The outdoor festival brings together food prepared by KCC’s culinary program and the spectacular art form of taiko performed in the shadow of Diamond Head and under the stars. The program begins at 6 pm. The event is free and open to the public, with ample parking on campus.

Performers include Chinagu Eisa Hawaii, Hawaii Okinawa Creative Arts, Hawaii Taiko Kai, Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate and Urizun Minyo Group. This year’s festival also features special guest performers from Okinawa, including Daiichi Hirata, acclaimed producer, choreographer, and musician, as well as members of Requios, the 2012 World Eisa Competition winner.

Eisa is a form of dance and drumming unique to the people of Okinawa. Originally performed as part of a religious function honoring those who have passed, modern Eisa is an exhilarating combination of singing, chanting, dancing and drumming. In Okinawa and Hawaii, Eisa continues to be performed at Bon Dances. This year’s festival will feature contemporary styles of drumming, with Okinawan taiko, karate, lions, and contemporary folk music.

“The first two festivals have been described as ‘magical’ and we hope to continue that tradition in our third year,” said Shari Tamashiro, KCC’s “cybrarian” and one of the coordinators of the festival. “We’re also very pleased to have celebrity chef instructor Grant Sato and KCC’s famous culinary program managing the food booths.”

“The bringing together of Island People, Daiichi Hirata from Okinawa and Kawika Napoleon from Hawaii, was so dynamic… it brought forth a sense of joy and pride from within,” said Dorene Niibu of Windard Community College.

“When I think of Eisa Fest, I think of it as the first major event of the summer,” said KCC faculty member Jonathan Wong. “To me it signals that summer is here and what better way to start the summer off with a bang than with drums, food, music and stars.”

The public is invited to enjoy the evening under the stars. Bring lawn chairs to sit on, blankets, and jackets. Up to date information on program, schedule, parking, maps, and food items on sale will be posted at www.facebook.com/eisahawaii. Alcohol is strictly prohibited at the event.

Video from the first Eisa Drum Festival in 2011:

After testing demand in the market for several months, the Founder Institute was able to recruit enough candidates interested in launching a technology company with the program. In order to celebrate the launch, the Honolulu Founder Institute has scheduled several free events where attendees can meet local entrepreneurs and learn more about the program.

• May 15th, 6:30 p.m.:
  Making the Leap from Employee to Entrepreneur
• May 29th, 6:30 p.m.:
  Startup Founder 101
• May 29th, 9:00 p.m.:
  Founder Night Out
• June 12th, 6:30 p.m.:
  Startup Founder 101
• June 26th, 6:30 p.m.:
  Startup Pitch Bootcamp
• June 26th, 9:00 p.m.:
  Founder Night Out

The Founder Institute is a part-time, four month training program where aspiring entrepreneurs can launch a company with expert feedback and support from experienced startup CEOs, while not being required to quit their day job. The program aims to help launch over 20 meaningful and enduring technology companies per year in Hawaii, filling the gap between idea formation and starting a company that first-time technology founders currently can experience in Hawaii.

“While it took a little longer than we expected, we were able to garner a large amount of demand for a Honolulu Founder Institute Chapter,” says Adeo Ressi, Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute. “ZenBanx and the Better Business Bureau have been very supportive, and I believe that our program will help build a more vibrant ecosystem where local entrepreneurs and mentors can work together to develop great ideas and launch meaningful companies.”

Anybody who is interested can apply to the Honolulu Founder Institute. Final Applications are due on June 30th, but those who apply by the Early Application Deadline on June 2nd are eligible for a variety of scholarships – including the Female Founder Fellowship, which is offered to the best overall female applicant. The program is open to existing and prospective technology founders of all kinds – with or without an idea, young or old, and with a full-time job or unemployed.

Russel Cheng and Brent Kakesako will lead the Honolulu Founder Institute. Russel is the Founder of StartupHui, the Interim-COO at NoJuice.com, and has founded six companies (with two successful exits). Brent is COO of the Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development (HACBED), and is a Co-Founder of Cultivating Collaboration & Collective Change organizations. Both Co-Directors currently serve as volunteer entrepreneurs in residence at the local universities and at Punahou School.

