The University of �鶹��ý at Hilo is reshaping how students learn about artificial intelligence (AI)—starting this fall.

The will launch a new AI concentration within its . A new AI certificate will also open to students from all majors. New courses will follow, focused on using AI in business, science and public service.

The shift responds to a clear need in today’s workforce.

“AI is no longer a niche or emerging technology,” said Sukhwa Hong, associate professor of and business administration. “It’s already embedded in how work gets done across almost every field.”

Students will learn how to work with data, evaluate AI-generated results and apply these tools responsibly.

AI confidence

The new program is being led by Hong and Chenbo Shi, an assistant professor of quantitative business analysis, who are working closely with faculty in business, data science and computer science to support the new offerings.

“We want students to graduate knowing that AI will not replace them,” Hong said. “But people who know how to integrate AI into their work will have a clear advantage.”

The AI certificate is designed to be accessible. It welcomes students from education, the arts, social sciences and beyond.

New courses

A new introductory course will teach students how to guide AI tools, evaluate results and communicate findings. A community-based project will tie those skills to real-world issues.

Upper-division courses have also been updated. They now include AI-supported analysis, prediction and decision-making, with a strong focus on ethics.

“Employers aren’t looking for AI specialists in every role,” Hong said. “They’re looking for professionals who can use AI effectively in context.”

—by Susan Enright

For more go to .

While life expectancy across the U.S. declined significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study led by researchers at the University of �鶹��ý and the found that �鶹��ý experienced a smaller decline compared to national trends.

Yan Yan Wu, Michael Phillips and Kathryn L. Braun from the UH ��å�ԴDz� , along with Lance Ching and Claire Prieto from the , found that life expectancy in �鶹��ý declined by 1.4 years, from 82.1 in 2019 to 80.7 in 2021. Nationwide, the decline over the same period was 2.4 years, from 78.8 to 76.4. Their findings were published in the .

“The smaller magnitude and delayed timing of �鶹��ý’s decline may reflect the state’s geographic isolation and early implementation of public health interventions,” said Wu, the study’s lead author. “In 2022, life expectancy partially rebounded by 0.5 years in �鶹��ý and by 0.9 years nationally, with �鶹��ý remaining about four years higher than the U.S. average throughout the pandemic.”

“�鶹��ý ranks among the top U.S. states for COVID-19 vaccination coverage. By May 2023, data reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that more than 90% of residents received at least one dose and more than 80% were considered fully vaccinated with the primary COVID-19 vaccine series,” said Ching, epidemiologist with the DOH Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion Division. “These high vaccination levels—reached over the course of the pandemic—helped delay the peak of COVID-19 mortality in �鶹��ý by approximately six months compared to the national average and contributed to the state’s distinction of having the lowest age-adjusted COVID-19 death rate in the country.”

Key Findings

• Life expectancy in �鶹��ý remained stable from 2018 to 2020 (82.3, 82.1, and 82.0 years, respectively).
• A decline occurred in 2021 to 80.7 years, followed by a partial rebound to 81.2 years in 2022.
• Among males, life expectancy fell from 79.2 years in 2018 to 77.5 years in 2021, then rose to 78.2 years in 2022.
• Among females, life expectancy fell from 85.4 years in 2018 to 84.0 years in 2021, rebounding to 84.4 years in 2022.
• The gap between female and male life expectancy widened to 6.5 years in 2021 before narrowing to 6.2 years in 2022—the same as in 2019.
• Despite these fluctuations, �鶹��ý‘s overall decline in life expectancy remained less severe than the U.S. average throughout the pandemic.

Policy Implications

The researchers note that �鶹��ý‘s better outcomes underscore the effectiveness of early public health interventions, strong community engagement, and high vaccine uptake. They recommend that future policies build on these strengths by investing in rapid-response infrastructure and maintaining high vaccination coverage to better protect vulnerable communities during future disease outbreaks.

