The Kekūhaupiʻo Tech Mentorship Program (KTMP) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa completed its spring 2026 program, pairing students from information and computer sciences, management information systems and engineering programs with technology professionals across Hawaiʻi’s tech sector.

The collaboration among the (ICS), (Association for Computing Machinery) and brought together 14 student mentees and 13 industry mentors in structured mentorship relationships focused on career readiness and professional development.

Hands-on opportunities for students

ICS led workshops covering résumé development, networking skills and workplace preparation, helping students build practical tools for internships and early career pathways.

“I had an excellent experience this semester with the Spring 2026 KTMP program,” said ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa student Isabella Mow. “This was almost entirely because of my mentor (Alan Ito), who helped me meet with people in different industries and guided me through choosing my major. He used his experience in life to give me advice that he would have wanted to hear at my age. He also helped connect me to various people who helped polish my app.”

Ito, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s IT workforce development and regulated policy lead, said, “The CIO Council of Hawaiʻi is happy to support the KTMP Mentorship Program and work with our ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students to help prepare them to enter the tech workforce and provide them guidance regarding life skills in general. As a mentor, it’s always exciting to try to view our world today through a mentee’s eyes as they’re embarking on their careers. They represent our future, and it’s really a privilege to have the opportunity to provide some, hopefully meaningful, input. Isabella has been great, and I’m excited to continue to follow her career at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ and beyond.”

ACM at Mānoa and CIO Council of Hawaiʻi coordinated mentor matching and organized three networking mixers throughout the semester for students to engage directly with professionals, build connections and explore career paths in the industry. The program included regular mentor meetings, ongoing communication and monthly progress check-ins.

“It was awesome giving students like me the chance to get their own professional (mentor) to grow in a more personal way,” said ACM at Mānoa operations coordinator Christian Komo. “I feel like building connections is one of the best ways to develop your career, and it’s something they need to emphasize more in computer science classrooms. That’s why it felt great giving back with ACM and bridging the gap between students and the smartest leaders in the tech world.”

The program is expected to continue in future semesters with an emphasis on expanding student participation and strengthening connections between ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa students and Hawaiʻi’s tech industry.

Twenty 6th-12th grade students from across Oʻahu shared websites and coding projects they built during the spring 2026 semester at the annual ICSpark Spring Showcase on April 25 at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Campus Center Ballroom.

The student-led event, organized by student organization in the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa Department of Information and Computer Sciences, featured final projects from students enrolled in the program’s free Intro to Web Development course, where participants spent four months learning HTML, CSS and JavaScript from ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa student mentors. Projects were presented in a science fair-style format, giving families, friends and community members a chance to explore the students’ work and hear directly from the young developers.

“This year was quite the challenge for sure,” said ICSpark President Cody Torres. “Our team faced numerous challenges, including limited access to technology, old practices we relied on breaking and the Kona Low storms. Despite all of that, we’ve managed to pull off yet another great year of ICSpark! Super proud of both our students and mentors for keeping the spark alive for yet another year, and looking forward to continuing this path for others to follow!”

This year’s showcase also included the second annual SWITCH x ICSpark Hackathon, where students collaborated on coding challenges and competed for awards presented during the event.

The spring program ran every Saturday from January through April and offered both in-person classes at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa and online participation through Zoom. No prior coding experience was required, making the program accessible to students exploring computer science for the first time.

Founded in 2019, ICSpark is a registered independent organization at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa and is part of Technology Outreach Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit focused on promoting technology education across the state. The organization’s mission is to provide motivated middle and high school students with a fun, supportive and nonintimidating environment to learn coding skills and connect with college mentors.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa’s .

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa brought together cybersecurity experts, researchers and industry leaders on April 29 for the Indo-Pacific Cybersecurity Innovation Forum, a daylong event focused on strengthening digital security, critical infrastructure resilience and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Held at Campus Center, the forum featured technical talks, policy discussions and workshops aimed at expanding regional cybersecurity capacity and building stronger public-private partnerships across the Indo-Pacific. Speakers included David Carroll of GDIT; Josiah Dykstra and Mengran Xue of RTX BBN; Robert Martin and Nick Tsamis of MITRE; as well as leaders from local fintech organizations and startups, highlighting the forum’s emphasis on cross-sector collaboration.

“ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa is positioning Hawaiʻi as a hub for Indo-Pacific cybersecurity by uniting academia, industry and government to address real-world threats and strengthen critical infrastructure resilience,” said ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa Professor Mehdi Tarrit Mirakhorli.

Threats, resilience

Speakers addressed emerging threats to critical infrastructure, supply chain security and the growing role of AI in both cyberattacks and defense systems. Sessions also examined how organizations can better anticipate and respond to evolving risks in complex digital environments.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa faculty and researchers joined national experts from government, industry and research institutions to discuss strategies for improving cybersecurity readiness. Topics included protecting transportation systems, securing software supply chains and improving detection of adversarial behavior in critical networks. The event also included a panel of chief information security officers from financial institutions and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa, who discussed real-world challenges in protecting sensitive data and maintaining secure operations in fast-changing threat landscapes.

Afternoon sessions highlighted advances in cyber threat intelligence, secure cloud systems and resilience testing for critical infrastructure. Researchers also explored how human behavior, economics and system design influence cybersecurity outcomes.

