The earned high marks in nearly 20 academic subjects in the , with , and leading the way among the highest-ranked programs.

Oceanography ranked No. 5 in the U.S. and No. 7 in the world, atmospheric science placed No. 8 nationally and No. 11 worldwide, and hospitality and tourism management ranked No. 12 in the U.S. and No. 32 in the world.

The rankings were released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy and is considered one of the most comprehensive and objective assessments of university performance by discipline.

UH Mānoa also posted strong global and national placements across science, engineering, social science and other fields. tied for No. 17 in the U.S. and ranked No. 51–75 worldwide, while ecology and each tied for No. 24 nationally and placed No. 76–100 globally.

Additional UH Mānoa subjects recognized in the 2025 rankings include communication, education, political science, water resources, biological sciences, civil engineering, food science and technology, environmental science and engineering, agricultural sciences, economics, management and physics.

“These rankings reflect the depth and consistency of excellence at UH Mānoa,” Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “Our faculty are advancing research that matters locally and globally, while preparing students to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our world.”

UH Mānoa was evaluated alongside approximately 2,000 universities from more than 100 countries and regions, selected from a global pool of more than 25,000 institutions. The rankings are based on measures such as world-class faculty, world-class research output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.

Other recent rankings:

• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 9, 2025
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, October 2, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, September 23, 2025

For more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

The University of �鶹��ý and the U.S. Army Reserve’s 9th Mission Support Command (9th MSC) have entered into a new Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) to advance environmental stewardship, conservation and regulatory compliance at Army Reserve facilities throughout the Pacific region.

“The University of �鶹��ý is excited to further expand our environmental stewardship role through this agreement with the U.S. Army Reserve’s 9th MSC,” said UH Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Chad Walton. “We are extremely proud to have been selected as a trusted partner in support of the Army Reserve’s mission in �鶹��ý and the Pacific through our expertise in environmental sciences and stewardship.”

The agreement, signed at Fort Shafter on December 1, establishes a collaborative framework for UH experts to provide environmental compliance, conservation and pollution prevention support to the 9th MSC, ensuring alignment with Department of Defense (DOD), federal, state, territorial and local environmental requirements.

“This partnership underscores UH’s commitment to applying its expertise in service to our community and environment,” said Suzanne Case, director of the , which is overseeing the IGSA. “By working alongside the Army Reserve, we are helping to safeguard our environment in �鶹��ý and the Pacific, while supporting mission readiness.”

The new agreement reflects a growing model of military-academic partnerships, where institutions of higher education provide specialized expertise to strengthen DOD operations while creating new applied learning and workforce opportunities for students and researchers.

“Our partnership with the University of �鶹��ý strengthens our shared mission to preserve �鶹��ý’s environment and serve the community,” said Brig. Gen. Katherine A. Trombley, commanding general of the 9th Mission Support Command.

The 9th Mission Support Command is America’s Army Reserve of the Pacific. Under the operational control of U.S. Army Pacific Command, it provides trained and ready forces to overseas contingency operations. The command has 3,500 soldiers and 160 civilians located in three different countries, three states, three American territories and seven time zones throughout the Pacific.

A leading voice for Indigenous rights in Aotearoa (New Zealand) will visit the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� on Thursday, October 30, to discuss the future of Indigenous governance and solidarity across the Pacific.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of Te Pāti Māori and a member of New Zealand’s Parliament, will appear in an onstage conversation with Noelani Goodyear-����ʻō��ܲ�, a professor at UH ����ԴDz�. The free public event at the art auditorium is hosted by the UH Better Tomorrow Speaker Series and begins at 6:30 p.m. ()

“We are deeply honored to host the Honorable Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, whose leadership embodies the courage and clarity our times demand,” said Goodyear-����ʻō��ܲ�. “Grounded in the tino rangatiratanga (absolute sovereignty) of her people and a visionary in her pursuit of thriving futures for Aotearoa and Oceania, she is not only a parliamentarian but a protector. This dialogue is a rare opportunity to learn from her experience and to strengthen the ties between our nations, connected by our great ocean.”

Standing for justice

Ngarewa-Packer has spent decades defending Māori lands and waters. Before entering Parliament, she led her iwi (people), Ngāti Ruanui, in successful campaigns to block seabed mining off the South Taranaki coast. Those battles continue to guide her work in national efforts for environmental protection, poverty reduction and equity for Māori communities.

The Better Tomorrow Speaker Series, which is organizing the event, is a joint venture of UH ����ԴDz�, The Learning Coalition and the �鶹��ý Community Foundation, with support from the UH Foundation.

This event is made possible through the sponsorship of Kaiāulu by Kamehameha Schools, and with additional support from the College of Arts, Languages & Letters, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience and William S. Richardson School of Law.

The University of �鶹��ý is expanding its environmental support services to the (USAG-HI) through a new Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) signed September 16, at the Schofield Barracks Seed Lab. USAG-HI oversees key Army lands on Oʻahu, where UH expertise helps balance training needs with protecting island resources.

“This partnership underscores the University of �鶹��ý’s role as a trusted partner in conservation and environmental stewardship,” said Chad Walton, UH interim vice president for research and innovation. “Through this agreement, we can apply UH expertise in environmental science and resource management to support the Army’s mission, while creating new, real-world career and workforce development opportunities in environmental stewardship for our faculty, staff and students.”

Building on partnerships

Since 1995, UH and USAG-HI have worked together through the (ANRPO), a partnership now overseen by the . Through ANRPO, UH researchers support environmental stewardship, conservation and natural resources management initiatives at military installations and training grounds on Oʻahu, which is vital for ensuring military readiness, while preserving �鶹��ý’s natural resources.

For example, USAG-HI has supported dozens of UH researchers and technicians to help protect native habitats by conducting research, control and eradication of invasive plants, rodents, slugs and other pests, while also maintaining and restoring populations of endangered plants and animals through development of monitoring, cultivation and reintroduction techniques.

“The University of �鶹��ý has the experience and expertise, and also the responsibility to our island home, to help ensure the very best education, talent and research in natural research management and environmental stewardship applied to military lands in �鶹��ý,” said Suzanne Case, director of the UH Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures. “This expanded partnership is both an opportunity and a kuleana [responsibility] that we take seriously.”

This IGSA will allow UH and USAG-HI to grow and expand its collaborative opportunities in improving environmental resilience, while growing conservation workforce capacity and impact. The agreement represents a stronger partnership model between the U.S. Department of Defense and local institutions nationwide, allowing military installations to improve their operations while caring for island resources, supporting regional economies and leveraging academic expertise.

“By tapping into UH’s world-class expertise in environmental science and resource management, we enhance our operational readiness while safeguarding �鶹��ý’s unique ecosystems for future generations,” said Col. Rachel Sullivan, U.S. Army Garrison �鶹��ý commander. “This collaboration not only bolsters the Army’s ability to train and deploy forces under sustainable practices, but it also creates opportunities for workforce development, inspiring students, and researchers to become stewards of these islands. Together, we’re demonstrating how we can unite to protect our environment, support our community, and build a stronger Army—right here in �鶹��ý.”

As a kid, Maya Singh heard from her family stories about the ocean and land in Fiji that inspired her passion for the outdoors and, ultimately, for environmental science.

“I grew up in British Columbia, Canada, but my family is from Fiji,” said Singh, who will be graduating this month from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� with a bachelor’s degree in (GES). “My grandpa would tell me stories of him and his brothers catching shrimp outside and playing in the ocean and rivers. It really inspired me to want to live closer to the ocean.”

With a passion for the environment and ocean, Singh moved to �鶹��ý after graduating high school to pursue a degree at the UH ����ԴDz� . For her senior research, Singh worked with mentor and Assistant Prof. to support coastal management and preservation on ����Բ�ʻ��. She developed a beach carrying capacity tool to determine the maximum number of visitors a beach can hold without surpassing the limits of acceptable environmental or social change at the beach.

As the culmination of this research effort, Singh wrote a senior thesis and presented her findings at the Spring 2025 GES Symposium, a showcase of the research conducted by graduating GES students.

“This tool was developed as a means to understand the changes at the beach and how we can best preserve the beach for future generations,” said Singh. “The thing I enjoy most about conducting this research is being able to work with the community and make a difference. Talking to the local community in the field and connecting with high school students to share the research we are conducting and why it’s important is very fulfilling.”

Meet more amazing UH spring graduates

Supported by funding from the UH ����ԴDz� , Singh also worked with Keiko Wilkins, a doctoral candidate in Bob Richmond’s research group at , to investigate how plastic pollution threatens marine ecosystems. Specifically, she tested the effects of microplastics on sea urchin fertilization. Singh also assisted with collecting and preparing coral samples for Wilkins’s dissertation research on microplastic effects on corals in the Pacific Ocean.

The academic and research experiences Singh has had through the GES program have solidified her commitment to pursuing a career in �鶹��ý in environmental science after graduation. Eventually, she hopes to continue with her education by working toward a graduate degree in oceanography.

—By Marcie Grabowski

Approximately 2,000 pollution-fighting “genki balls” were launched into the Ala Wai Canal on November 9, as part of an innovative mathematics lesson combining environmental cleanup with real-world applications.

The genki balls, created by hundreds of University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� Math 100 students in mid-October, contain nutrient and microbial-rich soil designed to release beneficial bacteria into the waterway. Each teaspoon of healthy soil can contain up to one billion bacteria, contributing more than a trillion beneficial microorganisms to the canal’s ecosystem. The balls underwent a three-week maturation period before their release into the canal.

“I think that it’s important for UH ����ԴDz� students to get involved in the community and this unit was about microbiomes, ocean acidification and climate change,” said Maʻalaea Collier, UH ����ԴDz� math learning assistant. “This group of students, or generation in general, is becoming more aware of the effects. I saw students very engaged and wanting to participate.”

The project, a collaboration between UH ����ԴDz�’s and the , incorporates lessons on scientific notation and environmental data analysis. The activity aligns with the course’s microbiome unit and is part of a new General Education pathway focused on sustainability and climate change solutions.

“It’s really valuable for the students to not only learn the math but also see it connected to sustainability and community engagement,” UH ����ԴDz�’s Department of Mathematics Associate Professor Sarah Post said. “We have a lot of freshmen so this is a way for them to get involved at UH and in the local communities as well.”

UH ����ԴDz� Interim Vice Provost for Academic Excellence Laura Lyons also joined the students to toss the genki balls into the water.

“What a wonderful way to help them to learn, to be engaged in the community at the same time and to be working on a practical solution for a real problem,” Lyons said. “I have this other feeling which is incredible gratitude because I live along the Ala Wai and this is my walking path. To know that people are caring for it, to know that we can be good stewards of the Ala Wai, that’s really important to me.”

The Ala Wai Canal, constructed in 1928, is one of the state’s most polluted waterways, collecting runoff from the ����ԴDz� and Pālolo valleys. This initiative contributes to the Genki Ala Wai project’s larger goal of deploying 300,000 genki balls into the canal by 2026, with nearly 200,000 deployed to date. The Japanese word “genki” means healthy and full of vitality.

The Department of Mathematics is housed in UH ����ԴDz�’s .

—By Marc Arakaki

Learning mathematical concepts while helping to clean one of �鶹��ý’s most polluted waterways was the focus of a creative University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� lesson.

Approximately 400 students enrolled in Math 100 created about 2,000 “genki balls” from October 16 to 18, at the UH ����ԴDz� campus. Genki balls, which get their name from the Japanese word for healthy and full of vitality, are made of nutrient and microbial-rich soil, and are designed to sink to the bottom of a waterway and slowly release beneficial microbes.

The activity was sponsored by UH ����ԴDz�’s , in collaboration with the . Students worked during their class times in groups of 30 to 50.

“It’s such a good experience relating math to the real world,” UH ����ԴDz� student Janessa Mondragon said.

“It’s just one thing to learn in a classroom with a worksheet in front of you, and it’s another thing to have an instructor like Professor Chyba bring us out here and learn with hands-on experience,” UH ����ԴDz� student Jacktino Logoai said.

The project aligns with the course’s unit on microbiomes, incorporating lessons on scientific notation and environmental data analysis. Students learned that a teaspoon of healthy soil can contain up to one billion bacteria, putting the scale of microbial life into perspective. The students’ work will result in more than a trillion bacteria going into the Ala Wai Canal.

The Math 100 course is part of a new General Education pathway focusing on sustainability and climate change solutions.

“Actually being out here in the open, putting their hands in the mud, they’re really opening up with each other making connections and making connections with the course material to sustainability, civic engagement and helping out the environment,” Associate Professor Sarah Post said.

Following a three-week maturation period, the genki balls will be released into the Ala Wai Canal. This waterway, created in 1928, has long been considered one of �鶹��ý‘s most polluted, collecting runoff from ����ԴDz� and Pālolo valleys.

The students contributed toward the Genki Ala Wai project’s goal of deploying 300,000 genki balls into the Ala Wai Canal by 2026. The project is closing in on 200,000 so far.

“I am so impressed with these students that they’re interested in the environment and they are our future,” said Mary Ann Kobayashi, Genki Ala Wai project education coordinator. “So it’s so important for them to know the EM (effective microorganisms) technology and what it can do for Earth because they’re the ones that will pass the knowledge on for us.”

The Department of Mathematics is housed in UH ����ԴDz�’s .

Eight undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� experienced an all-expenses-paid research trip of a lifetime—spending eight weeks in summer 2024 immersed in the Galápagos Islands. They engaged in mentored research via a transformational journey that promoted deep connections to ʻ�徱�Բ� (land/sea), kānaka (people) communities and mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (stewardship of places and people).

Creighton Litton, professor, (UROP) director, and one of the eight UH ����ԴDz� faculty members who designed and implemented the program over the past two years, said, “Mentored research opportunities for undergraduate students is a high impact practice that provides myriad benefits to students, mentors, our campus and our islands as a whole. This is an innovative program—possible via a strong collaboration with the (CDF) in Galápagos, and engagement by multiple faculty from across the UH ����ԴDz� campus—that provides our students with transformative learning experiences in research science within a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning context.”

More than 80 students applied, and 12 were invited to enroll in a new spring course on island invasion biology to provide a base of knowledge for their mentored research projects. Eight traveled to the Galápagos and four conducted research in �鶹��ý.

Students developed research proposals in spring 2024 with mentors from UH ����ԴDz� and CDF. The collaborative mentorship approach allowed students to develop their research skills while contributing to real-world scientific questions. During the summer, the traveling students were housed at the CDF research station in the Galápagos, where they conducted their research projects focused on island invasion biology.

During the summer experience, students wrote research papers on every aspect of the scientific process, including literature review, data collection and analysis, conclusions and the socioecological implications of their findings. Each student also crafted a personal, contemporary kaʻao (epic story, tale) to document their experiences, from their hua (initial inspiration) to their haʻalele (preparing for the journey) to the huakaʻi (journey) to the hoʻina (reintegration) back into their on- and off-campus communities.

Important invasive species research

Matthew Kahokuloa’s project involved assessing plant diversity after the reintroduction of giant tortoises on Santa Fé Island.

“Being my first time leaving �鶹��ý, it was amazing to experience the biodiversity and ecology of another archipelago’s ecosystem,” Kahokuloa said. “This trip provided me with invaluable field experience, especially in terms of working in remote environments and applying research methods.”

Emily Josefina Velasquez studied the impacts of Caulerpa racemosa (species of edible green alga) on sand dwelling benthic invertebrates (small aquatic animals that live on the bottom of bodies of water) in the Galápagos.

“You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean.” — Nicole Buyukacar

“The Galápagos was a place where my personal growth as an individual thrived and reaffirmed my passion and drive to work in academia,” Velasquez said. “It’s an unforgettable experience. You’re immersed in your project, living, breathing, and dreaming about it. I was surrounded by scientists from diverse backgrounds, and living and working in an environment where everyone shares a passion for understanding the world around them.”

Nicole Buyukacar’s project was about the developmental dynamics and temperature sensitivity of the avian vampire fly.

“The most remarkable thing about the town we worked in, Puerto Ayora, was the abundance of wildlife living right there on our doorstep all the time,” Buyukacar said. “You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean. The experience was an incredible blend of learning to integrate academically and socially into a completely different place while constantly being in awe of the natural beauty and learning to understand the reason why it all needs to be protected.”

The students presented their research and kaʻao products at the CDF research station and at the UROP SURE Symposium. Most students are continuing to work with their mentors to produce peer-reviewed journal publications.

This unique opportunity is the result of a collaboration between UH ����ԴDz� and CDF and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students ($300,000 grant), the UH ����ԴDz� Provost’s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning ($100,000) and the UH ����ԴDz� Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship ($80,000). The funds will make the program available to UH ����ԴDz� undergraduate students for at least the next two years.

For more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

In celebration of Earth Day, is hosting its 17th free on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to promote the importance of keeping Hawai‘i—from the mountaintops to the sea—clean and pollution free.

Guests can enjoy live entertainment, a native plant giveaway and interactive activities including hands-on learning, arts and crafts and educational exhibits that showcase ways to protect and preserve Hawaiʻi’s environment.

