The University of Hawaiʻi at ��ā�ԴDz�’s (DURP) marked World Town Planning Day 2025 on November 6, with an event centered on building an age-friendly Hawaiʻi. The program, supported by the American Planning Association’s Hawaiʻi chapter, brought together students, alumni, faculty and planning professionals for an evening of networking and discussion.

Hawaiʻi House Speaker Nadine Nakamura, a DURP alumna, opened the public forum, which highlighted how the importance of long-term planning can ensure a resilient future for Hawaiʻi.

An interdisciplinary panel organized by Associate Professor Suwan Shen explored issues ranging from public health and aging services to community design. Nargis Sultana, ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa DURP alumna and PhD candidate in public health, moderated the panel, which included Caroline Cadirao, Hawaiʻi Executive Office of Aging; Kealiʻi Lopez, AARP Hawaiʻi; Jordan Lewis, ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa Center on Aging; and Emma French, assistant professor in DURP. The discussion examined how state agencies, nonprofits and local partners can better collaborate to meet the needs of Hawaiʻi’s growing aging population.

“I have always found World Town Planning Day and the other events DURP puts on to be very interesting and a great place to network and talk,” PhD student Candler Weinberg said.

The event also featured the department’s annual awards ceremony. Alumni Audrey Awaya and Erin Wade received the 2025 Dinell Outstanding Alumni Award, and Scott Glenn, senior advisor in the Office of the Governor, was honored as Planner Who Made a Difference. Scholarships supported by local planning firms were presented to urban and regional planning students.

“It was inspiring to see students, alumni and professionals in the same room discussing critical issues facing Hawaiʻi’s communities,” said Chrislyn DeMattos, DURP program specialist and event organizer.

Tom Fee, vice president of HHF Planners, a local firm, called the awards ceremony “very successful” and Dean Denise Konan of ����Vlog�ٷ� ��ā�ԴDz�’s enjoyed a “spectacular evening and celebration.”

DURP is housed in ����Vlog�ٷ� ��ā�ԴDz�’s College of Social Sciences.

A tsunami warning that sparked mass evacuations and traffic gridlock in many areas across the state, including Waikīkī, is drawing renewed attention to a that modeled how to save lives during a short-notice tsunami event.

On July 29, a magnitude-8.8 earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula triggered statewide alerts in Hawaiʻi. While the most severe impacts were avoided, the fear of an incoming wave prompted thousands to flee Waikīkī, leading to significant traffic congestion on key evacuation routes. It was a real-world scenario studied and investigated by researchers in the in ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s .

“The tsunami event is a powerful reminder of the need for research and training to increase preparedness and response capabilities,” Professor and study lead author Karl Kim said. “Because of the dense coastal development and exposure to tsunami and coastal hazards, we need to develop multi-modal evacuation plans. We need to encourage vertical evacuation as well as early evacuation to avoid congestion and delay.”

In their study, ����Vlog�ٷ� researchers simulated pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle evacuations under a catastrophic tsunami scenario in Waikīkī. The findings revealed that without changes to infrastructure or improvements in early alert systems, an estimated 38,760 lives could be lost in a worst-case event.

Research looks at evacuation options

The study evaluated four evacuation scenarios and emphasized two life-saving strategies: vertical evacuation and increased travel capacity. Simulations showed that vertical evacuation—moving to upper floors of reinforced buildings—was the most effective option, potentially saving more than 55,000 lives. Conversely, motor vehicle evacuations were found to carry the highest fatality rates due to congestion and delay.

One key intervention modeled was the addition of a new bridge over the Ala Wai Canal, connecting Kālia Road to University Avenue. The proposed bridge, which has undergone a City and County of Honolulu feasibility study, would significantly increase evacuation capacity. The study found that the bridge could save an estimated 13,860 lives by easing bottlenecks and improving flow out of Waikīkī.

The researchers also explored how reducing tsunami detection and alert times from 10 to 5 minutes could save more than 4,500 lives by giving people more time to evacuate. When both the new bridge and earlier warning times were combined, the fatality rate dropped to approximately 20%, the lowest of all simulated scenarios.

The recent tsunami alert highlighted the challenges of mass evacuation in dense urban areas and underscored the study’s recommendations: invest in infrastructure, improve early warning systems and educate the public on vertical evacuation as the safest option in a short-notice event.

