CIFAL Honolulu

Cultivating Sustainable Entrepreneurs

January 15, 2025

What’s the best way to teach students to lead in sustainable ways?

For Mariane Uehara, the answer is simple: By doing.

Uehara is the sustainability innovation coordinator at Chaminade and teaches ENV 490: Sustainability Innovation.

Over the Fall term, she challenged her students to partner with local organizations and help them find environmentally-friendly practices that also made business sense. They didn’t stop there. Working in teams, the students launched new initiatives, created materials, even drew up business plans, walking away with invaluable experience.

“The goal is for students to discover both the challenges and opportunities of applying entrepreneurship and sustainability in collaboration with established local businesses,” Uehara said.

“This experience is designed to boost their self-esteem and confidence, empowering them to step into the ‘real world’ as professionals who share their unique ideas and take on the responsibility of turning those ideas into impactful, sustainable actions.”

Lyle Takenaka ‘24 and his group partnered with Talk Kaimuki, a popular coffee shop, to weave sustainable practices into day-to-day operations. They brainstormed “lots of great ideas,” he said, but ultimately decided to create QR codes that customers can scan to get facts about waste, sustainability tips, and information on locally-sourced items, plus some trivia and deals.

Takenaka said Talk Kaimuki’s main concern was cutting down on takeout cups for dine-in patrons.

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“This project showed me businesses want to and are willing to find ways to become more sustainable,” Takenaka said, noting that working with Talk Kaimuki’s owner was eye-opening.

“Plus, we got hands-on experience into how a successful business is run.”

Takenaka added that he was particularly grateful for the feedback his team received. “By being able to work with a successful business, we had a unique opportunity to put a plan into action. We got real-world experience that will be of benefit in our future careers.”

The best part? “We were able to make the world a better place,” Takenaka said.

Uehara said students also worked with Bess Press and Keep It Simple, a zero-waste business.

For Bess Press, students helped design an innovative “Bess Bucks” system aimed at giving gently-used books a second, third or even fourth life.

Uehara’s course is supported with a federal grant, which also goes to other sustainable entrepreneurship work at Chaminade. She said she’s grateful to give students the opportunity to “expand on their ‘why’” and search for ways to make a positive difference.

The course ended with a series of presentations from students on their projects, giving them the chance to showcase their work.

ENV 490 was developed as part of the ‘Inana Innovators Program at Chaminade, which Uehara said was designed to “develop a robust pathway to entrepreneurship and bridge the gap between academic and professional life.” Uehara added, “This gives students the opportunity to become creators or interns, receiving a stipend to further develop their ideas and gain skills.”

The ‘Inana Innovators program is funded by MBDA grant #MB22OBD8020275-T1. You can reach Principal Investigator Dr. Helen Turner at [email protected].

Sparking Sustainability Innovation in Students

December 19, 2024

A cutting-edge program at Chaminade aimed at sparking innovation in students through sustainability entrepreneurship opportunities was selected to receive a $300,000 non-competitive increase in its federal grant, underscoring the importance of the effort and its impact in the community.

The ’Inana Innovators Program was originally funded with $600,000 in 2022 from the Minority Business Development Administration and the additional funding allows the program to be extended through 2025.

Principal Investigator Helen Turner, Ph.D., professor of Biology and research director at Chaminade’s CIFAL Honolulu Center, said the program is focused on attracting the next generation to sustainability-focused tech opportunities and growing the innovation sector in Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands.

“When you look at the long-term goals for Hawai’i’s economy, there are a lot of conversations about the defense sector, tourism, agriculture—those traditional mainstays,” Turner said.

“In addition to growing large new sectors like clean energy and aquaculture, we need to focus on developing individual entrepreneurs. Growing the innovation sector means starting early—with programs that teach both the mechanics of entrepreneurship and build the confidence to try.”

Federal funding for the ’Inana Innovators Program covers student compensation for innovation internships, entrepreneurship courses, and other salary support and activities.

