The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s selected four graduate students as recipients of the , which support original research and creative projects using the library’s archival and special collections.

This year’s scholars represent the fields of linguistics, natural resources and environmental management and history. Their projects explore topics including Micronesian languages, trans-Pacific ethnobiological knowledge, public health in modern China and the early development of Japanese aviation.

The 2026 scholarship recipients are:

• Kelsey Bialo, a linguistics doctoral student, for the project “Exploring Minor Syllables and Sesquisyllabicity in Micronesian languages”
• Kelsie Kuniyoshi, a natural resources and environmental management doctoral student, for the project “Pilina Inoa: An Exploration of Trans-Pacific Ethnobiological Knowledge Through the Samuel Elbert Collection”
• SeungHyeon Pyo, a history doctoral student, for the project “Hijacking the Invisible Hand: The Language of Markets and Corporate Incubation of Early Japanese Aviation”
• Sijian Wang, a history doctoral student, for the project “Living with Toxicity: Chemical Disinfectants in China, 1910–1950”

Open to students from any discipline and level of study, the Library Treasures program encourages the use of archival materials, rare collections, maps, manuscripts, government documents, audiovisual resources and digital collections housed at Hamilton Library.

have examined topics connected to �鶹��ý, the Pacific, Asia and global history and culture using collections such as the �鶹��ý Sugar Plantation Archives, Tahitian newspapers and Okinawan magazines.

Scholarship recipients will present their work during a public event in the fall.

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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

This article by Assistant Specialist in the College of Education at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� Kahea Faria was first published in .

The growth of the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program from its inception to now is a sign that more of our people in �鶹��ý are turning to the language, culture, and history of our land and the education that is meant to embody it and facilitate the transmission of this knowledge to our children. For most families, this is the primary means of accessing this knowledge, and as such, it represents a public necessity, not a discretionary option.

While this growth has been encouraging, it has also revealed gaps in the structural foundation of the program. Most Hawaiian language immersion programs remain housed within predominantly English-medium schools, with a few stand-alone K–12 programs statewide and even fewer P–12 programs.

These environments are essential, as they create at least one sustained domain in which Hawaiian can function as the sole language of instruction. This model is not intended to produce monolingual speakers, but rather to strengthen pathways toward genuine bilingualism. Consequently, parents within Hawaiian Language Immersion Programs are increasingly advocating for the establishment of P–12 programs in each school district.

Recent efforts to expand access to advanced Hawaiian language instruction—such as online coursework offered through UH Maui College – along with financial support for teacher candidates from sources such as Kamehameha Schools’ Hookawowo Scholarship, the �鶹��ý Community Foundation, and the State of �鶹��ý’s Grow Our Own (GOO) Teachers, have helped to address these challenges.

Despite these efforts, the sustained growth of the program depends on continued investment in teacher preparation. For those who are interested, as well as those who are seeking a meaningful way to support our community through Hawaiian language, history, and culture, please contact either of the Hawaiian Language Immersion teacher preparation programs at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo or at the University of �鶹��ý at Manoa.

Finally, the rapid growth of the Hawaiian language immersion program should be addressed in the same manner as those of any thriving public school setting—by being adequately resourced and supported in its expansion, rather than constrained by regulatory frameworks that inhibit development.

The state should take a proactive role in planning for a future that includes P–12 Hawaiian Language Immersion Program schools in every district statewide. Anything less constitutes a disservice to the community and stands in opposition to the program’s purpose and intent to revitalize Hawaiian language, culture and history in �鶹��ý.

Ke ao ia nei ka naauao, auhea mai nei la hoi ke kahua o ka pono?

For Cooperative Extension agents at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (CTAHR), language access is vital to being a good neighbor to farmers and communities.

“In �鶹��ý we have this beautifully diverse community, and we want to make sure the services we’re providing are accessible even if someone may not feel comfortable accessing information in English,” said Emilie Kirk, an associate extension agent on Kauaʻi and a member of the UH Language Access Committee.

The LIFE Program: A legacy of caring

The (LIFE) program was initiated more than 20 years ago when former Associate Extension Specialist Sabina Swift recognized that pesticide safety information was not reaching non–English speaking farmers, leading to health risks.

