This editorial by University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi Cancer Center Director Naoto T. Ueno first appeared in the on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

There scarcely has been a more critical time to invest in �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s cancer-related health. Cancer diagnoses in America this year are expected to surpass 2 million for the first time in history, and more than 35 million new cancer cases worldwide are predicted in 2050—a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022. In ߣsir��Ƶʻi, each year an average of 7,393 local residents are diagnosed with invasive cancer, leading to 2,393 deaths. Such grim projections from the American Cancer Society, the World Health Organization, and our state point to the importance of state House Bill 2504, which proposed raising �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s cigarette tax by 2 cents per cigarette. Although this measure championed by physician Gov. Josh Green and supported by the state House and the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi ultimately failed in the 2024 ߣsir��Ƶʻi Legislature, its purpose remains crucial for the future of cancer education, research, and patient care in ߣsir��Ƶʻi.

Support for groundbreaking cancer research and patient care

As the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in ߣsir��Ƶʻi and the Pacific, the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi Cancer Center plays a critical role in groundbreaking research, patient care, and clinical trials of new cancer treatments. Funding from the cigarette tax has long supported programs that seek to understand the causes of cancer, develop prevention strategies and care for cancer patients, and educate the next generation of cancer researchers and physicians, as well as to build the ߣsir��Ƶ Cancer Center’s top-notch facility.

The irony here is that smoking cessation efforts driven by cancer research and community engagement have reduced cigarette use by more than half, in turn reducing state funding of the ߣsir��Ƶ Cancer Center tied to the cigarette tax. This decrease limits our ability to maintain the center’s original mission to lessen the burden of cancer in ߣsir��Ƶʻi. HB2504 would have allowed us to restore our original funding level from 10 years ago.

�Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s diverse communities to benefit.

Restoration of the tax revenue would enhance our ability to attract and retain world-class scientists and clinicians. The restored funding could support evidence-based programs tailored for �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s diverse communities, including Native ߣsir��Ƶians, Pacific Islanders, underserved Asian Americans, and low-income populations. Understanding and reducing tobacco use behaviors among these groups, along with researching e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults, are critical steps in mitigating cancer risk.

Further, full funding would also attract federal grants and collaboration, further positioning ߣsir��Ƶʻi as a leader in cancer research. It would bring additional renowned researchers and clinicians to ߣsir��Ƶʻi address the shortage of specialized oncology practices, and facilitate clinical trials for patients throughout the Pacific region. Additional tax funding would enable the ߣsir��Ƶ Cancer Center to continue to expand innovative cancer treatment and prevention strategies tailored to �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s unique demographics, and bring more and earlier-phase clinical trials to our Islands.

Investing in cancer research and patient care is not only a medical necessity but a moral imperative. Nearly 40% of our adult population will experience cancer in their lifetimes. By supporting initiatives like HB2504, we can ensure that comprehensive care is accessible right here in ߣsir��Ƶʻi nei, eliminating the need for patients to leave the Islands and leave their homes and loved ones behind in search of cutting-edge cancer treatments.

As director of the ߣsir��Ƶ Cancer Center, I am committed to advocating for transformative research and delivering world-class education, prevention, diagnosis and treatment to our community. The future of cancer-related healthcare in ߣsir��Ƶʻi hinges on the decisions made by our community and legislators. We must prioritize funding to safeguard the health and well-being of future generations.

—By Naoto T. Ueno, MD, PhD, FACP, director of the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi Cancer Center, a professor of medicine at the center, and a two-time cancer survivor.

The at the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi at Mānoa recently earned the prestigious 2024 Diversity Leadership Award from the American Bar Association (ABA).

The award recognizes a program’s outstanding commitment to promoting access and inclusion in the legal profession to women, people of color, people with disabilities, and people of different sexual orientations and gender identities.

This is the first time the ߣsir��Ƶ law school has received this award. Professor Troy J.H. Andrade, director of the Ulu Lehua Scholars Program, accepted the award at the ABA Litigation Section’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. on May 2.

“This recognition is a testament to the 50 years of ߣsir��Ƶ who have gone through the program and become leaders in our community,” said Andrade, who is also an Ulu Lehua ߣsir��Ƶuate. “I’m honored to be given the kuleana (responsibility) of supporting our Lehua Scholars and carrying on the legacy of access and opportunity that has been created by my predecessors like Linda Krieger, Chris Iijima, Judy Weightman and George Johnson, to name a few.”

Established in 1974, the Ulu Lehua Scholars Program, formerly known as the Pre-Admission Program, ensures that �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s diversity—in its many forms—is reflected in the law school’s student body.

Each year, the law school selects 12 incoming ߣsir��Ƶ who have overcome adversity, and demonstrated their academic potential, leadership ability, and commitment to social justice. The program provides ߣsir��Ƶ with support, mentorship and individualized learning opportunities.

“I am so proud of our Ulu Lehua Scholars and the indelible mark they have made in our Richardson community and beyond,” said ߣsir��Ƶ law school Dean Camille Nelson. “We look forward to many more years of this program’s success and dedication to serving �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s diverse communities.”

The Ulu Lehua Scholars program is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. .

Underߣsir��Ƶuates at the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi at Mānoa were inspired to build a giant antenna to explore hundreds of miles above the planet. The antenna, known as an ionosonde, project began after a lecture from Professor Giuseppe Torri about phenomena that can occur in the ionosphere, one of the highest layers of the Earth’s atmosphere.

The ionosphere plays an important role in radio transmission. Any disturbance in this region, such as those caused by the Sun (solar flares, geomagnetic storms, etc.), can severely affect radio transmissions and cause blackouts. Underߣsir��Ƶuate ߣsir��Ƶ Arianna Corry, Emily Harris, Kyra Dyer and Grace McCoy, in the ߣsir��Ƶ Mānoa (SOEST), teamed up to embark on a research journey to try and better understand this region.

“Some of us are long-time sci-fi fans—especially of the amazing work of Arthur Clarke—and we wanted a name that could encapsulate the sense of adventure that we all experienced reading the books that we love so much,” said Corry, who will be ߣsir��Ƶuating this semester with a degree in atmospheric sciences and will start a master’s degree program at SOEST in the fall. “When Giuseppe mentioned that the branch of atmospheric science that studies the upper layers of the atmosphere is called ‘aeronomy,’ we immediately thought about the name Aeronauts.”

Getting their hands dirty

Certain radio signals emitted by various sources on the planet, such as over-the-horizon radars, are reflected back to Earth’s surface by the ionosphere.

“The ionosonde is essentially a sophisticated radio that allows us to pick up these signals and, through some complicated mathematics, reconstruct the altitude at which they were reflected,” said Harris, who is an underߣsir��Ƶuate student.

With funding from the ߣsir��Ƶ Mānoa and Torri as their mentor, the ߣsir��Ƶ developed a project to build an ionosonde modeled from a design implemented and tested by Jens Floberg of UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

“It’s been a lot of fun learning about topics of the ionosphere, radio propagation, and GPS applications in class and on our own digging through academic literature and scientific forums,” said Dyer, who ߣsir��Ƶuated in spring 2024 with a bachelor’s degree. “But to actually get our hands dirty and ‘see’ the ionosphere was a completely different experience that brought our appreciation for science to a completely different level.”

“Each of these extraordinary ߣsir��Ƶ has different skills that they bring to the table, and over the months they have been really great at interacting and leveraging each other’s skills in a collaborative and extremely productive way,” said Torri.

.

–By Marcie Grabowski

This spring, the (KLFC) at the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi at Mānoa secured $1.3 million to advance Korean language education. On May 1, the Defense Language National Language Education Office announced Flagship programs awarded a four-year grant. KLFC is the sole Korean language Flagship program bestowed the competitive grant and is one of just 19 language Flagship programs nationwide.

Among a plethora of opportunities KLFC extends to ߣsir��Ƶ is a one-year Capstone program in Korea. This July, five ߣsir��Ƶ Mānoa ߣsir��Ƶ will participate in the Korean Flagship Overseas Program at Korea University in Seoul. Christine Mau and Keziah Yoo received the prestigious Boren Scholarship which will help fund their study abroad experience. The coveted award provides funds for underߣsir��Ƶuate ߣsir��Ƶ embarking on international study in regions critical to U.S. interests. Both ߣsir��Ƶ follow a long line of Boren scholars from ߣsir��Ƶ Mānoa.

Mackenzie Migdal, a dual major in political science and Korean at ߣsir��Ƶ Mānoa completed KLFC’s program in 2023.

“I’m proud of who I have become. Learning different languages expands our linguistic abilities and broadens our cultural horizons, fostering empathy and understanding. Languages connect us to the world, and I’m thankful to the Korean Language Flagship for teaching me this,” said Migdal who ߣsir��Ƶuated last summer.

Matthew Eteuati, currently immersed in the Korean Flagship Overseas Program, hopes to work for the federal government, where he can utilize Korean language skills to forge new connections and develop contracts that are mutually beneficial to multiple parties.

“The results achieved through international cooperation, regardless of the field, are exponentially larger than alone,” Eteuati said. “A superior proficiency in Korean language will allow me to bridge the two countries politically and industrially.”

More on KLFC

Since its inception in 2002, the KLFC has been a beacon of excellence in language education, aiming to cultivate specialists with superior-level proficiency in Korean. Through immersive language learning environments, tutoring programs and a one-year Capstone program in Korea. The center has nurtured a generation of professionals and scholars deeply connected to Korean language and culture.

The KLFC accepts applications year-round. Those interested in dual underߣsir��Ƶuate degrees, Korean proficiency improvement, an overseas program and internship in Korea, or professional career opportunities are strongly encouraged to apply. Flagship applications can be submitted to the website.

KLFC is housed in the ߣsir��Ƶ Mānoa .

A new, modern welcome center will greet prospective ߣsir��Ƶ to the , thanks to the generosity of a spring 2024 ߣsir��Ƶuate and her family.

Haley Taylor, a major in the , worked as a tour guide in the for three years. It was because of her “ߣsir��ƵMazing” experience being part of the office and showing off what the university has to offer that persuaded her family to make a generous contribution to renovate the center.

• Related ߣsir��Ƶ News story: Student leader: Haley Taylor’s journey inspiring future ‘Bows, May 6, 2024

Taylor, her family and other campus leaders gathered for a grand reopening ceremony on May 10. The welcome center is located in the Office of Admissions in the Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Services room 001. Among the changes included: removing existing counters and countertops to significantly increase available space, renovating and replacing existing fluorescent lighting for warmer LED lighting, replacing ceiling tiles with a floating wood ceiling, and adding more furniture and wall decorations to match and expand the open concept design of the space.

“All I can think of is opportunity, opportunity that we haven’t even imagined yet,” ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz� Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Nikki Chun said. “That’s why I’m excited to bring other people into this and ask them, ‘what do you imagine?’ And ultimately, I hope that when future ߣsir��Ƶ come here, they feel like the space is a reflection of the experience that they have at ����ԴDz�.”

ߣsir��Ƶʻi ties keep ʻohana close

Taylor was born in Tennessee and went to high school in Las Vegas, but in between spent four years residing in ߣsir��Ƶʻi Kai. Although she is headed to the continental U.S. to pursue a ߣsir��Ƶuate degree, she said she’ll be back to visit, and already looks forward to visiting the center and reconnecting with colleagues turned friends.

“Coming back in the future, I think it’s just going to bring back a lot of memories,” Taylor said. “Being able to showcase that with anyone I bring back, seeing the plaque on the wall and knowing that my small part here is lasting and gonna make an impact on so many people, I think I’m just looking forward to that, letting them understand how important this is.”

Haley’s father, Jason, is a trustee with . He is the chief sales officer at Gannett and president of USAToday Network Ventures. The Taylor family lived on Oʻahu when Jason served as senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Honolulu Advertiser from 2003 to 2007. Jason initiated the conversation about making a generous contribution with ߣsir��Ƶ Foundation CEO and ߣsir��Ƶ Vice President for Advancement Tim Dolan, who then reached out to Chun.

“When we lived here years ago, the island was so welcoming to our family that we wanted to do something to extend that to future families,” Jason said. “We knew that the Office of Admissions was so important to Haley and her development during her four years here so it just seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

“The Taylor family has made a lasting impact in supporting our current and future ߣsir��Ƶ at ߣsir��Ƶ,” Dolan said. “We’ve been very fortunate to have Haley’s father, Jason Taylor, on our Board of Trustees, and we are sincerely grateful for their gift to permanently enhance ߣsir��Ƶ’s Welcome Center.”

—By Marc Arakaki

The placed in the top 2.5% out of more than 20,000 universities in the world, according to the , released on May 13. The flagship campus of the 10-campus ߣsir��Ƶ System placed No. 511 out of 20,966 universities ranked. ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz� also ranked No. 138 among universities in the U.S.

“This ranking is the latest validation of ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s standing as a hub of academic excellence and groundbreaking research,” ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “It’s a source of pride for our state to host one of the world’s premier universities right here in ߣsir��Ƶʻi.”

Four key objective pillars were analyzed for the rankings—education, employability, faculty and research. The center used seven objective and outcome-based indicators grouped into four areas to rank the world’s universities:

Education: Based on the academic success of a university’s alumni, measured relative to the university’s size (25%)

Employability: Based on the professional success of a university’s alumni, measured relative to the university’s size (25%)

Faculty: Measured by the number of faculty members who have received top academic distinctions (10%)

Research:

• Research output: measured by the total number of research articles (10%)
• High-quality publications: measured by the number of research articles appearing in top-tier journals (10%)
• Influence: measured by the number of research articles appearing in highly-influential journals (10%)
• Citations: measured by the number of highly-cited research articles (10%)

Surveys and university data submissions did not factor in the rankings. The center says that equal emphasis was put on student and faculty indicators, and that 62-million outcome-based data points were used. For more on the methodology, .

For more information on rankings, .

—By Marc Arakaki

For the first time since 2016, the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi hosted a ߣsir��Ƶuation ceremony to honor the ߣsir��Ƶuates from the Friendly Isle.

This cherished tradition, usually observed every four years, had been delayed in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ߣsir��Ƶuates are ߣsir��Ƶ Maui College ߣsir��Ƶ who attend classes at the ߣsir��Ƶ Molokaʻi Education Center and/or online.

Between 2021 and 2024, the center awarded 47 associate degrees and 52 certificates. Forty-two of the ߣsir��Ƶuates participated in the 2024 commencement ceremony on May 10, which honors Molokaʻi residents who earned degrees at the Center or online at a ߣsir��Ƶ campus.

Check out more stories of our ߣsir��Ƶ spring ߣsir��Ƶuates

Never stop learning

After a 23-year journey, 41-year-old Harriet Uʻilani Mokiao proudly earned her associate degree in liberal arts. Cheers and applause roared for Mokiao as she delivered one of the student addresses, emphasizing the significance of her path to achievement.

“We really need to live in the present having learned from the past. There’s an ʻōlelo noʻeau that reads ma ka hana ka ʻike, ma ka ʻike ka mana. Through work, through doing, comes knowledge and through knowledge comes power,” Mokiao said.

More than 50% of the ߣsir��Ƶuates are Native ߣsir��Ƶian and received degrees and certificates ranging from associate degrees in dental hygiene and early education to certificates in ߣsir��Ƶian studies and construction technology.

The number of nurse aide ߣsir��Ƶuates nearly doubled since the island’s last commencement with 23 ߣsir��Ƶ earning their certification, which will help to address a critical need on Molokaʻi.

Sonni Han, 17, is one of the ߣsir��Ƶuates who earned nurse aide certification while attending Molokaʻi High School.

“A lot of kids think that they can’t do it because they come from Molokaʻi and they don’t have a lot of opportunities but this year I found that a lot of people want to help you, especially here at the college,” Han said. “If you just reach out to them theyʻll get you places where you didn’t think you could go.”

Historic milestone on Molokaʻi

Pūlama Lima is the first ever doctoral ߣsir��Ƶuate on Molokaʻi to be hooded at the ceremony. Lima earned a PhD in anthropology from ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz�.

“Molokaʻi is our biggest teacher and the best way to show appreciation for that is to come home and devote yourself to community work,” Lima said.

As part of ߣsir��Ƶ Maui College, the center offers a wide range of credit and non-credit courses and certificate and associate degree programs. Like other ߣsir��Ƶ outreach sites, it provides selected courses from other ߣsir��Ƶ community colleges and receives selected bachelors and masters degree programs from ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz�, ߣsir��Ƶ Hilo and ߣsir��Ƶ West Oʻahu via ����–I�ճ�.

The University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi’s Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center has been named the Redevelopment of the Year in the 2024 Impact Awards ߣsir��Ƶʻi program by CoStar Group.

The CoStar Impact Awards are judged based on a number of factors including innovation, challenges overcome, and whether the redevelopment is a catalyst for economic activity or vibrancy in the market.

Judges’ comments about the RISE Center included:

• “This project sets a new standard for PPP (public-private) partnerships and repurposing a historic building into an institutional 21st century building.” (Yifan Chen, assistant professor of finance and real estate, ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz�)
• “I chose this project for the efforts it went through to restore this historic site while also creating a place that benefits the surrounding community.” (Evan Ketter, leasing manager, MW Commercial Realty, Inc.)
• “This large redevelopment will turn out some very well-educated business ߣsir��Ƶ for our community.” (Mark Bratton, senior vice president, Colliers International)

“The Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center was self-funded with the private funds that the raised through bond issuance and no taxpayer funds, and was the foundation’s first development project, which we could not have done without our partners,” said John Han, ߣsir��Ƶ Foundation COO and CFO. “We are honored and grateful that CoStar is recognizing the RISE Center with this award.”

The $70 million live-learn-work Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center opened to the first ߣsir��Ƶ student residents in August 2023. It was the first new ߣsir��Ƶ student housing facility in 15 years, successfully repurposing the landmark 1930s Charles Atherton House building into a state-of-the-art modern institutional facility flanked by two new six-story student residential wings. The first-of-its-kind entrepreneurship-and-innovation center for ߣsir��Ƶʻi is located on the corner of Metcalf Street and University Avenue at the flagship ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz� campus.

Read more about the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center

In 2019, ߣsir��Ƶ, ߣsir��Ƶ Foundation and Hunt Companies ߣsir��Ƶʻi entered into a public-private partnership (P3) to design, build and finance RISE Center—the first P3 for the university.

“To receive a national award for RISE Center is reflective of not only the vision of the University and the University of ߣsir��Ƶʻi Foundation, but also the hard work of the many people that had a hand in opening up this project on time,” said project lead Mike Lam, senior vice president of Hunt Companies ߣsir��Ƶʻi. “On behalf of Hunt, our project partners and the ߣsir��Ƶ community, we thank CoStar Group for this honor.”

A startup company helping learners master different languages won the 2024 (ߣsir��ƵVC) and a prize package totaling approximately $50,000.

What began with more than 40 teams at the start of the competition, OmniVocab bested three other teams in the event finals on May 4 to claim the title. The company aims to help intermediate language learners overcome obstacles in acquiring a new language through immersive experiences.

The team included ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz� ߣsir��Ƶ Ryan Beattie (mechanical engineering), Josiah Kila (information and computer science), Kaihehau Goo (management), Sage Suzuki (computer science) and Noah deMers (computer science). They were coached by marketing lecturer Patricia LaPorte.

“What previously was a last-minute submission soon became a worthy competitor amongst many worthy teams,” DeMers said. “If we’ve learned one thing from this, it is to never underestimate what you have to offer compared to others and to always tunnel through any uncertainty. As the movie Coach Carter puts it, ‘As we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.’”

The first place prize included $10,000 from ߣsir��Ƶian Electric Industries and ߣsir��Ƶian Electric, 20 hours of marketing consultation by Pineapple Tweed ($5,000 value), rapid prototype development or data driven digital marketing package from Blue Logic Labs ($4,000 value), one year of unlimited coworking membership to The Hub Coworking ߣsir��Ƶi ($19,500 value), incorporation package and financing term sheet sponsored by Vantage Counsel LLC ($7,500 value), and other in-kind prizes.

ߣsir��ƵVC is hosted annually by the (PACE) in ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Shidler College of Business to support budding entrepreneurs by providing hands-on education, mentorship and resources to ߣsir��Ƶ from the 10-campus ߣsir��Ƶ System who wish to start a new business. This year, excitement soared as the event took place within the vibrant, newly inaugurated live-learn-work student housing community——marking a momentous milestone in the competition’s history. With student team representation from ߣsir��Ƶ ����ԴDz�, ߣsir��Ƶ Hilo, and Kapiʻolani Community College, encompassing more than 20 diverse majors from tropical plant and soil sciences to computer science, the competition showcased the innovative spirit thriving across the ߣsir��Ƶ System.

Finalists

Placing second was EduKits ߣsir��Ƶʻi, a nonprofit organization that creates and distributes placed-based STEAM resource kits to Title I school ߣsir��Ƶ. Its goal is to enrich classroom learning and increase parent involvement through fun hands-on activities based on STEAM lessons that align with Next Generation Science Standards and Na Hopena Aʻo framework. The team members were Candide Krieger (curriculum studies) and Samantha Alvarado (tropical plant and soil sciences), and their coach was Susan Yamada, PACE Board of Directors chair. The second place prize included $5,000 from PACE and more than $40,000 in in-kind prizes.

• Related ߣsir��Ƶ News story: Using Oreos to study moon phases, ߣsir��Ƶ student creates dynamic STEM lessons, April 24, 2024

The third place team was Tadish, a mobile application that streamlines the process of recording and rating individual dishes, offering users accurate and personalized suggestions based on their taste preferences and history of liked dishes. The team members were Alyssia Chen (information and computer science) and Timothy Huo (computer science), and their coach was Alexey Loganchuk from Sidera Labs. The third place prize totaled more than $17,000, including a $2,500 prize sponsored by HiBEAM.

AgiPower—an agricultural engineering company that designs and builds customized aquaponic systems for residents and farm owners—won fourth place and a $1,000 prize from PACE. The team members were Kurt Metrose (mechanical engineering) and Ted Metrose, and they were coached by Faustino Dagdag from Leeward Community College.

“We’re thrilled to showcase the incredible passion, creativity and perseverance displayed by all participants in the 2024 ߣsir��Ƶ Venture Competition,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said “It’s inspiring to see innovative entrepreneurs at ߣsir��Ƶ, like OmniVocab, paving the way for transformative solutions in language education.”