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Mariane Uehara, ’Inana Innovators sustainability entrepreneurship coordinator at Chaminade, said participating students are excited about bringing new solutions to longstanding sustainability challenges, from climate change to the proliferation of plastic waste. In addition to courses and internships, the program offers valuable opportunities for students to get mentorship from industry experts.

Students are even challenged to create their own apps to showcase their work.

“Sustainability and entrepreneurship are big words,” Uehara said, adding, “The only way to get these things done is by doing it. Entrepreneurship is about having courage and excitement to solve problems. The tools and skills to do that, that’s what we want to teach and spark.”

Program participant Kyle-Jacob La’akea Gamiao ‘26 is working to develop an app called Lāʻau Friends. He said users will be able to use the app to identify native plants, get details on cultural protocols and practices, and serve as a platform to share stories and indigenous knowledge.

“The main goal is to do all of this in a fun and interactive way that entices not only our target demographic—children and educators—but people of all ages and places,” he said. “The app will function as a way to preserve Hawaiian culture, inform others about ways to take care of the ‘āina, and serve as a possible framework for other parts of the Pacific to use as well.”

Gamiao said during the Fall semester, his work with the ’Inana Innovators Program included everything from developing an AI chatbot to animating a character for his app to learning about how to attract sustainable funding for a project.

“I’ve learned how to be flexible but ethical in how I solve problems that approach me,” he said. “I’ve learned how to work with others and to outsource during the ideation process. I’ve also learned to balance flexibility and determination.”

Gamiao is pursuing a degree in Environmental Science and hopes to go on to graduate studies.

He also plans to continue developing Lāʻau Friends.

For Uehara, the ’Inana Innovators Program is about showing all students—from many different backgrounds—that they have the power to apply their talents and skills to society’s shared sustainability challenges.

“All of us could use an entrepreneurial mindset,” she said.

The `Inana Innovators program is funded by MBDA grant #MB22OBD8020275-T1. You can reach Principal Investigator Dr. Helen Turner at [email protected].

Silversword STEM Camp in American Samoa

August 26, 2024

Chaminade’s I Am a Scientist program is all about hands-on learning

For the first time since its founding in 2009, Chaminade’s popular I Am a Scientist summer camp traveled thousands of miles away to American Samoa this year, setting up base at the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in Fagaalu on the eastern shore of Pago Pago Harbor.

Rhea Jose, an outreach coordinator for Chaminade’s CIFAL Center, said the two-week health sciences boot camp was geared toward first to eighth graders. In all, 169 students from elementary to high school attended the camp, getting a taste for what scientists do every day. “We brought six large luggage, which were packed with all kinds of equipment, including microscopes, DNA extraction kits, pulse oximeters, blood pressure cuffs, pipettes, thermometers, black lights, even glitter,” Jose said.

Since its inception, the I Am A Scientist outreach program has reached 72,339 students and visited 450 schools across Hawaii, Guam, Saipan and now American Samoa, according to Lori Shimoda, I Am A Scientist founder and research associate in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics department.

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Shimoda said before the program was launched, she had several discussions with CIFAL Honolulu Research Director Dr. Helen Turner about the need for a program that allowed keiki to experience what it means to be a scientist first-hand. “We were at a loss for how to do it,” Shimoda added, until her son—in third grade at the time—came home from school complaining that his science lessons were boring.

The reason? “They did not get to use the cool scientific equipment in the laboratory.”

The comment became the blueprint for the IAS program.

With the help of other faculty members and Silversword students, Shimoda started to take actual scientific equipment and supplies into classrooms to teach keiki about science by letting them become real scientists, using real scientific experiments and techniques.

“IAS takes real scientists and science undergraduates into the classroom so keiki can meet and talk to them about what it’s like to be a scientist, and how to go to school to become one,” Shimoda said.

“We offer a unique and fun science experience using equipment not typically found in schools. The science lessons are robust, and taught by working scientists.”

Funded by the Frederic Duclos Barstow Foundation for American Samoans, the IAS-AS camp was a unique collaboration between Chaminade and the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center, which ranks among the best medical facilities in the Pacific and is the only hospital in American Samoa.

Other partners included the American Samoa Telecommunication Authority, American Samoa Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs, the American Samoan Department of Education School Lunch Program, The National Science Foundation’s Alliance Supporting Pacific Indigenous Computing Excellence (ALL-SPICE) and CIFAL Honolulu. The camp focused on health science, a key need area.

“We remove barriers to participation by going to the school and being free,” wrote IAS-AS program staff member and Associate Professor of Biology Jolene Noelani Cogbill, in a write-up on the camp.

“We received daily comments from parents and community members, expressing their gratitude for bringing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to elementary-aged students to American Samoa, and asking if the IAS-AS program would be coming back regularly.”

They also noted how there are few educational STEM opportunities for students in American Samoa, and those that do exist are targeted towards high school students, Cogbill said in her report.

American Samoa students got to use various science equipment, including this mini microscope.

Chaminade Student Ambassador La‘a Gamiao helped students with science lab work.

Rhea Jose, Outreach Coordinator for Chaminade’s United Nations CIFAL Center and I Am A Scientist–American Samoa (IAS-AS) program staff member, provides one-on-one help with one of the students.

One of the modules focused on how easily germs spread and the importance of hygiene management. Campers were also asked to pick an environment (shoe, table, hands, etc) to swab and culture on agar plates so they could visualize “germs” on Day 3 of camp.

In this module students were introduced to the importance of OBSERVATION as a key part of not only the scientific process, but in our daily lives. They used their 5 senses as well as various scientific tools, such as magnifying glasses, digital and dissecting microscopes.

Chaminade Cultural Engagement Specialist Kahoalii Keahi-Wood assisted students with their science exercises.

Cutting-edge GIS Certification

June 10, 2024

The certification is designed to tailor data science training with community and workforce needs.

Biology Professor Dr. Helen Turner is the Principal Investigator for Chaminade’s NSF Alliance Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence (ALL-SPICE) program.

When Chaminade University introduced its Data Science & Analytics degree in 2018, the University became among the first in the nation to offer such a curriculum at the undergraduate level.

Today, in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Pacific Intelligence Innovation Initiative (P3I) and Chaminade University’s United Nations CIFAL Honolulu Center for Sustainability, the University offers various sought-after certificates in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which are accredited by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the NSF.

“GIS leads to a very desirable skill set with applications relevant to the Department of Defense sector and defense contractors, and nonprofits and agencies working in agriculture, on sustainability and resilience,” said Dr. Helen Turner, Biology Professor and Principal Investigator for Chaminade’s NSF Alliance Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence (ALL-SPICE) program.

“It also has applications in public health (geospatial mapping of outbreaks, provider and resource allocation, and health disparities and inequities), and policy and planning (State and Federal planning efforts in transportation, housing, natural resource management and disaster/emergency management.”

According to P3I co-chair Jason Chung, the company’s mission is about developing careers for the people of Hawaii, allowing island residents to work, live and stay in Hawaii.

It’s also about building a more resilient economy through diversification, and creating opportunities for the growing demand for information technology, cybersecurity, data science and intelligence professionals within Hawaii’s defense sector—the second leading economic driver in the state.

Prior to interning with P3I, Kawailani Luat ’23 was resigned to the fact that she would have to leave her home state to find a job in her field of data science that would pay her a decent wage.

However, the experience with P3I changed her mind, opening her eyes to the many potentials, locally, where she can focus her career toward.

Now working as a data analyst with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)—an all-domain defense and technologies partner, recognized worldwide as America’s largest shipbuilder—the Mililani native credits her internship with P3I as leading to this opportunity of a lifetime.

“By providing opportunities locally, I could stay in Hawaii, and I know a lot of local kids who want to stay home,” Luat said. “Without P3I, I would not have the career that I have today.”

Managed by the Hawaii Defense Alliance (HDA) and supported by Hawaii congressional delegates, P3I is committed to supporting economic development in Hawaii by creating jobs and opportunities for Hawaii’s students, businesses and military.

Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babingto presented Kawailani Luat with her President Sue Wesselkamper Award during last year's Na Liko Na’auao. — Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington presented Kawailani Luat with her President Sue Wesselkamper Award during last year’s Na Liko Na’auao.

“P3I connects individuals to educational and certificate programs, and internships, to prepare them with the experience and skill sets needed to succeed in these high-paying careers,” Chung said. “P3I is a collaboration with public, private and academic institutions across the state.”

Over the past five decades, geographic information systems have transformed from a simple concept into a sophisticated science. This remarkable evolution, from a basic tool to a powerful platform for comprehending and planning our world, is one of the fastest growing—and highly consequential—technological tools.

GIS, by definition, is exclusively used to refer to a particular kind of geospatial technology that stores geographic information in layers and integrates that data with software programs.

These software programs can then create, store, manipulate, analyze and even visualize the data for further use. Conversely, geospatial studies and practices set themselves apart with three unique practices: a particular focus on the management, analysis and representation of geographic data.

These elements create the three essential levels of geospatial practice:

Data management naturally includes acquiring, cleaning and integrating data into a system.
Data analysis refers to choropleth mapping, overlay and spatial query.
Data representation refers to producing representational maps, charts and graphs of geographic information.

“While data science analytics and visualization has been around for 15 to 20 years, it was only a decade ago that it really impacted higher education,” said Dr. Lance Askildson, Chaminade’s Provost and Senior Vice President, during a Hawaii Defense Alliance-hosted webinar about geospatial analytics careers and workforce development.

“From my perspective, I can see that we’re reaching a point where there’s so much data to disaggregate that we’re having to develop new tools, new methodologies and new credentialing pathways for professionals to make sense of it.”

In response, universities, like Chaminade, are fulfilling this niche demand by offering comprehensive curricula that blend theoretical knowledge with practical skills gained through experiential internships. Also a panel member of the geospatial analytics career webinar, Data Science Professor, Dr. Mark Speck, addressed the lack of supply of good candidates who are trained in the geospatial field.

“It’s difficult enough to find one person trained in a certain discipline, like geospatial and geospatial intelligence,” Speck said.

“It is even more difficult to try to find more of them on an island. Local contractors can hire people from the mainland, but they have trouble keeping them on island, and it’s also very expensive for them to bring people to Hawaii.

“So, it’s much easier and cheaper for them to train and invest in candidates who are from Hawaii and who are more likely to stay,” Speck added. “One of the focus of HDA is to hire local kids and keep them on island with good-paying jobs.”

Sustainable Entrepreneurship

April 2, 2024

New ENV 490 Sustainability Innovation class stimulates paradigm shift

Aside from being tongue twisters when said in succession, the terms sustainability and entrepreneurship are indeed big words, as pointed out by ’Inana Sustainability Entrepreneurship Program’s coordinator, Mariane Uehara. Tasked with creating a curriculum for the inaugural ENV 490 Sustainability Innovation course, Uehara admitted that she “jumped into the unknown” when she joined the United Nations’s CIFAL Center at Chaminade University.

At the core of the ENV 490 is a student-driven project that’s in partnership with a local company. The goal was to balance the triple bottom line—people, planet and profit—while addressing the long-term impact of business activities on the environment and society. Sustainable entrepreneurship recognizes the interdependence of economic development, social well-being and environmental health, and seeks to create value in a way that is responsible and ethical.

Lyla Gonsalves, left, and Jasmine Mondelo discussed possible solutions for Ten Tomorrow to become more sustainable.

Sarah Carroll '25 identified potential partners that could help Re-use Hawaii and its sustainable efforts.

Sarah Carroll identified potential partners that could help Re-use Hawaii gain greater community support.

Ten Tomorrow designer Summer Shiigi, center, liked the ideas presented by Chaminade students, from left, Ka‘I‘inipu‘uwai “Mini” Keli‘iho‘omalu-Holz ’24, Lyla Gonsalves ’25, Jasmine Mondelo ’25 and LaVelle White ’26.

Re-use Hawaii’s Workforce Development Coordinator Nathaniel Pak saw value in Chaminade students’ sustainable efforts for the nonprofit. Team members included, from left, Sarah Carroll ’25, Katherine “Kat” Liu ’26, Kaila Frank ’24 and Sano Tanna ’24.

“All the students’ projects had to align with at least one of the United Nations’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Uehara explained. “Although the vision was blurry at first, we figured out the puzzle together, and we had fun while doing so.”

According to Uehara, the three goals of the ’Inana Program are: 1) To develop and implement programs for the education and training of undergraduate students in subjects directly relating to successful entrepreneurship; 2) To support minority business enterprises (MBEs), including building a diverse entrepreneurial pipeline to grow the number of MBEs; and 3) to create a UN Certificate program in sustainability entrepreneurship.

Divided into three teams, 14 students presented their final entrepreneurial projects, working alongside with Ten Tomorrow, Re-use Hawaii and Plantoem. Under the mentorship of Uehara, and Cort Isernhagen and Jamie Lui of Diamond Head Research—a company that helps small companies track and assess their activities to identify trends and innovative business models that best support Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance, and philanthropic initiatives—the aspiring entrepreneurs demonstrated their ability to think outside the box.

“First of all, who are you guys,” rhetorically asked Lui after listening to the students’ presentations. “You’re a completely different group from when we started this class a few months ago.”

Exuding confidence, Sarah Carroll ’25 proposed a “Hanau Hana Aloha Event,” which would advertise Re-use Hawai’i as a community-based nonprofit worthy of long-term patronage and donation. Additionally, it would also pose these solutions: Engage an eco-conscious audience; showcase Re-use Hawaii’s mission beyond social media; and connect with long-term donors through a captivating experience.

“Hosting an upcycle consignment event for Re-use Hawaii would present an innovative solution to address several pressing challenges,” the Data Science and Visualization major said. “It would help Re-Use connect with the community and give it more visibility, as well as broaden its donor pool.”

Other Re-use Hawaii members included Katherine “Kat” Liu ’26, Sano Tanna ’24, Lihau Keoneula ’24 and Kaila Frank ’24.

Pairing with Ten Tomorrow designer Summer Shiigi, Jasmine Mondelo ’25, Ka‘I‘inipu‘uwai “Mini” Keli‘iho‘omalu-Holz ’24, Lyla Gonsalves ’25 and LaVelle White ’26 aligned their entrepreneurial proposals with the local clothing company’s line of modern resort wear. An Environmental Studies major, Keli‘iho‘omalu-Holz identified the problem of having to bring in fabric, which contributes to carbon emissions, microplastics and landfills.

Keli‘iho‘omalu-Holz’s solution was to source fabric that would be less harmful to the environment. She cited such alternatives as hemp, organic cotton, bamboo, recycled material and Tencel fabrics, which are produced with environmentally responsible processes from sustainably sourced natural raw wood fibers. Tencel textiles are also certified biodegradable.

“I have a really keen interest in fashion, which is why I chose Ten Tomorrow ,” Keli‘iho‘omalu-Holz noted. “I wanted to find cost-effective solutions and sustainable fabrics that didn’t have a negative impact on our environment.”

Alexandra Zingarelli ’24, Sydney Danielson ’25, Pūnohu Keahi ’25, Aleeyah Lemons ’24 and Conor McMahon ’24 partnered with Zoe Zhang of Plantoem, a portmanteau of plant and poem, and suggested a “Plantoem’s Appreciation March 2024.” Each week would tackle a different aspect, from the significance of native plants and “Aloha ʻĀina: Environmental Health Talk Story Event” to carbon offset, plant therapy and sustainable living workshops.

“They really listened to what I had to say,” said Zhang, who founded Plantoem because of her love for plants and poetry. “Their proposal to me is highly viable. Since we came up with the awareness month idea during their second visit, I have already been in touch with some of the speakers who are interested in participating. The basic structure of the event month has already been sketched out. And the students are coming back to help work on the events in March.”

In his closing remarks, Isernhagen commented on the diversity of ideas and the prototypes the students developed. “I liked the fact that you met the businesses where they were,” he concluded. “Your lenses were all sharply focused around sustainability. And I liked the fact that you collectively approached one problem but each of you came up with your own individual solution.”

Iceland Beer Spa

December 11, 2023

E+ID students enter International Architecture/Design Contest

E+ID students’ presentation board for the Iceland Beer Spa International Architecture/Design Competition.

After electronically submitting their final design concept to the Iceland Beer Spa International Architecture Competition, Katherine Liu ’26, Farrah Dinh ’25, Jazlynne Williamson ’25 and Soraya Ortiz ’25 were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. For the past several weeks, the Chaminade Environmental + Interior Design majors were busy conceptualizing an eco-friendly space that would include a brewery, café snack bar, souvenir shop and full-service day spa facility.

“I asked them if they wanted to enter the competition, and they jumped at the chance,” says associate professor of Arts and Design Junghwa Suh, D.Arch, of the four students in her EID 384 class that focuses on sustainability in design. “It’s really impressive what they’ve been able to come up with in such a short amount of time.”

The overall competition was to replace an existing building on the property of the Sel Hotel, a family-run establishment, which is situated right in the Lake Myvatn area next to the legendary Skutustaoagigar craters, offering a prime location for a groundbreaking multi-purpose facility. The competition sought to create a landmark destination that reflects the spirit of the region and provides an unforgettable experience for both tourists and locals alike.

Katherine Liu ’26, Farrah Dinh ’25, Jazlynne Williamson ’25, Soraya Ortiz ’25 and Dr. Junghwa Suh take a selfie before submitting their final design concept to the Iceland Beer Spa International Architecture Competition.

“Dr. Suh informed us that during her trip to Iceland, a tour guide explained how horses huddle and have formations to maintain warmth,” explains Liu, who initially wanted to pursue a degree in industrial engineering. “We wanted to integrate this idea into our design somehow since Icelandic culture values horses a great deal, and our project was strongly based off of organic forms and the idea of ‘life emulating nature.’

“The showers and bathrooms, for example, represent a cell or ecosystem within the organic crater shape of the building,” Liu adds. “Since we needed a modular element in our design, we decided to have our terrace furniture mimic the horse formations, showing the different groupings, which could be easily rearranged.”

According to organizers, the competition was a rare opportunity to contribute to the evolution of hospitality and wellness in one of Iceland’s most enchanting regions. Designs had to be innovative and environmentally sensitive with the potential of making a lasting impact on the Myvatn Lake area and the world of architecture and design.

“This was the first time that Chaminade design students entered an international competition of this magnitude,” Suh says. “They’ve worked really hard and I’m proud of the final presentation.”

Praising Dinh, Williamson and Ortiz for their contributions, Liu says there was a lot of trust among them. “Jaz even let me take her laptop home because mine didn’t have some of the functions I needed to edit the design,” adds Liu, a student representative with the American Society of Interior Designers and a former intern with G70, a Honolulu architecture firm. “I even had her remotely take over my computer so we could finish this project on time.”

The finished design, “Da Crater Spa’t” creates a cohesive, functional and inviting space that caters to the various needs of guests. More importantly, the final product harmoniously incorporates the environs of Lake Myvatn, featuring basalt lava rock, natural ventilation, and eco-friendly finishes and materials that balance the serene beauty of the environment with the functional requirements of the project.

“They were super motivated and ambitious,” Suh says. “For three juniors and one sophomore, the level of their work is beyond impressive, and I hope they win.”

However, Liu, Dinh, Williamson and Ortiz acknowledge it’s going to be a difficult path. The competition, after all, is open to international licensed architects and designers who have years of experience in their respective fields. Still, the four Siverswords remain optimistic.

“If we win, we get to go to Iceland,” says Liu who plans on participating in a study abroad program in Florence, Italy next year. “After completing this project, my biggest takeaway was understanding the balance of adhering to a competition project timeline while continuously evolving design concepts through rigorous collaborative efforts.”