Terence Wesley-Smith is an associate professor in the UH Manoa Center for Pacific Islands Studies. When he started at the center, he saw his role as teaching students about the region. Today, Wesley-Smith tries instead to facilitate students’ learning about the island places and issues that interest them. This new approach involves listening as much as talking, and includes surrendering a certain amount of the authority associated with the more common “sage on the stage” model of pedagogy.

In recent years Wesley-Smith has had the opportunity to develop some of his ideas further as director of a School of Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Studies-based, system-wide research and instructional project called “Moving Cultures: Remaking Asia Pacific Studies.” He has led the Oceania on the Move team covering Hawai‘i, Fiji and New Zealand with quietly effective professionalism as an educator.

Wesley-Smith’s role in the development of innovative area studies curriculum represents a significant contribution to the educational mission of the university. In addition to teaching duties, he also handles advising for the 35 students currently enrolled in the master’s program, and has served as outside member on at least a dozen doctoral committees.