The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� celebrated the exceptional achievements of its faculty, staff and students at the 2025 , on April 28 at Kennedy Theatre.

UH President Wendy Hensel, UH ����ԴDz� Vice Provost for Academic Excellence Laura Lyons and Board of Regents Vice Chair Laurie Tochiki recognized this year’s honorees for their outstanding accomplishments.

A video recording of the event will be available on the UH Manoa Awards page at a later date.

Congratulations to all our winners!

2025 UH ����ԴDz� Awards winners

• Mapuana C.K. Antonio, associate professor, public health
• Matthew F. Cain, associate professor, chemistry
• Elisabeth Mehana Makaʻinaʻi, instructor, Hawaiian studies
• Hannah Manshel, assistant professor, English
• Masaru Mito, instructor, Japanese language
• Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio, associate professor, political science

• Sloan Coats, assistant professor, Earth sciences
• Matthieu Dubarry, associate researcher, �鶹��ý Natural Energy Institute
• Rick Kazman, professor, information technology management

• Margaret Colleen Rost-Banik, instructor, sociology
• Sara Maaria Saastamoinen, PhD student, political science

• Maya Soetoro-Ng, associate specialist, Matsunaga Institute for Peace

• Dean Domingo, instructor, Ilokano language
• Chad Edward Miller, specialist, teacher education
• You-il (Chris) Park, associate professor, accounting
• Melissa Renae Price, associate professor, wildlife management
• Jennifer D.S. Griswold, professor, atmospheric sciences
• Kaori Tamura, associate professor, kinesiology and rehabilitation science

• Seung Yang, assistant director, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
• John Gestrich, carpentry shops manager, Campus Operations and Facilities
• Marla Fergerstrom, farm manager, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resilience
• Jennifer Frank, physician, University Health Services ����ԴDz�

• Michele Inouchi, administrative officer, Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success
• Roy Tom, machinist, Department of Physics and Astronomy

• Michael Liu, astronomer, Institute for Astronomy

• Kenny Kaʻaiakamanu-Quibilan, assistant faculty specialist, Department of Information & Computer Sciences

• Academic & Student Affairs Office, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resilience
  (Kayden Iwasaki, Irene Morrow, Maile Sing and Jessica Strenstrom)

• Sladjana Prišić, associate professor, microbiology
• Pei-Ling Kao, associate professor, dance

• Aláine Fiona Lee, undergraduate student, astrophysics
• Kazuumi Fujioka, PhD candidate, chemistry
• Nick Saunders, PhD candidate, astronomy

• Shayla Spotkaeff, undergraduate research assistant, Center for Oral History

Awardees were selected following careful review by the various awards committees, based on nominations and supporting materials across teaching, research, mentoring and service. Mahalo to all who participated in the selection process.

Fresh water in West Maui has been mismanaged for more than 180 years, according to many kamaʻāina, Native Hawaiians and community activists, in an issue that has received international attention in the wake of the deadly wildfire that destroyed Lahaina town.

The area from Ukumehame to Honokōhau, known as Maui Komohana, that includes Lahaina, was once flourishing with fresh waterways, loʻi kalo terraces, fishponds, and fields of ʻulu (breadfruit) and ʻuala (sweet potato). Beginning in the mid-19th century, water was diverted for commercial agriculture and eventually to resort hotels, leaving Maui Komohana with insufficient water to cultivate traditional crops and support subsistence lifestyles.

Since 2021, the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa has been assisting Maui Komohana residents in reclaiming their water rights, in a community project through the law school’s that is also providing law students with invaluable real world experience.

“There’s an implicit culture in law that says lawyers are the experts. I think the clinic really helped me understand that the experts are the folks in the community,” said Troy Ballard, who first participated as a law school student and is now helping run the clinic as a Post Juris Doctor Fellow. “As lawyers we are meant to serve and co-power and uplift, and this clinic was a unique opportunity to be able to work with experts in the community. I will be forever grateful for the relationships I have built through this opportunity.”

The situation with the return of water rights was exacerbated by the devastating Lahaina fire. An emergency proclamation by Gov. Josh Green that suspended the Water Code, �鶹��ý Revised Statutes chapter 174C, was lifted one month later. Ever since, the clinic has been back at work helping community members navigate the water use permitting process.

“These permits are vital in helping bring the law to life on the ground and in our communities,” said Kapua Sproat, a UH professor of law. “What we’ve seen in these communities is that even though the black letter law carries a certain weight, it hasn’t been respected or implemented or informed water allocations.”

UH law school faculty and students staffing the clinic were in Lahaina in the weeks before the wildfire that leveled the historic town. They met with community members at Waiola Church and were staying at the Nā ʻAikāne o Maui Cultural Center on Front Street. Both of those buildings, along with the vast majority of Lahaina, were destroyed on August 8.

“Nā ʻAikāne o Maui Cultural Center was a hub for the community and a waihona (repository) of priceless work, history and artifacts. Despite their own devastation, the Kapu ʻohana, who stewards that place, rose to serve their community. That is emblematic of the people of this place: selfless, hardworking, and full of aloha,” said Uʻilani Tanigawa Lum, a UH assistant professor of law and co-director of the Native Hawaiian Rights Clinic.

Seeing the devastation afterwards only strengthened the resolve of everyone involved with Ka Huli Ao Center in helping the multi-generational families who call Maui Komohana home.

“Against the backdrop of a storied history of displacement and mismanagement of water resources, these devastating fires continue to uncover larger and systemic injustices. We are grateful to have the privilege of working with this community because they are some of the most kūpaʻa (steadfast) and strong members who have been fighting this battle for generations,” said Tanigawa Lum.

Jay H. Shidler, BBA ’68, an alumnus of the  at the , has donated an additional $5 million in cash to the college. This latest contribution adds to Shidler’s $117 million gift made in 2017, $69 million in 2014, and his first initial gift of $25 million in 2006, all in cash and real estate ground leases. Further, with the reunification of the School of Travel Industry Management in 2019, Shidler committed an additional $1.55 million towards research support and to provide matching funds for faculty endowments. To date, Shidler has given approximately $238 million to the school in cash, land leases and in-kind donations—which represents both the largest individual donation in the university’s 110-year history, and is the second-largest known gift to any U.S. business school at a public university.

This donation will amplify the impact and reach of Shidler’s earlier gifts, further allowing the college to maintain and expand key strategic initiatives. Specifically, it will support faculty research, student scholarships, provide matching funds for strategic investments in programs and existing endowments, provide funding for visiting faculty, as well as outreach activities.

“Being from an Army family and constantly moving in my childhood, the islands have been my permanent home since 1964,” said Jay Shidler, founder and managing partner of The Shidler Group. “It is truly an honor to positively impact the institution and community that instilled many foundational skills and stability in my formative years. The many business connections, skill sets and guidance I garnered from the college were paramount in establishing my own business. It is incredible that I am now able to impact positive, real change on tomorrow’s business graduates, and ultimately the next generation of leaders in �鶹��ý.”

“Jay’s extraordinary vision and partnership with the college is further magnified with this latest gift,” said Vance Roley, dean of Shidler College and First Hawaiian Bank Chair of Leadership and Management. “His commitment to continually elevate the college is not only commendable, but demonstrates his pride as an alumnus, as well as a deep understanding of higher education’s impact to �鶹��ý’s overall well-being and prosperity. With undergraduate enrollment growing and our school rankings continuing an upward trajectory, the impact of his gifts are tangible. We look forward to further growing and supporting our faculty, investing in key programs and supporting students to attain their education with this latest gift.”

“I hope my commitment over the years spurs and inspires others to pay it forward and make an investment in our future,” added Shidler. “I truly commend Dean Roley’s vision, leadership and partnership to continuously move the college forward. I am immensely proud of all that the college has accomplished in less than two decades, and look forward to the future.”

“We are so grateful to Jay Shidler for his continued support of the education of our students,” said Michael S. Bruno, provost, University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�. “His generosity and commitment to his alma mater are an inspiration to us all, and will have long lasting benefits to the people of �鶹��ý.”

Shidler began his philanthropic efforts with the University of �鶹��ý in 2006, with an initial gift of $25 million, which prompted the university to change the name of its business school to the Shidler College of Business. This was followed by several additional gifts over the next few years, bringing his current giving total to $238 million.

Since the time of his initial gift, the Shidler College of Business has:

• Been consistently recognized for its international undergraduate business program (with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region), placing 13th in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022–2023 rankings.
• U.S. News also ranked Shidler College of Business 128 out of 516 among the best undergraduate business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
• Grown its endowments from six to 43, allowing for recruitment and retention of a world-class faculty.
• Awarded over $1 million dollars annually in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students.
• Placed nearly 500 students in international, mainland and local internships annually, based on a five-year average, in addition to placing eighty percent of students in their desired industry within three months of graduating.
• Grown resources for the School of Travel Industry Management (TIM School) since reunifying the college in 2019 to include:
  • $1.5 million in new student scholarships
  • $500,000 for study abroad support
  • Six new faculty endowments

Following graduation, Shidler was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Upon leaving the service in 1971, he formed what would become , which today invests equity and debt capital in U.S. commercial properties and portfolios, and creates and capitalizes new real estate-related companies.

In 2015, AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) named Shidler one of the world’s 100 most influential leaders in making an impact on business education, and also recognized him as one of the 50 most generous alumni donors.

Shidler and Wallette, his wife of over 50 years, have a daughter, Summer, and five grandchildren.

He is an active trustee of several charitable organizations including The Shidler Family Foundation.

About Shidler College of Business

Founded in 1949, the Shidler College of Business was named in 2006 after alumnus Jay H. Shidler, founder and managing partner of The Shidler Group. In 2017, Shidler increased his initial gift of $25 million to $228 million, making it the largest individual donation to the University of �鶹��ý; and in 2019, the School of Travel Industry Management rejoined the college. The college is renowned for its multicultural learning environment and its expertise in international business education, and is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 25 schools for international business by U.S. News & World Report. Long recognized for its Asia-Pacific focus, the college offers a wide variety of degree, certificate and executive programs. The college has the only graduate program in �鶹��ý and Vietnam accredited by AACSB International. For more information, visit shider.hawaii.edu.

Reece Jones, professor and chair of the in University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s , has been named a 2023 Fellow by the (AAG). The lifetime appointment recognizes geographers who have made significant contributions to geographic research, advancement of practice, and careers devoted to strengthening the field of geography, including teaching and mentoring.

“I’m honored to be a Fellow of the AAG, and congratulate my associates who were also recognized this year for their contributions to the discipline of geography,” said Jones. “I look forward to working together with them to support AAG and contribute to initiatives that advance our field.”

Jones will join a diverse group of 16 geographers from a variety of practice areas who have been selected as 2023 AAG Fellows. The group will serve the AAG and advise it on strategic directions and challenges, as well as mentor early- and mid-career faculty.

“AAG Fellows light the way for the pursuit and advancement of geography,” said Gary Langham, executive director of the association. “Their work and experience offer insights into the interaction of space and place with the key issues human societies must understand and help solve. We are grateful for their leadership and advice in advancing AAG and the field.”

Jones is the second member of the UH ����ԴDz� Department of Geography and Environment to be recognized as an AAG Fellow. Basil Gomez, an adjunct professor in the department, was named an AAG Fellow in 2020.

More about Jones

Jones, who joined the university in 2008 and also serves as an affiliate faculty member of the Center for South Asian Studies, is known for his ground-breaking and influential research on borders and immigration. He was named a Guggenheim Fellow in 2021 by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, and his book , published in 2016, won multiple awards for the best book in political geography and has been translated into French and Slovenian. The citation from the British Royal Geographical Society called it “one of the most influential Political Geography books published in recent times.”

He also authored , which received the 2013 Julian Minghi Distinguished Book Award for best book in political geography from the American Association of Geographers; and , published by Beacon Press. Jones is editor-in-chief of the journal Geopolitics.

Jones, along with the other 2023 AAG Fellows, will be recognized at an awards celebration on March 26, 2023, during the AAG Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The 2023 Fellows cohort also includes individuals from Arizona State University; CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities; Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment; Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability; Kansas State University; Kent State University; Ohio University; Rutgers Climate Institute; University of Delaware; University of Georgia; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; University of Kentucky; University of Tennessee-Knoxville; and University of Texas at Austin.

Founded in 1904, AAG is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of geography. Its members, who represent nearly 100 countries, share interests in the theory, methods and practice of geography, which they cultivate through the AAG’s Annual Meeting, scholarly journals (, , and ), and the online .

University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s Brandy Nālani McDougall was named the 2023–25 . She is the second �鶹��ý State Poet Laureate, succeeding Kealoha, who served for 10 years from 2012 to 2022.

McDougall is an associate professor of Indigenous studies in the department, and the director of the . Her first poetry collection, The Salt-Wind, Ka Makani Paʻakai was published in 2008 and her second poetry collection, ʻĀina Hānau, Birth Land is forthcoming in summer 2023.

McDougall’s vision for her poet laureateship is to show how poetry and ʻāina together can be a strong source of healing and connection for the people of �鶹��ý.

“I plan to work with folks who are already doing such amazing work to protect and heal ʻāina. I also plan to work with organizations and schools who serve underrepresented and vulnerable communities,” said McDougall. “I believe writing poetry can be strengthening and transformative for them, but all of us need to hear their poems/stories so those poems can transform us, too.”

Fulfilling role as artist, poetry ambassador

The �鶹��ý State Poet Laureate role is part of a collaborative initiative between the , and the . The honor recognizes a �鶹��ý poet of exceptional talent and accomplishment.

During her three-year term, McDougall will hold public poetry readings and offer workshops at schools, public libraries and other community spaces throughout the state. She will also produce two poetry publications. One will be a print publication in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language), featuring poetry and mele by Pūnana Leo and Kula Kaiapuni students as well as other ʻōlelo �鶹��ý speakers. The other will be an online poetry archive, Puka Kinikini, which will feature poetry by local poets throughout �鶹��ý.

“We have had such a strong and vibrant poetry community here for generations now,” said McDougall. “I hope that both publications will be great resources for teachers and families to use so everyone in �鶹��ý can read, learn from and celebrate our poetry—and better yet, if they are moved to write poems, too!”

McDougall grew up watching her father write and perform his own mele, which sparked her own interest to do the same. As a child, she often made up her own songs and enjoyed hearing and telling the stories of her kūpuna. Today, she sees poetry as a source of healing, strength and resilience.

“Writing poetry is essential to healing because you really need to lay bare your own stories, to do the work of facing difficult memories and emotions. The poems then hold all of that for you so you don’t have to hold it inside anymore,” explained McDougall. “It’s so freeing and then to see that something beautiful may even come out of that experience—there’s so much life-affirming power in that.”

As a professor, McDougall uses poetry in her Indigenous studies courses to help her students think critically and creatively and to honor the power of their own stories and those of others.

“I find it helpful to use poetry to help students empathize and think beyond the politics of a particular Indigenous issue to also think about the experience of historical and ongoing trauma in our communities,” McDougall explained.

Inaugural poet laureate event

McDougall’s inaugural event as �鶹��ý State Poet Laureate will take place on Friday, January 13, 6–9 p.m. at the �鶹��ý State Art Museum (HiSAM). She will be sharing poems as part of HiSAM’s monthly jazz night, The Vibe.

For more information about the event, .

—By Alisha Churma

University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (CSS) alumnus and affiliate faculty member Micah R. Fisher was selected as the lone U.S. nominee for the (ASPIRE) in 2022, and was one of 13 finalists for the international ASPIRE science award, which recognizes research that helps society achieve economic, environmental and social goals. As part of the recognition, Fisher’s work was showcased alongside two U.S. finalists in a public forum in January.

The ASPIRE competition promotes scientific excellence and international collaboration among young researchers ages 40 and younger. Each APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) member economy nominated one individual who was judged on scholarly publications, contributions to the theme, and level of commitment to cooperate and collaborate with peers from other APEC economies.

“I was so honored to be the U.S. nominee for ASPIRE because it is reflective of a series of intensive and growing collaborations across Southeast Asia,” said Fisher, who taught the geography of conservation class in the and is leading a planning course in collaboration between sectors in the this semester. “This award is really representative of how hard we’ve worked to establish a network of up-and-coming researchers across the region, providing support to strategically build capacity for research with diverse communities on environmental change.”

Fisher added, “Along the way, we have collectively learned so much about deforestation, land-use change, livelihoods, migration and some of the most pressing issues of our time. What I’ve always set out to do through my research initiatives and classroom learning approaches is to provide a platform for spotlighting multiple perspectives—especially local ones—on the complexities of environmental change.”

Showcasing research

The 2022 ASPIRE theme called for groundbreaking, original research focusing on “innovation to achieve economic, environmental, and social goals” on topics including biological advancement, sustainability and agricultural systems.

A January 10 public forum—featuring the research work of Fisher, and the two U.S. runners-up from Stanford University and the University of California, San Diego—was titled, “Innovating Community, Institutional, and Generational Partnerships on Environment Challenges.” Fisher’s presentation focused on facilitating new ways to produce knowledge across different worldviews as a foundation for solving complex environmental challenges. Drawing from his experiences in understanding deforestation in Indonesia and advocating for community land rights, he described pathways that research networks can play in promoting environmental solutions. His APEC research partners are located in China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Wealth of experience, knowledge

We are so proud of Dr. Fisher, because this designation identifies him as the best young scientist to represent the nation on the APEC stage.
—Professor Krisna Suryanata

Fisher earned his MA from the UH ����ԴDz� Department of Urban and Regional Planning and PhD from the Department of Geography and Environment. In addition to his current position as a , the CSS affiliate graduate faculty has also worked as a professional planner and consultant, specializing in water resources, disaster management, and climate change adaptation initiatives with the World Bank, Mercy Corps and various organizations.

“We are so proud of Dr. Fisher, because this designation identifies him as the best young scientist to represent the nation on the APEC stage,” said Krisna Suryanata, professor and graduate chair in the Department of Geography and Environment. “His work in the research-policy nexus on environmental governance in rural and frontier areas highlights policy dilemmas and opportunities in climate change initiatives. His commitment to research-driven partnerships promote parity in studying environmental change and raise stakeholder perspectives and deepen regional networks.”

Two of Fisher’s geography and environment graduate students were enthusiastic in their evaluations about their instructor.

Working with Dr. Fisher has had a profound impact on my trajectory as a writer, thinker and researcher.
— Carter Beale, master’s student

“I took Dr. Fisher’s Geography of Conservation seminar in fall 2022. The course engaged students on complex environmental issues in Southeast Asia,” said PhD student Olivia Meyer. “My favorite part of the course was how he connected our readings to real-world issues by organizing field visits, such as a bio-cultural restoration site in Waimea Valley, and inviting local practitioners and scholars to speak to our class…His passion for research material, encouragement to pursue community-engaged research, and belief in our potential as graduate students to make a difference through our research made the class one of the most exceptional courses I have taken in my graduate career.”

Added master’s student Carter Beale, “Working with Dr. Fisher has had a profound impact on my trajectory as a writer, thinker and researcher. As an educator, he stands out for his generosity of attention, his careful and insightful feedback, and his infectious enthusiasm for deeply engaged scholarship…It is refreshing and enlivening to be in a classroom where the fire for such intellectual engagement still shines with vitality and sincerity, qualities that I am sure he carries into his role as a researcher, and for which he has deservingly earned the 2022 ASPIRE award.”

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

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

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

Other rankings

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

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

For more information, visit the .

—By Marc Arakaki

The is looking for alumni, faculty and staff volunteers to serve as points of contact and an informal support network for incoming students at the . Entering its sixth year, the Ānuenue Connection Program, formerly known as the Hānai Host Program, aims to increase the number of returning students by fostering feelings of support and connection to the university ʻohana (family).

The first few weeks or months can be instrumental in retaining students for their entire collegiate education. Since fall 2015, approximately 19-23% of first-time, full-time freshmen do not return for their second year at UH ����ԴDz�, (PDF).

The program is geared toward improving the experiences of first-year students, regardless of major, and designed to support students who are from out-of-state and far from home; from the neighbor islands who may not be able to travel home easily; and those from Oʻahu who may find living at UH ����ԴDz� to be a departure from their home environment.

For alumni, it is an opportunity to give back to their alma mater. In 2021, more than 125 alumni and student pairings were made.

“It is great to see the growth in a student during their pivotal first year, connect with them on levels that would not usually be available, and connect with other mentors and hear of their own experiences with the campus,” said Derek Furukawa, a former Ānuenue Connection mentor. “It’s not just a great program, it’s a great community.”

Mentors and students are encouraged to meet at least once a month so students can seek advice, counseling or just have a connection with someone familiar with UH ����ԴDz� and know what the island has to offer.

“Nothing is more simultaneously scary and exciting than moving 2,676 miles away from your hometown to start a new life at university,” said Anjali Skilton, a former Ānuenue Connection mentee. “In the summer before my freshman year, I got paired with my mentor. I remember meeting her for the first time. She was so sweet, welcoming, and charismatic—she truly made me feel at home. After that day, we would get together once a month to grab lunch or catch up. I didn’t see her as just a mentor through these meetings, but I saw her as family.”

Several events and outings are coordinated by the Ānuenue Connection Program to bring student participants and volunteers together. Events will be posted on the program’s and .

Each student participant and alumni/faculty/staff mentor team will determine the appropriate time commitment that works for them throughout the program.

UH ����ԴDz� alumni, faculty or staff members willing to serve as a mentor for one or more students, should

Learn more at the .

University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� students had the opportunity to connect with the ����ԴDz� community as well as the land near the campus through an invasive species clean up event on November 6, at Kamānele Park.

40 volunteers from UH, including the club and members of the Wahine beach volleyball team, helped clear 81 bags of invasive vegetation at a heiau located in the park. Community volunteers included ����ԴDz� Outdoor Circle board members, Mālama ����ԴDz� directors, archaeologists and city workers.

“Kamānele Park is a very special place in my heart because I’ve been working on this project since I was in high school,” said Wellness Warriors President Jackie Osumi, a Mid Pacific Institute graduate and biology senior graduating in spring 2022.

Osumi said she started the Wellness Warriors with an aim to educate and inspire students to live a healthier, longer life and tries to incorporate a variety of approaches for the wellbeing of the student. Through Wellness Warriors, she hopes to foster community connections as well as reveal the beauty of the heiau. The volunteers were careful not to move the rocks of the heiau while they cleared the area.

“We were all able to work together in an effort to really preserve the heiau, and remove the invasive species, so that people could see it instead of hiding under all that green waste,” she said. “It was amazing we were able to do that as a team with everybody contributing from all different organizations of ����ԴDz� valley. I think that was so awesome.”

player Kylin Loker got involved with the clean-up through Head Coach Evan Silberstein.

“It was very special because we know it’s a sacred place, and we know how important it is to the land and to the community,” Loker said. “As athletes we try to represent �鶹��ý as much as possible, and I think that getting involved and actually being within the community is a great way that we can stay connected.”

The clean up was an opportunity for Loker, a geography and environment major, to experience in real life the places and land she had been studying in the classroom.

Loker’s advice for anyone interested in future clean up events: “Do it. It’s an amazing event!”

For more information on the Wellness Warriors .

A dissertation about a new, innovative form of psychotherapy for mental health treatment has been honored by the . Samuel Spencer, a UH ����ԴDz� PhD student, is the recipient of the 2021–22 Dr. Clifford K. Mirikitani, MD, JD & John M. Mirikitani, JD, PhD Outstanding Dissertation Award.

Under the supervision of Akihiko Masuda, a professor in the in the , Spencer focused his research on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a new and innovative form of psychotherapy. Spencer’s dissertation research seeks to help mental healthcare providers and researchers better understand the processes of change underlying ACT with demonstrated efficacy for treating individuals with a wide range of mental health concerns.

“It is essential that mental healthcare providers have access to efficacious psychosocial interventions to help diverse clients who are struggling with a wide range of mental health concerns,” Spencer said. “One way to meet this need is to continue developing and refining interventions from the perspective of a transdiagnostic, process-based approach, such as the one investigated from the framework of ACT in my dissertation research.”

Spencer began his PhD in clinical psychology at UH ����ԴDz� in fall 2018, following the completion of an MA in clinical psychology at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The outstanding dissertation award recognizes one doctoral student who has demonstrated exceptional work toward a dissertation. The purpose of the award is to encourage and recognize extraordinary scholarly research.

“Receipt of the Mirikitani Outstanding Dissertation Award is an incredible honor, both personally and professionally,” Spencer said. “However, I wouldn’t have been able to carry out such relevant and sophisticated dissertation research without the academic, intellectual and collegial support of UH ����ԴDz�’s Clinical Studies Program, Department of Psychology and my advisor, Dr. Akihiko Masuda.”

Spencer also recognized the contributions of the individuals who participated in his study. Through the courageous efforts of these clients, research studies can continue to improve treatment of mental health concerns and further alleviate human suffering.

Masuda added, “Sam is one of the best doctoral students I have ever mentored in over 15 years of my career. He’s very smart, dedicated and caring. His doctoral dissertation project is extremely innovative and ambitious in that it seeks our ultimate question in clinical psychology, ‘why psychotherapy works.’ Sam is solid and well-deserved for this award.”

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