A University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa senior student has earned one of Stanford University’s most competitive graduate awards, underscoring the growing impact of UH Mānoa’s engineering programs.

Andrea Murillo, who is graduating this spring, has been admitted to the PhD program in electrical engineering at Stanford and is believed to be the first UH Mānoa recipient of the Stanford Graduate Fellowship, an award given annually to about 100 incoming doctoral students across the university. The fellowship provides up to three years of funding, including tuition and stipend support, to top scholars in science and engineering fields.

Murillo’s path at UH Mānoa reflects a multidisciplinary journey shaped by hands-on research and mentorship. She began her undergraduate journey as a mechanical engineering major before transitioning to computer engineering and ultimately electrical engineering in the electrophysics track, where she found her passion in mixed-signal circuit design.

Through work in several research labs, including projects on embedded systems, TinyML (Tiny Machine Learning), and integrated circuit design, Murillo discovered a passion for building more efficient hardware. She plans to continue that work at Stanford, focusing on circuit design and new technologies that can make electronics faster and use less energy.

“My experiences at UH helped me discover not just what I enjoy studying, but how I want to contribute to the field,” said Murillo, who is an international student from Mexico. “The support from faculty, mentors and my peers gave me the confidence to pursue graduate school and aim for opportunities like this.”

Community leadership

Beyond the classroom, Murillo has been active in the community as a leader in the FabLab maker space, a member of engineering student organizations and a leader who won an award at the 2024 Honolulu Tech Week hackathon.

Her achievement highlights the role of UH Mānoa in preparing students for advanced study and contributing to innovation in high-demand fields such as electrical engineering and artificial intelligence hardware.

“By leveraging the full breadth of opportunities at UH, Andrea developed a profound understanding of the grand challenges facing contemporary hardware design. Reflecting her unwavering commitment to excellence, she has secured a place in one of the country’s most prestigious doctoral programs,” said UH Mānoa Professor Boris Murmann, who mentored Murillo and was on the faculty at Stanford for 20 years.

Murillo is expected to begin her doctoral studies this fall.

Former �鶹��ý Gov. George R. Ariyoshi died on April 19, 2026, at the age of 100. As �鶹��ý’s third and longest-serving governor (1973–1986), and the first Asian-American elected to a governorship in U.S. history, Ariyoshi left an indelible mark on both the nation, state and the University of �鶹��ý.

Ariyoshi’s connection to UH began early in his academic journey—he attended UH Mānoa before transferring to Michigan State University. In 2009, he was named a distinguished UH alumnus. He received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from UH Mānoa in 1986. Throughout his remarkable career in public service, his leadership continually intersected with and championed the university’s research and educational missions.

‘Quietly and effectively’

His campaign slogan touted him as working “quietly and effectively” for �鶹��ý. During his time in office, Ariyoshi played a pivotal role in advancing critical health research at UH. He notably signed the legislation that created the , working alongside former director Lawrence Piette. This foundational legislative support helped the grow into the world-class, NCI-designated research institution it is today.

Ariyoshi’s visionary approach to international relations laid the groundwork for expanding UH‘s global academic footprint. Drawing on his family’s roots, he spearheaded the creation of the �鶹��ý-Fukuoka sister-state relationship more than three decades ago—�鶹��ý’s first sister-state international relationship. This enduring diplomatic tie directly paved the way for system-wide international agreements between UH and the Fukuoka-based Tsuzuki Education Group, enriching student exchange and collaborative research in fields such as sustainability, traditional medicine and disaster resilience.

Reflecting on Ariyoshi’s monumental impact, Gov. Josh Green said in a statement: “Governor Ariyoshi devoted his life to �鶹��ý with humility, discipline and an unwavering sense of responsibility to the people he served. He led our state during a pivotal moment with quiet strength and integrity, and his legacy as a trailblazer and public servant will endure for generations. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones.”

Pacific connections

Ariyoshi also played (EWC). In 1975, he worked with the �鶹��ý State Legislature to establish the center as an independent educational nonprofit corporation. He served as a member of its Board of Governors from 1995 to 2003, including six years as chair.