Craig Opie, co-founder and CTO of Holocron Security, said, “As an island community, critical infrastructure resilience is personal. If power, water, communications or healthcare systems fail, our families and neighbors feel the impact immediately. We have to make the delivery of secure, compliant technology repeatable and built for real-world consequences. I’m proud to be part of events like the Indo-Pacific Cybersecurity Innovation Forum that help educate, empower and protect our community.”

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa’s .

Faculty from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (ICS) presented two peer-reviewed papers at the (ICSE 2026) and related events, April 12–18, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mobile app accessibility

ICS Assistant Professor Anthony Peruma presented “” in the ICSE 2026 Research Track, co-authored with ICS master’s alumnus Amila Indika and Professor Rick Kazman from the .

The study examines how mobile app developers approach accessibility across platforms such as iOS and Android. Drawing on a mixed-methods survey of 110 mobile app developers across 43 countries, the research identifies how platform ecosystems, developer experience, organizational constraints and technical limitations shape accessibility practices.

The findings show that while developers recognize the importance of accessibility, accessibility-related testing is often performed late in the development process. The study also revealed meaningful differences in accessibility practices between iOS and Android platforms and across developer experience levels, offering actionable guidance for more inclusive app development.

Improving security for shared software packages

At the Cooperative and Human Aspects of Software Engineering conference, which was co-located with ICSE, ICS Assistant Professor Italo Santos presented the paper “.” The paper was co-authored by Peruma, ICS master’s student Truman Choy and ICS master’s alumnus Gerald Lee.

This research investigates how developers who maintain packages in the Node Package Manager (npm) ecosystem—a platform for sharing and managing JavaScript software packages—perceive and address security. Through a survey of 75 npm package developers, the study examines their security practices, the tools they use, barriers to implementing stronger security measures and recommendations for enhancing the security of the npm ecosystem.

The findings highlight concerns such as supply chain attacks, dependency vulnerabilities, malicious code, alert fatigue and false positives, while also identifying opportunities for better detection tools, clearer documentation, stronger account protections and expanded security education.

“Together, these two papers reflect ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa’s growing contributions to software engineering research, particularly in areas where technical systems intersect with people, organizations and society,” Peruma said. “Our work aims to understand the real-world challenges developers face and provide practical guidance for building software that is more accessible, secure and beneficial to the broader community.”

ICSE is widely recognized as the leading international venue for software engineering research, bringing together researchers, practitioners and educators from around the world to discuss advances, challenges and emerging trends in the field. Acceptance into the ICSE main research track is highly competitive, making the showing a notable achievement for ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa.

Ten graduate programs at the are in the nation’s top 50, and an additional 17 programs are in the top 100, according to the 2026 , released on April 7.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa’s (JABSOM) also placed in the nation’s top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care, and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s ranked in a in the nation.

The highest ranked ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa programs were in the , ranking No. 18 (tied) for best environmental law programs and law schools with most grads in federal clerkships, No. 24 for best part-time law programs, No. 41 (tied) for best international law programs, No. 47 (tied) for best dispute resolution programs and No. 48 (tied) for best legal writing programs.

The ranked No. 22 (tied) for best international programs, and the (SOEST) placed No. 40 (tied) for best Earth sciences programs. JABSOM ranked No. 42 for most graduates practicing in rural areas and No. 45 for most graduates practicing in primary care.

“ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa’s strong showing in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings underscores our commitment to excellence in teaching, research and student success,” said ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos. “These results reflect the talent and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, and Hawaiʻi can take pride in knowing their university is preparing the next generation of leaders and changemakers for our community and the world.”

Rankings were based on multiple factors, including research activity (such as publications and citations), student and alumni outcomes (employment and earnings), quality assessments (from peers and recruiters), student selectivity (GPA and test scores), and faculty resources (doctoral degrees awarded and student-to-faculty ratios).

Note: not all programs are ranked every year. See these ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ News stories on previous years’ rankings: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Jump to program rankings:
William S. Richardson School of Law  |  John A. Burns School of Medicine  |  Shidler College of Business  |  School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology  |  School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene  |  College of Education  |  Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health  |  College of Social Sciences  |  College of Engineering  |  College of Natural Sciences  |  College of Arts, Languages & Letters

William S. Richardson School of Law

The William S. Richardson School of Law was ranked in 16 categories by U.S. News and World Report. In addition to its ranking of No. 18 (tied) for best environmental law programs and law schools with most grads in federal clerkships, No. 24 for best part-time law programs, No. 41 (tied) for best international law programs, No. 47 (tied) for best dispute resolution programs and No. 48 (tied) for best legal writing programs, the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ law school placed No. 91 (tied) among the top law schools in the nation.

Other law school rankings include:

• Tax law: No. 80 (tied)
• Criminal law: No. 88 (tied)
• Contracts/commercial law: No. 92 (tied)
• Health care law: No. 92 (tied)
• Constitutional law: No. 95 (tied)
• Business/corporate law: No. 101 (tied)
• Clinical training: No. 102 (tied)
• Intellectual property law: No. 127 (tied)
• Trial advocacy: No. 175 (tied)

John A. Burns School of Medicine

JABSOM was one of 16 schools that placed in the nation’s top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care. JABSOM also placed in tier 3 for best medical schools for research.
In addition, JABSOM ranked No. 42 for most graduates practicing in rural areas, No. 45 for most graduates practicing in primary care, No. 139 for speech language pathology and No. 171 for most graduates practicing in medically underserved areas. .

