For decades, Professor Emerita Mary Tiles shaped the minds of students at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Today, her philanthropic commitment to the university continues to impact the campus community. In recognition of her generosity and lifelong dedication to cross-disciplinary education, the College of Social Sciences (CSS) recently named its sustainability teaching honor the Mary Tiles Sustainability Teaching Award.
This year’s recipient is Felix Mantz, an assistant professor with the Department of Political Science. His work closely aligns with Tiles’s vision of bridging the humanities and social sciences to solve modern global issues.
“This recognition means a great deal to me,” Mantz said. “My teaching and research are based on a commitment to challenge unjust systems of power. By looking at the myriad ways in which the global political economy, planetary environmental crises and colonial structures of power are entangled, I hope to inspire students to help recover, rebuild and defend a world in which many worlds fit.”
In her nomination of Mantz for the award, CSS senior sustainability advisor Aya H. Kimura said students have given positive reviews of his teaching and praised the impact he has had on them.
“Even outside of the classroom, Felix has been a huge support in mentoring me for my own research regarding food security,” said student India Buchanan. “Through teaching and mentoring, he has become my main resource for environmental justice related issues.”
More on Mary Tiles
A former chair of the UH Mānoa Department of Philosophy until her retirement in 2009, Tiles’s leadership in this role contributed to strengthening the department’s focus on interdisciplinary approaches, building on her own expertise in epistemology (the study and theory of knowledge) and the philosophy of science. Her academic work heavily explored the history and philosophy of science and technology. Tiles joined the department in 1989 after teaching at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and at Swarthmore College.
CSS Dean Denise Konan noted her close personal relationship with the professor emerita and her impact as a benefactor and scholar.
“I have had the distinct privilege of calling Mary a dear friend and colleague for many years,” Konan said. “Her brilliant mind and unwavering commitment to cross-disciplinary education have left an indelible mark on UH Mānoa. It is incredibly moving to see her legacy honored through an award that celebrates the very kind of innovative teaching she has always championed.”
Read the entire story by Simplicio Paragas on the UH Foundation website.