“In disaster planning, every decision, from where we build to how we evacuate, can mean the difference between life and death,” PhD candidate and study co-author Farnaz Kaviari said. “This recent tsunami warning shows that what we model is not hypothetical. Technologies and simulation models allow us to test what works and what doesn’t, so every well-informed decision brings us closer to saving lives.”

A researcher-keiki collaboration aims to foster a deep connection to the land and community through storytelling. The Coastal Research Collaborative (CRC) at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� developed , a storybook that was inspired by a play researchers co-created with students at Kaʻaʻawa Elementary.

“It’s a poetic tale about friendship and beach dynamics, where dunes and waves dance in harmony, much like the relationships we nurture in life,” Andrade said. “When children explore the environment with wonder and care, they grow into empowered, compassionate citizens who understand the importance of mālama ʻ�徱�Բ�.”

The story, written by doctoral student Helena Andrade and illustrated by CRC researcher Richelle Moskvichev, is available and as an , and draws from Andrade’s years of coastal fieldwork in Brazil and Australia, her love for dance, and friendship with ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� in the doctoral student Kammie Tavares.

Tavares, who has engaged elementary to high school students in science education since the beginning of her academic career, shared, “As researchers, we have a kuleana to our community, including our keiki. Creating activities to explain complicated issues may seem challenging but in my experience teaching science through play is really heart-warming and has refined my own understanding of concepts. I highly recommend it!”

The Sand Dance is one of the newest products of Andrade’s CRC Keiki, the educational extension of the Coastal Research Collaborative which is led by Chip Fletcher in the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� (SOEST).

Supporting stewardship and future leaders

Andrade’s doctoral research focuses on using beachrock to reconstruct sea-level history in Hawaiʻi. Understanding past sea-level fluctuations provides context for understanding modern trends and anticipating future changes. In Hawaiʻi, sea-level rise has already resulted in chronic coastal erosion, loss of cultural and ecological landscapes, and threats to freshwater aquifers and nearshore ecosystems.

“If children grow up connected to their environment, as a valuable part of their communities, they learn how to mālama ʻ�徱�Բ�, how to have their voices heard, and how to stand for what they love,” said Andrade when asked about the importance of involving children in environmental stewardship activities. “These are lifelong values that shape who they become and how they lead.”

As stewards of their coastline, students from Kaʻaʻawa Elementary started a dune restoration project. And recently, CRC Keiki participated in a coastal education workshop where second graders from Kaʻaʻawa taught first graders from ����ʻ���� Elementary about coastal erosion and mālama ʻ�徱�Բ�.

The students also created artwork that can be viewed in the titled “How do we love and protect our beaches?” Their pieces reflect their learning and connection to place.

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Twelve graduate students from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� showcased innovative proposals to revitalize Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown through the establishment of a Business Improvement District (BID). Their work was presented on May 9, at the historic Liberty Bank Building—a mid-century modern landmark designed by popular architect Vladimir Ossipoff—in front of local planners, architects, engineers and community stakeholders.

The practicum course was led by Professor Karl Kim of the in the ; and Dean Sakamoto, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, professional architect and founder of Shade Institute, a non-profit community design organization. The project was also supported by ����Vlog�ٷ�’s , a congressionally-authorized center that develops and delivers training on natural hazards, coastal communities and hazard mitigation.

The team explored alternative scenarios focused on cultural identity, transportation and sustainable development in order to address safety and security, public health and urban environmental quality. ����Vlog�ٷ� has worked closely with the Waikīkī Business Improvement District Association, which is one of the most successful BIDs in the nation. The proposed Chinatown/Downtown BID uses coordinated public-private investment to address persistent challenges such as homelessness, crime, sanitation and commercial vacancy.

Each scenario outlined targeted strategies to improve safety, mobility, environmental resilience and economic vitality:

• The Historic and Cultural Scenario centered on strengthening community identity through preservation and cultural events.
• The Transportation Scenario aimed to increase connectivity and accessibility for pedestrians and transit users.
• The Clean City Movement Scenario promoted climate adaptation and sustainable design to support long-term urban health and safety.

The proposals address the need for enhanced services beyond what the city currently provides, such as waste management, security and beautification. This framework is designed to ensure ongoing maintenance, promote local businesses and attract both residents and visitors.

“The scenarios capture both broad directions as well as specific actions. It’s a way of taking a more messy, complex—sometimes called ‘wicked’—problems and narrowing it down into interventions with measurable improvements,” Kim said. “What’s cool about this project is that the students can track what happens. You’ll be able to see in a year, five years, 10 years—the changes and evolution that’s occurred.”

