A rare century-old collection of South Asian lithographs and manuscripts is now available online to researchers and the public through the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s , with the launch of its .

Created in 1903 by Atul K. Basu, the collection includes 35 lithographic prints and three typed manuscripts documenting Hindu mythology and religious narratives. Twenty-nine of the lithographs feature Bengali text with handwritten pencil transliterations, adding another layer of historical significance.

Collaboration, technological advances

The digitization project brought together librarians, archivists, technologists and students across Hamilton Library.

“Working on this project was my first experience contributing to the creation of a digital collection and a meaningful opportunity to apply metadata and collaboration in practice,” library and information science intern Munju Kim said.

Kim helped digitize the collection and developed its descriptive materials under the mentorship of IT Specialist Alisa Kwok, who led the digitization effort.

Metadata Librarian Stasha Gardasevic said the project also explored new technological approaches for digital collections.

“This project served as an excellent testbed for exploring the use of AI in supporting digital collections discovery with the transcription of non-Latin scripts,” Gardasevic said. “Gemini Pro did an excellent job interpreting Bengali script.”

Web Developer and Digital Collections Manager Daniel Ishimitsu helped publish the collection online, while Monica Ghosh, chair of the Asia Collection and South Asia Studies librarian, contributed language expertise and subject knowledge throughout the project.

The digital collection is expected to support future research in Hindu mythology, South Asian religious traditions, art history and visual culture.

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For Liliana Okimoto, a year away for college in Washington State provided a realization that no school in the continental U.S. can offer what the can: a deep sense of community and purpose. That was the focus of her winning #TakeMeToMānoa social media contest video hosted by .

In her minute-long entry, Okimoto said, “�鶹��ý is where my heart is and under the guidance of the amazing faculty and staff at UH Mānoa, I know I can grow into the person I want to become—someone who devotes themselves to learning in order to better serve their community, so take me home. Take me to Mānoa.”

As the winner out of nearly 60 entries, Okimoto won a free year of tuition at UH Mānoa, courtesy of (UHFCU). The online contest, which was open to incoming fall 2026 �鶹��ý freshmen and transfer students, asked entrants to explain why UH Mānoa is the right place for them or how a year of free tuition would impact their future.

Billy V from �鶹��ý News Now made the surprise announcement to Okimoto live on Sunrise on May 22, in front of cheering UH ����ԴDz� employees and students at the UH Mānoa Bookstore.

“I was just in shock and I was so happy,” Okimoto said. “I didn’t realize what it was and then I saw the check. I was like, ‘oh my goodness.’”

Okimoto grew up in Waiʻanae and attended Island Pacific Academy before graduating from ʻIolani School in 2025. At UH Mānoa, Okimoto will pursue a degree in in the , and is also considering a pre-health track. She is also passionate about art and is considering medical school to become a psychiatrist, with a possible goal of one day leading a medical practice that offers psychological care and creative therapies such as art therapy.

“I had gone to school on the mainland and I could tell that I don’t know if this is what’s right for me and I always just kept thinking about coming home, being back here,” Okimoto said. “And so I was really looking at UH and what programs are here and what they have to offer. I really think that being back at home and being at UH specifically is what’s best for me.”

This will be a full circle moment for Okimoto, who will attend UH Mānoa at the same time as her mother, Michelle, who is in the graduate program for library and information science. Michelle is a librarian at ʻIolani.

“It’s really exciting,” Michelle said. “I wish that I had completed all of the education I wanted to do when I was younger, so I’m definitely gonna encourage her to do that, but I think it’s really cool that we’re gonna go to the same school, go to the same events and maybe even carpool sometimes. I’m just so glad to have her home. It’s icing on the cake that we get to be students together. I’m looking forward to studying together and cheering each other on!”

The contest ran from April 6 to May 3. Now in its eighth year, the contest continues to spotlight the dreams, creativity and determination of �鶹��ý’s students.

“I am delighted to congratulate Liliana, the winner of this year’s #TakeMetoMānoa contest,” said Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos. “As our first transfer student to receive this honor, she is a shining example of a student returning home from the continent for whom finding the right fit is of utmost importance, and we are glad to be that destination of choice for her. We are proud to welcome her to our UH Mānoa ʻohana and look forward to the impact she will have on our community.”

“We’re very proud of being able to support the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa and also the students here and bringing her back home,” said UHFCU AVP of Member Experience Sean Parsa. “We’re proud of her and we’re proud of being part of the University of �鶹��ý.”

Meet the previous #TakeMeToMānoa winners.

A decade ago, Alyssa Silva first stepped into the as a Running Start student. Running Start is a program that allows eligible high school students to take a college course at a University of �鶹��ý campus as part of their high school coursework.

Silva is preparing to cross Kauaʻi CC’s commencement stage for the third time to earn her master of library and information science degree from UH ����ԴDz�. She was only 16 when she began her journey there, while attending Kauaʻi High School.

“I basically grew up in this library in terms of my career,” Silva said. “I came here when I was 16, and now I’m 26.”

Silva earned her associate degree in accounting from Kauaʻi CC in 2019 before transferring to . She completed her bachelor’s degree in with an emphasis in in 2021, while residing on Kauaʻi. During her undergraduate years, she worked as a student assistant in the Kauaʻi CC library.

After graduating, Silva briefly worked in accounting before finding herself drawn back to the library. What began as a temporary position quickly turned into a permanent role. She credits University Center Education Specialist Rhonda Liu with encouraging her to pursue a master’s degree in library and information science.

Working in a small community college library has allowed her to develop skills across many areas while helping students feel welcomed and supported.

“We get students fresh out of high school, or students returning to school after a long time, and they can be nervous,” Silva said. “We’re here to help them become comfortable using the library and the school’s resources, and to give them a safe space to be.”

Indigenous librarianship

Throughout her graduate studies, Silva said courses focused on Indigenous librarianship had the greatest impact on her perspective and career goals.

“Libraries are based on Western ideas, and Indigenous knowledge doesn’t always fit neatly into those systems,” Silva said. “I feel like my way of contributing to our Indigenous-serving institution is by being a careful steward of what we have, continuing to learn from our community, and finding ways to make library spaces and collections more reflective of the people we serve.”

Meet more amazing UH graduates

In recent years, Silva has supported a variety of initiatives at Kauaʻi CC, including managing circulation operations, learning cataloging, and collection management while helping plan for future library projects and supporting projects connected to the Kikuchi Center.

“As an Indigenous-serving institution, archiving helps make these materials accessible,” Silva said. “It creates greater access for the community, especially for Native Hawaiian students, to connect with and work with these materials.”

Silva also recognizes the important role libraries play for local students at a time when many public school libraries on Kauaʻi face ongoing challenges and reductions in services.

“Sometimes students come into the library feeling intimidated,” Silva said. “I feel like making sure Indigenous, Pacific and local authors are represented and available to our students is crucial. It’s important for students to walk into a library and see something of themselves reflected there.”

Looking ahead, Silva is considering pursuing a second master’s degree in Indigenous language and culture education, history, anthropology or humanities to become a specialty librarian. No matter where her career leads, the Kauaʻi CC library remains at the heart of her journey.

—By Caitlin B. Fowlkes

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa ballroom dance team won its third consecutive national title at the (NCDC), in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 27–29.

Competing against 37 colleges, UH Mānoa once again took first place for “highest point average,” as well as a close second place for the overall team championship, asserting its place among the nation’s top ballroom dance college teams. Winning top honors in the highest point average requires most team members to perform exceptionally well in all events.

The dancers of the Ballroom Dance Club @UHM—a registered independent organization at UH Mānoa—are trained and coached by Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti. Narayan and Sumukti also represented �鶹��ý in the senior age division placing 1st in several events.

“We are no longer the underdogs, so all the other colleges are looking at us as the team to beat,” said Narayan, who is also an adjunct faculty member in the UH Mānoa . “The bar is getting raised higher and higher each year, but we prevailed once again. We are incredibly proud of the dedication of our dancers who put in many hours to prepare for this competition. We are grateful for the incredible support we have received from the entire ballroom community in the state of �鶹��ý.”

The Ballroom Dance Club @UHM was formed in September 2022, and the team took first place for “highest team average” in 2024 and 2025.

“Nationals was an amazing and eye-opening experience for me,” said Caleb Zerbe, who competed in the nationals for the first time. “Getting to see so many people dance and enjoy themselves on the floor made me realize how fun dancing can be, even at the highest stages. It was a moment that helped me build a lot of confidence, and one that I will never forget.”

Christopher Ramirez, who competed on all three victorious UH Mānoa teams, added, “Given the opportunity to compete at my third nationals, there is always something new to learn. Winning for the third year in a row has reminded me just how incredible it is to be a part of this team.”

Tough competition

NCDC is a grueling competition with events starting at 7 a.m. every morning. It consisted of multiple events based on proficiency (bronze, silver, gold, etc.). Each student danced in up to 32 different events at the bronze and silver skill levels. They competed in all four styles of ballroom dance including International Standard (waltz, tango, viennese waltz, foxtrot and quickstep), American Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot and viennese waltz), American Rhythm (chacha, rumba, swing, bolero and mambo) and International Latin (samba, chacha, rumba, paso doble and jive).

Several students took individual first place awards in their respective divisions defeating up to 70 other competitors in some events. This trip was designed to give the team exposure to a collegiate competition, as �鶹��ý has no statewide collegiate ballroom competitions.

More about the Ballroom Dance Club

The Ballroom Dance Club offers beginner classes to all UH Mānoa students, faculty and staff in studio 2 in the athletics department from 6—7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. No dance experience is required. For more information, or visit their Instagram page @bdcuhm.

The team would like to thank the Department of Information and Computer Sciences, UH Mānoa Department of Athletics, Student Activity and Program Fee Board, Associated Students of the University of �鶹��ý, USA Dance Honolulu and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation for facility and financial support.

UH Mānoa 2026 nationals collegiate and adult team roster:

• Ravi Narayan, faculty (computer science), coach and alumnus
• Synthia Sumukti, coach and alumna
• ʻAulani Wagner, library science and American studies
• Alexander Picken, Earth science
• Amanda Kanthack, psychology and Japanese
• Caleb Zerbe, computer science
• Christopher Ramirez, linguistics
• Christopher Wright, electrical engineering
• Courtney Hisamoto, computer science
• D’Elle Martin, architecture
• Elijah Saloma, computer science
• Gregory Snyder, mechanical engineering
• Hannah Madiam, kinesiology
• Iris Calauan, pre-nursing
• Jonathan Bona, civil engineering
• Julietta Lopez, architecture
• Kanaru Ebi, psychology
• Karl Merritt, mechanical engineering
• Luis Hernandez, electrical and computer engineering
• Lyndsey Moku, political science
• Maya Ito, psychology
• Michaella Villanueva, computer science
• Noah Asano, computer science
• Samantha Reed, computer science
• Shaelyn Loo, computer science
• Tessa Heidkamp, journalism and political science
• Andrew Lin, computer science alumnus
• Sydney Kim, computer science alumna
• Jason Aguda, computer engineering alumnus
• Matthew Rummel, political science and business alumnus
• Ariel Ramos, cinematic arts animation alumna
• Yong-Sung Masuda, computer science alumnus
• Wilson Tran, computer science alumnus
• Florence Liu, faculty, mathematics

Luis Hernandez and Maya Ito dancing the American Cha-cha in the Collegiate Team Match where UH Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Elijah Saloma and Michaella Villanueva dancing the International Quickstep in the Collegiate Team Match where UH Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti dancing the Mambo in the Senior IV American Rhythm Championship final. (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

Students cheering for their coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� has recognized 20 degree programs for exemplary commitment to improving curriculum and student learning through a new faculty-led honor launched this academic year.

The Excellence in Assessment for Improvement: Hōpoe Assessment Award celebrates programs that demonstrate outstanding, collaborative assessment practices. “Hōpoe” describes the ʻōhiʻa lehua in its fullest, most vibrant bloom—a symbol of programs that have matured and flourished. The award was established in 2025 by the ����ԴDz� Faculty Senate’s Committee on Educational Effectiveness (CEE).

“This award represents the maturity and beauty of programs that have truly blossomed through meaningful assessment,” said Justin Walguarnery, CEE committee chair. “It is a ‘for faculty, by faculty’ initiative that celebrates the hard work of using assessment to make an appreciable difference in the academic experience.”

