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

东精影业 Mānoa鈥檚 (JABSOM) also placed in the nation鈥檚 top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care, and 东精影业 贬颈濒辞鈥檚 ranked in a in the nation.

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

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

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

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

Note: not all programs are ranked every year. See these 东精影业 News stories on previous years鈥� rankings: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

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

William S. Richardson School of Law

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

Other law school rankings include:

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

John A. Burns School of Medicine

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

Shidler College of Business

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

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

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

School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene

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

College of Education

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

Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health

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

College of Social Sciences

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

College of Engineering

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

College of Natural Sciences

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

College of Arts, Languages & Letters

东精影业 Mānoa placed No. 106 (tied) among the nation’s best for fine arts programs.

Other rankings

东精影业 Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

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

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

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

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

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

“These rankings highlight the exceptional work and commitment of our faculty, students and staff,” 东精影业 Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “They showcase the university鈥檚 global standing and reinforce that 东精影业 Mānoa offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

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

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

Other rankings

东精影业 Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

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

University of Hawaiʻi President Emeritus David Lassner and his team—including Vice President for Information Technology Garret Yoshimi and Director for Network Infrastructure Chris Zane—have been awarded the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California . The award recognizes more than 35 years of visionary leadership in connecting Hawaiʻi and the broader Pacific to the global research community.

Transforming science, education

Since establishing the first international internet connection to Australia via Hawaiʻi in 1989, the 东精影业 team has fundamentally transformed global science and education. Their efforts in securing high-capacity networking for the premier astronomical observatories on Maunakea and Haleakal膩 have supported over $1 billion in scientific investment. The data transmitted through these connections contributed directly to two Nobel Prizes in Physics, including discoveries regarding the accelerating expansion of the universe and supermassive black holes.

Beyond these technical milestones, the 东精影业 team鈥檚 work is deeply rooted in a commitment to Pacific Island communities. By expanding ultra-high bandwidth networks, they have ensured that remote islands on the front lines of climate change have equal access to vital global research resources.

“The University of Hawaiʻi‘s geographic position in the middle of the Pacific is only part of the story; what truly makes today’s Pacific Wave (a high-capacity network) connectivity possible is the people,” said Jonah Keough, managing director of Pacific Wave. “David, Garret and Chris understand that networks are built on relationships as much as fiber.”

Connecting through fiber, light

Lassner has compared this modern digital connectivity to traditional Polynesian wayfinding. Having sailed aboard 贬艒办奴濒别ʻ补鈥檚 Worldwide Voyage, Lassner noted that just as navigators connected Pacific peoples using stars, 东精影业 is connecting them through fiber and light.

“To me, that’s what the World Wide Voyage and m膩lama honua (to care for our Earth) stand for鈥攕ustainability, Indigenous-serving education, research and our service to the community,” Lassner said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to do exactly what the University of Hawaiʻi is supposed to be doing.”

The award will be formally presented at CENIC鈥檚 “The Right Connection” conference in Monterey, California, March 31鈥揂pril 1, 2026.

Balloon-propelled boats and cart jousting were just a few of the competitions that tested the problem solving skills and physics knowledge of 80 high school students from across Oʻahu at the , held at for the third consecutive year in February.

This year’s competition featured 14 teams representing:

• Farrington High School
• ʻIolani School
• Kalani High School
• Kaiser High School
• Mililani High School
• Le Jardin Academy

Students worked collaboratively throughout the day, rotating through timed, experiential challenges that emphasized teamwork, precision and applied critical thinking.

Inspiring the next generation

“The challenges were really fun and built a base for learning,” said Farrington High School senior Qunicy Sablan. “It’s cool seeing and participating in the wide variety of events that are all hands-on.”

The event is organized by the Hawaiʻi section of the (AAPT-HI).

“These high school students get to be on a college campus and have a fun day of physics, competition, and camaraderie amongst themselves as well as with other schools,” said Kapiʻolani CC physics instructor and Vice President of AAPT Jacob Tyler. “Engaging students in applied physics challenges strengthens STEM pathways and inspires the next generation of learners.”

Legacy of scientific curiosity in Hawaiʻi

Kapiʻolani CC Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs 狈腻飞补ʻ补 Napoleon encouraged students to see their work in physics as part of a longer legacy of scientific curiosity in Hawaiʻi.