Shidler College of Business

The Shidler College of Business placed in nine subject areas. Leading the way were international programs at No. 22 (tied), accounting programs at No. 68 (tied), information systems programs at No. 72 (tied) and marketing programs at No. 91 (tied). In addition, Shidler ranked at No. 104 (tied) for best management programs, No. 113 (tied) for best executive programs, No. 123 (tied) for best finance programs, No. 125 (tied) for best entrepreneurship programs and No. 142 (tied) for best part-time MBA programs.

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

SOEST placed No. 40 (tied) among the nation’s best Earth sciences programs.

School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene

The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene placed No. 55 (tied) for best nursing school–master’s and No. 62 (tied) for best nursing school–doctor of nursing practice (DNP). Both were the only programs in Hawaiʻi to be ranked by U.S. News and World Report.

College of Education

The College of Education ranked No. 57 (tied) in the U.S., the 21st straight year the college has been listed as one of the nation’s top 100 education programs. Nationally accredited since 2000, the College of Education continues to be recognized for its award-winning programs and people.

Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health

The ranked No. 89 (tied) among the nation’s top public health schools and programs in the U.S. accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The Department of Public Health Sciences offers a ; a , with specializations in , , and , and a , as well as PhD program in , specializing in community-based and translational research and a PhD in . The Department of Public Health Sciences is also home to an online master of public health program to meet workforce demands.

College of Social Sciences

The College of Social Sciences placed among the nation’s best in at No. 90 (tied) and at No. 92 (tied).

College of Engineering

The ranked among the nation’s best in at No. 91 (tied), at No. 92 (tied), and at No. 128 (tied). The College of Engineering overall ranked No. 164 (tied) among the top engineering schools in the U.S. that grant doctoral degrees.

College of Natural Sciences

The placed among the nation’s best in at No. 97 (tied), and at No. 115 (tied), and at No. 125 (tied).

College of Arts, Languages & Letters

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa placed No. 106 (tied) among the nation’s best for fine arts programs.

Other rankings

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings by Subject, March 25, 2026
• 2025 U.S. News and World Report best online programs, January 27, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 21, 2026

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ballroom dance team won its third consecutive national title at the (NCDC), in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 27–29.

Competing against 37 colleges, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa once again took first place for “highest point average,” as well as a close second place for the overall team championship, asserting its place among the nation’s top ballroom dance college teams. Winning top honors in the highest point average requires most team members to perform exceptionally well in all events.

The dancers of the Ballroom Dance Club @ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½M—a registered independent organization at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa—are trained and coached by Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti. Narayan and Sumukti also represented Hawaiʻi in the senior age division placing 1st in several events.

“We are no longer the underdogs, so all the other colleges are looking at us as the team to beat,” said Narayan, who is also an adjunct faculty member in the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa . “The bar is getting raised higher and higher each year, but we prevailed once again. We are incredibly proud of the dedication of our dancers who put in many hours to prepare for this competition. We are grateful for the incredible support we have received from the entire ballroom community in the state of Hawaiʻi.”

The Ballroom Dance Club @ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½M was formed in September 2022, and the team took first place for “highest team average” in 2024 and 2025.

“Nationals was an amazing and eye-opening experience for me,” said Caleb Zerbe, who competed in the nationals for the first time. “Getting to see so many people dance and enjoy themselves on the floor made me realize how fun dancing can be, even at the highest stages. It was a moment that helped me build a lot of confidence, and one that I will never forget.”

Christopher Ramirez, who competed on all three victorious ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa teams, added, “Given the opportunity to compete at my third nationals, there is always something new to learn. Winning for the third year in a row has reminded me just how incredible it is to be a part of this team.”

Tough competition

NCDC is a grueling competition with events starting at 7 a.m. every morning. It consisted of multiple events based on proficiency (bronze, silver, gold, etc.). Each student danced in up to 32 different events at the bronze and silver skill levels. They competed in all four styles of ballroom dance including International Standard (waltz, tango, viennese waltz, foxtrot and quickstep), American Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot and viennese waltz), American Rhythm (chacha, rumba, swing, bolero and mambo) and International Latin (samba, chacha, rumba, paso doble and jive).

Several students took individual first place awards in their respective divisions defeating up to 70 other competitors in some events. This trip was designed to give the team exposure to a collegiate competition, as Hawaiʻi has no statewide collegiate ballroom competitions.

More about the Ballroom Dance Club

The Ballroom Dance Club offers beginner classes to all ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa students, faculty and staff in studio 2 in the athletics department from 6—7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. No dance experience is required. For more information, or visit their Instagram page @bdcuhm.

