Bio for Dr. Angela Kay Kepler & Francis
G. Rust
Dr. Angela Kay Kepler
is an energetic old-fashioned naturalist, meticulous researcher, author
(18 books), and experimental cook. "Retired" from a multi-faceted career
as an ecologist, ornithologist, conservationist, and environmental
consultant, her passion for bananas and plantains propelled her to
become the principal international authority on Hawaiian/Eastern Pacific
bananas and a key player in banana identification. With her co-author,
she revolutionized the art of international banana photography. Angela
holds degrees from the University of Canterbury (New Zealand),
University of Hawai`i, Cornell University (USA), and Oxford University
(UK). She has received literary and photography awards for Excellence in
Hawaiian Culture, and two books have been bestsellers for nearly 20
years as Hawai`i bestsellers.
Angela, a Hawai`i
resident since 1963, is also an avid organic farmer practicing a high
degree of self-sufficiency. The family's Pali O Waipi‘o Farmlet on Maui
furnishes virtually all their fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and
protein (eggs, chickens, ducks, tilapia fish). Their staple
carbohydrates are Hawaiian traditional bananas (mai`a).
Her co-author and
beloved husband, Frank Rust, assists with banana field research and GPS
mapping. Frank holds degrees from Georgia Tech and the University of
California, Berkeley (USA). Frank worked for 15 years in engineering
research and development at the Savannah River Laboratory, followed by
30 years of horse ranching and Hawaiian residency since the 1990s.

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