In partnership with the �鶹��ý Department of Health (DOH) and RSM US, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� is using data and machine learning tools to identify adverse events and enhance services for �鶹��ý residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Through the Social Science Research Institute’s (OEAIDD), UH researchers are working on a new dashboard that integrates Medicaid claims and case–management data. The tool gives staff a clearer picture of potential unreported adverse events—such as injuries or hospitalizations—and supports faster, more informed decision making across DOH&s (DDD) programs for 3,600 participants statewide.

…we’re helping the state build a more responsive system of care.
—Jack Barile

Historically, under–reporting of adverse events has posed a major challenge in healthcare oversight. Built on Microsoft systems and designed by RSM, the dashboard helps staff identify risks that may have gone unreported. An additional AI–supported component is being developed to help flag participants at higher likelihood of experiencing adverse events, enabling proactive intervention.

“This dashboard helps DDD make more data–informed decisions for the betterment of the community,” said Jack Barile, associate dean for research and principal investigator for OEAIDD. “By partnering with service providers and technical teams like RSM and Microsoft—and by training UH students in real–world analytics—we’re helping the state build a more responsive system of care.”

“This collaboration among DOH, UH and RSM US marks a significant step forward in protecting consumer health and safety by harnessing AI to address the issue of under–reported adverse events,” said Mary Brogan, DDD administrator. “By identifying adverse risks accurately, we can better support our participants’ well–being.”

Strengthening data use statewide

UH researchers are working alongside DDD staff and technical partners RSM and Microsoft to ensure the dashboard is practical, secure and integrated into daily workflows. Researchers on the project team contribute through data analysis and evaluation, while graduate students also gain hands–on experience with public health data.

“Our goal is to help DDD build a culture of data,” said Eva McKinsey, project lead. “The dashboard gives DDD staff access to timely and relevant information that can support stronger programs and better outcomes.”

UH researchers will continue refining the tool and expanding training, with the focus on improving disability services statewide through better data, evaluation and collaboration.

The OEAIDD project team, housed within UH ����ԴDz�’�� , also includes Charles Iwata, Ashlyn Wong, Reinie Gerrits–Goh, Genevieve Manset, Meldrick Ravida, Eric Lin and Grace Mellor.

In preparation for the 2024 Olympic surfing competition, a new judging tower is being constructed in the reef lagoon at Teahupo’o, Tahiti. That construction poses a threat to the reef and its ecosystem, according to researchers from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, UH Hilo, Arizona State University and community partners in Tahiti. The group published a study in that assessed the importance of protecting the valuable reef—both as an integral part of the ecosystem and a resource for the local community.

Although there is an existing judging tower used by the World Surf League, the Paris 2024 Olympic organizers intend to invest approximately $5 million USD to construct a substantially larger tower to provide amenities for judges including toilets, air conditioning and capacity for 40 people.

“We hope the International Olympic Committee, appropriate government officials and the greater international community can see how devastating this impact will be to not only the valuable coral reef habitat, but also the local community who depend on this reef for their livelihood and well-being,” said John Burns, lead author of the study, associate professor in marine science and data science, and member.

In addition to an assessment of the reef where the structure will be built, the team mapped the lagoon area where the reef is being dredged to accommodate barge transport of tower materials. This dredging could directly impact 2,500-square meters of the reef (about half the size of a football field). If this were to occur, the authors report, it could cause a financial impact of at least $1.3 million by damaging the live reef habitat.

The team’s impact estimates are conservative—only accounting for direct impacts and not including the potential financial impacts for communities who depend on these resources or the impact on the much greater lagoon area if water quality is affected.

Mapping the potential impact

The researchers teamed up with community members from Vai Ara O Teahupo’o and used 3D photogrammetry techniques to create high-resolution habitat maps of three sites that will be impacted by dredging and tower construction. The resulting mosaics were analyzed to quantify species diversity, coral colony count, coral colony size, and percent of the ocean floor covered by live coral and other living organisms.

The data show these sites support healthy and diverse coral communities that contribute to the ecological function of the larger reef system at Teahupo’o. In the 322 square meters (about the size of a tennis court) where the tower would be located, they identified the presence of 1,003 corals from 20 different species, indicating this site is a thriving coral habitat.

