The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Isabella Kneeshaw became the first ever Hawaiʻi athlete to earn Big West Freshman of the Year honors after an incredible first collegiate season.

Kneeshaw took home honors after winning the conference title in the 400m while anchoring a pair of Big West-title winning relay teams in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. UC Irvine’s Kailah McKenzie will share the award with Kneeshaw.

On the final day of the Big West Championships, Kneeshaw helped the 4x100m relay team break the school record for the third time this year, running a 45.03 in the final to win. The freshman then closed strong in the 400m to pull away for the title in 54.01 seconds to post the second-fastest time in school history.

Kneeshaw capped off her meet by running the final leg of the 4x400m relay squad that took home the conference title in 3:39.47, coming within 0.37 seconds of the program record. She again ran a strong final closing stretch, pulling away in the final 100 meters once again to make the Rainbow Wahine the first team since 2017 to sweep both relays at the Big West title meet.

For more on Kneeshaw, go to

The is part of a new consortium funded by a federal grant of nearly $1 million to address critical economic and marketing gaps in the country’s aquaculture industry. Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic life, such as fish and shellfish, in controlled environments like ponds or tanks. The multi-state and island project will emphasize building bridges across a range of geographic regions between researchers, industry leaders, and state extension services.

“With record production of $90 million in 2023, aquaculture is now one of the largest contributors in agricultural production in Hawaiʻi, yet key information for planning and decision-making is lacking,” said Maria Haws, an aquaculture professor at 91ֱ������ Hilo. Haws is based at the university’s (PACRC) in Keaukaha, Hilo Bay.

According to Haws, the gap in key information is due to the highly diverse nature of production methods, systems, and species that are cultured in Hawaiʻi. Aquaculture spans from breeding shrimp in land-based systems to farming hamachi (kāhala) in open-ocean cages. However, current studies fail to capture the economic dynamics of these diverse regions.

“Hawaiʻi and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands have relatively weak capacity for aquaculture economics since there are no dedicated aquaculture economists, although some economic specialists contribute to research in this area,” Haws said. “Results from this work, as well as the relationships developed through the consortium, will help compensate for this.”

Hawaiʻi expertise

PACRC will lead the Hawaiʻi component of the project and develop educational materials, online tools for industry and other users, and assist with farm economic studies.

Diverse collaboration

Project collaborators are a geographically diverse group of economists and extension specialists with backgrounds in freshwater, coastal, marine, and recirculating aquaculture systems. Led by Virginia Tech, a public land-grant research university, the group also draws expertise from institutions across the nation such as Mississippi State University, Texas A&M University, University of Maryland, University of Alaska, Morgan State University, Maine Aquaculture Association, University of Guam and University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, to address challenges facing the domestic aquaculture industry.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sea Grant is providing funding for the establishment of the Aquaculture Economics and Markets Collaborative over the next two years.

—By Susan Enright

Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo collaborated to illuminate the forgotten history of Koreans on Hawaiʻi Island. Faculty from the , , and departments contributed to the new exhibition, “One Heart: Korean Art and History Across the Pacific,” which brings together art and new historical research at Wailoa Center in Hilo.

At the helm of 91ֱ������ Hilo’s partnership is Seri Luangphinith, an English professor who has done extensive research into the history of Korean immigrants to Hawaiʻi Island. Among the displays, visitors will find gravestone rubbings she collected from field work on Hawaiʻi Island. Through Luangphinith’s exemplary research, Korean families on island have been able to reconnect with long-lost generations of their ancestors.

“We need to better understand and appreciate the Asian presence on this island,” said Luangphinith. “Koreans are a forgotten people here, and that’s unfortunate given their contributions to the local community and to Korea.”

Finding History

Luangphinith’s research spans from the arrival of the first Koreans to Hawaiʻi Island to the exploration of Korean cemeteries.

• Related 91ֱ������ News story: 91ֱ������ Hilo professor publishes book exploring the history of Korean immigrants, May 1, 2018

The first wave of Korean immigrants arrived from 1905 through the 1920s. The second wave came during the Japanese occupation, followed by another arrival during the Korean War.

“On a hunch, I started looking at Korean cemeteries because I knew that Japanese and Chinese immigrants recorded hometowns and families on their graves and sure enough the Koreans also did the same thing,”Luangphinith said.

Creative showcase

Art fills the second floor of the exhibition, which showcases the diverse voices and visions of Korean artists. From paintings and mixed-media artworks to artifacts and ceramics, the gallery show takes the viewer on a creative, emotional and historical journey. Michael Marshal, an art professor at 91ֱ������ Hilo, curated the exhibit, and artworks were juried or extensively assessed by Mizin Shin, an assistant professor at the University of Rochester. Faculty and students from 91ֱ������ Hilo’s art department helped prepare the works for display.

“Collaboration is a journey, within which everyone who is engaged with the process comes away with a broader understanding of the subjects,” said Marshall.

The exhibition opened on May 3 and will run through June 20. It is supported by the 91ֱ������ Hilo and the 91ֱ������ Mānoa . Major funding comes from the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

—By Susan Enright

A haute couture gown (hand-made and custom-fitted for the client) by the late Japanese fashion designer Hanae Mori has been donated to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR) Historic Costume Collection.

The gown is made of silk chiffon and features sequins and beads sewn on to look like bamboo, fans, leaves and three-dimensional flowers. Mori’s motif was the butterfly, which was incorporated into many of her creations, and this gown features a draped butterfly wing in the front.

Mori was the only Asian person in her lifetime to be accepted by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode—the French organization that governs haute couture fashion.

“This donation will complement other Hanae Mori creations we have in the collection, and its history is a nice link between fashion, agriculture (plants), and philanthropy,” said Andy Reilly, a professor in the . “The collection represents the history of Hawaiʻi as told through clothing, and I am very thankful that the gown will remain in Hawaiʻi.”

The donor, Fredrica Cassiday, had originally considered gifting it to the Met in New York, Reilly explained, but wanted it to remain in Hawaiʻi and chose CTAHR instead.

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The Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum announced 16 local leaders who are joining the ninth cohort of its Omidyar Fellows program, and seven are alumni from the University of Hawaiʻi. The program seeks to cultivate the conditions in which Hawaiʻi thrives by equipping leaders with the skill and cross-sector relationships necessary to affect societal change.

These individuals were chosen through a rigorous application process, selected based on their accomplishments, innovative skills, ability to collaborate with other leaders, and motivation to make a positive change.

“We are excited to bring back this unique opportunity for emerging leaders to engage in impactful discussions, learn from one another, and help make Hawai‘i even better,” said AJ Halagao, president of Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum and Shidler College of Business alumnus. “We strive to develop, engage, and inspire leaders to drive impact and catalyze positive change.”

The seven 91ֱ������ alumni who were selected as the ninth cohort of Omidayar Fellows:

• Katie Bennett (91ֱ������ Mānoa ), Founder and Lead Mediator, Family Mediation Hawaiʻi
• Amanda Corby Noguchi (91ֱ������ Mānoa, ), President and Creative Director, Under My Umbrella, Inc.
• Stacy Ferreira (91ֱ������ Mānoa), CEO, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
• Vicky Hanes (91ֱ������ Hilo – ), COO, Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi
• Shawn Kanaʻiaupuni (91ֱ������ Mānoa – ), President and CEO, Partners in Development Foundation
• David Kopper (91ֱ������ Mānoa), Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi
• Kaulana Mossman (91ֱ������ Mānoa), Community Planning Liaison Officer, Department of Defense Pacific Missile Range Facility
• Laura Reichhardt (91ֱ������ Mānoa – ) Director, Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing

For the full list of the ninth cohort, see the website. The program has a history of selecting 91ֱ������ alumni and employees.

Two University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa athletes, Hallee Mohr and Tara Wyllie, earned spots in the NCAA West Regional, securing spots for next week’s national preliminaries.

Mohr will represent 91ֱ������ in the discus after winning the Big West title and setting a school record. The senior capped off her final conference championship dominating the Big West field in the discus and set a program record with a toss of 58.25m (191-1) and sits in 11th place in the west region. This also marks the third straight year that Mohr will compete at the NCAA West Regionals in the discus.

Wyllie will compete in the triple jump after finishing with the No.2 mark in the conference this season. The sophomore is the first Rainbow Wahine triple jumper to qualify for the NCAA postseason since 2015. Wyllie posted the No.2 outdoor mark in program history at the Stanford Invitational, jumping 12.77m (41-10.75) to better her fifth-best program mark of 12.69m that she posted the previous meet. Wyllie also won the MPSF indoor triple jump title in February.

Read more at

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa team placed third in two national polls, marking the highest final ranking in the history of the Rainbow Wahine program and the Big West.

This season’s finish is also the highest for a Big West team since the conference began sponsoring women’s water polo in 2009.

The Big West champion Rainbow Wahine finished 23-4 in Maureen Cole’s farewell season as head coach and advanced to the semifinals of the Women’s National Collegiate Water Polo Championship last week in Berkeley, Calif. 91ֱ������ set a program record with an .852 overall winning percentage and became the first Big West school to reach the NCAA tournament’s final four since the ‘Bows’ semifinal appearance in 2013.

Read more at

The national recruitment for the next president of the University of Hawaiʻi 10-campus system will officially begin in late May 2024 after the 91ֱ������ Board of Regents (BOR) approved the position description and leadership profile at the May 16 BOR monthly meeting at 91ֱ������ Mānoa. The position description and leadership profile were based on feedback provided through six public forums that were held on four islands, and a public survey along with input from the regents and the Presidential Search Advisory Group (PSAG), who edited and finalized the profile before it was brought to the board.

• 91ֱ������ President Search Website

“We are very pleased that the next phase of the search can officially begin, and the regents thank the PSAG for their important work on the leadership profile,” said BOR Interim Chair Gabriel Lee. “We are hoping there is a lot of local and national interest in the position and that we are able to attract the best candidates possible to lead the state’s sole provider of higher education.”

, the search firm hired by the BOR, will officially launch the recruitment in late May with outreach and national advertisements. The search is following the timeline approved by the regents on March 21.

• May to August—Candidate recruitment period
• August—Review of candidate materials, first round of candidate interviews
• September—Three to four finalists are named
• October—Final selection and negotiation, new president is announced
• Early 2025—New president begins

The PSAG is made up of stakeholders from across the 91ֱ������ system and local community. The group assisted with county forums along with the development of the leadership profile and position description. The PSAG will review candidate applications, identify and recommend candidates for interviews, interview the first round of eight to 12 candidates and recommend semifinalists to the selection committee, which consists of all 11 regents.

As part of the listening phase of the search promised by the regents, approximately 565 people attended the six public forums held across the state in person or via Zoom. The public survey completed in February received 2,093 responses.

The new president will succeed President David Lassner, who announced in September that he will retire at the end of 2024.

To get a unique look at how climate change is impacting marine mammals, 91ֱ������ News interviewed whale expert Lars Bejder, director of the at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa , on how innovative technologies are helping experts monitor the health of marine mammals.

Bejder is a conservation biologist who focuses on marine mammals such as whales and dolphins in Hawaiʻi and internationally. He utilizes drones and specially designed sensors to gather data on cetaceans.

What species of marine mammals do you monitor?

Hawaiʻi has more than 20 species of whales and dolphins. We study between 8–10, and each one of those have different conservation issues and pressures.

The most iconic species we have in Hawaiʻi is the humpback whale that spends about three months a year here on their breeding grounds. We study the Hawaiian monk seals, which are only found here in Hawaiʻi and spinner dolphins, which is a coastal species. We also study pilot whales and false killer whales. Some generic threats for all of them are entanglements, ship strikes, noise pollution and climate change, and depending on the species, some are more or less affected by each of these.

What kind of tech are you using?

Using innovative technology such as drones and tags, we’re starting to get a good understanding of how humpback whales change from year to year based on climatic events. For example, a few years ago, when there was a large heat wave across the North Pacific, we saw significant declines in humpback whale health or body condition, which shows us how closely these animals’ health are linked to climate.

The two main new technologies that we use are calibrated drones and suction cup tags, the suction cup tags we use across species—so humpback whales, pilot whales, false killer whales and monk seals. We apply these onto those animals and acquire an incredible wealth of data. We use drones to estimate body condition and health of individuals and populations, and we use those across all of the different species that are here in Hawaiʻi.

How are you using tech to monitor humpback whales?

We have collected the world’s largest database on humpback whale health. And when I say health, it’s body condition which we measure through drones using calibrated lenses and custom fit altimeters. We’re able to fly these instruments repetitively over the same animals across ocean basins. So on the breeding grounds here in Hawaiʻi and also on the foraging grounds up in Alaska, we can really see how the body condition of these animals changes every season and every year. We have now measured 10,000 humpback whales. And when you think about it, the population estimate here in Hawaiʻi is between 12,000 and 14,000. So a significant amount of the animals are visiting Hawaiʻi. The fact that we also measure them up in Alaska allows us to see how much energy and condition they lose here in Hawaiʻi and vice versa.

How is climate change impacting humpback whales?

If you have a very good year, for example, the conditions are right, you’re going to have a lot of prey, and things are good for the whales up in Alaska. And a year later, you see that the animals are healthy, they’re large, and you’re getting calves. But what we’re also finding is when we have a bad year, for example, climatic events that are not good for prey items up in Alaska, the year later, we have significantly skinnier animals and less calves being born. And that’s really telling us something about the health of the oceans is portrayed through these animals. By simply flying a drone over animals, we can say something about the health of the ecosystem, and that’s really, really promising and exciting.

Dr. Thomas Samuel “Sam” Shomaker will be the next dean of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (JABSOM) after his nomination was approved today (May 16) by the 91ֱ������ Board of Regents (BOR). Shomaker is scheduled to begin on July 1 and was nominated by 91ֱ������ Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno after a comprehensive nationwide search.

Related 91ֱ������ News story: Former leader recommended as 91ֱ������ medical school dean

“Dr. Shomaker has extensive leadership experience and served in senior leadership positions within higher education and medical schools, including his time at JABSOM,” said Bruno. “He has an understanding of the needs of JABSOM, our community and health partners, Hawaiʻi and beyond.”

Shomaker is a 1986 JABSOM graduate and previously served as vice dean of the medical school from 2000-2005 and interim dean from 2005 to 2006. He returns to JABSOM after serving as dean of the Austin campus for the University of Texas Medical Branch and the dean and vice president at Texas A&M Health Science Center.

“Mahalo to the search advisory committee and Provost Bruno for affording me this opportunity,” said Shomaker. “It is the highest professional honor of my career to be named the dean of my alma mater. My senior quote upon graduation was, ‘thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of the state of Hawaiʻi.’ Now I get to realize that dream.”

At the public presentation Shomaker delivered at JABSOM as one of the finalists for the position, he outlined his goals for JABSOM: become the leading medical school in the Asia-Pacific region and the leading Indigenous-serving medical school in the world and leverage JABSOM’s unique location to develop research, business and health care connections with Asia and the Continental U.S.

“I am excited by the great potential of JABSOM, both in training the next generation of physicians for Hawaiʻi and in contributing to the diversification of our economy through our research program,” said Shomaker. “I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students of our school and our important clinical partners to make JABSOM all it can be for our state and its people.”

Shomaker has 20 years of experience in health care, an MD degree, a law degree, and a master’s degree in management to improve health care. His educational journey includes earning his MD from 91ֱ������ Mānoa, a JD from Georgetown University School of Law, a master’s degree in management from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and a bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University.