Stoked to have a lab visit by Kauai Community College students. I wish them on their journey to reach their dreams to be Engineers. :)
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A special screening of "In Football We Trust" at UH Manoa happened at the Art Building. The movie was an epic film in showcasing Tongan and Samoan diapsora experiences in America and sports.
My Tongan friends at East-West Center (Joseph, Tricia, and Lea Lani) invited me to see this film. Aside from supporting my friends, I really wanted to learn more about other Polynesian's experiences in sports. For my family sports were (and still are for my entire ohana) a big part in our development as youth--whether we made it big or not. This screening was extra-special because the directors Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn were present to give a Q&A. They were here to debut the film at the Hawaii International Film Festival. This documentary filmed followed 4 second-generation kane from freshman year of high school til graduation. I was inspired by the intent to share a Polynesian American narrative and shed some light to the complexities of success for Polynesian in sports as means to grasp the "American Dream", pay for college and perhaps make it in the NFL. I applaud the directors for their beautiful craftsmenship to share these stories.
Here at the East-West Center in the fall semester we have "Concert on the Lawn" in front of Hale Halawai on the UH Manoa campus. It is an opportunity for us participants and friends to share with each other talents on stage to bridge understanding between East and West (and North and South).
Sustenance of life
Talanoa, talk story, Clap substance frees #haiku #hehaikunaLelemia #mahiua
I pray best wishes
May you carry these lessons Odds ever with you #haiku #hehaikunaLelemia #mahiua
Source: World Toilet Organization By 2030, world leaders adopted a 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals to tackle global challenges and restore the balance. Kakoo ia e au! Ke kumu 6: Maemae wale no ka wai a me ke kulana o ke ola! Photo Credit: World Toilet Organization I commit to support goal 6 clean water and sanitation. Think how in our everyday lives can we support these goals and live sust-AINA-able lives.
For myself, to support goal 6, I commit to: * Using water savings technologies * 100% water conservation ethic #livingwaters #thirstytuesday * to be continued... aole i pau... I am a Native Hawaiian PhD Student in water engineering. I need your vote! Watch this video. Vote by clicking "LIKE" (thumbs up), subscribe and share! Let's take Hawaii and the Pacific to the next level as a village #livingwater #rainfarmer Mahalo heaps for your support. <3
School is back in session for the fall 2015 at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It feels great to be back to see old and meet new faces on campus. I am stoked and very fortunate to be a grader this semester under the tutelage of Dr. Albert S. Kim. I look forward to seeing this group of haumana blossom thriving engineers-in-training. Engineering Mechanics II is known to be a weeder course. In my time as an undergrad, it was common for students in my generation to repeat CEE 270 and CEE 271. It was quite common for students to take the course at a community college so their GPA would not be severely impacted. Times have considerably changed from my undergraduate years for CEE 270 (Statics) and CEE 271 (Dynamics). There has been a lot of resources invested by our faculty to incorporate adaptive approaches to teach engineering mechanics. That being said, it is still the responsibility of student to take ample time and effort to consume, absorb, assimilate and apply the knowledge of engineering mechanics. The following are my suggested study tips for success in engineering mechanics for students to succeed in engineering mechanics II, dynamics. Dear Dynamics student: The study habits and problem solving skills that you hone now are foundational to help you succeed in all your upper division engineering courses. You are developing the mindset of how to think like an engineer and apply the knowledge to the real world context. Approach this course with an open-mind. In other words, we (the professor and me, the grader) are here to help you add more tools to be included in your tool box. This tool box will house the many tools and skills you acquire and malama (take care) from life, internship, and academic experiences. This toolbox will help help you in career as engineer to develop solutions to wicked problems in this world. Refer to the P.S. for study tips in the P.S. that we suggest to help you be successful in engineering mechanics and beyond. All the best, Grader of Dynamics P.S. Study Tips for Success in Engineering Mechanics. Download here at UH Manoa ScholarSpace. Before Lecture: a) Skim: how is the chapter organized? b) Read the summary, then preview the chapter c) Look at the charts, diagrams and figures d) Learn the terminology/vocabulary/strategies and approaches to solve problems e) Develop learning objectives: What do you want to learn? Note: If you are learning something you want, then what are you learning? During Lecture: a) Bring textbook/handouts to class b) Identify topic of the