The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� celebrated the exceptional achievements of its faculty, staff and students at the 2025 , on April 28 at Kennedy Theatre.

����Vlog�ٷ� President Wendy Hensel, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Vice Provost for Academic Excellence Laura Lyons and Board of Regents Vice Chair Laurie Tochiki recognized this year’s honorees for their outstanding accomplishments.

A video recording of the event will be available on the ����Vlog�ٷ� Manoa Awards page at a later date.

Congratulations to all our winners!

2025 ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Awards winners

• Mapuana C.K. Antonio, associate professor, public health
• Matthew F. Cain, associate professor, chemistry
• Elisabeth Mehana Makaʻinaʻi, instructor, Hawaiian studies
• Hannah Manshel, assistant professor, English
• Masaru Mito, instructor, Japanese language
• Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio, associate professor, political science

• Sloan Coats, assistant professor, Earth sciences
• Matthieu Dubarry, associate researcher, Hawaiʻi Natural Energy Institute
• Rick Kazman, professor, information technology management

• Margaret Colleen Rost-Banik, instructor, sociology
• Sara Maaria Saastamoinen, PhD student, political science

• Maya Soetoro-Ng, associate specialist, Matsunaga Institute for Peace

• Dean Domingo, instructor, Ilokano language
• Chad Edward Miller, specialist, teacher education
• You-il (Chris) Park, associate professor, accounting
• Melissa Renae Price, associate professor, wildlife management
• Jennifer D.S. Griswold, professor, atmospheric sciences
• Kaori Tamura, associate professor, kinesiology and rehabilitation science

• Seung Yang, assistant director, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
• John Gestrich, carpentry shops manager, Campus Operations and Facilities
• Marla Fergerstrom, farm manager, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resilience
• Jennifer Frank, physician, University Health Services ����ԴDz�

• Michele Inouchi, administrative officer, Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success
• Roy Tom, machinist, Department of Physics and Astronomy

• Michael Liu, astronomer, Institute for Astronomy

• Kenny Kaʻaiakamanu-Quibilan, assistant faculty specialist, Department of Information & Computer Sciences

• Academic & Student Affairs Office, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resilience
  (Kayden Iwasaki, Irene Morrow, Maile Sing and Jessica Strenstrom)

• Sladjana Prišić, associate professor, microbiology
• Pei-Ling Kao, associate professor, dance

• Aláine Fiona Lee, undergraduate student, astrophysics
• Kazuumi Fujioka, PhD candidate, chemistry
• Nick Saunders, PhD candidate, astronomy

• Shayla Spotkaeff, undergraduate research assistant, Center for Oral History

Awardees were selected following careful review by the various awards committees, based on nominations and supporting materials across teaching, research, mentoring and service. Mahalo to all who participated in the selection process.

Fresh water in West Maui has been mismanaged for more than 180 years, according to many kamaʻāina, Native Hawaiians and community activists, in an issue that has received international attention in the wake of the deadly wildfire that destroyed Lahaina town.

The area from Ukumehame to Honokōhau, known as Maui Komohana, that includes Lahaina, was once flourishing with fresh waterways, loʻi kalo terraces, fishponds, and fields of ʻulu (breadfruit) and ʻuala (sweet potato). Beginning in the mid-19th century, water was diverted for commercial agriculture and eventually to resort hotels, leaving Maui Komohana with insufficient water to cultivate traditional crops and support subsistence lifestyles.

Since 2021, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been assisting Maui Komohana residents in reclaiming their water rights, in a community project through the law school’s that is also providing law students with invaluable real world experience.

“There’s an implicit culture in law that says lawyers are the experts. I think the clinic really helped me understand that the experts are the folks in the community,” said Troy Ballard, who first participated as a law school student and is now helping run the clinic as a Post Juris Doctor Fellow. “As lawyers we are meant to serve and co-power and uplift, and this clinic was a unique opportunity to be able to work with experts in the community. I will be forever grateful for the relationships I have built through this opportunity.”

The situation with the return of water rights was exacerbated by the devastating Lahaina fire. An emergency proclamation by Gov. Josh Green that suspended the Water Code, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes chapter 174C, was lifted one month later. Ever since, the clinic has been back at work helping community members navigate the water use permitting process.

“These permits are vital in helping bring the law to life on the ground and in our communities,” said Kapua Sproat, a ����Vlog�ٷ� professor of law. “What we’ve seen in these communities is that even though the black letter law carries a certain weight, it hasn’t been respected or implemented or informed water allocations.”

����Vlog�ٷ� law school faculty and students staffing the clinic were in Lahaina in the weeks before the wildfire that leveled the historic town. They met with community members at Waiola Church and were staying at the Nā ʻAikāne o Maui Cultural Center on Front Street. Both of those buildings, along with the vast majority of Lahaina, were destroyed on August 8.

“Nā ʻAikāne o Maui Cultural Center was a hub for the community and a waihona (repository) of priceless work, history and artifacts. Despite their own devastation, the Kapu ʻohana, who stewards that place, rose to serve their community. That is emblematic of the people of this place: selfless, hardworking, and full of aloha,” said Uʻilani Tanigawa Lum, a ����Vlog�ٷ� assistant professor of law and co-director of the Native Hawaiian Rights Clinic.

Seeing the devastation afterwards only strengthened the resolve of everyone involved with Ka Huli Ao Center in helping the multi-generational families who call Maui Komohana home.

“Against the backdrop of a storied history of displacement and mismanagement of water resources, these devastating fires continue to uncover larger and systemic injustices. We are grateful to have the privilege of working with this community because they are some of the most kūpaʻa (steadfast) and strong members who have been fighting this battle for generations,” said Tanigawa Lum.

Jay H. Shidler, BBA ’68, an alumnus of the  at the , has donated an additional $5 million in cash to the college. This latest contribution adds to Shidler’s $117 million gift made in 2017, $69 million in 2014, and his first initial gift of $25 million in 2006, all in cash and real estate ground leases. Further, with the reunification of the School of Travel Industry Management in 2019, Shidler committed an additional $1.55 million towards research support and to provide matching funds for faculty endowments. To date, Shidler has given approximately $238 million to the school in cash, land leases and in-kind donations—which represents both the largest individual donation in the university’s 110-year history, and is the second-largest known gift to any U.S. business school at a public university.

This donation will amplify the impact and reach of Shidler’s earlier gifts, further allowing the college to maintain and expand key strategic initiatives. Specifically, it will support faculty research, student scholarships, provide matching funds for strategic investments in programs and existing endowments, provide funding for visiting faculty, as well as outreach activities.

