The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as a tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

Mapuana Antonio

Mapuana Antonio is an associate professor of public health at the UH ����ԴDz� Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health. A Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) professor, Antonio is committed to “helping students become responsible and contributing members of society by embracing their own kuleana (responsibility) to their beloved communities.”

As the head of the Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health program in the Department of Public Health Sciences, she integrates the six major dimensions of Native Hawaiian wellbeing into her teaching: Ea (self-determination), ʻĀina Momona (healthy lands and people), Pilina (mutually sustaining relationships), ʻŌiwi (cultural identity and native intelligence), Waiwai (shared and collective wealth; ancestral abundance) and Ke Akua Mana (spirituality and the sacredness of mana).

These principles guide her course activities and assignments, which emphasize cultural knowledge and community. One student described Antonio as “an amazing resource and an extremely organized professor,” and her teaching creates “an inclusive classroom environment that allows for students to thrive.”

Matthew Cain

Matthew Cain is an associate professor of chemistry in the UH ����ԴDz� College of Natural Sciences. He believes that “successful teaching hinges on effort and patience” and emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and student feedback “to assess how to make the class better.”

Cain’s dedication to helping students grasp advanced chemistry content has made an impact, as reflected in a student’s comment: “Kudos to Dr. Cain for making such advanced topics into digestible content.” Whether it’s recording Zoom answer keys or creating a YouTube channel to cover challenging topics, Cain’s efforts inspire his students to invest more into their learning.

With years of teaching experience, Cain understands that patience is key and knows how to help students stay calm and focused, encouraging them to work as hard as possible to fully grasp the material. Ultimately, Cain views his role as a teacher through the lens of helping students achieve their personal and professional goals, which he believes is “the ultimate job of a teacher.”

William Dressler

William Dressler is a student success coordinator at Kauaʻi Community College. His work inside and outside the classroom reflects a strong commitment to student success, community engagement and creating opportunities for real-world learning.

Dressler values learning that extends beyond the classroom. He has brought students to volunteer with Mālama Hulēʻia— an organization that manages the Alakoko fishpond—to connect their studies with real-world environmental efforts. He also started the Banned Book Club, providing a space for students to explore literature that tackles important social issues. Through these initiatives, he encourages students to think critically and engage with their communities in meaningful ways.

“Prof. Dressler is very compassionate and understanding. He has allowed me to express myself in my assignments and not pass judgment,” said one of his students. “A great trait of his is that he can relate to college students at their level. He understands that outside of post-secondary schooling is a life that you have to balance also. Prof. Dressler is a very encouraging man who wants to see you succeed and not fail. He makes me want to learn more, and I have improved my writing skills as well as my comprehension.”

Guy K. Fo

Guy K. Fo is an associate professor of Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) Technologies at Honolulu Community College. After more than a decade in the construction industry, he earned his associate of science degree in AEC Technologies from Honolulu CC in 2007—and became a teacher in that same program.

Fo now inspires the next generation—bringing full circle a journey marked by hard work, heart and excellence. In his 18th year of teaching, Fo is known for his thoughtful, differentiated instruction, guided by the belief that “fair is not equal.”

His approach supports diverse learning styles and connects course content to practical applications, preparing students for both academic and professional success. His innovative use of technologies and Hi-Flex learning environments (combining online and in-person learning) ensures access and flexibility for all students.

One student wrote, “He possesses a unique ability to break down complex concepts into understandable and relatable terms. His commitment to excellence and his innovative approach make him an invaluable asset to the AEC program.”

Charmaine Higa-McMillan

Charmaine Higa-McMillan is a professor of psychology at UH Hilo and director of the MA Counseling Psychology Program. As a licensed psychologist and accomplished researcher, she blends academic excellence with genuine mentorship to prepare students for impactful careers in mental health.

Higa-McMillan is known for fostering inclusive, high-engagement classrooms and providing deeply personalized advising.

“Her support has been invaluable, and I can honestly say that without it, I’m not sure I would be where I am today—not just academically, but in terms of my passion for this work and its importance,” said a second-year graduate student, who is a single mother.

Her leadership has helped build strong community ties and increased access to quality mental health care across �鶹��ý. Whether through practicum placements, curriculum innovation, or thesis mentoring, Higa-McMillan’s influence reflects the highest standards of teaching, service and care.

Ashlee Kalauli

Ashlee Keolalaulani Kalauli is a math instructor at �鶹��ý Community College who is known for her dynamic, student-centered teaching and unwavering commitment to equity in mathematics education. A proud Native Hawaiian, she brings a culturally responsive approach to every classroom, inspiring students through inclusive practices and community connection.

As co-founder of IndigenousMathematicians.com, she works to uplift underrepresented voices in STEM and create learning spaces where all students feel seen and supported. Kalauli’s impact extends beyond the classroom through her contributions to curriculum development, national assessment consulting—including Pre-AP and AP math content—and educational policy reform with the �鶹��ý Department of Education.

“As an instructor, Dr. Kalauli has an outstanding reputation among students of being an informative and dynamic lecturer who delivers high quality education,” said Math and Natural Science Department Chair Orlo Steele.

Her work has been recognized with multiple teaching awards, and she has presented nationally on both mathematical research and inclusive pedagogy. Kalauli’s academic interests include geometric group theory and semigroup theory, and she actively mentors students while bridging secondary and higher education.

Tracie Kuʻuipo Losch

Tracie Kuʻuipo Losch is a professor of Hawaiian studies at Leeward Community College, where she has devoted more than 20 years to fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment that respects and honors Native Hawaiian knowledge and culture.

As an educator, Losch prioritizes critical thinking, accommodates diverse learning styles, and instills a sense of kuleana (responsibility) in her students. She teaches online and in-person courses, employing innovative methods to link significant historical events with real-world applications.

Losch’s leadership extends beyond the classroom. She serves on several councils, including the Pūkoʻa no na ʻEwa Council and the Oral Communications Board. Losch also chairs the Native Hawaiian Place of Learning Pillar Committee and represents the college on the �鶹��ý Papa o ke Ao UH system working committee. Through her dedication to academic excellence, she passionately advocates for a perspective that reflects Native Hawaiian values.

The Leeward CC’s selection committee wrote, “Leeward is lucky to have been transformed by the high-impact contributions of Kuʻuipo, whose dedication and expertise have made a profound difference at our college.”

Joy Mahiko

Joy Mahiko is an assistant professor in the Division of Education-Special Education at UH West Oʻahu. She teaches courses in special education and oversees the program for education majors to add a field in special education.

One nominator commended Mahiko’s “exceptional ability to inspire, engage, and empower UH West Oʻahu students, fostering both academic success and personal growth.”

Her scholarship focuses on inclusivity, quality teacher preparation, and rural special education. She advocates for inclusion and fair wages, especially for people with disabilities. Her other interests include serving minority at-risk youth who are at the greatest risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy and criminal activity.

Advocating on behalf of, and with, children and adults with disabilities to achieve greater personal dignity, choice, independence and inclusivity has been a very humbling and rewarding experience for Mahiko, who values their insights and experiences.

Mehana Kaʻiama Makaʻinaʻi

Mehana Kaʻiama Makaʻinaʻi is an instructor at the UH ����ԴDz� Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies in the �鶹��ýnuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. Having taught Hawaiian Studies 107 for nearly two decades, she views it as an opportunity to raise awareness about Hawaiian culture, history and modern political issues.

The course, a popular general education elective, attracts students from diverse backgrounds, from freshmen to seniors. Makaʻinaʻi embraces the challenge of teaching such a broad range of students and aims to inspire them to critically analyze topics while exploring ways to protect and respect the islands and their host culture.

With a strong emphasis on ʻike �鶹��ý (Hawaiian knowledge and history), she encourages students to develop cultural awareness and sensitivity to treat all cultures with respect.

One student reflected, “The class was an incredibly enriching experience. The content was presented in an engaging way that promoted deep understanding and involvement.”

Hannah Manshel

Hannah Manshel is an assistant professor of English in the UH ����ԴDz� College of Arts, Languages & Letters. She encourages students to approach learning as a project of inquiry.

Drawing inspiration from author and Professor Kyla Wazana Tompkins’s motto, “We aren’t here to learn what we already know,” she fosters curiosity through community and connection in her classes. Manshel sustains student interest with a variety of teaching and assessment strategies, including whole-class discussions, student presentations, Slack message boards and portfolios with meta-cognitive reflections.

She emphasizes deep engagement with course content while also addressing contemporary events. As she notes, “the connections students make between historical material, current events and their everyday lives create an opportunity for them to cultivate community both within the classroom and beyond.”

Her students describe feeling “intellectually challenged,” “allowed… so much creative freedom,” and fully supported in all her classes, reflecting her kindness and teaching expertise.

Masaru Mito

Masaru Mito is a Japanese language instructor in the UH ����ԴDz� Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the College of Arts, Languages & Letters. He believes that “language learning goes beyond acquiring vocabulary—it is a journey of personal growth, empathy and meaningful communication.”

Mito emphasizes “real-world interactions” and utilizes “authentic materials from diverse sources” to provide students with ample opportunities to practice their skills with cultural accuracy and purpose. He integrates critical thinking and digital literacy to enhance students’ competencies.

His students attest to his success in accomplishing his mission “to help students find happiness within themselves and bring joy to others by fostering cross-cultural language learning and developing interpersonal relationships.”

One student noted that “the most valuable aspect of the course was Mito sensei.” Another student praised him as “the best Japanese teacher,” adding, “You deserve the best to come, I see nothing but your genuine love to teach people Japanese, and hope your next set of students treat you right.”

Peter (Kalawaiʻa) Moore

Peter (Kalawaiʻa) Moore is a professor of Hawaiian studies at Windward Community College, who is widely recognized for his deep knowledge of Hawaiian history and culture, and his unwavering dedication to student success. Teaching both online and in-person courses, Moore is a passionate educator who brings the richness of Hawaiian traditions into every classroom interaction.

Kanani Furugen, a 2024 graduate, said, “Kumu Kalawaiʻa’s humility shines through when he answers questions or comments on the work of his students. He shares his ʻike (knowledge) in a way that is positive and encouraging.”

Moore fosters critical thinking and broader perspectives by connecting students with other leading Hawaiian scholars. His teaching philosophy centers on exposing students to diverse viewpoints and encouraging lifelong learning.

Beyond campus, Moore engages in cultural preservation by building traditional Hawaiian hale. Humble and generous with his ʻike, he inspires students to continue their learning journeys beyond the classroom, always encouraging them to grow, explore and succeed.

Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio is an associate professor in political science at the College of Social Sciences. As a Kanaka Maoli wahine (Native Hawaiian woman) scholar educator born and raised in Pālolo Valley, her teaching is grounded in “an aloha ʻāina pedagogy,” with a strong ethic of care and trust.

She inspires students to engage passionately and morally with Indigenous politics, while also dedicating herself to mentorship. Osorio has mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students across multiple disciplines, including American studies, women, gender, and sexuality studies, English, Pacific Island studies, Hawaiian studies, Hawaiian language, law, business and planning.

