Department News

Pearson Custom Publishing Provides Funding for Two Undergraduate Awards

The Outstanding Student Award was given to Nicholas Kwock, who is an exceptional economics student who has expressed interest in teaching economics as a career. The Leadership Award went to Austin Bunag, who is the President of the Economics Club and Vice President of Omicron Delta Epsilon. Both students received a certificate from the Economics Department and a $100 check from Pearson Custom Publishing. Congratulations!

posted on May 7, 2008

Megan Chock Wins the Hawaii Economics Association Award

Megan Chock being presented the Hawaii Economics Association Award from Governor Linda Lingle

Megan Chock, an exceptional student double majoring in Economics and Biology, won this year’s Hawaii Economics Association Award for the Best Undergraduate Economics Student. This award is given to the University of Hawaii at Manoa economics student who is most likely to broaden public understanding of the economic world and who shows greatest promise in articulating the economic choices we all face in the future. Megan was presented the award from Governor Linda Lingle at a conference on "Housing, Development and Hawaii’s Economic Outlook" in April. Congratulations, Megan!

posted on May 7, 2008

New Book Features Chapters by UH Professors Andrew Mason and James Roumasset

Two of our professors have authored chapters in China's Great Economic Transformation, a new book out from the Cambridge University Press. Professor Andrew Mason authored the chapter "The Demographic Factor in China's Transition" together with Wang Feng, while Professor James Roumasset authored the chapter "Environmental Resources and Economic Growth." together with Hua Wang and UH Economics Ph.D. alum Kimberly Burnett.

The book is available in both hard copy (ISBN 978-0-521-88557-7) and paperback (ISBN 978-0-521-71290-3) editions. You can find out more by looking at the book's entry on Amazon.com.

posted on May 7, 2008

Econ Alumnus Nav Kanel Appointed Dean of Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences at Tribhuvan University

Nav Kanel, who received his Ph.D. in Economics from our department in spring 1991, has been appointed as the new Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Tribhuvan University in Nepal. (You may recall from an earlier news piece on this website that Dr. Kanel had been appointed Acting Dean of the same.) In addition to being a professor of economics at Tribhuvan University, he also serves as an executive editor for The Economic Journal of Nepal. Congratulations, Dr. Kanel, on this appointment!

posted on May 7, 2008

UH Economics Undergraduates Excel In Research

Economics honors students Austin Bunag and Christopher Sheehey presented their theses at the Spring Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Creative Work, which took place this past Saturday, May 3. Economics major Sarah Takemoto also presented her research at the symposium. Takemoto's research, which she conducted with Professor Jim Mak, was funded by the URC Undergraduate Summer Research Award. The projects of all three students are listed below:

• Austin Bunag: "Filipino Remittances and the Money Sending Market in Hawaii"
• Christopher Sheehey: "Impaired Protectionism: Market Distortion and Consumer Contortion under the Passenger Vessel Services Act"
• Sarah Takemoto: "Aloha China: Current Status and Prospects for Mainland Chinese Travel to Hawai‘i"

Congratulations to all three students for all their hard work!

posted on May 5, 2008

Professor Denise Konan Named to Editorial Board of Pacific Focus Journal

Professor Denise Konan has been named to the editorial board of Pacific Focus, a journal published by the Center for International Studies at Inha University in Incheon, South Korea. Congratulations on this honor, Professor Konan!

posted on April 18, 2008

The Economics Club and Omicron Delta Epsilon Host a Presentation by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement

The UH Manoa Economics Club and Omicron Delta Epsilon, the Economics Honors Society, jointly are sponsoring a presentation by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA), a non-profit organization working on the behalf of Native Hawaiian issues, on Wednesday April 23 at 3:30pm in Campus Center 310. It is open to the public and there will be internship positions available with CNHA.

posted on April 18, 2008

The Economics Club and Omicron Delta Epsilon Host Career Night for Economics Majors and Minors

The UH Manoa Economics Club and Omicron Delta Epsilon jointly are sponsoring Career Night for Economics majors and minors on May 7th, 4:45pm, at 515 Saunders Hall. Various companies and organizations such as Ameriprise Financial, Central Pacific Bank, DBEDT and many more will give presentations on how to prepare for the job market. Those interested should contact Austin Bunag at abunag@hawaii.edu to reserve a seat. Bring your resumes!