“This course was an amazing opportunity to participate in a real world planning project that was in a safe and supervised environment that was rooted in educating students,” student Kylie Yonamine said. “This experience has taught me many useful skills that I will utilize in my future professional career, but more importantly instilled a deep understanding and care that planning directly has due to its impacts on communities and people.”

Student Nolan Barringer added, “The urban planning lessons gathered during practicum were numerous, meaningful and richly deserving of more investigation.”

Building on Waikīkī’s success

The Chinatown/Downtown project builds on the department’s long standing collaboration with the Waikīkī Business Improvement District. Since its inception in 2000, faculty and students have contributed data-driven research to support Waikīkī’s development. Under Kim’s guidance, students have worked on diverse initiatives, including homeless counts, transit planning, evacuation strategies and asset mapping using geographic information system technology.

The university’s continued efforts in Honolulu’s urban centers demonstrate how academic institutions can drive positive change through interdisciplinary collaboration and applied research.

“For me the practicum course was about more than just academia,” said student Jared Quandt. “It was an opportunity to dive headfirst into the profession of planning and attain a much deeper understanding of what it takes to create change. It was an honor to be a part of something that truly has the potential to make a difference in the communities of Chinatown and Downtown.”

—By Marc Arakaki

SSFM International, Inc. (SSFM), a leading Hawaiʻi-based consulting and engineering firm, is building on its philanthropic investments at the University of Hawaiʻi with a new donation of $276,000. This gift supports scholarships at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s and the (DURP) in the (CSS).

SSFM has committed to providing four years of full tuition and fees for three undergraduate students majoring in civil and environmental engineering, as well as full tuition for an incoming freshman in the College of Engineering. Additionally, the firm will fund the SSFM Graduate Fellowship in Planning, which offers financial support for tuition, fees and other expenses to a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in urban and regional planning.

Since its inception in 1999, SSFM scholarships have benefited 70 students, distributing a cumulative total of 105 awards.

“We have been dedicated to supporting these scholarships for over 25 years,” said SSFM President and CEO Michael Matsumoto (’67, College of Engineering), during a check presentation on the lawn of the College of Engineering. “Our goal is to nurture the next generation of infrastructure and development experts in Hawaiʻi. By investing in these students, we’re also strengthening the future of our industry.”

Invaluable experiences, tools for success

SSFM’s generous contribution is a transformative experience for recipients, and its significance goes far beyond just the monetary support it provides. For recent graduate Jena Kamalani Earle (BA ’22 ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo, MA ’24 ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�), the fellowship meant more than just tuition assistance.

“SSFM’s support in both my academic and professional endeavors have equipped me with invaluable experiences and tools needed to succeed,” Earle said. “I was able to gain professional planning experience in my role as a graduate student intern. So much so that I eventually got hired as a full-time planner before graduating.”

Brennon Morioka, dean of the College of Engineering, acknowledges that scholarships often serve as powerful motivators, inspiring students to work harder, achieve academic excellence and contribute positively to their communities.

“Scholarships provide students with the opportunity to concentrate on school without worrying about financial pressure,” Morioka said. “SSFM is one of our longtime supporters and we’re grateful for its investment in shaping Hawaiʻi’s future engineers, planners and construction leaders.”

Dean Denise Eby Konan of CSS agreed, underscoring the impact of SSFM’s support for aspiring urban planners.

“We are grateful to SSFM for funding this International Graduate Fellowship in Planning,” Konan said. “Our Urban and Regional Planning graduate students are becoming professional planners and policy analysts within private firms, public agencies, international organizations and community groups, particularly in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Asia Basin.”

University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� students had the rare opportunity to learn from acclaimed environmental journalist Rosanna Xia during her visit in January. Xia, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times, shared her expertise on crafting compelling stories, connecting science and humanity and addressing critical climate change issues such as sea level rise.

Xia’s visit was organized by the university’s (ISR), where she met with PhD students researching sea level rise. The group toured sea level rise hotspots across the island, from the North Shore to Kahala, discussing sea level rise-related challenges and some of the strategies that are being utilized or considered for sea level rise response.

“I really enjoyed learning about her approach to journalism and storytelling about climate impacts and sea level rise in California, and how important it is to connect with and compassionately represent the stories of those who are experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis firsthand,” said Tanya Dreizin, PhD student in the .

Xia also led the workshop for journalism students “Crafting Compelling Stories: Lessons from a Pulitzer Prize Finalist.” Held in Associate Professor Youjeong Kim’s JOUR 330 class, the session focused on narrative-building techniques. Xia emphasized intention, ownership and responsibility in writing while guiding students through the process of integrating technical language with cinematic and sensory details.