The inaugural recipients include programs in:

• Anthropology (MA and PhD)
• Asian International Affairs (MA)
• Cinematic Arts (BA)
• Early Childhood Education (MEd)
• Education (PhD)
• Education: Teaching (MEdT)
• Educational Admin (MEd)
• Educational Psychology (MEd and PhD)
• Elementary Education (BEd)
• Library & Information Sciences (MLISC)
• Professional Educational Practice (EdD)
• Secondary Education (BEd)
• Social Work (BSW)
• Sociology (MA)
• Special Education (BEd and MEd)
• Theatre and Dance (BA and BFA)

Faculty-driven review process

Recipients were selected through a rigorous peer-review process led by the Assessment Report Review Committee (ARRC), a group of about 40 faculty members trained jointly by CEE and the UH Assessment and Curriculum Support Center (ACSC). Organizers describe the award as a fully faculty-owned effort that highlights collaboration and shared accountability.

This award represents the maturity and beauty of programs that have truly blossomed through meaningful assessment.
—Justin Walguarney

All UH ����ԴDz� degree programs submit biennial assessment reports outlining student learning outcomes, curriculum development and benchmarks for achievement. These reports are required for accreditation and are publicly available on the ACSC website. From more than 200 undergraduate and graduate programs, 20 were recognized in the award’s inaugural year.

Beginning in fall 2026, every degree program will have the opportunity to self-evaluate using the award criteria, including student learning outcomes, curriculum mapping, evidence of learning, fair and reliable evaluation, use of results and culturally responsive assessment practices. Programs indicating “full bloom” will be automatically nominated for review.

By expanding both self- and peer-nomination pathways, organizers hope to spotlight the collaborative, reflective work strengthening education across campus.

CEE committee members that developed the award are Justin Walguarnery, Nicole Schlaack, Jamie Simpson Steele, Joseph Foukona, Alice Tse, Joanna Philippoff, Emile Loza de Siles, Dan Port, Maya Saffery, Jessica Gasiorek, Aimee Chung, Arby Barone, Ann Sakaguchi, Alohilani Okamura, Monica Esquivel and Yao Hill.

University of �鶹��ý alumna Rebecca Knuth is set to release London Sojourn: Rewriting Life After Retirement, a memoir exploring her transition from academia to a new chapter of life.

Knuth earned her master’s degree in library and information science (LIS) from UH ����ԴDz� in 1990 and later taught in the LIS program for 18 years before retiring in 2014. Her career led her to work overseas, complete a dissertation on library history that involved Jamaica, and write case studies on library destruction in Cambodia, China, Kuwait and other nations. She credits UH for shaping her perspective.

“At UH, I developed global perspectives and an appreciation for culture and diversity that has greatly impacted my work and life,” said Knuth. “I was entranced with three UH LIS courses…UH allowed me the freedom to pursue these interests through research and writing books and in my teaching.”

After retiring, Knuth shifted from scholarly writing to storytelling for broader audiences, including her earlier work Emily Dickinson Had to Have Curls, which examines how women writers navigated societal expectations.

“The thread that connects all my writing is the notion of silencing. That is what book destruction and intellectual freedom is about. As I researched how writers were and are silenced, patterns emerged and I narrowed my scope to women writers and soon came to see how femininity has affected their ability to write and publish,” she said.

London Sojourn reflects reinvention, resilience and self–discovery. Knuth encourages fellow UH alumni to embrace new directions in their creative lives.

“I wrote London Sojourn to make sense of my life and to relive that period,” she said. “My advice would be to see life as a series of adventures. People evolve throughout their lives and retirement can be another beginning. If one takes risks and pursues one’s instincts and interests, life becomes infinitely richer.”

London Sojourn: Rewriting Life After Retirement is set to be published on January 27, 2026.

Read more at .

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa Library and Information Science (LIS) Program is marking 60 years of educating and shaping �鶹��ý’s librarians, archivists and information specialists, celebrating its legacy and continued impact across the state and beyond. In recognition of this milestone, Gov. Josh Green proclaimed November 16–22 as UH Mānoa Library and Information Science Program Week.

“Reaching our 60th anniversary is a testament to the strength and dedication of our entire LIS ʻohana,” LIS Professor and Program Director Rich Gazan said. “Our graduates serve communities across �鶹��ý and around the world, and their work reflects the values that guide our program. As we look to the future, we remain committed to preparing compassionate, skilled information professionals who uplift and support the people and places they serve.”

The anniversary week opened with a gathering in Hamilton Library, where current students connected with alumni spanning more than half a century. Attendees shared stories and photo slideshows chronicling the program’s evolution since the 1960s.

Preparing leaders locally, internationally

Established in 1965 under founding dean Ralph R. Shaw, the LIS Program has maintained continuous accreditation from the American Library Association for six decades. Since its inception, the program has graduated 1,841 students who now work across public, school, academic and special libraries, as well as museums and archives in �鶹��ý, on the continent and internationally. Alumni make up roughly two-thirds of �鶹��ý’s professional workforce of librarians, archivists and other information specialists.

Its mission centers on preparing leaders for a wide range of information environments through research, teaching and service, with a strong focus on �鶹��ý and the Asia-Pacific region. The program emphasizes values that guide the state and university, and continues to adapt its curriculum to prepare graduates to serve communities with compassion, effectiveness and cultural understanding.

In the proclamation, Green “encourage[s] all residents to join in celebrating the 60th anniversary of the University of �鶹��ý Mānoa’s Library and Information Science Program. Mahalo to the faculty, staff, students and graduates for all you have and continue to do to bring the guiding principles of aloha, ʻohana and kuleana to the people of �鶹��ý.”

The LIS program is part of the within the UH Mānoa .

A new training program for subject librarians in Japanese and Asian studies has been established at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s , made possible through a generous donation from the .

Through the new agreement, one library science master’s degree graduate will be hired each year for the next decade as a full-time, nine-month librarian faculty member. Mitsutaka Nakamura, Hamilton Library’s Japan Studies librarian, will supervise the program, with librarian emerita Tokiko Y. Bazzell advising.

“This is an amazing opportunity for Hamilton Library to make a lasting impact on the field of area studies librarianship, specifically Japanese studies,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro. “Bringing aspiring Japanese studies librarians here to Hamilton will be a game changer.”

While focused on Japanese studies, trainees will also gain experience from Hamilton’s area specialists in China, Okinawa, Korea, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Russian Far East.

“Hamilton Library plays a central role in the intellectual life of the University of �鶹��ý, and the Uehiro Foundation highly values its Japan Collection for contemporary and historical research,” the foundation stated. “We look forward to seeing future leaders emerge from this program who will advance the library’s mission and continue the collection and digitization of Japanese historical materials.”

The Uehiro Foundation has partnered with UH for more than 20 years, supporting the East-West Philosophers’ Conference, the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, and the Uehiro Center for the Advancement of Oceanography.

UH vice president of advancement and CEO Tim Dolan added, “The Uehiro Foundation’s visionary investment ensures that future generations of librarians will receive the training and mentorship they need to thrive in the field. This program not only strengthens UH ����ԴDz�, but it also expands the pipeline of professionals advancing Japanese studies librarianship worldwide.”

A personal mission

For Nakamura, who came to librarianship after careers in finance and film/TV, the program is also personal. During his own career transition, he struggled to find relevant internship opportunities, which motivated him to create similar opportunities for others.

His mentor at Columbia University offered advice that still guides him. “First you land the position. Then from day one, you should start training the new generation who will replace you in the future. Otherwise, your position will vanish after you leave.”

The first appointment will begin in July 2026, with the job posting expected in early 2026. Applicants must hold an American Library Association-accredited master’s degree in library sciences or equivalent, demonstrate strong communication skills in Japanese and English, and show a career focus in Japanese or Asian studies librarianship. For more information, email Mitsu Nakamura at japancol@hawaii.edu.

This article by Windward CC specialist librarian Cindy Texeira and her daughters, Kainani and ʻAulani Wagner, students in UH ����ԴDz�’s Library and Information Science program, was first published in .

Academic libraries have long reflected Western models of knowledge and order through their values, systems, and structures. They can be sterile and intimidating places, especially for those whose histories and voices have been marginalized.

At Hale Laʻakea library at Windward Community College in ahupuaʻa Kāneʻohe, our goal is to create a space where Native Hawaiian students feel a sense of belonging—a place rooted in aloha ʻāina, ʻike kūpuna, and ea (sovereignty).

Decolonizing the library means acknowledging and undoing the colonial structures embedded in how we organize information, provide services, and occupy space. It is an ongoing process that requires us to question what voices are prioritized, who feels welcome in our spaces, and what cultural values are reflected or erased.

This fall, Hale Laʻakea will host a series of powerful activations (interactive exhibits) from Kanaeokana that invite patrons to connect, reflect, and engage in spaces of ea.

The first, “Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea,” is a digital journey through primary texts, visuals and audio centered on Kamehameha III and his vision of an independent lāhui. It highlights true historical accounts of his leadership and includes perspectives from both Kānaka and non-kanaka allies.

Next, “Ka Malu ʻUlu o Lele,” explores Lahaina’s sacred history and cultural resilience. Learners will journey through moʻolelo and mele rooted in the legacy of Kihawahine, the shade of the ʻulu groves, and the call to restore wai and ea to Lele.

The final activation, “Luka Keʻelikōlani,” invites visitors into the world of Princess Ruth Keanolani Kanāhoahoa Keʻelikōlani, also known as Luka or Ruta, an aliʻi wahine who embodied unwavering commitment to ʻōlelo �鶹��ý, tradition, and her people.

Though she was trained in Western ways, she chose to speak only Hawaiian as an act of resistance and required those around her to do the same. This activation mirrors her firm stance. All content is presented in Hawaiian, with English translations available by QR code. The space invites us to ask, “He aha ka hana a Ruta? What would Ruth do?”

From August through November, these activations will rotate between the Windward CC, Honolulu Community College, and Kapiʻolani Community College libraries, allowing the broader community to engage in meaningful moments of learning and intention-setting. Contact each library for more information about dates/times.

Hale Laʻakea continues to evolve. ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý was added to print and digital signage, art pieces throughout the library reflect Native Hawaiian voices, service-learning opportunities are offered through archival translation work and cultural exhibit development, and we hosted a Keiki Reading Day, welcoming ʻohana from our community to listen to moʻolelo from kūpuna and other Native Hawaiian storytellers.

Windward CC students can borrow cultural resources, including ʻukulele, ʻohe kāpala (kapa-making stamps), and traditional games like kōnane and hū. We are also in the planning stages of a lumi ʻohana, a space for parents and their keiki to read, study, and play together in a culturally grounded environment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other rankings

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

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

The is continuing to make strides toward becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning with the support of a $3.22 million grant from the , the largest supporter of the arts and humanities in the U.S., dedicated to advancing social justice and fostering cultural knowledge.

This funding will help the university integrate Native Hawaiian knowledge into its library collections by developing a Hawaiian Knowledge Organization System (HKOS) and a Hawaiian language newspaper index. UH ����ԴDz� is among the first institutions in the country to incorporate Indigenous knowledge practices into its academic resources, creating new opportunities to preserve and share Hawaiian cultural knowledge within the academic community.

“It is my expectation that this work will be transformative not only for the UH ����ԴDz� Library and the UH System libraries, but also for the Native Hawaiian community, who will see their traditional knowledge system reflected in how we describe and categorize library collections,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro.

The initiative, known as Kahoʻiwai: Reclaiming Hawaiian Knowledge Sovereignty, builds upon several successful pilot projects, including Ka Wai Hāpai: Co-Creating Controlled Vocabularies for Social Justice. The three-year project will be led by Native Hawaiian librarians Shavonn Matsuda (), Kapena Shim (UH ����ԴDz�), Annemarie Paikai (), and Keahiahi Long (Library and Information Science Program, UH ����ԴDz�). Housed within UH ����ԴDz� Library Services, it aims to develop a Hawaiian-language-controlled vocabulary system that will be used to organize and describe library collections using traditional Hawaiian practices.

Creating Hawaiian language catalog system

A key component of the project is the co-creation of a Hawaiian language newspaper index, or Nūpepa Index, designed to improve access to community-indexed information found in Hawaiian-language newspapers. The HKOS will also be applied to catalog the John Charlot Papers, an invaluable archive containing works by the influential scholar of Hawaiian religion and culture. This initiative will integrate traditional Hawaiian knowledge into the way these materials are described and made accessible to the public.

The project will also fund three new librarian faculty positions to support the development of the HKOS, further strengthening the university’s commitment to Native Hawaiian knowledge sovereignty.

“By incorporating traditional Hawaiian knowledge systems, we are not just cataloging materials—we are reclaiming and honoring our cultural heritage in a meaningful way,” said Matsuda, project director and head librarian at UH Maui College.

On the evening of October 30, 2004, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� experienced a disaster triggered by 10 inches of torrential rain that caused the ����ԴDz� Stream to overflow and flood the campus. and the Biomedical Sciences Building (BioMed) were the hardest hit, and 30 other buildings were also impacted, causing an estimated $80 million damage.

“The 2004 ����ԴDz� flood was one of the most challenging moments in our university’s history, but the resilience of our UH ʻohana was extraordinary,” said UH President David Lassner, who led UH Information Technology Services at the time. “Twenty years later, we stand stronger, united by the lessons learned and the community spirit that emerged from that devastating night.”

Hundreds of volunteers showed up the morning after the flood to save what they could and begin the monumental task of cleaning up the devastation left behind. Private citizens almost immediately started sending in donations, and elected officials, led by �鶹��ý‘s congressional delegation, secured tens of millions of dollars in funding to repair and renovate.

Related: Biomed’s recovery, resilience after the 2004 ����ԴDz� flood, October 2024

“This is not something that was fixed in a week, or in three months, or in even two or three years,” said UH President Emeritus McClain at a 10th anniversary event. “This is something that took a long time to fix.”

Hamilton Library

Nearly half of the flood’s damage occurred at Hamilton Library, where the basement was the center of destruction. The basement housed a vast collection of government documents, maps, and rare historical materials valued at $34 million. Up to 8 feet of muddy water submerged the entire area, destroying irreplaceable collections.

We stood on a couch and escaped by breaking through a window, forming a human chain.
—Andrew Wertheimer

“We thought, ‘A few inches—how bad can it be?’ But when we arrived, it was shocking. Cars were swept away, and bookshelves collapsed,” recalled Gwen Sinclair, head of Government Documents and Maps.

Andrew Wertheimer, Library & Information Sciences associate professor, was teaching a weekend class when floodwaters breached the basement. “We stood on a couch and escaped by breaking through a window, forming a human chain. It was kind of a miracle that we were all able to survive.”

Teams of volunteers worked around the clock to save what they could, drying documents and books on clotheslines set up throughout the library. While some materials were salvaged, many rare items were lost forever, including most of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole‘s Civil War books.

“It was like a war zone,” said Patricia Polansky, Russian bibliographer. “I still weep thinking about the treasures we lost. Among them was the New Testament in the Yakut language I brought back from the Soviet Union.”

Coordinating cleanup and restoration

�鶹��ý CC Chancellor Susan Kazama was head librarian at Kapiʻolani CC at the time. She previously spent 12 years working at Hamilton Library and returned to assist then-University Librarian Diane Perushek, playing a key role in coordinating the cleanup and restoration efforts.

“My role included everything from pulling out computers and documents from the mud, securing frozen storage for documents, restoring air circulation, relocating staff, and helping recover personal items such as irreplaceable family photos and even prescription glasses in the first two weeks,“ Kazama said.

Over the next few years, around 60 to 80% of the lost maps and documents were replaced, thanks to donations and acquisitions from libraries worldwide. By 2010, after extensive repairs and renovations, Hamilton Library fully reopened. The basement, housing the Government Documents and Maps collections, as well as cataloging, serials, and acquisitions departments, was also restructured with new protective measures.

Upgrades and lessons learned

The 2004 flood prompted significant facilities upgrades at Hamilton Library to prevent future disasters.

“There was a moat around the building that allowed water to flood through broken windows and doors,” said Steve Pickering, the library’s building manager.

In the reconstruction, the moat was sealed, large drains were installed to divert water, and concrete walls replaced plasterboard in vulnerable areas. The chiller plant and electrical room were also relocated.

“If the same weather event occurred again, the library wouldn’t flood,” Pickering said. “Water now flows around the building, not through it.”

Kazuko Hioki, the library’s preservation librarian since 2017, highlighted disaster preparedness improvements since the 2004 flood, including a large freezer for water-damaged materials and a preservation specialist role for preventive measures.

The preservation department, now nationally recognized for flood recovery expertise, often consults on similar disasters. Hamilton Library continues to grow its collections through donations and digitizes materials with its state-of-the-art digital lab.

“It was an unforgettable experience, and not something I like to dwell on,” added Sinclair. “Yet, 20 years later, I will always remember the hundreds of volunteers who responded in those first few weeks of the flood, a testament to the enduring spirit of human resilience.”

Flood leads to new IT Center

The Information Technology Center that opened in February 2014 on the UH ����ԴDz� campus was in large part a response to the flood. Before the center was built, the IT systems were spread across different buildings on the UH ����ԴDz� campus, usually on the bottom floors or the basements. During the flood, water got within yards of the main data center and threatened all UH institutional information and communication services as well as Internet connectivity for UH and the State of �鶹��ý.

“The flood of 2004 demonstrated the high level of enterprise risk faced by housing IT resources on the ground floor of a 50-year-old classroom building,” said Lassner when the IT Center was opened. The main data center is now located on the second floor of the IT Center.

Read more about BioMed Building’s flood damages and recovery.

University of �鶹��ý faculty have integrated Indigenous knowledge and ethics with advanced archival practices. They were able to showcase how they have used those aspects along with others at the Society of American Archivists (SAA) Annual Conference in Chicago in August.

The SAA is North America’s oldest and largest professional association for archives and archivists. Manulani Aluli Meyer, associate specialist and Konohiki for Kūlana o Kapolei (A Hawaiian Place of Learning at , was the keynote speaker, invited by Helen Wong Smith, archivist for University Records at the and the first SAA president from �鶹��ý. The conference emphasized collaboration and introspection, themes central to both Meyer’s keynote, “Collaboration and Introspection: (K)new Ethics in our Collective Work,” and Wong Smith’s presidential address.

Their messages resonated with many in the audience of more than 1,200 participants who gave both speakers a standing ovation.

During her keynote, Meyer explored the principles of hoʻoponopono (to correct), focusing on concepts like Kūkulkumuhana—pooling energy for a shared purpose—and the many layers of truth, from hoʻopono to ʻOia iʻo (truth that heals). Her insights into Mihi (forgiveness), Hihia (understanding energy), and the difference between Hoʻolohe (listening) and Hoʻolono (hearing) were particularly impactful.

Wong Smith’s preceding presidential address complemented Meyer’s themes, extolling the Hawaiian proverbs “Aʻohe pau ka ʻike i ka hālau hoʻokahi” (all knowledge is not taught in the same school) and “Pūpūkāhi i holomua” (unite to progress). She credited UH ����ԴDz� Art Archivist Malia Van Heukelem for her contributions, particularly the images of the Meyer family in the Jean Charlot Collection shown during Meyer’s keynote introduction.

The UH delegation was well-represented at the conference. Dawn Sueoka from Hamilton Library participated in two panels on political narratives and community engagement in building digital archives. Leilani Dawson discussed UH’s ArchivesSpace upgrade, and Library Information Science student Ani Kawada presented a poster titled “Inheriting a Legacy: The Moʻokūʻauhau and Moʻolelo of Nā �鶹��ý ʻImi Loa.” They were joined by Sidney Louie from Pālama Settlement.

“This is likely one of the strongest representations of UH at the SAA conference and by introducing Hawaiian knowledge principles especially through Manuʻs eloquent keynote, many who have cited it as the finest, reflects the influence we can have on relationships to broaden the historical record,” said Wong Smith.

student, Erlinda Cabrera Naputi an Indigenous Chamorro from Saipan, is achieving her goal to earn an associate’s degree in liberal arts before the age of 50 through the campus’ . The program provided her with the flexibility to balance her personal and professional responsibilities.

Naputi has faced significant challenges and adversity. At the age of 10, she and her six siblings were abandoned by their mother. This experience profoundly impacted her life. Fortunately, her grandparents took them in and provided for them.

Things weren’t easy, however, as they grew up on a farm, with very little income.

“I remember Nana (grandmother) and Tata (grandfather) working tirelessly to make ends meet,” Naputi said. “Weekends were filled with chores that taught us the value of hard work and responsibility.”

After high school, Naputi ended up working to care for her grandparents. She was employed at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, where she started off as a part-time clerk typist and worked her way up to becoming a director and state librarian—a career that spanned three decades.

During this time she met her husband and had three children, in addition to one child from a previous relationship. They are now grandparents with five grandchildren.

Pursuing a college degree

Check out more stories of our UH spring graduates

Despite having to raise a family, Naputi set her sights on pursuing a college degree with the Alakaʻina Scholarship that provided funding that she desperately needed.

The Online AA program allowed her to progress quickly to complete her associate degree. She could study at her own pace, work around family responsibilities and her demanding work schedule as the library director and the President of Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives, and Museums.

Naputi said her educational journey will not end here. She will pursue a degree in library and information science from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, fulfilling her passion to serve her community by providing them with resources to enrich their lives.

“Leeward CC has provided me with a solid foundation, bringing me one step closer to realizing this dream (of earning a four-year degree),” said Naputi. “With a heart filled with unwavering passion, I embark on the next chapter of my educational journey.”

What happens when the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (SCI) throws its first open house? The results are more than 160 RSVPs to lively mini workshops attended by (CSS) students and alumni; an all-encompassing presentation about the within SCI; and a networking reception honoring the first five SCI distinguished alumni for their exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the community.

It all happened on April 5, at George Hall and the Architecture Building at the SCI event spotlighting the programs of , , , , and the . Now one of the largest academic units at UH ����ԴDz�, SCI has 24 faculty members, 305 undergraduate majors and 76 graduate students, with a total of more than 4,000 UH ����ԴDz� students taking 220-plus SCI classes over the course of an academic year.

Communication competence, information literacy and communication technology literacy are foundational skills that our students need to succeed in today’s world.—Hye-ryeon Lee

“The open house aimed to showcase the new school’s core values of communication, connection and community, and to foster relationships with alumni and community partners for collaborative growth and development,” said Hye-ryeon Lee, SCI chair and communicology professor. “Communication and information are at the core of our existence. Communication competence, information literacy and communication technology literacy are foundational skills that our students need to succeed in today’s world. The SCI is the core unit that provides this important education at the university.”

Announced at the presentation were the five inaugural recipients of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award. They are Ruth Horie, retired catalog librarian at UH ����ԴDz�; Nyle Sky Kauweloa, director of UH Esports and faculty specialist in interdisciplinary studies; Anne Marie Smoke, administrator of the �鶹��ý State Judiciary’s Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution; Jennifer Sur Matayoshi, lead deputy Title IX coordinator and senior investigator at UH ����ԴDz�; and Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, president of the East-West Center.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� Library and Information Science (LIS) program has earned full continued accreditation from the American Library Association (ALA) for the maximum seven years. As the only accredited professional school for librarians and archivists in the state, this marks the program’s first accreditation since merging into the School of Communication and Information in 2022.

“Full accreditation is a reflection of the quality of the program and the dedication of the faculty to our students and our community,” said UH Manoa Provost Michael Bruno.

As one of the smallest accredited programs, the UH ����ԴDz� LIS program emphasizes the importance of relationships (pilina) among students, staff, faculty and the professional community. There are currently 54 graduate students enrolled in the program.

The ALA accreditation, which was first obtained in 1967 and most recently in 2016, holds significance as most libraries and archives prefer hiring graduates from accredited programs. UH ����ԴDz� is among 64 accredited LIS programs in North America.

Unanimous praise from students and alumni

The re-accreditation process involved:

• LIS faculty submitted a comprehensive 178-page self study to the ALA Committee on Accreditation in August 2023 addressing systemic planning, curriculum, faculty, students, and administration, finances and resources.
• An External Review Panel (ERP) composed of library professionals from the U.S. and Canada visited the LIS program in October 2023.
• The team assessed internal documents, observed classes and interviewed various stakeholders, including faculty, staff, alumni, current students, community librarians and UH ����ԴDz� administration.

The ERP reported unanimous praise from students and alumni for the program’s administrative policies and consistent support.

“We are very grateful that our community helped us tell our story, and demonstrated to the review team how we address the accreditation standards in our own unique ways,” said LIS Program Director Rich Gazan.

An inaugural open house for the School of Communication and Information is scheduled for April 5, 2024.

Four University of �鶹��ý-led projects received a total of roughly $800,000 in expedited RAPID grants from the in the wake of the deadly Maui wildfires. RAPID funding is used for proposals having a severe urgency with regard to availability of, or access to data, facilities or specialized equipment, including quick-response research on natural disasters.

Three projects focus on data science, and have a concentrated effort to help prevent and react to future wildfires in �鶹��ý. They include: a multi-hazard monitoring and detection system, computer modeling to assist wildfire response, and wildland and urban fire modeling using high performance computing models. They will address contributors to fires such as invasive grasses and non-native trees such as cook pines and eucalyptus. The fourth project focuses on the human element and involves UH researchers meeting with educators, youth, community members and cultural practitioners to understand the wildfire impact on K–12 education and learn how trauma-informed STEM education could assist with processing and recovery.

Multi-hazard monitoring and detection system

The Lahaina fire was exacerbated by drought, high temperatures and winds from Hurricane Dora which passed south of the islands. This project combines UH’s climate mesonet system (a densely located set of observation stations) with Northwestern University’s Sage Artificial Intelligence-enhanced instrument platform to build a multi-hazard monitoring and detection station for natural disasters such as fires, high winds and floods. The system is being deployed near the Lahaina fire site, to gather data vital to the recovery effort.

The project will gather essential climate and pollutant data to aid clean-up activities in Lahaina, and obtain performance and reliability data, guiding both instrument enhancements and Lahaina’s recovery planning. This project provides essential data for informing Lahaina’s recovery, while highlighting the advantages of adopting recent climate science and cyber-infrastructure advancements. Where possible, local students on Maui will be recruited to participate in the instrument construction, data gathering, analysis and visualization effort.

The project is led by principal investigator and Professor Jason Leigh, and co-principal investigators Thomas Giambelluca and Christopher Shuler from UH ����ԴDz�’s .

“We are deeply pained by the tragic loss of lives and property in the Lahaina fire,” Leigh said. “It’s a somber reminder of the powerful forces of nature that are poised to impact our islands at any time. We hope that our insights and advancements in state-of-the-art technology can help pave the way for better understanding and perhaps preventing such heart-wrenching incidents in the future.”

Computational modeling of wildfire management

Accurate and timely predictions of how a wildfire could spread are essential to inform people, minimize the loss of lives and mitigate damage through effective suppression activities. It is critical to improve on these processes in the aftermath of the devastation of the Lahaina fires. This project, led by UH ����ԴDz� graduate faculty and Maui resident Alice Koniges, will develop wildfire computer models that have the potential to save human lives and infrastructure in future wildfires using mathematical concepts called level-set methods and Hamilton-Jacobi equations.

This research will produce a new model to provide an understanding of the complex algorithmic and mathematical basis for wildfire response that can aid in resource allocation in a real-time disaster situation such as the Lahaina wildfire. A particular emphasis is on improving human evacuation models. The project is joint with Professors Andrea Bertozzi and Stanley Osher from UCLA and Professor Hannah Kerner of Arizona State University. The project will also involve high school and community college students from the ʻĀ���Բ� Data Stewards program on Maui, a program co-founded/co-led by Kerner that teaches students basic concepts in machine learning and data science while enabling them to contribute to active research projects through field data collection. The project will consider the additional risks due to fuel from non-native trees and grasses as well as terrain effects in the wildfire modeling. Additionally the project will engage and train PhD students in mathematically-based methods of disaster mitigation and modeling.

“We are grateful to have experts in mathematical modeling help us to better understand and prepare for future disaster events,” lead principal investigator Koniges said. “Additionally, the training of the next generation of modeling experts will help the future of our island communities.”

Wildland and urban fire modeling

With Lahaina being in an isolated location with limited wind and environmental observations, other data sources will help to advance modeling and simulation research before these sources are lost. This project will capture data from multiple sources including social media and time-stamped photos—organized with AI-enhanced methods for data gathering, processing and infusion. students will play a critical role in this project.

The work will show the importance of data in the understanding of how a wildfire is propagated inside a community and its interaction with urban structures, with an additional goal of educating the public and enabling the �鶹��ý government and emergency response personnel to make decisions in the aftermath of the disaster. The project will use advanced AI techniques deployed on UH’s high performance computing resources, as well as resources from the National Science Foundation and other national infrastructure to process the large volumes of data needed to tune and validate fire propagation and atmospheric simulations. The collected data will be archived and made publicly available.

The principal investigator of the project is Maui resident David Eder who is on UH ����ԴDz�’s graduate faculty in the Physics and Astronomy Department, and co-principal investigators Sean Cleveland, a computational scientist with UH’s , and fire modeling experts at University of Nevada, Reno, University at Buffalo, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

“We focus on the use of high performance computing facilities, both at UH and nationally, and the best available computational models to help understand better the sequence of tragic events that have touched and devastated so much on Maui,” Eder said. “Working directly with students to understand and prevent similar events is one small thing we can do to help.”

Trauma-informed STEM education

In this project, UH researchers will focus on Maui’s educators and youth. They believe that to move forward from the tragedy, it is important to understand the impact of the multiple layers of immediate trauma on K–12 education and learn how trauma-informed STEM education could assist with processing, healing and recovery. As residents and STEM educators in the state of �鶹��ý with rich and deep roots in communities on Maui, the researchers will apply a framework that was developed by principal investigator and Professor Tara O’Neill. It involves connecting with communities, learning from the place, people, kūpuna and moʻolelo. It requires asking and providing kokua and engaging at the invitation of the people in the place.

The horrific fires provide an invaluable source of knowledge related to both the layers of trauma resulting from catastrophic events, such as wildfires, and how trauma-informed STEM education can provide tools for recovery from trauma. There are several excellent schools and community-based STEM education programs on the island of Maui. The project’s goal is to partner with the individual educators, community members and cultural practitioners connected with several of these programs to build knowledge (understand the nature and impact of trauma), and work with the community to build emotionally healthy STEM learning environments where the focus is processing and healing and STEM content and activities are applied as tools for processing and healing.

This project is led by O’Neill, and co-principal investigators UH ����ԴDz� Professor Monique Chyba, Associate Professor Yuriy Mileyko and UH Maui College Assistant Professor Thomas Blamey.

“Our goal is to understand the impact of the multiple layers of immediate trauma on K–12 education to work with the community to build long-term interventions,” O’Neill said. “We believe the information we learn can help inform more mindful short-term and long-term planning by the �鶹��ý Department of Education and other state institutions.”

Chyba added, “Learning, teaching and helping is why I came into academia, and I am honored to be able to try to do exactly that with this project.”

Associate Professor Andrew Wertheimer in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s Library and Information Science Program is the inaugural winner of the Distinguished Service in Library History Award from the .

For the past three decades, Wertheimer has advanced research that explores transnational aspects of Asian American library history, and built bridges with scholars and practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region. He also served as chair of the Library History Round Table and served on the editorial boards of Libraries: Culture, History, and Society, as well as Library History and Library Quarterly.

Wertheimer co-edited Library History Research in America 25 years ago at the Library History Round Table’s semi-centennial. He is currently involved in an oral history project on North American library historians.

“I’m grateful for the award as a recognition of my exploring some less traveled paths in the history of libraries, such as Japanese American readers who were incarcerated during World War II,” Wertheimer said. “People often like simple straightforward success stories, like a library’s centennial, but I’m fascinated by unique contexts that help us ask deeper questions about the meaning of libraries, reading, censorship, as a more human drama with a political and social lens. These stories take longer to research, but are more satisfying. They also inform my teaching here at UH ����ԴDz�. In receiving this award, however, I’m really humbled too since so many people have mentored me over the years. I hope to keep passing on that gift.”

According to the Library History Round Table, Wertheimer’s nomination and support letters emphasized the many years he has devoted to library history, including his notable service within the organization.

The Library and Information Science Program is housed in UH ����ԴDz�’s in the .

Five academic units from three different colleges at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� are combining this fall to establish the (SCI) within the (CSS). The units, which have related yet distinct approaches to communication and information, are:

• The (COM) program, formerly in the School of Communications in CSS.
• The (COMG) program, formerly in the College of Arts, Languages and Letters.
• The (JOUR) program, formerly in the School of Communications in CSS.
• The Library and Information Science (LIS) program, formerly in the Department of Information and Computer Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences.
• The , formerly in the in CSS.

“This faculty-driven reorganization effort brings together units from across campus to leverage synergies and interdisciplinary opportunities for students interested in these fields,” said CSS Dean Denise Eby Konan. “It will allow them to explore the complexities of communication in one school to meet personal, relational, professional and community needs.”

Consultation of individuals and groups impacted by the proposed reorganization occurred from fall 2020 to fall 2021. The faculty-led working group reorganization team shared information and met with various units and constituencies across campus, set up a website for announcements and feedback, and held a series of town hall meetings. Faculty, staff and students have expressed enthusiastic support for the new school.

SCI is fundamentally concerned with the study of communication, including the creation and flow of information among people and communities, through media and technologies, and across time and cultures. The new school will help students to acquire the knowledge, skills and ethical perspectives to create, gather, analyze and share information. SCI graduates will have the tools and perspectives to solve problems by combining multiple approaches within the realm of communication and information.

“UH ����ԴDz� students will now learn about communication from several distinct disciplinary perspectives,” said Colin Moore, inaugural SCI chair. “Students interested in all aspects of communication—from speech and persuasion, to technologies that facilitate communication, to how information is organized, to how it is reported by journalists—can take classes across disciplines without having to search through different colleges.”

With the support of UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno, UH President David Lassner signed the reorganization proposal this past summer, making it effective July 2022. SCI will be in a transition phase for the next academic year.

For more, see the .

Archivist Helen Wong Smith has been selected as vice president/president-elect of the (SAA), the oldest and largest national organization of professional archivists in North America. She becomes the first person from �鶹��ý to hold this position. She will begin her one-year term in August and will become SAA’s 78th president in 2023–24.

Widely known for her work on cultural competency, Wong Smith is excited to be serving in this new role at SAA. “I see it as an opportunity to inform and share with the rest of the country and profession the wealth of resources we have here in the islands, including records reflecting five governments (kingdom, provisional, republic, territory and state) and their impacts on the kānaka maoli and the diverse cultures and communities who selected to make �鶹��ý their home, and the caliber of archivists, both professional and community, and repositories we possess,” she said.

A product of UH ����ԴDz�, Wong holds a bachelor’s degree in and a master’s in Library and Information Science. She has served as university archivist at UH ����ԴDz� since 2018. Her prior UH positions include researcher at Nā Pua Noʻeau: Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children at , recruitment coordinator for the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence at the , Hawaiian Collection Librarian in UH Hilo’s Edwin H. Mookini Library, and Pharmacy & Health Sciences Resources Coordinator at the Daniel K. Inouye School of Pharmacy.

Wong has been involved with SAA since 2003 and has served in a number of capacities, including her involvement on several committees, being elected to the SAA council and delivering a number of presentations at the annual conferences. A 2015 plenary address calling for cultural competency training allowed her to develop a workshop she has delivered across the country since 2017.

For more than 35 years, Wong has highlighted Hawaiian collections through research and presentations and has written extensively on Hawaiian cultural resources. In addition to her previous UH appointments, she was also lead archivist for the Pacific Island Network of the National Park Service, cultural specialist for Kamehameha Schools and librarian archivist for the State Historic Preservation Division.

“Teaching cultural competency while at UH Hilo, I recognized how cultural competency can advance the archival profession. This framework has extended to the museum sector through a series of for the �鶹��ý Museum Association and to private companies,” Wong said. “It is an inherent framework kamaʻāina have utilized to live and work with the diverse cultures living closely together and its employment has proven benefits in multiple sectors such as health services, education and business.”

Among Wong’s project highlights as university archivist include the , which include the collection of the theologian, minister, college professor and founder of UH ����ԴDz� , and the , which exceed 50 linear feet and captures the earliest community-based planning activities in the islands.

• Related UH News story: Urban planning emeritus professor shares life’s works, May 20, 2020

—By Arlene Abiang