Switching Hawaiʻi’s power plants from oil to liquefied natural gas (LNG) may not deliver the dramatic drop in electricity prices that some proposals promise, according to a new analysis by the (¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO), released April 14.

Hawaiʻi has the highest electricity rates in the nation, largely because it relies on imported oil. But a 2024 fuel contract renegotiation by Hawaiian Electric has already begun easing some of that burden by reducing how strongly global oil price spikes translate into local costs, saving tens of millions of dollars each month compared to the previous agreement.

The report finds that while natural gas is often far cheaper than oil on the continental U.S., Hawaiʻi faces higher costs because the fuel must be cooled, shipped across the ocean and converted back into gas. Those steps significantly narrow the price gap and expose the state to volatile global LNG markets, where prices can surge during supply disruptions.

At current prices, LNG still holds a modest cost advantage over oil. However, much of the projected savings comes not from the fuel itself but from newer, more efficient power plants that use less energy to generate electricity. Similar efficiency gains could be achieved without switching fuels.

Long-term investment concerns

The analysis also raises concerns about long-term investments in LNG infrastructure. Under scenarios where Hawaiʻi continues expanding renewable energy, such as solar paired with battery storage, LNG facilities could be underused while ratepayers remain responsible for their costs. Solar and battery systems are already competitive with fossil fuels and avoid the risks tied to global fuel markets.

The findings suggest that while LNG could offer short-term benefits under certain conditions, its long-term value is uncertain compared to continued investment in renewable energy and recent improvements to oil supply contracts.

“The upside is modest and front-loaded; the downside arrives when things go wrong—and in energy markets, they eventually do,” wrote ¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO Research Fellow and ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa Economics Professor Michael J. Roberts.

Visit ¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO’s website for the and .

¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO is housed in ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa’s .

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

¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa’s (JABSOM) also placed in the nation’s top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care, and ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s ranked in a in the nation.

The highest ranked ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa programs were in the , ranking No. 18 (tied) for best environmental law programs and law schools with most grads in federal clerkships, No. 24 for best part-time law programs, No. 41 (tied) for best international law programs, No. 47 (tied) for best dispute resolution programs and No. 48 (tied) for best legal writing programs.

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

“¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa’s strong showing in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings underscores our commitment to excellence in teaching, research and student success,” said ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos. “These results reflect the talent and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, and Hawaiʻi can take pride in knowing their university is preparing the next generation of leaders and changemakers for our community and the world.”

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

Note: not all programs are ranked every year. See these ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ News stories on previous years’ rankings: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

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

William S. Richardson School of Law

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

Other law school rankings include:

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

John A. Burns School of Medicine

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

Shidler College of Business

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

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

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

School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene

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

College of Education

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

Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health

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

College of Social Sciences

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

College of Engineering

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

College of Natural Sciences

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

College of Arts, Languages & Letters

¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa placed No. 106 (tied) among the nation’s best for fine arts programs.

Other rankings

¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

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

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

Competing against 37 colleges, ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa once again took first place for “highest point average,” as well as a close second place for the overall team championship, asserting its place among the nation’s top ballroom dance college teams. Winning top honors in the highest point average requires most team members to perform exceptionally well in all events.

The dancers of the Ballroom Dance Club @¶«¾«Ó°ÒµM—a registered independent organization at ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa—are trained and coached by Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti. Narayan and Sumukti also represented Hawaiʻi in the senior age division placing 1st in several events.

“We are no longer the underdogs, so all the other colleges are looking at us as the team to beat,” said Narayan, who is also an adjunct faculty member in the ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa . “The bar is getting raised higher and higher each year, but we prevailed once again. We are incredibly proud of the dedication of our dancers who put in many hours to prepare for this competition. We are grateful for the incredible support we have received from the entire ballroom community in the state of Hawaiʻi.”

The Ballroom Dance Club @¶«¾«Ó°ÒµM was formed in September 2022, and the team took first place for “highest team average” in 2024 and 2025.

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

Christopher Ramirez, who competed on all three victorious ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa teams, added, “Given the opportunity to compete at my third nationals, there is always something new to learn. Winning for the third year in a row has reminded me just how incredible it is to be a part of this team.”

Tough competition

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

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

More about the Ballroom Dance Club

The Ballroom Dance Club offers beginner classes to all ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa students, faculty and staff in studio 2 in the athletics department from 6—7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. No dance experience is required. For more information, or visit their Instagram page @bdcuhm.

The team would like to thank the Department of Information and Computer Sciences, ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa Department of Athletics, Student Activity and Program Fee Board, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi, USA Dance Honolulu and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation for facility and financial support.

¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa 2026 nationals collegiate and adult team roster:

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

Luis Hernandez and Maya Ito dancing the American Cha-cha in the Collegiate Team Match where ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Elijah Saloma and Michaella Villanueva dancing the International Quickstep in the Collegiate Team Match where ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

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

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

A recent public talk at the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ shed light on the decades-long fight for justice by Filipino veterans of World War II and the role of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye in advocating for their rights.

On February 27, Colin Moore, associate professor in the College of Social Sciences, presented “Soldiers of a Forgotten Empire: Filipino Veterans and the Politics of Denial,” exploring how more than 200,000 Filipino veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces were denied promised benefits under the Rescission Act of 1946.

His talk examined the plight of Filipino veterans within the broader context of U.S. imperialism and the Cold War, while tracing Inouye’s decades-long efforts to secure justice. Letters written by veterans to Inouye reveal their frustration, anger and disappointment.

Moore’s work draws from extensive archival research, including visits to the National Archives and Records Administration, the Clinton Presidential Library, and the Daniel K. Inouye Papers housed in Hamilton Library’s .

The presentation was followed by a discussion among in-person and Zoom attendees, many of whom had personal connections to Filipino veterans who struggled to access promised benefits.

Neil Abercrombie, ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Regent and former governor, shared his perspective on advocating for Inouye’s redress legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. are also available to researchers at Hamilton Library.

The hybrid event was organized by the and co-sponsored by ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ and the Daniel K. Inouye Institute (DKI). Moore’s research is part of the , supported by the Inouye Institute.

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Fourteen University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa academic subjects were ranked among the world’s best in the 2026 , released on March 25.

Four subjects placed in the top 22 in the nation and top 100 in the world. Leading the way was geology (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), geophysics (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), Earth and marine sciences (No. 21 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world) and linguistics (No. 22 in the U.S. and No. 61 in the world).

Ten additional subjects placed in the world’s top 2% (within top 500 in the world out of ):

• English language and literature: No. 28 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Anthropology: No. 31 U.S., No. 101–200 world
• Modern languages: No. 41 U.S., No. 251–300 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 66 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 68 U.S., No. 251–275 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 70 U.S., No. 401–450 world
• Education: No. 78 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Medicine: No. 99 U.S., No. 451–500 world
• Biological sciences: No. 100 U.S., No. 451–500 world

“These rankings highlight the exceptional work and commitment of our faculty, students and staff,” ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “They showcase the university’s global standing and reinforce that ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa was ranked in three broad subject areas and 14 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs by asking academic experts to nominate universities based on their subject area of expertise), employer reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs among employers), research citations per paper (measures the impact and quality of the scientific work done by institutions, on average per publication), H-index (measures both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar) and international research network (measure of an institution’s success in creating and sustaining research partnerships with institutions in other locations).

The 2026 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 18,300 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities in 100 locations around the world.

Other rankings

¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 U.S. News and World Report best online programs, January 27, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 21, 2026
• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa , in partnership with the (JANM) and the , will present a special screening of the documentary film “Third Act.” This exclusive event will take place on March 31, 2026, 6–8 p.m. in the Architecture Auditorium (ARCH 205) on the ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa campus.

Admission to this event is free and open to the public. Interested attendees are encouraged to secure their seats by .

Directed by Tadashi “Tad” Nakamura, director of JANM’s Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center, “Third Act” was an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The offers an intimate look at the life of his father, Robert A. Nakamura—a legendary filmmaker and activist. The screening will be followed by a live Q&A session with Tad.

Using the lessons taught to him by his father, Tad deciphers the legacy of an aging man who was just a child when he survived the U.S. concentration camps. Robert was a successful photographer who gave it up to tell his own story, an activist at the dawn of a social movement—and a father whose struggles won his son freedoms that eluded Japanese Americans of his generation. Throughout the years they have made films together, with Robert always by Tad’s side. “Third Act” was their last.

“The College of Social Sciences is honored to bring this free community screening of ‘Third Act’ to our campus,” said Denise Eby Konan, dean, ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa College of Social Sciences. “This film not only celebrates a pioneer in media arts, but offers a powerful exploration of art, activism and the Japanese American experience.”

“The Daniel K. Inouye Institute is honored to support the screening of the Emmy award winning film, ‘Third Act,’ which tells a heartfelt family story of Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII, and of a broader story of resilience and remembrance,” said Jennifer Sabas, president, Daniel K. Inouye Institute. “When I reflect upon the unspeakable, discriminatory hardship imposed on a group of people purely because of the color of their skin, and now the turbulent times in which we find ourselves today, it reminds me of one of Sen. Inouye’s favorite sayings—‘History is an excellent teacher, provided you heed the lessons learned. Otherwise, you are likely to repeat them.’”

Tadashi Nakamura, an Emmy award-winning filmmaker, was named to CNN’s “Young People Who Rock” list for being the youngest filmmaker at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Now with more than 20 years of filmmaking experience, his films include “Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement” (2024), “Mele Murals” (2016), “Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings” (2013), “A Song for Ourselves” (2009) and “Pilgrimage” (2006).

A single new condominium tower in Honolulu may have opened up hundreds of additional housing opportunities across Oʻahu, according to new research from the (¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO).

The study examines a concept known as housing filtering, a process in which new construction sets off a chain of moves that frees up existing homes across the market. When a household moves into a newly built unit, it leaves behind a previous home, creating an opportunity for another household, and so on.

500+ housing vacancies created

¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO Associate Professor Justin Tyndall tracked this effect using The Central, a 512-unit mixed-income condo completed in 2021 near Ala Moana. He estimated the project generated more than 500 housing vacancies islandwide within three years, expanding availability far beyond the building itself.

“For policymakers and planners, the results highlight the importance of considering these broader market dynamics when evaluating housing policy,” Tyndall wrote. “Expanding housing supply in high-demand areas can improve affordability not only through income-restricted units, but also through the filtering process that returns older housing stock to the market.”

Greater affordability across the market

He added, “Policies that block market-rate housing construction, because new units are expensive, can be largely counterproductive. The production of all types of housing pushes up the overall supply of homes and can contribute to greater affordability across all segments of the market.”

The homes freed up through these chains were often more affordable and larger than the new units. On average, they were about 40% less expensive per square foot and more likely to include single-family homes with three or more bedrooms.

The study also found that market-rate units tended to produce more total vacancies, while income-restricted units more often opened up lower-cost housing options. Most of the movement remained local, with the majority of households relocating within Hawaiʻi.

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¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO is housed in ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa’s .

For 23 of the past 25 years, more residents have left Hawaiʻi than arrived from the continental U.S., according to an . The research finds the answer is not because of high prices or low incomes, but a combination of both that puts the state in a rare and troubling category.

Hawaiʻi stands out nationally for having both high living costs and relatively modest incomes, a mix that researchers say drives persistent outmigration. While expensive continental U.S. cities often retain residents with higher wages, Hawaiʻi more closely resembles economically “left-behind” regions where limited opportunity pushes people to leave.

An analysis of migration patterns across states and 384 U.S. metro areas shows that higher prices tend to push residents out, while higher incomes attract them. In Hawaiʻi, both forces are working in the same direction, but while Hawaiʻi has always been expensive, the widening income gap with the rest of the nation is a growing and more troubling driver.

‘Priced out and left behind’

“This combination places Hawaiʻi in one of the rarest and most concerning categories in the national data: simultaneously priced out and left behind,” wrote ¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO authors Steven Bond-Smith and Erich Schwartz. “Residents are not leaving for a single reason. They are responding to a structure of economic pressures that makes staying difficult and makes opportunity elsewhere increasingly attractive.”

In urban Honolulu, high costs account for a significant share of outmigration. Incomes, which have recently fallen below the national average, add growing pressure. On Maui, price and income effects are more evenly matched, with both contributing to residents leaving. In both cases, lagging incomes predict growing shares of outmigration, while the high cost of living predicts relatively constant shares. While Hawaiʻi Island and Hawaiʻi were excluded from the city dataset, researchers believe similar forces are likely happening there too.

Researchers identified additional local factors in Honolulu—including geographic isolation, limited housing supply, congestion and a narrow industry base—that intensify migration pressures beyond what prices and incomes alone would predict.

When adjusting for cost of living, Hawaiʻi’s income levels align more closely with struggling continental U.S. regions than with high-cost, high-wage cities such as San Francisco or Seattle.

This post focuses on a key theme from ¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO’s comprehensive report, “Beyond the Price of Paradise: Is Hawaiʻi being left behind?” released on February 1. In that report, researchers say lowering the cost of living alone won’t be enough, and that Hawaiʻi must boost long-term income and productivity growth to remain economically sustainable. They recommend policies that diversify the economy, support innovation and remove barriers to growth, alongside continued efforts to improve affordability.

¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO is housed in ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa .

March is Women’s History Month. But for Lisa M. Vallin, every month is Women’s History Month. That’s because the full-time instructor and academic advisor in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ’ (WGSS) teaches one of the most in-demand courses at ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa, regularly drawing more than 700 registrants every semester.

Vallin leads WGSS 350 Sex Differences in the Life Cycle, which is cross-listed as BIOL 350. She credits a small but effective army of learning assistants, dedicated guest speakers, multiple internships and volunteer opportunities, and the ability to study sexuality in evidence-based, nuanced conversations that move beyond myths and binaries.

The course’s popularity is partly because it fulfills a general education requirement; is listed as a DB (diversification of biological sciences) course for aspiring doctors and science majors; and has earned an E (ethics) focus. But that’s not the only reason seats are snapped up as soon as registration opens. WGSS Chair Lani Teves said one of the department’s oldest courses is among its most popular because of the teaching ability, energy and enthusiasm of Vallin herself.

“Lisa is an invaluable member of our WGSS faculty and community. Students—both in person and online—regularly note that she is the best professor they’ve ever had, describing her as open minded, knowledgeable and inspiring,” said Teves.

Global perspectives, human geography

Vallin was born and raised in Sweden and, as a youngster, dreamed of working for the United Nations. Driven by a deep interest in global cultures and social justice, she pursued higher education in the U.S., earning a bachelor’s degree in geography with an emphasis on the human environment.

After earning a master’s in the field at San Francisco State University and with the intent of earning a PhD, Vallin moved to Hawaiʻi to study with Michael Salzman, a ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa educational psychology professor whose specialty was cultural trauma. She became particularly interested in how cultural trauma and structural inequality helped shape sexual identities and lived experiences.

Then Vallin learned about a lecturer opening in WGSS, and successfully applied in 2011. Her first course, WGSS/BIOL 350, enrolled 45 students in a standard-size classroom. Over the years, student demand grew dramatically. In spring 2026, she is teaching two sections that meet twice a week, serving 533 students online and 201 students in person. Vallin estimates that, over the past 15 years, she has taught more than 10,000 students in a single course.

“I’m incredibly proud of that large number,” said Vallin. “The fact that so many students have shown a shared interest in learning about the body and its diversity is deeply encouraging. It reminds me that these conversations matter.”

For the entire story, visit the .

The 2023 Maui wildfires were linked to significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety among residents, with impacts extending beyond the burn zones and closely tied to housing and income disruption. That’s according to a new University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ study published March 11 in .

The study examined 2,453 adults, including 1,535 wildfire-exposed residents on Maui and 918 unexposed residents from other Hawaiʻi counties. The data was gathered between January 2024 and February 2025 through the (MauiWES) and the ’s (¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO) Rapid Health Survey.

Key findings

• Residents inside burn zones had a 53% higher risk of depression and 67% higher risk of anxiety compared to unexposed residents.
• Maui residents living outside burn zones also experienced significantly elevated mental health risks, including more than double the risk of suicidal thoughts.
• More than half of the wildfire’s impact on depression and anxiety could be traced to housing instability and lost income.
• Being employed was strongly protective against depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.

“These findings show that the wildfire’s psychological toll is not confined to the areas that burned,” said lead author and ¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO Professor Ruben Juarez. “The social and economic disruption—especially housing instability and income disruption—is driving much of the distress we see across the community.”

See more ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ News stories on MauiWES

Co-author and Professor Alika K. Maunakea added, “Climate disasters affect biological, social and economic systems at the same time. If we only rebuild structures and do not stabilize housing, employment and mental health services, we leave communities vulnerable long after the smoke clears.”

Co-author Christopher Knightsbridge, a mental health therapist from MauiWES based in Lahaina said, “The harm did not stop at the burn zone. Housing disruption and income loss have extended the crisis into daily life, which is why recovery must include stronger housing, economic, and mental health supports.”

The August 2023 fires, which killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 2,200 structures, displaced an estimated 10,000 residents. The study found that psychological distress persisted six to 18 months after the disaster.

¶«¾«Ó°ÒµERO is housed in the .