[6/3/08 UPDATE: Groundbreaking for China-US Center originally scheduled for June 26 is rescheduled to the fall when students return to campus and can take part in ceremony.]

When fully completed, the China-US Center will house a conference center, hotel, student dormitory, and various student- and university-related commercial services. Rendering courtesy UH Hilo.

Reported in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald (outside news source determines link expiration).

by Bret Yager

The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo is ready to break ground for the new China-U.S. Center, a project aimed at easing the current student housing crunch.

Developer Bridgecreek International and the university plan to have the 300-student apartment building — the first of four — ready in time for fall classes in 2009.

A Native Hawaiian blessing will be part of the groundbreaking ceremony, set for 10 a.m. on June 26.

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Chancellor’s Remarks

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
International Conference & Annual Meeting
April 13, 2008

Honolulu

“The Role of Universities in Regional Prosperity”

Good afternoon and aloha! Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.

This afternoon I would like to share with you some thoughts about the role of universities and business schools in workforce and economic development, tell you a little about UH Hilo’s role as an economic engine, and then share with you some strategies that I hope you’ll find interesting and useful.

Compared to other developed countries, the U.S. lags in the proportion of its population who have an associate degrees or higher. This is a gathering storm. We need to enhance our human capital, and in the new knowledge economy, universities are recognized as the engine of economic growth.

The Big Island is a microcosm of the world: an island the size of Connecticut, surrounded by water, thousands of miles from the mainland. In fact, you could say our university is at the center of a big economic experiment. UH Hilo plays a huge role in the local economy, including direct expenditures on the island, second largest employer in east Hawai‘i, and workforce development. On the Big Island, it’s easy to see the effect UH Hilo has on the economy.

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Chancellor Tseng and PISCES co-director Robert Fox (at right) visited Colorado School of Mines to sign a partnership agreement to work on space research at both campuses. CSM President Bill Scoggins is at left.

UH Hilo has partnered with the Colorado School of Mines to work on space research at both campuses and at the new space research center at Hilo, the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES).

PISCES is dedicated to developing technologies that will enable humans to sustain life on another planet. The new center is led by Frank Schowengerdt, former director of the NASA Research Partnership Centers and Hilo Professor Robert Fox, chair of the department of physics and astronomy.

Colorado School of Mines is home to the Center for Space Resources, which focuses on using the natural resources of space, also called in situ resource utilization, to make air and water, and to meet all human needs for survival on the moon and beyond.

“This partnership is a natural extension of our space-related initiatives that are made possible by the Big Island’s unique living, learning laboratory,” says Chancellor Tseng. “From the world’s most important collection of telescopes atop Mauna Kea, to our ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, to PISCES, UH Hilo has taken its place on the cutting edge in this exciting field.”

In today’s Honolulu Advertiser (outside news source determines link expiration).

Associated Press

HILO, Hawai‘i - The University of Hawai‘i-Hilo and the Colorado School of Mines yesterday said they plan to jointly research ways to support human life in outer space.

“The number of Hawai‘i students interested in space exploration is rapidly growing,” UH-Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng said in a statement. “We welcome the opportunity to be a part of information and education exchanges like this one.”

UH-Hilo is home to a center dedicated to developing technologies that will enable humans to sustain life on another plant.

The Colorado school has a research center that focuses on how the natural resources of space can meet human survival needs on the moon and Mars.

Tseng and School of Mines President Bill Scoggins expect to sign an agreement on April 4 that will establish their partnership.

Angel Abbud-Madrid, director of the Colorado School of Mines Center for Space Resources, said the partnership is perfect for her center’s students, who already work with Lockheed Martin on equipment designed to produce oxygen from lunar rocks and soil.

Mines students also have been involved in developing a special membrane that will one day help astronauts make methane fuel on Mars for their return flight to Earth.

UH-Hilo’s Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems was established last year with the help of state government money.

The center plans to build a simulated lunar outpost on the Big Island, where the ash and rock surface resembles the surface of the moon.

The center has research agreements with NASA to test remotely controlled rover vehicles. Its labs hope to serve space agencies, commercial partners and entrepreneurs.

