The University of �鶹��ý Maui College is launching the 2026 Maui Strong Fellowship Program to empower its students and local residents to drive Lahaina’s long-term recovery and resilience following the devastating wildfires. The initiative provides awards of up to $10,000 to develop and implement community driven programs.

Fellows will collaborate with key UH Maui College programs, including (establishing a network of biocultural refuges supporting the cultivation of native plants), the , or the . Projects include essential soil and water research, collaborative initiatives to build community resilience, and culturally rooted projects that support well-being.

The program, now in its third year, is currently accepting open applications for fellowship spots with (contact: hulihia@hawaii.edu) and the (email: Shawn Pedron spedron@hawaii.edu). Applications are open to UH Maui College students and Maui residents through March 27, 2026.

Funded by the Maui Strong Fund of the �鶹��ý Community Foundation, the initiative directly supports residents who are focusing on critical areas such as post-fire recovery, sustainability initiatives and environmental restoration.

“We are proud to support Maui’s continued recovery by empowering residents to share their talents and voices,” said Jordan Hocker, sustainability specialist at Hulihia. “Through this fellowship program, we hope to inspire the next generation of leaders working toward a resilient future for Lahaina.”

A vital promise made to the students of Lahaina following the deadly 2023 wildfires has received a major infusion of support. A new $1.5-million gift from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos ensures the University of �鶹��ý can sustain full scholarships for Lahainaluna High School’s Class of 2024 through the 2026–27 academic year.

This scholarship support is part of a broader $3.5-million investment from the couple, which dedicates $2 million to land stewardship research aimed at preventing future wildfires on Maui.

In fall 2024, 157 students from the affected Lahainaluna High School class enrolled across six campuses: UH ����ԴDz�, UH West Oʻahu, UH Maui College, and �鶹��ý, Honolulu and Kapiʻolani Community Colleges. The new funding specifically targets the upcoming academic years, creating a financial bridge for students as they persist in their degrees or transfer from UH community colleges to UH four-year universities.

“We are deeply grateful to the generous donors whose support makes this possible,” said UH President Wendy Hensel. “This funding ensures that students who lost so much are not forced to put their futures on hold. Education is a cornerstone of recovery, and our responsibility is to stand with Lahainaluna students and families as they rebuild and move forward.”

Transformative scholarships

For students navigating the trauma of displacement, the scholarships have been transformative. Cecelia Steiner, a UH Mānoa psychology major who lost her home in the fire, described the support as a “lifeline.” Steiner noted that while the national college enrollment average is 62%, approximately 85% of her Lahainaluna class pursued higher education because of this initiative.

“When UH offered a scholarship and paid for school, it changed my world because not having to worry about the financial aspects was huge,” said Steiner.

UH Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Farrah-Marie Gomes said the scholarship support was important for students navigating uncertainty.

“It reinforces that they are not alone, and that their community is invested in their education, their future and their sense of belonging,” Gomes said.

Beyond Lahainaluna

In the aftermath of the fires, UH Mānoa offered scholarships to students from Lahaina and Kula who did not attend Lahainaluna High School but were impacted. UH Mānoa provided scholarship support to 60 students who were already enrolled for the 2023–24 academic year. The number of scholarship recipients grew to 194 in the 2025–26 academic year.

UH Maui College announced in April that it would cover tuition and fees for Lahainaluna High school graduates (beyond the class of 2024) who were impacted by the 2023 fire for the 2025–26 academic year. There were 67 recipients enrolled in fall 2025.

When the Lahaina wildfires devastated West Maui, Michael Young, apprenticeship and trades coordinator at the University of �鶹��ý Maui College, not only lost his home but also saw the urgent community need for basic rebuilding skills.

“I grew up in Lahaina and saw how many homes were lost or badly damaged,” Young said. “People wanted to know if there were programs that taught carpentry, framing, roofing, painting—anything that would help them start restoring their homes.”

From that need, the Hale ����貹ʻ�� program—meaning “small shelter”—emerged. The hands-on initiative, based at UH Maui College, builds 8-by-10-foot portable sheds that are small enough to be delivered to landowners without construction permits.