Osorio’s influence extends beyond her department. Her mentorship and contributions as a Native Hawaiian scholar and educator make her an exemplary member of the campus community. As one colleague notes, “Our students and our university are incredibly fortunate to have her as a tenured associate professor, a Kanaka who represents an incomparable voice of her generation.”

Carl A. Polley

Carl A. Polley is an assistant professor of linguistics and Chinese at Kapiʻolani Community College, who is recognized for his commitment to accessible, student-centered learning. He teaches a range of courses in linguistics, Mandarin Chinese language, and Chinese literature in English translation.

Polley has authored zero-cost open educational resource textbooks for Chinese language courses and teaches both asynchronous online and hybrid classes. His courses emphasize flexible learning through mastery-based assessment, allowing unlimited retakes and revisions, open-book quizzes with detailed feedback, and scaffolded peer review—offering students multiple pathways to success without the pressure of rigid deadlines.

“Prof. Polley was a wonderful instructor,” said a student. “He was always thoughtful with his lesson plans and went beyond just reading and remembering things from the textbook. He created an environment and a challenge for us to expand and create something with the material we learned about. He was also very understanding and provided multiple teaching methods to reach each student he taught.”

Julie Powers

Julie Powers is professor of Early Childhood Education (ECED) at UH Maui College, where she also serves as ECED program coordinator and Social Science Department chair. She brings passion and wisdom to her work as she weaves stories of her real-world experiences into her teaching.

Students describe her as an excellent teacher who is “very well respected, knowledgeable and caring.” Powers values hands-on, experiential learning, and provides students with ample opportunity to practice, design and implement developmentally appropriate activities, often setting up elaborate learning stations in the ECED classroom that she designed. She works individually with students to develop a plan that is achievable and unique.

One student said, “ [Power’s] engaging teaching style, passion for the subject, and dedication to student success make her stand out as the best in her field.”

As department chair, Powers is kind and compassionate while getting the job done. In addition, she is a respected author in her field, having written Parent Engagement in Early Learning, and Nature-Based Learning for Young Children: Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Budget.

She inspires her colleagues through her dedication and strong work ethic.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� celebrated the exceptional achievements of its faculty, staff and students at the 2025 , on April 28 at Kennedy Theatre.

UH President Wendy Hensel, UH ����ԴDz� Vice Provost for Academic Excellence Laura Lyons and Board of Regents Vice Chair Laurie Tochiki recognized this year’s honorees for their outstanding accomplishments.

A video recording of the event will be available on the UH Manoa Awards page at a later date.

Congratulations to all our winners!

2025 UH ����ԴDz� Awards winners

• Mapuana C.K. Antonio, associate professor, public health
• Matthew F. Cain, associate professor, chemistry
• Elisabeth Mehana Makaʻinaʻi, instructor, Hawaiian studies
• Hannah Manshel, assistant professor, English
• Masaru Mito, instructor, Japanese language
• Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio, associate professor, political science

• Sloan Coats, assistant professor, Earth sciences
• Matthieu Dubarry, associate researcher, �鶹��ý Natural Energy Institute
• Rick Kazman, professor, information technology management

• Margaret Colleen Rost-Banik, instructor, sociology
• Sara Maaria Saastamoinen, PhD student, political science

• Maya Soetoro-Ng, associate specialist, Matsunaga Institute for Peace

• Dean Domingo, instructor, Ilokano language
• Chad Edward Miller, specialist, teacher education
• You-il (Chris) Park, associate professor, accounting
• Melissa Renae Price, associate professor, wildlife management
• Jennifer D.S. Griswold, professor, atmospheric sciences
• Kaori Tamura, associate professor, kinesiology and rehabilitation science

• Seung Yang, assistant director, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
• John Gestrich, carpentry shops manager, Campus Operations and Facilities
• Marla Fergerstrom, farm manager, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resilience
• Jennifer Frank, physician, University Health Services ����ԴDz�

• Michele Inouchi, administrative officer, Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success
• Roy Tom, machinist, Department of Physics and Astronomy

• Michael Liu, astronomer, Institute for Astronomy

• Kenny Kaʻaiakamanu-Quibilan, assistant faculty specialist, Department of Information & Computer Sciences

• Academic & Student Affairs Office, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resilience
  (Kayden Iwasaki, Irene Morrow, Maile Sing and Jessica Strenstrom)

• Sladjana Prišić, associate professor, microbiology
• Pei-Ling Kao, associate professor, dance

• Aláine Fiona Lee, undergraduate student, astrophysics
• Kazuumi Fujioka, PhD candidate, chemistry
• Nick Saunders, PhD candidate, astronomy

• Shayla Spotkaeff, undergraduate research assistant, Center for Oral History

Awardees were selected following careful review by the various awards committees, based on nominations and supporting materials across teaching, research, mentoring and service. Mahalo to all who participated in the selection process.

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

Carina Chernisky

Carina Chernisky is a UH West Oʻahu public services librarian who uses a variety of different methods and formats to foster a collaborative learning environment that ensures student success. She considers the library her “classroom,” which is more dynamic and adaptable than a traditional classroom environment. She cultivates it to be a safe in-person and virtual haven where individuals can go to seek help for research issues, participate in engaging events and learn critical-thinking skills.

Chernisky offers a variety of synchronous and asynchronous information literacy workshops that help students become self-directed learners who can access information, evaluate sources, and engage in lifelong learning in and beyond the confines of the classroom.

“Carina is always so informative and relates the topic of the workshop to relevant news of the week. It’s always a pleasure to attend her workshops,” said a student.In addition to her primary reference and instructional duties, Chernisky has served as the on-site library project manager/co-manager for traveling exhibitions, and is a champion of open educational resources at UH West Oʻahu and throughout the UH System.”

Sothy Eng

Sothy Eng is an associate professor of human development and family studies in the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Eng observed from his required office visits with students how their education fits into their complex lives. From that, he enhanced his course requirements, and gained a heightened sense of empathy toward students and the families and communities from which they came.

The insights of educator Paulo Freire resonate with Eng: “The teacher is no longer merely the one-who-teaches but who is himself taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught, also teach…jointly responsible for a process in which we all grow.”

A student said, “Professor Eng and the students made it such an amazing class, a welcoming space” and “Little did I know his class would spark my future career goals of increasing the community’s access to food security and sovereignty.”

Colleagues praise him for inspiring students to be collaborative, creative and respectful, and consider him “a role model among his peers, ceaselessly energetic, professionally dynamic, and abundant in his aloha.”

Kerri Inglis

Kerri Inglis is a professor of history in UH Hilo’s College of Arts and Sciences and specializes in research and teaching in the history of health, disease and medicine, especially as it pertains to �鶹��ý and the Pacific, within a global context.

Inglis has devoted her career to studying the history of leprosy in �鶹��ý and has done extensive research on patients’ experiences on the Kalaupapa peninsula. Her award-winning 2013 publication, “Maʻi Lepera: Disease and Displacement in 19th Century �鶹��ý,” stands as a seminal work on the subject.

Affectionately known as “Kumu Kai” to her students, Inglis is celebrated not only for her scholarly contributions but also for her profound impact on education. According to graduate student David Freund, her endeavors have not only advanced her own professional growth but have also enriched the educational journey of her students, who have actively participated in her projects.

Freund said Inglis “goes beyond the rote delivery of information, striving to instill a deep understanding of concepts and principles, enabling students not only to acquire information and skills but also to think critically and apply their knowledge effectively.”

Kristiana Kahakauwila

Kristiana Kahakauwila is an associate professor of English in the UH Mānoa College of Arts, Languages & Letters. For Kahakauwila, a teaching philosophy rooted in choice is one rooted in kuleana—in responsibility, privilege and a sense of ownership.

Her teaching leans into analysis of how a work is shaped, and from where it takes its inspiration in the context of race, gender, sexuality, ability, Indigeneity and other lived experiences. Her students express an experience of being treated not “only as students but as writers and readers. She gives us a chance to grow and progress, first and foremost, as artists.”

Kahakauwila’s innovative pedagogical technique includes asking students to take up the mantle of instructor at least once each term. A former graduate student describes Kahakauwila as a “devoted, kind and brilliant teacher who challenged students in a way that was joyful and meaningful.”

Martina Kamaka

Martina Kamaka is a UH Mānoa associate professor in the John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence.

Colleagues credit her with being at the forefront of training medical students in patient-centered care and cultural competency well before these were goals of health care. A colleague speaks of her “dreaming, developing and delivering culturally relevant and sensitive education” for 23 years.

Kamaka recognizes learning as experiential and occurring in diverse settings and unexpected contexts. In her experience, learning is balanced between mind, body and spirit at the micro level, and between communities/families, environment and spiritual sources of strength at the macro level. She said that the “most important point is for students who are future physicians to be able to communicate with patients with our hearts and our naʻau (intuition).”

A student called Kamaka “a big part of my journey in influencing the way I see myself, my relationship to the community and to my profession.”

Jenny Kelly

Jenny Kelly is an associate professor of animal science, and veterinary technician program director at Windward Community College, where she helps students navigate �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s only veterinary technology program. She is also a doctor of veterinary medicine.

Kelly creates meaningful hands-on curricula that encourages student engagement with an innovative teaching method for her anesthesia and surgical assisting classes. One student said, “I loved how she was always frank and honest and very clear about her expectations. She isn’t afraid to ask questions to help you rearrange your thought process or lead you in the right direction….it was my favorite aspect of her teaching style. It has definitely helped me become more confident and efficient.”

Overcoming obstacles is one of her fortes. Kelly has extended support to students affected by the devastating fires on Maui, and has offered veterinary services in Lahaina to injured and burned animals.

A former student who is now an animal science lecturer said, “Dr. Kelly encourages me towards my goals, moving me forward to reach my full potential. Through her support she has equipped me with the strength to overcome any obstacle.”

Emily Moody

Emily G.A. Moody is an assistant professor of graphic design in the new media arts program at Kapiʻolani Community College. She teaches six courses including graphic design, typography, graphic symbolism, corporate identity, interface design studio and design portfolio.

Moody’s deeply rooted passion for design is shared with unabashed enthusiasm. She hopes that expressing her love for design and its applications will inspire the students to see the wonder of design and pave their pathway within the discipline. Each course is designed to provide students with a structured framework for experimentation and the cultivation of their unique approach to visual communication.

“You can tell Emily truly cares about her students and holds them to very high standards,” shared a nominator. “This in turn pushes students to reach their highest potential. She is passionate about design, teaching, and the success of her students. She creates an environment where we feel comfortable to share, fail, learn, and grow. Plus, she’s just a great person with a great sense of humor, which always makes it fun to learn!”

Steven Nakata

Chef Steven Nakata is an assistant professor and chair of the culinary department of Kauaʻi Community College

Nakata puts his students first, and always tries to connect with each of them. He provides his personal cell number so they can reach him when needed, demonstrating a great level of dedication and commitment.

He brings a vast wealth of knowledge and experience from his past appointments as an executive chef and general manager. Service and cuisine are “in his blood.”