EWC Board of Governors Chair John Waiheʻe served as �鶹��ý’s lieutenant governor under Ariyoshi from 1982 to 1986 before succeeding him as governor.

“George Ariyoshi was a leader of deep integrity and vision who understood the importance of �鶹��ý’s connections across the Pacific,” Waiheʻe said in a statement. “His support for the East-West Center and the Pacific Islands Development Program reflected his lifelong commitment to bringing people together in pursuit of shared progress.”

Ariyoshi is survived by his wife Jean, daughter Lynn, and sons Ryozo and Donn.

University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa student Elizabeth Rooks is earning national recognition for her research on retinoblastoma, a pediatric eye cancer, during a dedicated research year.

Rooks was awarded the Research to Prevent Blindness Medical Student Eye Research Fellowship, a competitive program supporting students advancing the understanding and treatment of eye disease.

“It’s an incredible honor,” she said. “This fellowship feels like an investment in my future, but more importantly in work that directly impacts patients.”

Advancing retinoblastoma research

Collaborating with researchers at the University of Washington, Rooks examines the genetic mutations behind the retinoblastoma and how they are inherited.

“Some patients also go on to develop osteosarcomas or other cancers in their 40s and 50s, while others never do,” she said.

Her work uses long-read genetic sequencing, which can identify not only mutations but also which parent passed them on.

“Unlike traditional sequencing methods, long-read sequencing lets us see the parental origin of a mutation without needing to test the parents. This is important because earlier research shows that mutations inherited from the father can make retinoblastoma more aggressive,” she said.

Rooks also helps collect and sequence DNA from patients and return findings to clinicians, potentially informing care in a fast-progressing cancer. Understanding the origin may help identify high-risk children earlier and guide more precise treatment.

After her research year, Rooks will return to �鶹��ý to complete her medical training.

“I am so grateful for this fellowship and for my team,” she said. “Working with them has taught me so much and has shown me the kind of physician I want to become.”

.

A master of hula and Hawaiian music whose influence spans generations, Robert Uluwehionāpuaikawēkiuokalani Cazimero will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of �鶹��ý.

The Board of Regents approved the honor at its April 16 meeting at , following a request from Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza. The degree will be formally conferred during Leeward CC’s fall convocation.

“I never really thought about this before, and to have it happen in such a truly beautiful, humbling—and even overwhelming—way, I’m grateful,” said Cazimero. “I’m really happy to be here.”

UH ties and cultural impact

Cazimero is widely recognized for his leadership of Hālau Nā Kamalei o Līlīlehua and his influence on generations of haumāna (students), as well as his celebrated career in Hawaiian music. His work has helped strengthen the continuity and global reach of Hawaiian cultural traditions.

Throughout his career, he has been a steadfast partner to UH, supporting its mission to nurture knowledge, improve cultural identity and inspire future generations. Across UH’s 10 campuses, he has shared his time and expertise through guest lectures, workshops, performances and mentorship rooted in a deep sense of kuleana (responsibility).

“His engagement with our campus community has provided students, faculty and staff with meaningful opportunities to learn directly from a master practitioner whose work bridges ancestral knowledge and contemporary expression,” said Keala Chock, a former student and Leeward CC vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Related story: Legendary musician Robert Cazimero opens exhibit with Windward CC students, January 2026

Cazimero’s engagement at Leeward CC reflects an enduring partnership in cultural learning and mentorship, helping to deepen students’ experiences with ʻike �鶹��ý (Hawaiian knowledge). He is also the featured artist in Ke Kilo Lani, an exhibition presented by Windward CC that highlights his life, legacy and contributions through immersive cultural storytelling.

During the meeting, Regent Neil Abercrombie shared an emotional memory of seeing Cazimero perform for the first time at UH Mānoa’s Andrews Amphitheatre in the 1970s. Regent Diane Paloma also noted that she was among his students, reflecting his lasting impact as an educator and mentor.

The honorary doctorate recognizes individuals of national or international distinction whose contributions have had a significant impact in areas such as business, public service or scholarship.

Franklin Kuo, a pioneering engineer whose work helped lay the foundation for modern wireless communications, died April 14. He was 91.

