Tawainga is extensively published in the scientific arena on agricultural and environmental topics, where some of his research has been selected as exemplary scholarly works. Perhaps most prominent in his work as an environmentalist is his innovative project of planting perennial grass as a way to reduce soil erosion in Haiti. The humanitarian work has attracted numerous organizations including universities, churches and received international recognition.

While a graduate student in sciences at Michigan State and Cornell, Tawainga took courses in music, including music theory. He studied composition privately with Gregory Woodward, Professor of Composition (and later Dean of the School of Music) at Ithaca College, and after moving to Tallahassee, with the late Ladislav Kubik, Professor of Composition at the Florida State University College of Music.

Tawainga earned his M.Sc. from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. from Cornell University.