Today, the LIFE program and extension agents continue this legacy of grassroots support with long–term relationships and the trust of their communities. The LIFE program is supported by USDA funding through the 2501 grant program through September 2026.

During the past three years, the program team has worked with partners to:

• Lead or support more than 60 workshops and outreach events across six islands.
• Deliver one–on–one consultations in many languages.
• Create on drip irrigation basics and pesticide safety.

Tools for connection

CTAHR provides 24/7 access to a telephone interpreter service capable of identifying and translating dozens of languages, including ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý, Ilocano, Thai, Lao and Mandarin, within seconds. All state and county agencies should also be able to provide this service, as required by state and federal law.

The LIFE program also facilitates on–farm interpretation through multilingual agents or contracted local professionals for field–based support; CTAHR’s initiative hosts hands–on workshops directly in languages other than English, moving from translation to provide accessible programming.

“It’s not just about providing written translations of material that can be quite technical.” Kirk said. “It’s providing one–on–one or small group hands–on activities in their preferred language to really bring a subject to life.”

CTAHR works with its extension colleagues at , and (formerly the Oʻahu Agriculture and Conservation Association), , , and others on language access.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� hosted the 2025 Southeast Asian Language Council (SEALC) Symposium on September 26 and 27, welcoming more than 100 educators and researchers from across the globe, both in person and online. The two-day gathering showcased innovative research and teaching practices in Southeast Asian language education.

“Our university’s longstanding commitment to Southeast Asian language instruction and the expertise of our faculty and staff made our university an excellent venue for this workshop,” Miriam Stark, director of UH ����ԴDz�’s (CSEAS). “We were honored to host our SEALC colleagues at the event, and look forward to extending the collaborations that it launched.”

Shared expertise

More than 30 paper and panel presentations explored a wide range of topics, from proficiency-based reading and listening assessments to project-based learning and curriculum innovations. Participants represented leading institutions such as UCLA, Harvard, and universities from across Southeast Asia.

Since its founding, SEALC has been instrumental in strengthening Southeast Asian language teaching in the U.S. and abroad through professional development workshops, materials design, and assessment innovation.

This year’s symposium was supported by funds from a Henry Luce Foundation grant awarded to CSEAS. The event was organized by Jayson Parba and Precious Arao (UH ����ԴDz� ), in collaboration with Erlin Barnard of the SEALC Steering Committee and UW–Madison. Additional support was provided by Peter Arnade, dean of the , the SEALC Steering Committee and a dedicated team of volunteers.

—Jayson Parba and Precious Arao

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� welcomed language educators from around the world for the , held June 25–28.

More than 220 participants from 14 countries, ranging from K–12 teachers to university faculty, came together to explore how technology, especially generative AI, is shaping language teaching and learning.

Naiyi Xie Fincham, associate director of UH‘s (NFLRC), spoke about the transformative potential of generative AI in language instruction.

“With purposeful task design and a clear curriculum integration plan, regular conversational practice with a generative AI–powered agent offers a low-stakes, low-stress space for independent language learning—delivering personalized, level-appropriate feedback, fostering self-regulated learning skills, and providing teachers with concrete evidence of each learner’s proficiency development to enable tailored instruction.”

Engaging with AI

Many presentations focused on the use of AI tools in curriculum design, assessment and student engagement. These are areas where both NFLRC and (CLT) at UH ����ԴDz� already support educators with free resources and professional development.

“Our centers at UH ����ԴDz� are helping shape the future of language education by supporting educators in navigating the rapidly evolving AI landscape,” said Julio C. Rodriguez, director of CLT, NFLRC and the at UH ����ԴDz�. “Whether it’s designing new tools, creating professional learning opportunities, or fostering collaboration, we’re committed to making AI a resource that enhances teaching and learning and helps realize human potential.”

Featured speaker Michele Anciaux Aoki, respected advocate for international education and world languages, called attention to the . However, Aoki also cautioned that AI should support but not replace human connection, underscoring the need to keep learning rooted in culture and community.

