World figs on Barro Colorado Island (BCI).

University of Hawaii, Dept. of Botany, Research Assistant (1993 to 1995)
Conducted experiments to determine the freezing resistance mechanisms of several Hawaiian tree species along an elevation gradient on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii. This project was funded by the USDA, Institute of Pacific Island Forestry.

Volunteer Field Researcher, Haleakala National Park, Maui (1992 to 1993)
Determined the thermal balance of the high elevation giant rosette plant Argyroxiphium sandwicense (silversword).

Special recognition and achievements
Smithsonian Short Term Fellow. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI).

Governors award for excellence granted to World Awareness Voyages, a non profit corporation, founded in 1995.

University of Hawaii sailing team letterman.
1^st place West Coast Sloop Champions hosted by Stanford University, California.
4^th place Sloop National Championships, hosted by the Navy Academy, Maryland.
3^rd place Sloop National match racing championships, hosted by Stanford University.
3^rd place in the Trans-Pacific Yacht Race (Transpac),1989, vessel name: Gerontius.

Publications
Melcher, P.J., D.E. Yount. In Prep. A re-evaluation of Scholander's 1955 centrifugation experiments.

Melcher, P.J., S. Cordell, G. Goldstein, A. Herre. In Prep. The carbon economy of New World fig fruits.

Melcher, P.J., G. Goldstein. In Prep. Freezing resistance mechanism of the Hawaiian tree species Sophora chrysophylla.

Melcher, P.J., F.C. Meinzer, D.E. Yount, and G.G. Goldstein. In Press. Measuring High Tensions in Plants. Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine.

Schneider, H., Wistuba, B. Miller, P. Gessner, F. Thurmer, P. Melcher, F. Meinzer and U. Zimmermann. In Press. Diurnal variation in the radial reflection coefficient of intact maize roots determined with the xylem pressure probe. Journal of Experimental Botany.

Goldstein, G., D.R. Drake, C. Alpha, P. Melcher, J. Heraux, and A. Azocar. (1996) Growth and photosynthetic responses of Scaevola sericea, a Hawaiian coastal shrub, to substrate salinity and salt spray. International Journal of Plant Sciences. 157(2):171-179.

Goldstein, G., D.R. Drake, P. Melcher, T.W. Giambelluca, J. Heraux. (1996) Photosynthetic gas exchange and temperature-induced damage in seedlings of the tropical alpine species Argroxiphium sandwicense. Oecologia. 106:298-307.

Zimmermann, U., J.J. Zhu, F. Meinzer, G. Goldstein, H. Schneider, G. Zimmermann, R. Benkert, F. Thurner, P. Melcher, D. Webb, and A. Haase. High Molecular Weight Organic Compounds in the Xylem Sap of Mangroves: Implications for Long Distance Water Transport. (1994) Botanica Acta. 107:218-229.

Melcher, P.J., G.G. Goldstein, F.C. Meinzer, B. Minyard, T.W. Giambelluca, L.L. Loope (1994). Determinants of thermal balance in the Hawaiian giant rosette plant, Argyroxiphium sandwicense. Oecologia. 98:412-418.

What does the Scholander pressure chamber really measure? An update on the cohesion tension theory debate. Agricultural Research Institute, Nancy, France (July 1997).

Global Warming, is it really happening? Guest lecture at Hawaii Pacific University. Alternatives Futures (June 1997).

The current cohesion tension theory controversy. Physics Colloquia. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa. (May 1997).

Differences between direct and indirect xylem pressure measuring techniques. Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa. (April 1997).

The carbon economy of different neo-tropical fig fruits. University of Hawaii at Manoa. Botany Seminar Series (Feb 1996).

Energy balance of the Hawaiian giant rosette plant Argyroxiphium sandwicense. University of Hawaii at Manoa. Botany Seminar Series (Sept 1995).