Expected Mentors for the Hawaii program include:

• Adeo Ressi, Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute;
• Bob Nakata, CEO of Oahu Group;
• Donavan Kealoha, Co-Founder & CEO of Asio Corporation;
• Matt Mandell, Serial Entrepreneur;
• Roger Yee, Investor at Fortify Ventures;
• And many more to be announced.

Learn more about the Founder Institute at http://fi.co.

About the Founder Institute

The Founder Institute is an early-stage startup accelerator and global launch network that helps entrepreneurs create meaningful and enduring technology companies. Through a part-time four-month program, existing and prospective founders can launch their dream company with expert training, feedback, and support from experienced startup CEOs – while not being required to quit their day job. Our unique Graduate Liquidity Pool also enables graduates and mentors to share in the equity upside of each graduating class, creating local, teamwork-based ecosystems where new businesses can flourish. In just three years of operation, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 800 companies across 42 cities and five continents – making us the world’s largest startup accelerator. Our goal is to “Globalize Silicon Valley” by launching 1,000 meaningful and enduring technology companies per year in over 75 cities worldwide.

Early childhood education providers and stakeholders from across the State, along with lawmakers, Early Childhood Coordinator Terry Lock and Governor Neil Abercrombie, participated in a roundtable discussion on early childhood education in Hawaii yesterday.

Stakeholders from Maui, Kauai, Waimea, Kona and Hilo participated in the discussion via Google+ Hangout, hosted by Senate Committee Education Chair Senator Jill Tokuda. U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono’s Chief of Staff Betsy Lin also linked in, via Google+ Hangout from Washington, D.C.

Participants discussed early childhood education program measures moving through the legislature. Providing Resources Early for Kids Act (PRE-K Act), a measure introduced by Senator Hirono earlier this month was also discussed. The PRE-K Act creates a new federal-state partnership that incentivizes states to both improve the quality of state preschool programs and expand to serve more children in need. Under this legislation states, like Hawaii, could apply for startup funds if they submit a plan to establish a high-quality preschool program within two years.

“To do nothing for early childhood education in Hawaii is not an option,” said Tokuda. “The bills were written to create a robust, high-quality early childhood education program implemented in our State that prepares our youngest of keiki for school and life. Using new media to engage with stakeholders and constituents on all islands allows us to have a more dynamic discussion with many different perspectives.”

“We had an interesting discussion on the future of early education and what’s at stake for our children,” said Sen. J. Kalani English (District 7 – Hana, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, Kaho‘olawe), who participated in the Hangout. “Using Google+ Hangout to broaden the conversation across the State and even to Washington, D.C. opens the door to a more fruitful discussion.”

Along with using Google + Hangout, the discussion utilized Twitter to receive questions from the public.

“Using communication tools such as twitter and Google+ Hangout to discuss an important initiative like early education enables people to participate in the conversation from wherever they are. They don’t have to be in the room to listen in, or chime in,” said Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran (District 5 – Wailuku, Waihe‘e, Kahului), who was tweeting information during the event.

Sen. Russell Ruderman (District 2 -Puna, Ka‘u) also attended the event. He said, “I am excited especially for the neighbor islands residents because they were able to participate in government through the use of the technology available.”

Google+ Hangouts provides users the capability to video chat with multiple individuals at the same time. Google+ Hangouts in concert with other social media vehicles continue to be leveraged by government officials seeking new ways to engage with those they serve.

This is Tokuda’s second Google+ Hangout event this legislative session. In February, Tokuda conducted the Senate’s first ever Hangout, dubbed the “Principal Hangout,” in which she sat down with principals from around the state to talk about the Weighted Student Formula.

Photo Courtesy Senate Communications

The Guy Toyama Memorial Fund will provide scholarships for students interested in sustainability and entrepreneurship. In addition, the fund will provide grants for non-profit projects focused on innovation and sustainability integration. The fund will create positive outcomes for future generations through disciplines such as renewable energy, local food production, and waste reduction.

Toyama, a Hawaii visionary and champion of sustainable business and renewable energy, passed away in November of 2012. In honor of his longstanding commitment to improving the relationship between people and the islands, his never-ending spirit of kuleana will be carried on through the fund.

