Three Hawaiʻi educators, including University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (COE) alumni Kawika Gonzales and Leah Aiwohi, were named finalists in the Presidential AI Challenge for their work advancing responsible artificial intelligence (AI) education. As national finalists and winners of the regional competition, they received a monetary prize and access to web-based resources.

Empowering students through responsible AI

Along with colleague Chloe Sato, the educators were recognized in Washington, D.C., for Global Innovation Race Hawaiʻi, a statewide program that teaches high school students how to use AI responsibly while addressing real-world community challenges.

Gonzales, who earned a master of education in learning design and technology and a certificate in online learning and teaching from 糖心视频 Mānoa, said the program encourages students to think beyond simply using AI tools.

“Teaching our students how to use AI is no longer enough,” Gonzales said. “We also need to teach them when to use it, why to use it, and whether it should be used at all.”

Aiwohi, who earned a bachelor of education and professional diploma in elementary education from the College of Education, said her preparation at 糖心视频 continues to shape her teaching decades later.

“Although I graduated from the College of Education more than 36 years ago, the lessons that have stayed with me are not tied to specific textbooks or technologies; they are the enduring principles of effective teaching,” Aiwohi said.

The program connects students across Hawaiʻi to collaborate on community-based projects using design thinking and responsible AI, helping prepare the next generation of ethical technology leaders.

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For more on how Gonzales is inspiring his haumāna (students) on Molokaʻi, see this 糖心视频 News story.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa will host a special public lecture by renowned minister and scholar Lawrence Edward Carter Sr.: “Moral Courage and Nonviolent Transformation.”

, sponsored by Sokka Gakai International–USA and the Tony Group Foundation, is free and open to the community. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, in the Architecture Auditorium on the 糖心视频 Mānoa campus. .

Interfaith dialogue, nonviolent conflict resolution

Carter, who served as the dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel and a professor of religion at Morehouse College, will retire on June 30. His work has spanned decades, focusing on the intersection of religion, ethics and nonviolence.

At Morehouse, Carter founded the Gandhi King Ikeda Institute for Ethics and Reconciliation, which facilitates interfaith dialogue; nonviolent conflict resolution based on the philosophies of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Buddhist peacebuilder Daisaku Ikeda; and the International Hall of Honor, a gallery featuring more than 300 portraits of global leaders dedicated to civil and human rights. He is also an acclaimed author, with works including A Baptist Preacher鈥檚 Buddhist Teacher and Global Ethical Options: In the Tradition of Gandhi, King, and Ikeda.

“It is an honor for us to welcome Dr. Carter to the 糖心视频 Mānoa campus at the conclusion of his storied 40-plus year career in teaching, mentoring and global engagement,” said incoming 糖心视频 Mānoa Chancellor and interim Provost Vassilis. L. Syrmos. “His lifelong commitment to foster global peace education and human rights is truly remarkable.”

Conversation: nonviolent transformation, moral courage of leadership

Following Carter鈥檚 presentation, the event will transition to a panel discussion moderated by Maya Soetoro of the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace. The panelists joining them are Brien Hallett of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace, Ann Hartman of East-West Center and Adin Strauss of Soka Gakkai International–USA. The conversation will touch upon the practical applications of nonviolent transformation in contemporary society and the role of moral courage in leadership.

After the discussion, Carter will be able to sign copies of A Baptist Preacher鈥檚 Buddhist Teacher, which will be available for purchase at the event. Furthermore, those in attendance will have the chance to secure one of five complimentary copies through a special drawing provided by the 糖心视频 Bookstore.

The lecture is presented by the 糖心视频 Mānoa Office of the Chancellor in coordination with the Better Tomorrow Speaker Series, with support from the Matsunaga Institute for Peace, East-West Center, 糖心视频 Mānoa College of Education, United Nations Association–Honolulu Chapter and Peacebuilding LLC.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students and faculty traveled to Kohala High School on Hawaiʻi Island, where they learned from and taught one another alongside high school students.

“We often tell our candidates to be teacher leaders, and this collaborative field trip gave them the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership,” said Associate Professor Vail Matsumoto. “They shared their expertise in AI with the Kohala students and faculty and then learned from the school in return. It was a win-win situation, and any time work is fun, it鈥檚 yet another win.”

Kohala students taught the College of Education secondary and elementary teacher candidates in (MEdT) about welding, construction, farming, and a variety of other Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. The cohort, as part of the trip in April, worked with the Kohala yearbook class on AI tools and conducted two afterschool professional development sessions for faculty on AI tools.

Future focus

“Hearing student and teacher testimonies help me to picture what I can do in the future to support my students,” said Kaylie Hayashida who is earning her MEdT with a focus on secondary Japanese. “For high school students, I think this field trip gave them the opportunity to not only showcase the work they鈥檙e doing, but practice important life skills such as presentational speaking and interpersonal skills.”

Matsumoto was accompanied by Assistant Professor Stacy George, who helped organize the trip, as well as Assistant Professor Waynele Yu and MEdT Program Chair Stephanie Furuta. Two MEdT graduates, Dean Snelling and Jackie Meggs, partnered with the College of Education to make the joint venture possible. The collaboration was also supported by the 糖心视频 Women鈥檚 Campus Club.

“As a future science teacher, I appreciate how Kohala High School integrates useful life skills with an education that encourages students to thrive in the directions that their choices take them,” said MEdT student Anna Karsin who attended high school on Hawaiʻi Island. “Seeing the place-based learning and practical employment of community resources while hearing from the students as they shared their capstone senior projects was incredible.”

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A new documentary showcasing the impact of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa鈥檚 and its efforts to help students navigate the transition from high school to higher education will premiere statewide on June 7.

Project Hoʻokuʻi: Finding a Path for the Future is a 30-minute sequel to the 2023 documentary The Power of Hoʻokuʻi: Joining Together to Build Our Future. The film follows students, educators and community partners connected to Project Hoʻokuʻi, a 糖心视频 Mānoa initiative, that supports students as they prepare for college, career training and future professions.

Now in its 18th year and sixth iteration, Project Hoʻokuʻi has served more than 2,000 students across Hawaiʻi, primarily in rural communities, near Native Hawaiian homesteads and at schools with high percentages of students receiving free and reduced-price lunch. Approximately 50 participants have earned associate degrees before graduating from high school.

“Our hope is that viewers see what is possible when students are given the support, opportunities and encouragement to pursue their goals,” said Project Hoʻokuʻi Director and Principal Investigator Lisa Uyehara. “Through the stories shared in this documentary, we want students and families across Hawaiʻi to know that higher education and career pathways are within reach, while also showing how culture, community and a strong sense of place can help guide that journey.”

The documentary explores how financial aid, tutoring, mentoring, internships and ʻāina-based learning help students access opportunities through programs such as Running Start, Jump Start, Early Admission and Mānoa Academy. It also highlights the project鈥檚 expanding efforts to address workforce needs by supporting pathways in fields including healthcare, education and the skilled trades.

Project Hoʻokuʻi partners with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education and 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 to help students build academic skills, explore career options and strengthen connections to culture, community and place.

The documentary premieres Sunday, June 7, at 7 p.m. on KHON. Encore broadcasts are scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, at 9:30 p.m. on KHON and Sunday, June 14, at 8 p.m. on KHII.

The recognized students, faculty and program contributors at its annual award ceremony on April 24.

The event honored 30 graduating seniors, along with 38 new learning assistants and three new faculty members joining the program. The ceremony also highlighted four award categories recognizing excellence in teaching innovation, program advocacy, and student support.

The Learning Assistant (LA) Program places undergraduate students in courses across campus to help facilitate active, discussion-based learning. Learning assistants work with faculty to support collaborative instruction in lectures, labs and discussion sections, helping shift traditionally lecture-based courses into active learning environments. The program, which began in STEM fields, has since expanded to include a wide range of disciplines across 糖心视频 Mānoa.

For the first time, graduating seniors in the LA Program were presented with honors cords, recognizing their academic progress, skill development and contributions to student success. The cords were approved following the LA program鈥檚 transition into the , after serving as a successful pilot of the Provost’s office for the past several years.

Program organizers describe the cords as a symbol of dedication, perseverance, and belonging within the LA community. They recognize students who have significantly supported active learning environments while completing their own academic journeys.

“The honor cords recognize meaningful time supporting their peers and partnering with faculty to cultivate active learning communities across disciplines,” said LA Program Director and Professor Tara O’Neill. “This program is about creating meaningful learning experiences on both sides of the classroom—where students and instructors are shaping how knowledge is built and shared at 糖心视频 Mānoa. As LAs, our students are not only strengthening their own content knowledge, they are transforming learning at 糖心视频 Mānoa by creating spaces that encourage engagement, questions and innovation.”

Program awardees

• Outstanding Learning Assistant Award recognizing students for excellence in supporting course instruction and fostering engaging learning environments: Katie Thai, Jack Santos and Kevin Phan
• The Agent of Change Award promoting new approaches to active learning at 糖心视频 Mānoa: Instructor Astrid Delorme
• Curriculum Innovation Award for course design work that integrates LAs to improve student learning experiences: Professor Monique Chyba
• LA Advocacy Award for leadership in advancing the program: Interim Vice Provost of Student Academic Success Amy Ebesu Hubbard

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.

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

The highest ranked 糖心视频 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.

“糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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

糖心视频 Mānoa placed No. 106 (tied) among the nation’s best for fine arts programs.

Other rankings

糖心视频 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,” 糖心视频 Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “They showcase the university鈥檚 global standing and reinforce that 糖心视频 Mānoa offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

糖心视频 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

糖心视频 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

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 has recognized 20 degree programs for exemplary commitment to improving curriculum and student learning through a new faculty-led honor launched this academic year.

The Excellence in Assessment for Improvement: H艒poe Assessment Award celebrates programs that demonstrate outstanding, collaborative assessment practices. “H艒poe” describes the 驶艒hi驶a lehua in its fullest, most vibrant bloom—a symbol of programs that have matured and flourished. The award was established in 2025 by the 惭腻苍辞补 Faculty Senate’s Committee on Educational Effectiveness (CEE).

“This award represents the maturity and beauty of programs that have truly blossomed through meaningful assessment,” said Justin Walguarnery, CEE committee chair. “It is a ‘for faculty, by faculty’ initiative that celebrates the hard work of using assessment to make an appreciable difference in the academic experience.”

The inaugural recipients include programs in:

• Anthropology (MA and PhD)
• Asian International Affairs (MA)
• Cinematic Arts (BA)
• Early Childhood Education (MEd)
• Education (PhD)
• Education: Teaching (MEdT)
• Educational Admin (MEd)
• Educational Psychology (MEd and PhD)
• Elementary Education (BEd)
• Library & Information Sciences (MLISC)
• Professional Educational Practice (EdD)
• Secondary Education (BEd)
• Social Work (BSW)
• Sociology (MA)
• Special Education (BEd and MEd)
• Theatre and Dance (BA and BFA)

Faculty-driven review process

Recipients were selected through a rigorous peer-review process led by the Assessment Report Review Committee (ARRC), a group of about 40 faculty members trained jointly by CEE and the 糖心视频 Assessment and Curriculum Support Center (ACSC). Organizers describe the award as a fully faculty-owned effort that highlights collaboration and shared accountability.

This award represents the maturity and beauty of programs that have truly blossomed through meaningful assessment.
—Justin Walguarney

All 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 degree programs submit biennial assessment reports outlining student learning outcomes, curriculum development and benchmarks for achievement. These reports are required for accreditation and are publicly available on the ACSC website. From more than 200 undergraduate and graduate programs, 20 were recognized in the award’s inaugural year.

Beginning in fall 2026, every degree program will have the opportunity to self-evaluate using the award criteria, including student learning outcomes, curriculum mapping, evidence of learning, fair and reliable evaluation, use of results and culturally responsive assessment practices. Programs indicating “full bloom” will be automatically nominated for review.

By expanding both self- and peer-nomination pathways, organizers hope to spotlight the collaborative, reflective work strengthening education across campus.

CEE committee members that developed the award are Justin Walguarnery, Nicole Schlaack, Jamie Simpson Steele, Joseph Foukona, Alice Tse, Joanna Philippoff, Emile Loza de Siles, Dan Port, Maya Saffery, Jessica Gasiorek, Aimee Chung, Arby Barone, Ann Sakaguchi, Alohilani Okamura, Monica Esquivel and Yao Hill.

This week鈥檚 糖心视频 News Image of the Week is from 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补’s Jessica Khin, a PhD student in the College of Education.

Khin shared: “Evening walk on campus. This view shows the rainbow above the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补’s campus center.”

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Want to get in on the action? The next 糖心视频 News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

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Two University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 College of Education graduates are making waves in the tech industry with careers shaped by the program鈥檚 Learning Design & Technology (LTEC) programs.

Stephanie Barry, who earned her master鈥檚 in LTEC and a graduate certificate in online learning and teaching, is now an artificial intelligence (AI) learning designer and education program manager at Meta. She previously spent eight years at Google designing learning experiences for teams in AI, research, and privacy education, reaching more than 200,000 employees.

Barry credits the LTEC program for teaching her strategic learning design, real-world problem solving and professional connections.

“Faculty treated students as emerging professionals,” Barry said. “I hope my story shows how a public university can prepare graduates for non-obvious, highly competitive careers, including roles in global technology companies.”

Additionally, Natalie Gauvin, a PhD graduate of LTEC, currently serves as a senior user experience researcher at Google and credits the program for playing a significant role in her current position.

“The Learning Design and Technology PhD program at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 taught me how to frame complex questions, design meaningful research and navigate ambiguity with both curiosity and rigor,” she said in a statement. “That foundation has been essential in my career as a UX Researcher in tech, guiding my work at companies like Google, TikTok, Meta and The Home Depot to create thoughtful, people-centered experiences that truly matter.”

Read more at the .

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 () 糖心视频 Mānoa was ranked in all 11 of the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject lists.

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

All 糖心视频 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

糖心视频 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, .

The University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 standing as a premier global research institution has been further solidified with the release of the , which features nearly 60 of the university鈥檚 top faculty and researchers at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and 糖心视频 Hilo. This elite designation honors scholars who rank in the top 0.05% of all researchers worldwide based on lifetime achievement and significant impact within their specialties.

From pioneering work in climate dynamics and volcanology to breakthrough discoveries in cancer research, these honorees represent the pinnacle of academic productivity and quality. ScholarGPS algorithms categorize a wide range of scholarly research into 14 fields, which are subdivided into 177 distinct disciplines. Research is further categorized into a dynamic list of many niche specialties.

“To have our researchers ranked among the top 0.05% in the world is a remarkable achievement that reflects our institution鈥檚 legacy of excellence,” said Chad Walton, 糖心视频 interim vice president for research and innovation. “These scholars are not only leaders in their respective fields—from the depths of our oceans to the far reaches of space—but they are also the engine driving innovation that directly benefits the people of Hawaiʻi and our global community.”

Highly ranked scholars:

• 1. Bin Wang, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 2. David M. Karl, SOEST
• 3. Brian Bowen, SOEST
• 4. Julian McCreary, SOEST
• 5. Edward S. Fisher, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 6. Richard E. Moore, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 7. Bruce Houghton, SOEST
• 8. Robert E. Paull, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR), 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 9. Helen H. Yu, Department of Public Administration, College of Social Sciences, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 10. Takie Sugiyama Lebra, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 11. Weilin Qu, College of Engineering, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 12. Bo Qiu, SOEST
• 13. Ryuzo Yanagimachi, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 14. Henri Casanova, Department of Information and Computer Sciences, College of Natural Sciences
• 15. Yuqing Wang, SOEST
• 16. Raymond B. Cattell, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 17. Michele Carbone, 糖心视频 Cancer Center, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 18. Richard M. Manshardt, CTAHR
• 19. Rick Kazman, Shidler College of Business, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 20. John M. J. Madey, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 21. John A. Shepherd, 糖心视频 Cancer Center
• 22. Manfred B. Steger, Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences
• 23. Klaus Wyrtki, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 24. Stephen N. Haynes, Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences
• 25. Daniel D. Suthers, Department of Information and Computer Sciences, College of Natural Sciences
• 26. Margaret J. McFall-Ngai, SOEST
• 27. Barbara Watson Andaya, College of Arts, Languages and Letters (CALL), 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 28. Dru C. Gladney, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 29. Murli H. Manghnani, SOEST
• 30. Elaine Hatfield, Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences
• 31. Theodore S. Rodgers, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 32. Craig Smith, SOEST
• 33. Edward F. DeLong, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 34. Karl Seff, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences
• 35. Roger Lukas, SOEST
• 36. Russell H. Messing, CTAHR
• 37. Efraim Turban, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 38. Leonard Y. Andaya, Department of History, CALL
• 39. Masayoshi Yamaguchi, 糖心视频 Cancer Center
• 40. Richard L Rapson, Department of History, CALL
• 41. Thomas A. Wills, 糖心视频 Cancer Center
• 42. Andrew E. Christie, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 43. Dieter Mueller-Dombois, CTAHR
• 44. Wai-Fah Chen, College of Engineering
• 45. Garry A Rechnitz, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences
• 46. Michael J. Antal, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 47. Curtis C. Daehler, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences
• 48. Paul J. Scheuer, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 49. George S. Hammond, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 50. Ronald H. Heck, College of Education, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 51. Loic Le Marchand, 糖心视频 Cancer Center
• 52. Victor M. Lubecke, College of Engineering
• 53. Robert S. Desowitz, John A. Burns School of Medicine, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 54. Adrian Dunn, SOEST
• 55. Alan H. Teramura, College of Natural Sciences
• 56. J. Patrick Henry, Institute for Astronomy, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补
• 57. Laurence N. Kolonel, 糖心视频 Cancer Center
• 58. Naoto T. Ueno, 糖心视频 Cancer Center
• 59. Anthony D. Wright, 糖心视频 Hilo

There are some researchers on the list who have retired or passed away.

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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.

糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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.”

糖心视频 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

Associate Professor Dan Hoffman, in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (LTEC), was presented with the Outstanding Research and Theory Accepted Proposal Award at the 2025 (AECT) International Convention for his work with recent LTEC graduate Jessica Chillingworth and current doctoral student Larry Nguyen.

“This recognition reflects the hard work and intellectual curiosity of my students and Hawaiʻi State Department of Education collaborators, and it inspires us to continue pursuing meaningful, high-quality research that can advance our understanding of the role computer science education should play in preparing students in Hawaiʻi to navigate the digital age,” Hoffman said.

Their proposal, “Reshaping the Future: How Early Computer Science Education Influences Student Participation and Achievement,” was based on analyzing enrollment records of more than 3,600 Hawaiʻi public school students and found that requiring a sixth-grade computer science course promoted more equitable participation, making students much more likely to choose to take a computer science elective in seventh-grade.

“We found this was a pattern that seemed to hold for a number of key underrepresented groups,” Hoffman explained. “The results of our study suggest that mandatory early computer science education may be an effective policy tool for boosting enrollment and helping students be more curious about computer science, outcomes that will likely promote digital literacy.”

A member of AECT for a decade, Hoffman has been heavily involved in the international division, serving as its president in 2023–24, chairing the awards committee in 2024–25 and currently serving as the international affiliates liaison for 2025–26. Chillingworth, who graduated last May and was the student speaker at her commencement, has attended and presented at multiple AECT conferences. This was Nguyen鈥檚 first AECT conference. Both students presented their own research in addition to the proposal related to the award.

Read the entire story on the .

The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life.
—King James Mangoba ()

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Hamilton Library鈥檚 and the Center for Philippine Studies at the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 opened , an exhibition linking 1500s colonial maps with tattoos as living archives of Filipino cultural memory, on view through February 2026.

Opening events, held October 15–17, drew more than 100 participants for workshops, talks and live tattoo demonstrations. Attendees explored how Filipinos have used body art and the written word to resist erasure—from rare 16th-century maps and letters from the Philippine Revolution to underground newspapers from the Marcos era, all part of Hamilton鈥檚 Philippine Collection.

Mapping identity through body and archive

Philippine Studies Librarian Elena Clariza opened the program with a presentation on early colonial maps, connecting “fragile maps on paper with living maps of the body—tattoos as archives of ancestral knowledge and cultural memory.”

Guest artists from California鈥檚 Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop and members of Tatak ng Apat na Alon (Mark of the Four Waves) demonstrated traditional hand poke and tapping tattoo techniques, sharing their nearly 30-year effort to revive Indigenous Filipino tattoo practices.

“In the beginning it was just for us to find our identity, to represent the culture in some way,” said Elle Festin, tattoo artist at Spiritual Journey and a Datu (chief) of the Mark of the Four Waves tribe. “It鈥檚 important to get the tattoos to show the resistance and to revolt against the systematic colonial mentality.”

糖心视频 community connects to heritage

For King James Mangoba, a 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 double major in communication & marketing and Hamilton Library social media content creator, the event was a personal and cultural milestone.

“The rice symbolizes my family鈥檚 livelihood of rice farming back in the Philippines. The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life,” he said. “This tattoo is a permanent reminder of where I came from and my appreciation to my ancestors who came before me.”

Doctoral candidate Matthew Melendez, from the , participated in the tattoo sessions. “Receiving knowledge from the Tatak ng Apat na Alon tribe through our cultural portal of batok (tattooing) has profoundly transformed me from within,” he said.

The event was co-sponsored by 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Center for Philippine Studies, and Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop. To support programs like this at Hamilton Library, visit the .

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Mark of the Four Waves members visit the Philippine Studies section at Hamilton Library.The post Exhibit links Filipino tattoos, maps across centuries first appeared on University of Hawai驶i System News.]]> 225411 /news/2025/10/22/image-of-the-week-pacmed-in-yap/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:48:05 +0000 /news/?p=224071 This week鈥檚 image is from 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补's Ivy Yeung.

University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 alumna Kiana Yamat is back at her alma mater. This time, the graduate and Miss Hawaiʻi USA 2022 is serving as a project engineer for the construction transformation at the heart of the 惭腻苍辞补 campus.

Yamat runs the office team for Hensel Phelps, the construction company in charge of the 惭腻苍辞补 Mini Master Plan.

She plays a key role managing contracts, ordering materials and handling finances in order to make these major upgrades to McCarthy Mall possible.

“It’s surreal and it鈥檚 an honor,” said Yamat. “Using the talent and experience gained from school, we are building something that impacts more than just the campus itself.”

Giving back for future generations

A major part of the project is the construction of a modern building for interdisciplinary learning, which will replace Snyder Hall as the home of the .

Being a part of this opportunity is especially meaningful to Yamat, whose mother is a retired public school teacher with a special education background.

“Knowing that there are people like my mom that will one day influence the whole community, that驶s a big deal,” said Yamat.

Paving her path

During her time at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补, Yamat was grateful for the many resources and partnering programs that the College of Engineering had to offer. It was through the , which she was president of, that Yamat landed her current engineering role.

When Hensel Phelps presented to ASCE at one of their club meetings, it opened her eyes to civil engineering, a path she had not previously considered. Yamat connected with 糖心视频 alumni at Hensel Phelps, who encouraged her to join the team.

Now, Yamat is on the other end, inspiring future engineers. Her company continues to partner with the ASCE student chapter.

“I want students to realize that no job is too small to be impactful,” said Yamat. “From the interns that we have on site all the way to the higher-ups, all of us are a piece of shaping something the public gets to see.”

鈥擝y Josslyn Rose

It鈥檚 American Archives Month, and the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 is playing a key role in expanding public access to congressional history archives.

Hamilton Library received $200,000 in federal funding to help digitize the as part of the American Congress Digital Archives Portal (ACDAP)—the first-ever online platform to bring together congressional archives from across the country. Led by (WVU) Libraries, the project aims to make these important but scattered records freely accessible to the public while supporting civics and history education for K–12 classrooms.

Preserving Hawaiʻi鈥檚 congressional legacy

The funding will allow Hamilton Library to digitize thousands of Hawaiʻi-related congressional documents, including more than 800 photos from the papers of Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, speeches from Sens. Hiram L. Fong and Spark Matsunaga, and materials from Reps. Thomas P. Gill, K. Mark Takai, Neil Abercrombie, Pat Saiki and Kaialiʻi Kahele. The project is expected to be completed by December 2026.

“This project takes some of the most sought-after documents from our library鈥檚 congressional collections and makes them accessible to the world,” said Dawn Sueoka, congressional papers archivist at Hamilton Library鈥檚 . “It also helps researchers to understand the work of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 members of congress in the context of the archives of their colleagues, like former (House) Speaker Carl Albert and Sen. Bob Dole.”

Suyeoka and project partners were featured in a for educators produced by the Dirksen Congressional Center. She also plans to collaborate with the next summer to develop a high school curriculum based on Hamilton Library鈥檚 contributions to the portal.

Expanding national access to civic history

The ACDAP project helps remove long-standing barriers to accessing congressional materials, which—unlike presidential papers—are spread across many institutions. Danielle Emerling, associate director of WVU Libraries鈥� West Virginia & Regional History Center, said the effort helps people better understand Congress and makes more archives and civics education resources available.

Hamilton Library has participated in the ACDAP initiative since 2023, alongside other national partners.

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A legacy of leadership in student affairs continues at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, as interim associate vice provost Erin Kahunawaikaʻala Wright joins a distinguished line of 糖心视频 leaders recognized nationally as by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).

Past 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 recipients include Amy Agbayani, Doris Ching, Jan Javinar, Lori Ideta and Christine Quemuel, trailblazers whose work helped pave the way for generations of educators and student advocates.

Wright, who serves as interim associate VP for and Dean of Students, was honored this year for her sustained contributions to service, teaching, leadership and mentoring. She says the recognition is not just her own, but a reflection of the collective work of the 糖心视频 community toward student success, especially those leaders also recognized as Pillars of the Profession.

“It鈥檚 a kind recognition of the work I鈥檝e invested in student affairs and higher education鈥鈥檓 proud, and honestly, very surprised to get it. It鈥檚 humbling to be recognized,” Wright expressed.

A journey of discovery

A fourth-generation 办补尘补ʻ腻颈苍补 (native) of Kalihi, and a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Wright admits she was not a strong student growing up. She says her academic journey changed course when she discovered (Hawaiian language) and courses at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补.

“Once I got into n膩 mea Hawaiʻi (all things Hawaiian), I felt like, ‘Oh, I could really do well,’ because it was something that I was interested in and I felt motivated by,” she said.

That experience reshaped how she viewed the power of education, and later inspired her to make higher education more accessible for Native Hawaiians and other underrepresented students (haum膩na).

Dedicated to student success

Wright began her career at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 in 2008 as the founding director of and later served as an associate professor of in the . There, she taught courses and published on research design, research methodologies and Indigeneity in higher education. For her, the work she does at the university is deeply personal.

“The reward is knowing higher education can change lives,” she explained. “Not just for the individual, but for that student鈥檚 entire family and community.”

A multidisciplinary team of professors at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa was awarded a $400,000 grant to develop an augmented reality learning system for design education. Led by architecture, computer science and education faculty the three-year project aims to create a more immersive and collaborative learning experience for undergraduate students.

“This grant will allow us to address a critical skills shortage in the architecture, engineering and construction industry sector using innovative technologies—at the same time, it provides a research focus and funding to support emerging faculty and graduate research assistants,” said Principal Investigator Eric Peterson from the .

The new learning system will incorporate advanced technologies such as Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR), Tangible User Interfaces (TUI) and Natural Language Processing. SAR projects images onto surfaces without requiring headsets. TUI uses physical models that interact with a computer, allowing students to engage with physical models in a realistic learning environment, while their movements are tracked by a motion capture system and analyzed by an AI learning system.

“My teaching has always centered on helping students develop structural intuition through hands-on experiments, iteration, and feedback,” said School of Architecture Professor Yasushi Ishida, who is also co-principal investigator. “I’m excited to carry this approach further through interdisciplinary collaboration, using new technologies to create immersive and collaborative ways for students to engage with structural design.”

Impacting STEM teaching

The project will also have a broader impact on how STEM subjects are taught. The team believes their findings will reveal optimal student learning methods, which can be applied to other subjects where models or diagrams aid in understanding complex concepts.

“In the last few years, my collaborators and I have worked on communicating scientific data of geo-spatial nature by combining tangible interfaces and spatial augmentation,” said Nurit Kirshenbaum from the , who is also co-principal investigator. “It is exciting to bring our research to this interdisciplinary project where we can focus on education in architecture and engineering as a new application domain for our technology.”

The project team also includes Seungoh Paek and Daniel Hoffman from the ’s Department of Learning Design & Technology, who will bring their expertise in developing and testing technology-enhanced learning.

“This interdisciplinary project is a fantastic opportunity to bring together expertise from across units in a way that will benefit learners and make 糖心视频 Mānoa shine,” said Hoffman.