More than 35 University of Hawaiʻi students from three campuses (东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, 东精影业 Hilo and 东精影业 Maui College) gained hands-on experience tackling real-world challenges at the , held April 4–6, at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补.

Participants formed interdisciplinary teams to build data-driven solutions using Google Cloud AI tools, including Vertex AI. Five challenge topics pushed students to apply diverse skills toward local and statewide resilience efforts, such as climate data visualization, educational content generation, conversational AI and immersive technology for science communication.

The first-place team, Untrained Parameters, created the Hawaiʻi Climate Explorer—an interactive web app that visualizes temperature and rainfall data from the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal, a project led by 东精影业 experts. The team included PhD students Federica Chiti and Dhvanil Desai (), Fahim Yasir (), Gerardo Rivera Tello (), and master’s student Yada Ponpittayalert ().

“This was an incredible experience, highlighting the potential of large language models (a type of AI-trained model) for multimodal applications, even within a limited prototype developed in just three days,” said Rivera Tello.

BruhMode earned second place with GenEDU, an AI-powered educational content generator. Third place was awarded to Kani, developers of a climate-focused chatbot. TurtleyAwesome, won the Visualization Challenge with Sheldon the Turtle, a 3D AI-powered museum-style guide for climate data.

Prizes ranged from MacBook laptops and iPads to AR glasses and Google Cloud Platform credits.

Hosted by 东精影业 System Information Technology Services (ITS), and , the three-day event was led by the ITS Research Cyberinfrastructure team and supported by the National Science Foundation-sponsored , , Google Cloud and the Burwood Group, Inc.

Mentors from ITS, the Burwood Group, and Hawaiʻi Mesonet and Change Hawaiʻi supported students throughout the hackathon, offering technical guidance and real-world insights.

“This hackathon gave students an incredible opportunity to apply cutting-edge AI tools to real-world challenges that directly impact Hawaiʻi,” said 东精影业 ITS Director of Research Cyberinfrastructure Sean Cleveland, who led the event and also served as a program mentor. “Their creativity, teamwork and passion for innovation were truly inspiring to witness.”

To improve water resiliency in the state, the U.S. Department of Defense Naval Facilities Engineering Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) has invested $300,000 toward a new partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi and others to explore new ways to steward, sustain and reimagine water resources in Hawaiʻi through the Hoʻolana Water Resilience Prize Challenge.

The pilot program was launched in fall 2023 by the and as part of their Innovation Challenge initiative. Two of 13 proposed water resilience solutions were selected for further development. One project employs analytical and machine learning image analysis to detect cloud immersion in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 tropical cloud forests (tropical or subtropical forests that are frequently covered in low-lying clouds and mist, creating a persistently wet environment). The other is exploring the potential of oyster aquaculture to improve Pearl Harbor鈥檚 water quality and ecosystems. They each received $75,000 in seed funding and mentorship.

Detecting cloud immersion through machine learning analysis

Between 800–3,500 meters in elevation, tropical montane cloud forests are tropical ecosystems characterized by frequent ground-level cloud immersion or fog. Cloud droplets collecting on vegetation is an important source of water in these forests. However, unlike rainfall, the phenomenon of fog meteorology and its interaction with vegetation is still misunderstood and understudied.

A team from the is working on using machine learning to detect fog and estimate cloud water content from camera images. This low-cost, image-based solution aims to capture near real-time cloud immersion data and enhance researchers鈥� understanding of fog and its impact on montane regions in Hawaiʻi.

“By using cameras as a low-cost approach for estimating the availability of cloud water in tropical montane cloud forests, we hope to better monitor spatial and temporal cloud immersion patterns across diverse geographies and ecosystems,” said Dylan Giardina, who is part of the team鈥檚 research staff. “This represents an important first step in beginning to understand how much water is intercepted by vegetation, developing wall-to-wall climate maps for cloud immersion, and understanding how cloud water availability might be impacted by climate change.”