All who knew Guy were touched by his enthusiasm for life and his many passions. His joyful exuberance and his exceptional knowledge of how to live lightly on the planet were a source of inspiration to many. This memorial fund, made possible by donations from friends, family, and businesses, furthers Guy’s global vision for a better future.

“Guy’s gift of generosity and his passion for positive social and environmental change were contagious. The memorial fund celebrates his enthusiasm and his unending dedication to the community,” said Debbie Baker, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.

Initially, the fund will focus on Hawaii Island and the state of Hawaii. Donor support may allow the fund to expand its efforts globally. A fundraising pau hana kickoff event for the fund is planned for Friday April 26, 2013 from 4:00pm – 7:00pm at the Gateway Energy Center near the entrance of the Natural Energy Laboratory Hawaii Authority (NELHA).

“Guy lived his life with a deep sense of kuleana, and he treated everyone with aloha. He made everyone he touched believe that we can solve our problems and live and work in harmony with each other and nature,” said Walter Kunitake, President of the Kona Japanese Civic Association.

Friends of the Future, a Hawaii 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is accepting contributions to the Fund. Checks should be made payable to Friends of the Future, include “Guy Toyama Memorial Fund” in the memo line, and be mailed to:

Friends of the Future
PO Box 2655
Kamuela, HI 96743

Visit www.fofhawaii.org and click on the DONATE link to contribute online using PayPal or a credit card. Include “Guy Toyama Memorial Fund” in the “note to seller” field when you review the PayPal transaction. Requests for additional information can be addressed to info@guytoyamafund.org.

Photo courtesy Simple Solutions for Planet Earth and Humanity.

Wisdom was first banded in 1956, when she was incubating an egg in the same area of the refuge. She was at least five years old at the time.

“Everyone continues to be inspired by Wisdom as a symbol of hope for her species,” said Doug Staller, the Fish and Wildlife Service Superintendent for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Monument), which includes Midway Atoll NWR.

Staff and volunteers stationed on Midway are responsible for monitoring the health of the beautiful seabirds that arrive every year by the hundreds of thousands to nest. Upon the seabirds’ arrival, field staff monitor them and gather information for one of the longest and oldest continuous survey data sets for tropical seabirds in the world.

Wisdom has worn out five bird bands since she was first banded by U.S. Geological Survey scientist Chandler Robbins in 1956. Robbins estimated Wisdom to be at least five years old at the time, since this is the earliest age at which these birds breed. Typically, they breed at eight or nine years of age after a very involved courtship lasting over several years, so Wisdom could be even older than 62.

“As Wisdom rewrites the record books, she provides new insights into the remarkable biology of seabirds,” said Bruce Peterjohn, chief of the North American Bird Banding Program at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, MD.

“It is beyond words to describe the amazing accomplishments of this wonderful bird and how she demonstrates the value of bird banding to better understand the world around us. If she were human, she would be eligible for Medicare in a couple years yet she is still regularly raising young and annually circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean. Simply incredible.”

Peterjohn said Wisdom has likely raised at least 30 to 35 chicks during her breeding life, though the number may well be higher because experienced parents tend to be better parents than younger breeders. Albatross lay only one egg a year, but it takes much of a year to incubate and raise the chick. After consecutive years in which they have successfully raised and fledged a chick, the parents may take the occasional next year off from parenting. Wisdom is known to have nested in 2006 and then every year since 2008.

Sue Schulmeister, Manager of the Midway Atoll NWR, said, “Wisdom is one is one of those incredible seabirds that has provided the world valuable information about the longevity of these beautiful creatures and reinforces the importance of breeding adults in the population. This information helps us measure the health of our oceans that sustain albatross.”

Almost as amazing as being a parent at 62 is the number of miles Wisdom has likely logged – about 50,000 miles a year as an adult – which means that Wisdom has flown at least two million to three million miles since she was first banded. Or, to put it another way, that’s four to six trips from the Earth to the Moon and back again, with plenty of miles to spare.

Albatross are remarkable fliers, able to travel thousands of miles on wind currents without ever flapping their wings. Nineteen of 21 species of albatross are threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Threats include longline fishing, in which birds are inadvertently hooked and drowned (though conservation groups have banded with fishermen and dramatically lowered the number of deaths from this cause); marine debris, which is ingested by adults and fed to chicks, often leading to starvation; invasive species such as rats and wild cats, which prey on eggs, chicks, and nesting adults; and on Midway, lead poisoning of chicks from lead-based paint used in previous decades.