He has traveled internationally to parts of Europe, South America and the Caribbean and shares many learnings and adventures with his students. He is solid and accomplished with cooking methods, baking, sanitation and front-of-the-house training. He teaches with an openness and caring, a sense of humor and a strict, strong hand.

Nakata was overwhelmingly nominated by his students and colleagues. There are many successful students who have come out of the culinary program and Nakata was a big part of their growth, skill and confidence.

Michael T. Oishi

Michael T. Oishi is an associate professor of English literature at Leeward Community College. Students respect Oishi for his clear and thoughtful instruction and his ability to make them feel heard and appreciated. Perhaps most notable is Oishi’s ability to get his students to appreciate and excel at what can be complex themes and material, whether it be tackling difficult moral dilemmas such as what it means to be human or an “outsider,” to exploring �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s painful political past.

One student expressed, “He has left a truly remarkable impression on me… through his course I was able to deeply strengthen my connection to Hawaiian roots, cultivate pride where there once was shame, understand the world around me with a greatly altered state of awareness. There are incredible professors here at Leeward CC… Professor Oishi stands apart in distinction.”

Susan Lum, professor of English literature and Arts and Humanities Division chair, at Leeward CC, states, “Michael embodies many of the qualities one hopes to see in a leader: diligence, humility, hard work, attention to detail and an eagerness to embrace challenges for the betterment of others.”

Over the years, Michael’s willingness to take on difficult tasks and his commitment to improving the work of the college and its employees has earned him not only a reputation as someone who is dependable, creative and efficient but also someone who cares deeply about people.

Mitchell Okamura

Mitchell Okamura is an assistant professor of speech at Honolulu Community College.

Through encouraging an active, experiential approach to classroom learning, Okamura embodies the principle of Ma ka hana ka ʻike (in doing, one learns). He penned a quote that he often shares with his students, “To be something you have never been, you have to do things you have never done.” He focuses on getting students to do different things via activity-based learning everyday and building pilina (relationships) with each other, the course content and the instructor.

“After the pandemic, I had no motivation to attend any in-person classes that weren’t specifically related to my major,” said a student. “On my first day of speech class, I was so nervous. However, after experiencing Speech 151 with Mr. Okamura, my outlook changed. I felt motivated for the first time in a long time and actually had faith that I would pass the class and have fun while doing it.”

Okamura earned hisBA in speech and MA in communicology from UH Mānoa. He started his career in education in 2004, and has taught in the UH system as a graduate assistant, lecturer, instructor and assistant professor.

Nicole Reyes

Nicole Reyes is an associate professor of educational administration in the UH Mānoa College of Education. She shares the vision of UH Mānoa’s strategic plan: “the education of students is the core mission of the University; it is the reason we exist.”

To be a faculty at home on Oʻahu means she is serving those who represent the potential and future of what our institutions of higher education could be. Her students respect that her teaching is grounded in social justice, saying that “her deep passion for education has shaped my future research.”

A graduate student said Reyes was not only an “expert on qualitative research, but genuinely invested in fostering a collective and communal learning environment.”

Students said Reyes’ mentoring practices of inviting them into co-presenting and co-authoring with her, provide an experience of “what it means to be a serious faculty mentor and researcher,” inspiring students “to emulate the radical care with their own future students.”

A student said, “She turned my PhD experience from black and white into color.”

Stephanie Teves

Stephanie Teves is an associate professor in the department of women, gender and sexuality studies in the UH Mānoa College of Social Sciences. Teves connects with local students through a shared sense of place and welcomes students new to �鶹��ý by applauding their sense of adventure.

“Under her guidance, I became a haumāna (student) who did not simply complete coursework but became enthralled with researching and received a scholarship for a project with Dr. Teves as my project mentor,” said a student.

Teves encourages students to learn from one another and explore who they are in a global sense. Her teaching has included the development of an undergraduate certificate in queer studies.

Another student said, “All of her students were treated with utmost respect and given the space to learn enthusiastically, while being sensitive to the differences that exist among us.”

A colleague said, “A beloved teacher, mentor and kumu, a visionary thinker, Lani has pursued undertakings that have transformed the educational landscape of the university.”

Richard Wallsgrove

Richard Wallsgrove is an associate professor in the William S. Richardson School of Law. An alumnus of the school, he attributes his approaches to teaching to those from whom he learned.

He is described by colleagues as being on the cutting edge of clean energy law. He believes in and aligns his teaching with the mission of UH Mānoa as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, with respect for ʻāina (land) and engaging students in understanding how atmospheric dynamics is explained and rationalized in Hawaiian and other Indigenous cultures.

Students describe him as embodying principles of empathy, rigor, passion and respect, saying “he makes us better.” Colleagues speak to how “In these polarized times where schools, colleges, and law school campuses alike are struggling with polarization, Rich’s thoughtful brilliance stands out.” As a teacher, mentor and colleague, he is, “a teacher’s teacher in every sense,” and respectful and sensitive to the needs of students from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Aubrey Weston

Aubrey Weston is an instructor and coordinator for UH Maui College’s accounting program. Her commitment to teaching is evident in the numerous nominations she received for the award for teaching excellence.

Students praise Weston for her willingness to go above and beyond to support their learning journey. A student said, “Her enthusiasm for teaching shines through as she acts not only as a professor but also as a mentor, guiding students through complex concepts with clarity and patience.”

Weston’s organizational skills and professionalism create a conducive learning environment, where students can easily navigate course materials and assignments. Her creativity makes learning enjoyable and engaging for her students.

A student said, “I can say that I love taking accounting, and this is 100% thanks to Aubrey.”

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

Rosanna Alegado

Rosanna Alegado is an associate professor of oceanography in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST). Her work involves meaningful academic collaborations and partnerships with Indigenous communities.

She led SOEST’s significant curriculum revision toward a required immersive course to ground all incoming graduate students in an understanding of working as marine biologists within Hawaiian culture. Its success has been recognized by the National Science Foundation with multi-year funding to foreground Indigenous knowledge, practices and values, and to transform and Indigenize higher education in STEM.

Alegado is regarded as an influential educator for other teaching faculty, as well as her students. She said, “By challenging my students to integrate multiple didactic frameworks, one can achieve the most comprehensive understanding of a subject.”

Her colleagues say that “Rosie is not popular by being easy,” and that “her efforts are the epitome of teaching exceptionalism.”

Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker

Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker is an associate professor of theatre and dance in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� College of Arts, Languages & Letters. As a steward of Indigenous knowledge, she fulfilled that kuleana (responsibility) by building the Hawaiian Theatre Program, the only one of its kind focused primarily on performance.

A colleague, who was also her student in Hawaiian language, views the experience of acting in her productions as a master class in pedagogy. ”Professor Baker is continually supporting students and others in the production of 40 performers in speaking and singing lines individually and collectively. [She was] clearly the director throughout, nevertheless each actor (students) and production staff (teachers) were all made to feel their work was necessary and appreciated.”

Baker is internationally recognized, the first from �鶹��ý to receive the Kennedy Center’s Medallion of Excellence. A reviewer of her plays describes them as “guides to restoring language and reclaiming the stories of generations of Indigenous populations; gifts to a culture whose language and history have been suppressed. Her transformative work shines through the passion, voice and aloha spirit of her students.”

Richard C. Chen

Richard C. Chen is an associate professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�. He brings patience and empathy to all his interactions with students, never assuming the problem is with the students. This tenet is a teaching practice that extends into a way of modeling for the students as they enter the profession of law, as lawyers who seek to listen, learn and improve throughout their careers.

A cohort of 19 evening students for four straight semesters signed an enthusiastic letter of support for Chen, stating they “collectively hope that our endorsement can begin to illuminate our appreciation of his talents as an educator and the positive impact he made during the formative stages of our legal education.”

A colleague stated, “Who wouldn’t want to be in his classes? He is a professor whose empathy, kindness, brilliance and skill shine through in everything he does and it is elevating, inspirational and contagious.”

Lincoln A. Gotshalk

Lincoln A. Gotshalk is a professor of kinesiology and exercise science in the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo’s College of Natural and Health Sciences. He is a musculoskeletal physiologist, anatomist and exercise physiologist with a strong background in muscular strength and power training and total body systemic response to exercise and stress.

He advises students, and teaches anatomy and physiology, research methods, nutrition and the science of diet and weight control, basic and advanced kinesiology courses, physiology of exercise and the science behind athletic training programs. Gotshalk is the director of the Laboratory for Exercise Sciences, which manages concurrent research projects.

“Dr. Gotshalk most definitely has the ability to make every student feel appreciated and an important part of both the classroom and the lab group,” noted a nominator. “The experiences I have gained are ones I will never forget and I am thankful for all he has done to help me find my place in the UH Hilo community.”

Karadeen Kam-Kalani

Karadeen Kam-Kalani is a professor of speech at Honolulu Community College. Her teaching philosophy recognizes that positive encouragement goes a long way in helping students gain the confidence they need to become better public speakers.

She is an inspiring and motivating instructor who strives to provide an environment for her students to foster self-discovery, steady improvement and growing confidence.

One student, self-conscious about his stutter, was nervous about taking a speech class. In Kam-Kalani’s course, however, he learned to take a breath between sentences, use hand gestures to complement his talking points, and engage his audience with thoughtful questions. Her positive feedback helped him to improve his speaking capabilities.

The highlight of his learning journey came when one of his speeches was chosen as an example for other students to emulate. When he was asked how this recognition made him feel, his face lit up and he said, “I felt awesome!”

Tiffany-Joy Kawaguchi

Tiffany-Joy Kawaguchi, serves as the program director and interim academic fieldwork coordinator in the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program at Kapiʻolani Community College. Kawaguchi is an occupational therapist (OT) with more than 22 years of experience.

In 2015, Kawaguchi started a federally funded pro-bono clinic for the OTA program based on her belief that through doing, students become what they have the capacity to be. She utilizes meaningful experiences and intentional practice opportunities to help students access and then apply critical pieces of information to the OT process.

“Dr. Tiff is undeniably dedicated to enabling her students to succeed,” said an OTA program student. “She accommodates numerous learning styles, grades fairly and offers detailed feedback so we know how to improve. Despite the endless list of things she has to do, she makes each one of us feel valued.”

In 2016, Kawaguchi received the Laura N. Dowsett OT of the Year Award from the OT Association of �鶹��ý and was selected to represent Kapiʻolani CC in the inaugural �鶹��ý Association for Career and Technical Education Emerging CTE Leader Program in 2018. In 2021, Kawaguchi was awarded the Francis Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

Kamuela Kimokeo

Kamuela Kimokeo is the director of the �鶹��ý Music Institute and head of the music program at Windward Community College, where he teaches ʻukulele and slack key guitar. He created the groundbreaking Kaʻohekani Hawaiian music certificate–a series of 8-week online classes taught by some of �鶹��ý’s legendary artists.

Kimokeo shares his passion for music and instills in his students the joy of learning.

“I’ve come away from his courses a better musician and have a much better understanding and appreciation for the music of �鶹��ý,” said one student. “I am very proud to say that I have composed my own song.”

The American Educational Research Association recently recognized Kimokeo for his research on song composition and performance as educational tools of personal empowerment. He earned his PhD in curriculum and instruction with a music emphasis, and his MEdT from UH ����ԴDz�.

