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Partnerships and $15M Grant to Improve Health and Wellbeing in Hawaii

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Research has shown Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos and other medically underserved populations in Hawaii have disproportionately higher rates of physical ailments and mental health conditions. And the pandemic has only exacerbated those issues — and spotlighted a lack of community resources.

Addressing these health disparities will require everyone’s help.

That’s exactly the idea behind the newly-formed Center for Pacific Innovations, Knowledge and Opportunities (PIKO) — an innovative collaboration of Hawaii universities, including Chaminade, and organizations that will support critical areas of study and seek to turn research into positive change.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded the University of Hawaii PIKO a five-year, $15 million grant in which Chaminade University is a partner of the initiative. The funds will be distributed to researchers, especially those at the beginning of their careers, but will also go to professional development opportunities, outreach programming, and other opportunities.

The PIKO partnership includes the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Chaminade University and Hawaii Pacific University — along with the statewide network of organizations. PIKO is led by two UH professors: Dr. Joseph Keaweaimoku Kaholokula, who is chair of Native Hawaiian Health, and Dr. Neal Palafox, whose focus at the John A. Burns School of Medicine includes community health.

Kaholokula said PIKO is focused on improving the health and wellbeing of Hawaii’s people and supporting new research. “This is an unprecedented partnership and initiative in Hawaii to support talented junior researchers in doing culturally responsive and community-engaged research,” he said.

Faculty from Chaminade University who are part of this PIKO project include:

  • Dr. Jonathan Baker, assistant professor of Biology, who is one of the leads for tracking and evaluating the grant,
  • Dr. Rylan Chong, assistant professor of Data Science, who is the data science lead for the biostatistics, epidemiology and research design core, and
  • Dr. Claire Wright, an associate professor of Biology at Chaminade, is the lead who oversees the grant distribution and broadening the center’s reach.

Dr. Claire Wright said the pandemic has magnified the impacts of health disparities on underserved communities and underscored the need for action-oriented research.

“With this grant, we really wanted to focus on where the rubber meets the road,” she said.

In particular, the center and its partnering institutions will be working to recruit and fund more emerging researchers who come from the communities they hope to serve — and give them support along the way. There is also a strong emphasis on engaging community members, Wright said, by partnering with them for research projects and then communicating the results.

She added the center’s goals and the overall grant align with Chaminade’s mission to help build stronger, more resilient communities and to support projects that pursue social justice, peace and equity. “There is a lot of positive impacts you can make in this type of research,” Wright said.  

Funding for the first year of the grant is already rolling out, and projects for year two are being sought.

Wright said a call for abstracts is set for December.

She added that she’s optimistic about the positive impact the collaboration is poised to bring about and excited about the prospect of helping to develop more researchers—across a variety of disciplines—who are focused on addressing health disparities. Those researchers will in turn serve as mentors.

“At Chaminade, we have a close relationship with our students,” Wright said. “To be able to show more faculty entrenched in this kind of research, showing their students how they can help with their community, that’s a massive win for Chaminade and for changing their perspectives.”

Students’ Stress-Related Project Awarded First Place in National Competition

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Stress is a fact of life, but two innovative Silverswords want people to know the story doesn’t end there.

And their work is getting wide recognition.

Aloha Lei Garo and Taylor Ishisaka with their first-place medals

Earlier this year, Aloha Lei Garo ‘22 and Taylor Ishisaka ’22 embarked on a research project aimed at helping their fellow students recognize when their anxiety levels were getting too high and giving them new tools to manage stress, build resilience and seek out opportunities for self-calming and reflection.

The two then spent long hours preparing to present their research at the HOSA-Future Health Professionals’ Virtual International Leadership Conference over the summer. The event features a competition with postsecondary students from around the nation and the globe, all spotlighting their work and detailing its potential implications for the field. Garo and Ishisaka were pleasantly surprised by all the positive feedback they got — and then were even more wowed by their first-place win.

The two took home the top prize in the Health Education category.

The title of their project was “Finesse Your Stress,” and included self-assessments for students, information on why stress can impact your overall health and easy activities anyone can do — from fun games to movement exercises to guided meditation — aimed at boosting resilience.