The team would like to thank the Department of Information and Computer Sciences, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa Department of Athletics, Student Activity and Program Fee Board, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi, USA Dance Honolulu and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation for facility and financial support.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa 2026 nationals collegiate and adult team roster:

• Ravi Narayan, faculty (computer science), coach and alumnus
• Synthia Sumukti, coach and alumna
• ʻAulani Wagner, library science and American studies
• Alexander Picken, Earth science
• Amanda Kanthack, psychology and Japanese
• Caleb Zerbe, computer science
• Christopher Ramirez, linguistics
• Christopher Wright, electrical engineering
• Courtney Hisamoto, computer science
• D’Elle Martin, architecture
• Elijah Saloma, computer science
• Gregory Snyder, mechanical engineering
• Hannah Madiam, kinesiology
• Iris Calauan, pre-nursing
• Jonathan Bona, civil engineering
• Julietta Lopez, architecture
• Kanaru Ebi, psychology
• Karl Merritt, mechanical engineering
• Luis Hernandez, electrical and computer engineering
• Lyndsey Moku, political science
• Maya Ito, psychology
• Michaella Villanueva, computer science
• Noah Asano, computer science
• Samantha Reed, computer science
• Shaelyn Loo, computer science
• Tessa Heidkamp, journalism and political science
• Andrew Lin, computer science alumnus
• Sydney Kim, computer science alumna
• Jason Aguda, computer engineering alumnus
• Matthew Rummel, political science and business alumnus
• Ariel Ramos, cinematic arts animation alumna
• Yong-Sung Masuda, computer science alumnus
• Wilson Tran, computer science alumnus
• Florence Liu, faculty, mathematics

Luis Hernandez and Maya Ito dancing the American Cha-cha in the Collegiate Team Match where ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Elijah Saloma and Michaella Villanueva dancing the International Quickstep in the Collegiate Team Match where ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti dancing the Mambo in the Senior IV American Rhythm Championship final. (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

Students cheering for their coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has received a $50,000 research gift from Google to support artificial intelligence and robotics work led by Assistant Professor .

The gift will fund Chen’s research in robotic perception, a field focused on helping machines better understand and interact with the physical world. The research includes applications in health-related human-robot interaction, tactile sensing and agriculture.

“This support allows us to explore bold ideas at the intersection of perception and real-world environments, while creating hands-on opportunities for students to work on technologies that could shape the future of robotics,” Chen said.

Human-robot interaction, tactile sensing, outdoor environments

One area of the research focuses on health-related human-robot interaction, including embodied interaction systems designed to support older adults with mild cognitive impairment. By combining 3D vision, perception and adaptive robotic behavior, the work aims to help machines respond more naturally and effectively in real-world assistive settings. This work builds on Chen’s earlier Hawaiʻi Community Foundation-supported research on digital biomarkers for early screening of Alzheimer’s disease using computer vision and artificial intelligence.

Another component explores 3D tactile sensing, allowing robots to gather information through touch. This approach aims to improve how machines detect shape, movement and contact, particularly in tasks that require delicate handling or physical interaction.

The project also targets agricultural use, where robots must navigate complex outdoor environments. The research seeks to improve how machines navigate in fields, identify crops, interpret terrain, and operate under changing lighting and weather conditions.

Funding will support graduate and undergraduate student researchers, as well as equipment, computing resources and experimental testing. The project also provides opportunities for student training in robotics, computer vision and artificial intelligence.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa’s .

At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Winston Wu is helping shape how artificial intelligence (AI) is taught both in Hawaiʻi and across the country. Wu, a assistant professor, has been selected as one of 25 educators nationwide for the inaugural National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource AI Education Fellows program, led by the National Science Foundation. The cohort represents 23 states.

As a fellow, Wu will develop new AI courses, tools, and teaching materials that integrate NAIRR high performance computing resources. He will also support other faculty in bringing these materials into their classrooms and help guide the program’s national direction.

“This opportunity will help expand awareness of NAIRR’s resources across campus and support our growing AI initiatives,” said Wu. “I’m also excited to apply these resources to support locally impactful research, including my ongoing work to develop AI tools for the Hawaiian language.”

At ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo, Wu’s work connects advanced technology with local needs. His research focuses on language and machine learning, with an emphasis on multilingual tools and support for language revitalization.

He teaches courses ranging from introductory programming to advanced topics in natural language processing and deep learning. He also coaches ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s competitive programming teams.

Wu’s fellowship runs through early 2027 and includes a stipend and national visibility as an AI educator.

“These Fellows will serve as ambassadors for AI education across the country,” said Jeff Forbes, who leads the national program. “By elevating their leadership and connecting them nationally, we’re amplifying both their impact and the broader goals of the [program].”

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is expanding its role in shaping the state’s energy and resilience future through a new $1.8-million federal investment supporting advanced visualization and planning tools developed by the (LAVA), in partnership with the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office (HSEO).

The funding supports the continued development of the Hawaiʻi Advanced Visualization Energy Nexus (HAVEN) system—an interactive 3D platform that helps policymakers, planners and communities better understand complex energy infrastructure, land-use tradeoffs and resilience planning decisions. HAVEN makes technical planning data accessible to users with varying levels of expertise, supporting transparent and informed decision making across the state.

“HAVEN represents a new generation of planning tools that combine immersive visualization, geospatial intelligence and emerging AI capabilities,” said Jason Leigh, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa professor and LAVA Lab director. “With this support, we can scale these technologies statewide while training the next generation of visualization, data science and AI professionals here in Hawaiʻi.”