“Being from an Army family and constantly moving in my childhood, the islands have been my permanent home since 1964,” said Jay Shidler, founder and managing partner of The Shidler Group. “It is truly an honor to positively impact the institution and community that instilled many foundational skills and stability in my formative years. The many business connections, skill sets and guidance I garnered from the college were paramount in establishing my own business. It is incredible that I am now able to impact positive, real change on tomorrow’s business graduates, and ultimately the next generation of leaders in Hawaiʻi.”

“Jay’s extraordinary vision and partnership with the college is further magnified with this latest gift,” said Vance Roley, dean of Shidler College and First Hawaiian Bank Chair of Leadership and Management. “His commitment to continually elevate the college is not only commendable, but demonstrates his pride as an alumnus, as well as a deep understanding of higher education’s impact to Hawaiʻi’s overall well-being and prosperity. With undergraduate enrollment growing and our school rankings continuing an upward trajectory, the impact of his gifts are tangible. We look forward to further growing and supporting our faculty, investing in key programs and supporting students to attain their education with this latest gift.”

“I hope my commitment over the years spurs and inspires others to pay it forward and make an investment in our future,” added Shidler. “I truly commend Dean Roley’s vision, leadership and partnership to continuously move the college forward. I am immensely proud of all that the college has accomplished in less than two decades, and look forward to the future.”

“We are so grateful to Jay Shidler for his continued support of the education of our students,” said Michael S. Bruno, provost, University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�. “His generosity and commitment to his alma mater are an inspiration to us all, and will have long lasting benefits to the people of Hawaiʻi.”

Shidler began his philanthropic efforts with the University of Hawaiʻi in 2006, with an initial gift of $25 million, which prompted the university to change the name of its business school to the Shidler College of Business. This was followed by several additional gifts over the next few years, bringing his current giving total to $238 million.

Since the time of his initial gift, the Shidler College of Business has:

• Been consistently recognized for its international undergraduate business program (with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region), placing 13th in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022–2023 rankings.
• U.S. News also ranked Shidler College of Business 128 out of 516 among the best undergraduate business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
• Grown its endowments from six to 43, allowing for recruitment and retention of a world-class faculty.
• Awarded over $1 million dollars annually in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students.
• Placed nearly 500 students in international, mainland and local internships annually, based on a five-year average, in addition to placing eighty percent of students in their desired industry within three months of graduating.
• Grown resources for the School of Travel Industry Management (TIM School) since reunifying the college in 2019 to include:
  • $1.5 million in new student scholarships
  • $500,000 for study abroad support
  • Six new faculty endowments

Following graduation, Shidler was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Upon leaving the service in 1971, he formed what would become , which today invests equity and debt capital in U.S. commercial properties and portfolios, and creates and capitalizes new real estate-related companies.

In 2015, AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) named Shidler one of the world’s 100 most influential leaders in making an impact on business education, and also recognized him as one of the 50 most generous alumni donors.

Shidler and Wallette, his wife of over 50 years, have a daughter, Summer, and five grandchildren.

He is an active trustee of several charitable organizations including The Shidler Family Foundation.

About Shidler College of Business

Founded in 1949, the Shidler College of Business was named in 2006 after alumnus Jay H. Shidler, founder and managing partner of The Shidler Group. In 2017, Shidler increased his initial gift of $25 million to $228 million, making it the largest individual donation to the University of Hawaiʻi; and in 2019, the School of Travel Industry Management rejoined the college. The college is renowned for its multicultural learning environment and its expertise in international business education, and is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 25 schools for international business by U.S. News & World Report. Long recognized for its Asia-Pacific focus, the college offers a wide variety of degree, certificate and executive programs. The college has the only graduate program in Hawaiʻi and Vietnam accredited by AACSB International. For more information, visit shider.hawaii.edu.

Reece Jones, professor and chair of the in University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s , has been named a 2023 Fellow by the (AAG). The lifetime appointment recognizes geographers who have made significant contributions to geographic research, advancement of practice, and careers devoted to strengthening the field of geography, including teaching and mentoring.

“I’m honored to be a Fellow of the AAG, and congratulate my associates who were also recognized this year for their contributions to the discipline of geography,” said Jones. “I look forward to working together with them to support AAG and contribute to initiatives that advance our field.”

Jones will join a diverse group of 16 geographers from a variety of practice areas who have been selected as 2023 AAG Fellows. The group will serve the AAG and advise it on strategic directions and challenges, as well as mentor early- and mid-career faculty.

“AAG Fellows light the way for the pursuit and advancement of geography,” said Gary Langham, executive director of the association. “Their work and experience offer insights into the interaction of space and place with the key issues human societies must understand and help solve. We are grateful for their leadership and advice in advancing AAG and the field.”

Jones is the second member of the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Department of Geography and Environment to be recognized as an AAG Fellow. Basil Gomez, an adjunct professor in the department, was named an AAG Fellow in 2020.

More about Jones

Jones, who joined the university in 2008 and also serves as an affiliate faculty member of the Center for South Asian Studies, is known for his ground-breaking and influential research on borders and immigration. He was named a Guggenheim Fellow in 2021 by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, and his book , published in 2016, won multiple awards for the best book in political geography and has been translated into French and Slovenian. The citation from the British Royal Geographical Society called it “one of the most influential Political Geography books published in recent times.”

He also authored , which received the 2013 Julian Minghi Distinguished Book Award for best book in political geography from the American Association of Geographers; and , published by Beacon Press. Jones is editor-in-chief of the journal Geopolitics.

Jones, along with the other 2023 AAG Fellows, will be recognized at an awards celebration on March 26, 2023, during the AAG Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The 2023 Fellows cohort also includes individuals from Arizona State University; CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities; Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment; Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability; Kansas State University; Kent State University; Ohio University; Rutgers Climate Institute; University of Delaware; University of Georgia; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; University of Kentucky; University of Tennessee-Knoxville; and University of Texas at Austin.

Founded in 1904, AAG is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of geography. Its members, who represent nearly 100 countries, share interests in the theory, methods and practice of geography, which they cultivate through the AAG’s Annual Meeting, scholarly journals (, , and ), and the online .

University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s Brandy Nālani McDougall was named the 2023–25 . She is the second Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate, succeeding Kealoha, who served for 10 years from 2012 to 2022.

McDougall is an associate professor of Indigenous studies in the department, and the director of the . Her first poetry collection, The Salt-Wind, Ka Makani Paʻakai was published in 2008 and her second poetry collection, ʻĀina Hānau, Birth Land is forthcoming in summer 2023.

McDougall’s vision for her poet laureateship is to show how poetry and ʻāina together can be a strong source of healing and connection for the people of Hawaiʻi.