Reimagining language labs

FLEAT 8 audiences also heard from Carol Goss, who leads a language and intercultural learning center at Valparaiso University. She encouraged educators to reimagine language labs as collaborative, intercultural spaces, not just places to practice grammar drills.

Hosted by UH’s NFLRC and CLT, FLEAT 8 was co-organized with the International Association for Language Learning Technology and the Japan Association for Language Education and Technology.

The FLEAT conference happens every five years, alternating between Japan and the U.S., and highlights the growing connection between technology and world language education.

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Create an AI-powered experience that helps people learn a language outside the classroom—that was the challenge posed to students at the 2025 Flagship Hackathon, hosted by the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (Tech Center).

UH hosted the national competition at Arizona State University that brought together 34 students from 12 institutions including UH ����ԴDz� and five language programs: Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Persian and German. Organized into six multilingual teams, the students had just two days to design a tech-based tool that supported language learning “in the wild”—meaning casual, real-world use such as studying abroad or chatting online.

“By hosting the Flagship Hackathon, UH ����ԴDz� affirms its national leadership in language technology innovation—bringing together students from across the country to tackle real—world challenges with AI, while exploring how technology can support lifelong, personalized language learning beyond the classroom,” said Julio Rodriguez, director of the UH Tech Center.

The winning project, Sl@ngQuest, is a chatbot that teaches users internet slang in the target language by pulling examples from authentic media. The team also created a how-to chapter for a digital Field Guide, complete with AI integration and multimedia elements.

An honorable mention went to Cultivating Friendships Abroad, a tool to help learners form meaningful connections while overseas.

The Tech Center’s annual Hackathon is known for its fast pace and creative energy. Faculty from UH such as Richard Medina and Molly Godwin-Jones lead the design of this year’s event together with former Tech Center interns, who helped mentor students to tackle language learning challenges through innovation. Each team included at least one computer science student to handle technical development.

The UH Tech Center is housed in the .

The will once again host , a conference that unites Indigenous language specialists from around the world to witness efforts in revitalizing ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) through education. After being held online during the COVID-19 pandemic, the biennial conference returns in person March 10–11, providing a unique opportunity to observe Hawaiian as a medium of instruction from preschool to the PhD level.

This year’s theme, “No ʻAneʻi Ko Kākou Ola” (Our Identity Is From This Place—Connecting Back to the Homeland), highlights the link between ʻōlelo �鶹��ý revitalization and similar efforts among Native American and Indigenous communities globally.

“It is exciting to join so many others in discussing the future of Indigenous and endangered languages around the world,” said William H. “Pila” Wilson, a Hawaiian studies professor and linguist at UH �ᾱ����’s .“By working together, we can create a brighter future for all.”

The conference is held following UH ����ԴDz�’s held March 6–9.

ʻŌlelo lives

Known as the “Hilo Field Study,” participants will explore UH �ᾱ����’s Hawaiian language college, home to the nation’s only BA to PhD ʻōlelo �鶹��ý medium program. The tour will also include a visit to Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu, the largest Indigenous language medium school in the U.S., where students receive a full preschool-through-12th-grade education entirely in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý. Additionally, attendees will visit the UH Hilo , which blends Indigenous knowledge and modern science.

Preserving Indigenous languages

Panel discussions will focus on supporting Hawaiian-speaking communities and connecting with the Native Hawaiian diaspora. Discussions will also highlight how UH Hilo prepares students to navigate life in communities where Indigenous languages remain minority languages in their own lands, similar to ʻōlelo �鶹��ý. According to UH Hilo linguists, Hawaiian-speaking communities in Hilo share many similarities with diaspora communities in large cities, where families often have mixed racial and linguistic identities in an increasingly globalized world.

Indigenous language revitalization

In 2023, UH Hilo received a $6.6 million grant from the to establish a National Native American Language Resource Center. The award is the first of its kind to lead, advocate for and implement training and resource development for Indigenous language education pathways in the U.S.The post UH �ᾱ����’s He ʻŌlelo Ola to host Indigenous language experts first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.]]> 211920 /news/2024/10/22/grothmann-hawaiian-japanese-dance-styles/ Wed, 23 Oct 2024 01:29:05 +0000 /news/?p=205400 Keliʻi Kalaukoa Masao Grothmann merged his Native Hawaiian and Japanese ancestral traditions into a career that honors dance and language.

