{"id":224043,"date":"2025-10-21T11:00:49","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T21:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=224043"},"modified":"2025-10-21T11:01:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T21:01:10","slug":"kelsea-hosoda-aises-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/21\/kelsea-hosoda-aises-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Hosoda honored with Blazing Flame Professional Award"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Joseph Keawe\u2018aimoku Kaholokula recognizes Hosoda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Kelsea Kanoho Hosoda, receiving the American Indian Science and Engineering Society<\/abbr>\u2019s (AISES<\/abbr>) Blazing Flame Professional Award marks a full-circle moment in her mission to uplift Indigenous students in STEM<\/abbr>. The national honor recognizes her decades of work expanding opportunities for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.<\/p>\n

\"hosoda
Kelsea Kanoho Hosoda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“I\u2019ve been a part of AISES<\/abbr> since I was an undergraduate, and they really helped me flourish—from undergrad to graduate school and now in my professional career,” said Hosoda, director of the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence<\/a> at the University of awaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/a> (JABSOM<\/abbr>). “So this award, to me, is more than just recognition from a national organization—it also means a lot for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.”<\/p>\n

At JABSOM<\/abbr>, Hosoda leads initiatives that improve Native Hawaiian health through education, research & community engagement, encouraging students to pursue careers in medicine and other health professions.<\/p>\n

Bridging communities through mentorship<\/h2>\n

Hosoda\u2019s involvement with UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP<\/abbr>) inspired her to co-found the university\u2019s first AISES<\/abbr> student chapter with her husband, creating a bridge between local and national Indigenous STEM<\/abbr> communities. She later helped revise AISES<\/abbr> policies to expand eligibility for scholarships and internships to all Indigenous students.<\/p>\n

Related UH<\/abbr> News<\/em> story: Advancing the science of mentorships<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past 12 years, Hosoda has mentored more than 100 students—many now working in research and medicine. Through programs such as Kauhale Medical Scholars, she continues to guide pre-med students from Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s neighbor islands and public schools.<\/p>\n

“Being part of AISES<\/abbr> taught me to bring my whole self to work,” Hosoda said. “That sense of balance and authenticity is something I try to pass on to my students.”<\/p>\n

A proud UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa alumna, she earned her bachelor\u2019s in biology and Hawaiian language, a master\u2019s in molecular biosciences and bioengineering, and a PhD<\/abbr> in communication and information sciences—experiences that deepened her integration of ʻIke<\/span> Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and STEM<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

Hosoda will receive the Blazing Flame Professional Award at the AISES<\/abbr> National Conference in Minneapolis this October.<\/p>\n

Read more at JABSOM<\/abbr><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kelsea Kanoho Hosoda was recognized nationally for her leadership and mentorship advancing Indigenous excellence in STEM<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[679,254,598,484,31,1010,1301,242,313,9],"class_list":["post-224043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-alumni-recognition","tag-biology","tag-faculty-recognition","tag-information-and-computer-science","tag-john-a-burns-school-of-medicine","tag-molecular-biosciences-and-bioengineering","tag-native-hawaiian-center-of-excellence","tag-native-hawaiian-health","tag-stem","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t