Kimokeo performs with Jerry Santos and his own Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning group Hiʻikua.

Monica LaBriola

Monica LaBriola is an assistant professor of history in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� College of Arts, Languages & Letters. Her work focuses on engaging, yet challenging approaches to the area of Pacific studies, at the forefront of instructional excellence at UH ����ԴDz�, while touching lives beyond the academic community.

At public forums and conferences, LaBriola draws diverse cultural workers passionate about the Pacific region as well as academics. Her guidance and vision on the development of resources in this area is praised by a colleague, who said that LaBriola’s editorship of Teaching Oceania has impacted education across �鶹��ý, the Pacific, nationally and internationally.

She initiated and led two cohorts of Women in Pacific Studies, and is lauded by colleagues and students for successfully supporting the education of the student community experiencing the least educational equity at UH ����ԴDz� and across the UH System.

A cohort member wrote, “Professor LaBriola acknowledges the complexity of the university and encourages us to continue in academia while also dreaming of alternatives to knowledge production and dissemination.”

Donald K. Maruyama

Donald K. Maruyama is a culinary arts professor at Leeward Community College. Prior to joining Leeward CC as a chef instructor in 2007, he spent more than 20 years in the food and beverage industry.

He served as the culinary arts program coordinator from 2016 to 2020. For the past three years, Maruyama has been the professional arts and technology division chair, overseeing the automotive technology, culinary arts and digital media programs.

“Don’s strength as an instructor is his enthusiasm to share his personal experiences to his students about how true and real it is working in the industry as he does not sugarcoat,” said Ron Umehira, dean of career and technical education. “His strengths as a program and division colleague are his patience to listen, gather the facts, analyze and then support the best course of action.”

Maruyama attended Kapiʻolani Community College, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� and Grinnell College. He currently serves as a Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation advisory board member, Hawaii Food & Wine Festival committee member, and on the board of directors for Hawaii Restaurant Association Education Foundation.

Summer Maunakea

Summer Maunakea is an assistant professor in curriculum studies in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� College of Education. She grounds her teaching practices in academic rigor, agency and aloha. A colleague described observing her as “expertly weaving place-based teaching and learning, ʻāina (land)-based education and stewardship and Indigenous epistemology and practice.”

She holds herself to high expectations as a teacher, knowing her instruction must have a positive intergenerational impact for students to grow holistically into healthy individuals capable of making pono (righteous) decisions and contributing to their communities.

“For me, this is what love looks like in education,” said a graduate student. “The love and community that Professor Maunakea cultivates in the classroom supports immense intellectual experimentation and risk taking. I am immensely grateful for her teaching.”

To a senior colleague, her teaching, research and service are considered to be “visionary, meaningfully advocating for Indigenous education, sustainability, eco-justice, inclusive outdoor education and school-community partnerships.”

Alexander Stokes

Alexander Stokes is an assistant professor of cell and molecular biology at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�. They developed practices to create inclusive, rigorous classroom settings with each student fully engaged. One method, Problem-Based Learning, values students directing their own learning, developing team-learning skills and assuming very active roles in their education.

Stokes developed a tool kit for inclusive pedagogy reflecting under-represented, predominantly female, low-income, first-generation students in undergraduate classes. A student said, “Professor Stokes utilizes a cutting-edge hybrid teaching style that unlocks students’ intellectual potential by acting as a conductor of a symphony in a collaborative learning orchestra. I was imbued with a passion and was inspired to further academic pursuits.”

A colleague said, “Alex is that professor, the one who transports students to a new view of themselves. Stokes is a leader in pedagogical innovation at the interface between biology, biomedicine and data science education in �鶹��ý.”

Shawn Sumiki

Shawn Sumiki is an instructor of culinary arts at �鶹��ý Community College. Known for his outstanding work ethic, calm demeanor and generosity, Sumiki has taught at �鶹��ý CC since 2008 and is an alumnus of the program he now leads.

Culinary Arts students value his talent and experience, and appreciate the positive environment he creates in the program.

“Chef Shawn is an incredible teacher, and I am so grateful to have him as my culinary instructor,” one student wrote in support of his nomination. “He creates a friendly environment around him that encourages learning and growth.”

Sumiki is very supportive of campus events and collaborates frequently with community partners on opportunities that provide students with real-world experience and networking in the food and hospitality industry. He has donated his time and talent preparing meals to support disaster relief efforts on �鶹��ý Island. In 2019, Sumiki was honored with the �鶹��ý Community College Outstanding Service Award.

Maureen Tabura

Maureen “Mo” Tabura is an assistant professor in the nursing program at Kauaʻi Community College and has been teaching for more than 17 years. She has been the nursing program coordinator since 2016. She and Division Chair Tammie Napoleon are the face of the Kauaʻi CC nursing program.

“Professor Maureen ʻMoʻ Tabura is one of a kind. Her commitment to teaching is immeasurable,” said nursing student Ma Suerte Rebucal. “She is not only excellent in imparting her knowledge through her life-changing lectures, but she brings out the best in us. I have encountered great lecturers as well as teachers who bring out the best in their students, but I have never seen someone who does both except for Professor Mo.”

Tabura earned her BS of Nursing at the College of New Jersey, and her Masters in Nursing Education from UH ����ԴDz�. She was a UH Community Colleges Leadership Champion from 2011 to 2012. She has been a board member of Kauai United Way since 1996, receiving the Founders Award in 2008. Tabura also served on the Kauaʻi County Board of Ethics from 2014 to 2018.

Eli Tsukayama

Eli Tsukayama is an associate professor of marketing at UH West Oʻahu. His research focuses on understanding individual differences (e.g., personality traits) that can be used to segment and understand target markets. He has an extensive background in statistics as well as seven years of experience working in the corporate world as an Information Technology consultant.

One of Tsukayama’s students said, “Although I was nervous in the beginning with his reminder of how hard the course was, I decided to stick it out and I’m glad I did because I learned a lot of life lessons from him—to take criticism as a lesson, or how to properly ask qualitative and quantitative questions.”

Tsukayama was among the authors of “A megastudy of text-based nudges encouraging patients to get vaccinated at an upcoming doctor’s appointment.” The paper was published on April 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the official journal of the National Academy of Sciences and one of the world’s most-cited and comprehensive multidisciplinary scientific journals.

Rosemary Vierra

Rosemary “Rosie” Vierra is a professor and the coordinator for UH Maui College’s dental hygiene program. She has taught in the program since 2008. Many students attest to Vierra’s dedication and passion for the success of her students as evident in the hours she spends teaching, coordinating and striving to elevate the program.

One student described Vierra’s authentic concern for student well-being and success: “She always puts the students first and makes us feel like our voices matter. She not only cares about our success but also our personal well-being. She is a big advocate for mental health, which I appreciate very much.”

Vierra’s energy and connection with the community enable her to create enriching learning opportunities such as service learning, outreach to public high schools and partnerships with businesses and organizations that provide students valuable experiences in the field.

One student said, “Since the beginning of our cohort in the fall of 2021, she has gone above and beyond for us students to succeed. Her priority is always to help us succeed, whether it’s volunteering to help us meet our clinical requirements to finding us patients.”

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� will celebrate 30 of its finest faculty, staff and students with various teaching, research and service awards at the 2023 ����ԴDz� Awards Ceremony.

The annual awards ceremony will be held Monday, May 1 at 3:30 p.m. at Kennedy Theatre.

UH President David Lassner and UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno, along with Board of Regents Chair Randy Moore will honor the award recipients and celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals. .

2023 UH ����ԴDz� Awards winners

• Rosanna ʻAnolani Alegado, associate professor, oceanography
• Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, associate professor, theatre and dance
• Richard Chen, associate professor, law
• Monica LaBriola, assistant professor, history
• Summer Puanani Maunakea, assistant professor, curriculum studies
• Alexander Stokes, assistant professor, cell and molecular biology

• Kenneth Chambers, astronomer, astronomy
• Jeffrey Drazen, professor, oceanography
• Shadia Habbal, astronomer/faculty chair, astronomy

• E. Kalikoaloha Martin Jr., instructor, Hawaiian language

• Manca Sustarsic, PhD candidate, educational foundations

• Chet-Yeng Loong, professor, music

• Mary Shin Kim, associate professor, Korean linguistics
• Hannah-Hanh Nguyen, associate professor, management
• Kevin Nute, professor, architecture
• Jayson Parba, instructor, Filipino language and culture
• Tyler Ray, assistant professor, mechanical engineering
• Jamie Simpson Steele, professor, education

• Maggie McGehee, university scheduler, Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Excellence
• Siausage (Sonny) Ugaitafa, equipment operator, Campus Operations
• Elaine Nakahashi, secretary, Department of Anthropology
• Thomas Tsutsumoto, junior specialist, ����ԴDz� Career Center

• Winona Lee, associate professor/director, John A. Burns School of Medicine

• Kathryn Braun, professor, public health

• Siobhán Ní Dhonacha, faculty specialist/academic advisor, Honors Program

• Wendy Kawabata, professor, art and art history
• Craig Nelson, associate researcher, oceanography

• Jason Hinkle, PhD candidate, astronomy
• Xiaojie (Sherry) Xu, PhD candidate, mechanical engineering

• Binierose Cacho, special programs coordinator, Office of Enrollment Management

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity, and personal values that benefit students. Troy Andrade, Daniel Harris-Mcoy, Laurie James, Peiling Kao, Drew Kapp, Bryan Kim, Duke I. Lang, Kyra Anne Len, Alyssa MacDonald, Kevin Omuro, Gabriel David Peckham, Bridget Smith-Konter, Kevin Takayama, Bennett Zazzera and Wei Zhang received the award for 2022.

Troy Andrade, UH ����ԴDz�

Troy Andrade is an associate professor of the . He considers himself a direct beneficiary of the legacy of the heart and soul of the Ulu Lehua Scholars Program. Thirty-four prior and current Lehua Scholars write at length about feeling “privileged to call Professor Andrade our inspirational, exceptional, fearless director and leader.”

Andrade teaches courses in the areas of social justice lawyering, legal writing and �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s legal history, “some of the most time intensive, rigorous and high impact courses at the law school.” His colleagues describe him as a generous, hardworking and professional spirit.

While incorporating traditional law teaching methods, he also tries to make the class accessible so students grasp the tremendous kuleana they must shoulder as future lawyers. One strategy Andrade utilizes is that students roleplay as judges or lawyers as an alternative to using traditional Socratic dialogue. He builds in assessment options throughout the semester rather than a single high stakes exam. He also takes his teachings off campus to resources and repositories available across the state.

Daniel Harris-McCoy, UH ����ԴDz�

Daniel Harris-McCoy is an associate professor of classics in the . He wants his students to develop a vision; to see their lives as a series of wonders, ideas and challenges to be solved.

He has developed a productive dialectical relationship between his research and teaching. In teaching the rhythmic nature of Latin verb endings, Harris-McCoy challenged a student-musician to set the endings to a hip-hop beat. Professor and student then recorded two albums to support teaching Latin and Greek. He speaks of an aesthetic of “juiciness” in academe to counter formal, overly rigid thought and behavior.