Reading time: 2 minutes

alumnus Keliʻi Kalaukoa Masao Grothmann has created a unique career that bridges his Native Hawaiian and Japanese heritage, merging the two cultures through dance and language. Now a kumu hula based in Japan, Grothmann, who earned a degree in , not only teaches hula but also emphasizes the importance of ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language), ensuring that his Japanese students understand the meaning behind the dances they perform.

Grothmann’s passion for blending cultures began during his time at UH Hilo. For his senior project in a Japanese theatre and performance class conducted by Professor Yoshiko Fukushima, he performed a fusion of hula and Noh, a classical Japanese dance theater style.

“The more I studied about it, the more I saw the connections through hula,” Grothmann said.

Hula lineage

His deep connection to the performing arts began long before his academic career. Both of his great-grandmothers were trained in sacred, kapu hula by masters who had witnessed the conquests of Kamehameha I. Grothmann also learned his family descends from the bushi, or warrior class, who were once patrons of classical Japanese arts, like Noh theater. The feudal rule of the Tokugawas was already at an end when his great-grandfather became a military officer, but his grandmother remembers her father being filled with a particular nostalgia for that bygone era.

Noh actor debut

In Japan, Grothmann has also taken up performing in Noh productions, training under master Noboru Sano. Additionally, he recently debuted a new production called Kulāiwi, Land of the Ancestors, which blends his two passions, hula and Noh.

Grothmann hopes to bring the show to “many other shores” and is already working on preparing to bring the performance back home to �鶹��ý.

For more go to .

—Sophia Kim-O’Sullivan

The post UH Hilo alum creates with Hawaiian, Japanese dance styles first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.]]>

In a story of both serendipity and shared passion, two University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa alumni, Shoichi Iwasaki and Rumiko Shinzato, reunited after more than thirty years to co-author , the first textbook of its kind for English speakers.

The scholars bemoaned the lack of an Okinawan-language textbook in English and decided to write one themselves to preserve and teach the endangered Okinawan language. The resulting text was published by UH Press in May.

“I am passionate about letting people know the fate of the 3,000–5,000 languages that may vanish from the face of the earth in the next 100 years. Okinawan is just one of such languages,” said Iwasaki.

For Shinzato, the motivation was personal: “I wanted to give back something meaningful to my homeland, the people and our ancestors, as they have given me so much.”

While working on his master’s in at UH Mānoa, Iwasaki briefly met Shinzato, who was working on her PhD in . Years later, the professors reunited and co-wrote the recently published book.

Iwasaki credits Shinzato with the idea to structure the textbook around the story of an American exchange student living with a host family in Okinawa. Shinzato also recorded native speakers’ voices to supplement the book’s written dialogues.

Critically endangered language

According to the authors, the Okinawan language, part of the Ryukyuan language family, faces a dire future. Once the primary tongue of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawan was systematically suppressed after Japan annexed the region in 1879.

In 2009, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially declared the language “endangered.” Fifteen years later, many now consider the language “critically endangered,” as it is predominantly spoken by older generations and rarely passed on to children.

Cultural and educational impact

In �鶹��ý, the Okinawan diaspora remains an integral part of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s rich cultural fabric, with nearly 50,000 people of Okinawan descent living in the islands.

The textbook has been met with high praise from experts in the field. “I wish it had been available when I took my first steps in the language. With the learning of Okinawan made such a pleasant experience, this will become the standard English-language work, hard to beat in the years to come,” said Leon Serafim, a retired professor of Japanese and former director of the UH Center for Okinawan Studies.

The multidisciplinary center, based on the Mānoa campus, offers courses, sponsors cultural events, and supports exchange programs. UH Mānoa’s Hamilton Library houses the Sakamaki-Hawley Collection, one of the world’s most significant Okinawa-related archives.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa will host a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (SIR) from Spain to teach courses in Hispanic cinema and culture in the (LLEA) during the 2024–25 academic year. Ruth Gutiérrez Delgado, an expert in Spanish film, will offer classes on film, culture and literature.

