Advancements in eye disease research and medical education took center stage in New Orleans as Shay Nakahira, a fourth-year student at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa (JABSOM), presented her work at two national ophthalmology conferences in October 2026.

Nakahira collaborated with Stanford University researchers on six projects during a six-month research experience at the Byers Eye Institute. All of the projects were presented at the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) and American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) conferences.

Nakahira contributed to research addressing thyroid eye disease, health disparities, surgical complications and virtual reality (VR) education.

“Getting to present some of our work together [at these conferences] was especially meaningful for me after seeing how much teamwork and collaboration went into these projects,” said Nakahira.

Research with real-world impact

One project, a VR-based 3D orbital anatomy atlas developed with Stanford fellow Chad York Lewis, received Best Poster in AAO鈥檚 Medical Education subcategory. The atlas combines historic stereoscopic anatomical photographs with interactive VR technology to enhance anatomy training.

Nakahira was particularly passionate about an eight-institution study examining long-term outcomes of using the drug teprotumumab to treat thyroid eye disease, including relapse and retreatment patterns.

“What makes this work meaningful to me is its potential to improve our understanding of how patients do after treatment and how they are managed if they relapse,” Nakahira said.

Nakahira鈥檚 interest in ophthalmology began while working as a clinical and surgical ophthalmic technician at the Cataract and Vision Center of Hawaiʻi after studying communications at the University of Connecticut.

As she completes medical school, Nakahira hopes to carry forward the mentorship and collaboration that shaped her research experience.

“This experience gave me more confidence to ask questions, explore new ideas and take on things I hadn鈥檛 done before,” she said.

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The next generation of sustainable poultry production students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR) got a big boost through a $600,000 grant from the United States (U.S.) Department of Agriculture鈥檚 National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Undergraduate students from all 糖心视频 campuses can qualify, including community college students.

Trainees will receive a stipend between $2,800 and $3,000 per month, plus a $500 bonus after completing the program. The funding covers housing, food, and living costs. Grant funds will pay for flight travel for neighbor island students who travel to Oʻahu for summer training.

The four-year project will strengthen food security across island communities by expanding local food production and reducing reliance on imports. Poultry and egg production account for roughly 2% of the total distribution of farms by industry type in the state, according to the .

Eight-week training and research program

Associate Professor Birendra Mishra of CTAHR鈥檚 Department of Human Nutrition, Food, and Animal Science will lead the project. “For cattle you need large land, and for pigs you need big structures, but people can raise chickens on small patches of land,” said Mishra. “Our goal in four years is to train 32 undergraduate students who can start farms or support existing operations.”

The eight-week program will start in summer 2027, training eight undergraduates a year at the college鈥檚 Center for Applied Research and Extension Services in Waimānalo. Students will manage newly hatched chicks through a 35-day production cycle, learning bird husbandry, feed nutrition, and health management. They will also conduct lab research on alternative feed ingredients from local agricultural byproducts with the goal of reducing the need to import expensive feed.

Business leadership and community outreach

Trainees will also learn the business side of agriculture: marketing, leadership, and farm management with faculty mentors. They will attend the national Poultry Science Association conference to meet industry leaders and researchers. Mishra anticipates the students will host community workshops around the state to encourage engagement in poultry farming.

Student recruitment is underway this fall.

The has received a $2.5 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to expand cancer care, clinical research and specialist training across Hawaiʻi through Ka ʻUmeke Lama.

Launched in 2024 in partnership with the , the statewide initiative aims to reduce geographic barriers to cancer treatment, particularly for neighbor island and rural residents. The award follows a previous $1.2 million Helmsley grant supporting the launch of the 贬辞ʻ艒濒补 Early Phase Clinical Research Center.

“This transformative support from the Helmsley Charitable Trust underscores 糖心视频 M膩noa’s commitment as an R1 flagship institution to serving the health and well-being of our entire state,” said 糖心视频 M膩noa Chancellor Vassillis Symros.

A 糖心视频 Cancer Center study found that Hawaiʻi residents spent at least $230 million on out-of-state cancer care from 2021 to 2023, highlighting challenges in accessing specialized treatment locally.

Specialized in-state training, access

Ka ʻUmeke Lama will establish Hawaiʻi’s first medical oncology fellowship, allowing physicians to pursue specialized training without leaving the state. It will also expand the Cancer Care Access Program to improve patient navigation, referrals and clinical trial participation statewide.

“This support from the Helmsley Charitable Trust allows us to address systemic barriers to care across Hawaiʻi,” said 糖心视频 Cancer Center Director Naoto T. Ueno.

The initiative will also strengthen precision oncology infrastructure, support genomic research focused on Hawaiʻi’s diverse populations and expand multidisciplinary tumor registries to inform cancer care.