A student writes: “He engaged us all on our human levels; as I imagined ancient Greece was, a meeting of intellectuals as equals, learning from one other. I LOVED THIS CLASS!”

Harris-McCoy secured and refurbished a classroom to resemble a medieval scriptorium or Renaissance antiquarian study, enabling students to sit together accordingly, rather than in the typical campus classroom space.

Laurie James, UH West Oʻahu

Laurie James is an associate professor of math education at UH West Oʻahu. Since joining the in August 2016, she has become a co-facilitator of the Math Teachers’ Circle of �鶹��ý (MaTCH) sessions that promote inquiry-based investigations, intrinsic motivation and hands-on pedagogical approaches. Professional educators participate in the MaTCH meetings multiple times each semester solving mathematical problems so they can anticipate where their students might struggle.

The award comes one year after James was selected for The Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2021).

James’ students have stated she goes above and beyond. “If there are any questions or concerns, she is always willing to meet with her students before or after class to ensure we are confident in completing the assignments or tasks. During our lectures, she is always so positive and enthusiastic which makes the learning fun and engaging as well,” said one student.

Since 2017, James has collaborated in various STEM and robotics events. She helps to create student-friendly activities through mathematical challenges, the engineering design process, make-and-take stations and robotic quests.

Peiling Kao, UH ����ԴDz�

Peiling Kao is an associate professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance in the . She is a working artist whose teaching is driven by a concept of embodied cognition: that while mind connects with body, body influences mind, and by integrating the complementary pedagogies of both Taiwan and the U.S.

Kao focuses on improvisational practice through movement rather than improvising with codified dance steps. This expands the inclusivity of her classes to anyone interested in exploring movement, and no previous dance experience is needed.

Students create unique and meaningful choreographies that go beyond entertaining and showcasing. They report that her “no mirror” classes truly liberate them to take risks and become aware of their space. Depending on the energy flow and responses she receives from students, she determines how to honor the original intentions of her materials while making in-the-moment changes to engage her students to develop movement and performance skills of mindfulness, clarity, articulation and subtlety.

A colleague credits her with significantly elevating the artistic level of the department’s student dance performances.

Drew Kapp, �鶹��ý CC

Drew Kapp is an instructor of at �鶹��ý Community College. An educator and a champion for student success, Kapp is known for his commitment to place-based learning, Native Hawaiian culture and sustainability. Students seek out his classes for the enriching experiences they provide, particularly the huaka‘i (field trips) Kapp leads to wahi pana (special places) around �鶹��ý Island.

“As his student, I can’t emphasize enough how much I’ve learned on these place-based learning excursions about geography, Hawaiian culture, and even myself,” wrote one former student.

An innovative instructor, Kapp is dedicated to the design and implementation of outstanding undergraduate curricula. His “interest in course development is driven by his keen concern for his students,” a colleague wrote, “fostering in them a strong sense of place, while focused on the value of teaching excellence.”

Kapp is also regarded as a kind, dedicated colleague who inspires others through his active participation on campus committees and other aspects of campus life.

Bryan Kim, UH Hilo

Bryan Kim is the chair of the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo division of social sciences in the .

“Dr. Kim demonstrates the best of what it means to be an inspirational professor, mentor and guide for future counseling psychologists,” said a student. “Not only is he firmly rooted in the rigor of research psychology, he is a compassionate, person-centered, ethical and experienced counselor who demonstrates in each class discussion the value of empathy, multi-cultural competence and constant scrutiny of one’s bias when serving the community.”

He joined UH Hilo’s Department of Psychology in 2006 as an associate professor and was promoted to full professor with tenure in 2008. From 2008 to 2020, Kim served as the director of the MA program in counseling psychology.

“Every week he is prepared and delivers a lecture that consistently introduces contextual nuance, history and current developments relating to the topic,” said another student. “He encourages lively conversation and discussion, reminding us that no topic is off limits and reflecting on what we all, including he, can learn from one another.”

Kim is also a licensed mental health counselor with the State of �鶹��ý.

Duke I. Lang, Kauaʻi CC

Born and raised on Kauaʻi, Duke I. Lang has been a instructor at Kauaʻi Community College for nine years. He said he encountered disrespect during his educational journey, and, as a result, he decided, “If I am ever a boss or leader, I will never treat anyone under my supervision like I have been treated.”

Lang treats his students with great respect in a friendly atmosphere. He mentors and provides them with experiential learning activities. He has developed internship opportunities to bridge their education with practical, vocational industry experience, and established community partnerships to create seamless pathways for students to transition into the workforce.

He demonstrates leadership in planning, coordinating and supervising endeavors. Lang also works on various community projects in partnership with Kamehameha Schools and Habitat for Humanity. He guides Native Hawaiian students participating in the Kaiʻkaʻi Aʻo Projects, which enables them to succeed beyond the classroom.

These learning opportunities provide trade-based experience, and allow his students the chance to mālama their community. Lang clearly perpetuates the essence of aloha through his steadfast leadership and demonstration of kuleana (responsibility to his community), kokua (helping others) and haʻahaʻa (humility).

Kyra Anne Len, UH ����ԴDz�

Kyra Anne Len is an associate professor of medical education and pediatrics at the . Len motivates and challenges students and residents to learn to care for patients, rather than merely treating ailments.

The launching of a new learning community curriculum provides an opportunity for deeper conversations among students, many who give testimony to having changed their field of practice entirely due to Len’s influence as their teacher and mentor. She diversifies the content and approach within each week to include presentations and seminars, workshops and bedside teaching with patients involved.

Beyond that, a colleague credits her with transforming the department through her many contributions. She has led innovative curriculum initiatives adopted by JABSOM and nationally, including a boot-camp for fourth year students and a “point-of-care” tool for pediatric diagnosis now available on phones. Len is credited with creating an environment that is growing clinically competent, culturally sensitive, professional leaders committed to serving their communities.

Alyssa MacDonald, Leeward CC

Alyssa MacDonald is an assistant professor in biology at Leeward Community College. She teaches several biology, zoology and aquaponics classes for the . She is an outgoing and passionate instructor who strives to make a difference in the lives of her students by providing real-world applications of the course material and guidance for their future careers.

Students find her teaching style engaging and commented on her kind demeanor. One student said, “She has a sense of duty, is committed to excellence, and encourages others to do the same. She is a highly sought-after instructor who does more than teach; she helps her students to achieve and instills confidence in learning that is carried over into all aspects of their lives. Professor MacDonald is highly dependable, considerate and respected by her students and her peers.”

MacDonald is the biology discipline coordinator and Marine Option Program coordinator for Leeward CC and works closely with local organizations to provide research and internship opportunities for students.

Kevin Omuro, UH Maui College

Kevin Omuro is a lecturer in at UH Maui College. He is a licensed dentist who has been practicing in �鶹��ý since 1986.

As a lecturer, Omuro has taught many classes at UH Maui College including oral histology and embryology; pathology in dental hygiene and special patient populations; oral pathology in dental hygiene; applied pharmacology in dentistry; and clinical dental hygiene. Omuro’s passion is helping his students learn and watching them grow. He is always trying new ways to make his classes exciting and interesting.

Omuro’s students and colleagues commend him on his patience and commitment to helping students become the best hygienists that they can be. One student stated, “Dr. Omuro not only shows passion for teaching but has a drive to provide real world application for his students to strive in their careers. He goes above and beyond.”

Another student said, “He’s very understanding that we are all new to this… He teaches very hard subjects in a way that makes us understand them so easily.”

Gabriel David Peckham, Honolulu CC

Gabriel David Peckham is an instructor at and a proud graduate of UH Mānoa, where he earned his PhD in molecular biosciences and bioengineering. He often teaches challenging but essential courses such as anatomy and physiology.

Peckham has demonstrated a commitment to student-centered teaching. A student said they “felt more confident in my achieving career goals” after completing his class. Students also mentioned Peckham’s “cool approach to utilize mnemonic techniques to master the bone structure” and “well-designed experiments help us understand the relationship between cells, tissues, organs and systems.”

In addition to teaching, he is a strong advocate for undergraduate research. Peckham has been the principal investigator of a local biotechnology company and continues to be involved with numerous local and international groups including UH‘s Institutional Biosafety Committee and the Biosensor Journal board. He founded and self-published Kipaku Kai, a graphic novel.

Bridget Smith-Konter, UH ����ԴDz�

Bridget Smith-Konter is a professor of geophysics in the at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa. She is masterful at connecting with students of all academic interests, abilities, learning styles and personal backgrounds.

Her classes mix lectures with interactive Q&A sessions highlighted with stunning still or animated imagery, and punctuated with short videos and group activities. One student said “most noteworthy, she makes us feel like a valuable addition to a research team and as a human being in her life.”

Outside the classroom, “her contributions and influence on STEM education is truly extraordinary and may well be unmatched.” She leads by example and brings her heart into all her university and community projects. Her endeavors to “make Earth science accessible to underrepresented groups including Native Hawaiians are pertinent to an enriched and sustainable livelihood within �鶹��ý.”

It is a testament to her quality as an educator that she can communicate scientific principles to a diverse group of people, effectively tailoring information and learning from her audience in return.

Kevin Takayama, Windward CC

Kevin Takayama is a mathematics instructor at . Students said Kevin Takayama is the ultimate encourager; the one who pushes them to always “Do [their] best.” There is no such thing as “I can’t” or “I give up.”

Focused on reaching all types of students, Takayama has taught Early College, �鶹��ýloa and TRiO Summer Bridge. He piloted the first self-paced math course and eight-week accelerated model.

He excels in building relationships with his students and meeting their needs. Takayama has offered courses in all modes of instruction (even before COVID-19) such as online asynchronous and synchronous, hybrid and face-to-face.

One student said, “I went from dropping out of math senior year of high school to getting an A in math my very first semester in college, when I felt that I had no future in school and I thought I was going to fail. I am so thankful that I had Kevin Takayama my first semester of college because I can honestly say that he has changed my life. Since his class I have made the Dean’s List twice, joined Phi Theta Kappa and now have a 3.9 GPA.”

Bennett Zazzera, Kapiʻolani CC

Bennett Zazzera is an instructor and program director of the Kapiʻolani Community College . He strives to create a learning environment that revolves around social interaction and active engagement. He feels that students’ beliefs about their intelligence can impact academic outcomes and that teachers’ expectations can be a motivational driving force to learning.

“My goal is to create a fun and safe classroom environment where all students feel confident and comfortable participating,” Zazzera said.

Students describe his classes as interactive, informative and challenging. They recognize his commitment to student success and his efforts to build an engaging class. One student wrote, “I can tell that he puts a lot of effort in preparing class materials and I just want to thank him for his work.”

Zazzera is a doctor of physical therapy, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy, and a doctoral student in the educational psychology program at UH Mānoa.

Wei Zhang, UH ����ԴDz�

Wei Zhang is a professor in the Department of Sociology in the UH Mānoa . Students describe her as an “inspiring professor” who “radiates genuine positivity and optimism that undeniably motivates us to cultivate our curiosity for learning and empowers us to aspire to attain our potential.”

Zhang views teaching as an adaptive process in response to constantly changing environments such as a pandemic or technological innovations, as well as students’ needs and interests.

Her colleagues hold her in very high esteem, one stating that she is a pillar of the department. Undergraduate students in her class make tremendous transformations from dreading statistics and formulas to finding she makes social statistics interesting and attainable. Graduate students develop into co-presenters and co-authors with Zhang.

In the words of one deeply grateful student, “This is the first time in a long time that I remembered how much fun I have learning and why I keep going to school.”

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� recognized its finest faculty, staff and students with various teaching, research and service awards at its first in-person ����ԴDz� Awards Ceremony since 2019.

The 2022 UH ����ԴDz� Awards Ceremony was held on Monday, May 2 at 3:30 p.m. at Kennedy Theatre.

President David Lassner and Provost Michael Bruno honored the , and awardees and celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals. .

During the ceremony, there was also be a special recognition of the UH COVID-19 Health and Well-Being Working Group and Reinhold Penner of the UH Cancer Center for their COVID-19 campus efforts.

Read more on UH News about our 2020 and 2021 UH ����ԴDz� Award winners.

2022 UH ����ԴDz� Awards winners

• Troy J.H. Andrade, associate professor, law
• Daniel Harris-McCoy, associate professor, classics
• Peiling Kao, associate professor, theatre and dance
• Kyra Anne Len, associate professor, pediatrics
• Bridget Smith-Konter, professor, Earth sciences
• Wei Zhang, professor, sociology

• Brian Popp, professor, Earth sciences
• Rui Sun, assistant professor, chemistry
• Xudong Sun, assistant astronomer, astronomy

• Justin W. Walguarnery, assistant professor, biology

• Hoa Le, graduate teaching assistant, second languages studies

• Denise Antolini, professor, law

• Jennifer Blackwell, assistant professor, music
• Marguerite A. Butler, professor, biology
• Stephanie Furuta, associate specialist, Institute for Teacher Education
• Scott Lozanoff, professor, anatomy, biochemistry and physiology
• Seungoh Paek, associate professor, learning design and technology
• Philip Williams, professor and chair, chemistry

• Herman Ayers, janitor, Buildings and Grounds Management
• Kenton Harsch, director/BA coordinator, English Language Institute
• Tyler Kitagawa, janitor, Buildings and Grounds Management
• Steven Labrash, assistant specialist, anatomy, biochemistry and physiology

• E. Brooke Chapman de Sousa, associate professor, Institute for Teacher Education

• Henrietta Dulai, professor, Earth sciences

• Jill Nakatsu, director of student services, College of Engineering

• Tyler Ray, assistant professor, mechanical engineering
• Stephanie Teves, assistant professor/undergraduate advisor, Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies

• Ashley Chontos, PhD candidate, astronomy
• Samantha Keaulana-Scott, PhD candidate, public health
• Geetika Patwardhan, bachelor’s candidate, molecular and cell biology

• Herman H. Lau, student assistant, General Education Office

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity, and personal values that benefit students.

Bradley Ashburn, Mark Branner, Paul Briggs, Terrence Bruns, Jane Jaeeun Chung-Do, Tanya Dean, Derrick Higginbotham, Kimberly Koide Iwao, Karen Kamahele, Justina Taft Mattos, Wendy Meguro, Mary Mostafanezhad, Trenton Niemi, Wayde Oshiro and Scott Rowland received the 2021 award.

Bradley Ashburn, UH West Oʻahu

Bradley Ashburn is an assistant professor of chemistry at the . His research group focuses on the synthesis and biological evaluation of novel antiparasitic and antifungal compounds.

Many of his former students and researchers have gone on to graduate from professional healthcare programs locally and across the nation. Mentoring students in their journey through academia and beyond is the highlight of his career.
“His positive energy makes class very fun and enjoyable, especially since organic chemistry is a course many students are nervous about and dread taking,” a student said.

After postdoctoral research at UH ����ԴDz�, he spent 10 years at Leeward Community College where he rose to the rank of associate professor teaching biochemistry and organic chemistry coursework. In August 2019, Ashburn embarked on an exciting new adventure joining the dynamic faculty at UH West Oʻahu.

Mark Branner, UH ����ԴDz�

Mark Branner is an assistant professor of theatre and dance in the UH ����ԴDz� . He approaches every professional task with vision, energy and compassion, “traits that define him as a superlative teacher,” according to one of his colleagues.

To Branner, the best teaching, theatrical directing and leadership all pose the question: “How can I benefit you and help you succeed?” and then offer everything possible in service to that. Students view him as the heart and soul of Theater for Young Audiences, and they strive to meet the challenges he sets, earning many awards, fellowships and positions in the profession.

A colleague stated that Branner creates bonds that allow students to trust him implicitly, an essential trait to creating great art. “He rallies others around an idea and vision, with great strength of conviction, tempered by a true caring of people. His students then go forward to create their own stellar projects, unhindered by the obstacles they face. This is the epitome of why he is an outstanding teacher.”

Paul Briggs, Windward CC

Paul Briggs is an economics professor at . Guidance and encouragement are part of what makes Briggs an outstanding teacher.

“I had my reservations about returning to school. During my time in Professor Paul Brigg’s classes I would ask him questions about transferring to UH and the Shidler program. I doubted myself and my ability, but Paul encouraged me that I had what it took to be a great student at WCC and at UH,” said a non-traditional student. “I am currently in my capstone class at UH and will graduate from Shidler with a 4.0 and I can’t say I would be here if it wasn’t for Mr. Briggs’ encouragement. Sometimes a person just needs to have another person to truly believe in them.”

Briggs provides consistent support for student success. He believes in them, and is a person that sees their potential and is passionate about seeing that potential achieved. His students have a deep gratitude to him for providing them with a great education, solid advice and encouragement to succeed in life.

Terrence Bruns, Kauaʻi CC

Terrence Bruns is an assistant professor in biological science at . He has been an educator on Kauaʻi since 1990 and started teaching at Kauaʻi CC in 2004.

“I believe that one learns by doing. As an educator you need to be passionate about your subject matter. It is more than just listing and memorizing a bunch of facts. It is important to try and light the spark for the love of learning. You need to provide opportunities and make learning a personal endeavor,” Bruns said.

Bruns has been recognized by his peers and students as a 2012 recipient of the Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. His dedication to his students extends well beyond the classroom and is evidenced by their academic and professional success.

One Kauaʻi CC student said, “His anatomy and physiology class not only teaches us the facts but focuses on understanding and applying the knowledge to answer the questions that arise. This understanding inspires us as students to become critical thinkers and leaders that can make good decisions.”

Jane Jaeeun Chung-Do, UH ����ԴDz�

Jane Jaeeun Chung-Do is an associate professor in the Office of Public Health Studies in the UH ����ԴDz� . She begins her work with students from the classroom leading up to their extensive community practicums by co-developing a Brave Space Agreement. These set the terms of engagement regarding equitability, accountability, intentionality, confidentiality, compassion, critical thought and cultural adeptness, all tenets that flow continuously between classroom and community.

A medical professional colleague observed that Chung-Do ensures student education is “not solely theory-based, rather it centers on the needs of �鶹��ý‘s communities and true community-based approaches to disparities work. She leads by example, inspiring those around her to impact the health of �鶹��ý‘s communities.”

A former student wrote that she “was only able to take one class with Dr. Chung-Do. Yet, this class was the most iconic course of my master’s in public health journey. At completion of the course, she suggested publishing our group project and continued to guide me through that process until it was published.”

Tanya Dean, �鶹��ý CC–������������Գܾ�

Tanya Dean is an assistant professor of English at the in Kona. Dean’s passion for student learning is seen in her relentless focus on what is best for students.

One student said the individualized attention Dean provided is a major reason he succeeded in her class and learned skills he continues to use throughout his higher education career. “She had aloha for me and my classmates, and believed in all of our success,” the student wrote.

Dean has taught at �鶹��ý CC since 2011. Her colleagues are impressed by her talent as a teacher and her ability to create engaging, interactive class sessions that support student learning. In addition, they noted Dean’s continual commitment to maintaining her exceptional level of instruction. “She is the epitome of excellence in teaching,” her colleague stated, “and our students and this college are lucky to have her.”

Derrick Higginbotham, UH ����ԴDz�

Derrick Higginbotham is an associate professor of English in the UH ����ԴDz� . His classroom atmosphere is described as one of intellectual vigor that enables students to excel as readers and thinkers, in a spectrum of course topics from Shakespeare, medieval literature, early modern British literature, African literature and queer theory.

His teaching philosophy is rooted in the power of intellectual surprises born of the need to present a complex, globalized, premodern history as legible to students, no matter the student’s background. Students speak of Higginbotham’s agility in engaging them with texts distant temporally, linguistically and culturally from a modern-day mindset.

Higginbotham collaborated with UH ����ԴDz� librarians and created opportunities for students to navigate the conventions of the university and Wikipedia, doing independent research and collaborating with editors outside the academy. Colleagues refer to him as having a “highly affirmative pedagogy,” absolutely convinced that “the department has in Professor Higginbotham a master teacher.”

Kimberly Koide Iwao, Kapiʻolani CC

Kimberly Koide Iwao is an instructor for the legal education program at . She is described as a consummate teacher and learner.

Iwao teaches several introductory classes as well as the capstone internship course for the Legal Education Program. She effectively incorporates real-world experiences as a licensed practicing attorney into her course content and continues to hone her facilitation skills for the online environment.

Students find her teaching style engaging. One student observed how Iwao “reformatted her lesson plan to accommodate a pure online learning experience.”

In 2018, Iwao founded Kapiʻolani CC’s Legal Education Program’s Estate Planning Clinic, which allows her students to interact with clients while giving pro bono services to them.

Iwao is currently a doctoral student at the UH ����ԴDz� in the learning design and technology department. She spends her free time with her husband, two children and two dogs.

Karen Kamahele, Honolulu CC

Karen Kamahele is a fashion technology instructor at with expertise in computer aided design and volume manufacturing. She started as a lecturer at Honolulu CC in 1996 while still managing the design department at Hilo Hattie, and has more than three decades of fashion industry experience.

The Kaimukī native is a proud Honolulu CC graduate of the fashion design and merchandising (now named fashion technology) program and an alumna of UH ����ԴDz�. Growing up, Kamahele was consistently reminded that “Education is the key to success,” and shares her wisdom to help students.

When the pandemic hit, Kamahele responded by pre-bundling materials for students and ensured they had everything they needed for class at home. Colleagues and students describe her teaching as compassionate and motivating.

She sparks in her students the desire to reach higher and has worked to smooth the transfer pathway for students who decide to continue their education. A student said, “She amazes us with all things she does and yet still finds time to give us guidance, hope and encouragement in our studies.”

Justina Taft Mattos, UH Hilo

Justina Taft Mattos is an assistant professor of drama and performing arts at the . Theatre about life in �鶹��ý is her passion, and she has been commissioned to direct plays by local and non-local playwrights for theatres on the island.