“LLEA is delighted to have Dr. Ruth Gutiérrez Delgado teaching in the ,” said Lucía Aranda, a Spanish professor and LLEA chair at UH Mānoa. “Her expertise in film studies and her reputation as a film scholar in the Hispanic world provides an extraordinary opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to explore new perspectives and engage in a broader transnational dialog.”

Gutiérrez Delgado is a senior lecturer at the School of Communication at the University of Navarre, Spain. Her primary research interests lie in the study of poetics, myth, and heroism in audiovisual texts, along with exploring the cognitive nature of fiction from a philosophical perspective. Her work spans analyses of the cinema of John Ford, Spanish and German film, family representation in TV fiction, and the myth of Quixote in Eastern Europe.

More on the Fulbright SIR program

The Fulbright SIR program brings visiting scholars from abroad to U.S. colleges and universities, helping the institutions internationalize their curricula, campuses and surrounding communities and diversify the educational experiences of their students, faculty and staff.

Gutiérrez Delgado is one of forty-three Fulbright Scholars-in-Residence, and among 1,000 outstanding foreign faculty and professionals who will teach and pursue research in the U.S. for the 2024–25 academic year through the worldwide Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program.

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 �ᾱ����’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 �ᾱ����’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

This spring, the (KLFC) at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa secured $1.3 million to advance Korean language education. On May 1, the Defense Language National Language Education Office announced Flagship programs awarded a four-year grant. KLFC is the sole Korean language Flagship program bestowed the competitive grant and is one of just 19 language Flagship programs nationwide.

Among a plethora of opportunities KLFC extends to students is a one-year Capstone program in Korea. This July, five UH Mānoa students will participate in the Korean Flagship Overseas Program at Korea University in Seoul. Christine Mau and Keziah Yoo received the prestigious Boren Scholarship which will help fund their study abroad experience. The coveted award provides funds for undergraduate students embarking on international study in regions critical to U.S. interests. Both students follow a long line of Boren scholars from UH Mānoa.

Mackenzie Migdal, a dual major in political science and Korean at UH Mānoa completed KLFC’s program in 2023.

“I’m proud of who I have become. Learning different languages expands our linguistic abilities and broadens our cultural horizons, fostering empathy and understanding. Languages connect us to the world, and I’m thankful to the Korean Language Flagship for teaching me this,” said Migdal who graduated last summer.

Matthew Eteuati, currently immersed in the Korean Flagship Overseas Program, hopes to work for the federal government, where he can utilize Korean language skills to forge new connections and develop contracts that are mutually beneficial to multiple parties.

“The results achieved through international cooperation, regardless of the field, are exponentially larger than alone,” Eteuati said. “A superior proficiency in Korean language will allow me to bridge the two countries politically and industrially.”

More on KLFC

Since its inception in 2002, the KLFC has been a beacon of excellence in language education, aiming to cultivate specialists with superior-level proficiency in Korean. Through immersive language learning environments, tutoring programs and a one-year Capstone program in Korea. The center has nurtured a generation of professionals and scholars deeply connected to Korean language and culture.

The KLFC accepts applications year-round. Those interested in dual undergraduate degrees, Korean proficiency improvement, an overseas program and internship in Korea, or professional career opportunities are strongly encouraged to apply. Flagship applications can be submitted to the website.

KLFC is housed in the UH Mānoa .

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

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State’s flagship international academic exchange program, selected Jessica L. W. Miranda, director of strategic directions, assessment and accreditation at the , as a .

Miranda’s project, “Reframing Assessment as a Tool for Equity in the Higher Education Outcomes of Indigenous Students,” will take her to the State University of Londrina (Universidade Estadual de Londrina) in Brazil over two two-month periods from August 2024 to September 2025.

“One of my goals is to deepen my own knowledge and skills in integrating Indigenous knowledge, history, culture and language into the pedagogical and assessment practices across an institution’s academic and support programs,” Miranda said.

She will be collaborating with Universidade Estadual de Londrina Professor Wagner Roberto do Amaral to promote the development of a global assessment framework to increase equity for Indigenous students in higher education. This framework will provide clear guidance on effective assessment practices for Indigenous students and will reframe assessment as a tool for advancing equity and access to higher education for Indigenous students.

Miranda serves as UH West ��ʻ�����’s Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission accreditation liaison officer. She develops and implements processes to measure UH West ��ʻ�����’s strategic impact, and she leads assessment efforts on campus to foster a culture of continuous improvement in academic, student life and administrative programming.

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad in more than 160 countries. Earlier this year, was named a Top Fulbright Producing Institution.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Returning to an in-person format this year was the annual , an international language technology competition led by the (UH Tech Center) in the at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�. The Shark Tank-style event was held June 8, at the University of Minnesota in collaboration with the Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO).

Five startup companies pitched their innovative technology projects for language learning to a group of expert judges and an audience of language educators and researchers. , represented by Anthony Spadafino, was chosen as the of both the judges’ LaunchPad Award and People’s Choice Award determined by audience vote. Internationally recognized language education scholar Hayo Reinders was the master of ceremonies.

Described as “the language learning conversation partner for the modern age,” Lingostar.ai is an AI (artificial intelligence) who you can speak to in real, unscripted, back-and-forth conversations in voice or text about any topic to reach fluency. It currently speaks English, Spanish and French with 20+ languages coming soon. It gives pronunciation feedback, makes grammar corrections and suggests study games.

“Our program helps align the needs in language learning with the technologies that these entrepreneurs are developing,” said Julio Rodriguez, director of the UH Tech Center. “The LaunchPad gives them a valuable opportunity to refine their products and make adjustments. This year’s finalists received feedback from a very well informed audience, namely colleagues in the field with expertise in various areas of technology and language learning.”

The other four 2023 LaunchPad finalists were DLS VR, Eduling Speak, Mage Duel and Pangea Chat. Finalists are added to the UH Tech Center’s network of language programs at 21 leading institutions of higher education to participate in events and projects.

“The innovations showcased at this year’s event were remarkable in that they illustrate how technology entrepreneurs are integrating state-of-the-art artificial intelligence capabilities with pedagogically informed affordances for language learning,” said Richard Medina, faculty specialist in human-computer interaction and project lead at the UH Tech Center. “Each presenter prioritized engagement through gaming, virtual reality, or through social connections both in formal and informal learning settings. We think there is much potential to explore in each.”

The UH Tech Center started the LaunchPad competition in 2017, inspired by popular Japanese TV show Dragon’s Den, and its U.S. successor, Shark Tank. The annual event is designed to facilitate early dialogs between startup companies and world language professionals and is held at various locations every year, typically with collaborating conferences including CALICO and ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).

Emily Jo Noschese is the first deaf student to earn a doctorate from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�. The Department of Linguistics in the (CALL) recognizes the recent graduate.

“I feel honored,” expressed Noschese. “The linguistics department made this happen and took a chance on me. The linguistics department and KOKUA worked with me, accommodating needs for me to be successful. I can’t express my gratitude enough!”

More highlights from the commencement ceremonies and our amazing graduates

Noschese comes from a fourth generation of a culturally Deaf family of American Sign Language (ASL) users, and is the first person in her family to receive a full university education. After graduating from The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, she attended Gallaudet University, the world’s only liberal arts university for deaf people, and earned a BA in American Sign Language and an MA in linguistics. Noschese said she waited to pursue a PhD until she found the right program at the right university.

After several years of teaching ASL in various colleges and universities, Noschese moved to Honolulu and began teaching ASL classes at Kapiʻolani Community College. She soon began transcription work on the Endangered Languages Documentation Program project on �鶹��ý Sign Language (HSL) at UH ����ԴDz�. Impressed by her knowledge and enthusiasm, the HSL project staff encouraged Noschese to apply to the PhD program in CALL’s linguistics department. In her application, she stated that she had wanted to get a PhD since she was 10 years old, and that UH ����ԴDz� was the perfect place, given its expertise in language documentation and revitalization.

“We are honored that Emily Jo chose to build upon her academic interests and passion here at ����ԴDz�,” said UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno. “I know that her extraordinary success and lasting contributions to the university will inspire many haumāna (students) who have yet to begin their own journey of discovery.”

Noschese’s groundbreaking dissertation focuses on language ideology in younger ASL users. Her work also helped the department create and teach ASL courses that are taught by other deaf instructors today.

“Noschese’s dissertation is a valuable resource for ASL-based education programs, especially because it targets the attitudes of the young parent generation, who, along with teachers and schools, play a role in deaf education curricula,” said Andrea Berez-Kroeker, professor and graduate chair of linguistics, who co-chaired Noschese’s dissertation committee with Woody Woodward, an adjunct professor.

A startup company helping people learn different languages is the winner of the 2022 (UHVC). GOALL (Great Online Activities for Language Learning), led by University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� PhD students, won a prize package of more than $34,000.

GOALL provides a web and mobile app to help adult language learners achieve their goals through customizable and research-grounded task-based activities. Its prize package includes $10,000 from title sponsors Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI) and Hawaiian Electric, and more than $24,000 in in-kind prizes. Team members are Ann Choe, Kristen Urada, Yang Liu and Susanne DeVore, who are all PhD students in UH ����ԴDz�’s Department of Second Language Studies in the .

“We are very honored to receive first place,” said Choe, GOALL’s team leader. “The whole experience was a fantastic opportunity to develop our entrepreneurial knowledge and skills. We’re grateful for PACE, our coach Jeff Hui, and those who supported GOALL all along. We can’t wait to advance GOALL to its next step.”

GOALL was one of three finalists that presented to a group of judges at UHVC’s final event held in-person on April 29 at American Savings Bank. .

UHVC is hosted annually by in UH ����ԴDz�’s to support budding entrepreneurs by providing hands-on education, mentorship and resources to students from the 10-campus UH System who wish to start a new business.

Finalists

Resesio—a company that offers an automated optimization model for the construction design process, resulting in significant material and cost savings—won the second place prize, which includes $5,000 from HEI and Hawaiian Electric and $14,400 in in-kind prizes. Team members are UH ����ԴDz� PhD students Mohamed Sherif, Amr Ghanem and Mostafa Abdelhafeez. Sherif and Ghanem won the 2021 and a $5,000 prize for a company called Model-C, which is focused on infrastructure simulation and optimization technology.

The third place winner was the Ōfaga Leo Preschool System, which provides immersion language education in �鶹��ý and the continental U.S. in areas where there is a high demand for childcare and preschool services in Samoan language. The third place prize totaled more than $10,000, including a $2,500 cash prize sponsored by HiBEAM in honor of pioneer Billy Richardson. Team members are John Patu, Jr., a PhD student in at UH Hilo, and Carmelita T. Patu, a creative media student at .

These three teams reached the finals after beating out 25 other teams in two earlier rounds of competition.

“We are proud of all of the courageous teams that embarked on their entrepreneurial journey through the competition. We were pleased to see a diverse group of participants from six UH System campuses with startup ideas, ranging from geothermal energy to educational platforms to consumer products,” said PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama. “This competition is not possible without the generous support of our sponsors, partners, and volunteers, for whom I am very grateful.”

“At HEI, we recognize the vital role entrepreneurs play in creating and maintaining a vibrant economy for our island state,” said Scott Seu, HEI president and CEO. “We applaud the innovative ideas and hard work of all the participants, and recognize the many mentors and professors who guided them along the way.”

In addition to cash prizes, each winning team will take home a carefully curated prize package of support services. Prize sponsors include Blue Logic Labs, HiBEAM, Hub Coworking �鶹��ý, New Venture Pro, Pineapple Tweed and Vantage Counsel.

Outstanding student entrepreneur

Fujiyama also presented Madonna Castro Perez with PACE’s outstanding student entrepreneur of the year award for her exceptional contributions to entrepreneurial activities at the university and in the community. The law student was a member of the winning team in the 2020 competition. She has served as the vice chair of the Calvin Shindo Student Venture Fund since February 2021, leading a committee of 12 students to manage the venture finance process. She served as a civil rights advocate at the Legal Aid Society of �鶹��ý and an intern at Blue Startups.