Chancellor Tseng gave two presentations today to the National Science Board at the National Science Foundation (NSF) headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. She gave the first presentation at a private luncheon with NSB members– that talk was titled “Research at UH Hilo: Successes, Aspirations, Opportunities and Challenges.” Her afternoon talk was a public presentation to the NSB Education and Human Resources Committee, entitled “Education/Research at UH Hilo: Integrating Culture, Science and Technology.”

The NSB is the governing body of the NSF and is an independent policy body established by Congress. The board is comprised of 24 members appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and members are selected based on their national distinction and eminence in basic, medical, or social sciences, engineering, agriculture, education, research management or public affairs.

The NSB visited UH Hilo last summer and its members were greatly impressed with the university’s research/education programs. Following the visit, NSB chair Steven Beering commended the leadership at UH Hilo for their farsighted efforts and for embracing and integrating the concept of ‘ohana, or family, into the culture of the university.

“I greatly appreciated the many briefings and discussions at UH Hilo highlighting the enormous value in weaving Native Hawaiian and broader Pacific Islander culture and perspectives into science and engineering research and education in Hawai’i” said Beering. “We can benefit and learn from the Hawaiian model for pro-actively broadening participation of under-represented minorities is fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”

Chancellor Tseng was invited to give today’s two presentations to share with the board UH Hilo’s vision concerning science and engineering education at the Hilo campus and the importance of partnerships with NSF. The NSB Education and Human Resources Committee was interested in exploring specific educational issues of importance to UH Hilo that the board had previously discussed at the campus last summer.

An information session for students interested in pursuing a master’s degree in Human Resource Management or a neighbor island MBA at UH Hilo is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at UH Hilo’s UCB 127. Interested parties should RSVP to mariavic@hawaii.edu or call (808) 956-8870.

Both degree programs, scheduled to begin in the Fall 2008 semester, are the result of collaboration involving UH Hilo’s College of Business and Economics and the Office of Distance Learning with the Office of Executive Programs at UH Manoa’s Shidler College of Business.

Prospective students must pass the Graduate Management Admission Test for admission. A GMAT practice session has been scheduled for Saturday, March 8, at 9 a.m. to noon at UH Hilo’s Kanaka‘ole Building, Room 126. Interested parties should register with Kaplan Test Prep at www.kaptest.com/practice by searching “Free Events” in Hawai‘i, or by calling 1-800-KAPTEST.

Left to right: Rose Tseng, Michael Crosby, Luoluo Hong and William Carter. Photo by John Oshima.

Chancellor Tseng hosted a reception this evening in honor of three newcomers to UH Hilo: Luoluo Hong, vice chancellor for student affairs; Michael Crosby, vice chancellor for research; and William Carter, state director of the UH Hilo Small Business Development Center. All three joined UH Hilo last month.

Hong’s most recent administrative position was serving as the dean of students at Arizona State University-West. She holds a PhD from Louisiana State University in educational leadership.

Crosby’s appointment is funded by the National Science Board. He is on a leave of absence from his current position as executive director of the NSB. He holds a PhD from the University of Maryland.

Carter was previously the state SBDC director in Oregon. He holds a PhD from Oregon State University, where he was an instructor in the College of Business.

Aloha and Welcome to all three!

Photo by Marcia Heller.

Chancellor Tseng saddled up yesterday to welcome guests to a fundraiser held at UH Hilo’s Agricultural Farm at Pana‘ewa. “Cowboy Up 2008: A Blue Jeans and Black Tie Barbecue” was held to raise funds to equip the new UH Hilo Equestrian Center with interior panels, pens, bleacher seating and equipment.

Everybody had tons of fun with live country music, great BBQ and auctions.

Plans for the facility include equine and livestock shows, 4-H and other community events.

Story in Pacific Business News on UH Hilo’s new director of research, link here (outside news source determines link expiration). Story below:

UH Hilo gets help in developing scientific research

Michael Crosby was recently named to a one-year post as vice chancellor for research at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

He is on leave from his position as executive officer of the National Science Board, a Virginia-based group hand-picked by President Bush to advise Congress on policy issues related to science and engineering research and education.

UH Hilo created the research position to help expand its scientific research capabilities and funding. The National Science Board is funding Crosby’s Hilo appointment.

Crosby, who holds a master’s degree in biology and a doctorate degree in marine estuarine-environmental sciences, has more than 30 years of experience as a scientific researcher. He spoke with PBN’s Nanea Kalani about his new role at UH Hilo.

How did your appointment with UH Hilo come about?

Members of the scientific research community have an obligation to play a more active role in the national policy and administrative aspects of our country’s science programs during some portion of their career. During the recent years, I have been proud to have made a contribution to our community’s obligation at the federal government level. While this has been an extremely rewarding period, I feel a desire to make a more direct contribution through a science administration position that will bring me closer to the front line for research and science education.

In many conversations with [UH Hilo] Chancellor Rose Tseng, leaders in the UH system and colleagues in Hawaii, it became clear that UH Hilo would greatly benefit in moving to the next step in its research enterprise if it could fill a position it didn’t have: vice chancellor for research. It became clear that a temporary assignment for me to serve UH Hilo would facilitate cooperation, address mutual goals and benefit all our institutions.

What research experience do you bring to the table?

National and international success in building and managing both marine research programs and science-driven resource management efforts as well as my experience teaching at the university level. I will be pleased to serve as a UH Hilo focal point and catalyst for stimulating sustainable improvements in UH research and competitiveness with a principal focus on development of a vibrant interdisciplinary and applied research enterprise at UH Hilo. Success will depend on a team effort for mixing together essential ingredients, which I believe already exist.

What are your priorities and goals for the university?

The more important goal for me is to build a strong strategic foundation for long-term success that will be realized after my assignment. One specific goal is to identify a clear and unique niche for a UH Hilo science research enterprise for 2010 and beyond that emphasizes research excellence and linkages to undergraduate education, and takes full advantage of the natural environment and cultural diversity afforded by its island setting.

What potential do you see for the university’s research capabilities?

I see the potential for UH Hilo to serve as a nexus institution where future generations of scientists and a scientifically literate citizenry are educated and launch their careers. I hope to work closely with UH Hilo faculty, staff and students, as well as the broader UH system family and the local science and technology business community to identify a clear and unique niche for a UH Hilo science research enterprise.

UH Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng and Hawai‘i Community College Chancellor Rockne Freitas sign the articulation agreement between the two campuses. The agreement ensures a student-friendly, virtually seamless process for transferring credit for courses taken at HCC to the UHH. Photo by William Ing/Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald covers the signing of the articulation agreement that will move university toward seamless transfer of students from the community college to UH Hilo four-year degree.

Summary:

Chancellors of Hilo’s community college and university signed an agreement Wednesday that’s designed to ease student transfers between the two centers of learning.

The agreement calls on faculty, advisors and department chairs to coordinate undergraduate courses so that students who transfer from Hawai‘i Community College to the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo will already be set on a course to graduation, rather than finding that courses they took at HCC don’t meet UHH degree requirements.

“Students who get an associate’s degree with us will know they won’t have to retake anything at the UHH. They’ll be full-fledged juniors,” said HCC Chancellor Rockne Freitas. “Our students will now have the confidence that the credits they completed and degree they earned will count.”

Chancellors signed the agreement during a traditional Hawaiian ceremony at the HCC campus.

The Degree Pathways Partnership Program will spell out the courses that students must take for a seamless transfer to the UHH College of Business and Economics and other programs. The agreement between the UHH College of Business and the HCC — the first to be signed — goes into effect this fall.

Articulation agreements for other programs are in the works. Faculty from Hawaiian language and Hawaiian studies at the two campuses will meet to discuss expectations for first and second-year language courses so students transferring to the UHH will be able to go directly into junior-level course work. Another partnership is being discussed between the UH Hilo College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resource Management and HCC’s forestry program, with an eye to getting students on the way to a bachelor of science degree in forestry.

Full story here (outside news source determines link expiration).