Saturday, December 21, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Stan Sheriff Center
David Lassner
President, University of Hawaiʻi
President David Lassner is the 15th president of the University of Hawaiʻi. In this capacity, he has led the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) 10-campus system and Hawaiʻi’s flagship research university, UH Mānoa. Lassner led UH to become the foremost indigenous-centered university in the U.S., leading a strong commitment to island sustainability. His other focus areas were to help more Hawaiʻi residents, particularly those who have historically been left behind, earn college credentials and fulfill local workforce needs as UH worked to strengthen the state’s economy by leveraging research and innovation to create more high-quality jobs across the islands.
Lassner has served UH for 47 years, working his way up from the entry level in information technology (IT) to become UH’s first Chief Information Officer and Vice President for IT. He assumed the UH presidency in 2013 and was the longest-serving UH president since the 1950s. Lassner taught online and in-person in computer science, communications, business and education and has served as a principal investigator for more than $560 million in extramural funding. He has chaired and served on numerous local, national, and international boards in technology and education. Lassner earned an AB in economics summa cum laude and an MS in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, followed by a PhD in communication and information sciences from the University of Hawaiʻi.
Ritu Krishna Raju
Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology
Ritu Krishna Raju is an international student from India who began her journey at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in August 2021. During her time at UH Mānoa, she earned multiple Dean’s List honors, served as a College of Natural Sciences Student Ambassador, interned with the Marine Mammal Research Program at HIMB, and volunteered at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Beyond academics, she is a passionate diver and holds two freediving national records for India. Graduating early with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, Ritu is excited to contribute to ocean conservation and advance research on marine mammals. She is profoundly grateful to her family for their unwavering support throughout her journey.