“Although these organisms’ value will never be fully represented through a capitalistic lens, based on U.S. valuations used by the �鶹��ý Division of Aquatic Resources, our data show the value of just the corals and algae at this small portion of the reef is estimated to be worth at least $170,000,” said Haunani Kane, co-author, assistant professor of Earth sciences in the at UH Mānoa, and MEGA Lab member.

“With information in hand about the ecological impact and community concern, we hope construction of the tower will be reassessed and also that these maps will help to hold any future disruptors accountable,” said Cliff Kapono, co-author, assistant professor at Arizona State University and MEGA Lab member. “There are alternatives to constructing a new tower, such as using the existing tower, which the World Surf League uses for competitions.”

–By Marcie Grabowski

This column by University of �鶹��ý Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana was published by .

Five years ago, the third-acre plot of land at the mauka end of our campus’s main parking lot was filled with debris and invasive species. But as I walked through that place with Nicolette van der Lee, our Program Manager of University of �鶹��ý Community Colleges, and UH student Dustin Palos, we saw its potential — as a mini-model for agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, and indigenous knowledge through conservation and security initiatives. Like anything worthwhile, it took laulima — many hands — to bring that early vision to life. It was named the Kauluwehi Garden and now it is definitely, as its name suggests, adorned with greenery.

After last August’s devastating wildfires, the garden was established as a “puʻuhonua,” — a place of refuge — with a new focus. “We switched from working with plants like kalo, ʻuala, and ʻōlena to concentrate on how best to respond to post-fire restoration,” explains Palos, the UH student who took the lead in transforming Kauluwehi into a biocultural garden. It also became the research project for his Natural Resources and Environmental Management advanced degree thesis. “It is filled with some of the most resilient and commonly native trees,” he says. “There are also at least 26 types of endemic plants, five indigenous plants, and 30 food or food/medicinal purpose trees. We hope to inspire and change the vision of what future communities could look like based on the model we have created here.”

“One of our goals is that Kauluwehi be the first in an ‘archipelago’ of similar biocultural refuges all over Maui County,” says van der Lee. “Thousands of plants have already been donated to support Lahaina and other sites throughout Maui Nui. Now that we have new funding, we’re looking to greatly expand our propagation and replanting efforts.”

The funding to which Nicolette refers is a newly awarded $300,000 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant for a project entitled Puʻuhonua Kauluwehi: Maui Wildfire Rapid Response Strategies for Agroecosystems Resilience, Food Security and Community Well-Being. It will host immersive, ʻāina-based learning experiences for local participants including youth and adults from underserved and displaced communities. The goals are to effectively increase community stakeholders’ access to environmental, human health, and socioeconomic benefits, broaden youth and adult engagement and education in agroecosystem planning and restoration, increase local capacity for agroforestry restoration across �鶹��ý, and enhance awareness of the best practices of biocultural refuges to improve resilience to climate change and extreme events.

We plan to engage with students in the community in three ways. First, we’re training Lahainaluna students and UHMC Data Science students to be “ʻĀina Data Stewards.” They’ll map the different plants and trees in Kauluwehi and then partner with Maui Nui Botanical Garden to map its site. “We’re excited to provide a place that students can work mapping an extensive native plant collection, some of which has been in place for nearly 50 years,” says Maui Nui Botanical Garden Executive Director Tamara Sherrill. “The work they do could help us in many ways, from outreach to collections management. And the project also supports our long-term vision of cultivating widespread preservation, conservation, and integration of Hawaiian plans throughout Maui Nui.”

Second, students designated as “ʻĀina Data Interns” will lead the Data Stewards teams and work on designing and developing websites for the maps and the data sets. Finally, we’ll recruit “Kauluwehi Community Stewards,” 250 youth and adults to participate monthly throughout the year to propagate native plants, attend art workshops, become involved in community health and wellness initiatives, and more.

Clay Trauernicht is Extension Specialist in Ecosystems and Fire, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at UH Mānoa and the advisor on Dustin Palos’ project. “It’s no secret that the lands around Lahaina and elsewhere in �鶹��ý are no longer the places of abundance they once were. Places like Kauluwehi are a window into what these landscapes could look like,” he says. “Land care starts with people and the Puʻuhonua Kauluwehi project will connect people to the type of work required to restore both cultural landscapes and native ecosystems.”

It will take a lot of work by a lot of people who care a lot. We’re happy and honored that the work starts with us.

For complete information on the Puʻuhonua Kauluwehi Project including ways you can help, please visit https://maui.hawaii.edu/kauluwehi/. For complete information about UH Maui College, please visit http://maui.hawaii.edu/

*Dr. Lui K. Hokoana is Chancellor of the University of �鶹��ý Maui College. Kaʻana Manaʻo, which means “sharing thoughts,” is scheduled to appear on the fourth Sunday of each month. It is prepared with assistance from UH Maui College staff and is intended to provide the community of Maui County information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.

Visitors to the East �鶹��ý Veterans Cemetery No.1 grounds in Hilo have a new map to assist them in locating gravesites thanks to a map created by student geographers from the . The team used drones, hands-on fieldwork and extensive geographic information system (GIS) programming to create the map.

The gives viewers an overhead view of the cemetery allowing them to click on each gravesite to see a photo of each gravestone. Viewers can also search by name.

The project was conducted under the guidance of Ryan Perroy, a professor of and director of the UH Hilo .

“This has been a multi-year effort and we are now ready to share the mapping project with the public,” said Perroy. “We are honored to give something back to our veterans and their families.”

East �鶹��ý Veterans Cemetery No. 1 is a resting place for more than 1,500 fallen soldiers and family members. Veterans from World War I, World War II, Vietnam and Afghanistan are laid to rest there.

GIS is the . Students utilized integrated computer hardware and software to analyze and visualize geographic data.

The project served as a learning experience for 48 students in various classes throughout the past three semesters such as , and . The work involved differential global positioning systems or GPS, GIS, photogrammetry, fieldwork, drones and web mapping. UH Hilo undergraduate geography student Kanoa Lindiwe took the lead on the project, and graduate student Trina “Nikki” Henry, currently in the master’s program, also contributed.

The mapping project was conducted in partnership with the County of �鶹��ý Department of Parks and Recreation. Staff from the UH Hilo Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization Lab also contributed.

—By Susan Enright

A student’s love of math is enabling her to support (100% clean energy by 2045) through research projects at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (SOEST).

Mattox Telwar is working with the (HGGRC), led by Nicole Lautze, in SOEST to better understand the potential for geothermal energy across the state.

“I chose to pursue a minor in mathematics simply because I love it, and I believe that a strong mathematical background would help me in my research efforts,” said Telwar.

Geothermal energy production

HGGRC explores the geologic structures in Hawaiian volcanoes and how those structures influence groundwater storage and flow. On Lānaʻi, HGGRC is exploring Palawai Basin’s groundwater system, an important factor for geothermal energy production.

“Because of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s active volcanoes and the presence of subsurface heat, the use of geothermal energy can prove to be a viable option to solve some of the state’s energy woes,” said Lautze.

After the field project, Telwar asked to assist with data processing and translating the group’s data into results. To continue Telwar’s work with the researchers, Lautze offered her a position as an undergraduate research assistant in HGGRC.

“I have had the opportunity to participate in many fieldwork projects, including surveys to map groundwater flow, collecting gravity measurements, working in 3D modeling, and participating in presentations about our work,” said Telwar.

Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Telwar moved to �鶹��ý and joined SOEST after graduating high school. She found a passion for research and Earth sciences during her first semester and is now pursuing a bachelor’s of science degree in Earth Sciences with a concentration in geophysics and tectonics and a minor in mathematics.

Telwar is on track to graduate in spring 2025, and intends to pursue a doctorate degree in geophysics or planetary science in hopes of creating a research career focused on sustainability and discovery efforts.

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Four University of �鶹��ý-led projects received a total of roughly $800,000 in expedited RAPID grants from the in the wake of the deadly Maui wildfires. RAPID funding is used for proposals having a severe urgency with regard to availability of, or access to data, facilities or specialized equipment, including quick-response research on natural disasters.

