As federal funding cuts put pressure on a beloved early childhood education program, students at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo stepped in to help.

This spring, students in three introductory classes used their writing, research and analytical skills to organize a book drive for Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool, a nonprofit that provides free literacy-focused education and caregiver support to families with keiki across �鶹��ý. The effort was led by longtime English Instructor Lauri Sagle.

“By doing a book donation drive we could also accomplish some useful outcomes,” Sagle said. “Students would read, assess, and choose children’s books to donate to a fabulous local organization, Tūtū and Me, and they would get a specific kind of writing experience, along with genuinely helpful participation in a community project.”

Working with a modest budget, students evaluated children’s books, wrote proposals advocating for their selections and explored literacy resources at UH Hilo’s , including books in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language). The project connected classroom learning with a real community need.

Postcards to Mayor Alameda

As students learned more about the financial challenges facing Tūtū and Me, their efforts expanded beyond book donations. They wrote postcards to �鶹��ý Island Mayor Kimo Alameda urging support for the program. Four students in the classes shared that they had once attended Tūtū and Me themselves, adding a personal connection to the project.

Tūtū and Me Project Director Amanda Ishigo later visited campus to share the nonprofit’s mission and the importance of literacy in early childhood education.

“Literacy is more than just reading. It’s speech, it’s listening skills, it’s reading and writing,” Ishigo told students. “Our whole focus is how do we set up for success? How do we make something long-lasting?”

60 books delivered

By the end of the semester, students had donated 60 books, each accompanied by a handwritten note of encouragement. They also collected dozens of postcards advocating for the future of the program. The project demonstrated how skills developed in the humanities can create meaningful impact far beyond the classroom.

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A University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� professor emeritus is reshaping how scholars understand comic writing.

James E. Caron has published a new book, , examining how humor and satire developed within a specific aesthetic, comic belles lettres.

Caron’s research challenges a familiar narrative: American humor before the Civil War is often tied to frontier life and regional voices. But his book points to a broader, shared tradition between British and American writers.

“I want other scholars of American humor/culture to discover that a significant portion of antebellum comic writing in the U.S. shares a literary heritage with British writers,” said Caron, who taught at UH ����ԴDz� for 36 years. “The book stresses that transatlantic feature rather than the usual emphasis on comic writing with frontier settings and vernacular speech.”

Drawing on works by Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Harriet Beecher Stowe, as well as writers once popular but now largely forgotten, Caron traces a lineage of comic characters and styles that connect across two countries and multiple genres. The investigation looks beyond fiction, examining essays, reviews, and editorial writing to show how humor and satire operated in 18th- and 19th-century literary culture.

The project explores an important question: what kinds of comic writing were available in the United States before Mark Twain’s dominating influence on American satire?

“Turns out there is lots of popular comic writing before the Civil War that is very different from what Mark Twain has given us, a fact left out of standard literary histories,” Caron said.

His previous books include Satire as the Comic Public Sphere: Postmodern “Truthiness” and Civic Engagement (2021) and Mark Twain, Unsanctified Newspaper Reporter (2008), as well as his more recent study of 19th-century writer Fanny Fern.

His latest work can be found on the and on .

Fourteen University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa academic subjects were ranked among the world’s best in the 2026 , released on March 25.

Four subjects placed in the top 22 in the nation and top 100 in the world. Leading the way was geology (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), geophysics (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), Earth and marine sciences (No. 21 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world) and linguistics (No. 22 in the U.S. and No. 61 in the world).

Ten additional subjects placed in the world’s top 2% (within top 500 in the world out of ):

• English language and literature: No. 28 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Anthropology: No. 31 U.S., No. 101–200 world
• Modern languages: No. 41 U.S., No. 251–300 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 66 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 68 U.S., No. 251–275 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 70 U.S., No. 401–450 world
• Education: No. 78 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Medicine: No. 99 U.S., No. 451–500 world
• Biological sciences: No. 100 U.S., No. 451–500 world

“These rankings highlight the exceptional work and commitment of our faculty, students and staff,” UH Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “They showcase the university’s global standing and reinforce that UH Mānoa offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

UH Mānoa was ranked in three broad subject areas and 14 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs by asking academic experts to nominate universities based on their subject area of expertise), employer reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs among employers), research citations per paper (measures the impact and quality of the scientific work done by institutions, on average per publication), H-index (measures both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar) and international research network (measure of an institution’s success in creating and sustaining research partnerships with institutions in other locations).