The presentation also included guidance on when to get professional help.

Lei Garo is studying Biology at Chaminade while Ishisaka is pursuing a degree in Data Science. Both got involved in HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) and its leadership development programming in high school and have remained active members at Chaminade.

“I was very shocked and surprised that we won first place in our category,” Lei Garo said. “It was wonderful to see that all of our hard work has paid off to have this moment for us. I’m glad to not only have represented Chaminade University but also the state of Hawaii.”

Aloha Lei Garo and Taylor Ishisaka's HOSA research presentation

Ishisaka added she’s hoping to continue sharing their research and positive message more broadly, including “just how important it is to take care of yourself because we all get stressed. It is something we all face and it is vital to take control of it. It was our goal to educate young adults on the meaning of stress, how to recognize it and supply them with resources so they can maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Ishisaka also said they had to remember their own advice as they put together their presentation, especially in overcoming no shortage of obstacles presented to them by COVID. Because of the pandemic, they had to prepare remotely and frequently chatted with each other over Zoom.

“We adapted to every obstacle,” she said.

“And started to expect the unexpected,” added Lei Garo.

Lei Garo said she wants her fellow students and the broader community to know taking breaks and caring for your mental health is just as important as doing well in school or succeeding in sports. “We get so caught up in the moment that we forget we should stop for a bit and take care of ourselves,” she said. “Taking at least a 10-minute break from stress is sometimes all you need to rejuvenate.”

Veterinarian Internship takes Biology Student to South Africa

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Izzie Krupa '22 helps with taking care of a lion during her South African veterinarian internship

Getting chased by a rhino – that’s something Izabelle “Izzie” Krupa ’22 will never forget.

It’s one of the answers she gives when asked what she did over the summer.

“Oh, nothing less than an internship in South Africa for young people interested in becoming veterinarians,” she’ll answer. In addition to taking care of cows and goats and chickens, plus a few dogs and cats, Krupa got to help draw blood from penguins, assist in medical procedures on lions and cape buffalo, and capture wildebeest and antelope. And, of course, there were the rhinoceros, Krupa said. They needed to be sedated and fitted with tracking collars. And one woke up just a bit too soon.

Krupa was never in danger, but she was left with a great story to tell.

And great experience to share.

Krupa, a senior majoring biology with a cellular and molecular concentration, jumped at the chance to apply for the summer internship after hearing about. She got back to Hawaii a week before the Fall 2021 semester started, and said the opportunity helped her solidify her choice to pursue a future caring for animals.

“For the small and large animals, we visited high-need townships and provided free veterinary care for animals whose owners couldn’t afford to go to a clinic,” she said. “Flea- and tick-borne diseases are very prevalent so we provided free flee and tick prevention to all of the dogs and goats we could catch.”

Krupa said that while the experiences with African wildlife—those penguins and lions and rhinos (oh my!)—were incredible, the most transformative part of the internship was working closely with residents. During her time in South Africa, she said, she not only gave but received. 

“I loved going to those communities, using my skills and knowledge to help those in need and also getting to talk to the locals and learn more about their culture,” Krupa said. “I learned so very much.”

Izzie Krupa '22 posing for the camera with other Chaminade Silverswords after an intramural volleyball game

Krupa came to Chaminade from a Marianist high school in Omaha, Nebraska and was “pleasantly surprised to find that Chaminade had the same welcoming spirit.” She added, “I immediately felt like I belonged here and a part of the strong community that’s been built here at Chaminade.”

In addition to balancing a full course load, Krupa is on the “animal care team” and a receptionist at a veterinary clinic in Windward Oahu. And when she’s not busy with her studies or work, she’s active on campus. She participates in Campus Ministry and the Filipino Club, and plays intramural volleyball.

How does she do it all?

“A lot of time management,” she quipped.”

With all that she’s done (and is doing) at Chaminade and beyond the classroom, she’s excited to see where the next chapter takes her after graduation.

Dr. Lorin Ramocki and Dr. Katelyn Perrault Recognized for their Passion and Innovation in Teaching

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Motivated. Innovative. Passionate. A trailblazer.