Three projects focus on data science, and have a concentrated effort to help prevent and react to future wildfires in �鶹��ý. They include: a multi-hazard monitoring and detection system, computer modeling to assist wildfire response, and wildland and urban fire modeling using high performance computing models. They will address contributors to fires such as invasive grasses and non-native trees such as cook pines and eucalyptus. The fourth project focuses on the human element and involves UH researchers meeting with educators, youth, community members and cultural practitioners to understand the wildfire impact on K–12 education and learn how trauma-informed STEM education could assist with processing and recovery.

Multi-hazard monitoring and detection system

The Lahaina fire was exacerbated by drought, high temperatures and winds from Hurricane Dora which passed south of the islands. This project combines UH’s climate mesonet system (a densely located set of observation stations) with Northwestern University’s Sage Artificial Intelligence-enhanced instrument platform to build a multi-hazard monitoring and detection station for natural disasters such as fires, high winds and floods. The system is being deployed near the Lahaina fire site, to gather data vital to the recovery effort.

The project will gather essential climate and pollutant data to aid clean-up activities in Lahaina, and obtain performance and reliability data, guiding both instrument enhancements and Lahaina’s recovery planning. This project provides essential data for informing Lahaina’s recovery, while highlighting the advantages of adopting recent climate science and cyber-infrastructure advancements. Where possible, local students on Maui will be recruited to participate in the instrument construction, data gathering, analysis and visualization effort.

The project is led by principal investigator and Professor Jason Leigh, and co-principal investigators Thomas Giambelluca and Christopher Shuler from UH ����ԴDz�’s .

“We are deeply pained by the tragic loss of lives and property in the Lahaina fire,” Leigh said. “It’s a somber reminder of the powerful forces of nature that are poised to impact our islands at any time. We hope that our insights and advancements in state-of-the-art technology can help pave the way for better understanding and perhaps preventing such heart-wrenching incidents in the future.”

Computational modeling of wildfire management

Accurate and timely predictions of how a wildfire could spread are essential to inform people, minimize the loss of lives and mitigate damage through effective suppression activities. It is critical to improve on these processes in the aftermath of the devastation of the Lahaina fires. This project, led by UH ����ԴDz� graduate faculty and Maui resident Alice Koniges, will develop wildfire computer models that have the potential to save human lives and infrastructure in future wildfires using mathematical concepts called level-set methods and Hamilton-Jacobi equations.

This research will produce a new model to provide an understanding of the complex algorithmic and mathematical basis for wildfire response that can aid in resource allocation in a real-time disaster situation such as the Lahaina wildfire. A particular emphasis is on improving human evacuation models. The project is joint with Professors Andrea Bertozzi and Stanley Osher from UCLA and Professor Hannah Kerner of Arizona State University. The project will also involve high school and community college students from the ʻĀ���Բ� Data Stewards program on Maui, a program co-founded/co-led by Kerner that teaches students basic concepts in machine learning and data science while enabling them to contribute to active research projects through field data collection. The project will consider the additional risks due to fuel from non-native trees and grasses as well as terrain effects in the wildfire modeling. Additionally the project will engage and train PhD students in mathematically-based methods of disaster mitigation and modeling.

“We are grateful to have experts in mathematical modeling help us to better understand and prepare for future disaster events,” lead principal investigator Koniges said. “Additionally, the training of the next generation of modeling experts will help the future of our island communities.”

Wildland and urban fire modeling

With Lahaina being in an isolated location with limited wind and environmental observations, other data sources will help to advance modeling and simulation research before these sources are lost. This project will capture data from multiple sources including social media and time-stamped photos—organized with AI-enhanced methods for data gathering, processing and infusion. students will play a critical role in this project.

The work will show the importance of data in the understanding of how a wildfire is propagated inside a community and its interaction with urban structures, with an additional goal of educating the public and enabling the �鶹��ý government and emergency response personnel to make decisions in the aftermath of the disaster. The project will use advanced AI techniques deployed on UH’s high performance computing resources, as well as resources from the National Science Foundation and other national infrastructure to process the large volumes of data needed to tune and validate fire propagation and atmospheric simulations. The collected data will be archived and made publicly available.