Midway Atoll NWR hosts the world’s largest albatross colony, which is monitored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff and volunteers. Elsewhere, Ka’ena Point Natural Area Reserve, managed by the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, hosts the only nesting Laysan albatross colony on O‘ahu and offers hikers the opportunity to observe these amazing seabirds from a distance as they tend to this season’s newly hatched chicks.

About Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

Papahānaumokuākea is cooperatively managed to ensure ecological integrity and achieve strong, long-term protection and perpetuation of Northwestern Hawaiian Island ecosystems, Native Hawaiian culture, and heritage resources for current and future generations. Three co-trustees – the Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, and State of Hawai‘i – joined by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, protect this special place. Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument was inscribed as the first mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States in July 2010. For more information, please visit www.papahanaumokuakea.gov.

 About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Set in Seattle during World War II, “Hold These Truths” follows Hirabayashi, then a University of Washington student, as he fights to reconcile his country’s betrayal with his passionate belief in the U.S. Constitution.

President Obama posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hirabayashi (1918-2012), the nation’s highest civilian honor, in April 2012.

Kim said: “I was deeply moved by ‘Hold These Truths’ when I saw it in New York. Having lived in Hawaii for almost nine years now, I recognized how inspiring Gordon Hirabayashi’s story would be to our community. Given the islands’ unique connection to World War II through the 442nd Infantry and 100th Combat Battalion, bringing this production seemed to be a natural fit. It’s a beautifully written, expertly acted and directed piece that ultimately reaffirms what it means to be American. I’m honored to have the opportunity, with HTY, to bring it to Hawaii.”

The production is directed by Lisa Rothe and stars actor Joel de la Fuente (the principal talent behind the original Epic Theatre Ensemble New York production in October 2012). The show runs at Honolulu Theatre for Youth’s Tenney Theatre from February 21 to March 2, 2013. Proceeds will support the non-profit theatre and drama education programs of HTY.

Kim and de la Fuente have been close friends since their days together in the Graduate Acting Program at NYU.

“Not only is he a very dear friend, but a superb actor who’s deserving of all the success he’s enjoyed with ‘Hold These Truths,’ Kim said. “Watching an artist of his caliber perform live is a great opportunity for people of Hawaii to see a world class performance.”

Reviewing the NY production, Japan Culture NYC said, “‘Hold These Truths’ is lighthearted, witty, and laugh-out-loud funny… Joel de la Fuente does a tremendous job as Gordon, endearing himself to the audience with Gordon’s exuberance… Both Sakata and de la Fuente emphasize the no-nonsense firmness within Gordon, whose deeply patriotic spirit and uncompromising faith allowed him to take on the US government as an American citizen.”

HOLD THESE TRUTHS RUN DATES:

• OPENING NIGHT Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday February 22 at 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, February 23 at 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday February 24 at 3:00 p.m.
• Thursday February 28 at 7:30 p.m.
• CLOSING NIGHT Saturday, March 2 at 8:00 p.m.

General admission is $20 for adults; $15 for students/seniors; limited premium seating available for $30. Tickets may be ordered online at www.htyweb.org or by calling HTY at (808) 839-9885.

BIOGRAPHIES

Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi (1918-2012) was an American sociologist best known for his resistance to the Japanese-American internment during World War II. He was one of the only three to openly defy it. After being convicted for curfew violation he was sentenced to 90 days in prison. The verdict was appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Hirabayashi v. United States (1943). They unanimously ruled against him. He later spent a year in federal prison for refusing induction into the armed forces after they had sent out a racially discriminatory survey to Japanese-Americans demanding renunciation of allegiance to the emperor of Japan. In 1987, the U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit overturned his conviction from 1943. In 2012, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hirabayashi for his principled stand against Japanese-American internment.