Those were some of the words used to describe this year’s faculty honorees of the Chaminade Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship awards, which recognize those going above and beyond to ensure student success in the classroom and contribute to their area of study in meaningful ways.

Lorin Ramocki

Dr. Lorin Ramocki, an assistant professor in the School of Nursing and Health Professions, received the Chaminade’s 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award for her tireless work to create hands-on simulations that promote “learning by doing.”

The simulations—which ranged from a mock homeless camp on campus to a COVID vaccination clinic to an “unfolding case study” into a Hepatitis A outbreak—were especially vital during the pandemic because COVID made some community placements for Nursing students impossible.

“The COVID pandemic created a loss of clinical rotations in both hospitals and community settings and faculty pivoted to simulation on campus as well as supporting COVID vaccination efforts,” said School of Nursing and Health Professions Dean Rhoberta Haley, PhD, who nominated Ramocki for the award.

Haley said Ramocki ensured experiential learning continued for students during the pandemic. “Dr. Ramocki is a truly creative, innovative, motivated, and effective teacher,” Haley said, “who makes Public Health content and clinical experiences come alive for each of our Nursing students.”

Ramocki said she is honored by the recognition and takes joy in using her creativity to develop “engaging learning environments to give students the best experience possible.” She added that her teaching philosophy is rooted in “developing a community within the classroom.”

“My philosophy on teaching students is really embedded in trying to inspire them to find their own interests—and then connect it back to something in public health to help them enhance their understanding and how they can impact the health of their own communities,” she said.

Katelynn Perrault

Meanwhile, the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics’ Dr. Katelynn Perrault was recognized with the 2021 Fr. John F. Bolin Excellence in Scholarship Award for substantial contributions to her field of study. The associate professor of Forensic Sciences and Chemistry was also recently honored with the John B. Phillips Award, which recognizes early career researchers who are making advancements in the field of two-dimensional gas chromatography, which involves separating chemicals present in complex samples.

Perrault is studying odors produced by bacteria associated with decomposing bodies.

Dr. Hans Chun, director of Education Leadership Programs at Chaminade, nominated Perrault for the honor and said she has been a “trailblazer in research” since she arrived at the University. “Kate embodies the concept that teaching and research are not mutually exclusive,” Chun said.

Chun also said her work has helped to “raise Chaminade’s scholarly profile.”

Perrault said receiving the award is a “landmark moment for me” at the University and has driven her to reflect on her work—and on the work of the student researchers she is mentoring. “Seeing their contributions to science recognized gives me great joy as a mentor,” she said. Perrault added that while many people think of research as something that’s done outside of the classroom, she sees it as something central to classroom learning. “Great things can be accomplished within a class when students are set with the task of creating new knowledge on their own accord. There is something about that experience that cannot be learned in any textbook.”

Hokulea Navigator and Environmental Lawyer in Training

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Lucy Lee '23, environmental studies major on Hokulea smiling at camera

Over the summer, Lucy Lee ’23 was one of five student navigators invited on a training expedition of Hokulea and sister voyaging canoe Hikianalia to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

One of their big challenges: use traditional Polynesian navigation techniques to find Nihoa island.

How tough is that? Lee said Polynesian Voyaging Society President and Master Navigator Nainoa Thompson has compared the task of navigating to Nihoa—with an area of just over a third of a mile—to departing from Hawaii Island’s south shore and finding something about half the size of Diamond Head.

So … pretty tough.

On the day they were set to arrive at Nihoa, Lee had the midnight to 6 a.m. navigation run.

“I was really nervous because we wanted to be at a certain place at sunrise,” the Chaminade Environmental Studies major said. Once Lee conducted some calculations as day broke, she and the other student navigators concluded they were close to where they wanted to be.

They woke Thompson up to share the news and he didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to.

Lucy Lee '23, environmental studies major navigating on Hokulea

“He smiled. We were about a degree and a half off (course)—about as close as you can get without using modern tools,” said Lee, adding that her first deep sea navigation on Hokulea was an awe-inspiring experience. “Papahanaumokuakea is not a place people typically get access to. It’s super special. I think going anywhere by canoe is awesome, and pulling Nihoa out of the water was definitely the highlight.”

While the Papahanaumokuakea voyage was a major milestone for Lee, it’s also only a start. She is training to navigate during Hokulea’s next major voyage: a 41,000-mile trek to circumnavigate the Pacific Ocean, stopping at 46 countries, 345 ports and 100 indigenous territories.

The launch date is tentatively set for summer 2022.

The Pacific Voyaging Society has called the massive expedition, coming on the heels of Hokulea’s worldwide Malama Honua voyage, an opportunity to focus on the vital importance of oceans while developing young crew members, navigators and leaders. Lee said she’s honored to be training as a student navigator, “learning and watching and being taught what it takes to be on the crew.”

“It’s learning how to change lines, how to change knots. But it’s also learning what it means to be a helpful and active crew member,” added Lee, who had only navigated on inter-island and coastal sails before the 10-day voyage to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. “I feel very fortunate to be … learning the skill and the art of traditional Polynesian navigation.”

And she’s balancing all that learning on the water with her studies at Chaminade.

Lucy Lee '23, environmental studies paddling on Hikianalia

“School is really important for me,” said Lee, who graduated from Kamehameha Schools and is interested in going into environmental law. She said she chose Chaminade because she wanted to stay in Hawaii and was interested in a university with an individualized approach to instruction.

Lee said she applied and got into several colleges on the mainland but knew they weren’t a right fit. “You know in all those cliché college movies where they walk into the lecture room and there’s like 200 people?” Lee asked, laughing. “I was like, that’s not for me. I like how Chaminade is small.”

Lee was also interested in an option that wouldn’t break the bank.

At Chaminade, she is receiving the Regents Scholarship (a merit scholarship), which covers about half of her tuition.

And, Lee said, she was looking for an environment-focused program that incorporated policy and advocacy. The Environmental Studies program at Chaminade was perfect. Lee said her ultimate goal is to offer legal expertise and representation to sustenance fishing and farming communities in Hawaii.

“They are ingenious, but they struggle in literacy when it comes to law and defending themselves in justice systems,” she said, pointing to decades-long legal challenges over water rights for small farmers on Maui. Lee added, “I started hearing about that case when I was in elementary school.”

But before heading to law school (and after graduating from Chaminade), she’ll be taking a break.

Because around that time, she plans to be sailing on Hokulea—on its pan-Pacific voyage.

Chaminade University Names Dr. Gail Grabowsky as Dean of School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

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Gail Grabowsky

Chaminade University has named Dr. Gail Grabowsky as Dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. With more than 20 years of experience at Chaminade, she most recently served as the interim dean of the School.

“Dr. Grabowsky’s proven leadership in research, teaching and service makes her an excellent choice to permanently lead the school,” said Dr. Lynn Babington, President of Chaminade University. “She also brings extensive institutional knowledge and a record of working collaboratively to achieve strategic initiatives focused on student success.”

In addition to her role as dean, Dr. Grabowsky is the director and professor of Environmental Science and Environmental Studies at the University. She began working at Chaminade in 1997 after studying population genetics at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory and receiving her PhD in Zoology from Duke University.

An accomplished writer and environmentalist, Dr. Grabowsky has published an award-winning book: ’50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save Hawai‘i’ and appeared as a “science character” in National Geographic/Sea Studios’ series: The Shape of Life. She has also published numerous research papers.

Over the course of her career, Dr. Grabowsky has served on a number of environmental councils and committees. From 2001 to 2020, she was an advisory council member and chair of the education working group for Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Monument. She was also appointed by Governors Cayetano and Lingle to serve on the State’s Environmental Council for eight years.

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Chaminade University of Honolulu believes in the power of education to drive positive change, broaden perspectives and deepen our understanding of one another. With an emphasis on transformative service-learning experiences, we prepare students to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, inspiring and challenging them to use their minds and their hearts to help build stronger and more just communities. We are proud to serve as Hawai‘i’s only Marianist university, and rely on these values to guide us in delivering a high-quality education with an individualized approach and a focus on excellence, innovation and change. Established in 1955, we offer more than 30 undergraduate and graduate programs, including doctoral degrees in education, psychology and nursing practice. Learn more at chaminade.edu.