The 2026 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 18,300 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities in 100 locations around the world.

Other rankings

UH Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 U.S. News and World Report best online programs, January 27, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 21, 2026
• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026

University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� alumnus Lee A. Tonouchi has been selected as the new Poet Laureate of �鶹��ý by the �鶹��ý State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, �鶹��ý Council for the Humanities, and �鶹��ý State Public Library System. Tonouchi will serve through February 2029.

Tonouchi is widely known as “Da Pidgin Guerrilla” for his passionate advocacy of Pidgin as a legitimate language for creative and academic expression. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English at UH ����ԴDz� and has taught classes at Kapiʻolani Community College.

“B-U. Das my vision. I stay looking forward to serving da community as �鶹��ý‘s Poet Laureate. For da past chree decades it’s been my mission to show Local people that dey should be proud of their Pidgin,” said Tonouchi.

The American Association for Applied Linguistics awarded Tonouchi the 2023 Distinguished Public Service Award for his work in raising public awareness of important language-related issues and promoting linguistic social justice.

“Through da technique of talk story, I believe everybody can find their poetic voice,” said Tonouchi, “I see my role as being able for empower people, for give ’em da tools dey need for be writers demselves so dey can represent their own communities and life experiences. Da goal is for have one greater diversity of voices as part of �鶹��ý’s Local literature. No sked for B-U.”

The �鶹��ý Poet Laureate program promotes appreciation of poetry and literary life in �鶹��ý while inspiring new writers from all walks of life. The selected poet receives an annual grant from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to carry out readings and workshops across the islands.

Visit the for more about upcoming �鶹��ý Poet Laureate programming and events.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa selected “analogue” as its 2025 Word of the Year for �鶹��ý. Analogue refers to ways of thinking and creating that depend on human judgment, attention and physical engagement rather than automation. The department’s choice highlights the enduring value of human-centered thinking, creativity and interpretation in an age of artificial intelligence.

“Many of our students are contemplating careers in writing, teaching, the law and other fields involving communication, interpretation, critical thinking, and creativity, and they have concerns about the impact of GenAI on their future prospects,” said John David Zuern, UH Mānoa Department of English chair and professor. “They have welcomed opportunities to engage in what might be called ‘analogue intelligence,’ reading printed texts and annotating them by hand, drafting essays on paper, hand-crafting their own books, and taking part in oral presentations and performances in class.”

UH Mānoa Department of English faculty members, and students making up the leadership, came up with the word this year.

“Rather than a retreat into the past, we see this enthusiasm for the analogue as a ‘back to the future’ impulse, a commitment to the skills and values of a liberal education that will remain essential in a world transformed by AI technologies,” Zuern said.

Merriam-Webster announced its as “slop” on December 14. Slop is defined by Merriam-Webster as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence,” and Zuern said the department sees “analogue” as a counterpoint to “slop.”

The 2025 Hawaiian Word of the Year selected by the , is kāhuli—to change, to alter, to overturn. In the Kumulipo, kāhuli describes the transformation that warmed the earth and unfolded the heavens, catalyzing the formation of the universe itself. Read more at this UH News story.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa and Chess Club hosted a chess exhibition on December 11 in Keller Hall, bringing together students and faculty for an afternoon of competitive play and community engagement.

National Master Cornelius Rubsamen, a 13-time �鶹��ý state chess champion, played 20 UH Mānoa students and faculty members at the same time, rotating rapidly from board to board as about a dozen spectators watched. The exhibition, known as a “simul,” challenged participants across experience levels and tested Rubsamen’s stamina and intuition.

“If you play one person…you just sit there staring at the same position hour after hour, just thinking about one game,” Rubsamen said. “Whereas in a simul, you basically have a second to look at the board and as soon as the first move that pops in your head, you basically execute. …You just play by instinct, which is something chess players develop over time.”

Rubsamen said the UH Mānoa exhibition proved especially demanding as many participants remained competitive deep into the event.

“For the participants, it’s always easier if the other participants don’t fold or resign too early, and that was the case at this simul, so it was definitely challenging, and I was definitely tired afterwards,” he said.

The exhibition marked the first in a series of chess events on campus, with organizers—including Department of Mathematics Chair and Professor Malik Younsi, and Chess Club officers Noah Capili, Ryan-Jay Koshi, Bobby Lyon and Landon Nguyen—aiming to expand future programming to local high schools.

Lecturer and alumnus

Rubsamen’s appearance also highlighted his main role at UH Mānoa. In addition to his chess accomplishments, he is a lecturer in the , where he teaches composition and rhetoric. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from UH Mānoa and has taught English courses on campus since 2013.

Originally from Germany, Rubsamen said his chess development accelerated after he arrived in �鶹��ý in the 1990s, when international tournaments were held across the state. He credits those events, along with countless games played at Waikīkī Beach and the rise of computer-based programs, for his rapid improvement.

“I never really had a coach, but I was pretty competent using computers and software,” Rubsamen said. “I think I achieved a master level around the end of the 90s, early 2000s, and I’ve been involved in �鶹��ý chess ever since.”

This involvement has primarily consisted of coaching �鶹��ý’s scholastic players, including with Kamehameha Schools, where he worked with the middle school and high school teams beginning in the early 2000s and has directed the elementary chess club there since 2011.

The idea of a simul at UH Mānoa was born out of Rubsamen and Younsi’s chess friendship and the many games they played together before the pandemic.

“We wanted to create an event that brought people together around strategic thinking and friendly competition,” Younsi said. “Cornelius was the perfect person to headline it.”

The (CALL) at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� will host acclaimed author Rebecca Solnit for a free public lecture. This fall, Solnit will also serve as the Dai Ho Chun Distinguished Chair at UH ����ԴDz�.

Her talk, , is set for Thursday, September 25 at 6:30 p.m. in Orvis Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so .

Solnit is known for weaving history, politics and art into stories that spark action. She has authored more than 25 books on topics ranging from feminism and climate change to walking and photography. Her works include Men Explain Things to Me and A Paradise Built in Hell.

“She’s a singular voice for hope, love, and action in an age too often overcome by despair, rage and cynicism,” said Peter Arnade, dean of CALL.

Insightful and inspiring

Solnit has received the National Book Critics Circle Award, a Guggenheim fellowship, and contributes regularly to �Ჹ������’s and The Guardian.

“Rebecca Solnit is one of the most insightful and inspiring public intellectuals of our time,” said John Zuern, chair of the English department. “Whether she’s writing about the history of photography, the solidarities that emerge out of catastrophes, the pleasures of long walks, or George Orwell’s gardening, I’m always happy to let Solnit explain things to me.”

Solnit’s public lecture event is supported by the Dai Ho Chun Endowment for Distinguished Lecturers and organized in coordination with the UH . Co-sponsors include the and the Creative Writing Program.

Donald Carreira Ching has spent more than a decade helping students at Leeward Community College find their voices. Now, the longtime creative writing professor is sharing his own, through a new short story collection that sheds light on the hidden struggles of life in �鶹��ý.

, released by Bamboo Ridge Press, features 17 intimate and emotionally layered stories. Ching explores family, cultural identity, environmental threats and the weight of intergenerational trauma. His characters live in a �鶹��ý far removed from tourist postcards—navigating grief, disconnection and erasure while holding tight to the connections that root them in resilience and community.

“Many of the stories are about characters struggling to find a sense of home and community, a sense of family and connection, and to do so while working through many of the challenges we all face living in �鶹��ý,” said Ching who grew up in Kahaluʻu. “I want readers to live with these characters, to experience the neighborhoods and side streets they may not be familiar with or may avoid.”

One story follows a man who breaks into his childhood home before it becomes a vacation rental. Another centers on a daughter coming to terms with her mother’s memory loss. All are rooted in places Ching knows well, places shaped by development, colonization and resilience.

Guiding new voices

Ching earned his PhD in English at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� and said writing didn’t come easily at first, and it took time for him to realize that good writing is about practice, patience and persistence.

Those lessons shape the way he teaches at Leeward CC, where he encourages students to work through creative challenges and claim their voices on the page.

“In my classes, I try to help students to see the value in the writing and learning process, give them opportunities to work through the challenges and recognize their strengths, and perhaps most importantly, encourage them to develop their voice,” said Ching.

is available now through Bamboo Ridge Press.

Ching will hold a public reading of the book at ����ԴDz� Public Library on Saturday, August 16 at 10 a.m.

Jeffrey “Raven” Kromer, a senior at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo, is reaching for the stars—literally. The double major in and , has received a national travel grant from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to present his research at the in Alghero, Sardinia, Italy, this May.

Kromer will present a project titled under his pen name, Raven Daegmorgan. His work compares sand dunes on Mars with basaltic grains found on �鶹��ý Island—showing how volcanic landscapes on Earth can help scientists better understand other planets.

“Since both �鶹��ý and Mars are volcanic, this island’s geology makes a high-fidelity science analog with the Martian surface,” said Kromer. “Dunes have been detected on the rocky planets Venus and Mars and are thought to give insights on atmospheric conditions and climate history.”

Pushing boundaries

Kromer’s passion for planetary science is matched by his academic ambition. Earlier this year, he earned a �鶹��ý Space Grant Consortium to study dark matter in dwarf galaxies under the mentorship of Nicole Drakos, a UH Hilo assistant professor of physics and astronomy. He’s also preparing for a 10-week NASA internship working with teams at Johns Hopkins in Maryland and a research center in California.

“These opportunities really speak to my dream of one day being able to work for NASA on their amazing exploration projects, and thanks to my mentors and everyone here at UH Hilo, I’m getting to do that right now,” said Kromer.

Kromer is being mentored and supported by UH Hilo faculty John Hamilton (physics and astronomy) and, Steve Lundblad and Meghann Decker from the department.

Twenty two academic subjects at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� earned high marks in the 2025 , released on March 12.

Leading the way was linguistics, which earned a No. 11 ranking in the U.S. and No. 40 ranking in the world. Library and information management (No. 17 U.S., No. 51–100 world) and Earth and marine sciences (No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 world) also placed within the top 100 in the world.

Eleven additional subjects placed in the world’s top 1% (within top 250 in the world out of ):

• Geophysics: No. 30 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Geology: No. 31 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Anthropology: No. 35 U.S., No. 101–170 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• English language and literature: No. 40 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Philosophy: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–225 world
• Geography: No. 34 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• History: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 43 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 45 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 57 U.S., No. 201–250 world

“These rankings reflect the outstanding scholarship and dedication of our faculty, staff and students,” UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “They reaffirm our university’s reputation for excellence and innovation, not just in �鶹��ý, but on a global scale. For the communities we serve and the students considering UH ����ԴDz�, these rankings are a powerful endorsement of the exceptional education and opportunities we provide.”

UH ����ԴDz� was ranked in four broad subject areas and 22 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (survey responses from academics), employer reputation (survey responses from graduate employers worldwide), research citations per paper (citations data sourced from Elsevier Scopus), H-index (measures most cited papers and the number of citations) and international research network (reflects ability to diversify the geography of their international research network).

The 2025 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 18,300 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities in 100 locations around the world.

Other rankings

UH ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• UH ����ԴDz� earns highest national research designation, February 20, 2025
• 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 23, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2025 Best Colleges rankings, September 24, 2024

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� selected “future” as its 2024 Word of the Year for �鶹��ý. The department’s choice acknowledges the complex nature of what lies ahead.

“‘Future’ is neither clearly positive nor negative. It’s something we might want and something we might fear. It’s something at risk, so it’s something we have to protect,” said John David Zuern, UH ����ԴDz� Department of English chair and professor. “Crucially, it’s something we have to imagine, and as students and teachers in the arts and humanities, we believe that nurturing the imagination is essential to safeguarding a livable future for ourselves and for those who come after us.”

UH ����ԴDz� Department of English undergraduate students in the came up with the word this year, and the Department of English Executive Committee reaffirmed it.

“We felt that at this moment in our country’s history, it would be best to listen to how our students, many of whom are young people, are encapsulating their experiences and aspirations in words,” Zuern said.

Zuern said that the students also considered the following words: “solidarity,” “community,” “hope,” “nightmare,” and “dystopian.”

Merriam-Webster announced its 2024 as “polarization” on December 9.

Digging into 19th-century newspaper archives, James Caron, professor emeritus from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s , recovered a literary treasure trove: the weekly columns of Sara Parton, known as “Fanny Fern,” who became America’s most highly-paid woman columnist. From the 1850s to the 1870s, Parton captivated readers with her keen insights and satirical takes on social issues, especially domestic life and gender expectations.

“She’s fearless, she’s absolutely fearless,” explained Caron. “She could be very sharp, even aggressive, with her wit. Some people at first thought that she was a man.”

For example, she has this to say about a proper woman:

• “I’m not speaking of those doll-baby libels upon womanhood, whose chief ambition is to be walking advertisements for the dressmaker; but a rational, refined, sensible woman, who knows how to look like a lady upon small means.”

Caron, fascinated by Fern’s clever wordplay, delved deep into her early newspaper writings and unpublished works. He recently published The Modern Feminine in the Medusa Satire of Fanny Fern (2024), which celebrates Fern as a foundational figure in a lineage of feminist satirists.

During his 36-year tenure at UH Mānoa, Caron often incorporated Parton’s writings into his courses on American humor.

Everybody laughs

Caron, a passionate fan of satirical literature, draws inspiration from literary giants like Mark Twain, who used satire to humorously critique society.

“I started with an interest in folk stories and tall tales before the Civil War, then Mark Twain, and then any funny things that people wrote,” Caron explained. “Because everybody all around the world, everybody laughs. All cultures tell stories that make people laugh; it’s very, very human.”

He has authored previous books exploring satire’s role in shaping public discourse: Satire as the Comic Public Sphere: Postmodern ‘Truthiness’ and Civic Engagement (2021) and Mark Twain, Unsanctified Newspaper Reporter (2008).

• Related UH News story: English professor examines contemporary satire, June 1, 2021

“Satire has a long-standing effort, all the way back to the Greeks and the Romans, to try to make the public sphere a better place,” Caron said.

can be found at the and on .

This story will be updated

Friends, family and colleagues are mourning the death of Caroline “Sina” Sinavaiana-Gabbard, a retired professor from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� . A pioneer in her field, Sinavaiana-Gabbard is being remembered for her passion and profound commitment to her craft.

She died on May 24 in Samoa where she resided after retiring from UH ����ԴDz� after 20 years. Born in Utulei, American Samoa and raised in California and �鶹��ý, Sinavaiana-Gabbard is the first Samoan in the country to achieve the highest academic rank of professor. In 2020, the award-winning author and poet was recognized as one of the influential women from U.S. territories and made .

Sinavaiana-Gabbard joined the faculty at UH ����ԴDz� in 1997, and colleagues say she played an essential role in reshaping the English department’s curriculum to embrace Pacific literatures and cultures.

The scarred body moves
in green water,
brown arms slicing
a canvas of blue
green ocean sky.
Spirits of moana
pasifika, have mercy on us.
—Excerpt from Gabbard’s poem “Waimanalo Litany” as a tribute to a friend’s passing

“One of the many things I admired about Sina was her generous spirit and inclusive imagination,” said John Zuern, professor and chair of the UH ����ԴDz� English department. “So much of her poetry and scholarship was grounded in Samoa, where she was born, but she worked to foster connections among Indigenous writers in and beyond the Pacific.”

Sinavaiana-Gabbard authored several poetry collections that her colleagues say were a testament to her heritage and worldview, including Alchemies of Distance and Mohawk/Samoa: Transmigrations.

“Sina was a truth teller; she was ethical to her core. Sina laughed and laughed. Sina took the Tibetan Buddhist precepts to heart, right speech, especially. And compassion,” said Susan Schultz, a UH ����ԴDz� English professor emerita who worked with Sinavaiana-Gabbard since the mid 90’s. “Sina was a mirror to others; I’m not sure many people saw her behind the mirror, because she didn’t put herself forward.”

Sinavaiana-Gabbard’s teaching journey began in Pago Pago, American Samoa, where she found her passion for English literature in the hearts of students at Samoana High School in 1969. She moved on to inspire students in both creative writing and literary studies at UH ����ԴDz�. Many of the graduate students she mentored have achieved successful careers as writers and educators, and carry on Sinavaiana-Gabbard’s legacy.

“Sina’s power often came from her contradictions: she was kind but also a warrior,” Schultz said. “She could bend like bamboo and she could also be utterly unwavering in her convictions. A mutual friend remarked that we should compose a piece called ‘What Sina taught us.’”

Sinavaiana-Gabbard is survived by two adult children, daughter Michelle Gabbard Bamrah and son Liam Enright. She is also the sister of �鶹��ý State Senator Mike Gabbard and the aunt of former �鶹��ý Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

Researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo collaborated to illuminate the forgotten history of Koreans on �鶹��ý Island. Faculty from the , , and departments contributed to the new exhibition, “One Heart: Korean Art and History Across the Pacific,” which brings together art and new historical research at Wailoa Center in Hilo.

At the helm of UH Hilo’s partnership is Seri Luangphinith, an English professor who has done extensive research into the history of Korean immigrants to �鶹��ý Island. Among the displays, visitors will find gravestone rubbings she collected from field work on �鶹��ý Island. Through Luangphinith’s exemplary research, Korean families on island have been able to reconnect with long-lost generations of their ancestors.

“We need to better understand and appreciate the Asian presence on this island,” said Luangphinith. “Koreans are a forgotten people here, and that’s unfortunate given their contributions to the local community and to Korea.”

Finding history

Luangphinith’s research spans from the arrival of the first Koreans to �鶹��ý Island to the exploration of Korean cemeteries.

• Related UH News story: UH Hilo professor publishes book exploring the history of Korean immigrants, May 1, 2018

The first wave of Korean immigrants arrived from 1905 through the 1920s. The second wave came during the Japanese occupation, followed by another arrival during the Korean War.

“On a hunch, I started looking at Korean cemeteries because I knew that Japanese and Chinese immigrants recorded hometowns and families on their graves and sure enough the Koreans also did the same thing,” Luangphinith said.

Creative showcase

Art fills the second floor of the exhibition, which showcases the diverse voices and visions of Korean artists. From paintings and mixed-media artworks to artifacts and ceramics, the gallery show takes the viewer on a creative, emotional and historical journey. Michael Marshal, an art professor at UH Hilo, curated the exhibit, and artworks were juried or extensively assessed by Mizin Shin, an assistant professor at the University of Rochester. Faculty and students from UH Hilo’s art department helped prepare the works for display.

“Collaboration is a journey, within which everyone who is engaged with the process comes away with a broader understanding of the subjects,” said Marshall.

The exhibition opened on May 3 and will run through June 20. It is supported by the UH Hilo and the UH Mānoa . Major funding comes from the �鶹��ý Council for the Humanities through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Free online event

Talk Story with digital media artist Gary Chong, June 1, 10:30 a.m. Chong, who is Korean and Native Hawaiian, will share thoughts on how his art captures the dark side of �鶹��ý plantation life for Koreans that is far from the local glorified “melting pot.”

To register for Zoom, email: seri@hawaii.edu

—By Susan Enright

The placed in the nation’s top 20 in eight subjects, the best performance by UH’s flagship institution in the .

Released April 10, QS’s 2024 version of the rankings listed UH ����ԴDz� among the nation’s best in the following categories:

• Linguistics: No. 10 U.S., No. 22 world
• Hospitality and leisure management: No. 15 U.S., No. 46 world
• Anthropology: No. 19 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Modern languages: No. 19 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Geophysics: No. 20 U.S., No. 47 world
• Geology: No. 20 U.S., No. 49 world
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Geography: No. 20 U.S., No. 101–150 world

“These rankings are a testament to the excellence of our faculty and the dedication of our entire staff,” UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “To the communities that we serve, they affirm that this university represents the very best in scholarship and education. And to our prospective students and their families, the rankings are a strong endorsement of the quality and value of an education from UH ����ԴDz�.”

UH ����ԴDz� also placed in the nation’s top 50 in nine additional subjects:

• English language and literature: No. 30 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Archaeology: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 39 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Sociology: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 44 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 46 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Arts and humanities: No. 47 U.S., No. 210 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 49 U.S., No. 251–300 world

UH ����ԴDz� was ranked in four broad subject areas and 24 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (survey responses from academics), employer reputation (survey responses from graduate employers worldwide), research citations per paper (citations data sourced from Elsevier Scopus), H-index (measures most cited papers and the number of citations) and international research network (reflects ability to diversify the geography of their international research network).

The 2024 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 16,400 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,500 universities in 96 locations around the world.

Recent rankings

UH ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• 2024 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 9, 2024
• QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, December 11, 2023
• 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, October 29, 2023

For more information on rankings, see the .

—By Marc Arakaki

University of �鶹��ý President David Lassner delivered commencement addresses at Asahi University and Meikai University in Japan in March to about 1,700 graduates. Lassner praised the students for their academic achievements and highlighted the impactful ties between UH and the two Japanese institutions over the years.

“I hope you feel great pride in all that you have accomplished, and are excited about new possibilities that are open to you as you enter into the next stage of your life,” said Lassner in his speeches. “I have every confidence looking at you today that the superb education you experienced here has prepared you with the knowledge, skills, and passion to grow as lifelong learners.”

In September 2023, Asahi and Meikai Universities contributed $20,000 toward UH relief efforts to help students and employees impacted by the Maui wildfires.

Long-term partnerships

Since 2009, 140 students from Meikai’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management have enriched their education through UH summer programs fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural understanding. UH students in return have gone on short-term and semester-long exchange programs, which have provided them with valuable experiences in Japanese industry and culture.

The partnership with Asahi University has flourished since 2018, when students from the School of Health Science were hosted at the UH Mānoa College of Education Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science. This collaboration has resulted in successful outcomes for students and faculty, with ongoing research focusing on enhancing the safety and fitness of senior citizens through new technologies.

“As our long-term relationship continues, the University of �鶹��ý will be taking further steps toward building and sustaining our partnership,” said Lassner.

Strengthening ties

During his commencement address, Lassner shared a new initiative to explore the development of a “micro-campus” at Meikai University that will enable respective students to earn credits and degrees while studying at their home campuses.

“This has been successful at other universities, and I have every expectation that with our strong partnership, Meikai and UH can make this work for our students as well,” Lassner said.

To further the exchange support between the institutions, later this year, students from Asahi and Meikai will participate in various short-term programs at UH, including disciplines such as health sciences, business administration, hospitality and tourism management, English and real estate sciences.

A return to normalcy post pandemic and the resilience displayed by our Maui community following the devastating wildfires helped inspire the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� to select resurgence as its 2023 Word of the Year for �鶹��ý.

“Our choice of ‘resurgence’ reflects our joy at seeing our UH ����ԴDz� campus regain its pre-pandemic vitality, with lots of exciting events and activities. In that sense, we’re doubling down on our choice of ‘in-person’ last year,” said John David Zuern, UH ����ԴDz� Department of English chair and professor. “The wildfires on Maui were also on our minds, and we wanted to uphold the Maui community’s resilience and its determination to come back strong, which should be inspiring for all of us as we face a future that will be shaped by the effects of climate change.”

Zuern said that the department also considered the word “polarization,” given the deep fault lines running through American public culture. On that note, Zuern said that “resurgence” is not always a good thing.

“For many years now, in the U.S. and around the world, we’ve witnessed the resurgence of authoritarianism, anti-democratic nationalism, and state-supported racism, sexism, and homo- and transphobia,” Zuern said. “In some places, we’re also seeing pushback against those malign trends, with an upsurge in activism and involvement in the political process, and that’s heartening. As educators in the humanities, we aim to help our students develop skills in analysis, interpretation, and communication that will allow them to engage critically with all the ‘surges,’ destructive and constructive alike, that are transforming our world.”

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More about the Department of English

UH ����ԴDz�’s English department offers a comprehensive curriculum in English studies at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students are able to pursue study in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, literary studies and cultural studies. Composition and rhetoric classes include place-based writing and Indigenous and digital rhetoric. Students can take creative writing classes in poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Literature and cultural studies courses offered range from Hawaiian and local literature to Shakespeare, American literature and Asian American film. For more about the UH ����ԴDz� Department of English and its programs of study, .

A collection of poems created to help heal traumatic wounds linked to colonialism, militarism and environmental injustice in the western Pacific island of Guåhan or Guam catapulted a University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� professor into the national spotlight. Craig Santos Perez won the at the 74th National Book Awards in New York City on November 15 for his book, from unincorporated territory [åmot], a deeply personal piece of work about his Indigenous Chamoru people.

Perez accepted the award in front of star-studded company in the Big Apple. The ceremony was attended by powerhouse celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Kerry Washington, Cindy Crawford and the crème de la crème of America’s literary world.

from unincorporated territory [åmot]

Perez’s book is the fifth in his ongoing collection about the history and culture of Guam’s Indigenous people. Åmot is the Chamoru word for “medicine,” and his intent is to offer healing through experimental and visual poetry.

Each year, the National Book Foundation recognizes outstanding literary work by U.S. citizens. Perez’ book was one of 10 finalists in the running for the after 295 were initially submitted from across the country.

An esteemed panel of judges selected Perez as an overall winner.

Award-winning author

In 2022, Perez landed the Modern Language Association Prize for Studies in Native American Literatures, Cultures and Languages, for his book, Navigating CHamoru Poetry: Indigeneity, Aesthetics, and Decolonization. He has received the American Book Award, Pen Center USA/Poetry Society of America Literary Prize, �鶹��ý Literary Arts Council Award and Nautilus Book Award, among others.

• Related UH News story: National award for book on CHamoru poetry, December 13, 2022

Perez is presently working on a new poetry book, Mutiny, focused on issues related to the Pacific Islands. It is set to be published in 2024 by Omnidawn.

Craig Santos Perez’s collection of poems were created to help heal traumatic wounds linked to colonialism, militarism and environmental injustice in the western Pacific island of Guåhan or Guam. The poetry book, from unincorporated territory [åmot] by Perez, an professor at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa is a deeply personal piece of work drawing from his life growing up in Guåhan amongst his Indigenous Chamoru people.

“I hope that readers of my new book will learn more about Chamoru culture and the history, politics and ecologies of my homeland: Guam,” Perez said.

National spotlight

The book has been selected as a contender for the . It’s one of 10 books in the running for the accolade out of the 295 works that were submitted from across the country. Each year, the National Book Foundation recognizes outstanding literary work by U.S. citizens. In November, judges will select an overall winner at a ceremony in New York City.

from unincorporated territory [åmot]

Perez’s latest book is the fifth in an ongoing collection about the history and culture of Guam’s Indigenous people. Åmot is the Chamoru word for “medicine,” and his core intent is to offer healing through experimental and visual poetry.

Award-winning poet

In 2022, Perez earned a Modern Language Association Prize for Studies in Native American Literatures, Cultures and Languages, for his book, Navigating CHamoru Poetry: Indigeneity, Aesthetics, and Decolonization. He has received the American Book Award, Pen Center USA/Poetry Society of America Literary Prize, �鶹��ý Literary Arts Council Award and Nautilus Book Award among others.

• Related UH News story: National award for book on CHamoru poetry, December 13, 2022

He is presently working on a new poetry book, Mutiny, focused on issues related to the Pacific Islands. It is set to be published in 2024 by Omnidawn.