News@UH
Kapi‘olani 3D Short a Semi-Finalist
Toilet Story, a 3D computer animated short created by Kapi'olani Instructor Sharon Sussman’s practicum class, was chosen as a semi-finalist in the 21st Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Student Competition. Practicum is one of the final classes in Kapi'olani’s New Media Arts Animation Degree Program.Toilet Story follows Toothbrush, Floss and their bathroom friends as they find out that being a toothbrush isn’t that bad.
The short was written by Isaac Finkbeiner who directed it along with Jared Matsushige, MyAnh Lu and Troy Hieda. Also involved in the project were Kalani Pokipala, Anna Swope, Atsuki Tokuda, Ed Josef, Aaron Kim, Wendi Takushi and Jabez Armodia.
A 3D short starts with a story, then goes to storyboards and then visual development and final creation in Maya 3D software.
Toilet Story had its first screening at the Louis Vuitton Hawai'i International Film Festival, and is currently showing in the Art of Digital Show in San Diego. In November, it will be shown at the International Digital Media and Art Association Convention also in San Diego.
Manoa postdoctoral researchers, left to right, Ying Guo, Hibin Gu and Fangtong Zhang with the machine they’ll be using to simulate conditions on Titan.
Studying Titan’s Atmosphere
Manoa Associate Professor Ralf Kaiser is leading an interdisciplinary group of researchers to study the atmosphere of Saturn’s moon Titan. The study was awarded a five-year $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Collaborative Research in Chemistry Program.Hydrocarbon-based atmospheric layers on Titan that have unique properties allowing for preservation of astrobiologically important molecules may yield vital clues on the chemical composition of the Earth’s atmosphere a few billions of years ago. According to scientists, information gained from analyzing these molecules could also lead to a greater understanding of the origin and chemical evolution of the solar system.
Titan’s atmosphere is considered ideal for providing such scientific understanding because it offers the potential to reconstruct the scene of the primordial terrestrial atmosphere as Titan and proto-Earth are believed to have emerged with similar atmospheres from the Solar Nebula.
Kapi'olani Receives Grants
Kapi'olani was awarded three grants totalling $769,600 for the development of a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) learning center in the Kokio Building.The major grant is from the U.S. Department of Education for second stage renovations to integrate new technologies for a wide range of purposes. The second Hawai'i EPSCoR grant is to purchase three Geographic Information System workstations for the STEM Learning Center, a poster printer to showcase student and faculty work, and supplies. The third grant is from NSF-Science and Civic Engagement for connecting one science and one social science course with community-based research and service in Palolo Valley for spring 2007.
These grants were team efforts with major contributions from Coordinators Kelli Goya and Keolani Noa, Professors John Rand and Judith Kirkpatrick, Assistant Professor Bob Moeng and Instructors Herve Collin and Veronica Ogata.
Manoa Language and Culture Programs Receive $8 Million
Manoa secured $8 million in grants for the 2006-2010 period from the U. S. Department of Education’s Title VI program. The funds will support the university’s five Title VI centers—a National Foreign Language Resource Center, three National Resource Centers (East Asian Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, and Pacific Island Studies) and the Center for International Business Education and Research.The centers are national resources for teaching modern foreign languages and research and training in international studies and international business.
“These grants showcase the excellence of our faculty and administrators in Asian cultures and global business. The Title VI centers at Manoa are points of pride for our campus,” said UH Manoa Chancellor Denise Konan.
Kudos
West O'ahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni was the guest speaker at Rotary Club of Kapolei Ocotber breakfast meeting.Manoa Professor Hazel Beh participated in a roundtable Teaching Only Abstinence: Consequences for Girls and Society at Harvard Law School and the Harvard School of Public Health’s Program on International Health and Human Rights.
Charles Booth, Manoa professor, presented “Analysis of the News Chinese Bankruptcy Law” at the Oxford Conference on Regulating Enterprise in Hong Kong, China.
Chris Conybeare, West O'ahu media specialist, was named to the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, San Francisco/Northern California chapter.
Jean Ippolito, Hilo assistant professor, had “Teaching the History of Asian Art in the United States” accepted for presentation at the 2007 Hawai‘i International Conference on the Arts and Humanities.
Hilo Professor David Miller was invited to present his paper “First Folio: Comedies and Tragedies (London, 1647)” at the 4th International Conference on the Book, held in Boston, MA. Miller received a grant from the University Research Council for his travel.
Wayne Miyamoto, Hilo professor presented his work in the Heyli Printmedia Festival, Korean Contemporary Printmakers Association in Seoul, Korea. The exhibition was titled From Paper to Digital.
Sanjay Nadkarni, Manoa research affiliate, was invited to address the faculty at the Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management. He spoke on the importance of information technology in the context of propoor tourism initiatives.
Manoa Professor Randall Roth was named the recipient of the George Washington Award from the Grassroot Institute of Hawai’i and will be honored at their 2006 Annual Awards Dinner.
Ken Staton, Hilo chair of performing arts, was a guest conductor with the Heartland Symphony Orchestra in Northern Minnesota. Staton was invited by the symphony’s board of directors to develop and conduct the Hawai'i in the Heartland concert.
Extremists and Cultural Destruction
Manoa Associate Professor Rebecca Knuth publishes Burning Books and Leveling Libraries: Extremist Violence and Cultural Destruction.Whether the product of passion or of a cool-headed decision to use ideas to rationalize excess, the decimation of the world's libraries occurred throughout the 20th century, and there is no end in sight. Cultural destruction is of increasing concern.
In her previous book Libricide, Knuth focused on book destruction by authoritarian regimes: Nazis, Serbs in Bosnia, Iraqis in Kuwait, Maoists during the Cultural Revolution in China, and the Chinese Communists in Tibet. But authoritarian governments are not the only perpetrators. Extremists of all stripes—through terrorism, war, ethnic cleansing, genocide and other forms of mass violence—are also responsible for widespread cultural destruction, as she demonstrates in this new book.
Burning Books and Leveling Libraries: Extremist Violence and Cultural Destruction is available from the publisher’s website.
Photos Highlights
Soldiers of the Schofield-based 25th Army Unit in Tikrit, Iraq show their hometown pride and support of the UH Manoa Warriors athletic teams.
The staff at Leeward Community College Wai‘anae welcome members of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges to their facilities.
Pictured, left to right, Kapi'olani Counselor Russell Kinningham, Leeward Counselor Erica Balbag-Gerard, Leeward Coordinator William Akama, ACCJC Team Member Tawny Beal, ACCJC Team Chair James Kossler, ACCJC Team Member Jean Hamilton, Leeward Clerk Walterbea Aldeguer and Leeward Lab Manager Emi Chang.
"When Pumpkins Go Wrong" by Jamie Burchinal from Manoa's plant and environmental sciences department pumpkin carving contest.
If you have great photos like these from your university program email them to News@UH.
November Anniversary List
Ted Kooser
Ted Kooser Visits
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ted Kooser shares his poetry in a series of readings and workshops, Nov. 6–10. His focus will be to connect with writers and teachers as well as ordinary people who might consider poetry too abstract for them. (808) 235-7396Nov. 6—Reading and conversation, Manoa, Campus Center Ballroom, 7 p.m.
Nov. 7—Do-It-Yourself Poetry: A Session for Writers, Windward, Paliku Theatre, 2 p.m.
Nov. 8—Poetry Reading, Kilauea Military Camp Theatre, 7 p.m.
Nov. 9—Local Wonders: Poetry and Place, Windward, Paliku Theatre, 7 p.m.
Nov. 10—What Makes Poetry? And Why Teachers Should Care, Windward, Paliku Theatre, 8:30 a.m.
More Events
Through Nov. 30—Gallery ‘Iolani features Take 5 with Nature, an exhibit of five artists with different media exploring plant forms, Windward, (808) 236-9155
Nov. 10–18—Leeward Theatre presents Arabian Nights, an adaptation of the famous collection of interlocking stories, Leeward, (808) 455-0385
Nov. 10–19—Hilo Theatre presents Jane Eyre, an adaptation of the classic Charlotte Bronte novel, Hilo, (808) 974-7310
Nov. 10–19—Kennedy Theatre presents A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams’ tale of secrets, lies and desires, Manoa, (808) 956-7655
Nov. 12–17—Hilo and Hawai'i celebrate International Education Week with films, crafts, food, international dances, African Night Celebration and more, (808) 974-7311
Nov. 8—Wayne Boteilho discusses his novel Maui Days, set against a politically charged mayoral election, Maui, Library 101, 3 p.m. (808) 984-3583
Nov. 7—Critically acclaimed poet William S. Merwin is featured on Hawai'i Bibliovision, Olelo Channel 55, 8 p.m. (808) 956-3049
Nov. 9—Jim Becker lectures on Eyewitness to History: Or, The Right Dalai Lama and Other Stories Behind the Stories, Manoa, Henke 325, 12 p.m., (808) 956-3774
Nov. 11—The Ying Quartet performs Mozart: K. 458, A Musical Dim Sum: A selection of Chinese-American works and Smetana No. 1, Manoa, Orvis Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. (808) 988-0098
Nov. 12—The one-act play in Pidgin The Lines are Drawn celebrating the apparently common man, Kaua'i, Performing Arts Center, 4 p.m., (808) 956-8246
Announcement
UH Commission on the Status of Women
The UH President’s Commission on the Status of Women is committed to the support, wellbeing and advancement of all university women.The Fall 2006–Spring 2007 Members
Chair: Kathleen McNally
Co-Chair: Myrtle Ching-Rappa
Student Representatives (UH Manoa)
Lauren Hallonquist
Nikki Stevens
Faculty Representatives
Jennifer Beaulieu, UH Manoa
Diane Caulfield, Honolulu Community College
Elviar Fonacier, UH Manoa
Jackie Graessle, UH Manoa
Robyn Klein, Maui Community College
APT Representatives
Myrtle Ching-Rappa, UH Manoa
Michael Hodges, UH System
Stephanie Kim, UH System
Janis Morita, UH Manoa
Barbara Tavares, UH System
Administrative/Support Staff Representatives
Irma Kaneshiro, UH System
Helen Lee, UH Manoa
Danna Lyman, UH System
Leilani Gail Moss, Windward Community College
Sheila Rhodes, Kapi'olani Community College
Executive/Managerial Representatives
Patricia Cooper, UH Manoa
Rebecca Kenney, Hawai'i Community College
Kathleen McNally, UH Hilo
Jean Osumi, UH West O'ahu
Louise Pagotto, Kapi'olani Community College
For information about the Commission and its activities, call the UH EEO/AA Office at 956-7077 (Voice/Text).