“Our Aliʻi, especially King Kal膩kaua, husband of Queen Kapiʻolani, in 1881 met with Thomas Edison in New York to discuss the physics of electricity,” said Napoleon. “ʻIolani Palace had electricity before the White House or Buckingham Palace. In today’s competition, let physics be your constant, and let creativity be your variable.”

Challenges were developed by students from Kapiʻolani CC, Leeward CC, University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 and Brigham Young University.

ʻIolani School physics teacher Doug Ellman, president of AAPT, said, “This is our 36th year running the event and part of the history of physics here in Hawaiʻi. It’s a really special event that brings together our Hawaiʻi physics community.”

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa student-led team has developed a new algorithm to help scientists determine direction in complex two-dimensional (2D) data, with potential applications ranging from particle physics to machine learning. The research was .

The algorithm development, led by undergraduate Jeffrey G. Yepez, helps scientists figure out where tiny, nearly invisible particles called neutrinos are coming from. These particles can reveal information about nuclear reactors, the sun, and faraway cosmic events. The method is based on a clever math discovery: the team found a formula that lets them match patterns in data and accurately pinpoint the direction of the source.

The students were guided by 东精影业 Mānoa Professor John G. Learned and received additional mentoring from 东精影业 alumnus and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory staff scientist Viacheslav Li, thanks to funding from the Consortium for Monitoring, Technology and Verification. The project began with simulated neutrino data to locate nuclear reactors, and further studies are underway.

“What excites us most is that this approach gives researchers a clearer mathematical foundation for extracting direction from noisy, real-world data,” Yepez said. “It is a tool that scales with technological improvements in detectors, computing power and data volume, making it valuable far beyond the initial physics application.”

The algorithm uses a mathematical tool called the Frobenius norm to measure differences between grids of numbers, effectively acting as a “distance formula” for large data tables. By rotating a reference dataset and comparing it to measured data, the algorithm identifies the rotation that produces the smallest difference, revealing the most likely direction of the signal. Simulations show the method works especially well with high-resolution data and large datasets.

While motivated by neutrino detection, the approach could be applied across multiple fields. Potential uses include astronomy, medical imaging, weather mapping, and any system that relies on pattern recognition, offering a versatile new tool for scientists and engineers.

Other 东精影业 Mānoa authors on the paper include Jackson D. Seligman, Max A. A. Dornfest and Brian C. Crow. The Department of Physics and Astronomy is part of 东精影业 Mānoa鈥檚 .

A new study out of the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 could help solve the mystery surrounding why a key type of star used to measure cosmic distances appears to be missing.

Assistant Professor Jeremy Sakstein led the research, , by the American Physical Society. It shows that dark matter may prevent certain stars, called Cepheid variables, from forming near the Milky Way鈥檚 crowded core. Cepheid stars are often described as cosmic metronomes. They brighten and dim in a steady rhythm, making them essential tools for astronomers to measure distances across the universe. In most parts of the galaxy, these stars are common and well understood. However, none have been clearly observed near the galactic center.

The new study offers a possible explanation. According to the researchers, dark matter—an invisible substance thought to make up most of the universe鈥檚 mass—may collect inside stars that form in regions where dark matter is especially dense, such as the galaxy鈥檚 inner core. There, dark matter could release extra energy inside stars, subtly changing their evolution.

“This work highlights how research at 东精影业 Mānoa is helping to address some of the biggest unanswered questions in science,” Sakstein said. “By combining theory and computation, we鈥檙e helping to open up entirely new ways to test ideas about the universe. The next generation of telescopes will tell us whether we鈥檙e on the right track.”

For Cepheid stars, that extra energy may be enough to stop them from ever entering the phase where they pulse and become visible. The effect appears strongest for smaller Cepheids with shorter rhythms, which would be the first to disappear. Importantly, the study finds that Cepheids are more sensitive to dark matter than many other types of stars. That makes their absence a potential new clue in the decades-long effort to understand what dark matter is and how it behaves.

Powerful new telescopes, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the next generation of extremely large ground-based observatories, are expected to peer deeper into the galactic center than ever before. If these instruments still fail to find Cepheid stars where they should exist, it could be a strong sign that dark matter is influencing stellar life in ways scientists are only beginning to uncover.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 .

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

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

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

All 东精影业 Mānoa rankings:

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

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

Other rankings

东精影业 Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

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

For more information, .

A NASA scientific balloon carrying a next-generation space science instrument has successfully launched over Antarctica, continuing a legacy of discovery that began at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

The mission, known as the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations, or PUEO, lifted off December 20, from NASA鈥檚 launch facility near McMurdo Station. The balloon reached an altitude of about 120,000 feet and is now drifting high above the Antarctic ice while collecting data.

PUEO is designed to study tiny particles called neutrinos that travel through space at extremely high energies. When these particles strike the thick Antarctic ice, they create brief radio signals. From its vantage point far above the surface, the balloon-mounted instrument listens for those signals, using the ice below as a natural detector.

By tracking these signals, scientists hope to learn more about powerful events in the universe, such as black hole formation and collisions between dense stars. The mission also includes two additional balloons that send test signals to help researchers confirm the instrument is working properly. PUEO is expected to remain airborne for several weeks, circling the continent as it gathers information.

“This mission shows how ideas that start in Hawaiʻi can grow through years of collaboration and dedication into discoveries that help answer some of the biggest questions about our universe,” Professor Peter Gorham said. “It reflects the creativity and persistence of our students, researchers and engineers, and it points to a future where 东精影业 research continues to play a meaningful role in advancing science worldwide.”

Building on 东精影业鈥檚 Antarctic legacy

PUEO builds on earlier work led by 东精影业 researchers through the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA). That earlier project completed four balloon flights between 2006 and 2016 and helped open a new way of studying high-energy particles using radio signals detected over Antarctica. ANITA also recorded unusual particle events that scientists are still working to understand. With improved sensitivity and updated technology, PUEO aims to expand on those discoveries and clarify unanswered questions from the earlier missions.

This is the second high-altitude scientific balloon launched from Antarctica this season with major 东精影业 involvement. On December 15, a separate scientific balloon carried the General AntiParticle Spectrometer experiment into the sky to search for rare cosmic antimatter linked to dark matter. Together, the missions highlight 东精影业鈥檚 growing role in NASA-led balloon research, using Antarctica鈥檚 unique environment to study some of the most basic questions about the universe.

PUEO is led by Professor Abigail Vieregg of the University of Chicago. The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in .

The earned high marks in nearly 20 academic subjects in the , with , and leading the way among the highest-ranked programs.

Oceanography ranked No. 5 in the U.S. and No. 7 in the world, atmospheric science placed No. 8 nationally and No. 11 worldwide, and hospitality and tourism management ranked No. 12 in the U.S. and No. 32 in the world.

The rankings were released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy and is considered one of the most comprehensive and objective assessments of university performance by discipline.

东精影业 Mānoa also posted strong global and national placements across science, engineering, social science and other fields. tied for No. 17 in the U.S. and ranked No. 51–75 worldwide, while ecology and each tied for No. 24 nationally and placed No. 76–100 globally.

Additional 东精影业 Mānoa subjects recognized in the 2025 rankings include communication, education, political science, water resources, biological sciences, civil engineering, food science and technology, environmental science and engineering, agricultural sciences, economics, management and physics.

“These rankings reflect the depth and consistency of excellence at 东精影业 Mānoa,” Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “Our faculty are advancing research that matters locally and globally, while preparing students to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our world.”

东精影业 Mānoa was evaluated alongside approximately 2,000 universities from more than 100 countries and regions, selected from a global pool of more than 25,000 institutions. The rankings are based on measures such as world-class faculty, world-class research output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.

Other recent rankings:

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

For more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

A groundbreaking scientific experiment aimed at detecting dark matter in space launched from Antarctica on December 15, with significant contributions from University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补.

The General AntiParticle Spectrometer (GAPS) experiment is suspended from a football-field-sized balloon approximately 24 miles above Antarctica to search for rare cosmic antimatter that could help unlock the mysteries of dark matter, one of physics’ most perplexing phenomena.

Dark matter makes up about 85% of all the mass in our universe, yet we can鈥檛 see it or directly detect it—we only know it exists because of how it affects things around it through gravity. Understanding dark matter would help us grasp what most of the universe is actually made of and potentially reveal fundamental new physics that could revolutionize our understanding of how everything works.

International partners work on mystery

东精影业 Mānoa received $1.4 million, part of a larger NASA grant, in support of the project, and has been playing a leading role in developing the experiment. Columbia is the lead institution on the GAPS project. Collaborators include the 东精影业 Mānoa, UCLA, UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, Northeastern University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and international collaborators from Japan, Italy and China.

“This experiment puts Hawaiʻi at the forefront of one of the biggest mysteries in modern physics,” said Philip von Doetinchem, project lead and professor. “Our students and researchers at 东精影业 Mānoa are helping lead a quest to understand what makes up a large fraction of our universe, showing that groundbreaking science is happening right here in our islands.”

The 东精影业 GAPS flight operations team is composed of Research Corporation of 东精影业 researcher Achim Stoessl, graduate student Grace Tytus and Doetinchem. In addition, Cory Gerrity was instrumental for on-campus detector development tasks during the pandemic, which was also supported by undergraduate student Hershel Weiner.

The experiment seeks to detect antiprotons and antideuterons (antimatter particles that are used in research to study dark matter and other phenomena), which scientists believe could provide crucial evidence about the nature of dark matter. While researchers have observed dark matter鈥檚 gravitational effects, its fundamental properties remain unknown.

GAPS utilizes NASA balloon facilities similar to previous Antarctic experiments, including one that recently challenged standard physics models. The project builds on years of preparation, including extensive detector calibration work at 东精影业 Mānoa and integration testing at multiple NASA facilities.

Primary funding is from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), with substantial funding from the Heising-Simons Foundation, and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

• Related 东精影业 News story: 东精影业 professor鈥檚 Antarctica discovery may herald new model of physics, December 10, 2018

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in .

Volunteers make it possible for (FVH) to hold its monthly Food Drop at Campus Center, distributing about 8,000 pounds of food each second Wednesday of the academic year.Housed within the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (SILD) unit, FVH continues to play a key role in assisting 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 students experiencing food insecurity.

Bonnyjean Manini, SILD director, said volunteers are critical to help receive, sort, and distribute food at monthly Food Drop events. The items are provided through partnerships with the Hawaiʻi Foodbank and the Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center.

“They exemplify the qualities of empathy, responsiveness, commitment and are fearless of the physical labor involved with the work of helping provide food to those in need but often go unacknowledged,” she said. “Their unconditional assistance makes these events possible.”

Finding joy in helping others

Richard Bradshaw, one of FVH鈥檚 longest-serving volunteers and a former religion instructor, said he returns each month for a simple reason: helping others brings joy.

“I think helping others with an open heart and non-judgmentally enables me to doubly enjoy giving,” he said. “Making people happy is the best way to make yourself happy.”

His own experiences as a college student gives him perspective on the challenges many students face today. He recalled comforting a student he knew who felt embarrassed to see him at the Food Drop, an interaction that underscored how food insecurity can affect a student鈥檚 sense of dignity.

“I deeply understood how she felt and did everything I could to ease her feelings,” he said.

Connecting through food and knowledge

Lara Hackney is an instructor in the Food Science and Human Nutrition program in the .

She began volunteering with FVH in 2019 through her involvement with The Coalition to Stop Campus Hunger. After the pandemic, she returned and has volunteered consistently since.

“I hope they [students/东精影业 community] feel that FVH is a safe place where they can find something that helps when times are challenging,” she said.

A new volunteer inspired to give back

For third-year physics major Stephen Wagner, volunteering began as part of his Mortar Board service project but quickly took on deeper meaning. With past experience at food banks on Hawaiʻi Island, he recognized how essential FVH is鈥攅specially after learning that 84% of the 268 participants at a recent Food Drop identified as 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 students.

“Seeing the pallets of food empty as people came through made the impact very tangible,” he said. “I hope students feel secure and welcome when they come to the Food Drop.”

He encourages others to volunteer as well. “Community is especially important in these uncertain times, and lifting each other up makes for a strong community.”

How to support FVH

FVH will hold its next Food Drop on December 10, at the Campus Center Courtyard, beginning at noon while supplies last. Its Holiday Drive to help stock its pantry in Hemenway Hall runs through January 2, and the 东精影业 community is encouraged to donate non-perishable food items and toiletries at the SLD office in Campus Center Room 208, Monday—Friday, 9 a.m.—4 p.m. (except holidays and weekends).

Monetary donations to support Food Vault Hawaiʻi can be made through the . For updates, pantry information and volunteer opportunities, follow FVH on or email fvh@hawaii.edu.

东精影业 Basic Needs Fund

If you鈥檙e a 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 student facing an unexpected hardship, the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Student Basic Needs fund offers one-time emergency grants to help you stay on track. Apply or give your support here.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers in the have wrapped up a six-week campaign at CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire or European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland, to study how rare antimatter particles (particles with opposite charge to ordinary matter) are created. Understanding these particles helps us learn how the universe was formed and why it behaves the way it does today.

The team used the NA61/SHINE experiment, a fixed-target experiment at one of CERN鈥檚 particle accelerators, to produce antinuclei under conditions similar to those found in space. The new data recorded on the ground will help scientists better understand unusual signals recorded by instruments orbiting Earth.

The work is part of a project funded in 2024 by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The group expects the data analysis to take several years.

“This work demonstrates that our team in Hawaiʻi is at the forefront of understanding cosmic antimatter by using one of the world鈥檚 most advanced science facilities, also providing an amazing opportunity for the next generation of researchers to engage in international research,” Professor Philip von Doetinchem said. “Without the hard work of postdoc Anirvan Shukla and graduate students Bobby Lyon and Michael Bell, we could not have executed the campaign. Great thanks also go to our international collaborators at CERN—without them the data taking would not have been possible. What we learn from these measurements will help us better understand our Galaxy and what it is composed of.”

This effort builds on more than a decade of 东精影业 Mānoa research focused on hunting for antimatter in space. In 2024, the project received a $600,000 NSF grant to analyze data from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard the International Space Station. That instrument has detected possible signs of rare antinuclei that may come from dark matter or other unknown processes in the galaxy.

By creating these particles on the ground and comparing them with signals from space, 东精影业 scientists aim to narrow down where the antimatter is coming from and what it can reveal about the structure of the universe.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in the 东精影业 Mānoa .

A groundbreaking study by University of Hawaiʻi researchers is advancing how we learn the laws that govern complex systems—from predator-prey relationships to traffic patterns in cities to how populations grow and shift—using artificial intelligence (AI) and physics.

The research, on August 21, introduces a new method based on statistical mechanics to improve the discovery of equations directly from noisy real-world data. Statistical mechanics is a branch of physics that explains how collective behavior emerges from individual particles, such as how the random motion of gas molecules leads to predictable changes in pressure and temperature.

In this new work, statistical mechanics is used to understand how different mathematical models “compete” when trying to explain a system. This matters because many scientific fields rely on understanding how systems change over time, whether tracking disease spread, analyzing climate change or predicting the stock market. But real-world data is often messy, and traditional AI models can be unreliable when the data gets noisy or incomplete.

The new approach helps separate useful information from irrelevant noise, giving researchers more confidence that a discovered equation actually reflects reality.

“This work not only pushes the boundaries of how we use AI and physics to understand complex systems, but also highlights the cutting-edge research happening right here in Hawaiʻi,” said Andrei A. Klishin, the study鈥檚 lead author and assistant professor in the 东精影业 Mānoa . “It shows that 东精影业 is a place where fundamental science meets real-world impact—something that鈥檚 incredibly important for training the next generation of thinkers and innovators in our state.”

When more is less

The study shows when collecting more data won鈥檛 help, an insight that can save time and resources. By borrowing tools such as “free energy” and the “partition function” from physics, the method identifies when a model is likely to fail due to complexity or lack of data.

It also estimates how much uncertainty is in the result, a key factor when making real-world decisions based on data. This 东精影业-led innovation could impact everything from engineering and ecology to economics and medicine, where understanding the rules behind data can lead to better predictions, smarter decisions and deeper insights into how our world works.

A team of scientists, including University of Hawaiʻi researchers, has found further observational support for a model originally developed at 东精影业 Mānoa that could help solve two of the biggest mysteries in physics: the accelerating growth of the universe and the mass of ghost-like particles called neutrinos.

In a study , the researchers used data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to test whether dark energy emanating from black holes could be responsible for the mysterious force causing the universe to expand faster throughout time. DESI, located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory on land stewarded by the Tohono O鈥檕dham Nation in Arizona, uses 5,000 robotic eyes to map millions of galaxies, helping scientists measure how quickly the universe has grown over billions of years.

This idea, called the cosmologically coupled black hole (CCBH) hypothesis, is based on black holes that convert dead star matter into dark energy. Such dark energy black holes have been studied for over half a century, but their relation to the universe鈥檚 growth was not initially appreciated. Duncan Farrah, 东精影业 Mānoa associate professor in the and graduate faculty at the ; Kevin Croker, affiliate graduate faculty in the 东精影业 Mānoa Department of Physics and Astronomy; and Joel Weiner, professor emeritus in the 东精影业 Mānoa , were the first to explore how such a population of black holes could give rise to the accelerated growth that scientists observe today.

“The upshot of this is that if you convert just a little bit of ordinary matter into dark energy over the history of the universe, then you can go a significant way to solving two big mysteries. You explain the origin of dark energy, and you solve a significant tension in the world of particle physics,” Farrah said. “This doesn’t prove anything, but it does motivate further examination of the idea, and testing it against other possible explanations.”

One of the most puzzling findings from DESI is that the standard explanation for accelerated growth of the universe seemed to leave no room for a type of particle called a neutrino to have mass. DESI used the expansion of the universe itself as a giant set of scales, but found that, in the standard model of cosmology, measured mass of neutrinos had begun to contradict measurements from other experiments.

The CCBH model offers a solution. If black holes are turning star matter into dark energy, then the total amount of non-neutrino matter in the universe would decrease over time. This correction allows the neutrino mass measured in DESI data to match what Earth-based experiments have found, something only one other model has done successfully. And it can do so while also explaining the observed accelerated growth of the universe as a whole.

The research explains the amount of dark energy in the universe, suggesting that it wasn鈥檛 set at the beginning of time but built up slowly as stars formed and died. The work shows how creative thinking, combined with powerful telescopes and global cooperation, can bring us all closer to understanding how the universe really works.

More about DESI

DESI is an international experiment that brings together more than 900 researchers from more than 70 institutions. The project is led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the instrument was constructed and is operated with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. DESI is mounted on the U.S. National Science Foundation鈥檚 (NSF) Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory—a program of NSF NOIRLab—in Arizona.

In addition to its primary support from the DOE Office of Science, DESI is also supported by the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science user facility. Additional support for DESI is provided by the NSF; the Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom; the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; the Heising-Simons Foundation; the French Alternative Energies 2 and Atomic Energy Commission; the National Council of Humanities, Sciences, and Technologies of Mexico; the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain; and by the DESI member institutions.

What once sat dormant for nearly a decade—a powerful, highly specialized instrument known as a Free-Electron Laser (FEL) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa—is now sparking back to life, thanks to a new generation of accelerator physicists, determined to restore the FEL鈥檚 brilliance and redefine its potential.

Why the FEL matters

Unlike conventional lasers, the FEL produces tunable light (light that can be adjusted to different colors or energies) by accelerating electrons through alternating magnetic fields. This unique mechanism makes it a versatile tool, allowing researchers to probe matter at the molecular and atomic scale, making it a vital tool in physics and chemistry to biology and materials science. At 东精影业 Mānoa, the FEL facility engages in:

• Biological research
• Materials science research
• Nanostructure wake research
• Fundamental physics
• Advanced light source development

Since its invention, the FEL has enabled major breakthroughs in advancing scientific understanding, such as capturing ultrafast chemical reactions, determining the structure of complex proteins for drug development, and probing materials at the atomic scale to inform next-generation electronics and energy technologies.

Revival and expansion

In 2024, 东精影业 Mānoa took a strategic leap forward by hiring two rising stars in accelerator physics: Assistant Professor Siqi Li from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and Assistant Professor Niels Bidault from CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. Their mission: restart the FEL, upgrade its capabilities and carve a new path forward.

“Operating the FEL is like building a Swiss watch, but at the scale of a particle beam.” — Niels Bidault

“Operating the FEL is like building a Swiss watch, but at the scale of a particle beam,” said Bidault. “It requires precision across every domain—electrical engineering, vacuum science, magnets, diagnostics, high-voltage systems. Everything must align within millimeters or less in order to work.”

Li and Bidault are working with a team of two postdocs and several undergraduate students on tech upgrades. In addition, Li is leading a nearly $1-million Department of Energy Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research-funded project that develops a comprehensive simulation framework to fully understand FEL physics and combines traditional beam physics with cutting-edge machine learning techniques to optimize the FEL鈥檚 controls.

Related 东精影业 News stories:

• Renowned visiting accelerator expert praises 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 physics research innovations, February 24, 2025
• 3 东精影业 research projects earn nearly $1M by Dept. of Energy, October 2, 2024

For more on how the FEL is helping to train the innovators of tomorrow, see . Noelo is 东精影业鈥檚 research magazine from the .

A new type of star-like object called a “dark dwarf” that could provide clues into dark matter—one of the universe鈥檚 biggest mysteries—has been proposed by an international group of scientists, led by a researcher from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补.

Dark matter is an invisible substance that makes up about a quarter of the universe鈥檚 total matter. It does not emit or reflect light and can only be detected by its gravity. Despite decades of research, scientists still don鈥檛 know exactly what dark matter is.

Brown dwarfs to dark dwarfs

The study suggests that these dark dwarfs may form when brown dwarfs (small, faint “failed stars” that are too small to sustain the nuclear reactions that power normal stars) capture dark matter particles in areas where dark matter is dense, such as the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way.

Inside these dark dwarfs, the dark matter particles collide and destroy each other, releasing energy that keeps the object glowing over long periods. This energy source is different from the nuclear fusion that powers normal stars such as the Sun.

The researchers said these dark dwarfs could be identified by the presence of lithium. Lithium burns up quickly in regular stars, but would remain inside dark dwarfs, offering a way to distinguish them from brown dwarfs. Astronomers may be able to detect dark dwarfs with advanced telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, by looking for these unique signatures in the galaxy鈥檚 center.

“Finding dark dwarfs would be an important step toward understanding the true nature of dark matter and the fundamental makeup of the universe,” said Jeremy Sakstein, study lead and assistant professor in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 . “Hawaiʻi鈥檚 rich tradition of astronomical research makes 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 an important hub for exploring the universe鈥檚 deepest mysteries.”

This study was published in July 2025 in the .

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .

Will the universe keep expanding forever, or slow down and collapse? A University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 researcher contributed to the creation of the largest standardized collection of exploding stars, offering new clues that dark energy—which makes up about 70% of the universe and is thought to drive its accelerating expansion—might change over time.

The study, , used light from 2,087 Type Ia (pronounced “one A”) supernovae. These are powerful explosions that occur when certain types of stars die, and because they all explode in similar ways, scientists can use them like cosmic measuring sticks. Astronomers call these stellar explosions “standard candles” because their brightness is predictable, mimicking identical light bulbs scattered across the cosmos, making them perfect for measuring vast distances in space.

These explosions previously helped reveal in 1998 that the universe鈥檚 expansion is speeding up, a discovery that introduced the idea of dark energy and later earned a Nobel Prize. Since then, different experiments around the world have gathered supernova data using various tools and methods. To make the data easier to compare, researchers from the international created a new dataset called Union3. It corrects for differences in how the data was collected, allowing scientists to study the universe鈥檚 expansion more precisely.

Dark energy, predicting the future of the universe

The updated analysis showed small hints that dark energy may not be constant, which challenges the current leading model based on Albert Einstein鈥檚 theory. That model assumes dark energy stays the same over time.

If dark energy changes, it could affect predictions about the future of the universe, including whether it expands forever or eventually slows down. The findings match results from another project that used a different method to study how galaxies are spread out in space, adding weight to the possibility that dark energy might evolve.

The research was a collaboration among scientists from 东精影业, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and institutions around the world. It also used computing power from 东精影业鈥檚 high-performance cluster, Koa.

“This project shows how Hawaiʻi鈥檚 expertise and computing power can help answer some of the biggest questions in the universe,” said David Rubin, lead author, associate professor in the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 and a leading member of the Supernova Cosmology Project. “It鈥檚 exciting that our work from Hawaiʻi is part of a global effort to unlock the secrets of dark energy.”

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补’s .

For more, .

Measuring velocity and building electric circuits might sound like lessons best taught in person, but Kauaʻi Community College Physics Instructor Brad Dempsie has developed a fully remote, yet still hands-on approach to physics that鈥檚 making science education more accessible than ever.

Dempsie鈥檚 lab courses come to students through the mail—literally. He assembles and ships customized lab kits containing equipment for about 12 experiments, all packaged and checked out as library items.

“We should really call it ‘remote’ learning, as opposed to online learning, because the students are actually doing the labs, using equipment to take measurements,” Dempsie said.

Serving students across the state

Since 2020, Dempsie has served hundreds of students across the islands, with both calculus- and algebra-based physics sequences filling quickly. For fall 2025, he鈥檚 mailing out almost 50 lab kits, with about two-thirds headed to neighbor islands and beyond.

“The simpler the equipment is, the easier the students can grasp the concept,” he said, as he demonstrated how the ultrasonic velocity measuring device included in the kit works. A line appeared on Dempsie鈥檚 laptop screen as he drove a remote-controlled car further away from the device, while an arc appeared as a ball rolled down a slanted table.

Although remote labs may lack the camaraderie of in-person labs, Dempsie said, “Everyone has to pull their weight and can鈥檛 rely on their lab partner to help them pass the class.”