“Every cancer patient, regardless of what island they call home, deserves access to world-class, timely care,” said Walter Panzirer, Helmsley Charitable Trust trustee.

The 糖心视频 Cancer Center is Hawaiʻi and the Pacific’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, focusing on research, education and reducing cancer health disparities.

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The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is helping support U.S. economic growth, but a recession would still be unlikely without it, according to a new analysis from the (糖心视频ERO).

In a published October 21, 糖心视频ERO Professor Emeritus Byron Gangnes examined how AI-related investments and rising stock market wealth are influencing the economy. He estimated that without these factors, U.S. economic growth over the past year would have been more than half a percentage point to just over 1 percentage point weaker.

AI development has fueled spending on data centers, computer equipment and software, while rising stock values have increased household wealth and helped support consumer spending. Gangnes estimated that AI-related stock market gains have contributed $255 billion to $509 billion in additional consumer spending since late 2022.

However, much of the investment in computer equipment goes toward imported products, limiting its contribution to U.S. economic output. AI investment may also be displacing other construction and business investment.

While Gangnes concluded that the U.S. economy would probably not be in a recession without the AI boom, he warned that a sudden decline in AI-related stock values poses a risk going forward. A sharp stock correction could reduce consumer spending, disrupt planned investments and potentially push the economy into recession.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

After nearly four decades of uncovering historic mysteries of the Pacific Ocean, the deep-sea submersible is embarking on a new journey on land. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa donated the legendary three-person research vessel to the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, ensuring that its legacy of deep-ocean exploration, volcanic research and historic maritime discoveries will be preserved for generations to come.

“The donation ensures the submersible鈥檚 storied past will be celebrated and shared with museum visitors from Hawaiʻi and around the world,” said Chip Fletcher, dean of the 糖心视频 Mānoa (SOEST), home of the (HURL).

HURL operated Pisces V along with its sister submersible, Pisces IV, for decades. However, after years in storage with no prospect of federal funding for refurbishment or redeployment, 糖心视频 made the decision to entrust the historic craft to the museum.

Unmatched discoveries across the Pacific

In 1985, 糖心视频 acquired Pisces V, anchoring HURL鈥檚 growing undersea capabilities. Its unique maneuverability, size and depth range, operating at depths up to 6,500 feet, made it the ideal platform for navigating complex terrain and gracefully exploring delicate ecosystems.

“Operating as the only United States (U.S.) deep submergence facility based in the Pacific Rim, HURL鈥檚 work with Pisces V revolutionized oceanography across several fronts,” said Terry Kerby, veteran Pisces V pilot and HURL operations director. “The submersibles were fine-tuned to adapt to the demands of operating effectively in the wide range of terrain and conditions of undersea volcanoes, seamounts in Papahānaumokuākea and beyond, maritime heritage site surveys, salvage operations of lost instruments and vehicles, and decades of pipeline support for the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaiʻi Authority cold water pipe systems. It is exciting to see the Pisces V and this legacy preserved at the Bishop Museum.”

Close to home, Pisces V, enabled unprecedented exploration of the seamounts and coral reefs of the Main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The submersible made more dives on 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 active underwater volcano, Kamaʻehuakanaloa (previously known as Lōʻihi Seamount), than any other submersible. HURL submersibles also pioneered research on mesophotic and deep-sea coral reefs off Maui and throughout the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, conducting vital impact assessments on commercial fishing damage.

Throughout the Pacific basin, the submersible ferried teams of researchers on voyages of discovery to places no human had seen before. In 2005, Pisces V embarked on a five-month expedition across the Pacific, exploring active submarine volcanoes along the Kermadec Arc near New Zealand.

“Each of these dives were unique, each different,” Kerby shared. “We discovered multiple new species and by combining submersible operations with human divers, we explored deep-sea coral ecosystems in a new way.”

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From advancing artificial intelligence (AI) to preparing Hawaiʻi‘s future workforce, Chad Walton is charting a new direction for research and innovation across the University of Hawaiʻi‘s 10-campus system.

Named in September 2026 after serving in the interim role since July 2025, Walton is a 糖心视频 M膩noa alumnus with more than two decades of experience as a biomedical researcher, professor and administrator.

His priorities include improving research support services, strengthening statewide partnerships and making better use of expertise across 糖心视频‘s campuses.

Those goals align with 糖心视频‘s new $123 million strategic investment initiative, which emphasizes sharing resources systemwide. Approximately $15.5 million in strategic impact supports research, innovation and economic diversification, including AI, advanced manufacturing and intellectual property protection.

“Chad brings a unique perspective to this role, having experienced 糖心视频 as a student, researcher, faculty member and administrator,” said 糖心视频 President Wendy Hensel. “His understanding of the university from so many angles, combined with his collaborative approach, will be invaluable as we strengthen research and innovation across our 10-campus system.”

