2026 Library Treasures Summer Scholarship winners announced

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Hamilton Library has selected four graduate students as recipients of the 2026 Library Treasures Summer Scholarships, a program that supports original research and creative projects using the library’s distinctive collections and archival resources. Representing the fields of linguistics, natural resources and environmental management, and history, this year’s scholars will explore topics ranging from Micronesian languages and trans-Pacific ethnobiological knowledge to public health in modern China and the early development of Japanese aviation.

The 2026 Library Treasures Summer Scholarship winners are:

**Kelsey Bialo**
PhD student, Linguistics

Project: *Exploring Minor Syllables and Sesquisyllabicity in Micronesian languages*

**Kelsie Kuniyoshi**
PhD student, NREM

Project: *Pilina Inoa: An Exploration of Trans-Pacific Ethnobiological Knowledge Through the Samuel Elbert Collection*

**SeungHyeon Pyo**
PhD student, History

Project: *Hijacking the Invisible Hand: The Language of Markets and Corporate Incubation of Early Japanese Aviation*

**Sijian Wang**
PhD student, History

Project: *Living with Toxicity: Chemical Disinfectants in China, 1910-1950*

Open to students from any discipline and level of study, the scholarship program encourages recipients to explore archival materials, rare collections, maps, manuscripts, government documents, audiovisual resources, and digital collections in new and innovative ways. Through the program, students work closely with library faculty and subject specialist librarians to develop projects that highlight the educational and cultural value of Hamilton Library’s resources.

Library Treasures projects in previous years have explored a wide range of topics connected to Hawaiʻi, the Pacific, Asia, and global history and culture. Past scholarship recipients have conducted research using materials such as the Hawaiʻi Sugar Plantation Archives, Tahitian newspapers, Okinawan magazines, and other special collections housed at Hamilton Library. Scholarship recipients are invited to present their work at a public event in the fall, giving students the opportunity to share their scholarship and creative achievements with the university community.

For more information about the Library Treasures program, please contact Dr. Yuma Totani, Department of History, or Jean Thoulag, Hamilton Library Access Services.