Restoring natural habitats of Pearl Harbor

A team from and its community partners are identifying opportunities for using oyster bivalves to improve water quality and habitats in Pearl Harbor. As suspension feeders, oyster bivalves ingest and filter out excess phytoplankton resulting from run-off from terrestrial sources like nitrogen and phosphorus. They also help settle sediment from erosion, helping to maintain water clarity.

“Wai Momi was once a majestic estuary, rich with biodiversity,” said Rhiannon Tereariʻi Chandler-ʻ莫补辞, 东精影业 Hilo aquaculture policy and extension specialist and former Waiwai Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Island executive director. “So much of its natural ecosystems have been transformed or lost; it鈥檚 hard to find even one pearl oyster in the harbor now. It鈥檚 no surprise that water quality is an issue.”

Next steps

Both teams will continue to work with NAVFAC EXWC through the end of the year, and plan to present research updates to government, industry and venture capital communities early next year to determine further development and possible acquisition opportunities.

For more, . Noelo is 东精影业鈥檚 research magazine from the .

Nearly 20 students from five Oʻahu schools participated in a groundbreaking drone technology program during their fall break, aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship skills among Navy JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) students.

The (OIC) hosted the weeklong Pathways to Innovation and Entrepreneurship (PIE-X) program, October 7–11. Students from Radford, Campbell, ʻAiea and Kaiser High Schools, and ʻEwa Makai Middle School, learned about unmanned aerial systems (UAV) and developed solutions for search and rescue operations.

National Security Innovation Network Regional Engagement Principal Gloria Choo is one of the leads with the program and is based within OIC.

“It鈥檚 been fantastic,” Choo said. “The amount of subject matter experts that are here to talk to them about careers has been great. One of the things I鈥檝e seen our students be exposed to is this may be an opportunity for them as a career, or just fulfill an interest that they were looking for.”

The program, organized by the Pacific Technology Cooperation Group, combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience. The first three days focused on educational components, while the final two days included mentorship from U.S. Department of Defense and industry professionals, and a capstone project, including a drone competition.

“The thing I want to major in is architecture and with the UAV geo spatial awareness; I think it’s really useful when it comes to trying to build buildings, see the surroundings and collect data based on what I’m looking at,” said Salina Roura Puaatuua, a senior at ʻAiea High School.

Developing skills for developing fields

PIE-X aims to remove barriers for students entering STEM careers, particularly in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 growing IT, cybersecurity and data sectors. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, systems engineering, data analysis and programming literacy, while promoting teamwork and adaptability. Key objectives include developing spatial reasoning skills for interpreting aerial imagery and planning flight paths, as well as teaching students to modify strategies for various scenarios.

The program represents a strategic investment in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 future workforce, preparing students for potential careers in both private and defense sectors. By focusing efforts on students involved in Navy JROTC programs, the initiative seeks to inspire students to envision their future careers in Hawaiʻi, while contributing to the state’s technological advancement. For more information about PIE-X .

OIC is housed in the .

—By Marc Arakaki

Sandra Fujiyama, executive director of the (PACE) in the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 , has been named a 2024 Power Leader by (PBN).

The Power Leaders awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated not only significant accomplishments, but also show incredible potential for what they will do in the future.

As PACE鈥檚 executive director, Fujiyama is responsible for leading 东精影业鈥檚 innovation and entrepreneurship efforts, including strengthening ties with community stakeholders and driving student success by equipping our students with the skills and mindset necessary to adapt and thrive as they enter the workforce. She, along with her dedicated team and board, were instrumental in the creation of the (RISE), a state-of-the-art live-work-learn facility at the site of the old Atherton YMCA that combines an innovation center with housing for up to 374 students.

RISE is fully funded with private, non-taxpayer money under a public-private partnership (P3) between 东精影业, 东精影业 Foundation and Hunt Development Group Hawaiʻi, and was completed on time. PACE runs the innovation and entrepreneurship center at RISE, offering more than 15 programs to foster Hawaiʻi鈥檚 next generation of problem-solvers, game-changers and leaders.

