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RESEARCH THAT MATTERS

UH researchers provide critical insights into the global challenges that lie ahead

Ambitious, forward-thinking donors seek to circumvent bleak prognoses on the future of our planet through solutions for a vibrant, hopeful tomorrow. This campaign will harness our tremendous donor potential to support research that combines UH expertise with our unique geography and population to tackle the world’s challenges.

As the state’s premier research institution, the University of Hawai‘i continues to remain at the forefront of leading competitive research in science and technology to improve the quality of life throughout the state, around the Pacific Rim and beyond to solve complex challenges.

UH Mānoa, the flagship campus of UH’s 10-campus system, is one of 141 universities in the nation to hold the distinction of being a Carnegie Research 1 university. It is also one of an elite group of land-, sea-, space- and sun-grant universities, defining the broad scope of research conducted at UH.

Recognized for their world-class expertise, UH Mānoa researchers are involved in many important issues including sustainability, climate, food systems, energy and health. In 2013, UH Mānoa was elected to the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, a leading consortium of 45 premiere research universities that encompasses 16 economies in one of the most dynamic and diverse regions in the world.

UH Hilo, with an unparalleled backdrop of geographic diversity that includes active volcanoes, frozen summits, tropical rain forests and the deep ocean, boasts notable programs in marine biology, conservation biology and agriculture. It also serves as home to the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, the only science center in the world created explicitly to promote contemporary science education within the context of an Indigenous culture.

UH West O‘ahu is the newest campus and has become a nationally recognized leader in cyber-
security education and sustainable community food systems. Its state-of-the-art Academy for Creative Media Student Production Facility has positioned UH as one of the preeminent creative media programs in the world, and the first with a majority Asian Pacific American student enrollment.

Our faculty investigates today’s most relevant social issues. Addressing problems in affordable housing or smarter growth for tourism, the work on our campuses and by our alumni is truly research that matters to the communities UH serves.

Graduate and undergraduate research

Robust graduate and undergraduate research programs are an integral aspect of scholarly culture on UH campuses. Graduate and undergraduate researchers, with a principal investigator or faculty mentor, make significant contributions in their fields of study while experiencing the rewards of scholarship through presentation, publication and collegiality. This helps:

Enhance student learning through mentoring relationships with faculty
Increase retention and graduation in academic programs
Bolster enrollment in graduate education
Foster critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and intellectual independence
Nurture an understanding of research methodologies
Promote an innovation- and entrepreneurial-oriented culture
Develop competencies for greater career-readiness and success

Building on our culture of discovery

Tremendous momentum right now makes UH ready to propel even more novel research through greater strategic philanthropic investments.

Exemplary UH research areas include:

Climate resilience, energy and sustainable ecosystems
Ocean, earth and atmospheric sciences
Astronomy and space sciences
Data sciences and global cybersecurity
Health and wellness
Food security and agriculture
The Asia-Pacific and Hawai‘i

Donor opportunities for propelling research and new knowledge include:

Graduate and undergraduate research awards and fellowships
Faculty endowments, professorships and chairs
Labs and equipment
Research expenses
Capital improvement projects

A university is not a university if it is not seeking a deeper understanding of the world around us or searching for real solutions to life’s challenges. The UH Foundation’s donor partners are eager to bolster research efforts for UH and for Hawai‘i.

UH Cancer Center dedicates lānai to Barry and Virginia Weinman

The lānai dedication coincided with the 15th annual Barry & Virginia Weinman Symposium, an international conference that brings prominent experts in science and medicine together to discuss cancer research.

UH Hilo Chancellor envisions greater access for all students

“A student told me that studying abroad at another university opened a door of opportunity she did not even know was there. This is what I see happening at UH Hilo.”

Marathon runner’s inspiring journey: A charitable donation for cancer research

Ed Buck, founder of E.A. Buck Financial Services and the Buck Charitable Foundation, conquered miles on the track and channeled his love for running into a force for good with a donation to the UH Cancer Center at last year’s Honolulu Marathon.