Research · Software · Policy Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
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Tahan Bapna

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I study build where research meets policy.

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The work, §§ 1–8.

§ 1Research
Presenting the coral project to a judge at ISEF
From my ISEF poster: a reef video frame, the matching hyperspectral image, unsupervised clusters, and one cluster's spectral signature

Hyperspectral imaging-based coral bleaching detection

Researcher, advised by a Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology scientist

Bleaching is still mapped mostly by divers surveying a handful of sites. I built an ML workflow on aerial hyperspectral imagery: correct for sunglint, water depth and sensor noise, then isolate the spectral signature of bleached coral, so a classifier can flag bleaching across whole reef tracts from above the water.

ISEFFinalist + special award (4-yr scholarship)
1stHawaiʻi State Science Fair
§ 2Policy
Leading a discussion at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol

SB2736: carbon labels for concrete

Bill author

I authored SB2736, which would require state contractors to disclose the embodied carbon of the materials they build with on public-works projects.

Authoredand introduced by Sen. Rhoads, 2026 Hawaiʻi Senate (SB2736)
§ 3Robotics
Team 6962 with the robot

FTC Robotics

Co-captain and lead programmer, Team 6962

I lead the code for an award-winning team at Worlds. I also mentored 11 FTC/FLL teams, advised 4 teams abroad and raised $10.6k in sponsorships.

Top 12of 7k+ teams · Worlds Division Finalist
2xHawaiʻi State Champion
3rdThink Award at Worlds
§ 4Community
Students working at the coastal hackathon
The Sustainability Fellowship cohort

Sustainability Fellowship

Inaugural fellow

Inaugural fellow in a statewide 15-month cohort. Secured a $250k Edward E. Ford Foundation grant for climate education, and ran a coastal hackathon at our main event for 100+ students with $3k in prizes.

$250kraised for climate education
100+students at culminating event (hackathon)
1 of 20fellows statewide
§ 5Software / Education
Leading an AI workshop for teachers

AI teacher training

Founder and lead trainer

Designed AI-integration workshops for K-12 teachers and trained 200+ educators, including at Schools of the Future. Applied for Hawaiʻi Department of Education PD credit, now pending.

200+K-12 educators trained
PD creditHIDOE approval in progress
§ 6Research
My workstation at the UH wave energy lab, with a wave spectrum on screen

UH Wave Energy Lab

Research intern, ocean signal processing

Built a MATLAB pipeline that turns raw ADCP ocean-sensor bursts into 2D directional wave spectra: which way the wave energy is moving, and at what frequencies. The output supports deploying wave energy converters in Hawaiʻi.

HNEIHawaiʻi Natural Energy Institute, UH Mānoa
§ 7Policy
Testifying at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol

Climate Future Forum

Co-lead and legislative spokesperson

I tracked, testified on and organized a coalition around 63 climate bills across two legislative sessions. I built a bill-tracker site (2.5k+ users) and led 80+ students in advocacy. 3 op-eds and news features.

2.5k+users on the bill tracker I built
80+students led in advocacy
63climate bills across two sessions
§ 8Research
Map of Oʻahu block groups showing where rooftop solar adoption is above or below the rate predicted by income

Solar equity map

First author

Trained a Mask R-CNN to detect rooftop solar in aerial imagery, then merged the detections with Census data to map where adoption lags across Oʻahu. Submitted for peer review.

First authorpaper under peer review
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Other activities, §§ 9–13.

§ 9StartupIn progressCo-founder
GroundTruth Labs Co-founded a startup (1 of 3) bringing low-cost drone crop sensing to Oʻahu's small farmers: spectral crop-health reports that forecast yields and catch irrigation problems early. Fundraising now and building the software for our product.
§ 101st
Congressional App Challenge Built a game about Hawaiʻi's dependence on imported food. Won HI‑1 (1st of ~40) and presented at House of Code in D.C.
§ 1124k+ lbs
White Elephant Co-lead (1 of 4) of Punahou Carnival's secondhand sale: 250+ volunteers, $10k+ in sales, and a Goodwill partnership I set up to keep 24k+ lbs out of the landfill.
§ 12146
Davis Democracy Fellows Co-lead of Punahou's largest club (146 members) and lead of its climate justice working group: 35 events, 20 speakers, 980+ attendance.
§ 13Superior
Debate Varsity Advanced Public Forum. Superior at NSDA Nationals, 1st seed at Hawaiʻi State, Superior at 6 of 6 regional meets.
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Recognition.

International
  • ISEF Finalist + Special Award (4-yr scholarship)
  • FTC Worlds Division Finalist, top 12 of 7k+ teams; 2x World Championship qualifier
  • 3rd Place Think Award, FTC World Championship
National
  • Congressional App Challenge winner, HI‑1 (1st of ~40)
  • NSDA Nationals Superior Performance, Advanced Public Forum
State
  • 1st, Hawaiʻi State Science Fair (ROBO category)
  • NOAA Award ($1k)
  • 2x Hawaiʻi State Champion, FTC
  • Inspire Award 2nd & Motivate Award, FTC Hawaiʻi State
  • FIRST Dean's List Semi-Finalist
  • 1st seed, Hawaiʻi State Advanced Public Forum
  • Hawaiʻi Climate Leadership Awards Finalist, Youth Climate Leader
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Off the clock.

Surfing every day. Tandem instructor with AccesSurf. Glassblown waves I give to the people I surf with.

20+adaptive surfers, AccesSurf
Sitting on my board, waiting for a set
Two of my glassblown waves on a seawall at the beach
Glassblown wave
tbapna27@punahou.edu →