Most recently, Walter Dods, Jr., former First Hawaiian Bank chairman and CEO and a longtime supporter of 东精影业, donated $5 million to RISE and PACE. To recognize the monumental contribution, the facility is now named the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center.

Sandra’s visionary leadership, proactive initiative, and steadfast commitment to PACE, the Shidler College, and the wider 东精影业 community are evident in every aspect of her work.
—Vance Roley, dean of Shidler College of Business

“Sandra’s visionary leadership, proactive initiative, and steadfast commitment to PACE, the Shidler College, and the wider 东精影业 community are evident in every aspect of her work,” said Vance Roley, dean of Shidler College and First Hawaiian Bank Chair of Leadership and Management. “We celebrate her accomplishments in elevating innovation and entrepreneurship to new levels, exemplified by the successful launch of the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center. Her selection as a 2024 Power Leader underscores her extraordinary contributions to our institution and the broader community.”

Previously, Fujiyama served as innovation and business development officer at 东精影业鈥檚 where she conducted technology and marketing assessments of inventions, protected and marketed technologies in 东精影业鈥檚 IP portfolio, and helped secure funding for the development and commercialization of 东精影业-based inventions.

Fujiyama spent nearly 15 years specializing in intellectual property law in Los Angeles, where she prosecuted patent and trademark applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, litigated intellectual property matters, and provided intellectual property strategy and counseling to a range of clients. Before returning to Hawaiʻi, she was a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC.

While in Los Angeles, Fujiyama was also involved in a number of organizations, including serving on the boards of the California Bar Foundation, the Japanese American Bar Association Educational Foundation and the Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance. She was recognized by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association as a “Best Lawyer Under 40.” Prior to joining 东精影业, Fujiyama worked for Dentons U.S. LLP in Honolulu, with clients in the local technology and startup market.

PBN鈥檚 Power Leaders will be recognized at an event at The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, on January 25, 2024.

The University of Hawaiʻi has appointed Suzanne Case as inaugural director of the Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures, which is housed under the . Case began her official duties on September 11.

In her new role, Case will be responsible for identifying, developing and coordinating initiatives in research, education, funding, policies and other opportunities, by leveraging all facets of the 东精影业 research enterprise to improve nature conservation efforts internally and across the state. Conservation and sustainability efforts are a critical component to 东精影业鈥檚 strategic plan as well as the future of our islands and the world.

In addition to collaborating internally with existing 东精影业 conservation programs such as the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 , partnerships such as the Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance, and 东精影业-supported programs such as the and the , Case will also be working closely with federal, state and county stakeholders. Those include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, U.S. Forest Service, as well the Hawaiʻi congressional delegation, Hawaiʻi State Legislature, state agencies, county councils, local businesses and non-profit organizations, and community and cultural groups.

“I鈥檓 really excited to join the University of Hawaiʻi team for conservation,” Case said. “The university鈥檚 education, research and capacity-building conservation work is very broad and deep. The faculty, students and workers are true leaders in so many conservation fields, and I鈥檓 proud to be a part of it and to do what I can to support and expand it. We have so much to do for Hawaiʻi, the Pacific and our planet.”

Case comes to 东精影业 after serving two terms as chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) for the State of Hawaiʻi from 2015 to 2022. During this time, she led a number of significant accomplishments toward the protection and preservation of natural and cultural resources, including: forestry and wildlife, aquatic resources, coastal regulation, freshwater resources, historic preservation, boating and ocean recreation, state parks, state land management and conservation enforcement.

Prior to joining DLNR, Case served in leadership and legal counsel positions throughout a 28-year career with The Nature Conservancy, including executive director of the Hawaiʻi program from 2001 to 2015, where she was responsible for overseeing eight Nature Conservancy preserves, land protection projects statewide, the growth of watershed partnerships and community networks to restore near-shore marine resources, and the implementation of large-scale projects to remove invasive algae from Hawaiʻi鈥檚 reefs and coastal areas.