Real relief

These sheds, which double as teaching tools for participants, provide essential storage and, for some, temporary shelter. To date, 58 sheds have been delivered, with 220 households still on a waiting list.

“This is a way for people to feel safe and regain a sense of stability,” said Moani Whittle-Wagner, an academic support specialist who named the project. “Drivers are often greeted with hugs and tears. They’re small structures, but the relief is real.”

An helps ensure Lahaina residents and displaced families have the skills and materials they need to regain a sense of stability. To make a gift, click .

Providing hope

The program offers more than just physical relief; it provides hope for long-term recovery. Lahaina resident Gene Castillo, whose family lost multiple homes, found both skills and a forward focus in the program, recalling the evacuation with his then-pregnant wife and young daughter.

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“Without her,” he said gesturing toward his now two-year-old daughter Zanel, “I think we would have been lost. She gave us something to look forward to.”

Hale ����貹ʻ�� is also rebuilding lives by offering pathways into the trades, bringing together credit courses, union apprenticeships and free community classes. A pre-apprenticeship program with the Carpenters Union reports a 100% placement rate, providing displaced residents with career opportunities.

“These sheds are more than wood and nails,” said Whittle-Wagner. “They’re hope in a time of loss.”

Read more about and more Giving Day opportunities.

The 2023 Maui wildfires were linked to significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety among residents, with impacts extending beyond the burn zones and closely tied to housing and income disruption. That’s according to a new University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa study published March 11 in .

The study examined 2,453 adults, including 1,535 wildfire-exposed residents on Maui and 918 unexposed residents from other �鶹��ý counties. The data was gathered between January 2024 and February 2025 through the (MauiWES) and the ’s (UHERO) Rapid Health Survey.

Key findings

• Residents inside burn zones had a 53% higher risk of depression and 67% higher risk of anxiety compared to unexposed residents.
• Maui residents living outside burn zones also experienced significantly elevated mental health risks, including more than double the risk of suicidal thoughts.
• More than half of the wildfire’s impact on depression and anxiety could be traced to housing instability and lost income.
• Being employed was strongly protective against depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.

“These findings show that the wildfire’s psychological toll is not confined to the areas that burned,” said lead author and UHERO Professor Ruben Juarez. “The social and economic disruption—especially housing instability and income disruption—is driving much of the distress we see across the community.”

See more �鶹��ýNews stories on MauiWES

Co-author and Professor Alika K. Maunakea added, “Climate disasters affect biological, social and economic systems at the same time. If we only rebuild structures and do not stabilize housing, employment and mental health services, we leave communities vulnerable long after the smoke clears.”

Co-author Christopher Knightsbridge, a mental health therapist from MauiWES based in Lahaina said, “The harm did not stop at the burn zone. Housing disruption and income loss have extended the crisis into daily life, which is why recovery must include stronger housing, economic, and mental health supports.”

The August 2023 fires, which killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 2,200 structures, displaced an estimated 10,000 residents. The study found that psychological distress persisted six to 18 months after the disaster.

UHERO is housed in the .

A $2-million gift from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos is supporting University of �鶹��ý-led research aimed at restoring fire-prone grasslands on Maui and reducing the risk of future wildfires, building on and long-term recovery following the devastating 2023 fires.

Much of Maui’s former sugar plantation lands are now unmanaged and dominated by invasive species, such as guinea grass, that create more fire-prone vegetation and intensify wildfire risk. Several UH units are collaborating to address that vulnerability through land stewardship research designed to inform policy and guide on-the-ground management decisions.

The effort brings together researchers from the (UHERO) housed in UH ����ԴDz�’s , the , and the Ecosystems and Land Care Program in the Department of (NREM) in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience. The work will be conducted with watershed partners, ranchers and ʻāina (land)-based organizations across �鶹��ý.

“Insufficient investment in land care across former plantation lands has left large areas of Maui vulnerable to wildfire,” said Kimberly Burnett, a specialist with UHERO. “This work builds on evidence that actively managed lands, including forests, well-managed rangelands and agriculture, can significantly reduce fuel loads and support outcomes like erosion reduction, food production, biodiversity and community resilience.”

Data-driven strategies for wildfire prevention

In the early stages of the project, researchers will work closely with partners to co-develop research questions and products that are directly useful for land managers and decision-makers. Anticipated outcomes include statewide wildfire risk and probability maps to help guide fire reduction strategies across a range of land uses, as well as analyses of different wildfire mitigation scenarios over space and time.

Those scenarios may include forest restoration, green breaks, agroforestry, grazing and mowing, with researchers assessing the benefits and costs of each approach.

“We want to look at options beyond just mowing brush given how well these different actions align with other things people value and contribute to public safety,” said Clay Trauernicht, a specialist with NREM.

The project will also examine policy and market-based tools that could help finance and support land-use transitions that advance multiple ecosystem services, including wildfire risk reduction, across �鶹��ý.

The gift builds on existing support from the Bezos Maui Fund to restore the island’s watersheds and reduce wildfire risk, and reflects a broader strategy that links environmental recovery with community resilience. That land-based work is complemented by a separate $1.5-million investment to support Lahainaluna High School graduates enrolled at UH who continue to face economic hardship following the fires.

“We are profoundly grateful to our donors for their continued commitment to Maui,” said UH Foundation CEO and Vice President of Advancement Tim Dolan. “Their support is making a lasting difference for the people and places that define this community.”

In response to the devastating 2023 wildfires, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos have donated $1.5 million to support Lahainaluna High School students, along with an additional $2 million to fund research aimed at mitigating future wildfire risk through vegetation management. The gift builds on an from the Bezos Earth Fund to the East Maui Watershed Partnership.

Together, these philanthropic investments fund critical environmental recovery work and strengthen Maui communities for the long term.

$1.5 million for Lahainaluna students

In the days following the wildfires—the worst natural disaster in state history—t to Lahainaluna’s 2024 graduating class and supported their education at any of the 10 UH campuses.

This new $1.5-million donation is amplifying that effort, and directly benefiting Lahainaluna High School graduates who are currently enrolled at UH and still facing economic hardship related to displacement and loss.

The funding will provide students with tangible support, enabling them to stay focused on their studies as their community rebuilds. Leaders say the commitment affirms a shared responsibility to stand with Lahaina students and families as recovery gives way to renewed opportunity.

“We are deeply grateful to the generous donors whose support makes this possible,” said UH President Wendy Hensel. “This funding ensures that students who lost so much are not forced to put their futures on hold. Education is a cornerstone of recovery, and our responsibility is to stand with Lahainaluna students and families as they rebuild and move forward.”

UH Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Farrah-Marie Gomes agrees.

“For students navigating uncertainty, this kind of support is transformative,” added Gomes. “It reinforces that they are not alone, and that their community is invested in their education, their future and their sense of belonging.”

Restoring Maui’s fire-prone grasslands

Much of the former sugar plantation lands on Maui are now unmanaged and dominated by invasive species that increase fuel loads and have intensified the island’s wildfire risk. Several units at UH, including the University of �鶹��ý Economic Research Organization (UHERO) that is housed in UH ����ԴDz�’s College of Social Sciences, the Institute for Sustainability and Resilience, and the Ecosystems and Land Care Lab, will collaborate with a range of partners interested in fire risk reduction to turn vulnerability into stability.

The $2-million donation supports the collective effort that will build better understanding of the long-term benefits and costs of transitioning these lands, for the purposes of shaping land-use policy that supports multiple environmental and social objectives. It builds on existing support from the Bezos Maui Fund to restore the island’s watersheds and reduce wildfire risk.

“Insufficient investment in land care across former plantation lands has left large areas of Maui vulnerable to wildfire,” said Kimberly Burnett, a specialist with UHERO. “This work builds on evidence that actively managed lands, including forests, well-managed rangelands and agriculture, can significantly reduce fuel loads and support outcomes like erosion reduction, food production, biodiversity and community resilience.”

That land-based work is complemented by expanded educational access and reflects a holistic strategy for rebuilding—one that recognizes the interconnectedness of land, learning and long-term community well-being.

“We are profoundly grateful to our donors for their continued commitment to Maui,” said UH Foundation CEO and Vice President of Advancement Tim Dolan. “Their support is making a lasting difference for the people and places that define this community.”

Fifty storage sheds have been delivered to Lahaina, each one a testament to the hands-on learning and generous spirit of the University of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s Maui College. This effort, dubbed the Hale Pāpaʻi Project, has been fueled by students who are not just learning construction skills but also embodying the value of kōkua—help and assistance—for their community.

Through the generosity of a private donor, the college was able to offer free, one-week basic construction and painting classes. The Maui Strong Fund at �鶹��ý Community Foundation then added its support by providing materials to construct the 50 sheds, and the Hale Pāpaʻi Project came to life. Instructors and their students built the sheds from the ground up, providing both a valuable service to the community and hands-on learning for students.

In the process of construction, students gained skills in building trades, such as making braces, building a skeleton and frame, roofing, installing fascia, drywall, interior and exterior trim, flooring, siding, sheer wall, and installing a window and door, along with mudding, taping, texture and painting.

“Students are able to keep the tools and belts issued to them on Day One,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana. “Many of them come back just to help out and bring those tools with them. They say it feels good to kōkua. One thing we know for sure, these beautiful sheds are built with aloha and we hope the recipients feel it when they receive their hale.”

The project is part of UH Maui College’s ongoing commitment to the recovery process following the August 2023 wildfires, an effort that began immediately after the disaster with thousands of meals prepared, workspace provided to relief organizations, and school supplies drives. The shed project addresses a need voiced by rebuilding residents.

Through an innovative new ocean engineering course at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, graduate students created a low–cost water sampler that is aiding researchers in their efforts to monitor the impacts of the destructive 2023 wildfires in Lahaina, Maui.

The course, launched in spring 2025 with funding from the UH Mānoa Strategic Investment Initiative and UH Mānoa (SOEST) Dean’s Office, was driven by a dual purpose: to address community concerns that require technical or engineering solutions and to satisfy student’s significant drive to get hands–on experience solving real–world problems.

Lead instructor Camille Pagniello and the five students in the inaugural cohort teamed up with Andrea Kealoha, Nick Hawco, Eileen Nalley and Craig Nelson, all faculty members in the SOEST Department of Oceanography or �鶹��ý Sea Grant, who have an ongoing project monitoring water chemistry, reef health and fish populations in waters off Lahaina. The sponsoring scientists challenged the students with a mission: design a low–cost water sampler for coastal monitoring that can be deployed in the ocean and autonomously collect seawater.

Working together, and mentored by Pagniello, the students successfully designed and built a water sampler that satisfied all the requirements and cost approximately $800 for the base model. Their cost–effective solution allows scientists to measure key carbon chemistry parameters such as pH, and offers the flexibility to substitute various components to expand its use for measuring trace metals and organic material.

“This effort was a win–win,” said Pagniello, who is also an assistant professor in SOEST’s . “Students got real, end–to–end design–and–build experience in marine instrumentation while also delivering a new tool to the scientific community that helps democratize ocean science.”

Expanding students’ passion, potential

This course is training a new generation of engineers who are community–minded and capable of addressing complex scientific problems with practical and affordable solutions.

“This class was one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had at UH,” said Maliheh Gholizadehsarvandi, ocean and resources engineering graduate student. “It showed me that I could take on a real–world challenge from start to finish, even though I felt overwhelmed at first. With Camille’s support, I gained confidence in handling complex problems and learned to enjoy the process. Seeing our project become something real that could benefit the community was very rewarding, and the teamwork and final presentation were definite highlights.”

Pagniello will be teaching the course again in spring 2026 and is interested to hear from the industry partners, non-profit organizations, and community members about problems that could benefit from a technical solution. To share your interest in partnering with the spring 2026 students, fill out this .

—By Marcie Grabowski

Two years after the 2023 Maui wildfires, many disabled residents remain far behind in rebuilding their homes, livelihoods, and health, according to a new report from the (UHERO).

UHERO’s study, , is the first comprehensive analysis of how the disaster affected disabled residents in Lahaina. Drawing on two large-scale surveys conducted between 2024 and 2025, the report shows that people with disabilities, both pre-existing and newly acquired after the disaster, continue to face disproportionate hardship two years after the fires.

“Disabled residents continue to face steep barriers to recovery, because systems and programs aren’t designed to include them,” said Daniela Bond-Smith, a research economist at UHERO who is the lead author on the report. “Recovery systems need to be inclusive—or they risk deepening existing inequities. But it’s also an opportunity to plan for a more inclusive and resilient future.”

Key findings

Housing: Fewer than half of disabled residents have secured permanent housing. Many remain in temporary or unstable living situations, and disabled renters are more reliant on rental assistance that may soon end.

Employment and Income: Working-age people with disabilities experienced sharper employment and income losses. A disproportionate number of disabled people exited the labor force, risking long-term exclusion from employment and earnings. Newly disabled people saw their household incomes fall by nearly half since the fires.

Health: Disabled people report greater physical and mental health challenges and more barriers to healthcare access than others.

Assistance and Unmet Needs: Disabled residents report higher unmet needs, from housing and healthcare to transportation and financial aid. More than one-quarter received no assistance at all in the last month.

Life Satisfaction: Despite widespread resilience, disabled people consistently report lower well-being and slower recovery progress.

Opportunities to close gap

The report finds that �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s current framework for disability inclusion in disaster preparedness and recovery is fragmented and largely non-binding. To close the gaps, the authors identify several steps that could make �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s recovery, and future disaster planning, more inclusive:

• Mainstreaming disability equity in disaster management as a cross-cutting principle, not a niche program, including explicit statutory requirements
• Updating and expanding �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s outdated disability preparedness plan to include recovery
• Setting measurable goals and data systems to monitor progress on disability inclusion at both the state and county levels
• Making disaster assistance fully accessible and expanding disability training for case managers and first responders
• Improving referrals to assistance and services for disabled residents by leveraging healthcare encounters
• Investing in accessible housing and healthcare, and expanding job programs that help disabled residents rejoin and remain in the workforce

The report serves as a resource for policymakers, service providers, and community leaders working to strengthen �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s disaster recovery systems and ensure that progress reaches everyone.

UHERO is housed in UH ����ԴDz�’s .

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa will play a leading role in a new designed to take artificial intelligence (AI) out of the lab and into the natural world.

The initiative, called , will place 300 advanced sensor systems in locations across the country to monitor the environment and provide faster warnings for natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and volcanic eruptions.

The new funding allows UH researchers and students to join a nationwide team working to build the next generation of AI-powered “smart” sensors. These devices can analyze information directly where it is collected, without waiting for data to be sent to distant servers. That means communities, scientists, and policymakers can get quicker updates on changing conditions, whether it is smoke from a fire, shifting weather patterns, or unusual volcanic activity.

“By joining Sage Grande, UH is not only advancing disaster preparedness and environmental science, but also giving our students hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI,” said Professor Jason Leigh, director of the in UH ��ā�ԴDz�’s . “We’re ensuring �鶹��ý is at the forefront of innovation where it matters most.”

Leigh said they plan to deploy two to three sensors across the Hawaiian islands next year at sites that are still to be determined. The UH Mānoa team comprises Leigh, and Chris Shuler, Han Tseng, Anke Kügler and Tom Giambelluca of the UH Mānoa .

Building on previous experience

UH already has experience with this technology. In �鶹��ý Volcanoes National Park, a current-generation Sage sensor has been used by UH students to test generative AI tools that analyze real-time data from Kīlauea. Their early work demonstrated how AI can help answer basic but important questions, such as whether an eruption is underway.

And on Maui, UH has installed a similar sensor in Lahaina that connects to the internet via satellite. The system is being programmed to track air quality and fire risks in an area devastated by the 2023 wildfires. Supported by a separate NSF grant, the Lahaina project is also collecting climate and pollution data to aid recovery efforts and guide future planning. Local students are helping with the instruments, gaining hands-on training in both environmental science and advanced AI.