Chaminade University of Honolulu

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Chaminade Now Accepting Applications for Ho’oulu STEM Scholarships

Chaminade University is currently accepting applications for its full-tuition Ho`oulu STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Scholarships. The scholarships are open to first-year and transfer students and give preference to applicants of Native Hawaiian ancestry. Apply now for early consideration. For more details on the Ho`oulu STEM Scholarship, visit the Ho`oulu STEM Scholarship webpage or call (808) 739-8551.

In partnership with Kamehameha Schools, Chaminade University created an opportunity for students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree to receive full tuition assistance (100%) and the opportunity to apply for living expense assistance for four years. It also provides wraparound academic support services, access to post-graduate career paths via Chaminade’s suite of articulation agreements, paid internships for professional development, and financial support for career development activities.

Hooulu STEM Scholarship, First Cohort

In the fall of 2016, Chaminade University welcomed its first Ho`oulu cohort of first-year and transfer students in the following Bachelor of Science degree areas: Biology, Biochemistry, Forensic Sciences, Environmental Studies, Nursing, and Pre-Med/Pre-Health.

“The impact of Ho`oulu is far-reaching,” said Chaminade President Bro. Bernard J. Ploeger, SM, Ph.D. “Careers in STEM-related fields are projected to be some of the fastest growing segments of tomorrow’s workforce.”

Chaminade’s Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Helen Turner, Ph.D. agreed. “Solutions to health, environmental and justice challenges are to be found in science and technology, and we envision Ho‘oulu students leading the community in the future to strengthen the lāhui.”

Forensic Sciences Scholar Joins Chaminade Faculty

Dr. Katelyn PerraultThe Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics welcomed to their team this academic year Dr. Katelynn A. Perrault, assistant professor of Forensic Sciences and Chemistry. Dr. Perrault has expertise in the use of gas chromatography (GC) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) across a range of life science applications, including, primarily, forensic science. She has done extensive work profiling the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that form the odor evolved from decomposing remains. Such work is essential in understanding the sensory mechanisms behind scent-detection canine use.

In 2011, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree with Honors in Forensic Science from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. “Graduating with my undergraduate degree was a very proud moment. I remember thinking that this was only the beginning of a really exciting journey and that there were endless possibilities ahead,” she said.  “That was also when I decided that I wanted to become a professor one day, so I could help students feel that same sense of achievement and help guide them along the path to their fullest potential.”

With that in mind, Dr. Perrault would need to go beyond her comfort zone. Her doctoral studies meant traveling a great distance. “I moved to Australia to pursue my Ph.D. It was a pretty important defining moment in my life. I had hardly ever traveled and never really thought much about it. I ended up meeting people from all over the world and was lucky enough to do a fair bit of traveling during my degree. Making that decision to move has made me more resilient and independent over time, but my experiences during my degree also gave me a profound appreciation for other cultures,” Dr. Perrault said.

Achieving her Ph.D. with a focus in Forensic Chemistry in 2015 from the University of Technology Sydney, Dr. Perrault went on to perform additional doctoral studies at the University of Liège, applying novel analytical approaches to challenging matrices in various fields such as food science, archaeology, and forensic science. Through her research and travels, she has cultivated an international network of collaborators in academia, police, and government agencies.

This semester Dr. Perrault teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in forensic chemistry, general chemistry, analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis here at Chaminade University. Her research program at Chaminade focuses on sensing VOCs from various biological sources for medical and forensic applications. She is also a peer reviewer for several forensic science and chemistry journals and has presented at numerous international conferences.

“One of the main reasons that I decided to come to Chaminade was the sense of community on campus. It was evident from the first moment I visited, and I am so pleased to now be part of this community,” noted Dr. Perrault.  “I look forward to developing meaningful relationships with my students and contributing to their career success out in the community.”

Academic Degrees
​Ph.D., University of Technology Sydney
BSc, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Selected Publications
1. Perrault, K.A., Forbes, S.L. (2016). Elemental analysis of soil and vegetation surrounding human analog decomposition. Journal of the Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences. 49(3): 138-151.

2. Perrault, K.A., Stefanuto, P.-H., Dubois, L., Cnuts, D., Rots, V., Focant, J.-F. (2016). A new approach for the characterization of organic residues from stone tools using GC×GC-TOFMS. Separations. 3:2.

3. Nizio, K.D., Perrault, K.A., Troobnikoff, A.N., Ueland, M., Shoma, S., Iredell, J.R., Middleton, P.G., Forbes, S.L. (2016). In vitro volatile organic compound profiling using GC×GC-TOFMS to differentiate bacteria associated with lung infections: a proof-of-concept study. Journal of Breath Research. 10(2):026008.

4. Perrault, K.A., Stefanuto, P.-H., Stuart, B.H., Rai, T., Focant, J.-F., Forbes, S.L. (2015). Detection of decomposition volatile organic compounds in soil following removal of remains from a surface deposition site. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology. 11(3): 376-387.

5. Perrault, K.A., Nizio, K.D., Forbes, S.L. (2015). A comparison of one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for decomposition odour profiling using inter-year replicate field trials. Chromatographia. 78(15-16), 1057-1070.

6. Stefanuto, P.-H., Perrault, K.A., Focant, J.-F., Forbes, S.L. (2015). Fast chromatographic method for explosive profiling. Chromatography. 2(2): 213-224.

7. Perrault, K.A., Stefanuto, P.-H., Lloyd, R., Rai, T., Stuart, B.H., Forbes, S.L., Focant, J.-F. (2015). Exploring new dimensions in cadaveric decomposition odour analysis. Analytical Methods. 7(6): 2287-2294.

8. Perrault, K.A., Stefanuto, P.-H., Stuart, B.H., Rai, T., Focant, J.-F., Forbes, S.L. (2015). Reducing variation in decomposition odour profiling using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography. Journal of Separation Science. 38(1): 73-80.

9. Perrault, K.A., Rai, T., Stuart, B.H., Forbes, S.L. (2015). Seasonal comparison of carrion volatiles in decomposition soil using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography – time of flight mass spectrometry. Analytical Methods. 7(2): 690-698.

10. Perrault, K.A., Forbes S.L. (2014). Decomposition odour profiling in the air and soil surrounding vertebrate carrion. PLoS One, 9(4): e95107.

A full list of scholarly work available on Google Scholar.

Service to the Profession
American Chemical Society, Member

Canadian Society of Forensic Science, Member

Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society, Member

Chaminade Professor’s New Book Reveals Robert Louis Stevenson’s Importance in Illustrated Literature

Dr. Richard Hill

Congratulations are in order for Richard Hill, Ph.D., assistant professor of English.  His book Robert Louis Stevenson and the Pictorial Text: A Case Study in the Victorian Illustrated Novel has been recently published by Routledge (2017).  The book is a scholarly analysis of the lifetime illustrations to the fiction of Robert Louis Stevenson.  A famous 19th-century writer, Stevenson wrote books such as The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and the great pirate novel Treasure Island. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Stevenson also spent time in Hawaii as well as traveling through the Pacific.  Over the years, Stevenson has been the subject of much serious critical scholarship. Hill’s book contributes to this scholarship by examining how Stevenson sought illustration for his work and how illustration succeeded or failed according to Stevenson’s opinion.

Dr. Richard Hill Book: Robert Louis Stevenson and the Pictorial Text - A Case Study in the Victorian Illustrated Novel

Hill initially did his doctorate work on Sir Walter Scott, Stevenson’s literary forebear. Hill received his Ph.D. from Edinburgh University, the alma mater of Scott and Stevenson.  After Hill completed his work on Scott, he targeted Stevenson for his next endeavor. “Stevenson became the natural focus of my work,” Hill recalled. “Stevenson was another famous Scottish author but one who had come to the Pacific, like me!  It was a natural fit for my focus of research.”

Hill completed the book through a series of challenges and distractions, including illness, moving from Oahu to Maui, and the birth of two children to whom the book is dedicated. “I’m very proud of the fact that the entirety of the book, from conception to publication, was produced while being a faculty member at Chaminade University,” he added.  “Thanks must go to my department, dean, and the Sullivan Family Library for their support through the process.”

Faculty Hui Spurs Enthusiasm

Before the start of the semester, faculty huddled together to prepare themselves to give their best to their students and new classes.  At the opening breakfast of the 2017 Faculty Hui, they shared what they did over the holidays and the classes they would be teaching. The gathering came to order with prayer and an ‘oli, which quietened the room and focused the faculty on the purpose of their individual curricula in light of Marianist educational values.

2017 Faculty HuiDuring the two-day gathering held January 11-12 on campus, Bro. Bernard Ploeger, S.M. presented his presidential address with an open forum to discuss the state of the university. Divisions met to hone their strategies and goals to ensure student success. In addition, Janet Davidson was announced as associate provost of Academic Affairs. Faculty Development and Assessment with Brian Richardson (Faculty Center director), Cari Ryan (Assessment specialist) and Makana Mattos (Institutional Design) will be led by her.

Breakout sessions were well-received. Faculty shared with their colleagues on innovative ways to teach, scholarship and research involvements, and the distinctiveness of a Marianist education.  Faculty genuinely enjoyed exchanging ideas and expertise with one another.  Sessions included:

  • Google for Education – Elizabeth Park
  • Writing Learning Outcomes – Brian Richardson and Candice Sakuda
  • Speech Choir Performance of Forgiveness for English Language Learning – Eva Washburn-Repollo
  • Experiential Learning – Gail Grabowsky
  • Grant Writing Strategies – David Carter
  • Yale Summer Fellowship: Why Should We Teach Slave Narratives? – Allison Paynter
  • Teaching Students the Value of Using Evidence in Practice-Based Professions – Julie Elting
  • The Larger Perspective of Video in Education – Tom Galli and Allison Paynter
  • Strategies for Interdisciplinary Pedagogy: A Report from the Watery Field – Scott Wylie, Katrina Roseler
  • Strategies for Using Rubrics – Brooke Carlson
  • Breakout Edu – Makana Mattos
  • Train the Mind and Cultivate the Heart: Marianist Education – Dave Coleman, Edna Magpantay-Monroe, Charlie Peterson

Discussions inspired at the Faculty Hui carried into the first week of classes as faculty continued to ponder new ways of teaching.  It was a great start to a new beginning.

Saint Louis School Agreement Sets Stage for Chaminade’s Athletics Locker Room and Training Facility

Chaminade University has successfully completed its athletics agreement with Saint Louis School.   In exchange for a payment of $3.5 million to Saint Louis on December 30, Chaminade received:

  • 50 year ground sublease for the site mauka of McCabe Gym, the first 40 years of rent pre-paid;
  • 30 years of prepaid rent for the use of St. Louis’s athletics facilities for 1,150 hours per year for the gym and 350 hours per year for the field.

With the granting of the sublease Chaminade will now be able to build a locker/training room facility, which is projected to open in time to use for the fall 2018 season.

Chaminade University Selects New Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

Janet Davidson

Chaminade University of Honolulu announced that Janet T. Davidson, Ph.D., has been selected as the University’s new associate provost for Academic Affairs.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Davidson into the Office of the Provost and the Center for Teaching and Learning,” said Chaminade University provost, Helen Whippy, Ph.D. “Dr. Davidson will bring her teaching expertise, academic scholarship, and capability of collaborating with colleagues to Academic Affairs as our new associate provost.”

Davidson has been at Chaminade University in a full-time capacity since fall 2005. She has served as an associate professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice. At the undergraduate level, Davidson taught: Introduction to Criminal Justice Systems; Women and Crime; Ethics in Criminal Justice; Criminology; Corrections: Prisons and Community Alternatives; as well as statistics. At the graduate level, she taught: Research Methods; Inmate Rights; and Reentry and Rehabilitation. In addition, Davidson advised both undergraduate and graduate students regarding their programs of study. Most recently, she co-managed Chaminade’s inaugural undergraduate research program.

Davidson published numerous peer-reviewed and applied research publications. Most recently, she published “The Challenges of Determining Student Engagement in a Digital, Mobile Learning Age” in a special-edition Mobile Learning themed volume of GLOKALde, which she co-edited. She also coordinated the blind peer review of five of her Chaminade colleagues’ manuscripts, also published in the special edition volume focusing on mobile learning.

Prior to Chaminade, Davidson worked at the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General as a research analyst. She earned her doctorate in Sociology with specific focuses on crime, law, and deviance, as well as her M.A. and B.A. in sociology from the University of Hawaii – Manoa. Her research interests include institutional and community corrections, recidivism, and issues related to gender and crime.