Kuo, a professor emeritus in electrical and computer engineering at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, co-developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s with colleague Norman Abramson. The system, launched in 1971, was the world’s first wireless packet network and introduced protocols that underpin technologies such as ethernet and wi-fi.

Educated in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Kuo began his career at Bell Laboratories in the early 1960s, conducting research in computer communications. He joined UH Mānoa in 1966 as a full professor, where his work on ALOHAnet helped place the university on the global map in networking innovation.

“This is a profound loss for our college and the global engineering community,” College of Engineering Dean Brennon Morioka said. “Frank’s vision and leadership helped establish a culture of bold, boundary-pushing research at UH Mānoa that continues to inspire our faculty and students today. His legacy lives on in the spirit of innovation that defines who we are. Both Frank and his wife Dora have been valuable members of our Engineering ʻohana.”

Related UH News stories on ALOHAnet:

• 50 years of ALOHAnet honored, new endowed scholarship announced, June 16, 2021
• Pioneering wireless technology ALOHAnet honored as engineering milestone, October 13, 2020

Kuo also authored some of the earliest books in the field, including one of the first texts on computer communication networks published in 1972. Beyond academia, Kuo served as director of information systems at the Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the late 1970s. He later led networking and information systems projects at SRI International, contributing to early architecture for the National Science Foundation’s network, a precursor to today’s internet infrastructure.

He was a member of national advisory efforts on high-performance computing and consulted for federal science and technology initiatives. In 1994, he co-founded a wireless communications company focused on mobile messaging technologies. Kuo was an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers fellow and a recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Award.

A celebration of life is expected in May.

.

For Janie-Maria Kikila, graduating from Leeward Community College this May is more than earning a degree—it’s a deeply personal milestone shaped by resilience, growth and determination. As a nontraditional student, mother and the first in her family to graduate from college, Kikila sees this moment as proof of perseverance.

“This shows me that if you keep going, you can finish what you started,” she said.

Raised in Whitmore Village, Kikila attended Leilehua High School before transferring to Waiʻanae High School. Her journey hasn’t been easy, but she’s remained focused on a bigger goal.

“I’ve gone through a lot—from not always feeling safe as a child to postpartum depression as an adult—but I made a decision not to let those things define me,” she said. “I want to break generational cycles, and I want to be someone my keiki can look up to.”

Finding support at Leeward CC

Kikila first enrolled at Leeward CC in 2013 but stepped away to build a career in management. That was disrupted when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.

“It was hard going from being financially independent to needing help,” she said. “I knew if I was going to start over, I needed a clear direction.”

She returned to Leeward CC in 2023 to pursue a degree in business management. Back on campus, Kikila found support that helped her stay on track—not just academically, but personally. Through Leeward’s counseling services, she began working with mental health therapist Lori Lum.

“I’ve been seeing Lori for a little over a year, and she’s been amazing,” Kikila said.

Turning challenges into motivation

She also credits flexible student employment and mentors, such as business division faculty Tina Lee and Dag Faustino.

“Janie leads with intention and heart,” Lee said. “She’s someone who turns challenges into motivation.”

Kikila founded , Leeward’s first marketing club, open to students of all majors across the UH System. It brings students together to connect, collaborate and gain real-world experience.

“She saw a need and built something that brings students together in a meaningful way,” Faustino added. “That kind of initiative is what sets her apart.”

Kikila plans to transfer to UH West Oʻahu to continue her studies in business and marketing, with the goal of one day serving in a leadership role within the State of �鶹��ý.

By Tad Saiki

A University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa faculty member has earned international recognition for research that advances understanding in a key area of modern mathematics.

Department Chair and Associate Professor Malik Younsi received the 2026 Frontiers of Science Award from the International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS). The honor recognizes major breakthroughs in mathematics, physics and engineering.

Younsi was recognized for a research paper co-authored with Dimitrios Ntalampekos on conformal maps, a topic in complex analysis that studies how shapes in the plane can be transformed while preserving angles. In simple terms, it looks at how you can stretch or reshape something—such as a map or a piece of rubber—without changing the way angles and corners fit together, similar to how digital maps adjust views while keeping locations accurate.