Case has also served as chair for the State Commission on Water Resource Management, as well as co-chair of the Sustainable Hawaiʻi Initiative, the Hawaiʻi Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Commission, Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Committee, and as a member of both the Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture and the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission.

“We are at a critical juncture with our natural resources, biodiversity and way of life threatened by the effects of climate change, invasive species and unsustainable practices that supplanted Indigenous understanding of how to live in harmony with the environment,” said 东精影业 President David Lassner. “Suzanne has had an incredible positive impact in her roles with DLNR and The Nature Conservancy, and we look forward to her leadership in helping us fulfill our kuleana to protect the natural environment with our faculty and students across the islands.”

“We are very pleased and fortunate to have a person with the impressive credentials, knowledge, experience and passion of Suzanne to lead the University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 conservation efforts into the future,” said 东精影业 Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “In our push to lead land and ocean conservation research, education, and field implementation in the Asia-Pacific region, her stewardship of our new Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures will be absolutely vital to that effort.”

Born in Hilo, Case is a graduate of Punahou School in Honolulu. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree with honors in history from Stanford University in 1979 and was awarded her juris doctorate from the University of California Hastings College of Law in 1983.

A wearable ring that detects date rape drugs and desalination technology that uses solar thermal conversion to convert seawater into fresh water are just two of the innovative projects that are being developed through an inaugural University of Hawaiʻi fellowship program.

Launched and managed by the (OIC), is a new and unique program to develop the next generation of technology innovators from within 东精影业鈥檚 ranks of PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers. The systemwide program is part of a $2.4-million grant from the Office of Naval Research.

Through the one-year program, Patents2Products Fellows will receive intellectual property training, technology transfer guidance and industry mentorship to translate innovative ideas into meaningful commercialization opportunities. This program takes what students have learned and researched during their time at 东精影业 to make meaningful impacts on the lives of people in many everyday situations.

Utilizing the regional training program, fellows will assess the commercial landscape and leverage the Lean Startup methodology as a development tool for technology maturation, participate in professional development workshops, and engage in networking opportunities to seek future funding and cross-functional collaborations for continued venture development. Each fellow will receive salary compensation, a stipend for research supplies, and have access to state-of-the art facilities and specialized equipment.

“The Patents2Products program is the first-of-its-kind in the State of Hawaiʻi and is designed to mature the readiness level of 东精影业-developed, impact-driven technologies in the blue economy and healthcare sectors,” said Steven Auerbach, interim director of OIC. “The program provides in-depth innovation and entrepreneurship training and experience to help develop the next generation of scientists and technologists to translate their world-class research into impactful, commercial products or services that can improve our everyday lives.”

The inaugural cohort of Patents2Products Fellows and their projects include:

• Project: A Wearable Sensor for Detecting Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault Drugs
  Fellow: Kaylee Clark, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 postdoctoral researcher
  Details: The wearable sensor will be a stylish and functional ring equipped with integrated sensors for personal detection of flunitrazepam (also known as Rohypnol) in beverages to mitigate drug-facilitated assaults.
  Faculty sponsor: Tyler Ray, , , College of Engineering and , John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补
• Project: Body Composition Assessment Technology
  Fellow: Jonathan Bennett, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 postdoctoral researcher
  Details: The technology leverages highly effective obesity models to improve access and use particularly in low-middle-income and rural environments to increase awareness and early detection and intervention of body composition risk factors for obesity.
  Faculty sponsor: John Shepherd, , 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补
• Project: eDNA Filtration System
  Fellow: Danielle Bartz, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 PhD candidate
  Details: The eDNA Filtration System allows for the simultaneous filtration of seawater in preparation for environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses to better address ecological questions in aquatic communities.
  Faculty sponsor: Timothy Grabowski, , 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补; , 东精影业 Hilo; and Hawaiʻi Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
• Project: Desalination Technology
  Fellow: Suman Chhetri, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 postdoctoral researcher
  Details: Desalination Technology uses solar thermal conversion to help solve freshwater shortage issues and replace existing energy-intensive processes with sustainable, green technologies for water purification.
  Faculty sponsor: Woochul Lee, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补
• Project: Novel Metagenomic Sequencing Technology
  Fellow: Min Ki (Carl) Jeon, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 PhD candidate
  Details: This new technology will help rapidly characterize influenza diversity and dynamics in wastewater to better inform flu vaccine development.
  Faculty sponsor: Tao Yan, , , College of Engineering, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补
• Project: Expression Vector System
  Fellow: Ludwig Mayerlen, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 PhD candidate
  Details: The system uses an improved insect cell line to develop a fully customizable product that can be used for the expression of almost any protein and provide high-yield production of vaccine antigens.
  Faculty sponsor: Axel Lehrer, , JABSOM, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补
• Project: Programmable Genome Insertion Tool
  Fellow: Christopher Tran, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 PhD candidate
  Details:This tool is designed to actively and accurately incorporate DNA into the genome of somatic cells at specific locations to develop clinical therapies that use insertional vectors to treat genetic disease.
  Faculty sponsor: Jesse Owens, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, JABSOM, 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补

“Our mission for Patents2Products is to educate and empower young talent to develop the necessary skills to ripen and shepherd groundbreaking technologies to the marketplace, and explore new pathways to become STEM leaders of emerging industries of our future,” said Rebecca H. Chung, Patents2Products program lead and OIC associate director, innovation programs. “This exciting opportunity will provide fellows with transdisciplinary training to engage in cross-functional research that will build greater innovation capacity and opportunities.”

OIC will begin recruiting for next year鈥檚 cohort in fall 2023. An information session for interested faculty sponsors and applicants will be hosted on November 15, 2023. For updates and more information about the Patents2Products program, visit research.hawaii.edu/patents2products or email patents2products@hawaii.edu.

For the second consecutive year, the University of Hawaiʻi has set a record in extramural funding at $515.9 million for fiscal year 2023 (FY2023), $10.9 million more over the previous record of $505 million set in FY2022.

, the flagship campus of 东精影业鈥檚 10 campus system, led the extramural award amounts this year with $342.7 million. The 东精影业 System brought in $117.7 million, totaled $33.7 million, received $17.8 million and totaled $4 million.

“We are extremely proud of our back-to-back record hauls in extramural funding, despite having to deal with a myriad of challenges due to the recent pandemic and its lingering after-effects on the world economy and our funders,” said 东精影业 Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “The accolades must be given to our faculty, staff and graduate students for their hard work and dedication to the 东精影业 research enterprise and to the state of Hawaiʻi.”

Extramural funding is external investments from governmental agencies such as the federal government, industry and non-profit organizations that support research and training activities conducted by university faculty and staff. Extramural projects support research and innovation that help to increase knowledge and provide solutions to improve quality of life.

“Every dollar invested by one of our extramural sponsors is a vote of confidence that 东精影业 faculty, staff and students are creating a better future for Hawaiʻi and the world,” said 东精影业 President David Lassner. “This includes everything from climate change, resilience, water quality and energy solutions to addressing health disparities, educational inequities, feeding our population, and training Hawaiʻi‘s people for the jobs of today and tomorrow.”

Several examples of 东精影业 programs that attracted the attention of funders:

• The Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges was awarded $16.3 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce for the “Resilient Hawaiʻi: Good Jobs Challenge” initiative that provides employer-driven training in living-wage jobs to individuals whose employment was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• The received $5.5 million from NASA to continue a wide area survey of Near Earth Objects at its Pan-STARRS observatory on Haleakal膩, Maui. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• The was awarded $4.5 million, as part of a five-year $23 million grant from the National Institutes for Health (NIH) for Ola HAWAII, a multidisciplinary research center that addresses health disparities in underserved, multiethnic populations in Hawaiʻi. Read more on 东精影业 News.



