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

A groundbreaking scientific expedition was just completed off the west coast of �鶹��ý Island in search of something unexpected: fresh water beneath the ocean floor. Researchers from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� and Scripps Institution of Oceanography teamed up for a two-week offshore imaging survey in July 2025, through a contract with the Natural Energy Laboratory of �鶹��ý Authority (NELHA) and funding from the �鶹��ý State Legislature.

The goal was to confirm the existence of a potentially massive underground reservoir of fresh or brackish water hidden beneath the seafloor—an idea that challenges conventional understanding of island hydrology.

“If proven, this deep water could explain long-standing mysteries about �鶹��ý Island’s water cycle—namely, why observed coastal discharge doesn’t match estimated groundwater recharge,” said Peter Kannberg, associate researcher at the (HIGP) in the UH ����ԴDz� , who led the survey. “In simple terms, a lot of water is missing from current models.”

The roots of this investigation trace back to 2018, when scientists first detected anomalies suggesting a deep, confined aquifer where none should exist. Their theory? Rainwater may be funneled underground trapped beneath layers of volcanic basalt and ash, extending far beneath the basal freshwater lens and even miles offshore.

“If confirmed, this hidden aquifer could reshape our understanding of island hydrology and inform future water resource planning—offering a potential new source of fresh water in a region increasingly affected by drought and climate change,” said Alex Leonard, senior project manager for NELHA.

“If a significant fraction of freshwater is escaping through these deep aquifers, then we need to re-calculate how much water can can be withdrawn from the nearshore basal lens for human consumption and how much needs to remain in these shoreline aquifers to provide nutrients to the reefs and nearshore marine environment,” added Don Thomas, HIGP faculty who has spent decades studying water and subsurface features across the Hawaiian Islands.

High-tech imaging survey takes to the sea

The 2025 survey used advanced electromagnetic imaging techniques. Instruments were deployed on the seafloor to listen for electromagnetic echoes, while a 150-foot-long towed sensor emitted a low-power signal that is recorded on a 3,300-foot-long receiver array. The study spanned two areas: north of Kiholo Bay to Honōkohau Harbor and the coastline south of Kailua Bay to Kealakekua.

The team will now begin processing data from the surveys to determine whether this reservoir is present and better understand how much water may be in this hidden offshore aquifer.

“We are now applying state-of-the-art technologies to better characterize the complexity of island hydrology—advancing knowledge that could fundamentally improve how we manage and sustain freshwater resources across volcanic islands both here and abroad,” said Amir Haroon, faculty member at HIGP, who studies water resources on Oʻahu and Maui.

More information

For more on the project and answers to frequently asked questions, visit .

NASA has developing instruments for Moon travel through the Artemis campaign. Two instruments, including UH’s, will be integrated onto a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), which astronauts will drive on the Moon. Another instrument will orbit the Moon.

“I’m so excited to see this project come into reality,” said Matthew Siegler, associate researcher in the (HIGP) at the UH ����ԴDz� , who will lead the team developing the Lunar Microwave Active-Passive Spectrometer (L-MAPS). “�鶹��ýhas become a major player in the search for ice on the Moon. This instrument selection takes us to the next level.”

The L-MAPS instrument will help determine what is below the Moon’s surface, the heat production of the Moon and search for possible locations of buried ice. The UH science and spacecraft engineering team will work in partnership with instruments developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the German Technical University at Dresden.

Siegler and deputy principal investigator Shannon Brown, a researcher at JPL, and their team have been designing and testing the L-MAPS instrument for more than five years, preparing for an opportunity to get to the Moon. Being selected for the LTV instrument team moves the development to the next stage—the build—which will primarily take place at JPL.

Outfitting the first crew-driven vehicle on the Moon in 50 years

The LTV vehicle is part of NASA’s efforts to explore the lunar surface as part of the Artemis campaign and is the first crew-driven vehicle to operate on the Moon in more than 50 years. Designed to hold up to two astronauts, as well as operate remotely without a crew, this surface vehicle will enable NASA to achieve more of its science and exploration goals over a wide swath of lunar terrain.

In the , Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., emphasized that the Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle will advance humanity across the lunar frontier toward exploration and discovery and added that the instruments planned for the LTV combine the best of human and robotic exploration.

When combined, data from the L-MAPS and other instruments will paint a picture of the components of the lunar surface and subsurface to support human exploration and will uncover clues to the history of rocky worlds in our solar system.

“I feel incredibly lucky to be working on lunar research in a time when NASA has prioritized the Artemis return of humans to the Moon,” said Siegler. “Work like this is possible because of researchers at the University of �鶹��ý working for years leading in planetary science and developing spaceflight technologies. It is exciting to be in the right place and time to ride this wave.”

