Each year, the College of Engineering recognizes its faculty, staff, and students who have surpassed all expectations and have made outstanding contributions to our academic community. We are pleased to honor the awardees for their accomplishments:
Outstanding Graduating Senior Awards
These bi-annual awards honor exceptional undergraduate students in their final term (one per department).
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Terran Koch – Fall ’23
Kassidy Mashiyama – Spring ’23
Xiaolin Mai – Spring ’22
Shantelle Keola – Fall ’21
Mallory Hataishi – Spring ’21
Dominique Peña – Fall ’20
Rika Okino – Spring ’20
Maxx Taga – Fall ’19
Paige Avery – Spring ’19
Electrical & Computer Engineering
AJ Patalinghog – Fall ’23
Kayla Hirano – Spring ’23
Christopher John Agcanas – Spring ’22
Mitchell Matsumori-Kelly – Fall ’21
Willy Chang – Spring ’21
Alvin Yang – Fall ’20
Nicholas Yama – Spring ’20
Jerold Clark, III – Fall ’19
Hidemasa Mitsui – Spring ’19
Mechanical Engineering
Garett Costa – Fall ’23
Tyler Maruno – Spring ’23
Isabella Kotsol – Spring ’22
Penny Loo – Fall ’21
Tarah Aniya – Spring ’21
Eloise Gabrielle Maghanoy – Fall ’20
Kayli Chun – Spring ’20
Tien Tran – Fall ’19
Trevor Shimokusu – Spring ’19
Outstanding Graduate Student Awards
These annual awards honor exceptional graduate students in the following categories: Masters-level, teaching assistants, and PhD-level.
Outstanding MS Student
Roxanne Kata Balane, 2023
Saige Dacuycuy, 2022
Viet Sang Doan, 2021
Outstanding PhD Student
Khaldoon Ishmael, 2023
Xiaojie (Sherry) Xu, 2022
Douglas Ellman, 2021
Kareem Elassy, 2020
Arifur Rahman, 2019
Outstanding Teaching Assistant
Mohamed Sherif, 2023
Amr Ghanem, 2022
Thi Kieu Ngan, 2021
Yeon Sang You, 2020
Mirza Uzair Baig, 2019
Other Student Awards
Professor Bruce Liebert Award
In recognition of Dr. Liebert’s past contributions to materials education at the University of Hawaiʻi, this recognition is given to graduating seniors admitted to graduate school at the UH College of Engineering who demonstrate contributions of materials science and engineering to their projects and work as undergraduates at UH.
2021
2020
Faculty & Staff Awards
Hi Chang Chai Faculty Awards
These awards honor exceptional faculty members from each department, as voted on by the students.
Ian Robertson, 2023
James Yee, 2023
William Uspal, 2023
Oceana Francis, 2022
Jeffrey Weldon, 2022
A. Zach Trimble, 2022
Roger Babcock, 2021
Magdy Iskander, 2021
Joseph Brown, 2021
Ian Robertson, 2020
Aaron Ohta, 2020
Scott Miller, 2020
Lin Shen, 2019
Tep Dobry, 2019
Zhuoyuan Song, 2019
A. Zachary Trimble, 2019
Roger Babcock, 2018
Galen Sasaki, 2018
Lloyd Hihara, 2018
Michelle Teng, 2017
James Yee, 2017
Weilin Qu, 2017
Ian Robertson, 2016
Aaron Ohta, 2016
A. Zachary Trimble, 2016
Roger Babcock, 2015
Wayne Shiroma, 2015
Beei-Huan Chao, 2015
Philip Ooi, 2014
Magdy Iskander, 2014
Brian Bingham, 2014
Lin Shen, 2013
Tep Dobry, 2013
A. Zachary Trimble, 2013
Ian Robertson, 2012
Aaron Ohta, 2012
Lloyd Hihara, 2012
Michelle Teng, 2011
Magdy Iskander, 2011
Beei-Huan Chao, 2011
Ian Robertson, 2010
Tep Dobry, 2010
Brian Bingham, 2010
Roger Babcock, 2009
N. Thomas Gaarder, 2009
Ko Moe Htun, 2009
Phillip Ooi, 2008
James Yee, 2008
Beei-Huan Chao, 2008
Clark Liu, 2007
Tep Dobry, 2007
Peter Berkelman, 2007
Ian Robertson, 2006
Wayne Shiroma, 2006
Lloyd Hihara, 2006
Randy Akiona, 2005
N. Thomas Gaarder, 2005
Carlos Coimbra, 2005
Edmond Cheng, 2004
Tep Dobry, 2004
Beei-Huan Chao, 2004
Gregor Fischer, 2003
Audra Bullock, 2003
Lloyd Hihara, 2003
Michelle Teng, 2002
Wayne Shiroma, 2002
Carlos Coimbra, 2002
Randy Akiona, 2001
Tep Dobry, 2001
Beei-Huan Chao, 2001
Craig Newtson, 2000
Michael Delisio, 2000
Lloyd Hihara, 2000
Ian Robertson, 1999
Tep Dobry, 1999
Beei-Huan Chao, 1999
Faculty Research Award
Tyler Ray, 2022-23
Guohui Zhang, 2021-22
Sayed Bateni, 2020-21
Yi Zuo, 2019-20
Anders Host-Madsen, 2018-19
Guohui Zhang, 2017-18
Sayed Bateni, 2016-17
Yi Zuo, 2015-16
Lloyd Hihara, 2014-15
Magdy Iskander, 2012-13
Aaron Ohta, 2011-12
Faculty Service Award
A. Zachary Trimble, 2022-23
Tyler Ray, 2021-22
Aaron Ohta, 2020-21
Jill Nakatsu, 2019-20
Wayne Shiroma, 2018-19
Roger Babcock, 2017-18
Yingfei Dong, 2016-17
Scott Miller, 2015-16
Vinod Malhotra, 2014-15
Anthony Kuh, 2013-14
Peter Berkelman and Wayne Shiroma, 2012-13
Amarjit Singh, 2011-12
Tep Dobry, 2010-11
Cheryl Ishii, 2009-10
Galen Sasaki, 2008-09
Carrie Matsuzaki, 2007-08
Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching
A. Zachary Trimble, 2018
Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
A. Zachary Trimble, 2021
Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research & Creative Work
Tyler Ray, 2022
ASCE Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award
Roger Babcock, 2018
Pakela Advisor Award
Jill Nakatsu, 2022
Staff Service Award
Jean Zheng, 2022-23
Kim Perez Hults, 2021-22
Charlene Sato, 2020-21
Shayna Yee, 2019-20
Justin Scott, 2018-19
June Akers and Linda Uyeda, 2017-18
Jamie Wong, 2016-17
Janis Kusatsu and Aaron Toyama, 2015-16
Mitchell Pinkerton, 2014-15
Gail Yamamoto, 2013-14
Myhraliza Aala, 2012-13
Benjamin Respicio, 2011-12
Sheree Hashimoto, 2010-11
Danielle Wong, 2009-10
Lori Yuu, 2008-09
Jean Imada, 2007-08
Meritorious Service Award
Benjamin Respicio, 2020-21
Carrie Matsuzaki, 2019-20
Jean Imada, 2017-18
Song Choi, 2016-17
Alumni & Industry Awards
Dean’s Award of Excellence
This prestigious recognition. determined by the Dean, was first awarded in 2019 by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s College of Engineering to honor an individual possessing strong moral character and a track record of excellence in the field of engineering. Additionally, the awardee must: have made significant contributions to the nation and/or state, earned a BS, MS or PhD from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Engineering, positively represent and promote the College of Engineering through exemplary work in the professional sphere, and demonstrate leadership in the community. An individual can receive this award only once.
2023 – Roy Abe
2022 – Charlie Bass
2021 – Bowers + Kubota
2020 – Richard Sullivan
2019 – Anurag Bist & Pradeep Sindhu
Distinguished Alumni Award
This award recognizes an alumnus with an outstanding resume of professional accomplishments. The nominee must have achieved significant recognition for academic, scientific, or practical achievement and/or contribution in his/her chosen field of engineering, science, or business. With so many successful graduates in the field, it can often be a difficult selection process. An individual can receive this award only once.
2023 – Leonard Leong
2022 – Lori Kahikina
2021 – Joel Yuen
2020 – Michael P. Matsumoto
2019 – John Arizumi
2018 – Ken Kawahara and Russell Young
2017 – Rudy Mina
2016 – Brennon Morioka, PhD
2015 – Sheryl E. Nojima, PhD
2014 – Bernard P. Kea, Sr. and Stanford B.C. Yuen
2013 – Ken Hayashida and Glenn Nohara
2012 – Kazu Hayashida, Edward Y. Hirata, and Wallace S. Miyahira
2011 – Michael J. Chun, PhD
2010 – Bert Oyama
2009 – Brenda M. McCaffrey
2008 – Ronald N.S. Ho
2007 – Aaron Oki
2006 – Owen Miyamoto
Outstanding Service Award
This honor is given to an individual who has provided exemplary service to the College of Engineering. This service could come in any form, as long as the individual is helping the College to fulfill its mission. In contrast to the others, this awardee need not be an alumnus of the College, though he or she is someone who has demonstrated a high level of dedication to its cause. An individual can receive this award only once.
2023 – Jalene Kanani Hitzeman
2022 – Carrie Matsuzaki
2021 – Dave “D.K.” Kodama
2020 – Nolan Tanaka
2019 – Neal Miyake and Sean Sugai
2018 – Jonathan Suzuki and Edward Yoshimura
2017 – John Katahira
2016 – Dennis Toba
2015 – Scott Seu
2014 – Major General Robert G.F. Lee (Retired)
2013 – Galen Ho
2012 – Dennis I. Hirota, PhD
2011 – Diane Kodama and Derek Mukai
2010 – Robert Akinaka
2009 – Russell Figueiroa
2008 – Reynold S. Kagiwada
2007 – Fujio Matsuda, PhD
2006 – Arthur Chiu, PhD