Increase security, modernize grid

As Hawaiʻi moves to increase energy security and modernize its aging grid, communities face difficult choices around infrastructure siting, regional impacts and costs. HAVEN enables users to visualize scenarios, explore planning model inputs and outputs, and assess cascading impacts related to energy, land use and disaster preparedness.

“HAVEN visualization technologies have proven to be extremely effective in making energy plans and analysis more approachable,” said Chris Yunker, managing director of resilience, clean transportation and analytics for HSEO. “The resulting energy plans incorporate informed input from policy makers and local communities.”

Over a multi-year period, HSEO and the LAVA Lab will expand HAVEN’s capabilities, integrate complementary visualization tools, and explore how AI can help make these visualization tools easier to use and available to more communities. The HAVEN project also supports workforce development by providing ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ graduate students with hands-on experience in advanced data visualization.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .

Five subject areas were placed in the world’s top 1%, and an additional four earned top 2% honors in the 2026 , released on January 21.

Education led the way, ranked in the No. 101–125 tier, followed by physical sciences at No. 126–150, arts and humanities at No. 151–175, and law and life sciences each at No. 201–250. To qualify in the world’s top 1%, rankings must be within the top 250 in the world () ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa was ranked in all 11 of the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject lists.

“We are proud that ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa continues to be recognized globally, reflecting our commitment to academic excellence, research and the student experience,” ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “These rankings underscore the hard work and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, who make ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa a truly exceptional place.”

All ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa rankings:

• Education studies: No. 101–125
• Physical sciences: No. 126–150
• Arts and humanities: No. 151–175
• Law: No. 201–250
• Life sciences: No. 201–250
• Social sciences: No. 251–300
• Medical and health: No. 301–400
• Psychology: No. 301–400
• Business and economics: No. 401–500
• Computer science: No. 501–600
• Engineering: No. 501–600

Times Higher Education considers the following factors for its rankings: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income and international outlook. Regarded as one of the leading national and international university rankings focused on research and academic excellence, Times Higher Education considered between 425–1,555 of the top institutions for each of its subject rankings, out of more than 25,000 institutions worldwide, to be eligible for its World University Rankings by Subject.

Other rankings

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 9, 2025
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, October 2, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, September 23, 2025

For more information, .

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa team won the Best Novelty and Impact Award at an international hackathon for a project designed to transform how community health workers (CHWs) support patients during and after remote check-ins.

The winning project, “,” acts as a “digital co-pilot,” utilizing speech analysis and artificial intelligence to flag possible signs of hidden distress. The system analyzes both what a patient says and how it is said—through the tone and pacing of a patient’s speech—to detect possible signs of emotional or mental distress and sends a discreet alert to the CHW along with a context aware suggestion to guide a more supportive response.

The goal of Aurion is to reduce missed emotional cues and workload of CHWs so that they can focus more on giving people the care they need. Beyond real-time support, the tool streamlines post-conversation administrative workflows. The tool is designed to reduce post-conversation paperwork for CHWs by about 70% by automatically filling out forms for them.

The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa team included:

• Akib Sadmanee (PhD student in and a master’s graduate)
• Quang Loc Lam (PhD student in and a master’s graduate in economics)
• Fahim Yasir ( data systems analyst and a master’s graduate in )

“We wanted to create something that could make a real difference, especially here in Hawaiʻi,” Sadmanee said. “Tools like this have the potential to improve care in communities where access and distance can be real challenges.”

The hackathon was held December 5–6, at the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa Campus Center, and was part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Automatic Speech Recognition and Understanding (ASRU) Workshop held December 6 to December 10 at the Hyatt Regency, Waikīkī. The event brought together students, researchers and professionals to develop solutions to real-world challenges in speech and language technology.

The team presented its work during the main ASRU 2025 program verbally in front of judges and also as a poster to the general audience, and received a certificate of achievement.

The (PCATT), a consortium of the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges, has made a significant impact on local workforce development, with more than 16,524 students served through more than 1,816 classes since 2020. This demonstrates the center’s crucial role in providing advanced technology training across the region as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Core offerings, including certifications in networking, computer programming, software development, cloud computing, and cyber security, remain strong and continually updated. PCATT is also the sole Hawaiʻi-based sponsor offering a state-verified registered apprenticeship in information technology, providing a vital “earn-while-you-learn” pathway for residents to upskill.

Technology education leader

More than two decades after starting up PCATT remains a leader in providing high-quality, industry-relevant technology education, equipping local professionals with skills for high-demand careers. PCATT also operates a Cisco Networking Academy Support Center and Instructor Training Center for the Central Pacific (including Hawaiʻi, Guam, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Fiji).

PCATT continues to expand into cutting-edge fields, including a new AI for workforce pathway with training in generative AI and machine learning. This forward-looking approach will be highlighted at the PCATT Summit 2026: AI for Action and Impact in June 2026.

Director Dan Doerger said, “For 25 years, PCATT has helped shape ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s technology workforce—and with its continued innovation and partnerships, the next 25 promise to be even more transformative.”

A groundbreaking effort to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to slow—and potentially reverse—Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in Hawaiʻi is underway at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Katy Tarrit, assistant professor in the , is leading this new, locally focused 18-month research initiative.