Collaboration is key to success

At JPL, the L-MAPS instrument will be built with components from Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt and Ohio State University. Final testing will be done partially at UH ����ԴDz�. The instrument production and operation on the Moon will be managed by HIGP faculty Miguel Nunes and Trevor Sorensen and will include many roles for UH faculty, undergraduate and graduate students.

—By Marcie Grabowski

A program at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� that supported dozens of career development activities for women in geosciences and community outreach was terminated by the loss of federal funding.

In April, Barbara Bruno, project lead and faculty member at the in the UH ����ԴDz� (SOEST), was given a termination notice with instructions to immediately close operations on the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded program. About two-thirds of the nearly $200,000 budget was forfeited when the grant was terminated.

“SOEST is �鶹��ý’s largest producer of geoscience graduates—alumni who go on to monitor volcanic hazards, predict extreme weather, conduct assessments of environmental impacts, ensure sustainable use of �鶹��ý’s freshwater resources, and more,” said Bruno. “I think the biggest impact of this termination is the loss of professional development opportunities for women. STEM is hemorrhaging women—we need programs to keep them.”

The NSF award supported a mini-grant program, , that funded geoscience workforce development in two ways: outreach and community engagement to attract the next generation of STEM professionals; and professional development for current SOEST students and early career scientists.

Loss of career development and outreach opportunities

Through the mini-grants program, female students, post-doctoral researchers, staff and faculty submitted applications to secure funding to attend professional meetings, technical or career development workshops; or engage in field work or research collaborations. For example, this project supported activities of a co-writing group for women in SOEST and multiple student-oriented groups focused on diversity, equity and inclusion within UH.

The federal funding cut also resulted in terminating two months of Bruno’s salary and several mini-grants that were in process. Funding was pulled from a Palauan graduate student who is pursuing her doctoral degree in the Marine Biology Graduate Program and studying the unique and diverse coral communities of Ngermid Bay in the Republic of Palau.

The successfully completed outreach and community engagement efforts supported by this program include training for ; and workshops, hands-on activities, and presentations to community members and middle and high school students that focused on and .

“We were also actively soliciting applications for the next round of CASA funding when we received the termination notice,” said Bruno. “Ending this grant eliminates the support for future professional development opportunities and K–12 and community engagement.”

Next steps

On May 28, �鶹��ý Attorney General Anne Lopez and 15 other attorneys general filed a lawsuit to stop illegal attempts to cut critical NSF programs and funding that help maintain the U.S.’ position as a global leader in STEM. Bruno submitted a declaration in support of this federal lawsuit, attesting to the adverse impacts of the sudden termination of her NSF grant. Bruno is actively pursuing alternative funding sources to support these initiatives.

Liliane Burkhard, a University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� research affiliate, was selected as one of two for the European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2025 General Assembly in Vienna, Austria. In this week-long role spanning April and May, Burkhard created a large-scale installation that bridges science and art, specifically, transforming discarded conference posters into a floating cloud sculpture.

“Science is how we explain the world, art is how we make sense of it,” said Burkhard, a planetary geologist in the (HIGP) at the UH ����ԴDz� School of (SOEST). “I am deeply honored to be selected as an Artist in Residence for EGU25, where I can merge my passions for science and art in a meaningful way.”

The Artist in Residence program offers scientist-artists an opportunity to engage with scientific research in a dynamic setting and be inspired by the many new discoveries being presented at one of the largest international geoscience conferences.

“My installation served as a metaphor for how scientific ideas form and evolve, often starting as nebulous concepts that, over time, take shape and lead to something tangible,” Burkhard shared. “The act of reusing the physical posters to craft something new reflects the iterative process of research itself. In this, I hope to encourage viewers to consider how ideas, much like clouds, are always in flux: constantly forming and dissolving, yet impactful in the way they inspire both imagination and progress.”

With the installation, “Clouds of Insights,“ Burkhard created a space for reflection and conversation, while also emphasizing sustainability by repurposing materials from the conference itself.

In addition to her work as a sculptural mixed media artist, Burkhard has conducted planetary science research previously as a graduate student in the SOEST and now as a HIGP research affiliate. Through her investigations, she has explored the geology and histories of icy moons in our solar system, including Saturn’s largest moon, , and Jupiter’s largest moon, .

Sharing the science-art connection

Burkhard and Emily Costello, a researcher at HIGP, co-hosted a short course at the EGU conference, “Unlocking creativity through paper sculptures: Overcoming blocks in writing and idea generation.” They offered more than 60 attendees an opportunity to use the art of paper folding and sculpture to overcome creative blocks, spark fresh ideas and explore the transformative connections between hands-on creativity and scientific innovation.

