News@UH
Infrared image of the dusty brown dwarf binary HD 130948BC (upper left in orbit around a young sun-like star, seen to the lower right. Credit: Trent Dupuy and Michael Liu (Institute for Astronomy)
Weighing Brown Dwarfs
Manoa Associate Astronomer Michael Liu and Graduate Assistant Trent Dupuy have used ultra-sharp images obtained with the Keck Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope to determine for the first time the masses of the coldest class of "failed stars” or brown dwarfs. With masses as light as three percent the mass of the sun, these are the lowest mass free-floating objects ever weighed outside the solar system. The observations are a major step in testing the theoretical predictions of objects that cannot generate their own internal energy, both brown dwarfs and gas-giant planets.Brown dwarfs are a class of objects that represent the missing link between the lowest-mass stars and the gas-giant planets, such as Jupiter and Saturn. Brown dwarfs are the faintest and coolest objects that can be directly observed outside the solar system. They emit as little as about 1/300,000 the energy of the sun and have surface temperatures comparable to the inside of a pizza oven (800° F), more than 9,000° F cooler than the surface of the sun.
"Mass is the fundamental parameter that governs the life-history of a free-floating object, and thus after many years of patient measurements, we are delighted to report the first masses of the very faintest, coldest brown dwarfs," says Liu. "After weighing these tiny, dim, cold objects, we have confirmed that the theoretical predictions are mostly correct, but not entirely so."
Birth Control Pills and Ovarian Cancer
Researchers at Manoa’s Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i found that oral contraceptives can protect women from the most common kind of ovarian cancer—epithelial, affecting cells on the outer surface of the ovary—even with short-term use. Lead researchers for the study from the CRCH were Galina Lurie, Lynne Wilkens and Marc Goodman. The results of their study were published in the March 2008 issue of Epidemiology.While the role of oral contraceptives in reducing ovarian cancer risk has been proven by previous studies, this was the first time comprehensive information on time-related characteristics of contraceptive use—duration of use, recency of use, and age at initiation and cessation of use—was evaluated while accounting for formulation potency and age at first and last pregnancy. These are factors that may affect protective qualities of contraceptive hormones.
The mechanism for the protective influence of oral contraceptives against epithelial ovarian cancer remains unclear. One hypothesis is that high levels of hormones during pregnancy and steroidal contraceptive use leads to the clearing of cancerous ovarian epithelial cells. This hypothesis, based on evidence for growth-regulating effects of steroid hormones, is supported by recent studies that have demonstrated enhanced ovarian cancer cell death in the presence of progesterone, a component of oral contraceptive pills.
Great Library Web Page
Maui’s library website was featured on the Tame the Web as an example for other libraries to follow. The site was commended for its use as a tool to feature resources, its purposeful design cues to help user navigation, the use of the homepage as a starting point and descriptive, bold headings to focus reader attention.Librarians Lisa Sepa and Ellen Peterson designed the site, which features numerous useful tools including online collection search capabilities and numerous research and writing tools.
Kudos
West O'ahu Assistant Professor Linda Furuto was elected as four-year college director to the 2008-2009 board of directors for the Hawai‘i Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Furuto previously served as treasurer for the organization in the 2007-2008 academic year. Furuto is an active volunteer with the University of Hawai‘i Faculty Ambassadors Program and played an instrumental role in opening the new UHWO Math Center where students receive tutoring assistance and work with math tutors on real-world mathematics applications in addition to traditional class assignments.Read the news release.
West O'ahu Lecturer Wayne Tanna was selected as one of eight finalists for Campus Compact’s 2008 Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service-Learning. As a finalist, Tanna will be featured as part of the Campus Compact website along with a description of his service work and invited to participate in a concurrent session during the annual meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. He has been honored for his work with student volunteer tax clinics at O‘ahu homeless shelters and his many volunteer efforts in community organizations.
Read the news release.
Catching Chase by Jay Hanamura.
Student Films in Shanghai
Six student films from the Manoa Academy for Creative Media, including a unique Hawai'i-China co-production, have been selected for showing at the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival, June 14-22.Six ACM student filmmakers will also travel to China for the festival and to shoot some short films on location with students from Shanghai University. This first U.S.-China student film co-production is part of the Student Media Art Exchange program, partnering the two universities with the Hawai'i International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival. The films include the initial international collaboration, It Happened One Afternoon, directed by ACM student Russell Blanchard and featuring Shanghai University student filmmakers in the cast and crew. Also, Fresh Lenses, a documentary on the collaboration by Crystal Chen, will be featured in the Shanghai program along with Matalasi, by Dana Ledoux Miller, Catching Chase, by Jay Hanamura, Just Like That, by Nasser Marghalani and Yamanote Line by Ark FangRan Mu.
Matalasi screened at the 2007 HIFF, and Yamanote Line was filmed in Tokyo and Honolulu.
Another ACM film, My Brother’s Keeper, also screened at the 2007 HIFF, was selected for inclusion in the festival’s International Student Short Film Competition.
UH in Print
Hilo Professor Ron Amundson and student Shari Tresky’s “Bioethics and Disability Rights: Conflicting Values” accepted for publication in the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry.Marta deMaintenon, Hilo associate professor, had her paper “Results of the Rumphius Biohistorical Expedition to Ambon (1990). The Columbellidae (Gastroopoda: Neogastropoda) collected at Ambon during the Rumphius Biohistorical Expedition” accepted for publication in Zoologische Mededelingen.
James N. Heasley, Manoa astronomer, co-authored “XO-3b: A Massive Planet in an Eccentric Orbit Transiting an F5 V Star” in The Astrophysical Journal.
Terrance Jalbert, Hilo professor, had “Are Retail Banks Satisfying their Customers in Costa Rica” accepted for publication in the Global Journal of Business Research.
Manoa Assistant Professor Christopher Lepczyk co-authored “Human Impacts on Regional Avian Diversity and Abundance” in Conservation Biology.
Manoa Professor Qing Xiao Li co-authored “Polychlorinated Napthalenes and Coplanar Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Tissues of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) from the Northern Gulf of Alaska” in Chemosphere.
Manoa Professor Juanita Liu co-authored “Cross-cultural Comparison Between Japanese and Western Visitors for the Effectiveness of the Hanauma Bay Education Program” in Tourism Recreation Research.
Hilo Assistant Professor Jing Yin had “China, Media and Politics” published in the Encyclopedia of Political Communication.
Ocean Observation Funding
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Integrated Ocean Observing System awarded $2,097,909 to support ocean observing efforts in Hawai'i and the U.S. Pacific Islands.The funds will be directed to Manoa’s continuing development of the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System and associated management efforts. Building on a pilot project focused on O'ahu's south shore, the aim is to maintain and enhance ocean and coastal observations in the region, make regional data easier to access and use, identify and prioritize future regional needs for ocean information, and monitor environmental conditions so decision-makers can minimize the impact of severe weather, natural hazards and other emergencies. The project will be directed by School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology Dean Brian Taylor.
“Regional partnerships are critical to the success of a national Integrated Ocean Observing System," says Zdenka Willis, NOAA IOOS program director. "With increased understanding of our oceans and coasts comes an increased ability to keep our nation safe, our economy secure, and our environment healthy and productive."
Alumni Business Scholarships
Manoa Shidler College of Business alumni donated $250,000 for scholarships.Prospect Asset Management and its President Curtis Freeze donated $100,000 to support students in the Japan-Focused MBA program.
Ignatius T. C. Chan donated $50,000 toward the T. C. and Angeli Chan Endowed Scholarship Fund providing merit-based scholarships for students from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.
Richard T. C. Leung and his wife May (Wu) donated $100,000 to establish the May and Richard Leung Endowed Scholarship Fund for students from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan.
“We have seen an increasing number of graduates at our alumni events each year,” says Dean V. Vance Roley. “We have a great group of alumni supporters in Hong Kong and Japan that are eager to help us develop scholarships, internships and career opportunities for our students.”
Left to right, Jim Kelly, Chancellor Rose Tseng, Ron Terry and Sonia Juvik.
New Geography Scholarship
Hilo alumnus and former faculty member Ron Terry established a $25,000 Geography Founders endowed scholarship. The scholarship honors department founders Jim and Sonia Juvik, Jim Kelly and the late Jack Healy.Terry is currently the founder of Geometrician Associates, a business consulting firm that conducts environmental impact assessments. He joined the Hilo faculty in 1987 and taught until 1992.
“The geography department at UH Hilo gave me the basis for becoming a successful professional,” says Terry, What I am giving back is only a small proportion of the added value I received at UH Hilo.”
Wireless Technology in Middle School
The AT&T Foundation donated $25,000 toward the Research Experience for Teachers program, an active collaboration between middle school teachers, Manoa College of Engineering faculty, graduate and undergraduate students and industry partners. The program focuses on advancing science and technology in Hawai‘i's middle schools, and the donation will benefit Dole Middle School."This project truly emulates what we had envisioned when you bridge education with wireless technology, and the university has done an excellent job combining innovative technology to make science and research fun and exciting,” says Dan Youmans, director of AT&T External Affairs. “We are glad to be a part of this initiative that is supported by so many locally through the middle school, at the university level, and in the state."
In Memoriam
Former UH President Harlan Cleveland passed away May 30, in Sterling, Virginia, at the age of 90.During his tenure, the William S. Richardson School of Law was established at Manoa campus, and the John A. Burns School of Medicine was expanded from two to four years. Cleveland also appointed the first Manoa chancellor, and higher education activities on the Big Island were pulled together under a chancellor at Hilo.
“Harlan Cleveland, a Rhodes Scholar, renowned educator and global diplomat, served this university and the State of Hawai'i with distinction as our president from 1969-1974, and provided leadership worldwide for the benefit of humankind right until the end of his long and productive life,” says President David McClain.
“I had the good fortune to meet with Dr. Cleveland several times in recent years, and I still use advice he shared with me in my yearly charge to our graduates: ‘Don't over-prepare; just as you're waiting for one opportunity to come in via the front door, an even better one comes in through the side window,’” says McClain. “Harlan Cleveland was a visionary, and we all mourn his passing even as we are grateful for all that he accomplished."
Memorial services will be held on Sun., June 15, 11 a.m. in Manoa's School of Architecture Auditorium. The service is open to the public and will be followed by a luncheon in the architecture courtyard area. For more information, contact Lisa Stewart, (808) 529-0888.
China Online
Manoa Professor Eric Harwit published China’s Telecommunications Revolution.China's telecommunications industry has seen revolutionary transformation and growth over the past three decades. Chinese Internet users number nearly 150 million, and the People’s Republic of China expects to quickly pass the U. S. in total numbers of connected citizens. The number of mobile and fixed-line telephone users soared from a mere 2 million in 1980 to a total of nearly 800 million in 2007. China has been the most successful developing nation in history for spreading telecommunications access at an unparalleled rapid pace.
China’s Telecommunications Revolution is based on the Harwit's fieldwork conducted in several Chinese cities, as well as extensive archival research. It focuses on key issues such as building and running the country's Internet, mobile phone company rivalry, foreign investment in the sector, and telecommunications in China's vibrant city of Shanghai. It also considers the country's internal "digital divide", and questions how equitable the telecommunications revolution has been. Finally, it examines the ways the People’s Republic of China's entry to the World Trade Organization will shape the future course of telecommunications growth.
China’s Telecommunications Revolution is available from Oxford University Press.
Photo Highlight
Maui Community College dedicated a state-of-the-art kiln in memory of Dr. Milton Yolles on May 30. His widow Janice J. Yolles is a long-time student at Maui and a talented artist. She chose the Olympic computerized kiln as a memorial to her late husband because his support of her creativity meant so much to her. Left to right is Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Suzette Robinson, Assistant Professor Jennifer Owen, Janice J. Yolles and Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto.
KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
Manoa’s Outreach College presents the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, on Sundays, June 15–July 20.In its ninth year, the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival offers sneak peeks at new films from major studios, classic films, independents and shorts in a variety of styles including animation and live action. Films include Alice Upside Down, Moondance Alexander, Dooby Dooby Moo, Madeline: Next Stop America and more.
The films are evaluated by juries of adults and kids and must meet the KIDS FIRST! criteria of: no gratuitous violence, no racial or cultural bias, no inappropriate content, and no condescension towards children.
View the KIDS FIRST! film schedule. (808) 956-8246
More Events
June 10—Paul Brewbaker speaks on Vibrations, Volatility and Influence: Where the Asian Economies are Headed, Manoa, Shidler College of Business C-101, 4:15 p.m., (808) 956-8041
June 11—Associate Professor Thomas Schroeder speaks on Hawai'i’s Weather and Climate Change, Manoa, Krauss Hall Yukiyoshi Room, 7 p.m., (808) 956-8246
Through June 15—Image and Word: Jean Charlot and the Way of the Cross exhibition, Manoa, Hamilton Library Bridge Gallery, (808) 956-2849
For more events, visit the UH calendar.
Announcement
Free Homeowner’s Handbook Now Available
May 18 marked the beginning of hurricane awareness week in Hawai'i and this is the time to gather information on protecting your family and property from a hurricane before such a storm strikes our shores. This is also the time to take those critical, potentially life-saving steps toward safeguarding your home in the event of a devastating storm.The Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards, published by the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program, provides detailed information on how to prepare your home for a hurricane and other natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods. The handbook outlines small and cost-effective steps that can significantly reduce the risks of damage and loss due to a natural hazard.
Due to an overwhelming response from the public, all printed copies from the initial printing were distributed within a very short time. Thanks to generous support from the State Civil Defense Agency, funding was made available to re-print this free publication.
The popularity and pertinence of the handbook has prompted local Wal-Mart stores to make copies available to customers.
Free printed copies of the handbook are available for pick-up at Manoa's Sea Grant College Program. A $5 shipping and handling fee will apply to mailed orders. The handbook is also available for free online at the Sea Grant College Program website.