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

—By Marc Arakaki

Modeled after hit television show, Shark Tank, an annual virtual technology competition called LaunchPad, spearheaded by the (Tech Center) in the at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�, welcomed first-time entrepreneurs to key up their submissions. Four startup companies pitched technology products intended to impact world language education.

“We think it is important for nascent companies to receive early feedback from the profession,“ said Julio Rodriguez, director at the Tech Center. “It’s a win-win situation. Companies receive feedback to better align their products to the research and needs in language education; and language educators get a chance to shape new products in ways that best suit their needs.”

The competition’s panel of highly specialized judges reviewed submissions that ranged from apps that help learners rapidly jumpstart their Mandarin speaking skills, an English vocabulary and pronunciation platform, conversational language activities to using popular music lyrics to grasp a new language.

Winning submissions

Mobile application Lirica earned top marks from the judges and won the LaunchPad Award capturing the honorary plaque. The digital platform matches up core language components with the lyrics of different pieces of popular music. The company is founded on the premise that songs make language memorable. With each song, users learn vocabulary, grammar and listening comprehension in context, with the hope of it being reinforced each time they listen.

“Lirica’s application represents a unique approach that leverages both self-directed and teacher facilitated learning,” said Richard Medina, project lead and specialist at the Tech Center. “Their contribution occupies a niche in the world of language learning technology that really impressed the judges. We are excited to see where they go from here!”

Products are judged on various criteria, such as product alignment, pitch quality, innovation, user experience and potential for use in the Language Flagship, a network of 31 Flagship Programs at 23 higher education institutions across the country, including two programs at UH in Chinese and Korean.

The People’s Choice Award was given to Charlala, which netted a majority of votes from the competition’s online audience. The conversational language app converts any device into a digital canvas to engage students in authentic conversations through a variety of communicative activities including card talks, weekend chats and storytelling.

Participating startups gain exposure to thousands of language educators and several successful companies in the field. UH’s Tech Center started the LaunchPad competition in 2017, inspired by popular Japanese TV show Dragon’s Den, and its U.S. successor, Shark Tank. The annual event is designed to facilitate early dialogs between startup companies and world language professionals.

Funding applications are open for University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� undergraduate and graduate students who wish to study a language of Asia and the Pacific. Three of UH ����ԴDz�’s federally-funded National Resource Centers (East Asia, Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands Studies) offer 2022–23 Academic Year and/or summer 2022 Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships that include full tuition and stipend. All majors are welcome, and students must enroll in language and area studies courses each semester that they are FLAS recipients to receive the funding.

Eligibility and fellowship information

• FLAS awards are subject to funding by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• Applicants must be full-time, classified students at UH ����ԴDz� or in the process of applying to a degree-granting undergraduate or graduate program at UH ����ԴDz� at the time of application.
• FLAS recipients must be full-time, classified, degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate students in residence at UH ����ԴDz� to receive the fellowship.
• East-West Center Degree Fellows are not eligible for academic year FLAS, but are eligible for summer FLAS.
• Graduate students holding an academic year FLAS are not eligible to hold a concurrent graduate assistantship/teaching assistantship/research assistantship position.
• Fellowships are awarded for one academic year and/or one summer at a time, and recipients may apply again for continued funding for up to two years of the fellowship.
• Fieldwork/Research: FLAS Fellowships are not a stipend for research or fieldwork. Check with your academic department for possible research/fieldwork funding opportunities from other sources.

Application deadlines

• Southeast Asian languages (Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Khmer, Tagalog, Hmong or Lao) application submission deadline is January 17, 2022. .
• East Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) application submission deadline is February 1, 2022. .
• Pacific Islands languages (Chamorro, Maori, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Marshallese, Fijian) application submission deadline is February 1, 2022. .

All questions related to FLAS Fellowships and the application process can be directed to Fellowships Coordinator Dr. Chizuko Allen at chizuko@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-2210.