students, researchers, faculty and staff highlighted their work addressing some of the state’s most pressing issues at the third annual at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on February 4.
The event provided lawmakers and the public an opportunity to engage with research projects spanning environmental conservation, sustainability, AI technology, ʻō濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and culture, food security and climate change.
“We’re bringing the campus, bringing the research to them so as they step out of their hearings, they can come and see all the awesome and exciting research that we’re doing,” 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Interim Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship Christopher Sabine said.
“It’s awesome. This is really what I enjoy most about being the higher education committee chair—support our local students, support 东精影业, make sure that all this great work that’s being done is showcased for the public and for us legislators, as well,” said State Rep. and House Higher Education Chair Andrew Takuya Garrett.
Themed “东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Research and Creative Works for the Wellbeing of Current and Future Generations,” the event featured more than 100 participants presenting their work through informational tables, interactive displays and presentations. Research topics ranged from extreme weather science to conservation of Hawaiian plant species and community engagement in the state’s food system.
Christina Young, a 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 PhD candidate and graduate research assistant in the , presented her project on breastfeeding for Native Hawaiians. Her goal is to talk with Native Hawaiian moms who are hāpai (pregnant) to get a better understanding of how their perceptions changed about breastfeeding prior to pregnancy, and then postpartum on how they interpret breastfeeding after experiencing it.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to not only connect with the lawmakers but to also connect with other departments across the university to learn more about the research that’s coming into the community and across Hawaiʻi,” Young said.
东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Provost Michael Bruno added, “We want the lawmakers, all the folks who work down here at the Capitol to better understand the impact of the work that we do, the impact to our communities, the places and the people that we love here in Hawaiʻi.”
Representatives from the School of Pacific and Asian Studies (SPAS) were also in attendance, highlighting the department’s role in promoting a deeper understanding of Pacific and Asian heritage.
With eight centers dedicated to research and education, SPAS has attracted more than $8 million in external funding since 2022, bolstering its efforts to enhance scholarship and community engagement.
东精影业 惭ā苍辞补, recognized as one of the nation’s top research institutions, continues to lead in research and development expenditures. The university also received a record $464.9 million in extramural funding in fiscal year 2023–24, contributing to the 东精影业 System’s all-time high of $615.7 million. With a Carnegie R1 designation for highest research activity, 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 is one of only four U.S. institutions with land, sea, space and sun grant status.
—By Marc Arakaki