Graduate and advanced undergraduate students from across the University of �鶹��ý System and around the world gathered February 12–15, for the (IGSC) at the East-West Center, marking a milestone year for the long-running, student-led event.

Organized entirely by a graduate student team and supported by the , the 2026 conference centered on the theme, “Legacies Through Time: Rethinking the Past, Confronting the Present, Shaping the Future.” Over three days, approximately 140 participants representing more than 25 countries and regions across North America, the Asia-Pacific and Europe, representing more than 65 institutions, transformed the �鶹��ý Imin International Conference Center into a hub of interdisciplinary exchange.

“Planning this conference reminded us that scholarship is not just about individual achievement—it’s about building relationships and creating spaces where emerging scholars feel seen, challenged and supported,” said Xiaoyun Neo, a master’s student in at UH Mānoa and one of the conference’s organizers. “Watching students step into that space with confidence and generosity was the most rewarding part of this milestone year.”

Neo added, “I also echo the sentiment expressed by IGSC co-chairs Tiến Nguyễn Minh (MA, ) and Oliver Lilford (MA, ) that as scholars, artists and practitioners, we do not simply inherit legacies—we negotiate, challenge and reshape them in the present, using them to reinterpret the past or set the course for different, more hopeful futures.”

Nearly 30 themed panels—including paper presentations, poster sessions, a roundtable discussion and an evening session featuring creative projects and films—highlighted the depth and diversity of student scholarship. Topics ranged from intergenerational memory and language preservation to environmental change and artistic expression, reflecting how legacies shape identities, institutions and futures.

For many presenters, the conference offered a first opportunity to share research in a supportive, peer-centered environment. Graduate student moderators guided discussions, facilitated questions and fostered dialogue across disciplines, creating space for feedback and collaborations.

“Besides the intensive three-day conference, this year’s IGSC also curated pre- and post-conference activities supported by our incredible partners and sponsors,” said Minh. “Our participants enjoyed a field trip to the Mānoa Heritage Center; a tour at the East-West Center Art Gallery; a keynote address in honor of the 25th IGSC by renowned scholar, also an alumna of UH Mānoa, Dr. Katerina Teaiwa, sponsored by the Asian American-Pacific Islander, Environmental Humanities and Environmental Justice Initiative; and a play about Joseph Kekuku and his steel guitar invention at the Honolulu Theatre for Youth. These activities not only fostered connections between our participants with local institutions, they also provided opportunities for us to introduce �鶹��ý’s own legacies through diverse and interactive approaches.”

Launched in 2002, the International Graduate Student Conference continues to serve as a meeting place for emerging scholars to test ideas, build networks and experience academic exchange beyond the classroom.

The University of �鶹��ý received two privately funded grants totaling more than $1.5 million from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to tackle pressing health disparities across rural �鶹��ý and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands. Through community-centered health care and policy research, the projects aim to improve access, quality and coordination of care in some of the most medically underserved areas in the country and Pacific Islands.

“The Helmsley Charitable Trust is committed to ensuring that people in rural and remote communities can access the care they need and deserve,” said Walter Panzirer, a trustee for the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “These grants reflect that commitment by supporting the University of �鶹��ý’s efforts to conduct rigorous, community-informed research that leads to practical, culturally responsive solutions. We are proud to support the University of �鶹��ý to help strengthen health care systems across �鶹��ý and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands, where the need is great and the opportunity for impact is profound.”

Assessing health care delivery

The first grant of $1.15 million will support a two-year, in-depth health policy and health care delivery system assessment in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Led by UH’s , (RHRPC), and at the (JABSOM), the initiative will work closely with territorial health leaders and community stakeholders to map systemic gaps, develop culturally relevant solutions, and produce technical reports and policy briefs for action at the local, national and philanthropic levels.

From strengthening emergency medical services and interisland transport to improving cancer care, telehealth and workforce development, the project will uncover new opportunities to address long-standing inequities and build more resilient systems of care throughout the Pacific.

“The cross-university team that came together in this proposal, including Co-Principal Investigators Aimee Grace (RHRPC), Neal Palafox and Lee Buenconsejo-Lum (JABSOM), is seeking to model next generation transdisciplinary opportunities to advance health and wellbeing research in Pacific Islands communities and honor UH’s continuing kuleana (responsibility) to the Pacific Islands region in which we are located,” said Principal Investigator Alexander Mawyer, director of the Center for Pacific Islands Studies.

Recommendations for rural health

The second grant—$383,844 over two years—focuses on opportunities to improve health in �鶹��ý through policy changes. It will enable RHRPC to examine the state’s health care and emergency response systems, particularly in underserved communities across the islands, and identify barriers to optimal health and health care. Areas of focus will include cardiac care, telehealth, cancer care, emergency medical services, and more. The team will engage key stakeholders through site visits and compile policy options to address identified barriers at multiple levels, including federal, state, local, community and philanthropy.

“This generous grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust represents a pivotal opportunity to focus on the policy drivers of health across our state,” said Grace, RHRPC principal investigator and UH Strategic Health Initiatives director. “By focusing on the unique challenges faced by �鶹��ý’s rural populations, we aim to develop targeted and impactful policy recommendations that will ultimately strengthen the health and well-being of all �鶹��ý residents.”

Together, the two projects demonstrate UH’s growing impact as a regional leader in rural health innovation and its deep commitment to uplifting community-driven policy solutions that create lasting change for the people of �鶹��ý and the Pacific Islands.

“We are grateful to the Helmsley Charitable Trust for enabling us to assist key policymakers with important research that will go towards improving health care access in our state and Pacific Island communities,” said Interim UH Vice President for Research and Innovation Chad Walton. “Private investments like these further validate the quality and trust in the UH research enterprise, and help to keep us on course in this challenging federal funding environment.”

A new bi-weekly podcast has set sail to showcase the voices of Oceania’s people, artists and scholars. Launched this spring from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (CPIS), the debut episode of , aired on February 27 and attracted hundreds of listeners.

The new podcast is recorded in cutting-edge facilities at UH ����ԴDz�’s and hosted by CPIS Associate Professor Tarcisius “Tara” Kabutaulaka and Kenji Cataldo, a graduate assistant at CPIS.

“I hope listeners will learn more about Oceania, Pacific Island cultures, about the issues that are important to Pacific Islanders, and the challenges and opportunities they face in the 21st century,” said Kabutaulaka. “It is also about understanding and learning from the past in order to ‘way find’ into the future.”

The premiere episode featured interviews with past and present CPIS faculty, including CPIS Director Alexander Mawyer, Emeritus Professor Terence Wesley-Smith and Professor Katerina Teaiwa, a CPIS alumna now teaching at the Australian National University. Each discussed the significance of the Pacific Islands studies department which is centered around encompassing a deeper understanding of Oceania, a region consisting of Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

• Related UH News story: 1st Indigenous woman named top Australian university teacher, March 21, 2022

“After months of preparation for the launch, it’s exciting to see the strong response to our first episode across Oceania, the U.S., and even other parts of the world,” said Cataldo. “Dr. Tara has had the vision for this project for some time, and the time now is right. Dr. Tara says, the currents are flowing!”

Listeners can catch Oceania Currents on and podcasts. A new episode posts every other Tuesday. It also airs on every other Thursday, 8–9 a.m. and on East-West Center’s , a collaborative project supported by the Pacific Islands Development Program and CPIS.

CPIS is housed in the UH ����ԴDz� .

Most of us will never meet a member of a royal family, much less snap a selfie with one. That rare occasion occurred for one very excited student on September 5 inside at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�.

Christine “Tini” Paletuʻa-Shimasaki, a UH ����ԴDz� senior majoring in , was over the moon after learning Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Halaevalu Mataʻaho Napua-o-kalani Tukuʻaho of Tonga had scheduled a visit to Hamilton Library’s for research.

Paletuʻa-Shimasaki wasted no time and reached out to Honolulu’s consular agency of Tonga to see how she could simply tell the royal, hello.

“I don’t care if she’s walking down the little stretch on Maile Way to the door, I just wanna wave! That’s all I wanna do,” Paletuʻa-Shimasaki exclaimed. “I just want to go, ‘Hey girl, I’m Tongan and you’re Tongan and I go here.’ I just really wanted to say hi to her.”

Princess Lātūfuipeka is the eldest child of Tupou VI, the king of Tonga. The royal family is descended from three ancient dynasties of the kingdom.

Royal greeting

After Tonga’s consulate granted Paletuʻa-Shimasaki permission to organize a formal welcome for the princess, she teamed up with UH ����ԴDz� graduate student Malia Tonga and Kalo Cornett to spearhead proper protocol and gathered students such as Macmillan Willyander, Fiorenzo Toncan and Tina Tauasosi, a Community Partnership and Research Specialist at UH ����ԴDz� to collectively prepare.

Upon the arrival of Princess Lātūfuipeka and her royal entourage on the library’s fifth floor, she was greeted with a traditional royal greeting in lea fakatonga (Tongan language). Students asked permission to adorned her with lei, a custom called fakamokomoko or keeping royalty cool with fresh adornments.

They also set down a meʻa ʻanga or woven mat covered with ngatu (cloth) for the princess to sit, and abided by royal etiquette, ensuring their heads were always kept at a lower height than her.

Pacific resources

According to the consular agency, Princess Lātūfuipeka was interested in accessing the library’s extensive collection of Pacific Island materials. Hamilton houses the world’s foremost collection of published works about Pacific Island nations from Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia and is internationally recognized for the excellence of its holdings which contains more than 100,000 volumes.

For Paletuʻa-Shimasaki, the princess’ interest in delving into the university’s substantial historical catalog reaffirmed why she chose to pursue her bachelor’s degree at UH ����ԴDz�.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I could continue learning about the Pacific region,” said Paletuʻa-Shimasaki. “Now, even the princess of Tonga is coming to UH for those same resources and for research! It’s like a full circle for me because I know that I’m supposed to be here.”

The is part of the UH ����ԴDz� .

A three-year $1-million grant will launch a new Indo-Pacific Affairs Initiative and establish a Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs within the at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�. The federal funding was secured by U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono to provide education, training and professional development opportunities for students and U.S. government personnel to better meet national security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

The UH ����ԴDz� Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs will be one of the first academic institutions in the world to focus specifically on the Indo-Pacific region. Changing strategic dynamics have recently led policymakers to expand their thinking beyond traditional definitions of “East Asia” to consider a much more expansive “Indo-Pacific” that stretches from the west coast of the U.S. to the west coast of India. Throughout the past several years, many countries, including the U.S., have released Indo-Pacific strategies that reflect their recognition of the importance of this region.

“The expertise about the Indo-Pacific region that already exists at the university and across Oʻahu is virtually unparalleled. And, as an integral part of that region, UH is uniquely positioned to educate our future leaders in the kinds of historically-grounded, culturally-aware perspectives that can help ensure that U.S. policies and personnel contribute to the peace and well-being of the entire region,” said Cathryn Clayton, chair of the .

The Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs will be the institutional hub of the broader Indo-Pacific Initiative, which will help to bring together experts and opportunities from the and across the ����ԴDz� campus. Other goals include the expansion of course offerings, research and Indo-Pacific affairs co-curricular programming, including strengthening the program that was launched by the Asian studies department in 2019. Professional development opportunities will also be made available to students at the BA and MA levels.

Kristi Govella, an assistant professor in the Asian studies department who will be the director of the new center said, “Through this new Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, we will help to bridge the gap between the best scholarly research and timely policy-relevant analysis, while also providing transformative opportunities for students to engage with regional affairs.”

The funding will also provide for professional skills workshops, a visiting experts program, online outreach and help to enhance the visibility of the work UH ����ԴDz� students and scholars are already engaged in the field.

“Importantly, this initiative will enable UH ����ԴDz� to initiate a pilot program that will provide financial support for our students who are engaged in unpaid internships at organizations with a focus on Indo-Pacific issues,” said UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno.

UH ����ԴDz� has long been recognized as a leading university for Asian Studies and . The launch of the UH Indo-Pacific Affairs Initiative comes on the heels of news in August that UH ����ԴDz� was awarded seven Title VI International Education grants totaling $7 million over a four-year grant cycle from the U.S. Department of Education to support language instruction, teacher training, curriculum development, outreach and library collections related to Asia and the Pacific.

The University of �鶹��ý and the are hosting leaders from Pacific nations September 12–14 for the “Puʻuhonua: The Pacific Way Forward.”

The program is hosted by the at the East-West Center and the UH Mānoa .

UH President David Lassner hosted a gathering for Gov. David Ige and American Sāmoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

The leaders tackled topics including climate change, islander resilience during the pandemic, sustainability and the Pacific diasporas as part of the meetings.

The Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for a faculty and a graduate assistant recognizes dedication and demonstrated excellence as teachers of undergraduate students. It was established as a memorial to the late Frances Davis, who taught mathematics at Leeward Community College and the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa for 19 years. Joseph Keola Donaghy, Hoa Le, Brent Kawika Rubio, Tarisi Vunidilo and Justin Walguarnery received the award for 2022.

Joseph Keola Donaghy, UH Maui College

Joseph Keola Donaghy is an assistant professor of music and serves as the faculty coordinator for the at . The institute mentors and trains aspiring musicians in performing, singing, composition, recording techniques and marketing of Hawaiian music. Students are taken from the beginning of their musical training to their career debut.

Donaghy is passionate about Hawaiian music and has worked with students to produce albums, which has earned him a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award as producer of the compilation EP “He Lani Ko Luna, He Honua Ko Lalo.” He is accomplished in the Hawaiian music industry, serving as a member of the Board of Governors of the �鶹��ý Academy of Recording Arts.

He is also linguistically accomplished in Hawaiian, Te Reo Māori and Irish Gaelic. Donaghy is also the developer of the Hawaiian keyboard and recently developed and released Hulihua—a Hawaiian clone of the popular Wordle game.

One of his colleagues wrote, “His work in mentoring the next generation of musicians and giving students a pathway to utilize and embrace their talents as a musician is notable and should be celebrated!”

Hoa Le, UH Mānoa

Hoa Le is a PhD candidate in the second language studies department in the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s . During the past two years, she has taught undergraduate classes in the Vietnamese language program where she developed new, innovative syllabi and course material that served the diverse and real-world needs of her students.

She believes education, and language teaching in particular, should aim to contribute to modern society, which is rooted in rounded, open and well-developed educational concepts. Importantly, it should place the learners at the center of education, educating the whole person, and promote mutual aid and cooperation in the classroom.

When teaching online, Le put extra effort to take advantage of technology making her lessons engaging and motivating. Her students have expressed that they really enjoyed and were delighted learning this tonal language and connecting to its culture, while putting what they learned into real-world practice.

Brent Kawika Rubio, Honolulu CC

Brent Kawika Rubio is an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at . He is a proud alumnus of Pearl City High School, UH Mānoa, and the University of California at Santa Cruz, where he earned his PhD in chemistry and biochemistry.

According to his nominators, Rubio is a “tremendous educator who embodies professionalism and inspires the desire to learn and grow.” “Best teacher ever” encapsulates the sentiments received from his students. Students also describe him as “passionate,” “extremely organized” and “able to make chemistry understandable.” One student said that Rubio “genuinely cared about his class and treated us all as equals.”

In addition to teaching, Rubio has held leadership positions such as division chair, STEM Center director, President’s Commission on LGBTQ+ Equality co-chair, and Pamantasan Conference co-chair. Since 1998, Rubio has served in the �鶹��ý Army National Guard. He is currently the first sergeant of the 111th Army Band.

Tarisi Vunidilo, UH Hilo

Tarisi Vunidilo is an assistant professor in anthropology and the coordinator of the at . Her area of specialization includes the cultures of Oceania with an emphasis on her home community of Fiji, and her topics of specialization center on indigenous museum studies. She is currently volunteering as secretary-general for the Pacific Islands Museums Association.

“Dr. Vunidilo embodies and leads by example the ethics set forth by the UH system initiative to indigenize university education, �鶹��ý Papa O Ke Au,” said a nominator. “She brings to the classroom a Fijian-based talanoa (storytelling) teaching style that allows her to effectively convey ideas while listening to students. With the online nature of teaching during the pandemic, Dr. Vunidilo has nurtured this pedagogy farther, integrating indigenous Fijian frameworks that center on the values of respect, reciprocity, and relationship (veiwekani), and conversing, listening and understanding (veivosaki).”

Another nominator said: “One of Dr. Vunidilo’s greatest strengths is her caring attitude toward students and fostering a nurturing learning environment. Several students have shared with us that it was their personal connection to Dr. Vunidilo and her genuine concern that sustained them in their journeys to graduation.”

Justin Walguarnery, UH Mānoa

Justin Walguarnery is an assistant professor of in the at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa. He has rarely had a semester where he felt he could do what had been done before.

“Science by its very nature necessarily entails doing what has never been done and always exceeding your previous understanding, so it’s only ever made sense to me to do the same in my teaching of science,” he said.

To bridge practice to theory, he is acquiring courses in a third graduate degree in educational psychology in areas of cultural influences, cognition and qualitative research methods. He meets his students as equals with full respect of where they’ve come from and where they are going.

In the words of one student, “There was an inherent freedom of thought and the support and implementation to actually make it work.”

Walguarnery’s hands-on lab course taught throughout the pandemic resulted in the highest exam averages ever with half the time in lab under COVID conditions without reducing course content or compromising high standards.