July 2010
Community and International Outreach
In the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to share the university’s goals and objectives and some of the good things that we’ve been working on with a number of community groups and business organizations, including the Hawai‘i Economic Association, the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and the Organization of Women Leaders.
I also participated in the East-West Center’s very successful 50th Anniversary International Conference where I was a panel presenter and part of a great discussion on the challenges and opportunities in higher education with a global perspective. It was a wonderful conference, and I extend my congratulations to the East-West Center for putting it together and on celebrating its 50th anniversary.
I also recently traveled to Japan, where I was invited to speak at a symposium of the National Women’s Education Center of Japan focused on advancing women scientists in Japan. I had the opportunity to meet with our ambassador to Japan and with officials from the Japanese Ministry of Science and Technology. These opportunities help us lay the groundwork for strategic alliances with Japan, and I look forward to more discussions on collaborative efforts.
Campus news from my July report
- 2011 APEC Hawai‘i Host Committee Update
- Funds for West O‘ahu and Hawai‘i CC
- Construction Procurement Advisory Committee
- Kudos to UH administrators
- Hilo telescope captures first images
- National honors for Manoa faculty and staff
- Senator Inouye recognizes UH West O‘ahu
- Ocean exploration with the Hokule‘a
- Respiratory therapy students lobby
- New environmental challenges course
- Pumping energy into Maui campus
UH System News
Taylor in Vancouver
Environmental challenges course explored
Kaua‘i Community College’s Stephen Taylor recently returned from a trip to Vancouver with UH Manoa Professor Jane Schoomaker. The pair is developing a new course on global environmental problems and spent a week with faculty, researchers and education experts at the University of British Columbia to initiate what will be a long-term collaboration on a new undergraduate curriculum.
The team seeks an effective framework to advance the proficiency of students in physics, chemistry, biology and geology to critically evaluate physical science aspects of environmental challenges like climate change. The trip was funded by the National Science Foundation and the course should be offered at both Kaua‘i Community College and UH Manoa in spring 2011.
