At the University of Hawaiʻi, Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising event to support our UH students and embrace the rich diversity and expansive reach of our university system.

At the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), where more than 90% of students are awarded some form of scholarship, donors make a great impact in their journeys in medicine. For first-year medical student Emma Pinnow, that journey started with the ʻImi Hoʻōla Post Baccalaureate Program.

Ahead of a Giving Day appearance on Hawaiʻi News Now, JABSOM sat down with Pinnow.

Q: How did ʻImi Hoʻōla put you on a path to medicine?

I come from a family deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s public school system, so while education was always the priority, medicine was a brand-new endeavor for me. My dream was always to stay home, to be near family and learn to provide care specifically tailored to our people here in Hawaiʻi. ʻImi Hoʻōla, which means “those who seek to heal” in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, was the bridge to that dream. It’s a rigorous 12-month journey, and completing it provided me with automatic admission to JABSOM. But more than just a seat in the class, it gave me the foundational competence and the unshakeable support system I needed.

I didn’t just gain knowledge, I gained a cohort, mentors and a community that believed in my potential when I was just starting out. What truly changed the trajectory for me was the generosity of our donors. I was fully prepared to take on a massive financial burden to pursue this path, but because of their support, my experience was tuition-free. This didn’t just save money, it gave me the gift of time and focus. Instead of juggling my studies with a job, I can dedicate 100% of my energy to the rigors of medical school. It only takes one group of people to believe in you to open a door. For me, that door was ʻImi Hoʻōla. It allowed me to show my potential and has put me on a path to serve the community that raised me.

Q: What are your goals in medicine?

I’m currently a little more than halfway through my first year, and honestly, it’s been very exciting. Every week I’m exposed to a new specialty or a different organ system, and I’m making it my goal to learn as much as I can and to lean into every opportunity to the fullest extent. While I haven’t settled on a specific specialty yet, I have settled on the where and the who. No matter what field I choose, I am committed to serving the people of Hawaiʻi. This is my home, and I truly can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Being Native Hawaiian, I am especially aware of the health disparities our community faces, particularly with cardiometabolic disease. One of my primary goals in medicine is to directly address these inequities. I want to take the education we receive here at JABSOM, which emphasizes culturally-competent care, and apply it in a way that resonates with our local population. Ultimately, my goal is to bridge the gap between high-level medical science and the unique cultural needs of our islands. Giving back to the community that raised me is my way of honoring where I come from.

Read more about Emma Pinnow’s journey at JABSOM.

Donate to JABSOM and the ʻImi Hoʻōla Post Baccalaureate Program.

Visualizing a future where Waikīkī’s iconic landscape is redesigned to survive rising tides has earned a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research team the 2026 Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) Best Journal Article Award.

The team leveraged scientific data, studies and community participation to create architectural renderings that visualize how Waikīkī’s built environment can be modified to accommodate future flooding.

“By merging climate science with architectural design and integrating direct community feedback, we are creating forward-looking, actionable visions that will help coastal communities like Waikīkī successfully adapt to the growing realities of sea-level rise,” said Wendy Meguro, principal investigator and associate professor.

Selected for its “exceptional quality, methodological rigor, and relevance to the field,” the research was honored in April at the 2026 ARCC–EAAE International Conference at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.

Engaging stakeholders

The research engaged more than 1,000 individuals, including residents, urban planners, government employees and local business owners. Presentations of these strategies have drawn hundreds of participants from recreation, hotel and restaurant industries. The findings are already being utilized by the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Hawaiʻi and the Honolulu Climate Change Commission to guide adaptation policies.

“This recognition underscores the immense value of community-driven design in climate resilience,” said research associate Josephine Briones. “Our process shows that when you actively listen to stakeholders and combine their local insights with rigorous scientific evidence, the resulting adaptation strategies become much more practical, impactful and relevant.”

Authored by Meguro, Briones, German “Gerry” Failano and Charles “Chip” Fletcher, the project represents a partnership between the School of Architecture, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and Climate Resilience Collaborative. It was funded by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, National Sea Grant and the Office of Naval Research.

For nearly 20 years, Rachel Hualani Loo has graced the Merrie Monarch stage on Hōʻike night as an ʻōlapa, or dancer, with Hālau o Kekuhi. This year, she returned to the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in a profoundly different role: as the 2026 Mōʻī Wahine (Queen) of the Merrie Monarch Royal Court.

A University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo political science alumna and the director of the Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center, Loo has spent over a decade supporting Hawaiian students on their educational journeys. But when the Merrie Monarch Festival committee asked her to serve in this role, the weight of carrying this kuleana (responsibility) for her community felt different.

“Just to be included in all of this—not just the honor on an individual and personal level, but the real honor is continuing to be part of this community in a different capacity,” Loo expressed.

One of the most special things about being in Hilo during Merrie Monarch week is the opportunity to witness the community’s hospitality and ability to hoʻokipa, to host. Whether welcoming family, friends, or hālau hula, Hilo’s community shows up year after year to graciously welcome everyone. Growing up in Hilo and being part of the Merrie Monarch in different capacities has shaped Loo’s own commitment to this practice.

What the Merrie Monarch Festival and its stage represent isn’t lost on her. Loo recalled the words of her Kumu Hula Nālani Kanakaʻole Zane, whose legacy continues to permeate the festival: “She would remind us that this is the biggest stage for hula: an opportunity to share our language, culture, and dance in excellence. It’s an example of Hawaiian excellence at its highest level.”

For more go to Kūkala Nūhou.

Twenty-nine University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa student-athletes were named to the 2025–26 Winter Academic All-Conference Team by the Big West Conference, recognizing excellence in both athletics and academics.

The winter honors span men’s and women’s basketball and swimming and diving, with women’s swimming and diving leading the way with 12 selections, followed by men’s swimming and diving with eight. Women’s basketball added five honorees, while men’s basketball had four.

To qualify, student-athletes must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, complete one full academic year at their institution and compete in at least half of their team’s contests.

The Big West awards Academic All-Conference honors across fall, winter and spring seasons, highlighting student-athletes who excel in the classroom while competing at a high level.

Read more at Hawaiiathletics.com.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa softball standouts Jamie McGaughey and Taryn Irimata swept Big West Conference weekly honors, earning Field Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, after a dominant series against Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, April 10–11.

McGaughey powered the Rainbow Wahine’s offense, batting .667 with two home runs, two doubles and nine RBI across the three-game sweep. She opened the weekend with a two-run home run and later delivered a three-run double in a 10–8 game one win.

Irimata was equally dominant, throwing back-to-back complete-game shutouts. She posted a 0.00 ERA over 10 innings, allowing just four hits while holding opponents to a .118 batting average.

The weekly honor marks the first of McGaughey’s career and the third this season for Irimata, who continues to anchor a UH pitching staff that has claimed half of the conference’s weekly awards so far this year.

Read more at Hawaiiathletics.com..

The University of Hawaiʻi accounted for more than $61.2 million—92% of all federal biomedical research funding awarded in the state from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—in fiscal year 2025.

Hawaiʻi received $66.7 million overall in NIH funding, according to a new report from United for Medical Research. The investment supported 902 jobs and generated $188.7 million in economic activity statewide.

NIH funding supports a wide range of research across UH, from improving disease detection and treatment to addressing health disparities and strengthening public health systems that serve island communities, reinforcing the university’s role in advancing health research and innovation in Hawaiʻi.

UH Mānoa had the largest share, with 72 awards totaling $60.7 million, while the UH Hilo received two awards totaling $468,391. While overall funding remained strong, NIH’s shift to multi-year funding—which obligates the full grant value upfront—resulted in 5,564 fewer grants being funded in FY2025 compared to FY2024.

“Even in a highly competitive and uncertain federal funding environment, University of Hawaiʻi researchers continue to deliver work that improves lives here at home and beyond,” said Chad Walton, UH interim vice president for research and innovation. “These investments fuel discoveries, support high-quality jobs and strengthen our local economy. Every dollar makes a difference for our communities.”

Research highlights

Recent awards reflect the diversity of NIH-funded research at UH:

• $322,891 from the National Cancer Institute supports Shugeng Zhao Cao, professor at the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at UH Hilo. The project, Discovery of novel natural TEAD inhibitors for the chemoprevention of liver tumors, explores natural compounds from Hawaiian microorganisms to develop the first preventive therapy for liver cancer.



• $2,039,744 from the National Human Genome Research Institute supports Lang Wu, associate professor at the Pacific Center for Genome Research at the UH Cancer Center. The research advances genomic tools and approaches to better understand complex diseases and support precision health applications. (Related UH News story)
• $459,287 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases supports Youping Deng, professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. The project, Hawaii Advanced Training in Artificial Intelligence for Precision Nutrition Science Research, strengthens training in the use of artificial intelligence for nutrition and metabolic health research. (Related UH News story)

A University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center study aimed at understanding mesothelioma (a rare, aggressive cancer) in people with inherited BAP1 gene mutations has received a $1-million, five-year All-Star Translational Award from the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The project is led by researchers Michele Carbone and Haining Yang, who previously identified the condition they named “BAP1 Cancer Syndrome.” Individuals born with these mutations may develop multiple cancer types over their lifetime, most commonly mesothelioma.

Related UH News story: UH Cancer Center identifies treatable form of mesothelioma

Their earlier research, which contributed to a National Cancer Institute surgical clinical trial studying families with the BAP1 mutation over more than 20 years, suggests that tumors arising in some mutation carriers are less invasive and less likely to spread into nearby tissues and organs.

The new project will build on these findings to examine why some BAP1-mutant patients survive longer and identify the biological mechanisms that limit tumor invasion and spread.

“Understanding why some tumors are less invasive opens new possibilities for identifying mechanisms that could guide new therapeutic strategies for mesothelioma,” Carbone said.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Associate Professor Denise Nelson-Hurwitz has been named the 2026 recipient of the Riegelman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Public Health Education. Nelson-Hurwitz was honored at the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon in March in Arlington, Virginia.

A faculty member in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, she was recognized for her outstanding contributions to undergraduate public health education, including innovation in teaching, leadership in program development and student engagement.

“It’s wonderful to see the work being done by UH Mānoa’s undergraduate program and students highlighted in this way and a tremendous honor to have been nominated by my students and peers,” Nelson-Hurwitz said.

Expanding access, supporting success

An UH alumna and first-generation college graduate, Nelson-Hurwitz is deeply rooted in her community. She has focused her career on expanding access to higher education and supporting student success by building inclusive pathways into public health, and increasing diversity in the field. She co-developed and co-led the Community Health Scholars program, which engages diverse high school students in immersive research and practice experiences.

For more than a decade, she served as chair of UH Mānoa’s bachelor of arts in public health program, overseeing curriculum development, course sequencing and program assessment. She also helped create a public health minor, expanding access for students across disciplines.

Students praised Nelson-Hurwitz for her supportive teaching, mentorship and dedication to preparing future public health professionals. She is known for going above and beyond inside and outside the classroom.

“Winning this national award from the ASPPH highlights Denise Nelson-Hurwitzʻs extraordinary ability to inspire students and her tireless work in ensuring our curriculum remains both innovative and impactful,” said Jane Chung-Do, department chair. “We are honored to have such a dedicated leader on our faculty.”

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Department of Theatre & Dance and Kennedy Theatre will debut Panji and the Lost Princess from April 17–26, a large-scale Balinese shadow puppetry performance that blends tradition with innovation. The show features towering shadow figures, live actors and dancers, and a full gamelan orchestra, an Indonesian ensemble known for its layered, rhythmic sound.

At the center is a love story that has traveled across centuries. The Panji tales, rooted in 13th-century Java and later embraced in Bali, follow a prince and princess separated again and again by misfortune and disguise. Their journey unfolds through “electric shadows,” a modern Balinese style that uses giant screens, dramatic lighting and performers moving both in front of and behind the stage.

“Everything you see on the screen is created live, in the moment,” said co-director Kirstin Pauka, a professor in theatre and dance. “This type of theatre is as complex as shooting a movie, and we do it all in one take.”

The production is co-directed by Balinese master artist I Madé Moja, who returns to Kennedy Theatre after staging two earlier works. The team leans fully into handmade design. No digital projections. No computer effects. Instead, simple materials are transformed into moving shadows, music and motion.

“The level of teamwork required goes far beyond most theatre productions,” Pauka said.

That collaboration stretches across campus and community. The cast includes UH Mānoa students, local performers, and keiki learning the art form. The live music is led by master musician I Madé Widana.

Ticket information

Tickets range from $9 to $25. Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings, with a Sunday matinee on April 26. Pre-show talks will be held before select performances.

For more go to the Kennedy Theatre website.