The expo is open to the public and free parking will be available in the back parking lot at Jefferson Elementary School beginning at 7:30 a.m., with free shuttle to and from the Waikīkī Aquarium courtesy of Waikīkī Trolley. Guests are also invited to bring refillable water bottles to stay hydrated with water stations.

Visit the for more information.

Pressing concerns surrounding the Red Hill water crisis and overall wai (water) access critical to loʻi kalo (taro patches) and loko iʻa (fishponds) across the state were at the center of a new series of forums held at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�.

To foster advancing the protection of ʻ�徱�Բ� (land) and wai through policy and law, the UH ����ԴDz� hosted the inaugural on December 15, at the East-West Center. Approximately 200 participants attended the conference that brought together academic researchers from UH, esteemed community leaders and advocates to discuss ailing issues and the need to turn to ancestral innovation to help solve them.

“The university can really be a catalyst to uplift what’s happening in our community to try to link our research and our mentoring of students to actually solve real-world problems for our islands today,” said Kamanamaikalani Beamer, who is the Dana Naone Hall Endowed Chair in Hawaiian Studies, Literature and the Environment at �鶹��ýnuākea and a professor at and the .

Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker, a PhD student at UH ����ԴDz� opened the conference with an oli (chant), followed by remarks from �鶹��ýnuākea Dean Jon Osorio and Beamer who rallied attendees to passionately chant ʻOla i ka wai, which means water is life. He also dedicated the conference to Dana Naone Hall, a kānaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) environmental activist. This was followed by the first panel focusing on the significant role wai has in feeding �鶹��ý’s communities.

Wai sovereignty and justice

A major focus of the conference was on the current state of water management and access in �鶹��ý and how state leaders can utilize research compiled at UH ����ԴDz� and ʻike (knowledge) from aloha ʻ�徱�Բ� practitioners steeped in rich wisdom passed down from kūpuna to address problems impacting the islands.

“I think here in �鶹��ý we can really look towards our ancestral systems that solved [issues] for our islands at different scales in different times but are still very viable and valuable for our future today,” Beamer said.

Wai, ʻAi and Iʻa

The first panel featured aloha ʻ�徱�Բ� leaders from loko iʻa, loʻi kalo and wai advocates who expressed the importance of restoring stream flow in critical areas across the pae ʻ�徱�Բ� (Hawaiian archipelago) which can help to support the production of food and customary rights. Panelist Hōkūao Pellegrino from Hui O Nā Wai ʻEhā spoke of more than 100 streams on Maui that are currently diverted and the need to restore them.

Wai and Red Hill

The second session addressed strategies on decontaminating water impacted by the Red Hill fuel spill and revealed traditional maps listing freshwater resources on Oʻahu. The panel featured UH ����ԴDz� Professor Kapua Sproat (Ka Huli Ao), Ernie Lau (Board of Water Supply), Wayne Tanaka (Sierra Club of �鶹��ý) and Camille Kalama (Kaʻohewai).

Lau lamented that there are still 400 million gallons of fuel sitting over the aquifer and advocated conference attendees to push for the Navy to defuel tanks. “If another spill happens, ‘Oh my gosh, our poor wai,’” Lau said.

Special keynote

Renowned philosopher, political activist, public intellectual and author Cornel West will headline a moderated keynote discussion following the summit at Kennedy Theatre 5–7 p.m. West will speak on imperialism and the occupation of �鶹��ý, while placing the islands within the context of peoples’ movements for liberation and justice across the world.

“Dr. Cornel West has been one of the most influential thinkers of our time when it comes to race, social justice, economic justice, and the liberation of oppressed peoples and occupied nations,” Beamer said. “He is a globally recognized philosopher and progessive activist for human rights. He is one of the most impressive speakers and academics one can witness.”

Organizers plan to host the Piʻo Summit annually with themes highlighting aloha ʻ�徱�Բ� and sustainability, and how to advance local policy issues as well as increase collaboration. The summit is hosted by Pōʻai Ke Aloha ʻĀina, a project of the Dana Naone Hall chair, which aims to elevate aloha ʻ�徱�Բ� practices within our community.

Event sponsors include the , , �鶹��ýnuākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, , �鶹��ý Alliance for Progessive Action, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, ʻĀina Aloha Economic Futures, Kanaeokana and Sierra Club of �鶹��ý.