“If writing is magic, Rosanna Xia is the magician who reveals her secrets behind the illusion. Not only did Xia expose the techniques but she also taught us how to apply them effectively,” said student Lauryn Johnson.

Xia concluded her visit with a public lecture, “Telling the Story of Sea Level Rise: Lessons from a Los Angeles Times Reporter.” As part of the , sponsored by SSFM International and co-hosted by ISR and the , the lecture drew an audience eager to hear Xia’s perspective on some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.

“Her talk was amazing and having the opportunity to spend the day with her was great—there’s so much more to learn from her and her knowledge of sea level rise cases in California,” said Renee Setter, PhD student in the .

A transformative experience. That’s how PhD students at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (CSS) described their week at an institute on global indigeneities in Seattle, Washington.

Among the CSS attendees were Kammie Tavares from Waiʻanae, Oʻahu, and Randizia Crisostomo from Barrigada, Guåhan (Guam)—whose stories reflect resilience, identity and the importance of finding community in academia.

At the institute, graduate students with interdisciplinary and decolonial research interests gained not only professional tools, but personal support. For Tavares and Crisostomo, the experience provided a sense of connection and purpose that extended beyond the classroom.

Tavares, a PhD student in , has always been fascinated by the relationship between people and places. Starting her academic path studying the geology of sandy beaches, she eventually realized her true interest lay in exploring the human aspect of these spaces.

“I first studied geology, but I wanted to explore how people interact with these environments,” she shared.

Especially memorable was a day spent in the Suquamish Nation paddling canoes in the Salish Sea.

“It was representative of our journey navigating our PhDs as Indigenous peoples,” Tavares reflected.

That day allowed her to connect deeply with other Indigenous scholars on similar paths.

Healing through art and politics

Crisostomo, a PhD student in in the , drew inspiration at the institute from her CHamoru heritage and a commitment to healing through collective grief using art and storytelling. To her, Indigenous politics isn’t just academic; it is personal.

“It’s fueled by my everyday lived experiences, especially as a CHamoru woman deeply connected to the political structures that shape, influence and interest with Micronesia and the broader Oceania region as a whole,” she explained.

Crisostomo was also deeply affected by paddling on the Salish Sea, and was nervous about the experience until she met an elder who reframed her thinking.

“I was told to be fully present in the relationship with the water,” she said. “The elder said as long as you paddle, the canoe will hold you. As long as you keep moving, you’ll stay afloat.”

In addition to Tavares and Crisostomo, two other CSS Indigenous politics PhD students—Ciera ʻIhilani Lasconia and Sara Maaria Saastamoinen—attended the institute.

����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s participation in the Summer Institute on Global Indigeneities (SIGI) is coordinated through , the Native Hawaiian initiative in the College of Social Sciences.

Applications for SIGI 2025 will open soon. For more information, contact Kamakana Aquino, CSS Native Hawaiian coordinator, at (808) 956-2581 or cssnhi@hawaii.edu.

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Four students from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� have been named recipients of the 2024–25 . This award, administered by the Federal Highway Administration, aims to encourage students to pursue careers in transportation and research, helping to develop the next generation of transportation professionals.

The ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� facilitated the local competition, with the awards totaling $31,000. Recipients include undergraduate and graduate students from diverse fields—, , and :

• Dingyi Liu was awarded $10,000 to assess the relationship between zoning and walkability in Honolulu, under the guidance of Department of Urban and Regional Planning Associate Professor Suwan Shen. Liu is a master of urban and regional planning student and a research assistant with Hawaiʻi Sea Grant.
• Ruimin Lin received an $8,500 fellowship to explore equity in public transit services in Honolulu using open-source data. A junior in civil engineering, Lin also interns with SSFM’s Traffic Group. Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering Associate Professor Roger Chen is advising her project.
• Paul Mullins earned a $7,000 fellowship to investigate design strategies for improving transportation accessibility for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Mullins, advised by School of Architecture Professor Kevin Nute, is a master of architecture student.
• Myra Angelica Ortigosa received $5,500 to study statistical data analysis for traffic signal control. She is a junior in computer science working under the mentorship of Department of Information and Computer Sciences Associate Professor Kyungim Baek.