“I plan to work with folks who are already doing such amazing work to protect and heal ʻāina. I also plan to work with organizations and schools who serve underrepresented and vulnerable communities,” said McDougall. “I believe writing poetry can be strengthening and transformative for them, but all of us need to hear their poems/stories so those poems can transform us, too.”

Fulfilling role as artist, poetry ambassador

The Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate role is part of a collaborative initiative between the , and the . The honor recognizes a Hawaiʻi poet of exceptional talent and accomplishment.

During her three-year term, McDougall will hold public poetry readings and offer workshops at schools, public libraries and other community spaces throughout the state. She will also produce two poetry publications. One will be a print publication in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), featuring poetry and mele by Pūnana Leo and Kula Kaiapuni students as well as other ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi speakers. The other will be an online poetry archive, Puka Kinikini, which will feature poetry by local poets throughout Hawaiʻi.

“We have had such a strong and vibrant poetry community here for generations now,” said McDougall. “I hope that both publications will be great resources for teachers and families to use so everyone in Hawaiʻi can read, learn from and celebrate our poetry—and better yet, if they are moved to write poems, too!”

McDougall grew up watching her father write and perform his own mele, which sparked her own interest to do the same. As a child, she often made up her own songs and enjoyed hearing and telling the stories of her kūpuna. Today, she sees poetry as a source of healing, strength and resilience.

“Writing poetry is essential to healing because you really need to lay bare your own stories, to do the work of facing difficult memories and emotions. The poems then hold all of that for you so you don’t have to hold it inside anymore,” explained McDougall. “It’s so freeing and then to see that something beautiful may even come out of that experience—there’s so much life-affirming power in that.”

As a professor, McDougall uses poetry in her Indigenous studies courses to help her students think critically and creatively and to honor the power of their own stories and those of others.

“I find it helpful to use poetry to help students empathize and think beyond the politics of a particular Indigenous issue to also think about the experience of historical and ongoing trauma in our communities,” McDougall explained.

Inaugural poet laureate event

McDougall’s inaugural event as Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate will take place on Friday, January 13, 6–9 p.m. at the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum (HiSAM). She will be sharing poems as part of HiSAM’s monthly jazz night, The Vibe.

For more information about the event, .

—By Alisha Churma

University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� (CSS) alumnus and affiliate faculty member Micah R. Fisher was selected as the lone U.S. nominee for the (ASPIRE) in 2022, and was one of 13 finalists for the international ASPIRE science award, which recognizes research that helps society achieve economic, environmental and social goals. As part of the recognition, Fisher’s work was showcased alongside two U.S. finalists in a public forum in January.

The ASPIRE competition promotes scientific excellence and international collaboration among young researchers ages 40 and younger. Each APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) member economy nominated one individual who was judged on scholarly publications, contributions to the theme, and level of commitment to cooperate and collaborate with peers from other APEC economies.

“I was so honored to be the U.S. nominee for ASPIRE because it is reflective of a series of intensive and growing collaborations across Southeast Asia,” said Fisher, who taught the geography of conservation class in the and is leading a planning course in collaboration between sectors in the this semester. “This award is really representative of how hard we’ve worked to establish a network of up-and-coming researchers across the region, providing support to strategically build capacity for research with diverse communities on environmental change.”

Fisher added, “Along the way, we have collectively learned so much about deforestation, land-use change, livelihoods, migration and some of the most pressing issues of our time. What I’ve always set out to do through my research initiatives and classroom learning approaches is to provide a platform for spotlighting multiple perspectives—especially local ones—on the complexities of environmental change.”

Showcasing research

The 2022 ASPIRE theme called for groundbreaking, original research focusing on “innovation to achieve economic, environmental, and social goals” on topics including biological advancement, sustainability and agricultural systems.

A January 10 public forum—featuring the research work of Fisher, and the two U.S. runners-up from Stanford University and the University of California, San Diego—was titled, “Innovating Community, Institutional, and Generational Partnerships on Environment Challenges.” Fisher’s presentation focused on facilitating new ways to produce knowledge across different worldviews as a foundation for solving complex environmental challenges. Drawing from his experiences in understanding deforestation in Indonesia and advocating for community land rights, he described pathways that research networks can play in promoting environmental solutions. His APEC research partners are located in China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Wealth of experience, knowledge

We are so proud of Dr. Fisher, because this designation identifies him as the best young scientist to represent the nation on the APEC stage.
—Professor Krisna Suryanata

Fisher earned his MA from the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Department of Urban and Regional Planning and PhD from the Department of Geography and Environment. In addition to his current position as a , the CSS affiliate graduate faculty has also worked as a professional planner and consultant, specializing in water resources, disaster management, and climate change adaptation initiatives with the World Bank, Mercy Corps and various organizations.

“We are so proud of Dr. Fisher, because this designation identifies him as the best young scientist to represent the nation on the APEC stage,” said Krisna Suryanata, professor and graduate chair in the Department of Geography and Environment. “His work in the research-policy nexus on environmental governance in rural and frontier areas highlights policy dilemmas and opportunities in climate change initiatives. His commitment to research-driven partnerships promote parity in studying environmental change and raise stakeholder perspectives and deepen regional networks.”

Two of Fisher’s geography and environment graduate students were enthusiastic in their evaluations about their instructor.

Working with Dr. Fisher has had a profound impact on my trajectory as a writer, thinker and researcher.
— Carter Beale, master’s student

“I took Dr. Fisher’s Geography of Conservation seminar in fall 2022. The course engaged students on complex environmental issues in Southeast Asia,” said PhD student Olivia Meyer. “My favorite part of the course was how he connected our readings to real-world issues by organizing field visits, such as a bio-cultural restoration site in Waimea Valley, and inviting local practitioners and scholars to speak to our class…His passion for research material, encouragement to pursue community-engaged research, and belief in our potential as graduate students to make a difference through our research made the class one of the most exceptional courses I have taken in my graduate career.”

Added master’s student Carter Beale, “Working with Dr. Fisher has had a profound impact on my trajectory as a writer, thinker and researcher. As an educator, he stands out for his generosity of attention, his careful and insightful feedback, and his infectious enthusiasm for deeply engaged scholarship…It is refreshing and enlivening to be in a classroom where the fire for such intellectual engagement still shines with vitality and sincerity, qualities that I am sure he carries into his role as a researcher, and for which he has deservingly earned the 2022 ASPIRE award.”

The earned international recognition for academic and research excellence overall and in multiple subject areas, including a top 60 showing worldwide in meteorology, atmospheric sciences and geosciences, according to the released on October 25 by U.S. News and World Report.

����Vlog�ٷ�’s flagship campus is ranked No. 394 worldwide out of the top 2,000 universities from 95 countries, selected from more than 26,000 institutions worldwide. The rankings are based on several factors, including global and regional research reputation, publications, citations and international collaboration. ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� was also ranked No. 106 overall in the U.S, No. 117 in regional research reputation, No. 129 in international collaboration in the U.S. and No. 267 in global research reputation.

According to U.S. News and World Report, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� is highly ranked internationally in several subject areas, including No. 40 in meteorology and atmospheric sciences, No. 60 in geosciences, No. 116 in arts and humanities, No. 119 in space science, No. 179 in plant and animal science, No. 198 in environment/ecology, and No. 250 in social sciences and public health.

Other rankings

Here are ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s latest notable rankings:

• 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 11, 2022
• U.S. News and World Report 2022–23 Best Colleges, September 11, 2022
• 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, August 16, 2022

For more information, visit the .

—By Marc Arakaki

The is looking for alumni, faculty and staff volunteers to serve as points of contact and an informal support network for incoming students at the . Entering its sixth year, the Ānuenue Connection Program, formerly known as the Hānai Host Program, aims to increase the number of returning students by fostering feelings of support and connection to the university ʻohana (family).

The first few weeks or months can be instrumental in retaining students for their entire collegiate education. Since fall 2015, approximately 19-23% of first-time, full-time freshmen do not return for their second year at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�, (PDF).

The program is geared toward improving the experiences of first-year students, regardless of major, and designed to support students who are from out-of-state and far from home; from the neighbor islands who may not be able to travel home easily; and those from Oʻahu who may find living at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� to be a departure from their home environment.

For alumni, it is an opportunity to give back to their alma mater. In 2021, more than 125 alumni and student pairings were made.

“It is great to see the growth in a student during their pivotal first year, connect with them on levels that would not usually be available, and connect with other mentors and hear of their own experiences with the campus,” said Derek Furukawa, a former Ānuenue Connection mentor. “It’s not just a great program, it’s a great community.”

Mentors and students are encouraged to meet at least once a month so students can seek advice, counseling or just have a connection with someone familiar with ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� and know what the island has to offer.

“Nothing is more simultaneously scary and exciting than moving 2,676 miles away from your hometown to start a new life at university,” said Anjali Skilton, a former Ānuenue Connection mentee. “In the summer before my freshman year, I got paired with my mentor. I remember meeting her for the first time. She was so sweet, welcoming, and charismatic—she truly made me feel at home. After that day, we would get together once a month to grab lunch or catch up. I didn’t see her as just a mentor through these meetings, but I saw her as family.”

Several events and outings are coordinated by the Ānuenue Connection Program to bring student participants and volunteers together. Events will be posted on the program’s and .

Each student participant and alumni/faculty/staff mentor team will determine the appropriate time commitment that works for them throughout the program.

����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� alumni, faculty or staff members willing to serve as a mentor for one or more students, should

Learn more at the .

University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� students had the opportunity to connect with the ����ԴDz� community as well as the land near the campus through an invasive species clean up event on November 6, at Kamānele Park.

40 volunteers from ����Vlog�ٷ�, including the club and members of the Wahine beach volleyball team, helped clear 81 bags of invasive vegetation at a heiau located in the park. Community volunteers included ����ԴDz� Outdoor Circle board members, Mālama ����ԴDz� directors, archaeologists and city workers.

“Kamānele Park is a very special place in my heart because I’ve been working on this project since I was in high school,” said Wellness Warriors President Jackie Osumi, a Mid Pacific Institute graduate and biology senior graduating in spring 2022.

Osumi said she started the Wellness Warriors with an aim to educate and inspire students to live a healthier, longer life and tries to incorporate a variety of approaches for the wellbeing of the student. Through Wellness Warriors, she hopes to foster community connections as well as reveal the beauty of the heiau. The volunteers were careful not to move the rocks of the heiau while they cleared the area.

“We were all able to work together in an effort to really preserve the heiau, and remove the invasive species, so that people could see it instead of hiding under all that green waste,” she said. “It was amazing we were able to do that as a team with everybody contributing from all different organizations of ����ԴDz� valley. I think that was so awesome.”

player Kylin Loker got involved with the clean-up through Head Coach Evan Silberstein.

“It was very special because we know it’s a sacred place, and we know how important it is to the land and to the community,” Loker said. “As athletes we try to represent Hawaiʻi as much as possible, and I think that getting involved and actually being within the community is a great way that we can stay connected.”

The clean up was an opportunity for Loker, a geography and environment major, to experience in real life the places and land she had been studying in the classroom.

Loker’s advice for anyone interested in future clean up events: “Do it. It’s an amazing event!”

For more information on the Wellness Warriors .

A dissertation about a new, innovative form of psychotherapy for mental health treatment has been honored by the . Samuel Spencer, a ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� PhD student, is the recipient of the 2021–22 Dr. Clifford K. Mirikitani, MD, JD & John M. Mirikitani, JD, PhD Outstanding Dissertation Award.

Under the supervision of Akihiko Masuda, a professor in the in the , Spencer focused his research on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a new and innovative form of psychotherapy. Spencer’s dissertation research seeks to help mental healthcare providers and researchers better understand the processes of change underlying ACT with demonstrated efficacy for treating individuals with a wide range of mental health concerns.

“It is essential that mental healthcare providers have access to efficacious psychosocial interventions to help diverse clients who are struggling with a wide range of mental health concerns,” Spencer said. “One way to meet this need is to continue developing and refining interventions from the perspective of a transdiagnostic, process-based approach, such as the one investigated from the framework of ACT in my dissertation research.”

Spencer began his PhD in clinical psychology at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� in fall 2018, following the completion of an MA in clinical psychology at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The outstanding dissertation award recognizes one doctoral student who has demonstrated exceptional work toward a dissertation. The purpose of the award is to encourage and recognize extraordinary scholarly research.

“Receipt of the Mirikitani Outstanding Dissertation Award is an incredible honor, both personally and professionally,” Spencer said. “However, I wouldn’t have been able to carry out such relevant and sophisticated dissertation research without the academic, intellectual and collegial support of ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s Clinical Studies Program, Department of Psychology and my advisor, Dr. Akihiko Masuda.”

Spencer also recognized the contributions of the individuals who participated in his study. Through the courageous efforts of these clients, research studies can continue to improve treatment of mental health concerns and further alleviate human suffering.

Masuda added, “Sam is one of the best doctoral students I have ever mentored in over 15 years of my career. He’s very smart, dedicated and caring. His doctoral dissertation project is extremely innovative and ambitious in that it seeks our ultimate question in clinical psychology, ‘why psychotherapy works.’ Sam is solid and well-deserved for this award.”

This award is an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

A doctoral fellowship presented to students whose area of study improves the lives of women and girls, and contributes to the welfare of society was awarded to four University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� students. Ashley McGuigan, Erica Molnar-Bufanda, Kendra Nip and Caitlin Williams received the from Soroptimist Founder Region Fellowship, Inc. The award includes $10,000 of unrestricted funds to cover expenses to complete their doctoral degrees.

For a second consecutive year, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� led the number of fellowships received with four of the eight awardees. The recipients come from graduate schools located in the Founder Region which encompasses Northern California, Hawaiʻi, Guam, the Mariana Islands and the Republic of Palau. They each were honored at this year’s Founder Region conference in April 2021.

“This award has allowed me to continue to take care of my family while devoting more time to completing my dissertation research this school year,” said Nip, a doctoral candidate in . “As an added benefit, I had the opportunity to connect with other women who are also pursuing their doctorates, as well as a whole network of women who are committed to enriching the lives of others through education.”

Founded in 1921, Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization committed to promoting the empowerment of women through access to education to achieve economic empowerment and participation in decision-making at all levels in the community. The Founder Region Fellowship is awarded annually to outstanding women doctoral candidates, including international students, who are in the final phase of their degree program, and are focusing on an area of study that improves the lives of women and girls.

Kristen Connors, ’s fellowships, scholarships and professional development coordinator, added, “When attending the Fellowship Awards Gala, I was extremely impressed with the recipients and their professional and personal accomplishments. These are exceptional women who are truly redefining success. We are very appreciative for our ongoing collaboration with Soroptimist who support and recognize our graduate students making significant contributions in their field and communities.”

“The work and dedication shown by ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� women doctoral applicants is second to none. Past award recipients have gone on to become leaders in their respective fields of study. Because of the outstanding quality of the materials from applicants, it was indeed a challenge for the board to select a short list of candidates, and ultimately the final awardees. The Fellowship Board and I look forward to receiving and reviewing the applications for our 2022 Fellowship awards,” said Cheryl Poncini, fellowship president who has served on the Soroptimist Founder Region Fellowship Board of Directors for more than five years.

More on ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s awardees

From the , McGuigan’s dissertation focuses on agroforestry and food system resilience to new socioeconomic and environmental changes, and the effects of this on women’s dietary nutrition and the conservation of biodiversity in Fiji. McGuigan collaborates with the University of the South Pacific, government ministries, and local and international NGOs to examine how a recent Category 5 cyclone influenced people’s agroforest management decisions, biodiversity and diets post-impact across 10 villages. Her work is important to understanding social and ecological resilience, combating the non-communicable diseases and can help inform adaptive management strategies that enhance food security in the face of global change.

For Molnar-Bufanda’s doctoral research in the , she tracks down newly discovered long period comets (comets from the Oort cloud) and collects data on this population using professional telescopes Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope and Gemini North on Maunakea. Her thesis involves characterizing comet orbits, colors and ice species. By the time of her dissertation defense, she will have a population of nearly 100 comets which she is simultaneously developing tools for to answer fundamental questions about planetary science. Her thesis work will provide the observational groundwork for upcoming spacecraft missions and statistics on potentially hazardous objects to Earth.

Nip, from the , is focusing her dissertation on evaluating the questions on a popular neuropsychological test of naming ability. This test is frequently part of a collection of cognitive assessments used to diagnose language and memory deficits among a wide range of disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury. The results of this research may identify test items that could be potentially biased for people from a particular geographic area. Nip hopes that her research will aid test developers in creating fair and accurate diagnostic assessments in the future.

Williams, a doctoral student in tropical medicine at the , researched antibody responses to novel Ebola vaccines for her dissertation, specifically characterizing protective antibody responses. William’s project investigates mother to child transfer of antibodies specific for Ebola. Ebola disproportionately affects pregnant women and infants. Pregnant women face higher case fatality rates as well as high rates of pregnancy loss. Infants born with Ebola rarely survive. Her work helps lay the groundwork for developing an Ebola vaccine for pregnant and nursing women which can protect mom and baby.

Information for 2022 awards

For those interested in learning more about the Founder Region Fellowship and how to apply, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s Graduate Division will hold a virtual information session on Friday, November 12, at noon. . The deadline to submit applications for the 2022 competition is January 14, 2022.

This fellowship is an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

A team of students from multiple campuses took first place in a rocketry competition held in Nevada in September. The ’ Project Imua Mission 9 team won the extreme altitude hybrid motor competition with the launch of their 12-foot, eight-inch hybrid rocket, named “Apophis” after the Egyptian god of chaos.

Students from originally designed and built this rocket for the ’s competition sponsored by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association that was to be held during the summer in New Mexico, but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. students designed an atmospheric sensing payload to be carried aboard Apophis.

The rocket and payload were finally launched in September 2021 in Black Rock, Nevada as part of the (AERO-PAC)’s competition. The Project Imua team won the altitude contest for the hybrid-motor class rockets after Apophis attained an apogee of 3,413 feet.

“I had actually never launched anything that big, so it was just so exciting to see it lift off the ground, go really high and then land as expected,” said student Nikki Arakawa.

Windward CC rocketry team members Arakawa and Quinn O’Malley also each placed second in the Extreme Altitude Contest for the solid rockets (in different classes) that each built and launched at the AERO-PAC competition.

Windward CC graduate and ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� physics student Jared Estrada has been involved with Project Imua since 2019 and served as project lead for the Mission 9 rocket.

“People should know that it is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in rocketry,” Estrada said. “It is an amazing opportunity and the team is very passionate and dedicated with what they do.”

The Project Imua team composed of 17 students and six mentors worked on the project for two years, due to pandemic related delays and cancellations.

“Our students learn firsthand that rocket science is more than high tech and engineering,” said Project Imua Manager and Windward CC Professor Joe Ciotti. “‘To boldly go’ demands unwavering commitment, resilience and teamwork. The lessons learned on this mission will launch them on exciting careers.”

The two campuses are currently collaborating on Project Imua Mission 10 to develop a scientific payload that will be launched into sub-orbital flight this summer from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. This will be Project Imua’s fourth payload launched into outer space. Mission 10 is funded by the .

“We would really appreciate having more hands in our lab,” Arakawa said. “If anybody is willing to join, contact us because we really are looking to spread pretty much the joys of rocketry.”

—By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

Read more about Project Imua on ����Vlog�ٷ� News.

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate student outlines a powerful approach to increase equity and inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and communities in science—reframing funding strategies. Born and raised on Oʻahu, Diamond Tachera’s insights have been gained during her academic and personal journey as a kanaka (Native Hawaiian) scientist in the geosciences and her findings were recently published in .

“In general, today’s Western scientific establishment devalues work done by Indigenous community members who assist academic researchers and relationships built by Indigenous scientists with local communities,” said Tachera, who is an doctoral student in the ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa (SOEST). “Together with other extractive behaviors, this devaluation erodes trust among Indigenous Peoples toward Western scientific traditions.”

Supporting broad scale change

����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa science faculty and students are engaged in a variety of grassroots efforts to improve representation and reciprocity in science research and education, such as ����Vlog�ٷ� cohorts’ participation in and a newly developed curriculum, that outlines best practices and guiding questions regarding respect, reciprocity, self-awareness, community engagement, knowledge ownership and access and accountability.

However, if change is to happen at a larger scale in the sciences, Tachera suggests systemic revisions are required.

“Changing funding structures is one powerful way to develop reciprocity and respect and repair relationships,” said Tachera. “I call for changes in research funding systems so they value equitable relationships with communities; acknowledge, in the grant process, the kuleana (responsibility, privilege) and timelines required to build relationships and pursue research and broader impacts in Indigenous communities; and enforce accountability from the highest levels within academics to encourage best practices as common practices in research.”

Respecting needs, contributions of communities

Many funding agencies require scientists to include activities that broaden the impact of their research. Often, these broader impacts involve sharing findings with community members. Tachera suggests these efforts should consider community practices and more effectively meet the needs of community members.

“Our academic and funding systems have a real opportunity to improve,” said Tachera. “By shifting their structure, they can better value relationship building and broader impacts on communities by ensuring that funding timelines realistically reflect the needs of the relationship-building process and provide support for Indigenous communities who provide unpaid labor to the scientific community.”

Without this accountability, Tachera cautions, scientists will build animosity and mistrust, rather than the equitable relationships that are necessary for effective and ethical work with communities.

This effort is an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa’s goal of (PDF), (PDF) and (PDF), three of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

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–By Marcie Grabowski

The University of Hawaiʻi made history competing in the competition—the first ever autonomous race car event. The team, , achieved its fastest speed ever and placed 6th in the competition.

TUM Autonomous Motorsport from Germany won the final round shootout and $1 million. Nine teams representing 21 universities in nine countries qualified for the competition on October 23 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the home of the Indianapolis 500.

“On race day, we pushed our car, our code and ourselves to the limits, achieving 115 miles per hour, the fastest our car has ever gone and within 25 miles per hour of the winning speeds,” said Chris Battista, ����Vlog�ٷ� AI Racing Tech team member and former ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� research scientist. “It was a wild ride as we came together as a team this last week and put in the final changes and upgrades needed for the race. While we are all saddened by the car’s spinout, it was caused by hardware issues outside of our control, and we have high hopes for the next run.”

Battista added, “I’m tremendously proud of everything we’ve learned and what the team has achieved, and can’t wait to see AI Racing Tech back on the track and faster than ever, sometime in the next year.”

Generating AI to perform high speeds, tactical decisions

The Indy Autonomous Challenge is similar to other car racing competitions, minus the need for anyone behind the wheel. The driver is replaced with a variety of sensors that act as the eyes and ears of the vehicle, and a powerful computer to perform the many path planning, tactical and strategic decisions needed to provide the maximum performance from the vehicle. The system is an example of artificial intelligence, which requires engineers to create algorithms to program the car to generate human-like behaviors and interpret complex sensor data.

����Vlog�ٷ� AI Racing Tech was established through a course in spring 2020 on autonomous vehicle technology. Gary Passon, the course’s instructor, teamed up with ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s to provide additional expertise and give students a hands-on learning experience.

����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College Assistant Professors Elisabeth Dubuit and Mark Hoffman, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Assistant Professor Zhuoyuan Song, Battista, spring 2021 alumnus Daryll Suyat, mechanical engineering junior Lillian Shibata, and partners from the private sector, as well as experts and students from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, San Diego, have all played a major role on the team.

The ����Vlog�ٷ� AI Racing Tech team is supported by several local and other industry corporations, including Maui Robotic Vehicle Association, St. Anthony School STEM program, VectorAero LLC, New Eagle LLC, ADLINK, Luxonis, PointOneNav, Emlid, RockWestComposites and others.

For more, visit the .

This work is an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� Ānuenue Connection Program is working in partnership with ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Alumni to host October events so that students and mentors may connect with other program participants.

The Ānuenue Connection Program seeks to support first-year students at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� by pairing them with a ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� alumni, faculty or staff mentor volunteer. Mentors and students are encouraged to meet at least once a month so students can seek advice, counseling or just have a connection with someone familiar with ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� and what the campus can offer.

At the end of every academic year, nearly 30% of first-year students do not return for their second year at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�. The Ānuenue Connection Program, formerly known as the Hānai Host Program, is geared towards improving the experiences of first-year students, regardless of major, and designed to support students who are from out of state and far from home; from the neighbor islands and may not be able to travel home easily; and those from Oʻahu who may find living at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� to be a departure from their home environment. The program aims to increase the number of returning students by fostering the feelings of support and connection to the university ʻohana, as the first few weeks or months can be instrumental in retaining students for their entire collegiate education.

• Workshop Wednesday: Mindful Way Through a Pandemic
  October 20, Noon–1 p.m, via Zoom
  This virtual workshop is open to student and mentor program participants to learn about the impact of the pandemic on peoples’ mental and emotional health, and learn strategies for coping with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings in healthy ways using mindfulness. The workshop will be hosted by a staff member with the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Counseling & Student Development Center.
• ����ԴDz� Rocks Campus Scavenger Hunt
  October 23, 2021, 9 a.m.–11 a.m.
  Venture on a scavenger hunt around the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� campus, search for colorful rocks and meet new friends along the way. This event is free and open to Anuenue Connection Program participants.
• Waikīkī Shoreline Walk
  October 27, 2021, 5:15 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
  Stroll along the Waikīkī Beach shoreline and learn about local fauna, flora and recreational opportunities in the area. This event is free and open to Anuenue Connection Program participants. Outdoor tour by Mary Roney, community programs coordinator at Waikīkī Aquarium.

The Ānuenue Connection Program is one of a number of opportunities for alumni to get involved with the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� ʻohana.

Learn more at the or email uhmac@hawaii.edu.