lecture: concept/fact/tidbit c) Identify key concepts discussed d) Leave spaces for questions e) Leave the margins open: so you can come back and create your exam questions Immediately After Lecture: a) Five minute recap: what happened today in lecture b) Identify main topics: what did the instructor stress c) What is necessary to now about each topic and solving engineering problems: questions, units of measurements, givens, free body diagrams, state your assumptions, fundamental equations, math involved to solve question(s) Note: Redo all example problems without looking at the answers. Time yourself to mimic testing conditions (no more than 10 minutes/problem). Immediately After Lecture: a) Five minute recap: what happened today in lecture b) Identify main topics: what did the instructor stress c) What is necessary to now about each topic and solving engineering problems: questions, units of measurements, givens, free body diagrams, state your assumptions, fundamental equations, math involved to solve question(s) Note: Redo all example problems without looking at the answers. Time yourself to mimic testing conditions (no more than 10 minutes/problem). Same Day: a) Read text and label information: focus on the bold words b) Complete learning objectives: What did you learn? c) Fill in questions in the margins that you left open d) Organize and summarize: how will you learn and apply the material in the future? Note: Do example problems from the book. Give yourself time restraints. Know the fundamental questions and exceptions to the rules. Next Day: a) Review material from the previous day: What did I learn yesterday? b) Read through areas that were confusing: What don’t I understand? c) Create exam questions? How would I test this concept? d) Memorize key concepts. What should I know for the test? For the future (i.e., in upper division coursework, graduate school, and for employment as an engineer)? Note: Do more example problems. Give yourself time restraints. Study with others. Give presentations on how to solve the problems. Same Week: a) Prepare review materials: Summarize the materials to make it your own (in your own words, in academic vernacular, in engineering jargon, suitable to explain to you grandmother) a. Communication skills are essential in your success as engineer. b) Know and memorize the charts, diagrams, and how to draw free body diagrams: Why are images, charts, diagrams, free body diagrams so important? c) Check notes: clear, consistent, and complete d) Practice problems: Understand the appropriate equations needed to solve the problem which will build upon an accumulated knowledge Note: Do more example problems. Know how to explain free diagrams. Be able to explain fundamental equations and appropriate times to use them. Give yourself time restraints. End of topic: a) Make sure you know your topic: a. Mechanics is everywhere but you must be able to first see it. In other words, break down the motions in step-wise pieces that can be explained using fundamental equations b) A good rule of thumb to test your knowledge: a. Explain what you learn to someone in simplest terms possible without referring to notes or a textbook Exam:
a. Exam questions are mostly problem based b. Think like a test a maker. c. What worked? What did not work? a. How did you study? b. How many problems did you solve from the chapter/section? c. Did you allow yourself adequate time to prepare before lecture? d. Did you make adequate preparation for review? e. Did you do problems/read immediately after class? f. Did you study effectively? g. How many times did you review the material? h. Did you stay up late cramming the night before? i. Did you do your homework? How long did it take you? Did you review your homework? j. Did you master the terminology, and know how to use it, appropriately? k. Did you master the math needed to solve the problems? l. Did you get together in study groups to review and drill each other on the material? m. Did you take advantage of recitation, study help and office hours? After exam: 1. What would you have done differently? 2. What will you change? 3. What excuses did you make for putting off learning the material? 4. What got in your way of preparing? 5. What are you goals for the next test? Adapted for CEE 271: Dynamics by J. L. Irvine from a handout by Profess Grant Harada’s Zoology 141 and 142 courses in 2011, updated 2015 Citation for this document: J. L Irvine (2015) Study Tips Handout for Engineering Mechanics. Hand-out. University of Hawaii at Manoa
Last month (June, 2015), I was invited by Dr. Myhraliza Aala to give a presentation on demystifying the process of writing personal statements for her High School Interns in July, 2015. After receiving her invitation with no hesitation I decided to take her offer because personal statements are a crucial component in an application for admissions in academia, internships, and scholarships. Often times, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, underrepresented minority students, and local students from Hawaii struggle with writing personal statements because of self-doubt and not-knowing. I should know, I was once there. For many of us, we are trailblazers in our ohana to even consider and pursue college.
I presented this to the student interns and wrote this blog post to share some of the many lessons I learned. It is my intent as well as to share my presentation and style to practitioners who present on this kind of material. I don't want to hoard knowledge. It is important to know that there is no magic formula or “correct answer” when it comes to writing personal statements; however, this is just some lessons I learned along the way to begin to develop my voice as a writer. It is valuable to learn from many sources and begin to find your voice. Uiha...e hele kakou! The best way of learning how to write personal statements is to write a personal statement Two days before the presentation, I sent an email to the attendees to fill out a pre-evaluation form. This was a mock scholarship “personal statement” activity from a real scholarship. There were 10 required questions with a character limit of 200 characters to answer. Con velocidad, ya se pasó un semestre aquí a la universidad de Hawái a Manoa. Me llena de agradecimiento por mis nuevas amigas y nuevos amigos. Con tiempo nos hicimos familia. Yo no puedo creer que muchas de mis familiares no estará aquí a la universidad el semestre lo que viene. Es con mucho orgullo quiero darles felicidades para sus logros de graduación. En Hawái, la épica de gradación es muy especial como otros partes del mundial pero tenemos algo muy especial después la ceremonia: la ceremonia de guirnalda hawaiana. Hoy en día, la ceremonia de guirnalda hawaiana suele marcar un antes y un después pero los raíces de este rito de paso es muy arraigado en la cultura y tradiciones de los Hawaianos, mi pueblo, mi gente. Es una costumbre se adaptó todos lugareños de todas las razas aquí en Hawái. A fuera de nuestras playas, la costumbre de la guirnalda hawaiana es tan popular en California, otros regionales en los Estados Unidos y en el extranjero. En las tradiciones de mi familia, se prepara la guirnalda hawaiana hecho en mano con todo el cariño, es casi como una oración de bendición. En el idioma hawaiana, nos decimos “lei” para describir una guirnalda o corona hawaiana típica. Muchas de las guirnalda tiene clasificaciones en hawaiana para describir el estilo de enhebrado, las plantas usada en la preparación, y la colocación del adorno encima el cuerpo. El estilo de enhebrado (pasar el hilo para las plantas en el sedal), las selecciones y estampado de flores, hojas, plantas, la colocación del adorno, etc., y si un guirnalda cerrada o aburrida contiene profundo significado, a su vez, la tenía invocar la bendición. Las plantas indígenas en la guirnalda tiene importante parte del eco-sistema indígena en nuestras islas. Por eso, tenemos que proteger y propagar eses plantas indígenas porque las plantas tiene una función activa en la cultura hawaiana, las raíces de la inspiración. Aquí en Hawái, tenemos la tasa de extinción, la tasa especie en peligro de extinción, la tasa de especie introducida más alta por cada hectárea en todo el mundo Entonces, toda la preparación y rituales son muy específicos para cada familia y muy personal. Si recibiría un guirnalda fresca hecho en manos del dador, es algo muy especial y preferible porque el profundo significado de las plantas fresca es más importante que si recibiremos una guirnalda perdurable. Sin embargo, el uso de una guirnalda perdurable es una innovación hawaiana aceptable. El hecho, hay muchas veces apropiadas dar una guirnalda como una símbolo de admiración, agradecimiento, y mostrar respeto. En resumen, me quiero dar respeto y mis felicidades a mis nietas, mis nietos, mis primas, mis primos, mis queridas amigas y queridos amigos por sus logros con un guirnalda hawaiana hecho por mis manos. Lotos fotos están debajo:
We have until May 13th, 2015 to collect 100,000 names to have an official response from President Obama on rainwater and stormwater harvesting.
Learn more about the petition: http://www.arcsa.org/?page=Petition
Students from local and elemntary schools came to our campus for the "Manoa Experience, 2015". Our lab was fortunate to have about 60 people visit the hydraulics lab where researcher study fluid mechanics.
I am so glad we have event like these. These types of tours give students a taste and feel of what college is like. Interfacing with people that look and talk like them are important because we can share just a small snippet of our story that say's I'm just like you and you can be whoever you want to be. I wish my ohana new about this when I was growing up in Waianae.
Here are a series of haiku verses that make a poem inspired by the Environmental Justice Tour. It is a prayer, something to remember this experience.
"Lualualei"
Na: Lelemia Irvine Lualualei Ulehawa, OG home Ancient settlement Lualualei Tradition emerged, māʻō* Fishing tales, beach fire Lualualei Garden Grove of Kānaka Pōhaku, right there Lualualei Home of rich moʻolelo Birthplace of Māui Lualualei Urbanization’s hideout For what? At what cost? Lualualei Ka ʻumeke kaulana Feeding bowl, fertile Lualualei Turf for Puʻu ʻŌpala C&D Burial Lualualei Military bungalow Hazardous dump, there Lualualei Wahi pana, over there Cave of Hina, there Lualualei Prayers lifted for justice now! Kiaʻi unite! * over there To celebrate World Water Day, Sheenru Yong was invited by our sustainability team at East-West Center to share her inspiring creative action talk story workshop on water.
I was recently asked by a friend, Ulu Cashman, to write a reflection of my experience in Kahoolawe. In our FaceBook message discussion Ulu asked: "What is your Ala Loa?" Based on your experience(s) on Kahoolawe, what have you learned about the island and yourself by working on the Ala Loa and what you see is your own Ala Loa." Here's my response. Anoa ai me ke aloha! Warm greetings! I’m Lelemia Irvine of Waianae, Oahu. My first huakai to Kahoolawe was in May, 2014 with my sister, Aliah, and the Native Hawaiian Science and Engineering Mentorship Program. My second huakai with PKO was in September, 2014 to Ulupalakua, Maui with my cousin, Pohai. The purpose of our visit to Kanaloa was to help extend the alaloa. Today, going to Kahoolawe is a pilgrimage: hoi i ka piko—the return home. It is spiritual. It is a give, a take. When I think of “what is your ala loa” the phrases that come to the forefront are: aia i hea? auhea? Ai hea? Mahea? I hea? Hea? In other words, where is the place to go? The alaloa is a network of a single or many pathways that have a direction and a magnitude. The alaloa of Kohemalamalama is being built as we speak, a belt road around the island. Despite the recent U.S. military destructive use of the island, Kanaloa is a symbol of Hawaiian National resilience. There, I finally understood the phrase “an island of war turned to an island of love”. We are all on a huakai, a journey. The alaloa is the physical and spiritual pathways that our journey takes. On the alaloa of Kohemalamalama, I felt my ancestors in the lepo of my hands lift, place and set the pa pohaku. At that moment, I truly experienced indigenous engineering in action. The heartbeat, our ancestor’s breath are strong, there. They never leave us but their voices are louder, there. For myself, working on the alaloa was a re-awakening, re-connecting and confirmation: to really live in the naau. I’m the node of many interconnected alaloa. My alaloa is to be a faithful Son, Brother, Cousin, Uncle, and future Father. My alaloa is my commitment to the Lahui. My alaloa is to use our knowledge systems with engineering to achieve Mauli Ola (well-being, pono, balance, maluhia) for our environment and people in sust-AINA-able and harmonious ways. We are all at different stages of our alaloa. No forget the beginnings and enjoy the scenery as you carve a path for others to follow. What is sustainability? Why sust-AINA-bility? Is there a point of no return? Are we doing enough? Come with questions and open heart to listen to real people share their sustainability stories on pathways of food sovereignty, energy independence, and zero-waste consumption. INVITED SPEAKERS ****Dr. Daviaana McGregor, Professor of Ethnic Studies "The Indigenous Lens to sust-AINA-bility" ***Jen Metz Kane, COSEE Island Earth “Trash-Free Year: A year long, trash-free lifestyle experiment” ***C.J. Elizares, Hawaii Sea Spirits organic farm & distillery "AINA-bility: Responsible resource management" ***Richard Bradshaw PhD, Author, Scholar “The Psychology of Sustainability" **Shaliha Afifa Anistia, Hawaii Green Business Program "The Sust-{AINA}-bility of Business" This Cafe presentation was made possible by Hawaiian Islands Science, COSEE Island Earth, National Science Foundation, Pan Pacific Association, and East-West Center Participant Association. If you are unable to be with us because you are away from these island, you can watch our event stream live for the first time at <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOAXUVz6Zg> Live video cast starts at 4:55 PM. All are invited. Ohana and keiki too! $6 for campus parking. Heavy Pupu provided. We encourage everyone to bring their own plates, cups, utensils for the pupu. We encourage everyone to carpool, bike, walk, and/or take the bus to our event. Concert on the Lawn is an event of cultural sharing and exchange by the East-West Center Participants. This year our sustainability coordinators, myself, Ritz, and President Jon partnered with Afifa from the Hawaii Green Business Program to measure our event’s ‘greeness’. We successfully achieved level KELA (excellent) with a score of 45.
You can view for the first time the event streamed on YouTube at <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBVoWvuRE7Q> To learn more about the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) Green Business Program, go to <http://energy.hawaii.gov/green-business-program> Check out event pictures on the EWCPA like page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.795744773816506.1073741833.605096939547958&
After the break, the community participated in a 1-hour open technology fishbowl discussion. The purpose of the discussion is to allow a safe-space for everyone to share their knowledge, concerns, and questions with regards to geothermal in the Hawaiian Islands. We were fortunate to have the founder of the Pele Defense Fund, Palikapu Dedman share his activism against Geothermal. He spoke for great length on the need to protect the volcanoes from further development throughout the entire Hawaiian Islands. Others raised poignant observations of the process. For instance, a well dug to a certain level to extract the geothermal resources from a Hawaiian perspective and world view, is removing the embodiment of Papa, Earth Mother. The volcano, though, is considered the embodiment of Pele, and Pele has a spirit in all the volcanoes as recounted and documented in epic stories, chants, and hula. Pele is also a general Hawaiian term for lava and flow. The well extracts the hot geothermal fluid, very hot water. From a Hawaiian worldview, the hot water is the embodiment of Kaneikawaiola. Download the summary report at: <https://www.academia.edu/attachments/35896121/download_file?s=work_strip>
Aloha mai kakou,
Please join us on a gathering focused on Geothermal Resource development in the Hawaiian Islands: Aia La O Pele i Hawaii: There is Pele in Hawaii-- Is Geothermal Appropriate for Hawaii? Thursday, October 30, 2014 5 PM to 7:30 PM Halau o Haumea, Hawaiian Studies, UH Manoa Campus Mea ai for the kino and soul will be served What is geothermal? Is Geothermal appropriate for the Hawaiian Islands? Where is it applicable in Hawaii? What challenges and opportunities does this renewable energy technology present for our communities, energy industry, and government? Come join us with questions as we learn about Geothermal resources development and its potential to shift how we consume energy in the Hawaiian Islands. *Brought to you by Hawaiian Islands Science, East-West Center Participants Association, and Pan-Pacific Association with support from COSEE-IE RSVP on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/events/797893813603343/ This event is open to the public. Keiki are welcomed. |
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© J. Lelemia Irvine. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to J. Lelemia Irvine with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. |