Redesigned during COVID-19

The innovative format began in fall 2020, when Dempsie foresaw the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and redesigned both his lecture and lab classes. That first semester, even students stranded in other countries completed their courses online, labs and all.
Now, he said, remote physics labs help science students better manage packed academic schedules.

“There are a lot of requirements on our science students, and it can be difficult for them to fit all the required classes, especially with the labs, into their schedule,” Dempsie said.

A major benefit is flexibility, compared to having to do the work within a set three-hour timeslot.

“Now students can try the lab, and if they do something wrong or have a question, they can come back to it tomorrow and try again,” he said. “They can do the work at their own pace instead of being rushed.”

—By Catilin Fowlkes

A University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 physicist has received one of the world鈥檚 top honors in theoretical science for work that reshapes our understanding of gravity and the accelerating expansion of the universe.

Jeremy Sakstein, assistant professor in the , was awarded the 2025 Frontiers of Science Award by the International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) for his influential research on gravitational waves. His study, co-authored with Bhuvnesh Jain of the University of Pennsylvania, was and examines the 2017 neutron star collision that sent both light and gravitational waves across the cosmos.

The research showed that the near-simultaneous arrival of those signals ruled out many alternative theories of gravity, bringing scientists closer to understanding what鈥檚 behind the universe鈥檚 mysterious acceleration—commonly referred to as dark energy.

“This recognition is incredibly humbling,” Sakstein said. “It shows that researchers here in Hawaiʻi are making significant contributions to some of the most fundamental questions in science. I hope this inspires our students and strengthens 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 role in shaping the future of cosmology and gravitational physics.”

The Frontiers of Science Award honors research of exceptional originality, scientific value and lasting impact. For 2025, just 40 works were selected across mathematics, theoretical physics and theoretical computer and information sciences. Winning research must be published within the past decade and widely accepted as a breakthrough in its field.

Sakstein will be honored at the Third International Congress of Basic Science in Beijing this July, where the world鈥檚 leading researchers will gather to celebrate cutting-edge discoveries in the natural sciences.

More than 250 students, faculty and community members gathered at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 on April 25, for a rare opportunity to learn directly from a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.

Arthur McDonald, co-recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics, delivered a public talk, “How to Know a Neutrino from a Hole in the Ground,” at Bilger Hall. The lecture offered insight into how researchers use underground laboratories to study neutrinos—tiny, nearly invisible particles that pass through everything around us. In addition to many curious facts, including bananas as sources of neutrinos, McDonald talked about the Nobel week festivities in Stockholm, Sweden in 2015, when he received his prize at the Nobel medal award ceremony.

McDonald shared stories from his work in Canada, where his team operated experiments 2 kilometers underground in a working mine, studying the properties of neutrinos produced in the Sun and arriving on Earth at nearly the speed of light. Their measurement of different types of neutrinos proved that neutrinos have mass, reshaping the field of particle physics.

“The talk was both informative and fun—and it was great to see so many of my friends from the department in the audience,” said Pui Hin Rhoads, an astronomy student.

Yeunggyun Kwon, an electrical engineering student, added, “I loved how he talked and was passionate about his topic. He also made it easy for us to understand. I knew neutrinos were shapeshifters but I didn’t know it could be part of our body!”

Open to all ages and backgrounds, the talk provided 东精影业 students and faculty with a valuable chance to engage with cutting-edge science and hear directly from a leading figure in the field. Faculty said the event sparked meaningful discussions and inspired new ideas for coursework and collaborative research with the , a deep underground experimental facility in Sudbury, Canada, one of the two top underground laboratories for fundamental physics in the world.

“Prof. McDonald impressed upon students that it is exciting and interesting to be a scientist, that many physicists working together can build amazing detectors, and the path to the discovery of neutrino mass was long and winding, albeit fun!” 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Professor Jelena Maricic said.

Honoring 东精影业 professor

McDonald鈥檚 visit was part of a multi-day symposium attended by a number of distinguished neutrino physicists from around the world, hosted by the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 to honor longtime professor John Learned. Learned has been deeply involved in the world of neutrinos. He鈥檚 worked on international science projects in places such as the Kamioka mine in Japan, unveiling properties of these nearly invisible particles and what they can tell us about the universe.

Learned had the early vision for building giant detectors underwater to study neutrinos from outside our galaxy, an idea that has since come to fruition in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Antarctic ice. This symposium honored his long and impactful career in unraveling the secrets of these fundamental building blocks of nature, while at the same time looking forward to the next generation of scientists and research.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .