Petrice R. Flowers is Director of the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and Professor at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She is an international relations scholar specializing in the study of international norms in Japan. Her research has examined gender and diplomacy, the domestic impact of international human rights norms, transnational networks, and refugee policy. Dr. Flowers completed post-doctoral research at the University of Tokyo and has held several visiting positions in Japan including at Hitotsubashi University’s Institute for the Study of Global Issues, Waseda University’s Graduate School of Asia and Pacific Studies, and Ochanomizu University’s Institute for Gender Studies. She has secured research funding from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Fulbright US Scholars’ Program, the Council on Foreign Relations-Hitachi International Affairs Fellowship, and the Japan Foundation, among others. In 2009, Flowers published Refugees, Women, and Weapons: International Norm Adoption and Compliance in Japan (Stanford University Press). Another monograph, Refugee Policies in East Asia (Cambridge University Press Elements Series) was published in early 2025. She has published research in Gastronomica: Journal for Food Studies, Hague Journal of Diplomacy, Human Rights Quarterly, the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Critical Asian Studies, the Journal of Japanese Studies, and several edited volumes. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Wellesley College and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities.
Current CV

Hannah Butler is a project manager at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and a recent graduate of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her research focuses on the regions of East and Southeast Asia and the Arctic with an emphasis on international governance, economic interdependence, and conflict deterrence. Her previous experience includes an internship at US Indo-Pacific Command and participation in the National Bureau of Asian Research Summer Seminar. She also received a Boren Scholarship to study Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan. She holds an M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and a dual B.A. in International Affairs and History from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Amanda Spincola is a research assistant with the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and is pursuing an MA in Asian International Affairs with a focus on China at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She currently works as a graduate assistant in the Department of Asian Studies and is a Student Affiliate at the East-West Center in Honolulu. Her previous experience includes internships at the Department of State and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. At the State Department, she was part of the East Asia/Pacific Program at the Foreign Service Institute, where she helped expand the China training curriculum for diplomats. At USINDOPACOM, she was involved in intelligence research and military strategy development. Her long-term goal is to contribute to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific through a career in intelligence analysis or diplomatic service with the U.S. government. Her primary research area is China, and her interests encompass maritime security, geopolitics, military history, cultural preservation, emerging nuclear technologies, and space exploration. Miss Spincola also holds a BA in anthropology and history from UHM, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Amber Hall is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and a Master’s student in Asian Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Their research interests include media accessibility, cultural studies, and educational equity, with recent projects analyzing how anime can be used as a pedagogical tool to support science learning in primary education. They currently work as a Research Assistant with the UH Mānoa Cancer Center researching health care accessibility for rural Hawaiian communities, and as Director of Development for Camp Magical Moments, a non-profit summer camp for children with cancer. Amber also holds a JLPT N3 Japanese language certification and values creating inclusive and engaging learning materials. They hope to pursue a career in public scholarship and developing educational programs that are accessible to all learners.

Anita Aravena is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Asian International Affairs at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where she is also a graduate fellow at the East-West Center. She is interested in how China engages with its neighbors through diplomacy, health cooperation, and cultural exchange, with a current focus on China–South Korea–US relations.

Ashlynn Lester is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and a Master’s student in the Asian Studies program at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She is a Native Hawaiian, born on O’ahu, raised in Texas and has returned home to Hawai’i to be with family and further her education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in history at West Texas A&M University where she was a McNair and Attebury Honors Scholar. Her research interest is the South Korean Family Planning Program during the presidency of Park Chung Hee. Her focus is on the role of women’s bodies and labor in nation building initiatives.

Audra Gertz is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and a graduate student in Asian International Affairs at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her research explores regional security in Asia, maritime disputes, and the influence of emerging technologies on strategic competition. She holds a B.A. in International Studies, with a concentration in Latin America, from the University of Florida.

Haider Rifaat Hussain is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, entertainment journalist, and PhD student of Communication and Information Sciences at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where he also earned a Master’s in Communication. Born in Fairfax, Virginia and raised in Islamabad, Pakistan, he has built a journalism career spanning more than a decade, interviewing notable international public figures for numerous publications, including South China Morning Post, Khaleej Times and OK! Pakistan, the international edition of OK! Magazine. His commentary and analysis on sociopolitical issues have appeared in China Global Television Network (CGTN) and The Express Tribune, partner of The International New York Times. Since 2016, Haider Rifaat has been headlining Pakistan’s first web talk show—The Haider Rifaat Show. For his PhD studies, Haider is interested in studying the impact of social media on women’s rights in Pakistan.

Kayla Anandia is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and a second-year graduate student in the Master’s of Asian International Affairs (MAIA) program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, focusing on Southeast Asia. Her research interests include maritime security, economic development, and great power competition in Southeast Asia.

Kelly Oshita is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and a senior majoring in Japanese Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She has studied abroad twice in Japan, participating in the summer intensive program as well as the Year-In-Japan program at Konan University. Her research interest is in modern Japanese cultural trends, specifically Japanese fashion trends and consumer behavior. She aspires to study fashion design and merchandising in Japan after graduation.

Macy Mekilt Nagata is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and an undergraduate student pursuing double majors in Sustainability, with a focus on Environmental Policy and Island Ecosystems, as well as a B.A. in Pacific Islands Studies. She is from Ollei and Medalaii in the Republic of Palau, and is excited to be learning more about the environmental issues that are occuring in Oceania and the action being taken within the region.

Tuyen Thai T. Pham is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and a driven second-year Political Science major with a concentration in International Relations at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. As a first-generation Vietnamese student, she integrates her academic training with active civic engagement in organizations ranging from federal institutions to grassroots nonprofits, advocating for immigrants and vulnerable communities. Her research interests focus on migration politics, border externalization, immigration policy, and Asia-Pacific affairs. Aspiring to become an immigration attorney and public servant, Tuyen aims to bridge the gap between legal systems and marginalized communities to transform protections for displaced individuals. She currently conducts research at CIPA on conflicts in the East and South China Seas.

Wilson Tang is a research assistant at the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and M.A. student in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He specializes in East Asian history, with a focus on political, cultural, social, and military developments. His research interests center on the processes of state-building. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2016, and his Master of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago in 2021.