The principal investigator of the project is Maui resident David Eder who is on UH ����ԴDz�’�� graduate faculty in the Physics and Astronomy Department, and co-principal investigators Sean Cleveland, a computational scientist with UH’s , and fire modeling experts at University of Nevada, Reno, University at Buffalo, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

“We focus on the use of high performance computing facilities, both at UH and nationally, and the best available computational models to help understand better the sequence of tragic events that have touched and devastated so much on Maui,” Eder said. “Working directly with students to understand and prevent similar events is one small thing we can do to help.”

Trauma-informed STEM education

In this project, UH researchers will focus on Maui’s educators and youth. They believe that to move forward from the tragedy, it is important to understand the impact of the multiple layers of immediate trauma on K–12 education and learn how trauma-informed STEM education could assist with processing, healing and recovery. As residents and STEM educators in the state of �鶹��ý with rich and deep roots in communities on Maui, the researchers will apply a framework that was developed by principal investigator and Professor Tara O’Neill. It involves connecting with communities, learning from the place, people, kūpuna and moʻolelo. It requires asking and providing kokua and engaging at the invitation of the people in the place.

The horrific fires provide an invaluable source of knowledge related to both the layers of trauma resulting from catastrophic events, such as wildfires, and how trauma-informed STEM education can provide tools for recovery from trauma. There are several excellent schools and community-based STEM education programs on the island of Maui. The project’s goal is to partner with the individual educators, community members and cultural practitioners connected with several of these programs to build knowledge (understand the nature and impact of trauma), and work with the community to build emotionally healthy STEM learning environments where the focus is processing and healing and STEM content and activities are applied as tools for processing and healing.

This project is led by O’Neill, and co-principal investigators UH ����ԴDz� Professor Monique Chyba, Associate Professor Yuriy Mileyko and UH Maui College Assistant Professor Thomas Blamey.

“Our goal is to understand the impact of the multiple layers of immediate trauma on K–12 education to work with the community to build long-term interventions,” O’Neill said. “We believe the information we learn can help inform more mindful short-term and long-term planning by the �鶹��ý Department of Education and other state institutions.”

Chyba added, “Learning, teaching and helping is why I came into academia, and I am honored to be able to try to do exactly that with this project.”

Every curve and every angle of a coral colony holds the key to sustaining an array of marine species, according to public impact research. UH Hilo graduate student Sofia Ferreira led a on predicting how coral reefs in Guam influence habitat complexity.

Ferreira, who hails from Paraguay, and marine scientists from UH Hilo analyzed data collected from overseas in UH �ᾱ����’s , or MEGA Lab, which specializes in the study of coral reefs.

“Underneath the shimmering waves, coral reefs flourish as underwater cities, carefully designed by nature’s architects, corals themselves,” said Ferreira. “Much like architects design unique houses for different people, corals create diverse habitats and refuge for the ocean’s inhabitants. This diversity within coral refuges is the foundation to the health and resilience of coral reef ecosystems.”

Ferreira worked on the study alongside researchers at MEGA Lab. She is enrolled in the UH �ᾱ����’s and earned a and from UH Hilo in 2022.

Reef city

Ferreira’s teams’ research sought to determine how the design of each coral home shapes a “reef city.” Using high-tech underwater cameras, Ferreira and fellow MEGA Lab researchers mapped 208 coral reef sites surrounding the island of Guam. The team used 3D photogrammetry techniques to survey the plots. From these reef maps, more than 12,000 corals were individually assessed, capturing their size and growth shape. The innovative study found that every curve and every angle of a coral colony holds the key to sustaining an array of marine species.

Coral conclusions

According to the study, the authors concluded that the traits of coral colony size and morphology are strong predictors of habitat complexity in Guam’s reefs and should be included in coral reef monitoring programs.

Ferreira explained that coral reefs, the lifelines of coastal and island communities, are facing escalating threats from both local and global stressors. “[Our] findings offer a glimpse of hope, casting light on the inner workings of these vital ecosystems.”