“Mathematics is often about finding hidden structure in things that seem complicated at first,” Younsi said. “This recognition highlights the value of staying curious and patient, and I hope it encourages students to see that even abstract ideas can lead to meaningful discoveries.”

The 55-page paper, published in Inventiones Mathematicae, looks at when flat shapes can be transformed into ones bounded by circles and points, building on a long-standing question called the Koebe uniformization conjecture. The research helps describe when there is essentially just one possible way to do transformation, giving a clearer understanding of how these shapes work.

The Frontiers of Science Award, launched in 2023, recognizes recent papers with lasting impact after a competitive global review process. Younsi’s work was selected by an international panel of experts for its contribution to complex analysis. He will be honored at the 2026 ICBS meeting in Beijing on August 9, where leading scientists from around the world will gather to present and discuss new discoveries.

The Department of Mathematics is housed in UH Mānoa’s .

Danielle Bartz, a PhD candidate in at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, has received a . Initially selected by the Zonta Club of Hilo for a $2,000 local award, Bartz advanced to the international competition, where she emerged as one of 16 recipients worldwide. This $10,000 award recognizes outstanding women in STEM, with honorees representing nine countries in this year’s cohort.

Bartz’s research leverages cutting-edge environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies combined with local ecological knowledge shared by the community to monitor marine biodiversity and assess critical habitats. She developed a novel, low-cost eDNA water filtration system, which has the potential to revolutionize marine biodiversity monitoring by making it more accessible and cost-effective, particularly in resource-limited settings. This project was supported by the Patents2Products Fellowship through the UH Office of Innovation and Commercialization.

“It’s an honor to be part of a global group of women working to advance STEM, and I am very thankful for the opportunities I’ve found through the Zonta Club,” Bartz said. “I’ve connected with this phenomenal network of women supporting women. My goal is to make marine research more accessible while working alongside local communities to protect culturally and ecologically important species.”

Bartz’s dissertation examines the disappearance of a culturally and ecologically significant shark species in �鶹��ý. Her research, which confirmed a shark nursery habitat in Hilo Bay, contributed to the area’s first formal recognition as a vital shark habitat by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

• Related UH News story: Shark nursery habitat research earns PhD candidate top international award, March 20, 2025

The Zonta Women in STEM Award uplifts innovation and celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of women between 18-35 years of age in STEM fields and acknowledges their groundbreaking research, pioneering discoveries, and/or exemplary contributions to advancing knowledge and innovation in a STEM field.

The Marine Biology Graduate Program is an interdisciplinary program co-administered by UH Mānoa‘s and the .

At the Merrie Monarch Festival, hula’s most celebrated stage, one hālau‘s story of change and renewal rose to the top in 2026.

Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua earned top honors at the 63rd annual competition in Hilo, sweeping major categories. The group earned first-place finishes in kāne (men) overall, kāne ʻauana (modern hula), and both wāhine (women’s) kahiko (ancient hula) and kāne kahiko.

The hālau is led by Kumu Hula Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV, a graduate of Honolulu Community College.

“I’m still in shock,” Kaʻupu said. “I’m not surprised because they worked hard and they did exactly what they needed to do, but I’m in shock. This year more than ever it was the purpose of the journey, more than the destination. And so I am really appreciative for the recognition. There are no words to really describe what I feel.”

Turning point

The win followed a year of deep change.

Kaʻupu and Kumu Hula Lono Padilla founded the hālau together. In 2025, Padilla stepped away for personal reasons. The departure reshaped the Oʻahu hālau.

Kaʻupu described it as a time of upheaval. One that pushed both him and his haumāna (students) to reflect and rebuild.

“That’s part of the process,” he said. “Acknowledging the catastrophe, acknowledging the upheaval, acknowledging the overturn. Our lives were deconstructed and now let’s find the processes to reconstruct, rebuild, regenerate, re-energize.”

That idea guided their performances at this year’s festival.

Hulihia, overturning

Kaʻupu chose mele (songs) that mirrored both his experience and that of his hālau. Their performances centered on hulihia, a Hawaiian concept that speaks to overturning and transformation.