“There was quite a lot of interest overall, which was very exciting!” said Burkhard. “The participants said they very much enjoyed doing something tactile and hands-on to help them with their work as scientists, connecting themselves to art and seeing things from a different perspective.”

—By Marcie Grabowski

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

Emily Costello, a planetary scientist at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�, was as one of eight participating scientists to join its to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. These asteroids are remnants of the early solar system trapped on stable orbits associated with, but not close to, the planet Jupiter.

On the Lucy mission, Costello will contribute to the goal of understanding the nature and history of Trojan asteroids by providing insights into the role of meteoritic impacts in shaping the surfaces of the Trojans.

“Impacts are a pervasive geological process on small bodies, so it is critical that we accurately decipher how these impacts shape the formation and evolution of the asteroids,” said Costello, who is a researcher at the in the UH ����ԴDz� (SOEST).

The impact of impacts

Launched in 2021, the spacecraft is the first space mission to explore the diverse group of small bodies known as the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. Trojan asteroids orbit in two “swarms” that lead and follow Jupiter in its orbit around the Sun.

Impacts from meteors mix the surface of these bodies and muddle geologic layers, called strata. Impacts play a crucial role in erasing and homogenizing certain surface features, such as crater rays, and in the evolution of chemical and physical characteristics. Costello will provide the Lucy team with a key piece of the surface geology puzzle, leveraging her impact modeling expertise and targeted observations of craters and the material they propel outward.

“The history written and rewritten by impacts will influence the interpretation of all observations by the Lucy mission’s scientific instruments that view Trojan surfaces,” Costello said. “So, it’s thrilling to be able to help interpret the first ever close-up look at these likely ancient asteroids.”

More about the Lucy mission

Over its 12-year mission, Lucy will explore a record-breaking number of asteroids, flying by three asteroids in the solar system’s main asteroid belt, and by eight Trojan asteroids that share an orbit around the Sun with Jupiter. Lucy also will fly by Earth three times to get a push from its gravity, making it the first spacecraft to return to the vicinity of Earth from the outer solar system.

and .

Related UH News stories on Costello:

• Linking planetary science, art, Indigenous culture focus of early career award, June 5, 2024
• Building pathways for Indigenous lunar science at UH ����ԴDz�, June 17, 2022
• Mission to find lunar ice gets $3M NASA boost, February 1, 2022
• Surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa may have conditions for life, July 12, 2021

To gain valuable insight into the groundwater flow near Red Hill, Oʻahu, researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� began a dye tracer study in February. Using a method that has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the �鶹��ý Department of Health, the team injected a fluorescent compound to a monitoring well and will study its migration through the aquifer over the spring of 2025.

Following the jet fuel leaks from storage tanks in 2014 and 2021, there has been significant concern from community members and scientists about the safety of drinking water in the area. After the 2021 release of jet fuels, water pumped from Red Hill Shaft no longer supplies public drinking water but rather is entirely discharged to Halawa Stream as part of ongoing recovery efforts at the request of regulators.

Recent geophysical and hydrological studies have begun to provide a better understanding of the regional geology and groundwater flow rates and directions. The dye tracer study will validate those findings and provide data sets to inform current and future modeling efforts. Rhodamine water tracer (WT) was selected for this study because it is non-toxic, straightforward to measure, breaks down in sunlight, doesn’t bind to soils and washes away easily.

“Fluorescent dyes, such fluorescein and rhodamine, have been used for decades by the U.S. Geological Survey to understand river dynamics and were safely used to study the groundwater migration of freshwater discharge off the coast of Lahaina, Maui in 2011,” said Toomas Parratt, researcher in the at the UH ����ԴDz� and lead hydrogeologist on the study.

The team injected dye into RHMW08, a quarter of a mile upgradient from Red Hill Shaft (RHS), which was shut down as a public drinking water supply following the November 2021 fuel leak. However, extraction at RHS is still ongoing with a granular activated carbon treatment system prior to discharge to Halawa Stream. For the tracer study the water extraction rate was temporarily increased to over 4 million gallons per day, consistent with the permitted rate, to maximize the recovery of the injected dye.

The water pumped from RHS will be monitored every 10 minutes to determine the concentrations of the tracer dye in the extracted water. The arrival time of the dye at RHS and the total mass captured by RHS’ pump will allow for the estimation of groundwater velocities and the efficacy of dye recovery. The concentration of dye will also be monitored after treatment by the Navy’s activated charcoal filters to ensure adequate dye removal prior to discharge to Halawa Stream, since it is disconnected from the public drinking supply.

“From the ongoing hydrogeological studies the majority of the dye is expected to be captured by RHS and will not discharge to any surface water bodies, including streams, springs and near-shore seeps since the dye was injected below sea level within the capture zone of RHS,” Parratt emphasized.