Building on that institutional support, Walton envisions a unified effort across the university’s system.

“We want to speak with one 糖心视频 voice and make better use of the tremendous expertise and resources we have across all 10 campuses,” Walton said. “It’s about working together, breaking down barriers and making it easier for our communities and partners to connect with the university.”

糖心视频 secured $647.3 million in extramural research funding in fiscal year 2026, its second-highest total ever. Walton noted that much of this federal funding directly benefits Hawaiʻi, with roughly half supporting workforce training.

From researcher to research leader

A trained bioengineer, Walton came to Hawaiʻi to pursue tuberculosis vaccine research before moving into cardiovascular research and directing trauma research at the . His biomedical work contributed to federally funded projects and several U.S. patents.

As 糖心视频 M膩noa assistant vice provost for research and scholarship, Walton led a materials science initiative that secured major funding and united faculty across disciplines. He later took on systemwide responsibilities in research development, commercialization and strategic partnerships.

His approach to tackling challenges is rooted in a lesson from his grandfather that has guided him throughout his career.

“My grandfather always told me that, ‘Once you identify a problem, you become part of the solution,’” Walton said. “That’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my career, whether I’m conducting research or taking on a new challenge.”

Nearly two decades after earning his PhD in from 糖心视频 M膩noa, he returned to earn a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary ocean sciences in 2025 to better understand another key research area. The experience reflects his approach to leadership: learning from different disciplines and finding opportunities to bring them together.

As people with HIV live longer, how can they also age well? University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa researcher Chase Bryer was selected for a national program advancing aging research exploring that question, with a focus on improving care for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander k奴puna aging with HIV.

Bryer, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, is an assistant professor and gerontologist at the in the . He will join the third cohort of the .

“HIV is no longer a death sentence, and that means we must begin asking different questions about not just how people with HIV can live longer, but how they can thrive later in life,” said Bryer. “Through the CHANGE program, I hope to center the lived experiences and cultural knowledge of k奴puna to help reimagine what HIV and aging care can look like in Hawaiʻi.”

The 18-month national program, supported by the National Institute on Aging, provides mentorship and specialized training in Native aging research. Bryer will receive $50,000 in pilot funding to support community-engaged research on HIV and aging.

Findings could help inform healthcare approaches that support the health and well-being of k奴puna and those aging with HIV.

Centering k奴puna experiences

In partnership with the Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center and Lei Pua 驶Ala Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi, Bryer will explore pathways to aging well with HIV and culturally grounded approaches to care.

The research team includes Thompson School co-investigators Miquela Ibrao and David Stupplebeen. Together with community partners, they aim to better understand the experiences, needs and priorities of k奴puna aging with HIV.

“What drew me to Hawaiʻi was the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with communities and learn from the knowledge and experiences of k奴puna,” Bryer said. “I look forward to deepening those relationships and conducting research that is responsive to community priorities, with the hope of contributing to more culturally grounded approaches to HIV and aging care here in Hawaiʻi.”

Six University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa students took their educational journey to Japan and the Arctic through an international educational exchange with Hokkaido University focused on climate change, ocean conservation and sustainable resource management.

The exchange connects 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (鲍颁鈥翱) in the (SOEST) with Hokkaido University鈥檚 Uehiro Laboratory for Oceanography.

The ocean connects all of us

ldquo;When students work side by side with colleagues from Hokkaido University, at sea, on the coast, and in the watershed, they see that the ocean connects all of us,” said Margaret McManus, director of 鲍颁鈥翱.

Global Environmental Science undergraduate students Ruby Helmuth and Kyoko Suzuki participated in a 26-day Arctic expedition aboard Hokkaido University鈥檚 training ship Oshoro-Maru, gaining hands-on experience in oceanographic sampling and marine research.

Oceanography master鈥檚 student Tyra Arends and undergraduate Flannery McGreevy spent a week studying coastal environmental challenges, including pollution, biodiversity loss and erosion.

In northern Hokkaido, undergraduate students Rex Bregman and Sean Michael Monte explored connections between forests, rivers and coastal ecosystems through field surveys and visits to aquaculture facilities.

The exchange provided students with opportunities to develop scientific skills, learn from international researchers and explore approaches to protecting marine ecosystems.

Read the for more about the students鈥� experiences and the international exchange.

Nearly 120 people gathered at the on October 17 for a free public workshop highlighting the benefits of physical activity during and after cancer treatment.

The “Let鈥檚 Move! The Importance of Physical Activity in the Cancer Journey” event featured hula, stretching and strengthening exercises designed for people of all fitness levels, including those who preferred to participate while seated. N膩 W膩hine Hula 驶膧kala, a hula h膩lau of cancer survivors, led participants through basic hula movements, while experts from the 糖心视频 Cancer Center and REHAB Hospital of the Pacific shared research on how exercise can help manage cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, depression and other challenges.