Joel de la Fuente’s (Gordon Hirabayashi) NY theatre credits include: Ivanov in Ivanov; The Downtown Plays; Claudio in Beatrice and Benedict, with the NY Philharmonic; The Square; America Dreaming and Valentine in The Two Gentlemen of Verona. In 2005, Joel served as the Artistic Associate of the National Asian American Theater Company and also appeared in their world premiere of Cowboy v. Samurai, among others. Other theatrical credits include Vershinin in The Three Sisters; Ariel in The Tempest; Florizel in The Winter’s; Chay Yew’s Red and Liu Mengmei in The Peony Pavilion. On television, Joel has spent ten seasons in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” He was a series regular on the Fox drama, “Space: Above & Beyond;” and is recurring in the upcoming series “Hemlock Grove,” exclusively available on Netflix. On screen, he stars in Brief Reunion (Audience Choice Award Winner) and in the upcoming film, Forgetting The Girl. Additional film credits include: Personal Velocity; The Adjustment Bureau; The Happening; Heights; Return to Paradise and From Other Worlds. Joel’s essay on his experiences as an Asian American actor is published in Pyong Gap Min’s “Struggle for Ethnic Identity.”

Lisa Rothe (Director). Recent Credits: Penelope (Playmakers Repertory Theatre); Ada (Center for Contemporary Opera). Directed and/or developed in NY: The Foundry, New Georges, Epic Theatre Ensemble, Lark Play Development Center, Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST), 52nd Street Project, Naked Angels, New York Theatre Workshop, The Public Theater, BAM, Summer Play Festival (SPF), NYMF, Midtown International Theatre Festival (Best Director), The Women’s Project, National Actors Theater, Keen Company (Keen Teens), Orchard Project, Voice & Vision, HERE, Dixon Place. Regionally: Synchronicity Theatre, Chautauqua Theatre, Vermont Stage Company, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Shakespeare Theatre, The New Harmony Project, Riverside Theatre, Seaside Shakespeare (Nantucket), among others. Director of Offsite Programs and Partnerships at the Lark Play Development Center.

Jeanne Sakata’s (Playwright) Hold These Truths had its world premiere in 2007 at East West Players, co-presented by the Japanese American National Museum, UCLA Department of Asian American Studies, and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. It was subsequently developed with the Epic Theatre Ensemble, the Lark Play Development Center, and the New York Theatre Workshop. It was presented in 2011 in Chicago with Silk Road Rising/Millennium Park, and is now part of the Library of Congress Playwrights Archive in the Asian American Pacific Islander Collection in Washington DC. Jeanne is also a renowned actress whose many accolades include an LA Ovation Award for Best Lead Actress for Chay Yew’s Red at EWP, and a 2011 Outstanding Artist Award for career achievement by Los Angeles’ Asian Pacific American Friends of the Theatre.

ABOUT HONOLULU THEATRE FOR YOUTH

Honolulu Theatre for Youth is Hawaii’s non-profit professional theatre company providing theatre and drama education programs that make a difference in the lives of Hawaii’s young people and families. Founded in 1955, HTY is recognized the world over as one of America’s most honored theatres.

The Young Entrepreneur award went to Scott Mercer of Volta Industries, makers of advertising driven free electric vehicle charging stations. Dan Leuck, co-founder of CONTIX and CEO and founder of Ikayzo won the Software Entrepreneur award. Ken Berkun, founder of Labels That Talk won the Inventor Entrepreneur award for his patented invention, Soundpaper. Winner of the Socially Responsible Entrepreneur of the Year award is Elyse Petersen, founder of Tealet, a social enterprise that connects tea drinkers with small tea growers around the world. David Watumull, co-founder of CARDAX Pharmaceuticals and former CEO of Hawaii Biotech was acknowledged for his many years of devoted entrepreneurship in biotech as the 2012 Legacy Entrepreneur.

“These entrepreneurs are local heroes and role models. They have worked long hard days, made personal sacrifices and taken extreme risks that prove there are people in Hawaii that have what it takes to build great companies,” said Bill Spencer, President of the Hawaii Venture Capital Association.

The Hawaii Venture Capital Association was founded in 1988 to promote venture capital formation, entrepreneurship and economic diversification in Hawaii. Spencer has served as its president since 1999. This is HVCA’s 12th annual Deal of the Year and 5th annual Entrepreneur of the Year award ceremony.

Deal of the Year: Darren Kimura, CEO, Sopogy
Sopogy has pioneered the concept of MicroCSP(tm) using its mirrored concentrating solar thermal solar collectors to create high quality thermal heat. This heat is used in the industrial process and as solar steam. The International Energy Agency has estimated that only 17% of final energy consumption is for electricity while 47% of final energy consumption is in the generation of thermal energy. Sopogy’s technologies are poised to capture the thermal energy market by harnessing the power of the sun. Sopogy’s thermal energy is the fuel for stable, renewable process heat and solar steam. Please visit www.sopogy.com for more information.

Young Entrepreneur: Scott Mercer, Co-Founder and CEO, Volta Industries, LLC
An automobile enthusiast since birth, Mercer began by trading Hot Wheels cars with his friends at age five and never looked back! Mercer founded Volta, an electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure firm, in Hawaii in
August 2010. He and business partner Christopher Ching developed Volta’s proprietary revenue model based on public EV charging stations, and successfully launched this business model on Oahu in 2012, quickly expanding the number of EV charging stations throughout the island. Today Mercer is leading Volta’s strategic expansion to ten cities on both U.S. coasts by heading up efforts to secure capital from outside investors. In addition, Mercer is working to establish partnerships both regionally in Hawaii and nationally.

Software Entrepreneur: Dan Leuck, Chairman & Co-Founder, Contix
Dan is the CEO and Owner of Ikayzo, a software development and interactive design firm servicing customers such as Bank of America, Nomura Securities, PIMCO, Sony and Oracle. Previously, Dan served as SVP of R&D for ValueCommerce, Asia’s largest online marketing company, Global Head of Development for London-based LastMinute.com, Europe’s largest B2C website, and President of the US division of DML. Daniel has extensive experience managing teams of 150+ developers in five countries. He has served on numerous advisory boards and panels for companies such as Macromedia and Sun Microsystems.

Inventor Entrepreneur: Ken Berkun, Labels that Talk
Ken founded Labels That Talk in 2006 and has invented and patented its core technology, Soundpaper that lets you record sound on everything from labels to greeting cards. He has extensive background in high tech companies, both as an individual contributor and in management. Prior to Labels That Talk, he was a co-founder of Singingfish, the world’s first audio/video search engine (now owned by AOL). Ken was responsible for Singingfish’s business plan and strategy.

Social Entrepreneur: Elyse Petersen, Founder, Tealet
Elyse worked as a Global Tea Ambassador in Wazuka, Kyoto, Japan with the International Tea Farms Alliance. Through her time in Japan she made many connections with tea farmers and was inspired by the passion farmers had for their tea. She is now the founder of Tealet, a social enterprise that connects drinkers with tea growers around the world.

Legacy Entrepreneur: David Watumull, Co-Founder, Cardax
Mr. Watamull has more than twenty years experience as a biotechnology industry executive, analyst, and investment banker. He is cofounder of Cardax Pharmaceuticals and co-inventor of the Cardax technology with 14 U.S. and global patents to his name. Cardax has developed and patented a novel class of anti-inflammatory compounds with the potency of steroids or NSAIDS such as aspirin or Celebrex but with the safety of food. He has raised more than $12 million for Cardax since it spun out from Hawaii Biotech in May of 2006. As CEO of Hawaii Biotech, he led efforts that resulted in more than $25 million in investor financing and $30 million in federal grant and contract funding.

— President Barack Obama

STEM Week Hawaii is a multi-day celebration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) education across the state, organized by HAS and supported by the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).

The 2013 program will expand upon the first STEM Week Hawaii, held in April. Scheduled to run concurrently with the 56th Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair (HSSEF), several special events will culminate in a gala awards dinner. These events include an Industry Exposition and Job Fair, which gives local businesses and organizations an opportunity to demonstrate their technology and services, and two fast-paced “Ignite STEM Week” presentations that will showcase some of the cutting-edge research and development taking place in Hawaii.

Sen. Daniel K. Inouye was on hand to present the inaugural STEM Week Hawaii awards, which recognized STEM programs at 14 local schools. Mililani High and Highlands Intermediate schools took statewide honors, and Hawaiian Electric Company received the first Daniel K. Inouye Award for Commitment to STEM Education.

STEM Week Hawaii is statewide program that recognizes schools that promote a rich variety of STEM activities, offer students many entry points for involvement in STEM education, conduct outreach to a broad and diverse population of students, or encourage co-curricular STEM programs that align with academic standards. Because of its unique, independent nature, diverse programs like VEX Robotics, FIRST Robotics, Science Olympiad, Cyber Patriot and many others are recognized in a single awards ceremony.

The core of the STEM Week Hawaii program, including the expo to the awards dinner, will take place April 7-9, 2013 at the Hawaii Convention Center. The science fair awards and STEM Week awards will both be announced on Tuesday, April 9. The locations and dates of the planned “Ignite STEM Week” sessions will be announced soon.

All public and private middle and high schools throughout Hawaii are invited to participate in STEM Week Hawaii. (Elementary schools will be added to the mix in 2014.) And local companies are encouraged to support them, whether via the industry expo or through a range of sponsorship levels.

For more information on attending, sponsoring, or presenting at STEM Week Hawaii, please visit STEMWeekHawaii.org.

ABOUT HAS

The Hawaii Academy of Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax exempt charitable organization committed to promoting scientific research and education in Hawaii and the Pacific Rim. The Academy is particularly interested in developing and executing programs and experiences for the science and learning communities. In addition to the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair, projects include the Pacific Symposium for Science & Sustainability (PS3) and Science Cafe. For more information, visit hawaiiacademyofscience.org.

Benjamin Travino presents visualizations of budget data. Photo by Burt Lum.

Nearly 700 state employees, community leaders and members of the public joined Governor Neil Abercrombie today for the 2012 Hawaii Digital Government Summit at the Hilton Hawaiian Village to engage employees and other stakeholders in the state’s business and information technology transformation initiative.

Presented by Government Technology Executive Events and the Center for Digital Government – at no cost to the state – the event featured more than 20 sessions on topics ranging from modernization of public schools to health information technology.

“Transformation of state government is about delivering the services people need – anywhere, anytime,” said Governor Neil Abercrombie. “Hawaii’s IT Transformation Plan, launched in October, will accomplish its goals by investing in the state’s greatest asset – its employees. Making government more efficient and effective brings opportunities to those who work in state offices, enabling employees to provide a higher level of service while attaining new skills and playing a role in reshaping the way government conducts business. This will help us to strengthen our economy, sustain Hawaii for future generations and build public confidence in government.”

“Government Technology and the Center for Digital Government present events, such as today’s summit, with the help of private sector companies, to make government leaders and workers aware of the solutions that exist in the industry and help them to apply technology in a way that solves problems,” said Alan Cox, senior vice president of Government Technology Executive Events.

The summit provided an opportunity for state employees to learn about how technology and best practices from the private sector and other state governments can be deployed here in Hawaii to improve the services provided to residents and businesses. Attendees were able to discuss with government leaders and local executives the challenges they face and collaboratively develop solutions.

State of Hawaii Chief Information Officer Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia added: “This undertaking is about more than technology, it is about improving business operations. The transformation plan that we have released provides the roadmap for bringing the State of Hawaii into the 21st century, but it will require collaborative working relationships at all levels of state government to shape the outcomes. This summit provides us with the opportunity to engage state employees in implementing the plan and have them help develop solutions that will improve their ability to provide services to the public.”

“The transformation initiative will result in immediate and long-term benefits to the people of Hawaii,” said Randy Baldemor, Deputy Chief Information Officer of Business Transformation. “Citizens will have 24/7 online access to the services they need most and businesses will have better access to the services they need to run efficiently and grow our economy.”

The event featured sessions and panel discussions on a wide range of topics, including Enterprise Resource Planning; Mobile Device Management; Tax Modernization; Health IT; Consolidated Infrastructure/Enterprise Shared Services; Virtualization Trends; Organizational Change Management; Open Government; Modernization of Public Schools; the Hawaii Broadband Initiative; the Mobile Device Revolution; and Identity and Access Management.

About Government Technology

Government Technology is about solving problems in state and local government through the smart use of technology. Drawing on the experiences from across the country, Government Technology features best practices, and fosters communities of interest around improving service delivery and transforming government operations.

About The Center for Digital Government

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. Government Technology and the Center for Digital Government are divisions of e.Republic, a national publishing, events and research company focused on smart media for public sector innovation .