Additional information

Preliminary results from the dye tracer study will be shared publicly in summer 2025.

An informational webinar about the tracer study and future webinars . For more information, or contact Parratt at toom@hawaii.edu with questions.

A popular life-saving military-approved emergency signaling system began as an idea by alumni Rob Yonover. The inventor said UH played a pivotal role in shaping his life and career, earning a PhD in geology and geophysics in 1989.

The , Yonover’s groundbreaking invention, which can be spotted from miles away, originated during a moment of potential crisis. While piloting a plane to Kauaʻi, he experienced engine trouble and realized—even if he safely ditched in the ocean—rescuers would have difficulty locating him.

“As a PhD student at the under Dr. John Sinton, I learned to tackle challenges from multiple angles,” Yonover said. The unique environment of UH allowed him to explore problems both in the lab and deep in nature, from underwater volcanoes to remote research settings.

Although an appearance on Shark Tank didn’t secure funding, his SeeRescueStreamer is now widely used, including aboard SpaceX flights and across all branches of the U.S. military.

He urges current UH students to persevere and manage their time wisely in pursuing their passions—using spare time to focus on innovation.

“Don’t quit your day job, so you can one day quit your day job,” he said.

Yonover also emphasizes the importance of fostering creativity for societal progress.

He said, “By staying creative and innovative, you’re more likely to solve global or personal challenges.”

Yonover’s journey from UH student to successful inventor showcases the university’s lasting impact on its alumni and their communities.

and .

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

As one of the most geographically isolated regions in the world, �鶹��ý residents contend with the highest electricity prices in the U.S., about double the national average. This is due largely in part to a heavy dependence on imported petroleum and lack of fossil fuel resources.

However, below the Hawaiian Islands lies a geological hotspot in the Earth’s mantle that has been active for the past 70 million years, formed the island archipelago and continues to fuel �鶹��ý’s active volcanoes. Because of this hotspot 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.

Geothermal electricity is clean, inexpensive and firm—with the last meaning that is “always on” regardless of weather conditions or time of day. Geothermal also has the lowest land footprint compared to solar power and wind, and, unlike the other intermittent resources, no battery storage is needed. Currently, the state’s lone geothermal plant on �鶹��ý Island produces five times the amount of electricity as one of the state’s largest solar farms, while requiring 80% less land area.

Evidence collected by the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� suggests that all of the major Hawaiian Islands may hold the subsurface heat that is necessary to produce geothermal energy. However, the current state of understanding of geothermal potential outside of Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone (KERZ), the most active rift of the state’s most active volcano on �鶹��ý Island, is very limited. KERZ is where geothermal exploration was focused in the 1970s, and is the only location in the Hawaiian archipelago where geothermal electric power is being produced.

�鶹��ý Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center

As �鶹��ý is the only U.S. state without a geological survey, UH ����ԴDz� has contributed much of what is known about �鶹��ý’s geology. Since producing �鶹��ý’s first geothermal well in the 1970s, UH ����ԴDz� has spearheaded �鶹��ý’s geothermal research, including producing the only two statewide resource assessments by Professors Donald Thomas and Nicole Lautze of the (HIGP) in 1985 and 2017, respectively. HIGP is housed in the UH ����ԴDz� .

Realizing the need to provide a central hub from which to disseminate data and information from their numerous geothermal and groundwater research projects throughout the state, Lautze and Thomas founded the (HGGRC) in 2014. HGGRC, led by Lautze, conducts research on �鶹��ý’s fresh groundwater, geothermal (including shallow geothermal heat pump technology for building cooling) and carbon storage potential.

�鶹��ý Play Fairway Project

The �鶹��ý Play Fairway project was among HGGRC’s most important initiatives. UH ����ԴDz� was one of 11 initial phase I projects selected and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy from across the country to identify blind hydrothermal systems (those without surface expression). The project, led by Lautze, received subsequent phase II and III funding from 2014–20 and provided the first statewide geothermal assessment of the Hawaiian Islands since Thomas’ original report in 1985.

Ultimately, the �鶹��ý Play Fairway Project provided an updated statewide geothermal resource assessment, expanded understanding of �鶹��ý’s groundwater location and quality, and a roadmap for additional work to better characterize both resources. HGGRC’s philosophy is that more data will bring more knowledge, and that when this knowledge is shared with stakeholders and communities, more informed decisions can be made.

“I think nearly everyone in �鶹��ý would value a low cost, low footprint, resilient, Indigenous, energy supply. But there are tradeoffs for some. If geothermal has a chance, community engagement will play a critical role,” said Lautze. “HGGRC will continue to work with stakeholders and local communities to advocate for the necessary funding to move the state one step closer to understanding and realizing its geothermal potential.”

She added, “The global geothermal community wonders why there isn’t more geothermal electricity generation in �鶹��ý. The answer is complex, but I think that if we could get even a small power plant online in a location where the local community is supportive, I think it would be transformative for our state.”

For more on the �鶹��ý Play Fairway Project objectives, . Noelo is UH’s research magazine from the .

More than 25 subject areas earned international honors, including a top 10 national performance by the , according to the .

UH ����ԴDz� placed in the nation’s top 20 and the world’s top 100 in five narrow subject areas:

• Linguistics: No. 10 U.S., No. 19 worldwide
• Anthropology: No. 18 U.S., No. 51–100 worldwide
• Geophysics: No. 19 U.S., No. 44 worldwide
• Geology: No. 19 U.S., No. 44 worldwide
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 worldwide

In addition, UH’s flagship campus ranked in 17 other narrow subject areas, all in the nation’s top 100.

UH ����ԴDz� also received the following broad subject area rankings: arts and humanities (No. 33 U.S., No. 125 worldwide), (No. 50 U.S., No. 225 worldwide), and (No. 71 U.S., No. 393 worldwide), and and (No. 100 U.S., No. 400 worldwide).

UK-based QS is considered one of the most highly regarded ranking entities in higher education. QS selected 1,594 institutions to evaluate out of for its 2023 World University Rankings by Subject using the following factors: academic and employer reputation, research citations per paper, international research network and the h-index, which measures the productivity and impact of an academic researcher or department.

International recognition

These rankings are the latest in a series of high marks from QS. In QS’s latest World University Rankings released in June 2023, UH ����ԴDz� placed No. 66 nationally and No. 386 out of more than 25,000 colleges and universities worldwide (or the top 2%).

Recent rankings

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

• World’s top 2.5% in the Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings, May 15, 2023
• Sixteen graduate programs recognized in the 2023–24 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 24, 2023

For more information on rankings, see the .

—By Marc Arakaki

Loren Kroenke, emeritus faculty researcher in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (SOEST), died on May 17, at the age of 84.

As a geophysicist at the (HIGP) in SOEST since 1963, Kroenke focused his research activities on understanding Pacific Plate motion, hot spot volcanism, and the formation and history of the Ontong Java Plateau, a massive oceanic plateau that represents the largest volcanic event of the past 200 million years.

Kroenke joined UH Mānoa after HIGP Director George Woollard selected him as a sea-going colleague. Kroenke was appointed into a faculty position of junior geophysicist, and came up for tenure while still a graduate student in geology and geophysics.

“As the story goes, he was denied tenure in 1971 because he didn’t have his doctoral degree,” wrote UH Mānoa oceanographer David Karl in his book, UH and the Sea. “The following year, he completed all graduation requirements and was reinstated in good standing.”

From February 1962 to June 1963, Kroenke participated in eight back-to-back National Science Foundation-sponsored legs of the USNS Eltanin, from Bayonne, New Jersey to Deception Island, Antarctica to Talcahuano, Chile, and many ports in between. After his arrival in �鶹��ý, Kroenke conducted research on board UH research vessels. He served as chief scientist, or co-chief scientist, on many expeditions including Glomar Challenger leg #59, and Joides Resolution leg #130.

Kroenke played a key role in a 17,000 nautical mile expedition aboard the UH research vessel Mahi, dubbed the “monster cruise.” This cruise made history when UH scientists conducted the first ever joint oceanographic study with Soviet scientists aboard their vessel, Vityaz. The researchers conducted a two-ship, collaborative operation north of Marcus Island in the western Pacific Ocean in fall 1970.

Kroenke is the namesake of , which he first identified in his dissertation research, on the flank of the Ontong Java Plateau, where he focused much of his career. His PhD dissertation, “Geology of the Ontong Java Plateau,” was completed in 1972, and remains an essential reference for all students of the feature.

“During his more than four decades of expeditionary marine research, Kroenke logged in excess of four and one-half years at sea, rightfully earning the title of ‘iron man of UH expeditionary marine research,’” wrote Karl in UH and the Sea. “Few, if any, other scientists at UH, with the possible exception of Don Hussong and Fris Campbell, can match his remarkable achievements of dedication and endurance.”

Portions of this content are reprinted with permission from “UH and the Sea” (2004) by David Karl.

–By Marcie Grabowski

The earned international recognition for academic and research excellence overall and in multiple subject areas, including a top 60 showing worldwide in meteorology, atmospheric sciences and geosciences, according to the released on October 25 by U.S. News and World Report.

UH’s flagship campus is ranked No. 394 worldwide out of the top 2,000 universities from 95 countries, selected from more than 26,000 institutions worldwide. The rankings are based on several factors, including global and regional research reputation, publications, citations and international collaboration. UH ����ԴDz� was also ranked No. 106 overall in the U.S, No. 117 in regional research reputation, No. 129 in international collaboration in the U.S. and No. 267 in global research reputation.

According to U.S. News and World Report, UH ����ԴDz� is highly ranked internationally in several subject areas, including No. 40 in meteorology and atmospheric sciences, No. 60 in geosciences, No. 116 in arts and humanities, No. 119 in space science, No. 179 in plant and animal science, No. 198 in environment/ecology, and No. 250 in social sciences and public health.

Other rankings

Here are UH ����ԴDz�’s latest notable rankings:

• 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 11, 2022
• U.S. News and World Report 2022–23 Best Colleges, September 11, 2022
• 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, August 16, 2022

For more information, visit the .

—By Marc Arakaki

The has been internationally recognized as one of the world’s top universities across multiple subject areas, including linguistics, anthropology and geology, according to the released on April 6.

UH ����ԴDz� placed in the world’s top 100 and the country’s top 25 in five narrow subject areas:

• Linguistics: No. 34 worldwide, No. 12 U.S.
• Anthropology: No. 51–100 worldwide, No. 18 U.S.
• Geology: No. 51–100 worldwide, No. 22 U.S.
• Geophysics: No. 51–100 worldwide, No. 22 U.S.
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 51–100 worldwide, No. 23 U.S.

In addition, UH’s flagship campus ranked in 14 other narrow subject areas. UH ����ԴDz� also received the following broad subject area rankings: arts and humanities (No. 157 worldwide, No. 41 U.S.), (No. 262 worldwide, No. 54 U.S.), and (No. 451–500 worldwide, No. 78 U.S.), and and (No. 451–500 worldwide, No. 117 U.S.).

“It is very satisfying and appropriate that so many of our programs are recognized by Quacquarelli Symonds as among the top in the world. This recognition is a testament to the high level of academic and research excellence displayed by our faculty, students and staff,” �鶹��ý����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “While we are always pleased to be ranked highly, it is important that we focus on the fact that �鶹��ý has, right here in the islands, a university that is among the world’s leaders across a wide variety of disciplines. You don’t have to leave �鶹��ý to get a world-class education.”

United Kingdom-based QS is considered one of the most prestigious ranking entities in higher education. QS selected 1,543 institutions to evaluate out of more than 26,000 colleges and universities for its 2022 World University Rankings by Subject using four factors: academic and employer reputation, number of research citations per paper, international research network and the h-index, which measures the stability and impact of published work.

International recognition from QS

These rankings are the latest in a series of high marks from QS. In QS’s latest World University Rankings released in June 2021, UH ����ԴDz� placed No. 62 nationally and No. 340 out of more than 26,000 colleges and universities worldwide (or the top 2%).

Other rankings

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

• U.S. News and World Report’s 2023 Best Graduate Schools rankings, March 28, 2022
• 2021 Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities, January 18, 2022
• 2022 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education U.S. college rankings, September 21, 2021

For a full list of QS subject rankings and for more information, visit the .

These rankings are an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

Expanded restoration of Indigenous practices will more than compensate for projected losses of endangered waterbird habitat. These findings of an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the and may provide useful information in discussions at the federal level to down-list the endangered aeʻo (Hawaiian Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) to the level of “threatened.”

“Much of the aeʻo’s core nesting habitat, which is the foundation of its increasing population numbers, is projected to be gone by 2100 due to sea-level rise,” said Kristen Harmon, a PhD candidate in the Department of at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), and the paper’s lead author.

While the aeʻo population has been increasing in the past decades, it has not yet reached 2,000 individuals—a key threshold for downlisting.

“Aeʻo only have a 7% survival rate from egg to fledging due to heavy predation from invasive mammals, birds, bullfrogs, and even crabs!” added Melissa Price, a UH ����ԴDz� professor who runs the CTAHR . “That’s a very concerning level of survival, unlikely to result in recovery unless we can address the invasive predator and nesting habitat issues.”

Researchers hopeful for bird’s future

Despite the dangers, the team of researchers remains optimistic.

“We know that loʻi, or wetland taro fields, provide habitat for all of our endangered waterbirds, including aeʻo,” said Kawika Winter, an ecologist at UH ����ԴDz�’s and co-author on the paper, who added that breeding success in loʻi are the same as in wetlands managed purely for wildlife conservation.

Natalie Kurashima, Integrated Resources Manager at Kamehameha Schools and a co-author on the paper said, “This research shows that restoration of loʻi in suitable areas under climate change could increase aeʻo habitat by 171%, even after accounting for losses due to sea-level rise.”

“There is no scenario in which the sea-level does not keep rising for centuries. Nature is our best ally in meeting this challenge,” noted Chip Fletcher, a climate scientist at UH ����ԴDz�’s and co-author of this study.