“Depression and anxiety are common during the cancer journey, and exercise has been shown to actually improve that as well,” said 糖心视频 Cancer Center Associate Professor Jami Fukui.

Presented by the center鈥檚 Susan C. Hirano Cancer CARE Community and ʻOhana Pink programs during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the workshop emphasized that movement can support physical and emotional well-being throughout the cancer journey.

Honolulu voters will decide in November whether to adopt ranked-choice voting for mayoral, prosecuting attorney and City Council elections. The proposal would move the final decision in all contested city races to November, when voter turnout is typically higher, potentially broadening participation in choosing city officials, according to a new analysis from the (糖心视频ERO). Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

In a piece published October 16, Associate Professor Colin Moore examines Question 5, a proposed Honolulu Charter amendment that would change how voters select city officials and how election results are determined.

Under the proposal, races with two to five candidates would be decided through ranked-choice voting in November, giving voters a broader choice than the two finalists in current runoff elections. If six or more candidates run, an August election would narrow the field to five candidates for November. Uncontested candidates would still be elected in August.

If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those ballots are counted for voters鈥� next choices still in the race. The process continues until a winner is determined.

The analysis found that Honolulu turnout averaged about 40% of registered voters in August and 58% in November across the five election cycles from 2016 through 2024.

However, Moore noted that Honolulu already uses a runoff system designed to produce a majority winner, meaning the effects of ranked-choice voting could be more modest than in places where candidates can win with only a plurality of votes.

Research reviewed in the report suggested ranked-choice voting may encourage candidates to appeal to a broader range of voters and may lead to less negative campaigns. Evidence that the system independently increases turnout or significantly changes who runs for office and policy outcomes remains mixed.

The report also emphasized the importance of clear ballot design and voter education, including multilingual outreach, to help voters understand the process and avoid errors.

Question 5 would apply to the mayor, prosecuting attorney and all nine City Council seats. The changes could take effect no earlier than 2032 and would require state authorization for counties to use ranked-choice voting in county elections.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa will host and lead the new (CCIL), a United States (U.S.) Department of State (DOS) program designed to safeguard supply chains and boost local and global production. Clemson University in South Carolina will co-lead the program.

The award is for up to five years, with an initial obligation of $8 million for the first year funded through an agreement with the DOS.

“The Innovation Lab is designed to transform coffee and cacao science into practical benefits for small farmers in Hawaiʻi, the continental U.S., and around the world,” said Parwinder Grewal, dean and director of the 糖心视频 Mānoa and principal investigator of the CCIL. “Hawaiʻi is a fitting living laboratory for this program as the only state in the nation that grows both coffee and cacao commercially. Innovations developed and tested here will support Hawaiʻi farmers and scale to protect our global supply chains.”

Closing a major vulnerability in global supply chains

Coffee and cacao are significant economic drivers—coffee contributes $343.2 billion a year to the U.S. economy, supporting 2.2 million jobs, while chocolate generates $28.4 billion and supports 700,000 jobs. However, with over 99% of U.S. coffee and cacao imported from overseas, the supply chains are highly vulnerable to climate shocks, crop diseases and pests, and overseas trade disruptions.

CCIL will develop heat-, disease-, and drought-resistant crop varieties to combat these threats and secure reliable global supplies. The program will also enhance post-harvest processing and farm management techniques for thousands of smallholder farmers in Hawaiʻi and internationally in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

“This is great news for our small local coffee and cacao farms and showcases 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 global leadership in agricultural research. This new federal funding will give local farmers more tools to fight threats like drought and invasive pests and help boost production of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 world-class coffee and chocolate,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Research across the coffee and cacao value chain

A more resilient global supply, enabled by CCIL research, will strengthen U.S. security, economic, and trade interests while reinforcing America鈥檚 leadership in coffee and cacao research and production.

“By leveraging the U.S. land-grant system and working with a world-class group of research institutions and industry partners, the CCIL will connect innovative research to farms and supply chains. This will boost productivity and profitability for small farmers, improve processing technologies, and ensure quality products for U.S. consumers,” said Congressional Coffee Caucus Co-Chairs 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda and U.S. Rep. William Timmons (South Carolina).

Investing in farmers and research

“Coffee and chocolate are two of the joys in life. I am excited for the benefits this funding brings to American growers and consumers.” Suzanne Shriner, a coffee farmer and the Administrator for the Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council. “Ensuring we can all continue to enjoy these foods means investing in the farmers, research, and practices that keep them thriving. This grant helps secure a strong future for cacao and coffee grown right here in the United States, from the farm to cup and bar.”