• 东精影业鈥檚 received $4 million, as part of a five-year $20 million grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF), to integrate climate and data science research under its “Change HI” initiative. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• The received $3.6 million from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to continue its research and maintenance support of the U.S. Navy鈥檚 Wave Energy Test Site in Kāneʻohe Bay. Read more on 东精影业 News.



• ONR awarded 东精影业 a $2.4 million grant to partner with the University of Alaska and the University of Rhode Island to develop and advance energy, marine and other blue economy technologies and opportunities through the . Read more on 东精影业 News.
• NIH awarded $2.4 million to the to continue its important Multiethnic Cohort Study. Read more on 东精影业 News.



• was awarded $2 million of a $3.5 million grant by NSF鈥檚 Tribal Colleges and Universities Program to establish its Kiaʻi Loko Center for Limu Research. The center focuses on applying traditional Native Hawaiian knowledge alongside Western scientific methods to study limu (algae) and traditional Hawaiian fishponds. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (SOEST) was awarded $3 million by ONR to map flood risks related to sea-level rise in Hawaiʻi.
• The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded SOEST and the another $1.5 million increment of a five-year, $25 million project to develop an engineered coral reef system to protect coastlines from flooding, erosion and storm damage. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• The received $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to restore ancestral and cultural practices to improve health equity among Native Hawaiians and NHPI communities.
• 东精影业 Hilo received $1.1 million from the U.S. Department of Education for its E Hoi I Ke Kumu program to address the Hawaiian language immersion teacher shortage in the state.
• 东精影业 was awarded a $1 million NSF Engines Development Award to establish its Climate-Resilient Food Innovation Network that will serve as a hub for Hawaiʻi and U.S-affiliated Pacific Islands to develop collaborative, food innovation solutions driven by Indigenous knowledge systems and modern technology. 东精影业 could be eligible for another award of up to $160 million. Read more on 东精影业 News.
• 东精影业 West Oʻahu received a $944,307 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop its He Paepae Aloha curriculum to increase Native Hawaiian participation and completion of post-secondary education through the incorporation of Native Hawaiian traditions and culture.

The University of Hawaiʻi has launched , a new experiential certificate training program available to 东精影业 System faculty interested in growing the university鈥檚 innovation and entrepreneurship capacity. Six faculty from the at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 have been selected to participate in the inaugural cohort:

• Oceana Puananilei Francis, professor of , with a joint appointment in the
• Aaron Ohta, professor of
• Tyler Ray [faculty lead], assistant professor of and John A. Burns School of Medicine
• Lin Shen, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
• Zac Trimble, associate professor of mechanical engineering
• Jeff Weldon, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

“Our Faculty Fellows possess a track record of high-impact teaching practices for the courses that they currently teach, each engaged in areas that warrant new transformative approaches to address pressing challenges for emerging industries of our future,” said Rebecca H. Chung, Faculty Fellows program lead and (OIC) associate director, innovation programs. “This program will provide them instructional strategies to pioneer new ways to engage students in inclusive STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, and stimulate greater cross-disciplinary training to strengthen the next generation workforce development.”

Faculty Fellows will participate in interactive workshops and panel discussions curated by OIC in partnership with VentureWell, a long-standing collaborator with the National Science Foundation which cultivates a pipeline of academic inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs. Through the program, Faculty Fellows will leverage the customer discovery process both inside and outside the classroom, teach experientially using the Business Model Canvas, and integrate Lean Startup methodology principles in curriculum development using a Backward Design approach.

Following completion of the certificate training, Faculty Fellows will continue collaborating to build a community of practice around innovation as a mechanism to promote sustained peer-to-peer learning. Teaching interest groups will be established for Faculty Fellows to meet on a semester basis to form a network of support, share ideas and approaches, and develop solutions across domains of expertise to identify next steps in course design and curriculum mapping. Any 东精影业 faculty that is interested is welcomed to join.

“In alignment with our 东精影业 Strategic Plan, this program allows us to create a pathway for faculty to engage in and promote innovation and entrepreneurship at 东精影业,” said Vassilis L. Syrmos, 东精影业 vice president for research and innovation. “We have selected an exceptional inaugural cohort all involved in impact-driven teaching and research, and look forward to having them help us build an active and collaborative ecosystem of innovation educators and academic entrepreneurs throughout the state.”

This program is funded by a $2.4 million grant from the Office of Naval Research to develop and advance energy, marine and other blue economy technologies and opportunities in Hawaiʻi by providing experiential education and cross-disciplinary innovation and entrepreneurship training in order to build a diversified and resilient economy, and a stronger, more sustainable workforce for the state.

For more information about the program, . Additional updates will be posted on the OIC website or email facultyfellows@hawaii.edu for more details.

Two University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 student-led projects have been selected to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Defense that will support additional resources, travel and more, for further testing and development.

The innovative solutions showcased on May 5, at The Entrepreneurs Sandbox will help to mitigate increasing condominium maintenance fees, expand access to mental health services and streamline flight scheduling for defense missions.

The projects were developed by junior and senior undergraduate or graduate 东精影业 students through the successful . Designed as a “flipped classroom,” students work in multidisciplinary teams to learn and apply the Lean Startup methodology used by entrepreneurs and businesses nationwide. Throughout the semester-long course, students engaged with program partners, mentors and advisors as well as conducted a minimum of 50 stakeholder interviews to develop, validate and iterate a minimum viable product or viable solution to a real-world problem.

“Our H4X program has been extremely successful in educating students to be critical thinkers, effective problem solvers and meaningful contributors to a knowledge-based society by applying their academic rigor to real-world scenarios,” said Vassilis L. Syrmos, 东精影业 vice president for research and innovation. “This program has allowed us to strengthen our collaborative partnerships and we welcome other organizations to participate in this program.”

Spring 2023 东精影业 H4X projects

• BH4ALL developed standard operating procedures (SOP) to help the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division to develop and test a system and workflow that would allow them to provide tele-behavioral health services to soldiers while deployed for training or combat. Currently, soldiers do not have access to tele-behavioral healthcare options while deployed. As a result, many soldiers deny or delay mental health treatment, often worsening symptoms and long-term effects such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The students tested their pilot SOP and tele-behavioral health services with troops training in the Philippines and received positive end-user feedback. The project qualified for NSIN鈥檚 X-Force program, where summer interns will continue to test and refine the development of the proposed SOP for potential, future implementation. Team: Cole Amparo, Justin Loi, Simone Peers, Kirsten-Elise Rensaa and Israel Sagapolutele
• Team Taking Flight also worked with the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division on improving its flight scheduling system, which currently utilizes various excel sheets to organize availability, experience and aviation needs of each of its five, 20-member platoons. The students researched and identified existing apps to help consolidate and expedite its data review and scheduling procedures. This project has also qualified for X-Force and will be further tested and developed over the summer. Team: Joshua Constantino, Thane Luna, Shane Rogge, Sola Takahashi and Larissa Tsai
• FICOH for the People worked with First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH) to address increasing deferred maintenance costs for rampant water damage repairs in aging condominium buildings, the number one source of insurance claims and top driver of insurance premiums. The team developed an educational website and app to provide property managers, condo board members, owners and insurance companies with access to interactive training videos and quizzes to be able to identify signs of water damage in order to address repairs sooner. Team: Rockwell Adolpho, Edalaline Cadiena, Cole House, Nayoung Kim, Michelle Cherish Leano, Jeraldine Milla and Kaizlee Yoshikawa

“It was a pleasure to work with the team that FICOH sponsored,” said FICOH Risk and Safety Management Supervisor Dean Estabilio. “The challenge that the students faced was a complex one that required reaching for solutions that were out of the box. The approach and concept is a significant step forward in achieving their goal of solving the ongoing problems of water damage due to deferred maintenance. I believe that the experience gained from this problem solving project will benefit their personal and professional growth in the years to come.”

More on H4X

Launched in spring 2021 in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense National Security Innovation Network through its Hacking for Defense® program, H4X has allowed the university to collaborate with multiple military branches throughout the state on addressing various defense-related challenges as well as environmental non-profit organizations and private industry partners.

H4X is housed in the and is among several programs designed to engage students, faculty and program partners in innovation and entrepreneurship. For more information about the H4X program, .

Frontline communities nationwide facing increasing threats from climate change such as flooding are getting water sensor technology and real-time data thanks to , a University of Hawaiʻi technology startup that provides environmental water level monitoring.

Hohonu is teaming up with Purple Maiʻa Foundation and Kuaʻaina Ulu ʻAuamo for a $400,000 congressionally funded project.

The will integrate emerging sensor and data science technologies into approximately 30 fishpond restoration projects across Oʻahu and Maui Counties. The team will deploy additional water quality sensors to measure dissolved oxygen, temperature, meteorological data, chlorophyll and turbidity.

“We’re seeing accelerated threats and changes today that didn’t exist when the ponds were healthy and productive hundreds of years ago, which means that we need to be able to use contemporary tools to help identify how to restore places in the face of accelerating climate change,” said Brian Glazer, Hohonu CEO and co-founder and oceanography associate professor at the 东精影业 Mānoa .

The sensors send data measurements wirelessly every six minutes. Hohonu has made the data available in real time to the public through an .

东精影业, a partial equity owner in the company, along with some local nonprofits, is a part of Hohonu鈥檚 mission to democratize access to ocean observing technologies.

“东精影业 invested in Hohonu because we believe in the researcher, and we believe it is impacting the economy,” said Steve Auerbach, interim director of . 鈥淥ur ultimate goal is trying to diversify 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 economy through our innovation and research. Brian鈥檚 technology and company are aligned with 东精影业鈥檚 strategic plan, and we want to encourage more of those companies to come out of the world-class research we have here at 东精影业.”

• Related 东精影业 News story: 东精影业 startup improves flood-risk management in 54 U.S. communities, October 18, 2021

Addressing a global issue

On the continental U.S., Hohonu has deployed 60 sensors from Florida to Maine, in California and Alaska, and throughout Hawaiʻi, working closely with local communities that are seeing effects from accelerating climate change with hyperlocal episodic flooding.

“Communities in North and South Carolina were particularly proactive. In some areas there were parents who were unable to pick up their kids from preschool during high tide and during king tide events,” said Glazer. “The nearest tide gauges were simply too far away to accurately measure and predict the local anomalies.”

“Accelerating threats from climate change is not just a local problem, it’s a global problem,” said Glazer. “And it’s not only a coastal ocean problem, either. It’s inland, it鈥檚 rivers, lakes, streams and reservoirs. So we鈥檙e hoping Hohonu can help to create solutions with reliable rigorous monitoring that is scalable and cost-effective to help communities build resilience in the face of climate change.”

Building an informed future

Hohonu was incorporated in 2019, but its origin dates back to 2014 when Glazer became frustrated with the lack of environmental monitoring tools that were available to him while helping Hawaiian fishpond restoration community groups with environmental monitoring solutions. Those efforts gained traction, and soon demand for observing tools exceeded capacity in the lab, and with support and guidance from 东精影业, Hohonu was launched.

“It’s really about building an informed future,” said Glazer. “By creating access to quantifiable ocean, coastal and environmental data, and blending new techniques with traditional Indigenous knowledge, we鈥檙e in much better positions to think about how rapidly our environments are changing today.”