Graduate and advanced undergraduate students from across the University of Hawaiʻi System and around the world gathered February 12–15, for the (IGSC) at the East-West Center, marking a milestone year for the long-running, student-led event.
Organized entirely by a graduate student team and supported by the , the 2026 conference centered on the theme, “Legacies Through Time: Rethinking the Past, Confronting the Present, Shaping the Future.” Over three days, approximately 140 participants representing more than 25 countries and regions across North America, the Asia-Pacific and Europe, representing more than 65 institutions, transformed the Hawaiʻi Imin International Conference Center into a hub of interdisciplinary exchange.
“Planning this conference reminded us that scholarship is not just about individual achievement—it’s about building relationships and creating spaces where emerging scholars feel seen, challenged and supported,” said Xiaoyun Neo, a master’s student in at 东精影业 Mānoa and one of the conference’s organizers. “Watching students step into that space with confidence and generosity was the most rewarding part of this milestone year.”
Neo added, “I also echo the sentiment expressed by IGSC co-chairs Tiến Nguyễn Minh (MA, ) and Oliver Lilford (MA, ) that as scholars, artists and practitioners, we do not simply inherit legacies—we negotiate, challenge and reshape them in the present, using them to reinterpret the past or set the course for different, more hopeful futures.”
Nearly 30 themed panels—including paper presentations, poster sessions, a roundtable discussion and an evening session featuring creative projects and films—highlighted the depth and diversity of student scholarship. Topics ranged from intergenerational memory and language preservation to environmental change and artistic expression, reflecting how legacies shape identities, institutions and futures.
For many presenters, the conference offered a first opportunity to share research in a supportive, peer-centered environment. Graduate student moderators guided discussions, facilitated questions and fostered dialogue across disciplines, creating space for feedback and collaborations.
“Besides the intensive three-day conference, this year’s IGSC also curated pre- and post-conference activities supported by our incredible partners and sponsors,” said Minh. “Our participants enjoyed a field trip to the Mānoa Heritage Center; a tour at the East-West Center Art Gallery; a keynote address in honor of the 25th IGSC by renowned scholar, also an alumna of 东精影业 Mānoa, Dr. Katerina Teaiwa, sponsored by the Asian American-Pacific Islander, Environmental Humanities and Environmental Justice Initiative; and a play about Joseph Kekuku and his steel guitar invention at the Honolulu Theatre for Youth. These activities not only fostered connections between our participants with local institutions, they also provided opportunities for us to introduce Hawaiʻi’s own legacies through diverse and interactive approaches.”
Launched in 2002, the International Graduate Student Conference continues to serve as a meeting place for emerging scholars to test ideas, build networks and experience academic exchange beyond the classroom.