posted on April 18, 2008

Omicron Delta Epsilon Adopts a Native Hawaiian name for its Chapter

The UH Manoa Chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon recently adopted a Native Hawaiian name for its chapter to honor our local heritage. The official name of our local chapter is now "Holo le'a, the Alpha of Hawaii Chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon". Holo le'a is a Hawaiian word meaning, "to succeed, to fare well, success".

posted on April 18, 2008

Economics Faculty help kick-off Hawaii Food Bank food drive

Left to right: Professors Andrew Mason, Carl Bonham, Sally Kwak, Jerry Russo, Timothy Halliday, and Hui He

The Economics Faculty helped kick-off the Hawaii Food Bank food drive at a fundraiser on Saturday March 22. Pictured above at the fundraiser are: (Left to right) are Andrew Mason, Carl Bonham, Sally Kwak, Jerry Russo, Timothy Halliday, and Hui He.

If you would like to donate, food and monetary donations are currently being collected by the College of Social Sciences. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please contact Kevin Nishimura in the Economics Department (we are accepting monetary donations through April 21). If you would like to donate food, please place all your food donations in the appropriately marked box at the front of the Economics Office by April 25. Mahalo!

posted on April 3, 2008

Econ Almunus T.K. Jayaraman Awarded USP's Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Best Research Publication

Congratulations to T.K. Jayaraman, who graduated with his Ph.D. in Economics from our department in 1975, on receiving the University of the South Pacific's Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Best Research Publication! Dr. Jayaraman received the award for his 2007 book chapter, "Regional Economic Integration in the Pacific Problems and Prospects," which appears in the book Issues in Economic Development of Small Island Economies.

posted on March 20, 2008

Econ Alumnus Nav Kanel Appointed Acting Dean of Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences at Tribhuvan University

Dr. Nav Kanel, an alumnus of our department, has recently been appointed Acting Dean of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences at Tribhuvan University in Nepal. Dr. Kanel earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in 1991. In addition to being a professor of economics at Tribhuvan University, he also serves as an executive editor for The Economic Journal of Nepal. Congratulations to Dr. Kanel on this important appointment!

posted on March 10, 2008

UH Professor Sumner La Croix and U. of Colorado Professor Ann Carlos Awarded NSF Grant

Congratulations to Professor Sumner La Croix and Professor Ann Carlos of the University of Colorado, who are co-principal investigators on a major grant from the National Science Foundation to continue the annual Cliometrics Conference for three years through 2011. The annual conference brings together leading scholars in economic history and the natural and social sciences to discuss critical new interdisciplinary research in economic history. Click here for more information.

posted on February 21, 2008

Econ Alumnus Appointed as UH's New Associate Vice President for Capital Improvements

Congratulations to UH Economics alumnus Brian K. Minaai on being appointed Associate Vice President for Capital Improvements of the University of Hawaii system. Minaai received both his BA and MA degrees in economics from UH-Manoa, in 1973 and 1979, respectively.

Most recently a Senior Development Director for Marriott Vacation Club in Kapolei, Minaai has a history of public service as both Director and Deputy Director of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation and Chief Clerk and Budget Chief of the State Senate Ways & Means Committee. His private sector credentials include Senior Project Manager for Kobayashi Group, LCC and Vice President of Project Management for Haseko (Hawaii), Inc, among others.

On returning to his alma mater, Minaai said, "As a UH alumnus with combined experience of twenty years in private sector, real estate development and ten years in state government, I am excited about returning and making a significant contribution towards enhancing the learning environment of our students."

posted on February 7, 2008

Econ Alumna Elected to Prestigious International Post in Tourism

Congratulations to Pauline J. Sheldon, Professor of Tourism and former Interim Dean of the School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, on being elected as President of the prestigious International Academy for the Study of Tourism (IAST). The organization consists of the top 75 tourism scholars in the world who help to further scholarly research and the professional investigation of tourism.

Sheldon, who received her Ph.D. in economics from UH-Manoa in 1984, is the first woman president of this predominantly male group, which she will lead for the next two years. Sheldon said, "In collaboration with the executive team, I plan to leverage the most important asset of the group – its knowledge and expertise – to raise the profile and quality of tourism globally and identify research areas to provide better understanding of the complexities faced by today’s society."

posted on January 25, 2008