UH Manoa College of Engineering

08/21/2026

In the 2012 sci-fi blockbuster PROMETHEUS, flying orbs with lenses and sensors are sent deep into the caverns of an alien moon to map its interiors. UH Engineering professor Daniel Drew is developing a real-life version to explore caves on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. And NASA thinks it’s worth investing in.

Exploring those areas could give scientists new clues about Titan’s geology and climate history.

08/20/2026

Finding invasive beetles hidden in mulch. Searching disaster rubble for survivors. Making vehicle repairs safer. Filtering water in a crisis.

Four UH Mānoa engineering students spent the summer at Oceanit developing practical solutions to problems like these, and putting their ideas to the test.

Engineering students developed innovative solutions to real-world challenges through Oceanit’s Future Innovators Program.

08/18/2026

Calling all UH Engineering alumni in Seattle! 📣

Join the UH Mānoa College of Engineering for an evening of reconnecting with fellow alumni, catching up with the College, and strengthening our engineering ʻohana in the Pacific Northwest.

🔗 Event details and registration in comments

08/15/2026

Yesterday, we visited with our longtime friends and partners while in Hilo to celebrate Engineering Partners, Inc. 25th anniversary.

We caught up with Alan Okinaka, who worked alongside Norm Abramson and Frank Kuo on the pioneering ALOHAnet protocols. It’s always fascinating to hear what he's been up to. Alan's latest goal is to meet someone new every day.

We then met with Fengchuan Liu and Yuko Kakazu, Ph.D. of TMT to discuss ground-based astronomy in Hawaiʻi and the College’s efforts to support local industry and develop Hawaiʻi’s engineering workforce.

Our visit continued with Okahara and Associates President Bruce Meyers and Curtis Beck, a retired HELCO engineer and owner of Lavaloha Chocolate, to discuss the continued development of pre-engineering pathways from UH Hilo to UH Mānoa.

We finished the day with our friends at Engineering Partners. Mahalo to Nimr Tamimi, Bri Simonian, Brian Funai, and Yen Wen Fang for continuing to include us as partners and friends.

As Hawaiʻi Island deals with the impacts of Lala, we’re thinking of our friends, partners, alumni and communities across the island. Please stay safe.

08/13/2026

We're delighted to share the good news that CECE professor Jun Wang has been awarded a $300,000 USDA Forest Service Wood Innovation Grant to develop the data needed to see if locally grown eucalyptus trees could be used as a reliable structural building material, potentially reducing Hawaiʻi’s dependence on imported lumber! 👏

08/12/2026

Congrats to Team RoSE Hawai‘i on an impressive run!👏 They made it to the University Rover Challenge World Finals, picked up international recognition for their systems engineering work, and even presented a lunar power project to NASA engineers.

UH Mānoa's Team RoSE capped off one of its most successful years by competing at the University Rover Challenge World Finals.

08/11/2026

Our elders always tell champions to "act like you've been there," and to demonstrate gravitas, grace, and humility in victory. Therefore, we're now ready to briefly mention that last month we kinda became back-to-back champs after winning the 3rd Annual Victaulic Engineers vs Contractors Volleyball Tournament for the second year in a row.

Mahalo to Erika Baguio, Dillon Francisco, Matthew Fujikami, Mark Fujimoto, Landon Hirata, Noah Hanohano, Aaryk Iwamoto, Kevin Soe, Czarina Viloria, and team captain ‘Eleu Choy for bringing the hardware home again, in addition to Anthony Maisonet and his team for taking it upon themselves to put on another great tournament for Hawai‘i's engineering community this year! 👏🥳

08/08/2026

When Make-A-Wish Hawaii asked 17-year-old Rancin Teeples what his wish was, he wished for tuition assistance as a pre-engineering student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

Hilo’s Pre-Engineering Program allows students to begin their engineering studies on Hawaiʻi Island before transferring to UH Mānoa to complete their degree. We look forward to welcoming Rancin after he begins his engineering journey this fall. 🤙

A 17-year-old from Pepeʻekeo facing the challenges of leukemia wished for tuition assistance as a pre-engineering student at UH Hilo. His wish came true!

08/07/2026

Congratulations to Kāneʻohe Elementary Principal and UH Mānoa alumnus Derek Minakami, who has been named Hawaiʻi’s 2026 National Distinguished Principal! 👏

We have been fortunate to work with Principal Minakami and the Kāneʻohe Elementary community through our ongoing STEM partnership with them.

We’re proud to see a fellow Rainbow Warrior and valued partner in STEM education receive this well-deserved national recognition.

🔗 https://hawaiipublicschools.org/2026-kaneʻohe-elementarys-derek-minakami-named-hawaiʻis-national-distinguished-principal

08/05/2026

Ended our trip to LA with the 19th Annual SoCal Engineering Alumni Picnic!

A big mahalo to Nolan Tanaka for all he has done to make this event an annual tradition, and to Scott Fukuda, Dylan Ichikawa, and Monte Watanabe for taking the reins and organizing this year’s gathering.

It’s always a great time seeing families grow, welcoming new friends into the ʻohana, and reconnecting with everyone. It also doesn’t hurt that Dean Morioka and Assistant Dean Choi continue their reign as defending Portagee Horseshoe champions. At some point, we may just have to keep the perpetual trophy back home in Holmes Hall.

A great way to wrap up an amazing trip! 🤙