{"id":191451,"date":"2024-02-06T14:27:26","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T00:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=191451"},"modified":"2024-02-06T14:37:55","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T00:37:55","slug":"research-day-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/02\/06\/research-day-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa research excellence takes center stage at State Capitol"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

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Investigating Maui wildfire impacts on nearshore beaches and waters, using AI<\/abbr> to improve risk detection of depression among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, and alternative models for rehabilitation and restorative justice for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> were some of more than 50 research projects showcased at the second annual UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Research Day<\/a> at the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Capitol.<\/p>\n

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University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff across a variety of different disciplines delivered oral presentations, hosted informational tables and conducted interactive activities on the capitol\u2019s 4th floor, demonstrating UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s research on some of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>‘s most pressing issues: Maui wildfire disaster, homelessness, mental health challenges, educational reform and more.<\/p>\n

“Being involved in research improves the education of our children, of our students, and we want to demonstrate the value of that to our legislators,” said Christopher Sabine, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa interim vice provost for research and scholarship. “We bring the research here to them so they can be exposed to it as well and see how students are able to use this to improve their education. It also helps to show the value of the research to our state in general.”<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s research day theme was UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s Kuleana to Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and the World: Our Commitment to Excellence in Research<\/strong><\/em>. Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> lawmakers and representatives were invited to engage with UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa students, faculty and staff to learn about the wide variety and impact of research initiatives.<\/p>\n

“What’s really awesome is the fact that the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> has such a wide range of research and knowledge, and a whole variety of topics that affect all of our lives, not just the scientific community, but affects consumers and those of us who buy foods in our everyday lives and trying to save endangered species from extinction,” said State Rep<\/abbr>. Gregg Takayama.<\/p>\n

Lahaina native Julynn Iʻi<\/span> is a water sample specialist for the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Water Resources Research Center<\/a> (WRRC<\/abbr>). Iʻi<\/span> and other team members are working on a project to identify drinking water contamination and social vulnerability impacts from urban fires, with a focus on the Lahaina wildfire.<\/p>\n

“Being able to provide some sense of security to our community is very important to me,” Iʻi<\/span> said. “We weren’t directly affected but we are in that zone where we were affected at the same time to where I needed to make sure that my keiki were safe and that it was safe for us to be in our own home. To be able to be a person of the community as well as a person of my ʻohana<\/span> to help keep us safe, it means a lot to me and I want to assure that we continue doing this movement to better bring peace to everybody in Lahaina.”<\/p>\n

WRRC<\/abbr> field technician Kellie Cole added, “I’m up in Kula. We were impacted by the fires and sort of fell into this position because of the impact from the fires. It’s been really useful to be able to reach out and get to know my community and see what their needs are, see what their concerns are and be able to give them some sense of comfort and safety during this time.”<\/p>\n

UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa also highlighted some of its recent successes, including:<\/p>\n