The project aims to develop a novel AI-powered approach that is culturally tailored to Hawaiʻi’s diverse population and integrates multiple physiological data sources—including brain activity and other biomarkers—to better understand and combat Alzheimer’s disease. By identifying subtle physiological patterns that clinicians might not easily observe, Tarrit’s team hopes to guide more accurate, personalized interventions that can slow or prevent disease progression.

“Our goal is to bring forward an approach that reflects the unique cultural, social and biological context of our islands,” said Tarrit. “By integrating multiple types of health data, we hope to uncover new insights that can improve prevention, treatment and the overall quality of life for Hawaiʻi’s families and kūpuna.”

The project received $60,000 in funding from the (HCF) through its Medical Research Program, supported by the Ingeborg V.F. McKee Fund. The program advances scientific research on Alzheimer’s disease, juvenile diabetes, heart disease and cancer. According to HCF, this effort aligns with its mission to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s medical research community and improve long-term health outcomes across the islands.

“We are deeply grateful to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation for enabling this important effort to address Alzheimer’s disease in our islands,” Tarrit added. “Their support helps us harness AI and technology in ways that honor Hawaiʻi’s multicultural identity and deliver effective health solutions shaped by local needs and values.”

This initiative contributes to a growing statewide commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies—such as AI, multimodal data analytics and digital health tools—to address major public health challenges affecting local families and kūpuna.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is part of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .

A health tech startup improving how community health workers (CHW) document client visits took the $2,000 first place prize in the second annual , hosted by the (PACE) in the University of Hawaiʻi at ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s . The startup was one of 12 interdisciplinary teams made up of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa students that competed in the two-week challenge.

The competition was co-hosted by , a software platform led by a Shidler and PACE alumnus, that empowers community-based organizations to address the social drivers of health. It highlighted PACE’s mission to bridge academic learning with practical, work-based problem-solving.

“Innovate 808 shows how powerful interdisciplinary learning can be when we connect students to real community partners,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said. “The ideas generated this year show that innovation truly thrives in collaboration.”

Interdisciplinary collaboration

The students in this year’s challenge represented 10 ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa colleges and schools. The result was a dynamic combination of technical, social and entrepreneurial ideas to support Hawaiʻi’s community health workforce.

The winning team, Pear Lens, created a photo-based note capture and conversion tool that allows CHW to document client interactions more efficiently while maintaining data privacy. The team came together as four solo applicants met for the first time during the competition: Justin Paul Alejo (business), Jennifer Kawata (public administration), Biplav Paudel (business) and Ivy Vo (business).

“The competition brought together a diverse team of complete strangers to solve a complex challenge, but we quickly found our rhythm and collaborated seamlessly to propose a simple yet powerful idea,” Kawata said.

Kawehi Kea-Scott, a Pear Suite judge who used to work as a CHW, commended the team for “meeting CHWs where they are” by respecting existing workflows while introducing low-friction technology. “The fact that these students built a fully functioning prototype in just two weeks is remarkable,” Kea-Scott said.

Initially the competition was planned as a winner-takes-all prize structure, but the judges were so impressed by the presentations that three runner-up prizes were added. Each student from the following three teams won $350.

• Jayden Ronel Villanueva, Shannon Tai and Jaylyn-Kate Balon developed a tiered education and certification pathway with AI-generated feedback and mentoring for aspiring CHWs.
• Tate Goodman, Mau Tsujimura, Micah Tajiri and Lenox Covington created a machine-learning workflow tool that helps CHWs select the most effective resources for their clients.
• Logan Lee, Tristan Ta and Yeunggyun Kwon designed a referral platform that connects CHWs and clients based on shared experience and training, fostering stronger engagement.

Takeda invited the winning teams to present their solutions to his executive team and encouraged all participants to consider internships and employment at Pear Suite, as he shared that Pear Suite will be continuing its nationwide expansion after he recently raised $7.6 million in funding.

“Just try it, go out there and find problems to solve,” Takeda said. “Being able to test ideas, try new things and see what the feedback is from your customers is a great way to learn and grow.”

Teams were also mentored by Jeff Hui, PACE‘s entrepreneur in residence, who advised students to “take advantage of these real world experiences. These are the opportunities that open doors to new career paths and set you apart when you are interviewing for a job.”

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (ICS) has unveiled a new resource designed to showcase and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s role in the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). The (Aii) brings together cutting-edge ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ research, educational opportunities and community partnerships focused on advancing AI with local impact and global relevance.

Hosted on a new interactive website, Aii highlights dozens of active projects that demonstrate how AI can be used to improve daily life and decision-making—from natural disaster prediction and healthcare innovation to creative media and cultural preservation. Each project reflects a commitment to building AI that is human-centered, transparent and rooted in Hawaiʻi’s values.

Among the efforts is SAGE3, a $5 million national project that develops software and systems to enhance collaboration between people and AI. The project empowers society to make better decisions, foster creativity and build shared understanding in addressing complex societal and scientific challenges. Other projects include KolokoloChat, a chatbot for Hawaiʻi’s state judiciary that helps the public access court information; and a student-led agricultural robotics system that earned international recognition for improving farm productivity. Additional research explores AI for astronomy, medical imaging, biodiversity and the revitalization of endangered languages.