The lab brings together major research and industry organizations, including Michigan State University; The Ohio State University; Penn State; the University of California, Davis; Coffee Quality Institute; Mars, Incorporated; PlantVillage+; Synergistic Hawaiʻi Agriculture Council; and World Coffee Research.

Rising interest rates around the world could make it more expensive for Hawaiʻi residents to buy homes, for businesses to grow and for state and county governments to fund public projects, according to a new analysis from the (糖心视频ERO).

In a new piece published October 12, 糖心视频ERO economist Peter Fuleky examines why long-term borrowing costs have climbed and how the trend could affect Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose above 5% in September for the first time since 2007. These yields help influence interest rates for major purchases, including homes, because lenders use them as a benchmark when setting loan rates.

Significant Hawaiʻi impacts

For Hawaiʻi residents, the impact is especially significant given the state鈥檚 high housing costs. The analysis estimates that a buyer purchasing a median-priced Oʻahu single-family home of about $1.18 million, with a 20% down payment, would pay approximately $6,270 a month in principal and interest at a 7% mortgage rate. At a 3% rate, the monthly payment would be about $3,970鈥攁 difference of $2,300.

Higher rates can also discourage homeowners with lower-rate mortgages from selling, limiting the number of homes available for sale and adding to housing market challenges.

The effects extend beyond housing. Local businesses may face higher costs to finance expansions and operations, while state and county governments could pay more to borrow for infrastructure projects, leaving less money available for other public services.

Hawaiʻi鈥檚 tourism industry could also feel the effects. Higher U.S. interest rates relative to Japan鈥檚 can contribute to a weaker Japanese yen, making travel to Hawaiʻi more expensive for visitors from Japan.

Several factors are contributing to rising borrowing costs, including large government budget deficits, concerns about future inflation, changing investor demand for government bonds and uncertainty about future interest rates. The Federal Reserve raised its target interest rate by a quarter percentage point in September to help contain inflation.

Fuleky鈥檚 analysis notes that the duration of higher borrowing costs will depend in part on energy prices, the Federal Reserve鈥檚 response to inflation and whether governments address growing debt. For Hawaiʻi, the outlook matters because global financial conditions can directly affect household budgets, local investment and the cost of public projects.

糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

examining how tropical cyclone activity near Hawaiʻi could change in a warmer future finds a shift toward stronger storms, even though uncertainty remains about whether the total number of storms near the islands will increase. The study was led by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (SOEST).

“This research addresses a hazard that is rare in Hawaiʻi but can have enormous consequences when it occurs,” said Nicole Murray, lead author who was a postdoctoral researcher in the SOEST at the time of this research. “The events of this hurricane season make that especially tangible: storms do not need to make a conventional landfall to disrupt communities, damage infrastructure and create dangerous flooding and wind impacts.”

Only a small number of tropical cyclones have directly affected the islands during the modern observational record. Limited data, however, makes it difficult for scientists to estimate the probabilities of rare events or determine how those probabilities might change in the future.

Simulating tropical cyclones

Murray and team addressed that problem by using the Columbia Tropical Cyclone Hazard computer model created by study co-authors Chia-Ying Lee and Suzana Camargo at Columbia University. The model generated thousands of years鈥� worth of synthetic tropical cyclones from the atmospheric and oceanic conditions simulated by seven global climate models. This provided the researchers with a much larger sample of possible storms than observations alone could provide.

They examined storms passing within 300 nautical miles of Hawaiʻi and analyzed their frequency, intensity, tracks, duration, speed and landfalls under historical, mid-century and late-century climates. The future simulations use a high-emissions scenario to examine how tropical cyclone activity could respond under substantial future warming. They also separated storms occurring during El Niño and La Niña years, allowing the team to examine whether the relationship between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Hawaiʻi tropical cyclone hazard could change in a warmer future.

Assessing changes in El Niño and hurricane hazard

El Niño has historically provided useful context for understanding heightened tropical cyclone hazards around Hawaiʻi. This study found an important change in the relationship between El Niño and Hawaiʻi’s tropical cyclone risk. Historically, El Niño tends to favor stronger and more frequent tropical cyclones near Hawaiʻi compared with La Niña. In the team鈥檚 late-century simulations, the differences between El Niño and La Niña become less pronounced, particularly for tropical cyclone wind hazard, while the spatial pattern of storm tracks also changes. During El Niño, tropical cyclone tracks shift southwest of the Hawaiian Islands relative to La Niña conditions.

“The 2026 hurricane season has provided a powerful reminder of this,” said Christina Karamperidou, co-author and SOEST atmospheric sciences professor. “Hurricane Lala passed just south of the islands in August and produced severe flooding and damaging winds across Hawaiʻi; Hurricane Lowell approached Hawaiʻi from the south in September before passing west of the state, producing damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding, with particularly severe impacts on Kauaʻi.”

This research connects large-scale climate dynamics of the tropical Pacific with hazards that impact communities across Hawaiʻi. Tropical cyclone risk is not simply a question of how many hurricanes make landfall. Storms passing near the islands can produce damaging winds, extreme rainfall, flooding, landslides, high surf and other cascading hazards.

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A University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa nursing simulation designed by the to prepare future nurses to care for Hawaiʻi’s aging population is showing promising results.

The Aging With Grace program significantly increased nursing students’ self-reported confidence using telehealth and received high participant ratings, according to findings published in the . The simulation is now a required competency activity for undergraduate nursing and graduate nurse practitioner students.

Nearly one in five Hawaiʻi residents is 65 or older, yet only a small percentage of the state’s registered nurses and nurse practitioners hold certifications in geriatrics.

“Our novel geriatric simulation curriculum can build the knowledge, confidence and collaborative skills needed to care for older adults with increasingly complex health needs,” said Courtnee Nunokawa, assistant professor and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. “The evidence-based Aging With Grace curriculum was designed by our faculty to address a critical workforce need.”

Following a patient’s journey

Unlike traditional simulations focused on a single medical encounter, Aging With Grace follows the same patient through three stages of care: independent living, post-stroke rehabilitation and long-term care.

Undergraduate nursing and graduate nurse practitioner students collaborate to address the patient’s changing physical, emotional and medical needs.

Trained actors from , a partnership between 糖心视频 M膩noa nursing and the , portray patients to create realistic clinical experiences. Faculty also used artificial intelligence to generate a photograph of the simulated patient’s deceased spouse, adding emotional depth.

The curriculum emphasizes five components of age-friendly care: What Matters, Medication, Mentation (mental health, memory, and cognitive function), Mobility and Multimorbidity (co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions).

The simulation involved 125 students across six sessions in March and April 2024. Of the 112 students who completed evaluations, participants rated the experience highly and reported statistically significant improvements in telehealth confidence across all measured areas.

Faculty are exploring partnerships with other health disciplines, health care organizations and community groups to expand the program.

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Marine microplastic pollution is associated with higher rates of several cancers in U.S. coastal counties, according to University of Hawaiʻi research.

The study was senior-authored by , assistant professor and Chin Sik and Hyun Sook Chung Endowed Chair in the 糖心视频 M膩noa Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health鈥檚 .

Researchers examined 89 coastal counties, representing about 54 million people, and compared marine microplastic pollution with cancer rates from 2013 to 2021. Pollution levels were estimated using beach sand and ocean samples collected in each county and available through a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration database.

Counties with higher microplastic pollution tended to have higher rates of digestive, thyroid, prostate, lung and oral and throat cancers.

“It is important to note that these findings are preliminary evidence and require further investigation,” Li said. “However, this is one of the earliest human studies to connect microplastics and cancer at the national level and will provide guidance for future research on what to study specifically.”

Building on microplastics research

Li said future research should measure micro- and nanoplastics in biological samples such as blood to more directly quantify associations with adverse health outcomes.

The cancer study, “,” was published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. The study鈥檚 first author is Nicolas E. Gentile of the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and included researchers from 糖心视频 M膩noa and the .

Li is also co-leading a five-year, $3.3 million study that will follow 300 Hawaiʻi families from pregnancy through a baby鈥檚 first year, measuring exposure to microplastics and PFAS and examining potential effects on early brain development.

The Social Science Research Institute鈥檚 Health Policy Initiative in the at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa, in partnership with the Office of Wellness and Resilience, launched the 2026 Hawaiʻi Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard on October 12. Based on responses from more than 10,000 residents statewide, the dashboard shows people are more satisfied with their lives and healthier than in 2024, yet more are thinking about leaving the islands.

“Overall, well-being is improving and that is very encouraging,” said Governor Josh Green. “But there are still gaps between households that are doing well and those that are struggling. Too many residents, especially our younger adults and families, are questioning whether they can build a future here. We will continue to do more to make sure our children can come back and make a life here.”

“Two years after our initial survey in 2024, the newly released 2026 data let us see not just where Hawaiʻi stands, but which way we are heading on various measures of health and well-being,” said Jack Barile, principal investigator and director of the in the 糖心视频 Manoa College of Social Sciences. “While younger adults continue to report significant mental health and affordability concerns, the data also point to stronger family, friend and community support. Building on these sources of resilience can help create the conditions for younger residents to remain, thrive and build their futures here.”

Key findings from the dashboard

• Life satisfaction and overall health and well-being are up: 88% of residents say they are very or somewhat satisfied with their lives, up from 82% in 2024. Residents averaged 5.10 physically and 6.36 mentally unhealthy days in the past month previous to being surveyed, down from 5.26 and 6.69.
• Younger residents face added strain: Residents ages 18鈥�24 and 25鈥�34 report 8.5 and 8.9 mentally unhealthy days per month, respectively, compared with about five or fewer among those 65 and older.
• More residents are considering leaving: 46% considered moving out of state in the past year, up from 40% in 2024, and 37% cited the cost of living. This figure was 52% among households earning $25,000 to $49,000.
• Gaps by income are widening: Food insecurity fell from 11.6% to 8.5% overall, but remains high at 27% among households earning less than $25,000.
• Preparedness and workplace safety improved: 23% of residents feel well or very well prepared for a disaster, up from 12% in 2024. Workers reporting violence on the job fell to 24% from 34%.
• Healthcare access varies by county: 21% of residents statewide said having enough nearby doctors, specialists or facilities is a major problem, ranging from 14% in Honolulu County to 39% in Hawaiʻi County.

Policy implications and future directions

The 2026 findings let policymakers, grantmakers, advocates and community members track whether efforts are moving the needle. Data from the dashboard highlight several areas for action:

• Economic stability: Addressing the high cost of living through affordable housing, wage increases and employment benefits to help residents, especially younger adults, remain in Hawaiʻi.
• Income equity: Directing programs and resources to lower-income households, where gains in well-being have lagged.
• Disaster preparedness: Sustaining progress through outreach, planning and resilient infrastructure, as many residents still do not feel ready for a major emergency.
• Workplace well-being: Encouraging Hawaiʻi employers to adopt trauma-informed, family-friendly practices.

“Repeating the statewide quality of life survey, which we funded through Act 106 in 2024, helps us understand what is working, where challenges remain and how conditions are changing over time,” said Sen. Donovan M. Dela Cruz. “When nearly half of our residents are considering leaving Hawaiʻi, that is a clear signal that we must continue diversifying our economy and expanding economic opportunity. That means investing in workforce development, creating pathways to good-paying careers and reversing the brain drain so our residents can build their futures here at home.”

Empowering residents with data

The interactive dashboard lets residents explore findings in their communities and statewide, and compare results across demographics, years, occupation, geographic region and more. Data were collected between February and May 2026, and the survey garnered close to 30% more responses this year compared to 2024. It is the largest data set on health and well-being in Hawaiʻi, and the largest data set in the nation using measures from the Center for Disease Control鈥檚

The 2026 Hawaiʻi Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard is a partnership between the Health Policy Initiative in 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 College of Social Sciences and the Office of Wellness and Resilience in the Office of the Governor. All survey data is housed exclusively with 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补.

Hawaiʻi‘s rapidly aging population faces a higher cost of meeting basic needs, with housing costs driving much of the difference compared with the rest of the nation, according to a new (糖心视频ERO) analysis.

In a new piece published October 7, James Mak, professor emeritus of economics and a 糖心视频ERO fellow, uses the 2025 to estimate the minimum income older adults need to live independently without public or private subsidies. The Elder Index estimates basic expenses for older households but does not include costs such as dining out, vacations, savings, gifts, entertainment or long-term care.

The analysis found that for a couple in good health who rents, the estimated monthly budget is $4,585 in Hawaiʻi, compared with $3,918 nationally. For a single renter, the estimated monthly budget is $3,436, compared with $2,836 nationally.

Housing accounts for much of the difference. For older adults who rent or still have a mortgage, housing is the largest monthly expense, while health care is the largest expense for couples who have paid off their mortgages.

Basic needs differences among counties

The analysis also found significant differences among Hawaiʻi‘s counties. Honolulu County was generally the least affordable for older adults, while Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi counties were more affordable. For example, a single renter in Honolulu County would need an estimated $3,563 per month to meet basic needs, compared with $3,106 in Kauaʻi County and $3,172 in Hawaiʻi County.

Hawaiʻi‘s aging population adds urgency to the issue. In 2024, more than 310,000 Hawaiʻi residents were 65 or older, representing 21.5% of the state’s population. A decade ago, it was only 16.2%. By 2035, one in four Hawaiʻi residents is expected to be 65 or older.

Health care a growing concern

Mak also highlighted health care as a growing concern as the state’s population of adults age 85 and older increases. Older adults in poorer health face substantially higher health care costs, and the state already faces a shortage of physicians.

Mak concludes that addressing housing affordability and health care access would benefit not only older adults but Hawaiʻi residents more broadly.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

New research led by (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant), 糖心视频 Mānoa (SOEST), and U.S. Geological Survey analyzed a 253-year old core from a massive coral colony at Olowalu Reef off West Maui to reconstruct how Olowalu has changed over time, what has driven those changes, and what restoring healthy connections between land and sea may mean for the reef鈥檚 future.

The study, , analyzed the coral core from approximately 1760 to 2013 which provided a rare glimpse into the conditions that began before large-scale changes to the West Maui landscape following Western contact occurred, and continued through plantation agriculture and modern coastal development.

