A health tech startup improving how community health workers (CHW) document client visits took the $2,000 first place prize in the second annual , hosted by the (PACE) in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s . The startup was one of 12 interdisciplinary teams made up of UH Mānoa students that competed in the two-week challenge.

The competition was co-hosted by , a software platform led by a Shidler and PACE alumnus, that empowers community-based organizations to address the social drivers of health. It highlighted PACE’s mission to bridge academic learning with practical, work-based problem-solving.

“Innovate 808 shows how powerful interdisciplinary learning can be when we connect students to real community partners,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said. “The ideas generated this year show that innovation truly thrives in collaboration.”

Interdisciplinary collaboration

The students in this year’s challenge represented 10 UH Mānoa colleges and schools. The result was a dynamic combination of technical, social and entrepreneurial ideas to support �鶹��ý’s community health workforce.

The winning team, Pear Lens, created a photo-based note capture and conversion tool that allows CHW to document client interactions more efficiently while maintaining data privacy. The team came together as four solo applicants met for the first time during the competition: Justin Paul Alejo (business), Jennifer Kawata (public administration), Biplav Paudel (business) and Ivy Vo (business).

“The competition brought together a diverse team of complete strangers to solve a complex challenge, but we quickly found our rhythm and collaborated seamlessly to propose a simple yet powerful idea,” Kawata said.

Kawehi Kea-Scott, a Pear Suite judge who used to work as a CHW, commended the team for “meeting CHWs where they are” by respecting existing workflows while introducing low-friction technology. “The fact that these students built a fully functioning prototype in just two weeks is remarkable,” Kea-Scott said.

Initially the competition was planned as a winner-takes-all prize structure, but the judges were so impressed by the presentations that three runner-up prizes were added. Each student from the following three teams won $350.

• Jayden Ronel Villanueva, Shannon Tai and Jaylyn-Kate Balon developed a tiered education and certification pathway with AI-generated feedback and mentoring for aspiring CHWs.
• Tate Goodman, Mau Tsujimura, Micah Tajiri and Lenox Covington created a machine-learning workflow tool that helps CHWs select the most effective resources for their clients.
• Logan Lee, Tristan Ta and Yeunggyun Kwon designed a referral platform that connects CHWs and clients based on shared experience and training, fostering stronger engagement.

Takeda invited the winning teams to present their solutions to his executive team and encouraged all participants to consider internships and employment at Pear Suite, as he shared that Pear Suite will be continuing its nationwide expansion after he recently raised $7.6 million in funding.

“Just try it, go out there and find problems to solve,” Takeda said. “Being able to test ideas, try new things and see what the feedback is from your customers is a great way to learn and grow.”

Teams were also mentored by Jeff Hui, PACE‘s entrepreneur in residence, who advised students to “take advantage of these real world experiences. These are the opportunities that open doors to new career paths and set you apart when you are interviewing for a job.”

Sarah Espinosa, a PhD student in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (LTEC), was awarded the Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal—a Department of the Navy award presented to civilian employees who have demonstrated exceptional service or achievement. Espinosa also earned a certificate in online learning and teaching (COLT) and an online MEd in learning design and technology from UH ����ԴDz�.

An instructional systems specialist for the Department of the Navy, in Millington, Tennessee for two years, Espinosa provided systems training to Navy and civilian pay and personnel administrators.

An excerpt from a certificate signed by U.S. Navy Rear Adm. and MyNavy Career Center Commander S.C. Satterwhite said, “As the manager of the worldwide course, [Espinosa] oversaw more than 24 sessions annually that train over 400 personnel… Her personal initiative and exceptional performance reflected credit upon her and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

As the course manager, Espinosa collaborated with various training hubs and stakeholders, and was responsible for registering students, setting up training sites, tracking assessments and evaluating the project’s mobile instructional team on site visits.

“Due to the success of the program, I was honored with this recognition, though I could not have done this alone,” Espinosa said. “I had a fantastic team to work with, and they also deserve a lot of the credit.”

Career, life changes, flexible coursework

Espinosa changed careers after being a professional musician in the U.S. Navy for 11 years. She ended her contract when she became a mother and said the COLT program allowed her to get her foot in the door to education and eventually her master’s degree.

“My husband was on active duty, and being a veteran myself, I was able to utilize my GI Bill and try to complete the program while we were stationed in �鶹��ý or take online classes if we were to transfer,” Espinosa said. “We ended up moving to Japan, but I was able to complete my coursework while overseas due to LTEC’s flexible course schedule.”

Attributing her ability to collaborate, remain patient and assign tasks appropriately to LTEC, Espinosa says the masterʻs program uniquely prepares graduates for flexibility in instructional design work.

“I used nearly every single thing I learned during my time in the program in my government job,” Espinosa said. “I’m very grateful to the LTEC faculty for how often they cheered me on to keep pressing forward toward my goals. Many of my cohort members have become lifelong friends. I’m also very grateful to my husband and son for being patient with me while I have been in school and working.”

LTEC Professor Seungoh Paek said, “Sarah is a wonderful doctoral student. Despite wearing many hats and juggling numerous responsibilities, she has consistently shown dedication, intellectual curiosity, and a strong commitment to learning design and technology. It’s been a pleasure working with her and watching her grow as both a scholar and a leader. This medal is a well-deserved honor and a true reflection of the excellence she brings to her professional and academic pursuits. We’re so proud of her!”

For the fourth consecutive year, women doctoral candidates from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� earned grants recognizing their studies, research and work, all of which have great social importance to the world.

Nearly half of the 2023 from Soroptimist Founder Region Fellowship, Inc. were awarded to UH ����ԴDz� students. Erin McConkey, Joanne Qinaʻau, Randi Rollins and Amy Var each received a $10,000 unrestricted grant to support the completion of their degrees.

“I had the privilege of attending the Soroptimist Conference, an unforgettable and enriching experience,” Rollins, from the , said. “We connected with all the remarkable awardees and personally met the generous sponsors to express our gratitude. The grant not only enabled me to reduce my hours at a part-time job but also afforded me the precious time needed to focus on completing my dissertation. Furthermore, it facilitated my participation in a statistical training in Seattle. These opportunities have been pivotal in nurturing my professional growth, guiding me towards the next step in my career.”

In honor of the Founder Region Fellowship’s 75th anniversary, a celebration was held in Oakland, California, where awardees were recognized for their doctoral work and contributions. Since 1948, 363 grants totaling more than $1.7 million have been awarded. Some of the fields awarded over the years include: clinical psychology, endocrinology, sociology, genetics, immunology, zoology, marine biology, civil engineering, bioengineering, infectious diseases, agricultural policy reform, law, social science and special education.

“I couldn’t be more grateful! The buffer fellowships like this allows for more time and energy to be spent on our research—hopefully this means an even higher quality of work,” Qinaʻau said. “Additionally, the fellowship has contributed to less worry and stress over how to pay bills during a year where dissertation demands are high. Mahalo nui loa to everyone involved who made this happen!”

2024 applications now open

For those interested in applying for the 2024 Founder Region Fellowship, visit the to learn more and on November 2 or November 12. Application deadline is January 15, 2024.

UH ����ԴDz�’s 2023 awardees

• Erin McConkey is an anthropology student in the . McConkey’s dissertation explores the sociomaterial entanglements surrounding the production and use of snake antivenom in Thailand. It critically examines how human and nonhuman relationships transform medico-scientific ideas about the body, medicine and labor. McConkey hopes her work will bring to light avenues for reducing the number of snakebites and improving access to safe and effective treatment.
• Joanne Qinaʻau studies psychology in the College of Social Sciences. Qinaʻau’s dissertation is an offering to ancestors, outlining detriments, supports, states and outcomes of wellbeing for Native Hawaiians who have behavioral health challenges. Highlighting the stress of settler colonialism and the need for ecological pono (morality, righteous, just) and relational pilina (relationships), their work aims to inform intervention design. Preliminary measures can also be adapted for therapeutic or research purposes, while the empowerment materials contribute to kaiāulu using a participatory approach.
• Randi Rollins is a zoology student in the School of Life Sciences. Rollins’ research focused on the ecology of rat lungworm. Parasitic nematodes infect 1.5–3.5 billion people worldwide. Human infection is closely associated with economic status and disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged people, especially in tropical/subtropical and developing countries. Having graduated in August, Rollins started a postdoctoral position at UH on a National Institutes of Health-funded project to discover treatments/preventative compounds for rat lungworm disease.
• Amy Var is a learning design and technology student in the . Var’s dissertation study: Examining Technology Integrated Higher-Order Thinking Practices at Title I Public Middle Schools aims to better understand how teachers use technology to promote higher-order thinking in disadvantaged settings where the literature suggests such practices are lacking and, in doing so, shine a light on innovative, exemplary practices, thereby promoting social justice through digital equity.

Beloved educational technology professor and former dean of the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (COE) Christine Sorensen Irvine died on January 27, 2023 at the age of 64. Irvine served COE from 2007 until her death.

“Dr. Christine Sorensen Irvine was not only an exceptional colleague, but a valued friend,” said Learning Design and Technology (LTEC) Director Michael Menchaca. “She made a difference every day. Many, many doctoral students wanted her as chair and she never said no. She provided exceptional mentoring, and she was known for her tough yet fair and insightful feedback. She may have told you what was wrong, but she also told you how to fix it. She brought out the absolute best in all her students and I know they will miss her. I will miss her, too.”

Inspired to teach

Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Irvine grew up in the South as her family moved to Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and finally Texas where she attended Lufkin High School. It was during her junior year that she discovered the impact of a dedicated teacher, which is reflected in her own work and legacy as a professor.

“The ambidextrous and rebellious Christine decided to write her book reports on banned books in mirror script (backwards),” recounted her sister Emery Lauten Meadows. “Her English teacher, Mr. Williams, encouraged her to keep writing like that, even though he had to hold her reports up to a mirror to read them. Christine never forgot that lesson on how to be a good teacher.”

Irvine served as the dean of the College of Education at two top-tier research universities and became a tenured professor—all without ever having received a high school diploma. She did, however, earn a BA in speech communication from the University of Houston, and an MS in professional studies in education and PhD in professional studies in higher education from Iowa State University.

Irvine’s impact

Irvine served as dean of COE at UH ����ԴDz� from 2007 until 2012 when she made the difficult decision to step down in order to focus on her health and that of her terminally-ill mother. Optimistically returning to the classroom, she taught in LTEC where she helped found the doctoral program. She graduated 13 doctoral students as dissertation chair and was advising more than 30 doctoral students as a dissertation committee member at the time of her death.

Jaymi Urashima from the COE 2017 PhD cohort wrote on Irvine’s , “Whenever I thought of Dr. Chris, the first word that came to mind was Superwoman. She was such a knowledgeable, hard-working, efficient and caring professor. She is impossible to replace and will be greatly missed. Thank you, Dr. Chris, for sharing your wisdom and time with all of us. May you rest in peace knowing you’ve positively impacted so many people.”

Throughout her career, Irivine presented nationally and internationally; served as director and co-director of numerous contract and grant programs; was a lead grant-writing evaluator; authored and co-authored a multitude of books, chapters, journal articles, and funded evaluation reports; belonged to many professional organizations; and served on dozens of state-level boards and advisory committees.

“[She] had a brilliant mind, a stellar work ethic and the warmest heart,” wrote a student on the memorial board. “She deeply cared so much about her students and her work, and I will always be grateful for everything she has taught me over the past several years. She was a special person that I will miss very much.”

Irvine is survived by her daughter Kathryn and son-in-law Daniel; her grandchildren Jacob, Evelynn and Ava; her sons Michael and Andrew; and her step-children Chelsea, Colton and Justin.

To honor her dedication and contributions, the COE has established the Dr. Christine Sorensen Irvine Memorial Endowment Fund for LTEC doctoral students. For more information, contact Menchaca at mikepm@hawaii.edu.

A memorial service is scheduled on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 11 a.m. at the Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in Honolulu (flowers may be sent there). The service will also be webcast at or .

To provide �鶹��ý educators with the skills needed to integrate computer science (CS) into their instruction, University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa Assistant Professor Dan Hoffman is researching the role of culturally-relevant computing. Hoffman, of the (COE) (LTEC), was awarded nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his three-year grant program, Advancing Research and Practice in Culturally-Relevant Computing.

“This is an opportunity to collaborate with teachers in ways that open up the world of CS while promoting and sustaining �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s unique place, history, culture and language,” said Hoffman. “By adopting an interdisciplinary stance, we hope to move beyond brief, standardized CS experiences toward something deeper and more personally relevant for learners.”

Co-directors of the program include LTEC Associate Professors Peter Leong and Seungoh Paek, and Associate Specialist Rochelle Kaʻaloa.

“For me, this grant represents our commitment to bringing CS education to more elementary students in �鶹��ý by making it culturally relevant to our keiki,” said Leong. “Traditionally, most STEM topics have been taught from a western culture perspective, making it more difficult for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island students to relate.”

A partnership between UH Mānoa and the (HIDOE), the project will provide 230 elementary educators professional development in how to promote CS and valued culture-based outcomes. In addition to providing resources and training to teachers, the project will explore how culturally relevant, sustaining pedagogy can be leveraged to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM-related fields more broadly.

“As a Native Hawaiian educator, who has spent more than 20 years advocating through my teaching and research for increased access and opportunities for technology use by our haumana (students) to tell their stories and dream their futures, this grant provides a rich opportunity to open spaces through culturally relevant pedagogy to increase diversity and equity in student experiences in CS education,” Kaʻaloa said.

The Advancing Research and Practice in Culturally-Relevant Computing project team acknowledged COE’s Mike Menchaca, Kitty Hino, Val Shearer and Keith Tokuda for their ongoing support as well as the HIDOE’s Brett Tanaka and the Computer Science Working Group for their commitment to high quality computer science education in �鶹��ý.

This work is an example of UH Mānoa’s goals of (PDF), and (PDF) two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Jennifer Parks

A PhD student was selected as one of the . The international award recognizes emerging leaders within private and public corporations and seeks to provide support, visibility, voice and development for the next generation of learning leaders.

Natalie Perez is a senior instructional designer and program manager at Amazon and a student in UH ����ԴDz�’s College of Education (COE) (LTEC). She previously served as the online learning and support coordinator at UH West Oʻahu and has directed other distance education programs within the UH System.

Passionate about education, she says she loves UH, having also earned her master’s in the LTEC department, an associate’s degree from Leeward Community College and a bachelor’s degree from UH West Oʻahu, where she worked as a tutor in the Noʻeau Center.

“The university has had such an incredible impact on me, and it has really helped to build my skill set and prepare me for my work,” Perez stated. “After finishing my MEd and coursework for my PhD in LTEC, I consider myself an advanced instructional designer. It was the right decision x100 to join the COE, one of the best choices I’ve made for my career!“

Perez was selected through a rigorous application process, based on the following criteria: contribution to and leadership in the learning and development profession; career history and progression; contributions to the Learning Conference and/or Learning community; use of thought leadership; and alignment with Learning’s program core values.

LTEC Chair Michael Menchaca said, “I cannot think of a more deserving recipient for this distinction than Natalie! As a graduate of our master’s program, she has excelled and her culminating project on designing online training for tutors provided a model that still applies. Her scholarly knowledge together with her practical skills have allowed her to develop both scholastically and professionally.”

Beyond her work at Amazon, Perez runs Wahine ʻIke Loa, a non-profit program that seeks to empower women and children via motorsports.

The other young professionals on this year’s list come from countries such as Dubai, Denmark, Australia, Italy and the U.S., and work for NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, Adobe, Harvard and Ferrari to name a few.

Perez concluded, “It’s incredible to have been chosen among such a highly successful group of people. For me, this award means that I am capable and have been well-equipped to be a leader in the learning and development field. I have learned so much from my extensive work and academic experiences within the University of �鶹��ý, and my wonderful colleagues, mentors and faculty have been instrumental to my success.”

Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka, a PhD student in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s College of Education (COE) (LTEC) department, has been named the American Sāmoa Territorial Teacher of the Year. An English teacher at Samoana High School where she attended school, Suluai-Mahuka earned a BEd and MEd from the COE.

“Ever since I became an educator, this award has always been a goal of mine,” Suluai-Mahuka said. “I’ve worked assiduously to improve with every lesson and with every school year, I was motivated to push through all the late hours that are demanded of a teacher. As such, I am honored to be bestowed this prestigious title, and it is especially special to me as my mother was awarded this same title 10 years ago.”

Suluai-Mahuka is also a graduate advisor and lecturer in the college’s program where she earned her master’s degree. The focus of this curriculum studies program is on culturally-responsive, Pacific, place-based science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics subjects.

PACMED Director Deb Zuercher said, “I was not only Sabrina’s cohort instructor and graduate advisor, but I was also her mother’s! Jewele Suluai was also the Territorial Teacher of the Year and a COE BEd and MEd graduate.”

Before Samoana, Suluai-Mahuka began her teaching career at Faʻasao Marist High School as head of the English department. She credits the COE with having a major role in her career, having gained the necessary knowledge and experience to become a more effective teacher.

She concluded, “With amazing instructors and phenomenal lessons, I was taught to employ effective classroom management strategies, plan meaningful and engaging lessons, and meet the needs of all my diverse learners. I am grateful to have been able to obtain such an amazing education, and I hope to see more educators, who are passionate about their profession, join in and pursue higher education with the College of Education.”

Jewel Mahoe, a doctoral student in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s College of Education , now has a new title, Queen. She was also named Miss Congeniality and was selected for the .

A preschool special education teacher at Ala Wai Elementary School, Mahoe earned a bachelor of arts in elementary education degree from the University of Northern Colorado and a master of education in special education degree from Vanderbilt University.

“I am incredibly honored to have been awarded the title of 68th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen and to be the recipient of the Violet Niimi Oishi Scholarship,” Mahoe said. “This is a great opportunity to be a role model for other young Japanese American women in �鶹��ý and to represent the Cherry Blossom Festival. I am most honored to have been awarded Miss Congeniality by my peers. I truly value the friendships I have made and am grateful for all 14 of my fellow contestants.”

Typically held in March, the festival ball was held in June in a smaller format because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen contestants underwent 10 months of preparations, including training sessions, public appearances and cultural lessons. Further adhering to CDC guidelines, certain events and responsibilities of the queen and court will be held online.

“This year, our focus will be on serving the community in different ways,” Mahoe explained. “We would like to be safe, and we will definitely be thinking creatively during these unprecedented times. We are looking to partner with other organizations and do what we can. I’m really excited to spend more time with the amazing women on the court with me.”

By using the Facebook social networking platform, sheltered homeless in �鶹��ý can improve their lives in ways ranging from online job searches to strengthening their connections with family and friends.

That was the finding from a research team led by Wayne Buente, an associate professor in the in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (CSS). The .

Study details

A survey of 148 people at two homeless shelters in Honolulu examined Facebook use vs. non-use, and found that Facebook users were:

• Younger and more likely to be female.
• More likely to have their own cell phones, have access to the internet from their cell phones and be heavier cell phone users.
• More likely to use the app for online job searches than to look for housing.
• Exhibited higher levels of bonding with close friends and loved ones, including family, which was especially critical during times of trouble.

“Our study demonstrates how the use of Facebook can lead to improving the homeless condition,” said Buente. “As a social media platform with a focus on social networks, Facebook can help homeless individuals keep in touch with close friends who can provide them with critical social support and help. In addition, using Facebook may improve human capital by helping homeless individuals to acquire a job or improve internet literacy.”

The researchers noted that Native Hawaiians represented a majority—almost one-third or 31.8 percent—of homeless shelter guests in the study, a finding confirmed by other government and nonprofit agency reports.

Researchers

Buente serves as graduate chair in the School of Communications. He has pursued research projects that examine issues relating to information systems, digital inequality, social media and health disparities. His classes look at the interplay between society and information and communication technologies.

Collaborators on the research team were Rachel Neo, a communications assistant professor at CSS; Luz Quiroga, a retired associate professor in UH ����ԴDz�’s and Library and Information Science Program; and Joseph Greene, a doctoral student in in UH ����ԴDz�’s College of Education and instructional designer at Texas Tech University Health Services Center.

Research was funded by the in CSS and supported by the Institute for Human Services.

—By Lisa Shirota

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that computer science and related industries are projected to grow faster than any other over the next 10 years, and U.S. universities are not currently able to meet the projected demand. To combat this problem, a multidisciplinary team at the received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to evaluate a new approach to improving engagement, diversity and retention in undergraduate computer science education.

Fewer than 40 percent of students who enter college with the intention of majoring in a STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) field, such as computer science, actually complete the degree. In addition, the percentages of women and underrepresented minorities in computer science has been decreasing.

The UH research team, will evaluate a conceptual framework called Degree Experience Plans and its implementation in an open source system called .

Collaboratively designed by students, faculty and staff over the past three years, RadGrad provides an alternative perspective on the computer science and computer engineering degree experiences. In RadGrad, successful involvement in extracurricular computer science and engineering activities are valued just as much as coursework. RadGrad avoids the use of GPA as the “metric for success,” using instead a more holistic, three–part measure called ICE or innovation, competency and experience.

Our ultimate goal is to produce innovations that improve retention and diversity in STEM disciplines across the UH System and beyond.
—Philip Johnson

Students earn ICE points for activities inside or outside the classroom, and the system provides incentives to earn points in all three areas. RadGrad aligns with and builds upon current research on individual learning plans and communities of practice, both of which have shown promise for improving retention and diversity in educational programs.

The research team is headed by Professor in the Department of (ICS), and includes , an assistant professor in ICS in the , as well as and Peter Leong, both associate professors in the Department of Learning Design and Technology in the .

“We’ve been designing and piloting RadGrad for several years, and we are excited that this grant will enable us to fully evaluate our approach and the technology,” said Johnson. “Our ultimate goal is to produce innovations that improve retention and diversity in STEM disciplines across the UH System and beyond.”

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