In addition to traditional theatre settings, Mattos has worked in less traditional formats, using students and community actors to develop live or videotaped dramatic vignettes and presentations for the Performing Arts Department as well as for organizations such as the ʻImiloa Astronomy Center and UH Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy.

Mattos was raised in �鶹��ý and is an alumna of UH Hilo, where she focused on theatre arts, as well as Hawaiian language and culture. She earned her MA in theatre from the University of Oregon, and her PhD in theatre history and criticism from UH ����ԴDz�.

As a playwright, Mattos strives to celebrate local culture and to support the use of Hawaiian language in the wider community. She writes works for adults and children utilizing English, �鶹��ý Creole English (Pidgin) and Hawaiian language.

Wendy Meguro, UH ����ԴDz�

Wendy Meguro is an assistant professor in the UH ����ԴDz� . She returned to her alma mater equipped with experience working in New York City as an associate for Atelier Ten, one of the world’s premier environmental design consultants.

Her unique joint appointment—75% School of Architecture, 25% Sea Grant—indicates her distinctive value to the university. She approaches architecture education with an urgent sense of purpose and optimism. A colleague remarked that Meguro’s ARCH 690 Urban Adaptation to Coastal Flooding course is “a most rewarding course, directly informing the City and County of Honolulu’s guidelines on adapting built environment to flooding and sea-level rise projections.”

Another colleague writes, “Professor Meguro’s congenial demeanor belies the urgency of her purpose. Her instruction exhibits impeccable preparation, deeply thought content and rigorous analysis based on empirical data and firsthand experience of case studies. But her deeper mission is moral. She ensures our students have everything they need to steer the world safely clear of the dire consequences of past environmental hubris.”

Mary Mostafanezhad, UH ����ԴDz�

Mary Mostafanezhad is an assistant professor of geography in the UH ����ԴDz� . She teaches courses central to undergraduate and graduate departmental curriculum, which serve as electives for others. She builds her courses to maximize value to students who may or may not have professional interest in the topic by focusing on theoretical insights, and weaving together classic texts, neo-theoretical contributions and examples of innovative methodologies.

Mostafanezhad commits to developing cultural competency among her students, teaching students to connect formal learning in the classroom with informal and experiential knowledge outside the classroom. She provides opportunities to students through practices of informed mentorship, including: co-organizing annual student research symposiums; seeking student publication opportunities; co-publishing with students; and teaching the peer review process.

One student said, “Her seminars are more widely applicable than most; students are introduced to broad theoretical schools which can inform dissertation chapters and journal articles. It is a testament to her subject mastery—and her commitment to interdisciplinarity—that she can build such widely useful reading lists.”

Trenton Niemi, UH Maui College

Trenton Niemi is an anatomy and physiology instructor for the STEM department. Born in Minnesota, Niemi has always been called to the ocean.

His commitment and dedication to his students has been recognized by his colleagues and students. Students laud his ability to make difficult concepts understandable, which is commendable considering the challenging nature of the material (i.e., anatomy, physiology). Students reported that he was an inspiring teacher.

“[He] explains in multiple ways so that we truly understand the information and he is the best instructor I have ever had,” a student wrote.

He moved to �鶹��ý more than 15 years ago and has taught with UH Maui College for 11 years, teaching PHYS 141 and 142 lectures and labs as well as for Kapiʻolani CC’s Emergency Medical Services Training program. In addition to his passion for teaching, Niemi’s interests include bodyboarding, weight lifting and photography. Some of his photography can be seen on the UH Maui College channel.

Wayde Oshiro, Leeward CC

Wayde Oshiro is an associate professor at where he serves as the interim learning commons and library coordinator. He is a collaborative leader who works hard to foster a student-centered learning environment, and is respected as an educator and leader by students, faculty, staff and community across the University of �鶹��ý System.

Since 2015, Oshiro has served as one of the leaders of Open Educational Resources (OER) initiatives for Leeward CC and UH Community Colleges. This initiative has promoted the adoption and supported the development of free OER textbooks and materials for many courses.

He has coordinated and facilitated training on OER for more than 150 instructors from across the seven UH Community College campuses, UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu. This has resulted in total student savings across the UH Community Colleges of $8.7 million since spring 2015. At Leeward CC, 52% of all class sections use free course materials.

Oshiro has transformed the Leeward CC library, increasing productivity and patron satisfaction by implementing new technologies and operational strategies. He assumed additional responsibilities for the Learning Commons in 2020.

Scott Rowland, UH ����ԴDz�

Scott Rowland is a faculty member in the Department of Earth Sciences in the UH ����ԴDz� . Among his colleagues, Rowland is viewed as being “the one faculty that all our students know and love, who leads by far the most field trips, a local born-and-raised bridge to the Native Hawaiian community.”

In his ERTH 104 course, he provides students opportunities to create a stone implement according to ancient Hawaiian methods while learning about stones from a western geological perspective. He strives to motivate each student, sparking their desire to learn on their own and pass on their knowledge.

His work ethic and unique teaching methods have inspired a recent student to become a teacher in the community upon graduating from UH. He described Rowland as going above and beyond the call as a college professor by visiting high schools to lead Earthquake Labs. Rowland is described as “truly the beating heart of the department’s undergraduate program while maintaining a strong research profile.”

Each year, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� honors the leadership and service of its faculty, staff and students committed to enhancing the university’s mission of excellence. The annual in-person ceremony has been transformed for another year due to the ongoing pandemic. UH President David Lassner addressed the 2021 UH ����ԴDz� Awards recipients in a video message. Congratulations to all our awards winners!

2021 ����ԴDz� Awards winners

Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

• Mark Branner, associate professor,
• Jane J. Chung-Do, associate professor,
• Derrick Higginbotham, associate professor, College of Arts, Languages & Letters
• Wendy K. Meguro, assistant professor,
• Mary Mostafanezhad, associate professor,
• Scott K. Rowland, specialist,

Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research is awarded by the University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents in recognition of scholarly contributions that expand the boundaries of knowledge and enrich the lives of students and the community.

• Bruce Houghton, professor, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology
• Fei-Fei Jin, professor, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology
• Angelicque White, associate professor, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology

The Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

The Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for a faculty and a graduate assistant recognizes dedication and demonstrated excellence as teachers of undergraduate students. It was established as a memorial to the late Frances Davis, who taught mathematics at Leeward Community College and UH ����ԴDz� for 19 years.

• A Zachary Trimble, associate professor,

Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for Graduate Teaching Assistants

• Heewon Kwon, PhD candidate, College of Social Sciences

Robert W. Clopton Award for Distinguished Service to the Community

The Robert W. Clopton Award for Distinguished Community Service recognizes a UH ����ԴDz� faculty member for playing a socially significant role by applying intellectual leadership and academic expertise to the improvement of the community. The award was established as a memorial to longtime UH ����ԴDz� College of Education Professor Robert Clopton and first awarded in 1977.

• Thomas E. Jackson, specialist, College of Arts, Languages & Letters

Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching

The Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching recognizes UH ����ԴDz� faculty members who have made significant contributions to teaching and student learning.

• Kasey Barton, associate professor,
• Sonia Ghumman, associate professor,
• Betsy Gilliland, associate professor, College of Arts, Languages & Letters
• Kristi Govella, assistant professor, College of Arts, Languages & Letters
• Pratibha Nerurkar, associate professor,
• Prisic Sladjana, associate professor, College of Natural Sciences

Presidential Award for Outstanding Service

The Presidential Award for Outstanding Service honors a UH ����ԴDz� staff member who demonstrates outstanding work performance, service and leadership.

• Barbara Bruno, specialist,
• Yosuke Jo, maintenance and repair supervisor,
• Lisa Kam, secretary, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
• Lyn Nakagawa, head athletic trainer,

Dr. Amefil “Amy” Agbayani Faculty Diversity Enhancement Award

The Dr. Amefil “Amy” Agbayani Faculty Diversity Enhancement Award from the UH ����ԴDz� Commission on Inclusion and Diversity recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to enhancing diversity. The award was established to recognize Agbayani’s lifetime commitment to diversity and social justice in �鶹��ý. For more than 40 years, she served as the founder and director of the Office of Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity.

• Jennifer Engels, research affiliate, �鶹��ý Institute of Geophysics and Planetology

Peter V. Garrod Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award

Established by the UH ����ԴDz� Graduate Division in 2005, the Peter V. Garrod Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award allows graduate students to nominate faculty for excellent mentoring, one of the foundations of outstanding graduate education.

• Lois Yamauchi, professor, College of Education and graduate chair,

Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research & Creative Work

The Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research and Creative Work was created in 2020 by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at UH ����ԴDz�. The award recognizes up to two tenured/tenure-track faculty mentors each academic year (one from a STEM discipline, and one from a non-STEM discipline) who have shown dedicated and sustained excellence in faculty mentoring of undergraduate students in their research and creative work endeavors.

• Lisette Marie Flanary, associate professor,
• Megan Porter, associate professor, School of Life Sciences

Outstanding Academic Advisor and Academic Unit of the Year Award

The Pakela and ʻOikela Awards are presented by the Council of Academic Advisors which recognizes an individual or unit who, over the past two years, has demonstrated excellence and/or innovation in advising, and/or has made a significant contribution to the advising community.

Pakela Award—Kēhau Newhouse, Maui program coordinator/transfer specialist,

ʻOikela Award—

Student Excellence in Research Award

The Student Excellence in Research Award is awarded by the UH ����ԴDz� Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research in recognition of outstanding scholarly research endeavors by students while they pursue a degree at the doctoral, master’s or bachelor’s level.

• Travis Berger, PhD candidate,
• Viet Sang Doan, MS candidate, College of Engineering
• Victor Kilonzo, BS candidate, and

Student Employee of the Year Award

The Student Employee of the Year Program was created in 1986 by the ����ԴDz� Career Center to recognize and highlight the achievements and contributions of student employees on the UH ����ԴDz� campus.

• Kaylie Hayashida, university scheduler assistant,

Related UH News story: UH ����ԴDz� student employee critical to campus schedule, April 26, 2021

View President Lassner’s message and read more about the winners on the website.

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

Jennifer Byrnes joined the faculty at the as an assistant professor in the social sciences division in fall 2014. She describes her teaching philosophy like learning to fish.

Byrnes says “like fishing, learning takes patience and work, but it can also be fun and it should be fulfilling.”

According to Byrnes, “Students demonstrate meaningful learning when they use critical thinking about new information to solve problems or to reach an answer independently.” She sees her role as part coach and part facilitator.

One student commented in an evaluation, “The thing that impressed me the most about (Professor) Byrnes is that she is willing to spend her time out of the classroom to assist and guide you in your own career, regardless if you are her student or not.” Another student reported, “I enjoy her lectures because it feels like a two way discussion, and she’s always communicating with the class instead of at the class.”

Outside the classroom, Byrnes serves as a member of the Institute of Engaged Scholarship committee at UH West Oʻahu.

Jennifer Darrah-Okike is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology in the ’s College of Social Sciences. She states that “serving as a faculty at UH Mānoa is the great privilege of my life. Students are a major reason.”

Her students hear that message loud and clear and return it with heart-felt reciprocity, saying, “Professor Darrah is hands down my favorite instructor” and “She really cares about us and has brilliant insight that helps us understand.”

Darrah-Okike grounds her practices in theories of multiple intelligences and the effectiveness of visual and kinesthetic classroom activities, and engages in place-based teaching and learning. Her colleagues are proud to have her as a member, as a “true asset to the department who has made a significant contribution to our teaching in areas of theory, urban sociology, race/ethnicity, culture and identity.”

Noelani Goodyear Kaʻōpua of the Department of Political Science in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s College of Social Sciences grounds her practices in the principles of: cooperative learning, ongoing assessment of herself and her students, place-based and service-learning approaches, and being globally-connected and indigenous-serving.

Her model for the Nā Koʻokoʻo program has led to transformational experiences for students, providing opportunities for them to study social sciences through Kanaka Maoli perspectives, seamlessly weaving visual and written elements, intersecting multiple disciplines, and merging academic scholarship with community labor. One student said, “This program was life-changing, I will forever be inspired.”

Goodyear Kaʻōpua views teaching, research and service as intertwined “to form a durable rope to pull ourselves closer to our goals and communities beyond the campus.” She extends this belief system to students, envisioning them as they practice building their own ropes of understanding.

Li Jiang of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s College of Languages, Linguistics & Literature, demonstrates genuine passion for teaching, a strong ability to translate her specialized knowledge of the field of syntax and semantics, and tremendous versatility in classroom teaching and serving on numerous dissertation committees in her own department and others.

Her colleagues and students recognize her as a devoted, engaging teacher with the ability to connect students’ prior content knowledge with new content knowledge to facilitate their learning. A colleague who has observed her teaching and classes describes her teaching as “highly organized, efficient, passionate and energetic, and her classes are exceptionally informative, inspiring, engaging, creative and interesting.”

Jiang’s touchstone in teaching is based on Confucian wisdom: to reach beyond the pursuit of knowledge, beyond being interested in knowing, to the higher goal of deriving delights from learning.

Philip Johnson is a professor in the Department of Information and Computer Sciences in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s College of Natural Sciences. He has initiated a higher performance learning environment he calls “Athletic Software Engineering,” based on his experience as a competitive outrigger canoe paddler and CrossFit member. Students achieve competency by performing timed “workouts” on real-world systems they have built, enabling them to solve problems correctly and quickly.

Johnson offers students a unique challenge—consistent, team-based, fast-paced, results-oriented project work like they can expect in a real software-development setting.

Alumni report that his courses were the most useful to them in their subsequent work in the community. A former student expressed a “deep respect for Johnson due to his extensive knowledge, his unapologetically intense enthusiasm for teaching, his endless devotion to his students and his infectious passion for constant innovation.”

Mark Sung Alapaki Luke is an assistant professor at . When asked about this gifted and well-loved teacher, students speak about his “extraordinary aloha,” “unwavering dedication to higher education,” and “vast knowledge of the Hawaiian culture.” They appreciate and deeply feel that he “wants students to learn,” “motivates [them] to think critically about society” and encourages them to “share their opinions and express themselves.”

One student remarked that what makes this professor’s teaching so extraordinary is that it “comes from a place of passion, pain, but also hope.” Passion because he cares deeply about his subject, pain because that subject deals with a long history of discrimination and dispossession experienced by Native Hawaiians, and hope because of his sustained commitment to build a future for �鶹��ý based on the principles of fairness, equity and empowerment.

Among colleagues, this kumu is respected for his commitment to the campus community demonstrated in his sustained efforts to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and empower Native Hawaiian students. Luke’s leadership and advocacy have been critical to the success of projects aimed at indigenizing the campus, including the creation of the AA degree in Hawaiian studies, the expansion of the Hawaiian Center, construction of the campus hale and the building of the malo.

Audrey Mendoza is an assistant professor of speech at . “If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right,” is Mendoza’s philosophy of teaching. She exemplifies Windward CC’s commitment to excellence and supporting students and is always there to meet students where they’re at, while keeping standards high. Her students are known to participate in meaningful discussions in class and take part in debate club activities outside of class. One student learned from Mendoza that “life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.”

Her commitment to Windward CC goes beyond her teaching. She has developed the Speech Lab into a well-oiled machine that provides support to students. Students from other campuses come to the lab to prepare, practice and perform presentations and speeches. She formed the first-ever Windward CC Debate Club, which produced a championship team in its first year of competition at UH Mānoa, then established Windward’s own debate tournament.

Mendoza holds a master’s degree in speech from UH Mānoa, and has been teaching at Windward CC since 2011. Her peers have respect and admiration for her teaching, and one said, “I believe that her future work and contributions will be many and substantial.”

Lew Nakamura is an agriculture instructor at , who has been lauded by his colleagues for his “student first” philosophy, his gift for inspiring students, his positive attitude and his strong work ethic.

Nakamura believes hands-on, project-based instruction methods work best in the field of agriculture and help students retain knowledge as they apply what they have learned. One colleague wrote that Nakamura’s “commitment to his students, program and our educational institution goes far beyond what is expected of any instructor!”

He has been an agriculture instructor at �鶹��ý CC since 2015. Prior to joining �鶹��ý CC, he acquired 34 years of experience in the agriculture and landscape industries, including the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, as grounds superintendent at the Sheraton Maui Hotel and as owner of Hikari Nursery and Landscaping. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo.

James Pietsch, a professor at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s William S. Richardson School of Law, is a recognized expert at the intersection of law, aging, health care and bioethics. He teaches courses that intersect with the Center on Aging, School of Nursing and John A. Burns School of Medicine. His preferred methods of engaging students include rhetoric, dialogue and the Socratic Method.

Pietsch enables students through innovative, experiential “clinics” that cannot be replicated in a textbook or classroom. In clinic, students confronted with realities of poverty, loneliness and concerns facing many people with disabilities in our community learn the value an attorney may extend well beyond the practice of law.

His own sustained commitment to bringing university expertise to community contexts is so manifest, so embedded in his teaching, that upon leaving UH on highly diverse professional paths, considerable numbers of Pietsch’s students are inspired to replicate those practices as their own.

Mike Ross is an instructor of math and sciences at . When he moved to �鶹��ý 16 years ago, he developed a keen interest in ethnobotany and how the early Hawaiians used plants to sustain their lifestyle. He earned his BS and MSc degrees in botany from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa.

His teaching philosophy is to actively engage students in the process of learning by connecting classroom content to pressing civic and bio-cultural issues. To achieve this, he uses an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and incorporates mālamaʻāina practices into the learning experience. He believes having students work directly with the ʻāina (earth) allows students to respect and sustain life. Ross says, “And the beautiful thing about this kind of learning is that no one can take it away from you.”

Ross says knowing some of his former students are now in graduate school, “is one of the greatest highlights of my career.”

Suzette Scotti is an assistant professor of art history at . She is passionate about making art history “relevant and relatable.” She travels extensively to photograph art around the world and shares her first-hand accounts with her students.

Scotti’s teaching style is warm, smart and engaging. She is committed to the student’s success; offering to counsel students on many topics and sending email reminders about due dates and tests. Scotti has also written dozens of recommendation letters for students, many of whom have received scholarships.

Outside of class, Scotti is a docent at the Honolulu Museum of Art and a member of the Jewish Film Festival Committee. She earned her master’s certificate in art crime and cultural heritage protection from the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art in Amelia, Italy. Scotti has published several articles in the Journal of Art Crime.

Scotti is serving her second two-year term in the faculty senate, is the chair of the Arts and Humanities Division Personnel Committee, and serves as co-chair of the General Education and Foundations Committee. She helped create the Global Studies Certificate Program and is a judge for History Day competitions.

Candace Tabuchi is an associate professor of business at . Her professional life includes a visitor industry career spanning more than 24 years. Starting at Kauaʻi CC, she earned her AA, then her BBA at UH West Oʻahu, and her MBA at UH Mānoa from the Shidler College of Business. Tabuchi has been teaching at Kauaʻi CC since 2006.

Tabuschi said, “I seek to equip, not enable students. I am but one stepping-stone along their journey, and I endeavor to make my step one that is stable, progressive, and tangible for students. The hospitality industry reflects many of the values of our host culture, the Hawaiian culture. The concept of kuleana requires teamwork, communication, standards of excellence, mentorship, accountability, empowerment, respect, and most importantly, the aloha spirit. These values are key for success in our visitor industry. I transition these cultural values, these industry standards, into my teaching philosophy.”

Her student said, “Ms. Tabuchi shows up every day with a contagious smile and an eagerness to teach us. She is committed not only to teaching, but to making a difference in her students’ lives and futures. It’s clear to us, her students, that this is more than just a job to her. We are not just a class with Ms. Tabuchi as our instructor, we are ʻohana.”

Lance Walters is an assistant professor in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa School of Architecture. As a practicing professional architect who brings both passion and compassion to his teaching, students learn to be exceptional designers knowing full well that they will be challenged to produce their best work under his tutelage.

Students remark on his investment in their well-being, naturally seeing the best in them, while expressing values of education, importance of being a global citizen and expanding awareness and setting high expectations for oneself.

Walters communicates the significance of cultural values and a unique sense of place, articulating the importance of his connections to family and to landscape through the lens of his indigenous heritage. He has generated collaborative design projects that reach the community, providing opportunities for students to extend classroom skills to direct and impactful purpose in the context of community and campus.

Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit is a professor at the the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP). Dr. Supakit, as he is fondly known to students, has played a key role in the college of pharmacy since 2008.

He helped to develop at least seven didactic and experiential courses within the PharmD and PhD programs, serves as a faculty and academic advisor for PharmD students and numerous DKICP student organizations, including A Life of Health and Awareness (ALOHA) project, the Pacific Islander mobile screening clinic, the Rho Chi Delta Iota Chapter Academic Honor Society, and is a preceptor for the Journal Club. He is committed to creating a learning environment that embraces respect, openness and creativity, and takes every opportunity to help his students grow and develop to be effective and caring professionals.

He is currently collaborating with colleagues in pharmaceutical sciences on research projects involving drug discovery and the development of natural products as potential anticancer agents.

One of Wongwiwatthananukit’s most notable contributions was preparing and overseeing the creation of the college’s accreditation process and report during 2016–2017. He developed the self-study report that is the basis for the college’s reaccreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Elaine Yamashita is a professor in the ’s Department of Social Sciences. Yamashita’s role in developing UH Maui College’s early childhood program was instrumental in bringing the Head Start facility on campus, which provides care for 3- to 5-year-old keiki of UH Maui College students from low-income families. The facility also provides hands-on training for Yamashita’s early childhood program students.

She joined the college in 1992, bringing with her more than a decade of experience in childhood education. Yamashita rose to program coordinator in 1999 and then served in leadership positions in state and national boards governing policy and development of education for young children. Her passion with children is evident in her work throughout the years.

As a proud product of Maui’s public education system, Yamashita’s legacy is to ensure quality training and compensation is available to those in the field of early learning “so that they can continue to make early childhood education programs better for all our keiki and their ʻohana.”