University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� esports won its first collegiate tournament in program history capturing the and the $2,500 top prize. The team went undefeated in bracket play, taking down nine schools including the University of Arizona, Texas A&M University and Canada’s Carleton University in the finals. The best of three, single elimination tournament took place virtually from September 19–October 10.

Valorant is a multiplayer first-person shooting game, and players are assigned to either the attacking or defending teams. It is part of the skyrocketing esports industry, with revenue projected to hit . ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� esports, which began in 2019, is making a national statement in Valorant. The team ended spring 2021 as one of the top three collegiate teams in the nation and started the fall semester on a high note taking the top spot in one of the season’s first tournaments.

“We wanted to win the whole tournament to prove that there is talent in Hawaiʻi. We also wanted to win the tournament for ����Vlog�ٷ� esports and ourselves because we were dedicated to winning the tournament and we knew that we had the skills to do it,” said Manalu Nakanishi, Valorant team member and ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� senior. “It was an amazing and surreal experience, and I felt like our team was unstoppable. I felt immediate gratification for all the hard work we put into the team when we won the tournament.”

Luke Miyamoto, another team member and ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� sophomore, added, “We were really confident in our ability to win and it felt really good to know all our hard work and time we put in was worth it. Winning made us want to compete and win even more and show that we are the best collegiate Valorant team.”

Up next

The Valorant team is in the midst of its next tournament, the Conference One 2021 Fall Valorant tournament. It is currently in group stages, with the top two teams from each group making the playoffs.

Miyamoto attributes the team’s recent success to having a positive attitude.

“We are very mentally strong during matches and even if we start losing nobody gets mad or has a negative attitude. Since everyone has a positive mindset, we are able to perform our best throughout each series,” Miyamoto said.

Vote for ����Vlog�ٷ� esports

Voting continues to help ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s esports program become the best in the nation. ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� was nominated by its peers across the country as one of 10 finalists for the best collegiate program award, and the public can vote for ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� on the until November 10 to help ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� earn the No. 1 spot. The winner will be determined by an esports panel of experts (75%) and public vote (25%). It will be announced on November 20.

• Related ����Vlog�ٷ� News story: Vote for ����Vlog�ٷ� esports as nation’s best, October 12, 2021

����Vlog�ٷ� the ����Vlog�ٷ� esports team’s and pages. Read more stories on ����Vlog�ٷ�’s esports program.

This program is an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

A new pilot legal clinic will assist individuals who are formerly or currently incarcerated, and have been unfairly or overly sentenced. The clinic, called Beyond Guilt Hawaiʻi, will begin in January 2022 at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa .

Beyond Guilt Hawaiʻi’s mission will be to serve the community by offering free legal services to those with unjust sentences, train law students in the area of criminal justice, and bring together social service organizations and providers who can help those freed by the clinic successfully re-enter society.

Hawaiʻi Innocence Project Co-Director Kenneth Lawson and Associate Director Jennifer Brown are starting the clinic to create access to justice for those in need.

This clinic, modeled after the Ohio Justice and Policy Center’s , was created by law professor and civil rights activist David Singleton. Singleton reached out to Lawson about Hawaiʻi serving as the first Beyond Guilt clinic outside of Ohio. Lawson jumped at the opportunity to start up the pilot clinic because, as someone who has been incarcerated and was given a second chance, he believes Beyond Guilt Hawaiʻi will similarly give others the opportunity to change their lives for the better.

Lawson said, “Everyone deserves a second chance at life once he or she has paid their debt to society.”

Beyond Guilt Hawaiʻi will assist people with: clemency (pardons and commutations of life sentences), compassionate release (kūpuna, domestic violence and sexual assault survivors), drug offenses, record clearing and sealing (expungements and court case sealing) and parole (petitions and hearings).

Applying to have a case reviewed

People interested in applying to have their case reviewed by Beyond Guilt Hawaiʻi and complete an application.

While the applicant’s case will be handled by Beyond Guilt Hawaiʻi pro bono (for free), the costs to handle a single case in the clinic could cost thousands of dollars.

“Freedom unfortunately isn’t free and we must rely on our generous donors to fund our legal clinics,” said Lawson.

Tax free donations can be made through the to the , with a designation to the Beyond Guilt Clinic.

This program is an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

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A four-wheel mini bus once used as a mobile clothing boutique on Oʻahu’s North Shore will become a hub for performing artists in the at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�. Starting October 9, the newly refurbished JoyMobile bus will serve as a backdrop and shuttle graduate students and other fellow actors, dancers, musicians, jugglers and clowns to live performances across Oʻahu.

The mobile performance concept comes as face-to-face shows in theatres across the globe drastically diminish during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mark Branner, an associate professor of theatre at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� came up with the idea with his students who felt a void.

“This project came about in a Zoom class last year when my graduate students and I were commiserating about how challenging it was to NOT see people, be with people, perform with one another, perform in person for audiences, etc.,” Branner said. “So, the rehearsal process for this project—all of us are fully vaccinated and we also all wear masks for the rehearsals and performances—has been filled with joy and truly life affirming.”

• Related ����Vlog�ٷ� News story: ʻŌlelo, oli and live musicians fill Kennedy Theatre season opener, September 10, 2021

Using donations and additional funding from local foundations such as The Awesome Foundation, The Kenneth and Dianne Matsuura Foundation and more, Branner purchased the bus from Craigslist and their team got to work on refurbishing. In partnership with Artists for Community Transformation Intl, the JoyMobile will hit the open road this fall putting on free shows at a variety of housing communities including Kukui Tower (Honolulu), Kalani Gardens (Mililani) and Villages of Moaʻe Kū (ʻEwa Beach).

The JoyMobile project is set to adhere to all statewide COVID-19 safety guidelines and restrictions. Under current restrictions, all performers will be masked and audiences are encouraged to enjoy the performances in masks and safely distanced from those outside of their family groups.

Branner views the mobile shows as a golden opportunity for the Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) students to sharpen skills and technique.

“TYA often requires ‘on your feet thinking,’ adjusting to young audiences who are not conditioned to sitting still in a theatre. So, this project is a living classroom…We want our program to develop artists who care deeply about our various communities and this is a project that seeks to engage those in our community who may never come to Kennedy Theatre to see a show,” Branner said.

Performances will continue through 2022, and anyone interested in scheduling a show can before the production moves to other public venues, including farmer’s markets, beach encampments and more.

For more information go to the or their .

This effort is an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF) one of the four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

Ten University of Hawaiʻi students have been selected to receive $1,000 each through a new award program aimed at completing a project to conserve the living resources of the ocean. The Ocean Conservation Awards are funded by a donation from the organization, and administered by the . The student practitioners were chosen by faculty mentors for the 2021–22 academic year.

“The Ocean Conservation Award program is a wonderful way to recognize, support and mentor students who wish to make a positive difference for our oceans,” said program manager Mark Hixon, the Hsiao Endowed Professor of Marine Biology in the at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�.

Danny Quintana, Global High Seas Marine Preserve president and founder, is motivated by the need for immediate action to save the seas. “We will succeed. Failure is not an option,” he said.

The faculty mentors, who are all experts on ocean conservation issues, will guide the development and implementation of student projects during the academic year. Student awardees range from first-year undergraduates to post-baccalaureate students in multiple disciplines, focusing on a variety of projects:

• Kanoʻeaunainoa Awo (Hawaiian Studies, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�; mentored by Assistant Professor Noelani Puniwai): “Kiaʻi Kai–kuleana for Hawaiʻi’s oceans”
• Helena Bakutis-Kekaula (Hawaiian Studies, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�; mentored by Assistant Professor Puniwai): “Kiaʻi Kai–kuleana of visitors to Hawaiʻi’s shorelines for conserving our ocean”
• Joel Burgess (Environmental Law, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�; mentored by Professor Denise Antolini): “Reducing marine plastics–legal solutions to a wicked problem”
• Kalā Diaz (Hawaiian Studies and Hawaiian Language, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�; mentored by Assistant Specialist Kawika Winter): “He Aliʻi ke Kai–developing a pilot ocean conservation education program for a youth paddling club”
• Sydney Lewandowski (Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM), ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�; mentored by Faculty Instructor Mahealani Kaneshiro): “The art of preventing the marine plastic problem”
• Tehani Louis-Perkins (Environmental Law; ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� mentored by Professor Antolini): “Protecting marine limu–a proposal for Puaʻena Limu Management Area”
• Kara Murphy (Marine Science, ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo; mentored by Marine Option Program Chair and Marine Science Instructor Lisa Parr): “Translating the marine impact of the non-compostability of plastics to improve community awareness”
• Caterina Maria “Micat” Po (NREM, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�; mentored by Faculty Instructor Kaneshiro): “Conserving overlooked marine fishes and invertebrates through graphic design”
• Cecelia Rudo (Marine Science, ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo; mentored by Marine Option Program Chair and Marine Science Instructor Parr): “Expanding community-based coral reef health training in east Hawaiʻi using Eyes of the Reef methodology”
• Ronja Steinbach (Marine Biology, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�; mentored by Associate Professor Anthony Amend): “Identifying marine fungi with potential for plastic degradation”

“To save our imperiled oceans we need more than just marine biologists to be engaged,” Winter said. “Empowering our youth and our communities will catalyze the change we desperately need. This program aims to do just that.”

Kaneshiro added, “It is an extreme honor for NREM students to participate in the first annual ����Vlog�ٷ� Ocean Conservation Awards! Their projects will showcase their dedication to marine life conservation and give them an opportunity to use their science communication skills beyond books. They are also looking forward to sharing their science with communities here at home, on the web and social media!”

Four alumni were featured among the state’s (PBN). The publication recognized six young entrepreneurs who are bucking the status quo in various technology sectors.

Kevin Nguyen

A 2019 graduate with a focus on information technology, Nguyen, 24, is the program assistant for ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� esports, one of the fastest growing organizations on campus. Under the guidance of Nguyen and Nyle Sky Kauweloa, a communication and information sciences PhD student and head of the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Esports Task Force in the , more than a dozen students assisted with tournament operations for four summer Overwatch League (OWL) tournaments and OWL’s playoffs and grand finals, which were all hosted by ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�.

Nguyen says while he has helped propel the esports program into the national spotlight, he still has a lot more he wants to get done.

“In the collegiate esports program, I want to create a pathway for students to get jobs,” Nguyen said. “We’re slowly getting there—one student got to work at Riot Games (a top esports publishing company) and another got to Valve (a major video game developer)—but I want to continue doing that. All this does is make me want to work harder. Although I got this award, I want to really prove it.”

Related ����Vlog�ٷ� News stories:

• ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� hosts Overwatch League playoffs providing more student opportunities, September 21, 2021
• ����Vlog�ٷ� esports hosts Overwatch workshop ahead of 2 international events, July 6, 2021
• Overwatch, esports draw ‘passionate’ students from diverse majors, June 18, 2021
• Overwatch League provides hands-on experience for ����Vlog�ٷ� students, May 11, 2021
• Global elite Overwatch League teams to compete at ����Vlog�ٷ�, May 3, 2021

Austin Yoshino

Yoshino, 23, is the CEO and co-founder of Shaka Sports, a company creating an app for desktop and mobile devices for high school and youth athletes to have their games broadcast live via streaming video. The graduate tells PBN that he played baseball at ​​ʻAiea High School and wants future athletes at his alma mater to have better opportunities to be seen by college recruiters.

Yoshino also made headlines during his undergraduate career at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� for a company he founded called Manaola Innovations, Inc. Inspired by his younger brother, Brandt, who has cerebral palsy, the company developed medical technology products including a technologically enhanced walking assistant device. Yoshino won several awards from the (PACE), and top honors in the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Hawaiʻi Global Student Entrepreneur Award competition.

Related ����Vlog�ٷ� News stories:

• ����Vlog�ٷ� student-led startups awarded $40K, February 27, 2020
• Engineering student’s award-winning invention inspired by brother’s condition, November 13, 2019
• Entrepreneurial ����Vlog�ٷ� students win money, support, April 30, 2019
• Customizable walking device wins innovation challenge, December 5, 2018

Lauren Pierce and Spencer VanDerKamp

Pierce and VanDerKamp, both 23, launched ReelFresh, a mobile app that connects small-scale fishermen directly to consumers. Its goal is to support Hawaiʻi fishermen while increasing consumer access to fresh, local seafood.

The pair came up with the idea and received a major funding boost as ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� students—Pierce majored in and VanDerKamp studied . They fished and sold their catch as a way to earn extra money while attending school. They sold directly to friends, but as their network spread and became more challenging to manage, they came up with the idea of a mobile app.

In 2020, they won third place in the hosted by PACE. The prize included a $2,500 cash award, and more than $8,000 in legal, marketing, design and startup support services. The next year, they were accepted into PACE’s program, and received $10,000 to advance their venture, along with startup guidance from hand-selected advisors.

Related ����Vlog�ٷ� News stories:

• More than $30k awarded to kickstart student-led businesses, July 20, 2020
• Startups awarded more than $60k in prizes in 1st virtual competition, May 13, 2020

This recognition serves as an example of ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.