Center for Pacific Island Studies

core faculty

• vilsoni hereniko

• terence wesley-smith

• tarcisius kabutaulaka

• lola quan bautista

• julie walsh kroeker

staff

• managing editor

• outreach coordinator

• administrative asst

• graduate assistants

• affiliate faculty

• graduate students

people

The center's activities revolve around a dedicated and dynamic group of core and affiliate faculty, staff, and students. Areas of faculty expertise and interest range from the evolution of social complexity in the Pacific to contemporary politics and identity, from early maritime history to contemporary music and dance. Five instructional faculty and the managing editor, the outreach coordinator, and the administrative assistant are housed at the center offices in Moore Hall. Affiliate faculty are housed in their respective UHM departments or in nearby institutions, such as the East-West Center and Bishop Museum. The students’ international backgrounds and cross-disciplinary orientations are reflected in their life histories and in their wide-ranging research interests.

core faculty and staff

Vilsoni Hereniko, PhD, Professor and Director,
vili@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-6077

Terence Wesley-Smith, PhD, Graduate Chair, Associate Professor, and Editor of The Contemporary Pacific
twsmith@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-2668

Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka, PhD, Associate Professor
tkabutau@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-2659

Lola Quan Bautista, PhD, Assistant Professor
lolab@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-9723

Julie Walsh Kroeker, PhD, Junior Specialist
jwalsh@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-2658

Jan Rensel, PhD, Managing Editor,
rensel@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-2670

Letitia Hickson, PhD, Outreach Coordinator,
ctisha@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-2652

Charlotte Needham, Administrative Assistant,
cpis@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-7700