UH faculty honored for excellence in teaching and research

University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents' Medal

University of Hawaiʻi faculty have received top awards for their inspirational teaching and engagement and world-class research.

Fifteen UH faculty members from across the state have been awarded the Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching, and three received the Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research.

In addition, five UH teachers have been recognized with the Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. A Kaua‘i Community College instructor has won the Masaki and Momoe Kunimoto Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Vocational Education.

“Our world-class faculty are the heart of UH," said UH President David Lassner. “Every day they inspire our students as they model excellence in scholarship and engagement both inside and outside of the classroom to improve lives across our islands.”

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching, which recognizes faculty who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity, and personal values beneficial to students, was awarded to:

• Troy Andrade, associate professor, William S. Richardson School of Law, UH Mānoa

• Daniel Harris-McCoy, associate professor of classics, College of Arts, Languages & Letters, UH Mānoa

• Laurie James, associate professor of math education, UH West Oʻahu

• Peiling Kao, associate professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, College of Arts, Languages & Letters, UH Mānoa

• Drew Kapp, instructor of social sciences, Hawai‘i Community College

• Bryan Kim, chair of the division of social sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, UH Hilo 

• Duke I. Lang, carpentry instructor, Kaua‘i Community College

• Kyra Anne Len, associate professor of medical education and pediatrics, John A. Burns School of Medicine, UH Mānoa

• Alyssa MacDonald, assistant professor in biology, Leeward Community College

• Kevin Omuro, lecturer in dental hygiene, UH Maui College

• Gabriel David Peckham, instructor, Honolulu Community College

• Bridget Smith-Konter, professor of geophysics in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, UH Mānoa

• Kevin Takayama, mathematics instructor, Windward Community College

• Bennett Zazzera, instructor and program director of the physical therapist assistant program, Kapiʻolani Community College 

• Wei Zhang, professor in the Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences, UH Mānoa 

For the bios of each recipient: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/05/16/bor-medal-for-teaching-2022/

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research, which recognizes a faculty member’s scholarly contributions that expand the boundaries of knowledge and enrich the lives of all in the community, nation and the world, was awarded to:

• Brian N. Popp, professor of Earth sciences in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, UH Mānoa

• Rui Sun, assistant professor of chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences, UH Mānoa

• Xudong Sun, assistant astronomer in the Institute for Astronomy, UH Mānoa

For the bios of each recipient: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/05/16/bor-medal-for-research-2022/

The Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching recognizes dedication and demonstrated excellence as teachers of undergraduate students. It was established as a memorial to the late Frances Davis, who taught mathematics at Leeward Community College and UH Mānoa for 19 years. This year’s awardees are:

• Joseph Keola Donaghy, assistant professor of music, faculty coordinator for the Institute of Hawaiian Music, UH Maui College

• Hoa Le, PhD candidate in the Second Language Studies Department, College of Arts, Languages & Letters, UH Mānoa

• Brent Kawika Rubio, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Honolulu Community College

• Tarisi Vunidilo, assistant professor in anthropology, UH Hilo

• Justin Walguarnery, assistant professor of biology, School of Life Sciences, UH Mānoa

For the bios of each recipient: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/05/16/frances-davis-award-2022/

The Masaki and Momoe Kunimoto Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Vocational Education rewards outstanding achievement and significant contribution to vocational and technical education by a community college faculty member or student. The award was established by family members to honor the namesakes’ role in development of the food industry in Hawai‘i. This year's winner is:

• Brian Yamamoto, faculty in the Natural Science Program, Kaua‘i Community College

For more on Yamamoto: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/05/16/yamamoto-kunimoto-award-2022/