“We are extremely grateful to the Federal Highway Administration for their support of our students,” College of Engineering Dean Brennon Morioka said. “This financial assistance helps our students focus and spend more time on their studies with the hopes this incentivizes them to continue working here at home to help solve our many problems we face every day here in Hawaiʻi.”

The program not only provides financial support but also offers fellows the opportunity to participate in the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. The event will take place January 5–9, 2025 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

����Vlog�ٷ� is featured in this Waikīkī Business Improvement District Aloha Ambassador Documentary. ����Vlog�ٷ�‘s section begins at 6’33”.

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s has been a critical partner in the (WBID) since its inception in 2000. For over two decades, faculty and students have provided support through data collection, analysis and research that helps shape the district’s development.

Professor Karl Kim, who has been involved since the beginning, initially contributed by mapping the area and developing financing scenarios based on various assessment calculations. Today, students gain real-world experience by tackling urban challenges alongside community professionals.

“It’s been largely a data-driven exercise that data and information can be used to improve the planning, design, management and operations of WBID,” Kim said. “Part of it is how do we get it right? How do we improve it? How do we not just sustain things as they are but how do we make things better? That’s what has been special and important about this partnership between WBID and the University of Hawaiʻi.”

Their work spans a wide range of issues affecting Waikīkī, from homelessness and design standards to transportation planning and disaster recovery. They have also done studies on evacuation planning and disaster debris management following hurricane or tsunami hazards. Students have conducted benchmarking reports on cleanliness, landscaping, and urban design, while also studying unique aspects of the district, such as street performers and holiday lighting.

This collaboration offers students practical experience in urban planning and design while connecting them with local professionals. They work with architects, engineers, and planners to develop and test solutions to a wide range of problems. Their efforts contribute directly to improving the quality of life and environment in one of Hawaiʻi‘s most iconic destinations. They are focused on sustainability and community resilience.

Real-world experiences

Dave Marasco, a ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� doctoral student in urban and regional planning and graduate assistant at the (NDPTC), worked as a homeless count coordinator.

“When we go out to do our semi-annual homeless counts, we identify homeless individuals by gender and age whenever possible, and then we record their respective locations on a map of Waikīkī,” Marasco said. “During these counts we have witnessed a variety of behaviors and conditions that clearly reinforce what a monumental struggle being homeless is.”

Jaeho Choi earned a doctor of architecture degree from ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning. Choi works at NDPTC as an urban design and machine learning specialist.

“My role in the WBID project involved conducting an asset mapping pilot using advanced tools like total station and GIS,” Choi said. “This project aimed to resolve challenges faced during the previous 2008 inventory, including improving spatial analysis and enabling more efficient updates of asset data over time.”

The research supports urban design and planning to make Waikīkī more clean, green, beautiful and safe.

The partnership between the university and WBID exemplifies how academic institutions can play a vital role in community development, providing fresh perspectives and research-driven solutions to real-world problems.

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning is housed in ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s .

Faculty in the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (DURP), conducted a summer course in Indonesia designed to enable students to appreciate challenges of urbanization, climate change and resilience in the Global South. This is the third year ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� has offered a two-week immersive program in partnership with the urban and regional planning department at Diponegoro University (UNDIP) in Semarang.

“The courses offered faculty and students from both universities an opportunity to share their knowledge and creativity in responding to urban environmental problems,” said Priyam Das, an associate professor in DURP who co-designed the co-led joint course in Indonesia. “����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� students learned about resilience and informality—of settlements, services and solutions—by engaging with local communities in Semarang.”

Neighborhood visits

During the course, students attended lectures, conducted field research, and visited local neighborhoods facing unique and significant challenges. Studio-style group work enabled students to collaboratively analyze problems and propose potential solutions. They shared their findings and ideas at public presentations that concluded the program.

“Immersive and collaborative international learning experiences are essential to equip future professionals with the skills and sensitivity needed to tackle the urban challenges of a globalized world,” said Ashok Das, an associate professor in DURP, who conceived the collaborative program and led its design.

Critical learning

����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� graduate student Lahela Mattos took her first trip outside the U.S. to Indonesia. The kānaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiian) scholar is part of the program at DURP. She aspires to become a professional planner and create spaces that allow Indigenous peoples to reclaim and flourish their cultural identities.

“Being able to see the effects of SLR [sea level rise] really helped me to understand what we will be facing as urban planners…we realized that planning interventions are limited for places that have already been inundated,” Mattos said.

These courses have been partly supported by the LuceSEA Transitions: Environment, Society and Change grant awarded to ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s and .

DURP is housed in the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� .