Collaboration and education

Aii also serves as a central hub for collaboration and education. The site outlines pathways for engagement through degree programs, including ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s two new graduate-level programs to prepare students and working professionals for high-demand careers in AI and data science, as well as workshops and partnerships with local agencies, nonprofits and businesses. Upcoming events include an AI literacy workshop series on Hawaiʻi Island, and free AI and data science public lectures at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center this fall.

“We built this site to make our work transparent, accessible and locally grounded,” said Guylaine Poisson, ICS professor and department chair. “AI has immense potential—especially when designed in partnership with the community and in a responsible way.”

For more, .

ICS is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa faculty and students were front and center at an international conference, helping to shape the future of information technology, cybersecurity and more.

The (ESEM 2025) was held in Honolulu, September 28–October 3, as part of Empirical Software Engineering International Week. The conference brought together more than 100 leading researchers and practitioners from multiple countries in the field of software engineering. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa stood out through exceptional faculty leadership, student involvement and research contributions.

Three faculty members held key leadership roles in organizing the conference: Associate Professor Daniel Port served as general chair of ESEM 2025, overseeing the event’s overall planning and execution; Department of Information Technology Management Professor Rick Kazman was finance chair; and (ICS) Assistant Professor Anthony Peruma was the student volunteer chair, managing a team of volunteers who supported the conference sessions and logistics. Additionally, ICS Assistant Professor Italo Santos assisted with local arrangements.

Beyond faculty leadership, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa was represented by four graduate students from the ICS department—Derek Garcia, Kayla-Marie Torres, Carol Wong and Briana Lee—along with ICS Senior Academic Advisor Kenny Kaʻaiakamanu-Quibilan, who served as conference volunteers, helping ensure the event’s success, while gaining valuable professional experience and exposure to leading research in the field.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s research presence was strong, with four papers presented at the conference authored by faculty and students from ICS, demonstrating the department’s growing contributions to cutting-edge software engineering research.

The papers covered a range of topics:

• “” investigated how large language models can assist in automatically enhancing method naming practices in scientific codebases.
• “” examined the extent and patterns of identifier similarities across software projects.
• “” proposed a novel vulnerability detection system to identify and verify sensitive information exposure in Java applications.
• “” synthesized research on tools and methods to assist new contributors joining software projects.

“ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s prominent participation in this internationally recognized conference underscores its rising influence in the global empirical software engineering community,” Peruma said. “The combination of leadership, scholarship and student engagement reflects the university’s commitment to advancing software engineering education and research.”

The University of Hawaiʻi’s three 4-year universities earned national recognition in the U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings released on September 23, including four top 10 regional rankings for ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu.

, and were ranked among the top 4-year institutions by U.S. News and World Report out of based on up to 17 measures (depending on ranking category) of academic quality, including graduation and retention rates, peer assessments, financial resources and student excellence.

“These rankings reflect the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students across all three ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ 4-year campuses,” ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ President Wendy Hensel said. “They show that we are continuing to provide Hawaiʻi students with a high-quality, affordable education while preparing them to lead in their communities and beyond.”

The flagship campus of the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System ranked No. 92 as a top U.S. public university; No. 122 for best colleges for veterans; No. 169 overall in the country; and No. 189 in social mobility, which measures how well schools graduated students who were federal Pell Grant recipients.

The came in at No. 109 among the best undergraduate business programs out of 533 ranked undergraduate business programs.

The is the No. 118 best undergraduate nursing program among 686 ranked undergraduate nursing programs.

The in the ranked No. 139 for best undergraduate economics programs in the nation.

The placed No. 150 among the best undergraduate engineering programs that offer doctoral degrees in the country.

The in the ranked as the No. 177 best undergraduate computer science program out of 601 ranked programs.

The in the ranked No. 196 out of the top 682 best undergraduate psychology programs in the nation.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo ranked No. 178 as a top U.S. public university, No. 204 for social mobility and No. 329 overall among the top 434 national universities—a classification based on offering a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs, emphasizing research, as explained in the rankings categories below.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s is the No. 186 best undergraduate nursing program in the country, the placed No. 254 among the 533 best undergraduate business programs, and the ranked No. 297 out of the best 682 undergraduate psychology programs.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu ranked No. 3 for best public colleges in the West, No. 3 for best colleges for veterans among regional colleges in the West, No. 8 overall among regional colleges in the West (two spots higher than last year and five spots higher than the year prior) and No. 8 for social mobility for regional colleges in the West (five spots higher than last year and 13 spots higher than the year prior).

Ranking categories

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo were ranked in the national universities category, which featured institutions that offer a full range of undergraduate majors, master’s and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research or award professional practice doctorates.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu is in the regional colleges in the West category, which includes schools that focus on undergraduate education and grant fewer than 50% of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.

A team of University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (ICS) students and alumni captured first place at the Vibe Coding Hackathon during Honolulu Tech Week on September 13 at the Entrepreneurs Sandbox. The four-member team of Kai Garcia (team leader), Aris Carlos, Sage Suzuki and Lenox Covington won the $3,000 top prize for building a website for Honolulu Tech Week organizers that made it easier for them to plan and manage events.