Chemical indicators associated with sediment, nutrients, and other land-derived inputs generally increased over the 253-year record, with some of the largest changes occurring during the twentieth century as sugarcane agriculture expanded across West Maui. At the same time, the coral鈥檚 growth record showed that calcification increased through much of the record before beginning to decline around the late 1960s, concurrent with sugarcane expansion.

Coral skeletons

Like the rings of a tree, corals build their skeletons incrementally over time. As they grow, elements from the surrounding seawater become incorporated into their skeletons. By measuring this chemistry along the length of the Olowalu core, the researchers were able to reconstruct how conditions affecting the reef changed over generations.

“One of the important lessons from this study is that some of the changes that occurred on land more than a century ago can still provide important context for what we see on reefs today,” said Samuel Kekuewa, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant postdoctoral affiliate researcher. “Understanding these legacy impacts can help us make better decisions about how we manage these areas moving forward.”

Researchers paired the chemical record with measurements of coral growth, historical records of land-use change, and large-scale climate patterns such as El Ni帽o. The coral recorded both natural climate variability and major changes occurring within the watershed. The research occurring at Olowalu is particularly important because it is one of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 largest continuous reef systems, and an important source of coral larvae for reefs throughout Maui Nui.

“Across Hawaiʻi, there is already a large amount of work being done by the community to restore watersheds, retain sediment on land, and protect the downstream coral reefs,” said Kekuewa. “Records like this can help provide the long-term context needed to support and guide that work.”

–By Cindy Knapman

A new framework designed to guide one of the hardest decisions in conservation—whether to move a species outside its historical range to save it from extinction—has been , capping a multi-year, Pacific-wide effort in which the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa played a central supporting role.

The framework helps managers to decide whether a “conservation introduction” that moves a plant or animal outside its historic range is the right call, and how to do it responsibly.

Professor Melissa Price with College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR)鈥檚 Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) and a co-author of the paper, served as a co-principal investigator alongside lead investigator Mark W. Schwartz of the University of California, Davis and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pacific Region. Price, 糖心视频 Mānoa graduate students and others helped facilitate community engagement, gathering input from more than 250 people across the Pacific region.

Years of conservation, community discussions

“This framework is the product of years of conversations with the people who actually do this work: biologists, cultural practitioners, Tribal and Indigenous community members, land managers, and agency staff across an enormous and diverse region,” said Price. “糖心视频 Mānoa’s role was to help make sure that engagement was real, not a formality, and that the framework reflected the full range of perspectives and places it’s meant to serve.”

That place-based, relationship-first approach sets the framework apart from earlier tools. It is built around considering cultural and community values alongside ecological risk.

“For Hawaiian forest birds, we don鈥檛 have the luxury of waiting until we have perfect information to make difficult decisions,” said Hanna Mounce, coordinator of the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project. “We are often making high-stakes decisions under a lot of uncertainty, and this framework gives us a way to work through those decisions thoughtfully and transparently, while making sure the right people are part of the conversation.”

Learn more

Community members interested in learning more are invited to a panel discussion on conservation introductions and forest bird translocations in the Hawaiian Islands at the NREM Departmental Research Seminar on Wednesday, October 28, from 3 to 4 p.m., hosted by CTAHR in the St. John Plant Science Laboratory, Room 011, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822.

The panel will feature Hanna Mounce (Maui Nui Forest Bird Recovery Project), Megan Laut (USFWS), and Lucas Fortini (U.S. Geological Survey).

researchers have launched a $3 million, five-year study to uncover why early-stage breast cancer becomes invasive in some patients—with a special focus on Hawaiʻi鈥檚 diverse communities.

Led by Lenora Loo, a researcher in the Cancer Biology Program, and Brenda Hernandez, a researcher in Cancer Epidemiology and Principal Investigator for the Hawaiʻi Tumor Registry, the project will examine ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

Accounting for 20% of new U.S. breast cancer diagnoses, DCIS can progress to invasive cancer, but a subset of cases never does. This unpredictability makes it challenging for clinicians to determine who needs aggressive treatment versus less intensive care. To address this, the team will evaluate lifestyle, health, social factors, and tumor biology, comparing DCIS and invasive tumors from the same patients.

By identifying the biological mechanisms behind progression, researchers hope to improve risk identification and enable tailored treatment plans so patients receive care appropriate to their specific risk level.

Focus on diverse patient populations

In Hawaiʻi, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women and the second leading cause of female cancer deaths, averaging 172 deaths and thousands of invasive diagnoses annually.

Prior research by Loo and Hernandez using data from the 糖心视频 Cancer Center鈥檚 revealed that Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and Japanese DCIS patients face a higher risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the same breast compared to White patients.