The research team hopes the study can offer vital insights and a foundation for future research to assess the overall impact fluctuation reef habitats can have on reef-associated organisms under climate change.

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–By Susan Enright

The University of �鶹��ý is part of an international group of researchers and Indigenous practitioners that has been awarded a $23-million (Canadian and approximately $17-million U.S.) grant from Canada’s to work on improving artificial intelligence (AI) through Indigenous knowledge.

The project, “Abundant Intelligences: Expanding Artificial Intelligence through Indigenous Knowledge Systems,” is Indigenous-led and involves 37 co-investigators and collaborators from eight universities and 12 Indigenous community-based organizations from Canada, the United States and New Zealand.

The teams will coalesce in locally rooted “pods” to collaborate with Indigenous communities. In this way, each team will learn from, and alongside, Indigenous knowledge keepers to bring novel perspectives to transforming AI.

“The �鶹��ý Pod will be a key site and significant resource for Abundant Intelligences. �鶹��ý has one of the greatest concentrations of Indigenous technological talent in the world,” said Concordia University Professor Jason Lewis, who is the principal investigator for the grant. “It has already played a key role in the Indigenous AI discussion by hosting the Indigenous Protocol and AI Workshops in 2019. These were grounded in part in the extensive and vibrant discussion within the Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) community regarding the long history of kanaka innovation, and how that community has always developed and taken advantage of new technological tools and methods.”

Weaving a lei

The �鶹��ý pod will be based at ’s .

“You see in Create(x) there are a lot of flowers on the table to weave a lei from,” said UH Director of Indigenous Innovation Kamuela Enos, who was a co-applicant for the grant. “What’s really important is that we will do it all in mindfulness of what is our responsibility as Hawaiians to protect our [intellectual property] and its use, which is always front of mind for us.”

Other UH co-applicants included:

• Jason Leigh, UH ����ԴDz� professor of information and computer sciences
• Bryan Kuwada, UH ����ԴDz� assistant professor of Hawaiian studies
• Susan Crow, UH ����ԴDz� associate professor of natural resources and environmental management
• Manulani Meyer, UH West Oʻahu konohiki (facilitator) of Kūlana o Kapole​i

Leigh, founding director of and co-director of the said, “AI will impact every part of our lives in this decade and beyond. This project is an unprecedented opportunity to influence the future of AI to make it more inclusive in its use, development and evolution.”

Create(x)

The Create(x) lab is located in the new Academy for Creative Media (ACM) building and features projection onto three walls and the floor for various virtual environments. The lab provides students access to immersive technologies where diverse projects—designed to perpetuate Indigenous knowledge and narratives—range from visualizing the first few lines of the Kumulipo (Hawaiian creation chant), teaching Hawaiian vocabulary of native species and environmental change, modern Hawaiian wayfinding and the retelling of famous moʻolelo (stories).

Create(x) co-director and �鶹��ý Pod Coordinator Kari Noe said she is excited about the opportunity to discuss how the grant may translate to current and future projects and overall protocol and data management.

“[The grant] is giving us the capability, resources and time to think through and talk through a new way of interacting with technology that AI is providing us,” Noe said.

The $37-million state-of-the-art ACM facility opened in 2021 as part of the UH ACM System, which supports 16 programs at all 10 campuses statewide.

ACM System Founder and Director Chris Lee added, “This extraordinary grant is exactly the kind of opportunity envisioned when including the specific space for Create(x) in the design for the ACM Student Production Facility at UH West Oʻahu. Congratulations to everyone at both campuses on the success of this first collaboration between ACM supported programs at UH ����ԴDz� and UH West Oʻahu.”

Genealogy of a grant

The Abundant Intelligences grant is for six years and includes funding to involve other community-based experts and for community engagement events. UH’s share is approximately $850,000 Canadian or $637,500 U.S.

Enos pointed out that the grant also has a “genealogy.” In 2019, Lewis co-organized with Leigh and others the series of workshops in �鶹��ý on Indigenous AI, which resulted in a position paper, “” (PDF) that was published in 2020.

—By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch