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Research on work readiness indicates employers are increasingly pointing out that soft skills are as important as discipline specific knowledge and technical skills when hiring recent university graduates. However, many university students think excellent grades are the main reason they get the jobs. The disconnect between what employers expect and what students imagine is significant to the extent that many recent university graduates are unable to be employed in the jobs they want, and many employers have challenges dealing with recent university graduates who are not work ready. In 2018, a soft skills pilot study was conducted with internship supervisors who work with the Human Development and Family Studies Program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. An online survey was sent to 65 internship supervisors, and three focus group sessions were conducted as a follow-up of the survey. In 2019, Phase 2 of this study polled 76 employers who participated in a university career fair on what soft skills they expect university graduates to have at the time of hiring. This paper reports on findings to two questions: 1) What employers think of undergraduate university students who have completed an internship with them, and 2) What soft skills employers expect of recent university graduates who are transitioning into the workplace. Findings indicate that in addition to soft skills, employers also regard personal attributes and qualities as equally important at the time of hire.

We explored ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected those who work in the agriculture industry in Hawai'i. Although economic hardship seems to be the obvious consequence, changes to the logistical and daily routines in the home also emerged as major impacts, and psychological effects may be even more distressing. Those who work in agriculture are an essential component of the agricultural and human ecologies to which land-grant universities are connected. Our findings provide valuable insights as to how Extension professionals across the United States may assist agricultural producers and farm families in their own communities at this time.

Video is a powerful tool, and it can be used to motivate student achievement and learning. One of the greatest advantages in getting students to work with digital media is that they can retake and re-edit a project until they are satisfied with it. Students become very occupied in applying what they have learned by producing mini-documentaries, commercials, public service announcements, news stories, and informational presentations. Students learn to succeed by learning from other students' successes. They view exemplary projects produced by their predecessors, and they learn from these projects how to produce a quality product themselves. In addition, students follow a video assessment rubric designed to help them meet and exceed the Hawai'i performance and content standards in video production, language arts, social studies, and technology. In this article, the author discusses some key elements in building a successful video program.

Introduction: Given that the success of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) relies on herd immunity, identifying patients at risk for vaccine hesitancy is imperative--particularly for those at high risk for severe COVID-19 (i.e., minorities and patients with neurological disorders). Methods: Among patients from a large neuroscience institute in Hawaii, vaccine hesitancy was investigated in relation to over 30 sociodemographic variables and medical comorbidities, via a telephone quality improvement survey conducted between 23 January 2021 and 13 February 2021. Results: Vaccine willingness (n = 363) was 81.3%. Univariate analysis identified that the odds of vaccine acceptance reduced for patients who do not regard COVID-19 as a severe illness, are of younger age, have a lower Charlson Comorbidity Index, use illicit drugs, or carry Medicaid insurance. Multivariable logistic regression identified the best predictors of vaccine hesitancy to be: social media use to obtain COVID-19 information, concerns regarding vaccine safety, self-perception of a preexisting medical condition contraindicated with vaccination, not having received the annual influenza vaccine, having some high school education only, being a current smoker, and not having a prior cerebrovascular accident. Unique amongst males, a conservative political view strongly predicted vaccine hesitancy. Specifically for Asians, a higher body mass index, while for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPI), a positive depression screen, both reduced the odds of vaccine acceptance. Conclusion: Upon identifying the variables associated with vaccine hesitancy amongst patients with neurological disorders, our clinic is now able to efficiently provide ancillary COVID-19 education to sub-populations at risk for vaccine hesitancy. While our results may be limited to the sub-population of patients with neurological disorders, the findings nonetheless provide valuable insight to understanding vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study establishes an optical inversion scheme for deriving the absorption coefficient of colored (or chromophoric, depending on the literature) dissolved organic material (CDOM) at the 440 nm wavelength, which can be applied to global water masses with near-equal efficacy. The approach uses a ratio of diffuse attenuation coefficient spectral end-members, i.e., a short- and long-wavelength pair. The global perspective is established by sampling "extremely" clear water plus a generalized extent in turbidity and optical properties that each span 3 decades of dynamic range. A unique data set was collected in oceanic, coastal, and inland waters (as shallow as 0.6 m) from the North Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, Hawaii, Japan, Puerto Rico, and the western coast of the United States. The data were partitioned using subjective categorizations to define a validation quality subset of conservative water masses (i.e., the inflow and outflow of properties constrain the range in the gradient of a constituent) plus 15 subcategories of more complex water masses that were not necessarily evolving conservatively. The dependence on optical complexity was confirmed with an objective methodology based on a cluster analysis technique. The latter defined five distinct classes with validation quality data present in all classes, but which also decreased in percent composition as a function of increasing class number and optical complexity. Four algorithms based on different validation quality end-members were validated with accuracies of 1.2 %–6.2 %, wherein pairs with the largest spectral span were most accurate. Although algorithm accuracy decreased with the inclusion of more subcategories containing nonconservative water masses, changes to the algorithm fit were small when a preponderance of subcategories were included. The high accuracy for all end-member algorithms was the result of data acquisition and data processing improvements, e.g., increased vertical sampling resolution to less than 1 mm (with pressure transducer precision of 0.03–0.08 mm) and a boundary constraint to mitigate wave-focusing effects, respectively. An independent evaluation with a historical database confirmed the consistency of the algorithmic approach and its application to quality assurance, e.g., to flag data outside expected ranges, identify suspect spectra, and objectively determine the in-water extrapolation interval by converging agreement for all applicable end-member algorithms. The legacy data exhibit degraded performance (as 44 % uncertainty) due to a lack of high-quality near-surface observations, especially for clear waters wherein wave-focusing effects are problematic. The novel optical approach allows the in situ estimation of an in-water constituent in keeping with the accuracy obtained in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The architecture, formation, and modification of oceanic plates are fundamental to our understanding of key geologic processes of the Earth. Geophysical surveys were conducted around a site near the Hawaiian Islands (northeastern Hawaiian North Arch region; Hawaiian North Arch hereafter), which is one of three potential sites for an International Ocean Discovery Program mantle drilling proposal for the Pacific plate that was submitted in 2012. The Hawaiian North Arch site is located in 78–81 Ma Cretaceous crust, which had an estimated full spreading rate of 7–8 cm yr -1. This site fills a major gap in our understanding of oceanic crust. Previously drilling has been skewed to young or older crust (<15 or >110 Ma) and slow-spread crust. P-wave velocity structure in the uppermost mantle of the Hawaiian North Arch shows a strong azimuthal anisotropy, whereas Moho reflections below the basement are variable: strong and continuous, weak, diffuse, or unclear. We assume that the strength of the Moho reflection is related to the aging of the oceanic plate. The Hawaiian volcanic chain (200 km to the southwest of the proposed drill site) and the nearby North Arch magmatism on the proposed Hawaiian North Arch sites might also have affected recognition of the Moho via deformation and/or magma intrusion into the lower crust of the uppermost mantle. This workshop report describes scientific targets for 2 km deep-ocean drilling in the Hawaiian North Arch region in order to provide information about the lower crust from unrecovered age and spreading rate gaps from previous ocean drillings. Other scientific objectives to be achieved by drilling cores before reaching the target depth of the project are also described in this report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study establishes an optical inversion scheme for deriving the absorption coefficient of colored (or chromophoric, depending on the literature) dissolved organic material (CDOM) at the 440 nm wavelength, which can be applied to global water masses with near-equal efficacy. The approach uses a ratio of diffuse attenuation coefficient spectral end members, i.e., a short and long wavelength pair. The global perspective is established by sampling "extremely" clear water plus a generalized extent in turbidity and optical properties that each span three decades of dynamic range. A unique data set was collected in oceanic, coastal, and inland waters (as shallow as 0.6 m) from the North Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, Hawaii, Japan, Puerto Rico, and the east and west coasts of the United States. The data were partitioned using subjective categorizations to define a validation quality subset of conservative water masses, i.e., the inflow and outflow of properties constrain the range in the gradient of a constituent, plus 15 subcategories of water masses that were not evolving conservatively. The dependence on subcategories was confirmed with an objective methodology based on cluster analysis techniques. The latter defined five distinct classes with validation quality data present in all classes, but which also decreased in percent composition as a function of increasing class number and optical complexity. Four different algorithms based on different validation quality end members were validated with accuracies of 1.-6.2 %, wherein pairs with the largest spectral span were most accurate. Although algorithm accuracy decreased with the inclusion of more subcategories containing non-conservative water masses, changes to the algorithm fit were small when a preponderance of subcategories were included. The high accuracy for all end-member algorithms was the result of data acquisition and data processing improvements, e.g., increased vertical sampling resolution to less than 1mm and a boundary constraint to mitigate wave focusing effects, respectively. An independent evaluation with a historical database confirmed the consistency of the algorithmic approach and its application to quality assurance, e.g., to flag data outside expected ranges, identify suspect spectra, and objectively determine the in-water extrapolation interval by converging agreement for all applicable end-member algorithms. The legacy data exhibit degraded performance (as 44 % uncertainty) due to a lack of high-quality near-surface observations, especially for clear waters wherein wave-focusing effects are problematic. The novel optical approach allows the in situ estimation of an in-water constituent in keeping with the accuracy obtained in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scaptomyza is a highly diversified genus in the family Drosophilidae, having undergone an explosive radiation, along with the Hawaiian-endemic genus Idiomyia in the Hawaiian Islands: about 60% of 269 Scaptomyza species so far described are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Two hypotheses have been proposed for the origin and diversification of Hawaiian drosophilids. One is the "single Hawaiian origin" hypothesis: Scaptomyza and Idiomyia diverged from a single common ancestor that had once colonized the Hawaiian Islands, and then non-Hawaiian Scaptomyza migrated back to continents. The other is the "multiple origins" hypothesis: Hawaiian Scaptomyza and Idiomyia derived from different ancestors that independently colonized the Hawaiian Islands. A key issue for testing these two hypotheses is to clarify the phylogenetic relationships between Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian species in Scaptomyza. Toward this goal, we sampled additional non-Hawaiian Scaptomyza species, particularly in theOldWorld, and determined the nucleotide sequences of fourmitochondrial and seven nuclear genes for these species. Combining these sequence data with published data for 79 species, we reconstructed the phylogeny and estimated ancestral distributions and divergence times. In the resulting phylogenetic trees, non-Hawaiian Scaptomyza species were interspersed in two Hawaiian clades. From a reconstruction of ancestral biogeography, we inferred that Idiomyia and Scaptomyza diverged outside the Hawaiian Islands and then independently colonized theHawaiian Islands, twice in Scaptomyza, thus supporting the "multiple origins" hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A field study on the photolysis of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) was conducted at high altitudes in Mt. Mauna Kea (Hawaii, USA; 4200m) and Mt. Tateyama (Toyama, Japan; 2500m). Results of photolysis of PFASs in the field were further confirmed in laboratory studies. Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), which is perceived as a non-degradable chemical in the environment, can undergo photolysis. Long chain PFASs can be successively dealkylated to short chain compounds such as perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA) and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), but the short chain compounds were relatively more resistant to photodegradation. These results suggest that environmental levels of short chain PFASs would increase both due to their formation from photolysis of long chain PFASs and from direct releases. Earlier studies on photolysis of PFASs were focused on the formation of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) from precursor compounds (such as fluorotelomer alcohols) under laboratory conditions. Our study suggests that PFSAs and PFCAs themselves can undergo photodegradation in the environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Hawai'i Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP) offers free mammograms and Pap smears to women who are uninsured or underinsured through a statewide provider network. Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and Filipinas are priority populations for this program, and BCCCP providers are required through contract with the Hawai'i Department of Health to utilize half of their allotted mammograms and Pap smears for eligible women from these groups. To identify strategies for increasing use by these groups of mammography and Pap smear screening services through BCCCP, we held focus groups with women who could potentially use BCCCP services, and we conducted key informant interviews with 9 of Hawai'i's 11 BCCCP providers and 9 non-BCCCP outreach workers serving these populations. Findings led to recommendations for promoting awareness of BCCCP and enhancing outreach to Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Filipina communities in Hawai'i. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is twofold: 1) to describe a statistical technique known as K-means clustering in term of its advantages and disadvantages in safety research; and, 2) to use this method to analyze spatial patterns of pedestrian-involved crashes in Honolulu. K-means, a partitioning clustering technique, provides a powerful tool for analyzing and visualizing spatial patterns. While there are other techniques, one of the advantages of the K-means approach is that it is a well established technique that has been used for many different applications other than traffic safety. In this paper, we compare it to hierarchical clustering techniques and suggest that both are useful in the arsenal of spatial analytic tools for safety research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In October 2004 a flood caused extensive damage to the University of Hawai'i (UH) campus and neighboring residential areas in Mānoa Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i. This modeling study was aimed at streamflow evaluation and flood delineation for the area impacted by the flood. The study concluded that the HEC-1 model of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is suitable for simulating storm runoff response for the study area, considering the nature of small Hawai'i watersheds, which generate hydrographs with steep rising and falling limbs. The curve-number method of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service is also suitable because it predicts reasonably well the main features of streamflow hydrographs, including runoff duration and time of peaks. To improve on accuracy, however, there is a need for better characterization of spatial rainfall distribution through measurements. A flood delineation model, which treats the flood as a hypothetical dam break, was used to predict the floodwater pathway, flood zone extent, maximum flood depth, and the time to reach that depth. The model predicted an upper value for storm total flow volume that would not cause flooding on the UH campus. Although not fully validated, the developed models can guide data-collection and decision-making processes. For example, the models demonstrated that it is possible to mitigate the flood through streamflow diversion and stream dredging, realignment, and lining. For efficient management, we recommend defining a new subwatershed of the Ala Wai basin (to be called the West Mānoa Watershed) that contains the university campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Using a comprehensive database of police-reported accidents in Hawaii, we describe the nature of pedestrian accidents over the period 2002–2005. Approximately 36% of the accidents occur in residential areas, while another 34% occur in business areas. Only 41.7% of the pedestrian accidents occur at intersections. More pedestrian crashes occur at non-intersection locations—including midblock locations, driveways, parking lots, and other off roadway locations. Approximately 38.2% of the crashes occur at crosswalk locations, while proportionately more (61.8%) of the pedestrian accidents occur at non-crosswalk locations. Using this database the human, temporal, roadway, and environmental factors associated with being “at-fault” for both pedestrians and drivers are also examined. Using techniques of logistic regression, several different explanatory models are constructed, to identify the factors associated with crashes producing fatalities and serious injuries. Finally, two pedestrian models (drunk males and young boys) and one driver model (male commuters) are developed to provide further understanding of pedestrian accident causation. Drunk male pedestrians who were jaywalking were in excess of 10× more likely than other groups to be at-fault in pedestrian accidents. Young boys in residential areas were also more likely to be at-fault. Male commuters in business areas in the morning were also found to have higher odds of being classified at-fault when involved in pedestrian accidents. The results of this study indicate that there should be a combination of enforcement and educational programs implemented for both the pedestrian and drivers to show those at-fault the consequences of their actions, and to reduce the overall number of accidents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a flexible tool for the simulation of evacuation. • An ABM for a short notice tsunami in Waikiki, Hawaii is developed. • Pedestrian, bicycle, and motorized travel are simulated. • Vertical evacuation is the safest strategy. • Reduction of detection, alert, and warning times also can save lives. • A new bridge over the Ala Wai canal has the potential to save even greater lives. Evacuation planning is an essential part of transportation resilience. It is necessary to understand transportation systems and human behavior to plan for safe evacuation. This study estimates populations exposed to harm, clearance times and fatalities for short-notice evacuation for a catastrophic tsunami event. An Agent-Based Model (ABM) is developed and tested for Waikiki, Hawaii, with three travel modes: pedestrian, bicycle, and motor vehicles. The modeled environment includes the road network, tsunami inundation zones, and building footprints with vertical and horizontal evacuation destinations. Significant loss of life (38,760 persons) is estimated to occur with a catastrophic short-notice tsunami event. A new bridge over the Ala Wai Canal will create an additional exit route that could save 13,860 lives. Shortening tsunami detection and alert times by half would save 4,510 lives over the baseline, do-nothing scenario. Vertical evacuation is most effective and is estimated to save 55,770 lives. In addition to the importance to evacuation planning, the research using ABM supports longer term investment in transportation imnprovements, mitigation and adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a study to examine the factorial validity of the shortened Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (S-PACES) in a multiethnic sample of young boys and girls and to evaluate the difference of the fundamental structure between opposite genders and across time points. Participants of the study include 533 youth from 12 A-Plus (A+) after-school programs in public elementary schools in Hawaii. Researchers conducted a survey using the S-PACES. This scale was used to measure physical activity enjoyment. It included seven negatively worded items from the PACES. Results of the study give proof for the factorial validity of a unidimensional model for the S-ACES and data of invariance between genders and across time. Several tables showing the results are provided in the article.