A University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa professor emeritus is reshaping how scholars understand comic writing.

James E. Caron has published a new book, , examining how humor and satire developed within a specific aesthetic, comic belles lettres.

Caron’s research challenges a familiar narrative: American humor before the Civil War is often tied to frontier life and regional voices. But his book points to a broader, shared tradition between British and American writers.

“I want other scholars of American humor/culture to discover that a significant portion of antebellum comic writing in the U.S. shares a literary heritage with British writers,” said Caron, who taught at UH Mānoa for 36 years. “The book stresses that transatlantic feature rather than the usual emphasis on comic writing with frontier settings and vernacular speech.”

Drawing on works by Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Harriet Beecher Stowe, as well as writers once popular but now largely forgotten, Caron traces a lineage of comic characters and styles that connect across two countries and multiple genres. The investigation looks beyond fiction, examining essays, reviews, and editorial writing to show how humor and satire operated in 18th- and 19th-century literary culture.

The project explores an important question: what kinds of comic writing were available in the United States before Mark Twain’s dominating influence on American satire?

“Turns out there is lots of popular comic writing before the Civil War that is very different from what Mark Twain has given us, a fact left out of standard literary histories,” Caron said.

His previous books include Satire as the Comic Public Sphere: Postmodern “Truthiness” and Civic Engagement (2021) and Mark Twain, Unsanctified Newspaper Reporter (2008), as well as his more recent study of 19th-century writer Fanny Fern.

His latest work can be found on the and on .

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa has identified a large-scale tropical disturbance called the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) as a significant driver of the islands’ climate, including extreme events, such as the extraordinary rainfall �鶹��ý experienced in March and April. This weather pattern travels eastward through the tropics every 30–60 days and, , significantly boosts rainfall during its active phases, particularly on windward slopes.

This research advances scientific knowledge of the processes that influence �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s climate and can help improve forecasts one to three months in advance.

“Understanding how the MJO affects �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s climate helps explain rainfall variability on timescales of weeks to months,” said Audrey Nash, lead author of the study and doctoral candidate in the in UH ��ā�ԴDz�’s . “The MJO evolves slowly and can be monitored in real time. Understanding its influence can help scientists and forecasters better anticipate periods of heavy rainfall, drought conditions, and shifts in weather patterns across the islands.”

High-resolution data reveals the pattern

While the MJO was known to influence weather patterns across the tropics, its impact on �鶹��ý had not previously been examined in detail at timescales of one to three months.

Nash and Giuseppe Torri, associate professor of atmospheric sciences, analyzed long-term, high-resolution atmospheric and rainfall datasets covering �鶹��ý and the surrounding Pacific Ocean, including data from the �鶹��ý Climate Data Portal. By compositing rainfall, temperature and atmospheric variables across different phases of the MJO, they identified consistent patterns showing how the MJO modulates rainfall and climate conditions across the Hawaiian Islands.

“We expected a small impact, but it was surprising how consistently rainfall across the islands responds to active and suppressed phases of the MJO,” said Nash.

Active phases of the MJO are also associated with cooler temperatures, higher humidity and stronger northeasterly winds across the islands. The authors note that these patterns appear to be linked to large-scale atmospheric responses to the MJO, including slow moving Rossby waves in the central North Pacific and strengthening of the local Hadley Circulation, a major feature of global atmospheric movement that cools the tropics and warms the poles.

“Improving our understanding of rainfall variability is critical for water management, agriculture, and hazard preparedness,” said Nash. “This work reflects the University of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s mission to study the unique environmental systems that shape life in the islands and to provide science that benefits local communities.”

A University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa physician is working to change how a common but often overlooked gynecologic condition is diagnosed and treated.

Kimberly Kho, who holds the nation’s first professorship in advanced gynecological surgery in the (JABSOM), recently authored a clinical expert series review on adenomyosis in . The publication places Kho among a select group of internationally recognized experts in women’s health.

“These articles are meant to synthesize the existing medical literature and turn it into meaningful clinical guidance,” Kho said. “The goal is that a physician could read it, deepen their understanding of the disease, and immediately apply what they learned in their practice on Monday morning.”

Adenomyosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows into the uterine muscle, causing severe menstrual bleeding, chronic pelvic pain and fertility challenges. Despite affecting roughly one in three women, the condition remains underdiagnosed and under-researched.

“It’s astonishing how common it is,” Kho said. “But if you look at the research funding for adenomyosis, which then correlates to our scientific understanding of the disease and specific therapies, it’s just a drop in the proverbial bucket compared to how much and how many this disease impacts.”

Advances in diagnosis, care

Kho’s review provides a practical roadmap for OB–GYN physicians, covering disease mechanisms, diagnostic advances and modern treatment options. A major shift highlighted is the move toward noninvasive diagnosis using imaging tools such as ultrasound and MRI, rather than relying on hysterectomy for confirmation.

“Our paradigm for diagnosing has really evolved because our technologies have evolved. This allows us to name the condition and start treating it, rather than the alternative, which was often to write off the symptoms,” Kho said.

The review also challenges the idea that hysterectomy is the only effective treatment.

“There are many excellent uterine-preserving options,” Kho said. “Medical, interventional and surgical treatments can manage symptoms while preserving uterine function and future fertility.”

Kho hopes the publication will help establish clearer guidance for physicians worldwide while expanding access to advanced gynecologic care in �鶹��ý.

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A led by researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa reveals that surface water ice in the Moon’s permanently shaded regions (PSRs) is less abundant than previously thought. The research provides the most detailed look yet into the lunar PSRs where sunlight cannot reach directly, suggesting that while ice may exist, it is likely present in low concentrations or small, isolated pockets.

This study builds on nearly a decade of breakthroughs by the team, led by Shuai Li, an associate researcher at the in the UH Mānoa . Li previously led the 2018 discovery of the first direct evidence of surface ice using data from India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission.

Less water on the Moon means future lunar explorers may face tighter constraints for sourcing drinking water and fuel, making planning and resource management even more critical.

Reflected sunlight, crater walls

In this latest effort, the team utilized NASA’s ShadowCam, an ultra-sensitive camera aboard the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter. ShadowCam is specifically designed to image the Moon’s darkest corners by capturing sunlight reflected off nearby crater walls.

Researchers found no evidence of “widespread” water ice at high concentrations (above 20% to 30% by weight). This discovery highlights a puzzling disparity between the Moon and other airless bodies like Mercury and Ceres, which host substantial, nearly pure ice deposits in their poles although the Moon’s poles are even colder.

While the delivery of water via impacts may be similar across the Moon and Mercury, Li suggests Mercury’s much hotter surface may facilitate substantially more water formation from solar wind than the Moon. Alternatively, the Moon’s unique environment—including space weathering from solar wind, volcanic degassing and mixing of rock layers from impact—may destroy or bury surface ice more effectively.

Science of light scattering

This study was made possible during ShadowCam’s extended mission, which allowed the team to capture images from multiple angles to analyze how light scatters off the lunar surface. This is the first time researchers used scattering properties of water ice to search for it on the Moon. Rocks and dust on the lunar surface sends more light back toward the direction from which it came, while water ice scatters light forward.

“Water ice doesn’t just make the surface brighter,” said Li. “The way it scatters light is a fingerprint. By using stereo observations to look at these shadowed craters from different perspectives, we were able to detect this distinctive forward-scattering behavior for the first time.”

In the high-resolution images, the team identified a few small areas, roughly 20 to 50 meters in size, that exhibit both high reflectance and unique forward-scattering properties. These optical signatures are consistent with ice concentrations greater than 10%.

Li said, “I thought we’d find more bright, ice-rich areas, so the small number we found was a bit surprising. However, the forward-scattering signal was a true and exciting surprise because it required stereo observations that were only possible during the extended mission.”

Researchers have found there is a bacterial protein “key” that allows the Hawaiian bobtail squid to develop a healthy body and its bioluminescent “glow.” While researchers have long known the squid recruits Vibrio fischeri from the ocean to provide bioluminescent camouflage, a University of �鶹��ý
at Mānoa revealed that the benefit of the partnership extends far beyond light-production: the bacteria were found to play a vital role in the healthy development of the squid.

“Our recent work revealed that in order to develop properly, the squid host requires a protein provided by its bacterial symbiont,” said Jill (Kuwabara) Smith, lead author of the study, who was a postdoctoral researcher at the (PBRC) in the UH Mānoa (SOEST) at the time of this research. “This was very surprising, but given that the work we do with this symbiosis model is always pioneering, just about every new finding is a surprise!”

Most bacteria release tiny, protein-filled “delivery packets” from their surfaces. Researchers previously knew that the Vibrio fischeri bacteria used a specific protein in these packets, called SypC, to start its relationship with the squid.

“Once the bacteria and its vesicles are inside the squid host, the new research found that the SypC assumes a new function—it prompts development of the light-organ itself,” Smith shared.

Tracking a rare but important protein

To test this, the team tracked SypC by making it glow under a microscope. They found that without this single bacterial protein, the squid’s body did not develop correctly. Interestingly, the squid’s own immune cells—which usually kill germs—actually helped pick up these bacterial packets and carry them to the exact spot where the light organ needed to grow. Without SypC, the expression of 138 different genes in the squid was altered.

“In addition to contributing light-production capabilities, Vibrio fischeri are prompting the squid’s development of organs and healthy expression of genes that are involved in a wide range of functions,” said Smith.

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Based on all recorded suicide deaths from 2013 to 2023, those in construction, agriculture, and the arts, males and especially those under 40 years old showed the highest suicide rates. Led by Thao Le of the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s (CTAHR) and retired epidemiologist Dan Galanis with �鶹��ý State Department of Health Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch, the revealed how occupational context is associated with suicide risk in �鶹��ý, particularly occupations where people experience chronic uncertainty and low control.

Farmers are consistently exposed to invasive pests, volatile market prices and extreme weather such as the recent Kona low storms. Beyond the physical destruction of crops and infrastructure, the storms have left a trail of mental and emotional exhaustion.

For an occupation already battling thin economic margins, these storms represent more than financial loss—they are challenging farmers’ sense of purpose and identity.

“A farmer’s mental health is tied to the health of their land,” said Le. “When the ‘āina is inundated and the crops and livestock are lost, the emotional toll is immediate and profound. Our farmers are essentially first responders to our food needs, so we need to act as first responders to them now. They are essential to our own livelihood.”

Without immediate concrete support, in the way of streamlined access to financial aid, supplies and temporary housing for displaced farmers, �鶹��ý risks losing its agricultural workforce, which is the backbone of the state’s food security and sustainability goals.

“If structural forces and policies continue to contribute and exacerbate distress, farmers may feel a sense of moral injury, feeling unsupported and abandoned by the systems purported to support them, and distress in inability to uphold their commitment to their land and livelihood due to factors beyond their control,” Le said.

Holistic approach

Beyond concrete material resources, immaterial recognition is equally essential. Elevating respect for farmers, ranchers and fisheries’ hard work and recognizing their role in community wellbeing is a vital form of psychological “capital” that can foster their wellbeing. The Seeds of Wellbeing (SOW)-CTAHR, and Culturally-Based Community Connections project aims to prevent suicide risk through a holistic, community-integrated approach of care that includes a peer mentorship model, incorporating ‘āina-based modalities and Native Hawaiian contemplative practices and free mental health vouchers. Planning is in the works to provide a 3-day immersive leadership and mental mindset training/seminar experience for ag mentors and leaders, an investment for advanced mental health skills building.

SOW–CTAHR is only a small contributor in the larger network of ag supporters led by Agriculture Stewardship �鶹��ý of �鶹��ý Statewide Food System Coordination including �鶹��ý Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farm Union United, Maui Farmer Support Network, �鶹��ý Good Food Alliance, �鶹��ý Agricultural Foundation, Pacific Gateway and many more.

The is the major statewide, community-driven suicide prevention/mental health collaborative in the state. Valuing life and preventing suicide is everyone’s responsibilities.

�鶹��ý CARES 988 is a 24/7, free support service for help with crisis, mental health and substance use. Dial 988 or text “ALOHA,” no judgement, just help. .

An astronomer at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo is using data from the (CFHT) on Maunakea to help reconstruct a slow-motion cosmic collision, one that has been unfolding for hundreds of millions of years.

A new study from principal investigator R. Pierre Martin, a professor of at UH Hilo, and international researchers such as PhD student Camille Poitras and colleagues at Université Laval in Québec, Canada, simulates the past, present and future of two spiral galaxies, NGC 2207 and IC 2163. The findings were recently published in .

The team used a one-of-a-kind instrument on CFHT called , which can capture incredibly detailed views of entire galaxies all at once.

“Understanding what’s happening during these collisions is fundamental to our knowledge of galaxy evolution in general,” said Martin. “Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, has been through multiple interactions during its lifetime, with one of them having likely triggered the formation of our Sun, about 5 billion years ago.”

Collision timeline

The interaction began about 440 million years ago. Since then, the galaxies have slammed together, pulled apart and reconnected multiple times. Throughout time, they are expected to merge into a single system, their original structures no longer recognizable.

To trace that evolution, the team ran hundreds of simulations, mapping gas movement, star birth, supernovae explosions, chemical enrichment and structural changes across more than 600 million years.

The study shows how these encounters reshape galaxies such as mixing elements, triggering new star formation and influencing how planetary systems could emerge.

Pierre is quick to highlight that Poitras, the study’s lead author, was responsible for most of the work encapsulated in the paper. For Poitras, who began the work as an undergraduate, the project highlights the value of early research experience. That same hands-on approach is central at UH Hilo.

Hands-on learning

“Telescope and lab time have become a central pillar of UH Hilo’s astronomy program,” Martin said. “Even if you’ve never used a telescope before in your life, for the four years you have here, it’s all about hands-on experience.”

Every astronomy course includes lab work, often connecting students directly with observatories on Maunakea. Since 2017, all telescope proposals submitted through the UH Hilo telescope time allocation process must include undergraduate researchers.

For more go to the .

An analysis of more than 2,300 seawater samples from more than 20 field studies around the globe indicates that human-made chemicals—from plastic additives and industrial lubricants to pharmaceuticals and pesticides—are widespread in the marine environment, particularly in coastal and estuarine waters. The study, co-authored by University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa oceanographers and led by biochemists at the University of California, Riverside, represents one of the most comprehensive chemical analyses of coastal oceans to date.

The team analyzed seawater samples collected over a decade from coastal regions from the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Reported in , the findings show that industrial chemicals, many of which are rarely monitored, are far more abundant and widespread than previously recognized.

“As part of this study we included samples from coral reefs across both the Pacific and Caribbean, including samples throughout Hawaiian and Tahitian ecosystems, and we were struck by how widespread things like pharmaceuticals, pesticides and plastics were even in some remote island reefs and dozens of kilometers offshore,” said Craig Nelson, researcher in the UH Mānoa , graduate chair of oceanography, and one of the senior authors on the paper.

“Even in places we consider relatively pristine, we found clear chemical fingerprints of human activity,” said Daniel Petras, assistant professor of biochemistry at University of California, Riverside. “The extent of this influence was surprising.”

Impacts nearshore and offshore

The study found that in datasets from coastal environments as much as 20% of the measured organic material was of human origin, compared to about 0.5% in the open ocean. In extreme cases, such as river mouths impacted by untreated or poorly treated wastewater, that figure exceeded 50%. Across all samples, the 248 identified human-derived compounds tracked in this study made up around 2% of the total detected signal.

While pesticides and pharmaceuticals were expected to be most concentrated near shorelines, the study found that industrial compounds, including substances used in plastics, lubricants and consumer products, dominate the anthropogenic (human induced) chemical signal in all areas of the ocean.

The researchers also found that anthropogenic chemicals persist well beyond the coastline. Even more than 20 kilometers offshore, human-derived compounds accounted for roughly 1% of detected organic matter.

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A breakthrough in marine mammal health surveillance can now detect deadly diseases in whales and dolphins in oceans, beaches and remote locations, thanks to new research from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa.

The UH Health and Stranding Lab at the (CTAHR) worked together with international researchers to validate a portable, field-deployable molecular diagnostic tool for Cetacean Morbillivirus (CeMV). The study was published in .

Rapid detection in the field

CeMV has caused mass deaths of thousands of marine animals globally. Traditionally, detecting such pathogens required sending samples to specialized laboratories, often resulting in delays of weeks to months.

“This is the first application of a field-deployable system for rapid testing for whales and dolphins,” said Kristi West, director of the UH Health and Stranding Lab. “It breaks down barriers to detection because it can be used remotely, even without a traditional lab nearby.”

The portable unit delivers results in about an hour, aiding decision-making during mass stranding events. It is designed for hot, humid environments, making it essential for detecting outbreaks early and potentially preventing larger epidemics. The system uses high-speed testing to provide rapid, on-site results. It proved effective across multiple divergent strains from �鶹��ý, Europe and Brazil, even in archived tissues up to 28 years old.

“We want to train others so we can increase what we know about disease in many other areas of the world,” West said.

Global collaboration and training

To ensure this technology reaches those who need it most, UH researchers hosted a workshop in Honolulu with Professor Wei-Cheng Yang from National Taiwan University’s Veterinary School to train stranding responders and scientists from across the Pacific.

Participants included staff from the Taiwanese Cetacean Society, and representatives from the �鶹��ý Department of Land and Natural Resource’s Division of Aquatic Resources, NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center, biologists from Guam and Saipan and CTAHR graduate students.

During the workshop, researchers ran tests on known positive and negative samples for diseases impacting dolphins and Nene, the endemic Hawaiian goose. The Taiwanese team also shared their insights from a mass stranding of 11 pygmy killer whales they had responded to just days before arriving in �鶹��ý, which resulted in the successful release of seven whales.

The project is supported by U.S. Pacific Fleet Environmental Readiness Division and a joint zoonotic disease grant with the state of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s Department of Land and Natural Resources and involves collaborators from Taiwan, the Philippines, Spain, and Brazil.

Noelani Schilling-Wheeler, a University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa alumna, is the executive director of the Oʻahu Visitors Bureau (OVB), a department of the �鶹��ý Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB). Her responsibilities include developing strategies and tactics, with specific attention to the marketing and promotion of Oʻahu, and aligning those strategies and processes with community voices and government directives. Prior to her current position, she served as a director of sales and marketing at OVB, where she has worked for 28 years. She earned bachelor’s degrees in travel industry management and marketing from the Shidler College of Business in 1991.

Tell us about a day at the office

“Working at OVB is dynamic, and no two days are the same. I typically begin the day by reviewing in-progress projects, upcoming programs that require planning and any issues that need immediate attention. Once priorities are set, I move into focused work and meetings, connecting with industry partners, clients and internal teams to move initiatives forward and identify opportunities to strengthen our programs. A key part of my day is also supporting my team, checking in to ensure they have the tools, guidance and support needed to succeed and grow.”

How did your experiences at Shidler prepare you for what was to come?

“Shidler provided a strong academic foundation through both the marketing and travel industry management programs, supported by professors who invested in my growth. My experience there helped me with my decision to work in tourism marketing, and my interest in representing destinations respectfully and with purpose.”

What are some of your favorite memories of Shidler?

“My favorite memories are centered around student activities, such as participating in different clubs and TIM Night productions, and engaging with and building meaningful relationships with TIM School professors and our former dean, Chuck Gee, who had the best advice for each and every student.”

What’s your advice for current students?

“Never get too comfortable with what you think you know—learning should be constant. We live in a rapidly changing world, so stay curious, engaged and ahead of change. Remember that organizations function like living systems, and everything is connected. If you need to pivot yourself in your career or life, view it as an opportunity for growth, not a setback. Seek out mentors, ask questions, listen to diverse perspectives and take responsibility for your work. Always look for ways to enhance, elevate and expand programs, careers and personal paths. Most importantly, be pono in all that you do.”

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