In the kahiko category, the wāhine performed hula kālaʻau (dancing stick) to Kau Kahaʻea Ke Ao Uahi I Luna. The mele is a creation story, where akua (deities) shape a submerged island still forming off �鶹��ý Island.

Kaʻupu‘s kāne followed with Hulihia Ka ʻĀpapa Ka Unu Koʻakoʻa O Ka Moana. Their performance evoked the ocean floor shifting and fire rising from below, as life emerges through heat and pressure.

Together, the pieces reflected a simple truth that change can be destructive, but it also creates space for renewal.

UH roots

Kaʻupu, a Keaukaha native, attended UH Hilo before moving to Oʻahu. He continued his studies at Honolulu CC, entering the cosmetology program and graduating in 2007.

“I thought I knew how to do hair until I went through the program,” he said. “They just expedited and transcended the technical skills for me. I am super, super grateful for that.”

For years, those skills helped shape his presence at Merrie Monarch, where he handled his dancers’ hair and makeup, an important part of the competition’s scoring. He also designs every costume, sketching ideas by hand before working with a seamstress to bring them to life. However, for each of his Miss Aloha Hula contestants, he sews each piece himself.

In many ways, that same cycle of creating, overturning and rebuilding reflects where Kaʻupu stands now, as he continues to grow into his role.

“Trust your gut, trust your kūpuna (elders),” he said. “Find the things that serve you and let go of the things that don’t. There’s always regeneration. You just have to trust the process.”

—by Moanikeʻala Nabarro

At the University of �鶹��ý, Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising event to support our UH students and embrace the rich diversity and expansive reach of our university system.

At the (JABSOM), where more than 90% of students are awarded some form of scholarship, donors make a great impact in their journeys in medicine. For first-year medical student Emma Pinnow, that journey started with the ʻImi Hoʻōla Post Baccalaureate Program.

Read more UH Giving Day stories

Ahead of a Giving Day appearance on �鶹��ý News Now, JABSOM sat down with Pinnow.

Q: How did ʻImi Hoʻōla put you on a path to medicine?

I come from a family deeply rooted in �鶹��ý’s public school system, so while education was always the priority, medicine was a brand-new endeavor for me. My dream was always to stay home, to be near family and learn to provide care specifically tailored to our people here in �鶹��ý. ʻImi Hoʻōla, which means “those who seek to heal” in ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý, was the bridge to that dream. It’s a rigorous 12-month journey, and completing it provided me with automatic admission to JABSOM. But more than just a seat in the class, it gave me the foundational competence and the unshakeable support system I needed.

I didn’t just gain knowledge, I gained a cohort, mentors and a community that believed in my potential when I was just starting out. What truly changed the trajectory for me was the generosity of our donors. I was fully prepared to take on a massive financial burden to pursue this path, but because of their support, my experience was tuition-free. This didn’t just save money, it gave me the gift of time and focus. Instead of juggling my studies with a job, I can dedicate 100% of my energy to the rigors of medical school. It only takes one group of people to believe in you to open a door. For me, that door was ʻImi Hoʻōla. It allowed me to show my potential and has put me on a path to serve the community that raised me.

Q: What are your goals in medicine?

I’m currently a little more than halfway through my first year, and honestly, it’s been very exciting. Every week I’m exposed to a new specialty or a different organ system, and I’m making it my goal to learn as much as I can and to lean into every opportunity to the fullest extent. While I haven’t settled on a specific specialty yet, I have settled on the where and the who. No matter what field I choose, I am committed to serving the people of �鶹��ý. This is my home, and I truly can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Being Native Hawaiian, I am especially aware of the health disparities our community faces, particularly with cardiometabolic disease. One of my primary goals in medicine is to directly address these inequities. I want to take the education we receive here at JABSOM, which emphasizes culturally-competent care, and apply it in a way that resonates with our local population. Ultimately, my goal is to bridge the gap between high-level medical science and the unique cultural needs of our islands. Giving back to the community that raised me is my way of honoring where I come from.

.

.