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)

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has received a $50,000 research gift from Google to support artificial intelligence and robotics work led by Assistant Professor .

The gift will fund Chen’s research in robotic perception, a field focused on helping machines better understand and interact with the physical world. The research includes applications in health-related human-robot interaction, tactile sensing and agriculture.

“This support allows us to explore bold ideas at the intersection of perception and real-world environments, while creating hands-on opportunities for students to work on technologies that could shape the future of robotics,” Chen said.

Human-robot interaction, tactile sensing, outdoor environments

One area of the research focuses on health-related human-robot interaction, including embodied interaction systems designed to support older adults with mild cognitive impairment. By combining 3D vision, perception and adaptive robotic behavior, the work aims to help machines respond more naturally and effectively in real-world assistive settings. This work builds on Chen’s earlier Hawaiʻi Community Foundation-supported research on digital biomarkers for early screening of Alzheimer’s disease using computer vision and artificial intelligence.

Another component explores 3D tactile sensing, allowing robots to gather information through touch. This approach aims to improve how machines detect shape, movement and contact, particularly in tasks that require delicate handling or physical interaction.

The project also targets agricultural use, where robots must navigate complex outdoor environments. The research seeks to improve how machines navigate in fields, identify crops, interpret terrain, and operate under changing lighting and weather conditions.

Funding will support graduate and undergraduate student researchers, as well as equipment, computing resources and experimental testing. The project also provides opportunities for student training in robotics, computer vision and artificial intelligence.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa’s .

At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Winston Wu is helping shape how artificial intelligence (AI) is taught both in Hawaiʻi and across the country. Wu, a assistant professor, has been selected as one of 25 educators nationwide for the inaugural National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource AI Education Fellows program, led by the National Science Foundation. The cohort represents 23 states.

As a fellow, Wu will develop new AI courses, tools, and teaching materials that integrate NAIRR high performance computing resources. He will also support other faculty in bringing these materials into their classrooms and help guide the program’s national direction.

“This opportunity will help expand awareness of NAIRR’s resources across campus and support our growing AI initiatives,” said Wu. “I’m also excited to apply these resources to support locally impactful research, including my ongoing work to develop AI tools for the Hawaiian language.”

At ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Hilo, Wu’s work connects advanced technology with local needs. His research focuses on language and machine learning, with an emphasis on multilingual tools and support for language revitalization.

He teaches courses ranging from introductory programming to advanced topics in natural language processing and deep learning. He also coaches ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s competitive programming teams.

Wu’s fellowship runs through early 2027 and includes a stipend and national visibility as an AI educator.

“These Fellows will serve as ambassadors for AI education across the country,” said Jeff Forbes, who leads the national program. “By elevating their leadership and connecting them nationally, we’re amplifying both their impact and the broader goals of the [program].”

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is expanding its role in shaping the state’s energy and resilience future through a new $1.8-million federal investment supporting advanced visualization and planning tools developed by the (LAVA), in partnership with the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office (HSEO).

The funding supports the continued development of the Hawaiʻi Advanced Visualization Energy Nexus (HAVEN) system—an interactive 3D platform that helps policymakers, planners and communities better understand complex energy infrastructure, land-use tradeoffs and resilience planning decisions. HAVEN makes technical planning data accessible to users with varying levels of expertise, supporting transparent and informed decision making across the state.

“HAVEN represents a new generation of planning tools that combine immersive visualization, geospatial intelligence and emerging AI capabilities,” said Jason Leigh, ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa professor and LAVA Lab director. “With this support, we can scale these technologies statewide while training the next generation of visualization, data science and AI professionals here in Hawaiʻi.”

Increase security, modernize grid

As Hawaiʻi moves to increase energy security and modernize its aging grid, communities face difficult choices around infrastructure siting, regional impacts and costs. HAVEN enables users to visualize scenarios, explore planning model inputs and outputs, and assess cascading impacts related to energy, land use and disaster preparedness.

“HAVEN visualization technologies have proven to be extremely effective in making energy plans and analysis more approachable,” said Chris Yunker, managing director of resilience, clean transportation and analytics for HSEO. “The resulting energy plans incorporate informed input from policy makers and local communities.”

Over a multi-year period, HSEO and the LAVA Lab will expand HAVEN’s capabilities, integrate complementary visualization tools, and explore how AI can help make these visualization tools easier to use and available to more communities. The HAVEN project also supports workforce development by providing ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ graduate students with hands-on experience in advanced data visualization.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is housed in ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .

Five subject areas were placed in the world’s top 1%, and an additional four earned top 2% honors in the 2026 , released on January 21.

Education led the way, ranked in the No. 101–125 tier, followed by physical sciences at No. 126–150, arts and humanities at No. 151–175, and law and life sciences each at No. 201–250. To qualify in the world’s top 1%, rankings must be within the top 250 in the world () ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa was ranked in all 11 of the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject lists.

“We are proud that ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa continues to be recognized globally, reflecting our commitment to academic excellence, research and the student experience,” ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “These rankings underscore the hard work and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, who make ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa a truly exceptional place.”

All ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa rankings:

• Education studies: No. 101–125
• Physical sciences: No. 126–150
• Arts and humanities: No. 151–175
• Law: No. 201–250
• Life sciences: No. 201–250
• Social sciences: No. 251–300
• Medical and health: No. 301–400
• Psychology: No. 301–400
• Business and economics: No. 401–500
• Computer science: No. 501–600
• Engineering: No. 501–600

Times Higher Education considers the following factors for its rankings: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income and international outlook. Regarded as one of the leading national and international university rankings focused on research and academic excellence, Times Higher Education considered between 425–1,555 of the top institutions for each of its subject rankings, out of more than 25,000 institutions worldwide, to be eligible for its World University Rankings by Subject.

Other rankings

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

• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 9, 2025
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, October 2, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, September 23, 2025

For more information, .

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa team won the Best Novelty and Impact Award at an international hackathon for a project designed to transform how community health workers (CHWs) support patients during and after remote check-ins.

The winning project, “,” acts as a “digital co-pilot,” utilizing speech analysis and artificial intelligence to flag possible signs of hidden distress. The system analyzes both what a patient says and how it is said—through the tone and pacing of a patient’s speech—to detect possible signs of emotional or mental distress and sends a discreet alert to the CHW along with a context aware suggestion to guide a more supportive response.

The goal of Aurion is to reduce missed emotional cues and workload of CHWs so that they can focus more on giving people the care they need. Beyond real-time support, the tool streamlines post-conversation administrative workflows. The tool is designed to reduce post-conversation paperwork for CHWs by about 70% by automatically filling out forms for them.

The ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa team included:

• Akib Sadmanee (PhD student in and a master’s graduate)
• Quang Loc Lam (PhD student in and a master’s graduate in economics)
• Fahim Yasir ( data systems analyst and a master’s graduate in )

“We wanted to create something that could make a real difference, especially here in Hawaiʻi,” Sadmanee said. “Tools like this have the potential to improve care in communities where access and distance can be real challenges.”

The hackathon was held December 5–6, at the ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa Campus Center, and was part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Automatic Speech Recognition and Understanding (ASRU) Workshop held December 6 to December 10 at the Hyatt Regency, Waikīkī. The event brought together students, researchers and professionals to develop solutions to real-world challenges in speech and language technology.

The team presented its work during the main ASRU 2025 program verbally in front of judges and also as a poster to the general audience, and received a certificate of achievement.

The (PCATT), a consortium of the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges, has made a significant impact on local workforce development, with more than 16,524 students served through more than 1,816 classes since 2020. This demonstrates the center’s crucial role in providing advanced technology training across the region as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Core offerings, including certifications in networking, computer programming, software development, cloud computing, and cyber security, remain strong and continually updated. PCATT is also the sole Hawaiʻi-based sponsor offering a state-verified registered apprenticeship in information technology, providing a vital “earn-while-you-learn” pathway for residents to upskill.

Technology education leader

More than two decades after starting up PCATT remains a leader in providing high-quality, industry-relevant technology education, equipping local professionals with skills for high-demand careers. PCATT also operates a Cisco Networking Academy Support Center and Instructor Training Center for the Central Pacific (including Hawaiʻi, Guam, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Fiji).

PCATT continues to expand into cutting-edge fields, including a new AI for workforce pathway with training in generative AI and machine learning. This forward-looking approach will be highlighted at the PCATT Summit 2026: AI for Action and Impact in June 2026.

Director Dan Doerger said, “For 25 years, PCATT has helped shape ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s technology workforce—and with its continued innovation and partnerships, the next 25 promise to be even more transformative.”

A groundbreaking effort to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to slow—and potentially reverse—Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in Hawaiʻi is underway at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Katy Tarrit, assistant professor in the , is leading this new, locally focused 18-month research initiative.

The project aims to develop a novel AI-powered approach that is culturally tailored to Hawaiʻi’s diverse population and integrates multiple physiological data sources—including brain activity and other biomarkers—to better understand and combat Alzheimer’s disease. By identifying subtle physiological patterns that clinicians might not easily observe, Tarrit’s team hopes to guide more accurate, personalized interventions that can slow or prevent disease progression.

“Our goal is to bring forward an approach that reflects the unique cultural, social and biological context of our islands,” said Tarrit. “By integrating multiple types of health data, we hope to uncover new insights that can improve prevention, treatment and the overall quality of life for Hawaiʻi’s families and kūpuna.”

The project received $60,000 in funding from the (HCF) through its Medical Research Program, supported by the Ingeborg V.F. McKee Fund. The program advances scientific research on Alzheimer’s disease, juvenile diabetes, heart disease and cancer. According to HCF, this effort aligns with its mission to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s medical research community and improve long-term health outcomes across the islands.

“We are deeply grateful to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation for enabling this important effort to address Alzheimer’s disease in our islands,” Tarrit added. “Their support helps us harness AI and technology in ways that honor Hawaiʻi’s multicultural identity and deliver effective health solutions shaped by local needs and values.”

This initiative contributes to a growing statewide commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies—such as AI, multimodal data analytics and digital health tools—to address major public health challenges affecting local families and kūpuna.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is part of ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s .

A health tech startup improving how community health workers (CHW) document client visits took the $2,000 first place prize in the second annual , hosted by the (PACE) in the University of Hawaiʻi at ²Ñā²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s . The startup was one of 12 interdisciplinary teams made up of ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa students that competed in the two-week challenge.

The competition was co-hosted by , a software platform led by a Shidler and PACE alumnus, that empowers community-based organizations to address the social drivers of health. It highlighted PACE’s mission to bridge academic learning with practical, work-based problem-solving.

“Innovate 808 shows how powerful interdisciplinary learning can be when we connect students to real community partners,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said. “The ideas generated this year show that innovation truly thrives in collaboration.”

Interdisciplinary collaboration

The students in this year’s challenge represented 10 ¶«¾«Ó°Òµ Mānoa colleges and schools. The result was a dynamic combination of technical, social and entrepreneurial ideas to support Hawaiʻi’s community health workforce.

The winning team, Pear Lens, created a photo-based note capture and conversion tool that allows CHW to document client interactions more efficiently while maintaining data privacy. The team came together as four solo applicants met for the first time during the competition: Justin Paul Alejo (business), Jennifer Kawata (public administration), Biplav Paudel (business) and Ivy Vo (business).

“The competition brought together a diverse team of complete strangers to solve a complex challenge, but we quickly found our rhythm and collaborated seamlessly to propose a simple yet powerful idea,” Kawata said.

Kawehi Kea-Scott, a Pear Suite judge who used to work as a CHW, commended the team for “meeting CHWs where they are” by respecting existing workflows while introducing low-friction technology. “The fact that these students built a fully functioning prototype in just two weeks is remarkable,” Kea-Scott said.

Initially the competition was planned as a winner-takes-all prize structure, but the judges were so impressed by the presentations that three runner-up prizes were added. Each student from the following three teams won $350.

• Jayden Ronel Villanueva, Shannon Tai and Jaylyn-Kate Balon developed a tiered education and certification pathway with AI-generated feedback and mentoring for aspiring CHWs.
• Tate Goodman, Mau Tsujimura, Micah Tajiri and Lenox Covington created a machine-learning workflow tool that helps CHWs select the most effective resources for their clients.
• Logan Lee, Tristan Ta and Yeunggyun Kwon designed a referral platform that connects CHWs and clients based on shared experience and training, fostering stronger engagement.

Takeda invited the winning teams to present their solutions to his executive team and encouraged all participants to consider internships and employment at Pear Suite, as he shared that Pear Suite will be continuing its nationwide expansion after he recently raised $7.6 million in funding.

“Just try it, go out there and find problems to solve,” Takeda said. “Being able to test ideas, try new things and see what the feedback is from your customers is a great way to learn and grow.”

Teams were also mentored by Jeff Hui, PACE‘s entrepreneur in residence, who advised students to “take advantage of these real world experiences. These are the opportunities that open doors to new career paths and set you apart when you are interviewing for a job.”