This research shows the value of Indigenous knowledge and practice in contemporary times.

“Our belief is that the best way to respond to environmental change is to look to and be guided by local ancestral wisdom and practice. Sea-level rise will have the added benefit of expanding freshwater wetland areas providing habitat for waterbirds and a crop synonymous with Hawaiian identity,” said Haunani Kane, the first Indigenous (Native Hawaiian) woman to receive a doctorate degree in at UH ����ԴDz� and a co-author of the study.

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This work is an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

The is among the world’s best for academic and research excellence across numerous subject areas, according to the released on March 3. These rankings are examples of UH ����ԴDz�’s goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

After being ranked No. 62 nationally and No. 333 out of more than 26,000 colleges and universities worldwide (or the top 2%) in QS’s latest World University Rankings released in June 2020, UH ����ԴDz� was ranked in the top 50 in the world in four narrow subject areas: geology (No. 24 worldwide, No. 15 U.S.), geophysics (No. 26 worldwide, No. 16 U.S.), linguistics (No. 28 worldwide, No. 11 U.S.) and earth and marine sciences (No. 34 worldwide, No. 18 U.S.).

UH ����ԴDz� also received the following broad subject area rankings:

• Arts and Humanities: No. 172 worldwide, No. 43 U.S.
• : No. 203 worldwide, No. 49 U.S.
• and : No. 401–450 range worldwide, No. 78 U.S.
• and : No. 401–450 range worldwide, No. 113 U.S.

United Kingdom-based QS is considered one of the most prestigious ranking entities in higher education. QS selected 1,453 institutions to evaluate out of more than 26,000 colleges and universities for its 2021 World University Rankings by Subject using four factors: academic and employer reputation, number of research citations per paper and the h-index, which measures the productivity and impact of published work.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the contribution of a world-class university to a brighter future for �鶹��ý. The QS rankings affirm UH ����ԴDz�’s resilience and commitment to excellence in a wide range of disciplines,” UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “The world is undergoing dramatic and in many ways permanent change as a result of the pandemic, and I believe that our graduates will be among those helping to shape it for the better thanks to the strong education our world-class faculty provide.”

Other rankings

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

• Elite international rankings in 2021 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by subject
• High national ranking in U.S. News and World Report 2021 Best Colleges rankings
• UH ����ԴDz� in top 1% of worldwide universities by the 2021 Times Higher Education World University Rankings

For a full list of QS subject rankings and for more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

A University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa student earned an opportunity to work with a team at ��������’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) building instruments to detect previous life on Mars.

Schelin Ireland, a student in the , spent time last semester working with the �鶹��ý Space Grant Consortium and was able to use that training to get an internship at JPL. Ireland, who grew up in Kona, was put on the team working with SHERLOC, the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals instrument. A version of SHERLOC will launch for Mars in summer 2020. The device will collect data while attached to a Mars rover.

“(UH Mānoa has) a fantastic program for what I want to study, so it’s really great that I’m able to study over there and have all the opportunities that made it possible for me to get this internship,” Ireland told NASA writers in an interview. “My ultimate career goal is to be a research scientist studying planetary science and to be an astronaut. One thing that inspired me when I was in high school was knowing that I attended the same high school as �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s first astronaut, Ellison Onizuka. It would be an honor to follow in his footsteps and become �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s first female astronaut.”

Ireland spent the summer running laboratory versions of SHERLOC and helping see the instrument through practice drills before the device heads to the Red Planet. When the rover lands on Mars, Ireland will know she had a hand in this mission of discovery.

“Being a contributing member to this big mission has proven that the sky is not the limit and to always reach for the stars, since they are calling and we must go,” Ireland said in reference to the JPL phrase, “The stars are calling and we must go.”

The experience was rewarding, adding further inspiration to complete her degree and focus on the future.

“Being here is a unique experience of its own. I haven’t experienced anything like this before, and it is absolutely wonderful. I feel like instead of being a student or some extra labor, I am actually treated as a junior colleague and a research scientist. I’m part of this big scientific team, trying to accomplish something of real significance,” Ireland said.

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This past summer, researchers from the completed a field expedition to the Senyavin Islands in the Federated States of Micronesia involving a unique combination of reef ecology and water chemistry assessment, mathematics and data visualization. Through this work, UH faculty members and students connected with community and conservation leaders in Micronesia. They are sharing information that helps advance conservation efforts, which mitigate the effects of overfishing and marine resource exploitation, and prepares for sea-level rise.

Sonia Rowley, a scientist in the UH Mānoa (SOEST), has been conducting research throughout the Senyavin Islands since 2014 and leading annual research expeditions since 2015. Advances in rebreather technology have allowed dives to depths of 525 feet. Her award-winning research has focused on the biological success of gorgonian corals, the most diverse and abundant species group at these depths. These deep Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) are among the most diverse yet most unexplored realms on the planet.

In recent years, however, Rowley’s expeditions have also documented the change in reef health down to 525 feet deep throughout the region including the significant coral bleaching and reef degradation due to the El Niño events in 2016 and 2017.

Over the last year, Rowley has been working with SOEST Henrietta Dulai to assess human-derived sources of contamination related to water quality in the region. They are analyzing human pollution tracers, for example, pharmaceuticals, to assess the relative contribution of human encroachment on the declining health of the reefs.

New visualizations and math tools

Monique Chyba, a UH Mānoa , had been working on mathematical methods based on the emerging field of topological data analysis to analyze datasets as well as developing visualization tools, including virtual reality, as research instruments.

The two researchers teamed up after Chyba approached Rowley about using virtual reality to image and assess the reefs that Rowley had been researching. They added to this data with the expedition this summer, which took the researchers to Ant Atoll, a UNESCO heritage site in the Senyavin Islands, where Chyba was present for 10 days of fieldwork during the month-long expedition. In addition to deep diving for sample collection, experimentation, environmental instrumentation retrieval and deployment, and photogrammetry, they utilized unmanned aerial vehicles and underwater 360-degree videography, which are now enabling virtual reality representations of the study areas.

Connecting research with community efforts

“I have worked closely with local communities in the past several years,” said Rowley. “They are deeply committed to furthering conversation efforts, particularly under current marine resource exploitation and global climate change. Exploration and research of MCEs, particularly of oceanic islands and atolls of the Pacific, is in its infancy and not only reveals species and ecological patterns new to science but must also shape conservation management decisions.”

The objective of the recent collaboration is to expand beyond data collection and produce a comprehensive study of the responses of mesophotic and shallow reef ecosystems over the past few years. Demonstrating how reef systems can change across a wide depth range during significant climatic events coupled with rapidly advancing resource exploitation is critical to understand ecosystem and species responses to global climate change. Additionally, and for the first time, a specific effort will be made to design visualizations, including an augmented reality platform that will communicate effectively with local experts and decision makers.

Learn more about research being done at SOEST.

—By Marcie Grabowski

An international team of researchers, including several from the (SOEST) at the , returned from a successful 41-day research cruise to investigate the geology of the Hawaiian Island chain. Aboard the , operated by Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, the scientists conducted seismic, gravity, magnetic and sonar surveys of the Hawaiian Island chain to assess volcanic construction and other geological aspects of the Hawaiian ridge.

The Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount Chain is the most well-known example on Earth of hotspot magmatism, where volcanoes form above a hot region in the mantle, far from the boundaries between tectonic plates where most earthquakes and volcanoes are concentrated. The chain of islands developed as the Pacific Plate moved slowly northwestward over the mantle hotspot (at a rate of approximately 30 miles per million years).

Today, �鶹��ý Island is the most volcanically active, as dramatically shown by recent eruptions and earthquakes, and the islands to the northwest are successively older.

“Many questions remain about the fundamental earth processes that create the volcanoes of the Hawaiian-Emperor chain and elsewhere, and how the enormous mass of these volcanoes is supported by the oceanic plates below them,” said , earth sciences professor and co-chief scientist on the expedition. “With this study, we obtained critical information about the volume and composition of new crust formed from hot spot magmatism, how it varies along the island chain, and how the tectonic plate deforms in response to the weight of the volcanoes.”

As each volcanic island in the chain grew, the oceanic plate beneath warped under the weight of the new volcano, creating a trough of deeper water around the chain. After volcanic activity ceased, each island started to erode. Older islands are typically smaller due to longer exposure to erosion. A dramatic aspect of island erosion is massive submarine landslides that have scattered rubble across the neighboring ocean floor. Some of these are thought to have generated large pre-historical tsunamis.

To look into the past, the research team, including SOEST graduate students Charu Lata and Nina Nakrong and led by chief scientist Donna Shillington with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, performed seismic surveys. During these surveys, the team emitted a pulse of sound waves from a controlled sound source and hydrophones acquired recordings of seismic energy that traveled into the earth, bounced off of rock layers below the seafloor, and returned to the sea surface. At the completion of the cruise, the team had collected nearly three terabytes of geophysical data. Combined, these data will allow the researchers to image geologic features as deep as 30 miles below the seafloor.

In addition to understanding the geologic history of the chain, the study will provide a more comprehensive assessment of geohazards for the Hawaiian Island region. Seismic surveys provide images of faults within the volcanic edifice and in the surrounding oceanic crust that could be used to evaluate seismic, tsunami and submarine landslide hazards.

Read more about the research at the .

—By Marcie Grabowski