Growing up in Chandler, Arizona, thousands of miles from the nearest coastline, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa major and undergraduate student Landon Schumaker never imagined his future would take him to the farthest reaches of the deep sea. But this summer, Schumaker conducted research in Perth, Australia, with the support of the , a funding opportunity administered by the 东精影业 Mānoa (UROP) and the .

From June through August, Schumaker worked with the Minderoo-University of Western Australia Deep-Sea Research Centre to study the Nova Canton Trough, a hadal region more than 6,000 meters deep. This area had never been studied at such scale and depth until recently.

Schumaker said that last year scientists conducted an expedition to the Nova Canton Trough and deployed cameras to assess deep-sea biodiversity between 2,471 and 7,983 meters deep. He contributed to meticulous work on this footage, including taxonomic identifications, statistical analyses and visualizations.

“The deep sea fascinates me because it feels like an entirely different world,” Schumaker said. “It鈥檚 a world that is perceived to be so far away, yet in reality, is on our planet and right beneath our surface waters. There are vast knowledge gaps, and every expedition brings the possibility of discovering something new.”

Schumaker鈥檚 work was complemented by monthly virtual check-ins with his 东精影业 Mānoa mentor, Professor Jeff Drazen in the , who has guided him for more than a year.

“Landon was pretty familiar with the deep ocean when he departed for Australia, and he had already analyzed deep-sea videos. But in Australia he really dug into big datasets, and he dramatically increased his ability to use statistical modeling to explore research results,” Drazen said. “I鈥檓 really impressed that he analyzed the data and has a draft of a peer reviewed paper. This was a stellar opportunity for Landon and he really capitalized on it.”

Looking ahead, the results from the Nova Canton Trough study are expected to lead to at least two scientific publications, with Schumaker as a co-author, and potentially lead author. Long-term, he hopes to pursue a PhD in biological oceanography and dedicate his career to exploring and protecting the deep sea.

More on the Tyler Fellowship

“The Tyler Fellowship provided me with the financial support I needed to travel, live abroad for an extended period and gave me the opportunity to learn about so many different projects going on around the world,” Schumaker said. “This fellowship meant a lot to me, as it was something I put a lot of effort into between developing a proposal and a project plan, and then being entrusted with this award. Receiving it was both rewarding and humbling.”

• Related 东精影业 News story: New UROP fellowship supports international undergraduate research, creative work, March 11, 2025

Applications for the Tyler Fellowship for summer 2026 are expected to open in spring 2026.

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Approximately 90 undergraduate students from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, Leeward Community College and other universities across the nation showcased their research and creative projects at the 2025 (SURE) Symposium on August 1.

Hosted annually by the 东精影业 Mānoa (UROP), the event featured oral and poster presentations at the Hawaiʻi Imin International Conference Center.

“The symposium reflects the breadth and depth of student scholarship across all disciplines at 东精影业 Mānoa, as well as the university鈥檚 profile as an institution of academic excellence,” said UROP Program Coordinator Noah Perales-Estoesta. “As a land-grant and R1 university, 东精影业 Mānoa has a three-part mission to advance student education, promote research and serve the broader public. UROP is very proud to administer programming like the SURE Symposium that supports every part of that mission.”

Students presented research and creative work on topics including the potential of generative AI for personalized language learning and persistent organic pollutants in the waters of Pearl Harbor. Their projects also included studies on sustainable agriculture and the impact of performing arts as an interdisciplinary experience.

Presenters included UROP funding recipients, participants in National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates and participants in the 鈥檚 new Summer Research Institute.

东精影业 President Wendy Hensel and 东精影业 Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos delivered opening remarks, highlighting the value of undergraduate research and creative work.

UROP funding support

Each year, UROP awards more than $500,000 in merit-based scholarships directly to students to support mentored undergraduate research and creative work projects and presentations. An additional $135,000 is awarded directly to mentors to support undergraduate research and creative work during the summer. The SURE Symposium is one of several regular on-campus presentation venues organized/co-organized by UROP. During the fall and spring semesters, UROP co-organizes the with the .

Haley Taylor is a shining example of a student who found her passion at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补. And for the past few years, the spring 2024 graduate and student has been paying it forward to the community through her service in Alohathon, a 东精影业 Manoa-based non-profit organization, and to future Rainbow Warriors as a tour guide with the .

Discovering academic interests

Taylor began her academic journey at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 in the midst of the pandemic, unsure of what the university would have to offer and what major to pursue. After enrolling in a few courses in the 鈥� , she found that these classes resonated with her interests.

“I’ve met some really amazing faculty who really wanted me to thrive,” Taylor said. “They taught me things about new emerging social media and media connections and how vital communications is in the world we live in now.”

Inspiring future 鈥楤ows

Taylor was born in Tennessee and went to high school in Las Vegas, but in between spent four years residing in Hawaiʻi Kai, so she wasn鈥檛 new to living on Oʻahu. While Taylor lived on campus during her freshman year, most of her classes were online due to the pandemic. She recalled that when her parents visited, she couldn鈥檛 tell them what most of the buildings were. This is what inspired her to apply to be a campus tour guide during her sophomore year.

“By luck they hired me and I鈥檝e loved it ever since I started—just being able to talk to prospective students and tell them what I’ve learned, what I’ve gained from it and hopefully allow them to see what kind of amazing opportunities they might not be thinking about, and how it鈥檚 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get your education in a place like this,” Taylor said. “It really is unlike any other.”

She continued working as a tour guide through her senior year and also became a leader to welcome and connect new students and their families with the campus.

“At orientation, they鈥檇 come up to me like, ‘Hey, you’re my tour guide. I heard you talk about this. I knew I wanted to be a part of it when I came to the school.’ And that’s just a feeling you can’t really describe,” Taylor said. “It’s just like, ‘Wow, I made an impact on someone’s major life decision.’ It’s not solely because of me. It’s because of how amazing the university is.”

Giving back

Becoming a part of the 东精影业 Manoa ʻohana inspired Taylor to look for ways to give back to her campus community. In her sophomore year, she called it her “proudest moment” when she led an organization called Alohathon at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补. They helped raise more than $27,000 for Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children.

Stepping toward the future

Taylor is headed to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in communications, with a focus on artificial intelligence. While she鈥檒l be leaving the islands, at least for now, a piece of her legacy will remain at the place it all started—the admissions office. Inspired by the impact 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 had on their daughter鈥檚 academic career, Taylor鈥檚 parents made a generous contribution to revamp the welcome center in the Office of Admissions—the place many prospective students see when they first step foot on campus and where Taylor spent many memorable hours.

“To revamp this and to get this to be a fresh new happening place for prospective students to come in and see, it鈥檚 a good first look for the university,” Taylor said. “In however many years when I have a family, I can come back and show them not only the place that I love, the island that I love, but the place I spent so much of my undergraduate time in.”

Check out more stories of our 东精影业 spring graduates

When asked about what 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 has meant to her, Taylor concluded, “东精影业 has meant everything. This has been the best four years that I could have ever imagined. I can’t imagine going to a different undergraduate program.”

—By Marc Arakaki

A University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 senior majoring in and was named a —the premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States—and is the only recipient from Hawaiʻi this year.

Daniel Arakawa, a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kap膩lama (KS Kap膩lama) and native of 碍腻苍别ʻ辞丑别, hopes to become an assistant United States attorney and aspires to serve as a federal judge. Arakawa volunteers as a speech and debate coach for his alma mater and found out the news while helping to prepare his KS Kap膩lama students for a statewide speech and debate tournament.

Check out more stories of our 东精影业 spring graduates

“I was ecstatic. It鈥檚 truly wonderful. First thing I did was call my parents and tell them,” said Arakawa, who is graduating this spring. “Of the different fellowship/scholarships like Rhodes and Fulbright, Truman is a really special one. I鈥檓 really grateful for the opportunity, and this award will definitely open up a lot of doors.”

Truman Scholars demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence. Each Truman Scholar receives funding for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and special internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government. Arakawa was one of 60 college students from 54 U.S. colleges and universities selected in 2024, out of 709 candidates. Arakawa was assisted by the , which endorses students applying for select competitions that require official nomination by the university.

Arakawa served as an intern with then-Lt. Gov. Josh Green in 2022 and became a constituent services specialist for newly elected Gov. Green in January 2023. Through these positions, Arakawa developed a passion for public service and an understanding of the political process by working closely with and supporting underserved communities. He intends to pursue a Juris Doctor focusing on criminal law.

“I’ve always been interested in argumentation and law, and so criminal law was a natural route,” Arakawa said. “As I learned more about the process in the criminal justice system, and the problems and inequities that are present, I became more interested.”

Arakawa was also selected as a student marshal for the at the spring 2024 commencement ceremony and recently joined Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest academic honor society in the nation. He credits Department of Sociology Professor David Johnson and Department of Political Science Professor Jonathan Goldberg-Hiller with helping him develop his interest in law and the criminal justice system.

“Daniel Arakawa is the most special student I have encountered in 25 years of teaching at 东精影业,” Johnson said. “Several qualities set him apart, including these: his desire to look carefully at the world and see it for what it is; his passion for asking questions, without fear or favor; and his ability to drain heat and anger from controversial topics and replace them with wonder and curiosity.”

Goldberg-Hiller added, “Daniel is an exceptional student with a strong commitment to public service. We are all very proud of the honor he has achieved with this prestigious scholarship.”

Arakawa is the 22nd awardee from a 东精影业 System campus since the program鈥檚 inception in 1977 and the first since Jessica Lau earned the award in 2022.

The Department of Political Science and Department of Sociology are housed in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 College of Social Sciences. The Scholarships and Fellowships Office is administered by the University Honors Program, under the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Excellence.

Transformative work on community-driven research projects has earned a University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 PhD student a national honor.

Maile Wong, a spring 2023 graduate in botany and ʻ艑濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi, was named one of four 2023 by the (NCHC). Wong will receive a $375 stipend, a certificate and will present her research at the NCHC conference this November in Chicago.

“I am honored for this work to be recognized, but more than that I am excited that the type of research this work represents is being recognized at a national level. Community-driven research is critical to creating meaningful change,” Wong said. “I am inspired by the many K膩naka ʻ艑颈飞颈 scientists who have committed their lives to doing this type of work, and most of all, I am humbled by the fierce aloha ʻ腻颈苍补 who work tirelessly in ʻ腻颈苍补 to grow and implement a collective vision for Hawaiʻi‘s future.”

Nearly 900 NCHC institutional members can nominate only one thesis per institution written by an undergraduate honors student for the competition each semester. Wong is the sixth 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Honors student over the past eight years to earn this recognition.

Critical conservation projects on Oʻahu, Kauaʻi

奥辞苍驳鈥檚 thesis, E Paʻa Ke Kahua: Building Foundational Skills for Engaging in Community-driven Research, highlights the work she has done to improve her community through engaging in research.

The projects include:

• Working in Heʻeia at a location called Puʻulani for more than three years. Through a partnership with 东精影业 and 碍腻办辞ʻ辞 ʻ艑颈飞颈, volunteers have transformed the area that was once filled with non-native species into an agroforest (integration of trees and shrubs into crop systems to create environmental, economic and social benefits) that provides materials for lei and food, and opportunities for the community to access and connect with it. Read more in 东精影业 News.
• Investigating the effects of seawater inundation on coastal dune plants in a controlled greenhouse environment. This project builds off a previous field experiment, which Wong conducted at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens on Kauaʻi to test how seawater flooding affected the survival of seedlings out-planted into the dunes.
• Interviewing 36 agroforestry practitioners, asking about the motivators and barriers to their practice. They found a clear contrast between Indigenous agroforestry practitioners and other practitioners. Barriers include that Indigenous knowledge is not valued and that practitioners are unable to access suitable information. Wong created a map of agroforestry practitioners with layers that group practitioners with similar foci (those focused on education, those focused on commercial production, those focused on preserving cultural practices and placed-based knowledge, etc).

东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 School of Life Sciences Professor Tamara Ticktin was 奥辞苍驳鈥檚 project mentor.

“Maile’s honor’s thesis provides a model for interdisciplinary community-engaged research: she beautifully interweaves Indigenous and western methodologies, natural and social sciences, theory and on-the-ground-management, and products for both academic and community audiences,” Ticktin said. “Maile’s thesis demonstrates both academic excellence and true commitment to place and to community. I am thrilled that Maile’s incredible work has been recognized with this prestigious national prize.”

Wong concluded, “I am grateful to my mentors, Dr. Tamara Ticktin and Dr. Kasey Barton who lead by example and who have supported me immensely along the way, I am grateful for the Honors Program, and my honors advisor Dr. Vernadette Gonzalez for creating the space in my education to engage in research and for pushing my limits.”

By Marc Arakaki

Expanding public parklets to improve business in Kailua Town and investigating the reentry of Indigenous w膩hine (women) from incarceration were two of the featured projects at the Fall 2022 , hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 and (UROP). Approximately 50 students presented at the on-campus academic conference that highlighted undergraduate research and creative work at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补.

Public parklets in Kailua

A quartet of undergraduate students investigated the use of public parklets—curbside parking spaces converted into community gathering spaces—to increase business for local shops that grew during the pandemic. Airon Castaneda, Dean Matsumura, Joy Edades and Logan Shiroma worked with Cafe Kopi, a small coffee shop in Kailua, and nonprofit organization Better Block Hawaii to explore public parklets as a medium for community gathering and public engagement. The students created a schematic design and plan that were submitted to Better Block Hawaii that took into account several facets, including the culture of Kailua Town, and the integration of native plants that would best thrive in the area.

“We learned how to work with clients and participate in the entire design-build process. As students, we have focused on conceptual designs and this is the first project where we had to prioritize construction feasibility as well as coordinate with multiple partners,” the team said. “We wanted to bring greater opportunities for small businesses and community outdoor gathering while also finding ways to incorporate native plants in an urban environment as education tools.”

The students were mentored by Associate Professor and Landscape Specialist Andrew Kaufman.

Indigenizing reentry solutions for incarcerated w膩hine

student Kylie Noelani Akiona studied the effectiveness of incorporating Indigenous beliefs and practices into reentry programs for incarcerated w膩hine. Akiona specifically focused on a Hawaiʻi Island reentry group called W膩hine O PAʻA. The research was intended to evaluate the effectiveness of the organization鈥檚 work through a series of interviews and literary analyses, but also explores the carceral constraints placed on the research process, champions the incorporation of Indigenous theories of knowledge and values into reentry methods, critically examines mass incarceration in Hawaiʻi, and echoes the demand for prison industrial complex abolition.

“Reentry, or the system of support for folks leaving incarceration and returning to our communities, is a necessary but often neglected part of decarceration,” said Akiona, who works part-time for American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi. “Another often ignored fact is that the disproportionate incarceration of K膩naka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) and w膩hine in particular is not at the fault of our individual actions, but rather, created and perpetuated by the colonial conditions that shape our lived realities.”

Akiona added, “After informing myself and others on the impact of incarceration, I became extremely passionate about following data-driven and abolitionist-oriented solutions and decided to dedicate my life and career to ensuring our liberation from incarceration and the ongoing military occupation of our lands and waters by the American empire; as Indigenous peoples, we have no choice but to become aware of what shapes our oppressed realities and refuse them for our ultimate survival and rightful return of our lands, waters and bodies.”

Akiona was mentored by Department of Political Science Assistant Professor Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio.

UROP project funding

Both of these projects received UROP . Each year, UROP awards approximately $500,000 in scholarship funding to support faculty-mentored undergraduate student research and creative work projects and presentations.

More about the Undergraduate Showcase

The Undergraduate Showcase is held at the end of every fall and spring semesters. It is a public event open to visitors on- and off-campus. All 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 undergraduate students in all fields of study conducting a faculty-mentored research or creative work project are encouraged to submit an abstract to present. Visit the for more information.

—By Marc Arakaki

A recent University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 graduate, who is making tremendous strides into Alzheimer鈥檚 disease research, was recognized as one of the top student scholars in the nation.

Geetika Patwardhan, a spring 2022 graduate in the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 and alumna, has been named one of four 2022 by the (NCHC).

As an undergraduate, Patwardhan worked at the (JABSOM) in Associate Professor Ben Fogelgren鈥檚 National Institutes of Health-funded laboratory. During those four years, Patwardhan鈥檚 research focused on identifying new molecular mechanisms in neurons that regulate the production of amyloid-beta, a peptide that accumulates as plaques in the brains of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease patients. These plaques disrupt function and ultimately lead to the mental decline associated with Alzheimer鈥檚. Patwardhan鈥檚 research looked at how and why these plaques accumulate in the brain.

Her work has contributed to several exciting discoveries in the field, including the characterization of a new signaling pathway by which insulin could directly affect amyloid-beta production in neurons. The work will hopefully point toward possible pharmaceutical targets to treat the disease.

Patwardhan is continuing her training as a postbaccalaureate research fellow at the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland in its two-year Intramural Research Training Award program. She eventually hopes to earn her MD and PhD, and become a physician-scientist in Hawaiʻi.

“I am thrilled and proud to represent the Honors department and the University of Hawaiʻi on a national scale,” Patwardhan said. “I feel very grateful to be given the opportunity to showcase the important and rigorous research done at 东精影业 and JABSOM.”

东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 continued student success

NCHC institutional members can nominate only one thesis per institution written by an undergraduate honors student for the competition. Patwardhan is the fifth 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Honors student over the past seven years to earn this prestigious recognition.

“Geetika really took advantage of the research opportunities available at UH 惭腻苍辞补, and was fortunate to find an incredible mentor in Dr. Fogelgren,” 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Honors Program Director Vernadette Vicuña Gonzalez said. “The representative from NCHC commented on how rare it is to consistently see Portz Scholars from the same university year in and out, which is a testament to the quality of our students and the kind of faculty mentoring they are receiving.”

The Portz Scholar program was named in honor of John and Edythe Portz. John Portz was the first director of the honors program at the University of Maryland, College Park, and one of the founders of the National Collegiate Honors Council, the professional association of undergraduate honors programs and colleges.

Goldwater Scholar

Patwardhan also earned a national Goldwater Scholar award in 2021 for her research. She was 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 first recipient of the award in over 30 years, and was one of approximately 410 recipients across the country out of more than 5,000 applicants. During her undergraduate career at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, Patwardhan volunteered for JABSOM鈥檚 , under the guidance of Associate Professor Jill Omori. She is also one of three recipients of the Student Excellence in Research Award, presented at the 2022 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 awards ceremony in May.

For someone who once didn鈥檛 believe in the power of higher education, Tiare Sabellano-Tsutsui has just earned an impressive academic accolade. The graduating senior in the , who will earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree in , was selected as student speaker at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 2022 commencement ceremony on Friday, May 13. Sabellano-Tsutsui remembers how, when she graduated from Pearl City High School in 2011, she went straight to work for seven years.

“After a lifetime of believing I wasn鈥檛 good enough for college, I entered before transferring to 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补,” said the 28-year-old Wahiaw膩 resident. “I instantly fell in love with higher education.”

More highlights from the commencement ceremonies and our amazing graduates

At 东精影业, Sabellano-Tsutsui became the epitome of an involved student鈥攕erving as a tutor, peer mentor, academic coach and teacher assistant. She was an editor for both Kapiʻolani CC and 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 student journals; developed and hosted Zen mindfulness classes via Zoom for Kapiʻolani CC students during COVID-19鈥檚 impactful first semester; and worked as a research assistant for faculty in psychology, psychiatry and public health. In addition, she volunteered weekly for the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Prison Education Project鈥攃o-teaching positive psychology and developing mindful awareness exercises and lessons for inmates at Hawaiʻi correctional facilities.

Off campus, she is a black-belt sensei (teacher) in karate; likes to try different sushi restaurants; and keeps fit and agile by practicing traditional Chinese lion dance. She hopes to enjoy a fun summer before joining the master鈥檚 program in fall 2022 at the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 . After that, she is determined to earn a PhD in social welfare, then start a non-profit organization or become a university faculty member.

As a commencement student speaker, what is her message to fellow graduates?

“With everything going on in our world, these times call for individuals like us to rise and become the best versions of ourselves for humanity,” said Sabellano-Tsutsui. “May the breath of 惭腻苍辞补 be always at our backs as we venture forth into this great unknown we call life.”

Sabellano-Tsutsui鈥檚 experiences in higher education is an example of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

The student speakers for 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 2022 commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 14 are Maansi Murty, candidate for bachelor of science in biology, and Genice Tran, candidate for bachelor of education in elementary education. For more on the student speakers, visit the .

The visitor impact on Hanauma Bay鈥檚 coral reef and how geographic locations affected students鈥� college experience were two of the nearly 100 undergraduate research and creative work projects on display at the virtual 2022 University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 on April 29.

Hanauma Bay visitor impact

Shannon Murphy, a senior global environmental science major in the , chose to study the impact of visitors on the coral reef at Hanauma Bay because she has visited the bay her entire life, and volunteered with the Friends of Hanauma Bay.

“I have also found a passion for studying coral reef ecology, and this project was the perfect combination of studying my favorite organisms and providing science to my community,” Murphy said.

Under the guidance of Researcher Kuʻulei Rodgers, Murphy monitored four plots in the bay, bimonthly for nine months. She recorded the number of snorkelers entering each plot and their interactions with the reef. Results showed a direct relationship between snorkeling density and the number of disturbances, however, those disturbances did not translate into coral health impairment, which means there was no coral breakage or abrasions from snorkelers.

Murphy said this could be explained possibly by low coral cover across the bay and/or coral species with high skeletal strength due to history of high water motion and extensive visitors. Murphy said future management actions could limit the number of visitors and occurrences of reef disturbances to potentially reduce tissue loss and promote coral recruitment.

“Hanauma Bay is a place of cultural and ecological significance, not just a place for tourists to enjoy,” Murphy said. “As it is a Marine Life Conservation District, residents and visitors should take responsibility to preserve and protect this area. Ultimately, if corals are not gaining surface area nor reproducing, it is a matter of time before more corals disappear. I hope this project can encourage additional research in the bay on coral health as well as initiate stricter preservation strategies so the people of Hawaiʻi can enjoy the bay for years to come.”

Role of geography in students鈥� college experience

Manu Moreira, a senior psychology major in the , focused on how geography played a role in students鈥� college experience (self-efficacy, well-being, stress and self-esteem). Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Emily Daubert, Moreira surveyed more than 300 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 students, gauging their college experience through different variables.

“I grew up in the rural county of Kaʻu and when I moved up to Oʻahu my experiences as a rural student felt unique in comparison to my peers from urban and suburban backgrounds,” Moreira said. “Furthermore my peers from rural backgrounds held similarities yet differences in perception of college experience or how they navigated through these experiences were different to my own.”

According to Moreira, results found no significant differences between geographic locale on the college experience, controlling for income and gender. However, Moreira said there were significant differences of stress between males and females. While results for this study did not show statistically significant differences in college experience, future studies with a larger sample size would create a more diverse understanding of the student college experience. Moreira said geographic locale is not a commonly used variable, therefore its inclusion lessens the gap of literature into geographic based studies.

More about the undergraduate showcase

Hosted by the and the , the Undergraduate Showcase is held at the end of every semester. It is a public event open to visitors on- and off-campus. All 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 undergraduate students in all fields of study conducting a faculty-mentored research or creative work project are encouraged to submit an abstract to present. Visit the for more information.

This work is an example of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 undergraduate student Cullen Slavens became a top debate finalist after duking it out against elite debate teams from universities across the globe at the Duke Open debating championships, hosted by Duke University and held online, April 9–10. Slavens was among 80 participants who beat students from top schools, including ivy league schools Harvard, Princeton and University of Pennsylvania to make it to the event鈥檚 Open Grand Finals. He serves as president of the 惭腻苍辞补 Debate Union, a registered independent organization, which he helped to establish last year.

“Debate is such a great learning experience, and it feels good to compete against top teams and learn from the best at the same time,” said Slavens, a senior and a 4.0 economics major in the Honors program.

A member of a number of online debate groups and forums, Slavens was able to build his connections with other debate teams during the pandemic when in-person competitions were canceled. As a result of those relationships, the 惭腻苍辞补 Debate Union now regularly holds cross-training online events for its members to practice and debate with other teams across the country and participates in a number of competitions.

“One of the great aspects of online debate competitions and forums is that it provides a huge opportunity for schools like 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 that don鈥檛 traditionally don鈥檛 have access to top debaters and debate events on a regular basis. It鈥檚 something that grew out of the pandemic that has really taken off and is here to stay,” said Slavens.

Slavens and debate members have also recently competed in well-known debate competitions, including the Seattle University IV where he was a quarterfinalist. He is also the reigning Hawaiʻi state debate champion.

Slavens, a Kamehameha Schools Kap膩lama graduate, will be earning his economics degree in May. In his free time, he also studies music and ballroom dance. His future plans include going to law school.

“I really enjoyed my collegiate experience in debate and at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, and I really encourage others to look for those opportunities or even create their own,” Slavens said.

New members welcome

While 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 previously hosted a debate team, it has been inactive for a few years. The 惭腻苍辞补 Debate Union, which boasts more than 260 participants from more than 20 countries, welcomes new students interested in learning about debate or improving their speaking skills.

Tierra Sydnor, an English and French major and vice president of the 惭腻苍辞补 Debate Union, said it provided her with a diverse community that shared similar interests during the pandemic.

“Since starting I鈥檝e seen a dramatic increase in my ability to think on my feet and my communication skills,” Sydnor said. “Even as a beginner, everyone was very helpful and patient while I was learning British parliamentary debate style. I never thought I would be the type of person to join the debate team, but now I look forward to every practice.”

For more information, visit them on or or email manoadebateunion@gmail.com.

This is an example of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

An emerging method of freezing seawater to produce freshwater was one of the featured projects at the on December 10, hosted by University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 and (UROP).

Senior majors Justin Yip and Deylen Nekoba began the project in fall 2020, after the idea was proposed by Assistant Professor Woochul Lee. This public impact research may have worldwide implications because less than 1% of freshwater resources around the globe are accessible by society. Remaining freshwater is mixed in with saltwater or contained in glaciers, according to the research team.

Desalination is a common practice to remove salts and minerals from seawater. However, conventional methods, such as boiling the water, require large amounts of energy to turn the water into steam. Freeze desalination is an emerging field of research studied in academia.

“Changing water to an ice phase requires one-seventh the energy than boiling it all to steam,” Yip said. “The supply of clean freshwater is also a very necessary resource in Hawaiʻi, so having access to a resilient source of potable water is important, especially in times of drought or other disasters affecting freshwater availability through Hawaiʻi鈥檚 aquifers.”

Eliminating salts through freezing

The students created the innovative tool, which freezes the water and eliminates the salt as the icy layer grows. The ice is then transferred to a washing system, which removes remaining salt from the surface of the ice. Results from the project showed that while salinity was still too high for drinking water standards, they were still able to eliminate a large amount of salts and minerals from the seawater.

“We hope our project inspires others to consider the importance of water conservation and the constant need for fresh drinking water,” Nekoba said. “In our presentation, we mentioned condensing the setup in future work; this will allow the setup to be transported and tested in different locations and conditions.”

Yip added, “Our freeze desalination setup also runs off electricity, meaning it could be possible to run this with renewable energy. Hawaiʻi also has a renewable portfolio standard of 2045 of zero-emission electricity sales, so a desalination setup like this can potentially use the excess renewable energy generation that would otherwise be curtailed (in the future) to generate drinkable water.”

Yip and Nekoba received a total of $15,861 over the past two semesters from UROP to assist with material costs and stipends.

“UROP has been integral for our project and we would not have been able to accomplish nearly as much without their help. Our mentor Dr. Lee also deserves much credit for challenging us to consider different methods of approach to reach a solution as well as emphasizing to us the importance of documentation and changing only one variable at a time when implementing changes to the system,” Nekoba said. “I now feel much more confident in my ability to perform any research experiment in the future, and I have also gotten better at my ability to communicate any findings with my peers.”

Undergraduate student showcases

Yip and Nekoba were among 27 students presenting 22 projects at the virtual 2021 Fall Undergraduate Showcase event. Other topics included parent and child anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, farming in space and civic engagement of Oʻahu young adults. Undergraduate Showcase events are held every semester and are open to all 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 undergraduate students in all fields of study conducting a research project or creative work. For more information, visit the .

These events are examples of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

A 47-year career of a champion for education at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 has come to an end. A fixture in the campus, who was well respected and critical to a variety of successful programs, Ronald Cambra retired from the university in January 2021.

The Hawaiʻi Island native served in multiple positions for the university, most recently as assistant vice chancellor for since 2005. In that role, he oversaw operations and resources for undergraduate programs, including campus-wide academic advising, first- and second-year programs, honors program, ROTC, interdisciplinary studies, civic engagement, student success center, student learning center and other academic support services.

“The University owes Ron an enormous debt of gratitude, and we miss him already,” 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Provost Michael Bruno said. “Ron taught us all what it means to be truly dedicated to the university and to truly care about the success of our students, from the moment they are recruited through to graduation and success in their careers.”

Under Cambra鈥檚 leadership

Cambra helped realize a number of highly successful initiatives, including the STAR degree tracking program, 15 to Finish, mandatory academic advising and a consolidation of program sheets to help with the understanding of degree requirements. These initiatives resulted in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 increasing its four-year graduation rate from 16% to 32%, and national recognition for the campus鈥檚 degree completion projects.

• Related 东精影业 News story: Complete College America honors 东精影业鈥檚 STAR and 15 to Finish programs, November 11, 2016

Cambra had three goals, “Number one, to find ways to actively engage students when they get here to 惭腻苍辞补. Number two was to find ways to form partnerships with students, and number three was to develop a sense of stewardship—that undergraduate students understand that this is their campus, that this is their basic footprint. And I think we鈥檝e held true to those three things and that has tied the work together.”

Cambra added, “A lot of those initiatives were having the right people who are so dedicated and hard working that it was easy working with people who see the same kinds of things that you want to do. Strong leadership in STAR, , , Honors, , ROTC, , , , and Student Success Services all are led by very dedicated student-focused leaders. Our catalog鈥檚 work on the four-year academic plans and a new scheduler, have made it easier to transform the undergraduate academic experience for our students. It has been my privilege to have worked with these strong, dedicated leaders.”

Instrumental recruiter

Cambra was also an invaluable recruiter and ambassador for the university, attending accepted student receptions hosted by the .

“For 15+ years, he traveled with us across the state and on the continental U.S. sharing the ‘惭腻苍辞补 Experience’—his signature Dr. Cambra presentation, sharing all the wonderful reasons why 惭腻苍辞补 was one of the best universities in the world,” said Abigail Huliganga Hurgo, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 associate director of admissions. “His presence at our events was always a big hit with our prospective and accepted students and wouldn’t be surprised if he was one of the reasons why students chose 惭腻苍辞补.”

Building an award-winning career in education

Cambra was born and raised on Hawaiʻi Island, and transferred from 东精影业 Hilo to 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 in 1968. As a 东精影业 Hilo Vulcan, he was student government president and led a campaign to establish the third and fourth years at 东精影业 Hilo, which started in 1969.

He earned a BEd in secondary education and a MA in speech from 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, and a PhD from the University of Washington. Cambra became a member of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 faculty in 1974 and was promoted to professor of speech in 1987. He was the chair of the Department of Speech from 1983 to 1992. In 1992, he became the Colleges of Arts and Sciences associate dean of academic affairs and student academic services, before becoming an assistant vice chancellor in 2005.

Among the numerous awards, Cambra was named 东精影业鈥檚 manager of the year in 2019 and went on to win the state manager of the year award the same year. In 2017, he won the Michael C. Holen Pacesetter Award for excellence in the field of advising from the National Academic Advising Association and was the co-author of a presentation that won the 2017 Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities degree completion award, a national honor for institutions with outstanding four-year degree completion achievements.

Cambra鈥檚 work is a prime example of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

The life of Filipina vaudeville and film actress Isabel Rosario Cooper is the focus of a new book by a University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 professor. Vernadette Vicuña Gonzalez, professor and director, details Cooper鈥檚 relationship with General Douglas MacArthur by portraying her not as a tragic heroine, but as someone caught within the violent histories of U.S. imperialism. Their relationship was a failed love affair between a venerated war hero and a young woman of Filipino and American heritage.

“My motivation for the book was to tell the story that is often hidden by convenient or familiar narrations—especially of women, and women like actors, or mistresses—and get a more complex picture of their humanity as they navigated a shifting social order,” Gonzalez said. “So much of Isabel Cooper鈥檚 story is wrapped up in her relationship to Douglas MacArthur, and as a consequence, that overshadows a lot of other interesting details about her.”

Gonzalez illustrates Cooper鈥檚 life in the Philippines, Washington, D.C. and Hollywood, where she died penniless. Gonzalez uses speculative fictional segments to fill in the archival gaps of Cooper’s life that challenge the authority of official archives and the one-sided characterizations of her.

“I had to learn to be patient and figure out what kind of genre best fit the story of Isabel Cooper,” Gonzalez said. “It wasn鈥檛 going to be a straightforward biography, and I also wanted to leave room for speculation and fiction and a way to fold in a discussion of historical documents and archives, so it ended up quite differently from what I had first imagined.”

Gonzalez added, “I’m also not someone who identifies firstly as a historian, so I had to work out my own issues around that, since I had to dive headfirst into the scattered archive that makes up her life. So in that sense, I had to figure out how to do the research about her, then how to write her story.”

Empire鈥檚 Mistress, starring Isabel Rosario Cooper will be released on February 23. You can .

This is Gonzalez鈥檚 third book published by Duke University Press. The first was Securing Paradise: Tourism and Militarism in Hawaiʻi and the Philippines in 2013, and the second was a co-edited collection, Detours: A Decolonial Guide to Hawaiʻi in 2019. Gonzalez鈥檚 research interests include: American empire, tourism and militarism, gender and sexuality and ethnic and cultural studies.

This work is an example of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

Related 东精影业 News story:

• Decolonial narratives highlighted in modern Hawaiʻi guidebook, November 15, 2019

As one of 25 Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers across Hawaiʻi and the U.S., the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 will participate in the . Four members of lead team will present on 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Hawaiʻi-grounded approach to truth, racial healing and transformation. The Zoom webinar presentation is on Tuesday, January 19, 1–2 p.m. .

Presenters include:

• Kaiwipuni Lipe, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 TRHT Campus Center director and Native Hawaiian affairs program officer
• Sonya Zabala, Native Hawaiian Place of Learning Advancement Office operations coordinator
• Monica Stitt-Bergh, Assessment and Curriculum Support Center specialist
• Siobh谩n N铆 Dhonacha, Honors Program faculty specialist and academic advisor

In addition, the TRHT lead team has organized a “TRHT Week of Focus” to highlight significant events from January 17–20. Lipe said the week is packed with dates and events that are important to who we are as Hawaiʻi. January 17 is the date that marks the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom; January 18 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day; January 19 is National Racial Healing Day; and January 20 is Inauguration Day.

“Each of these dates can and do play significant roles in our reality here in Hawaiʻi. Let鈥檚 learn about them, talk about them, and decide how we want to engage in them to create healthy and just futures for our keiki,” Lipe said.

To learn more about other National Day of Racial Healing events and to access resources regarding the overthrow, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the inauguration, visit the .

This effort is an example of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

undergraduate research and creative works were on display at the 2020 on December 11. Nearly 40 students working on 25 projects presented their work virtually.

The showcase, hosted by the and the (UROP), is held every semester and is open to 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 undergraduate students in all fields of study conducting a research project or creative work.

“The showcase demonstrates the high caliber of the work our undergraduates are capable of,” Honors Program Director Vernadette Gonzalez said. “It is always inspiring to see how students across the disciplines take ownership of their education, and work with dedicated faculty to produce original creative and research projects that are signature experiences of their time at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补.”

This year鈥檚 projects ranged in topics such as arts and humanities, technology, marine, plants and medicine. The showcase was presented virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“The Fall 2020 Undergraduate Showcase event is yet another great example of how the undergraduate students on our campus are continuing to engage in faculty mentored research and creative work despite the immense difficulties imposed by the pandemic,” UROP Director Creighton Litton said. “The commitment and capacity of these students and their faculty mentors to confront significant challenges is truly remarkable.”

Drone technologies

The (东精影业DT) team presented one of the projects in this year鈥檚 showcase. The project aimed to increase the efficiency of search-and-rescue missions using autonomous waypoint navigation, target localization, image capture and classification, as well as to increase the success of package delivery for unmanned aerial systems. 东精影业DT utilizes three subsystems for the project: unmanned aerial vehicle, unmanned ground vehicle and image processing.

Team members Edmond Chong, Sydney Dempsey, Eliesse Hihara, Isabella Kotsol and Creselle Morales conducted flight tests to confirm the system鈥檚 ability to autonomously navigate through set GPS locations, deliver a payload and classify captured images using IP software. Hihara said individual tests were often successful, but faced challenges when components were combined together.

“Oftentimes we would test electronics individually and everything would work, but when we put them together we find a bunch of problems so we spend the time troubleshooting different things,” Hihara said.

东精影业DT began in 2014 under the mentorship of Professor Wayne Shiroma. Since then, 120 undergraduates in computer, electrical and mechanical engineering have participated. In its second year of international competition, 东精影业DT placed No. 6 of 54 international teams and No. 3 nationally.

Directing a film from a cultural perspective

(ACM) students Malia Adams and Mahina Smith created a short film about a young Hawaiian woman who learns about what her great-grandmother experienced in the early 1900s. I Will Be Your Breath is based on Adams鈥� family and came to life as she listened to her family鈥檚 cassette recordings. Adams recalled learning about the history that her grand-aunties shared about their mother, but all her history was shadowed by the history of Hawaiian colonization.

“The one thing that really stayed with me while listening to the tapes, was the fact that my great-grandmother learned Hawaiian on her own, and I took that as another way of resistance in a period of time where all that they wanted was to erase us,” Adams said. “With this short film I want to let everyone know that thanks to those who were before us, we are still here today, and that we will not be erased.”

Adams and Smith were mentored by ACM Associate Professor Lisette Marie Flanary.

Custom solar water heater

Electrical engineering student Christopher Aguilar created a custom solar water heater that he hopes will eventually improve the efficiency of solar water heaters in Hawaiʻi. The system includes a flat plate solar collector, heat exchanger and water tank. Aguilar鈥檚 design is different from other commercial solar water heaters because it can collect and process data to help him determine the changes needed to improve its efficiency.

Evaluations indicated that during periods of low solar irradiance, heat losses were appreciable when using a flat plate solar collector. In future experiments, Aguilar hopes to introduce nanoparticles into the system to raise thermal conductivity, and ultimately, its efficiency. He said this introduction shows promise given that Hawaiʻi鈥檚 air temperature generally stays consistent year-round.

Aguilar was mentored by Assistant Professor Woochul Lee.

—By Marc Arakaki

A spring 2020 Hawaiian language graduate was one of four honors students nationwide recognized as 2020 . Selected by the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), Molly Keʻalohi Miyamoto is the fourth recipient from 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 in the last five years.

Miyamoto will present her 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 thesis, “No Ke K膩laiwaiwai: The Elements of 19th Century Hawaiian Economics,” at the 2020 NCHC conference this fall. Miyamoto鈥檚 thesis examines the unique nature of the ancient Hawaiian subsistence economy and the early economic development in the post-contact Hawaiian Kingdom under the rule of Kamehameha I until the Great M膩hele.

It focuses on a little-known period of the history of the Hawaiian Kingdom and makes extensive use of primary sources in ʻ艒濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian) and English. Her thesis was originally written in Hawaiian then translated into English.

“I鈥檓 honored to receive this distinction and represent ʻ艒濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi and Native Hawaiian research,” Miyamoto said. “I鈥檓 extremely grateful for the guidance and support throughout this project from my mentor, Lalepa Koga; my committee member, Kahikina de Silva; Honors Program Director Vernadette Gonzalez; and the entire Honors Program.”

Miyamoto added, “I couldn鈥檛 have done it without the assistance of Keoni Lee, CEO of Hawaiʻi Investment Ready; ʻIlima Long, Eia 惭腻苍辞补 faculty specialist; and , who helped me take the first steps in this project and have continued to support me and my work.”

About Miyamoto

Miyamoto graduated in spring 2020 with a BA in Hawaiian with honors and a BBA in management. She works as a community curator and bookkeeper at , a co-creative resiliency hub for culture, community and commerce. Miyamoto plans on returning in the future to pursue an MBA.

Originally from the Seattle area, she now calls Kahaluʻu home on the windward side of Oʻahu. She is the daughter of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 engineering alumni and a proud descendant of the Punihaole ʻohana from North Kona, Hawaiʻi.

Students in the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work have come together to help other University of Hawaiʻi students who are facing financial burdens due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, the Phi Alpha, Nu Sigma (PANS) Chapter, an honor society for bachelors鈥� and masters鈥� students in social work, made a $1,000 donation to the 东精影业 Foundation鈥檚 Urgent Student Relief Fund.

PANS officers stated that the donation was spurred by their roles as future social workers. While the PANS funds would typically be used to help pay for club activities such as an induction ceremony, student socials, a department graduation celebration and a scholarship donation, the COVID-19 pandemic brought many of their planned activities to a halt, giving the officers the option to use their funds to assist 东精影业 students in need.

“Our treasurer notified the rest of the executive board that we had extra funds left and she suggested that we donate some of our proceeds to an emergency relief fund to help university students,” PANS President Julia Anne Baccaro said. “We unanimously agreed to donate to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Urgent Student Relief Fund.”

Baccaro added, “As aspiring social workers, it is our kuleana (responsibility) to care, respect and service the most vulnerable groups and individuals in our community. Through this donation, we hope to relieve some financial stress to the students who were affected by COVID-19 and give students the ability to continue their education.”

.

–By Mari Ono

Update May 11, 2020: Six student video submissions are featured in the . The community is invited to view the presentations and submit constructive feedback.

Original Story:

The (UROP) at the is overcoming challenges presented by COVID-19. However, what has not changed is its commitment to coordinate and promote opportunities for undergraduate students across all disciplines to engage in faculty-mentored research and creative work projects. UROP continues to offer opportunities for funding, future research and showcasing students鈥� work.

UROP funding

UROP provides more than $400,000 annually to help students pursue their projects. It has received a record number of spring applications with 65 applications from 102 students across 30 majors. After a thorough review process, 36 project proposals for 40 students have been approved, totaling nearly $170,000 in funding.

Since applications were submitted by the March 3 deadline, most proposals never considered the current COVID-19 situation. Some of these projects will not be able to proceed as planned. UROP understands these challenges and is giving all funded students the opportunity to make changes to their project activities, timelines and budgets. Every project chosen for funding is being asked to indicate if they are able to move forward with no changes, or to detail the proposed changes.

UROP is supporting 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 faculty through its . In spring 2020, 41 proposals were submitted requesting $326,676, a 24 percent increase since 2019. A total of $75,000 will be awarded to 14 faculty representing nine units to support 20 undergraduate students in summer 2020. Faculty with awarded projects are also being asked to outline any proposed changes.

“UROP has worked hard over the past two years to spread the word across campus about who we are, what we do and what opportunities exist for all 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 students and faculty. For example, our office has provided informational sessions to an average of more than 700 students and faculty per year over the past two years,” UROP Director Creighton Litton said. “When students and faculty are able to clearly see how UROP鈥檚 programs and activities fit within the larger focus for the university, it provides a clear path forward for engagement.”

Student Opportunity Center

The (SOC) is a national database, offered by UROP, that allows undergraduate students to search for research and creative work positions, internships, co-ops and conferences. SOC also hosts a 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 database where faculty and staff can post open positions to recruit undergraduate students.

SOC has recently added thousands of virtual and remote research and creative work opportunities to the database, allowing students to pursue opportunities amid COVID-19. It is also providing options for educators to move conferences online to video conference rooms for both oral and poster presentations.

Undergraduate Showcase

The Undergraduate Showcase, which is held in the spring and fall, is moving online for the first time. This traditionally in-person event, which has been canceled due to COVID-19, will be offered virtually as an opportunity for students to document and celebrate the culmination of their projects.

The Undergraduate Showcase team from UROP and the will host the virtual event, May 8–22. Student presentations will be posted online as Youtube videos for public viewing. During this time, viewers will have the opportunity to provide constructive feedback that will be shared with student presenters. For more information, email showcase@hawaii.edu.

—By Marc Arakaki

The (NCHC) chose a recent graduate as a 2019 to receive the organization鈥檚 top prize for undergraduate honors students. Max Nakamoto was one of only three scholars selected throughout the country.

Nakamoto will present his winning thesis, “Relative Size Learning in Honeybees (Apis mellifera),” at the NCHC conference in Atlanta in November.

“I am so grateful to have received such an honor. I鈥檝e learned so much throughout this endeavor that I will take with me in the future,” said Nakamoto. “I couldn鈥檛 have done it without the guidance provided by my mentor Patricia Couvillon; my committee member Lorey Takahashi, and Honors Program Director Vernadette Gonzalez.”

Nakamoto was a 2015 东精影业 Regents Scholar. Originally from Pearl City, he recently graduated from 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 with a BS in psychology (with honors) and a BS in biology.

This is the third year that a student from 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 earned the prestigious award. Jonathan Omuro and Brandy Dobson were Portz Scholars in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

About the Portz Scholars Program

The program was named in honor of John and Edythe Portz. John Portz was the first director of the honors program at the University of Maryland, College Park, and one of the founders of the National Collegiate Honors Council, the professional association of undergraduate honors programs and colleges.

, a new peer-reviewed academic journal featuring high quality creativity, innovation and research conducted and synthesized by undergraduate students at the , has published its first issue this fall.

Under the editorship of , Mānoa Horizons represents a partnership among the 东精影业 Mānoa’s , and the honors faculty.

The journal will be published annually in the fall and include undergraduate work conducted or completed during the previous academic year. Each annual issue is published simultaneously on the journal’s website and in print. The print issue includes selected outstanding works, as well as the titles and abstracts of additional selections published in full on the journal’s website.

Featured inaugural titles include:

• “To Come Out is to Uphold and Liberate: The Hegemony and Queerness of Christian Closets,” Jonathan Omuro
• “Quantifying Atmospheric Fallout of Fukushima-Derived Radioactive Isotopes in Mushrooms in the Hawaiian Islands,” Trista McKenzie
• “Conceptual Design of Kewalo Basin and Kupu Hawaiʻi’s Youth Facility,” Kristoffer Jugueta
• “Autism-Spectrum Disorder: Testing Perceptions of Reality through the Monty Hall Problem,” Sakaria Auelua-Toomey