The site lets event hosts fill in details step by step, instead of completing one long form all at once. They can return at any time to update information as plans change. The project included AI-powered tools to help suggest venues and draft event descriptions, as well as a chatbot assistant built using OpenAI’s API to support users through the application process. Once an application is submitted, Honolulu Tech Week staff can review and approve it through a separate dashboard.

Staying true to the hackathon’s “Vibe Coding” theme, the team built nearly the entire project using AI. They relied on platforms such as Lovable, ChatGPT and Claude to design, code and combine their work. It was the first time all four members used AI so extensively in a competition.

The team also completed their project in just 3.5 hours, emphasizing speed, collaboration and innovative problem-solving under pressure.

“We were proud to represent not only ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ but Hawaiʻi’s local talent in this competition,” Garcia said. “This experience gave us the chance to prove our ability to quickly learn and use unfamiliar tools under pressure while showcasing how innovation is being driven forward here in Hawaiʻi.”

The Vibe Coding Hackathon challenged participants to create and present a web app in a short timeframe after receiving a surprise prompt. The fast-paced event brought together students, professionals, investors and hobbyists for a showcase of creativity and technical skill.

By securing first place, the ICS team not only earned prize money, but also demonstrated how AI tools are opening new possibilities for collaboration and innovation in software development.

ICS is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa launched a free artificial intelligence (AI) and data science public lecture series on September 15, with a talk by Eliane Ubalijoro, chief executive officer of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry. Ubalijoro, based in Nairobi, Kenya, spoke on AI governance policies and ethics for managing land, biodiversity and fire.

The event, hosted at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, was organized by the (ICS) in partnership with the (PACE). It kicked off a four-part series designed to share industry and government perspectives on emerging issues in AI and data science.

“Dr. Ubalijoro’s presentation provided exciting insights on the application of AI as tools in agriculture and agroforestry happening today,” said Loreto Coloma, student in the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ graduate certificate in applied computing and associate director of admissions in the William S. Richardson School of Law. “When these tools draw upon traditional and indigenous knowledge, it guides our decision-making in ways that better align with the values of the people they affect while supporting longer-term goals. And we are also reminded that ethical data practices and community trust are paramount in being able to effectively receive and use this expert knowledge.”

All lectures are open to students, professionals and community members, providing another avenue for the public to engage with ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s new graduate certificate and professional master’s program in AI and data science. The series is tied to ICS 601, the Applied Computing Industry Seminar, which connects students to real-world applications of AI.

“This series opens the door for our students and community to learn directly from leaders shaping the future of AI and data science,” said Department of Information and Computer Sciences Chair and Professor Guylaine Poisson.

PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama added, “By bringing these talks into the public sphere, we’re strengthening the bridge between ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa, industry sectors and Hawaiʻi’s innovation community.”

Three additional talks are scheduled this fall:

• September 22, 12–1:15 p.m.: Rebecca Cai, chief data officer for the State of Hawaiʻi, will discuss government data and AI use cases.
• October 13, 12–1:15 p.m.: Shovit Bhari of IBM will share industry lessons on machine learning.
• November 10, 12–1:15 p.m.: Peter Dooher, senior vice president at Digital Service Pacific Inc., will cover designing end-to-end AI systems.

.

ICS is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s and PACE is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .

Strengthening cybersecurity research and advancing more resilient software systems are the focus of two new projects in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa that have secured National Science Foundation grants totaling $520,000. The awards will support efforts to address challenges in cybersecurity and to lay the groundwork for a future national center on resilient software systems.

Both efforts are led by Professor Mehdi Tarrit Mirakhorli and Assistant Professor Anthony Peruma.

“With the government planning a $1 billion investment in offensive cyber capabilities, our work is more vital than ever,” Mirakhorli said. “We are developing a foundational hacking framework to ensure the United States also leads in the responsible, offensive and defensive research needed to protect our critical infrastructure and national security.”

Peruma added, “ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa is earning grants and recruiting talent to help position Hawaiʻi at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation, driving interdisciplinary research and regional resilience.”

Navigating cybersecurity dilemmas

The first award, a , will fund ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s “Sandbox for Cybersecurity Research.” The project aims to help researchers, students and professionals better navigate responsibility dilemmas in cybersecurity.

Through case studies, interactive simulations and classroom modules, the initiative will create tools to guide real-world decision making and promote responsible practices in handling sensitive data and security threats. The sandbox will also serve as an educational platform, training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to balance technical expertise with responsibility.

Building resilient systems

The second grant, a , supports early work to design a multi-institution Center for Resilient by Design Software and Systems. This effort focuses on building computing systems that can withstand and recover from cyberattacks, rather than relying solely on defenses that react after a breach.

The planning period will include organizing the Cyber-Resilience Forum at MITRE Corporation in McLean, Virginia on November 14. This event, which is led by ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ and hosted by MITRE, will serve as a trusted venue for government, industry and academic participants to explore the next frontiers of resilient-by-design systems. The goal is to unite universities, government and industry partners around a future national center dedicated to embedding resilience directly into the design of critical software and infrastructure.

Together, the grants highlight ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s growing role in advancing cybersecurity research at the intersection of technology, resilience and more.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .