Amanda Spincola 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 US 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 US 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.

Ashlynn Lester is a Master’s student in the Asian Studies program at the University of Hawai’i. 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.

• Read Ashlynn’s independent research: Strengthening the ROK-US Alliance for Chinese and North Korean Deterrence: How the US Can Address South Korea’s Population Crisis

Anita Aravena 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.

• Read Anita’s independent research: The Powerplay Paradox: US Unilateralism and the Brittle Architecture of Integrated Deterrence

Wilson Tang is an 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.

• Read Wilson’s independent research: Integrated Deterrence and the Informal Alliances

Audra Gertz is 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.

Kayla Anandia is 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.

Amber Hall is 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. As an intern, Amber contributed to the center’s annual report and social media.

Kelly Oshita is a senior majoring in Japanese Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Kelly has studied abroad twice in Japan. She participated in the summer intensive program and 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. Her research at CIPA focused on gender laws in Japan’s domestic policy.

• Read Kelly’s Timeline of Gender Laws in Japan, 1985–2022

Alii! Macy Mekilt Nagata is 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 occurring in Oceania and the action being taken within the region. Her research at CIPA examined Pacific Island nations’ policies surrounding deepsea mining.

Tuyền Thái T. Phạm is 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. Her research at CIPA focused on conflicts in the East and South China Seas.

• Read Tuyền’s Timeline of East and South China Sea Disputes, 1980–2025

Natasha Quinn is a rising senior at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa majoring in Political Science. Originally from Lake Forest, California, she is working towards the undergraduate Law & Society certificate and Peace Corps Prep certificates through the Matsunaga Institute for Peace. Her past research through UROP explored the role of algorithmic decision-making in perpetuating social and political divisions, with a focus on its impact on constitutional protections. She is the president of the Mānoa Pre-Law Association, is a recipient of the Margaret and Roy Eby Scholarship for her work in peace studies, and is a Disney College program alumna.

Lorianna Hermann is a rising senior pursuing a double major in Sustainability and Art Studio and certificate in Peace Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Lorianna is passionate about furthering research in regards to how Sustainability and Peace Studies are intertwined and how it is necessary to understand both in order to promote a better future.

Kayla Anandia is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.A. in Political Science and Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Her academic interests include maritime affairs, Southeast Asian politics, and climate change. She has interned at the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs, the Executive Office of the President of Indonesia, and the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies. Her work with CIPA is supported by Project Funding from the UH Mānoa Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

• Watch Kayla talk about her experience
• Read Kayla’s independent research: Remapping Governance in the South China Sea: China’s New “10-Dash Line” and Responses from ASEAN States

Joshua Bumanglag is a second-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.A. in Economics at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He is passionate about economics and the insights it offers into numerous facets of society and decision-making. His work with CIPA is supported by Entering Research and Creative Work funding from the UH Mānoa Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

• Watch Joshua talk about his experience