Archive for the ‘Behind the Scenes’ Category

May 21, 2013

Development Academy of the Philippines delegation

Development Academy of the Philippines delegation

We are hosting the presidents of 15 state colleges and universities in the Philippines this week. They are taking an Executive Course in Education Management and Leadership and are learning from the experiences of foreign universities, including the University of Hawaiʻi.

The Development Academy of the Philippines says it selected UH as one of the learning sites because of the strength of our system approach and the key strengths of the university.

The educational leaders are especially interested in our contribution to Hawaiʻi’s economy and research, how we improved education delivery and access across the state and our marine and agriculture programs and community college innovation. They are also interested in the East-West Center and the Philippine Consulate.

The delegation will visit the UH System, UH Mānoa, UH West Oʻahu, Windward Community College, Kapiʻolani Community College and much more over the next week.

May 17, 2013

Honoring UH regents

We honored our outgoing Board of Regents members Judge Artemio Baxa and Mike Dahilig after our final board meeting of the academic year on Thursday, May 16. Governor Neil Abercrombie, board members, vice presidents, chancellors and others came out to honor Regents Baxa and Dahilig and to thank them for their dedication and years of service.

We also welcomed our new Regents Eugene Bal and Randy Moore at a small reception at Bachman Hall.

<p>Governor Abercrombie addresses the crowd at a reception for outgoing regents Mike Dahilig, left, and Judge Artemio Baxa, right, and incoming regents at Bachman Hall Thursday night.</p>

UH Regents Reception

Governor Abercrombie addresses the crowd at a reception for outgoing regents Mike Dahilig, left, and Judge Artemio Baxa, right, and incoming regents at Bachman Hall Thursday night.

<p>Governor Abercrombie and I prepare to thank outgoing Regents Mike Dahilig and Judge Artemio Baxa at a reception at Bachman Hall Thursday evening.</p>

UH Regents Reception

Governor Abercrombie and I prepare to thank outgoing Regents Mike Dahilig and Judge Artemio Baxa at a reception at Bachman Hall Thursday evening.

<p>Regent Carl Carlson, Associate V.P. for Student Affairs Lui Hokoana and Regent Barry Mizuno outside Bachman Hall.</p>

UH Regents Reception

Regent Carl Carlson, Associate V.P. for Student Affairs Lui Hokoana and Regent Barry Mizuno outside Bachman Hall.

<p>Welcoming new Regent Randy Moore.</p>

UH Regents Reception

Welcoming new Regent Randy Moore.

February 15, 2013

Tissue Genesis tour

<p>Tissue Genesis co-founder Thomas Cannon, right, joined University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood in the Tissue Genesis laboratory.</p>

UH President Greenwood visits Tissue Genesis

Tissue Genesis co-founder Thomas Cannon, right, joined University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood in the Tissue Genesis laboratory.

<p>University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood, right, sees Tissue Genesis laboratory work conducted up close.</p>

UH President Greenwood visits Tissue Genesis

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood, right, sees Tissue Genesis laboratory work conducted up close.

<p>University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood, left, puts on her laboratory gloves as she gets ready to tour Tissue Genesis with the company's Co-founder and Executive Vice President Thomas Cannon.</p>

UH President Greenwood visits Tissue Genesis

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood, left, puts on her laboratory gloves as she gets ready to tour Tissue Genesis with the company's Co-founder and Executive Vice President Thomas Cannon.

I had a wonderful opportunity to visit with Anton Krucky on Thursday, February 14 and tour his innovative cell therapy company—Tissue Genesis. He is the co-founder, president and chief executive of Tissue Genesis, which is located on Ala Moana Boulevard.

He invited me tour his company, which is a respected leader in regenerative medicine and leads the industry in clinical trial development. I enjoyed meeting Tissue Genesis’ employees and scientists and getting a close up look at their important work.

You may recall, Mr. Krucky was a UH commencement speaker recently. He has decades of management experience, including marketing, product development and sales at IBM. Mr. Krucky serves on the boards of several major corporations in Hawaiʻi, as well as several non-profit medical and healthcare boards including the University of Hawaiʻi’s John A. Burns School of Medicine.

December 14, 2012

Letter to UH ohana

greenwood-holiday12-blog

Dear UH ʻOhana,

As we approach the holiday season, I wanted to take the time to thank you for your support and patience as we continue to process all the confusion of the past few months.

Despite this difficult period, many positive things have happened. Download the full text of my letter highlighting this year’s accomplishments at http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/op/presidents-letter-2012.pdf.

As we face a new calendar year, let us rededicate ourselves to our strategic and long term goals, let us remember that education is the path to enlightenment and state, national and personal security. Above all let us seize this new year with vigor and enthusiasm.

Mahalo nui loa for your support, understanding and dedication.

M.R.C. Greenwood
President

December 6, 2012

A visit with Kenya’s Ambassador Elkanah Odembo

UH Visit

Pictured with me from left, Joanne Taira and Ambassador Elkanah Odembo.

I had the honor of meeting with the Republic of Kenya’s Ambassador to the United States today, along with Joanne Taira, UH’s Senior Executive for International and Strategic Initiatives.

Ambassador Elkanah Odembo will be a special guest at this Sunday’s Honolulu Marathon where he will support one of the world’s top marathoners and Kenya-native Wilson Kipsang, who is entered in the race. He will be one to watch. Kipsang was recently on the east coast for the New York City Marathon, but it was cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy.

Ambassador Odembo dropped in at my office for a courtesy visit and a nice discussion about education in our respective countries. He has been Kenya’s ambassador to the U.S. since 2010. He is the founding director of Ufadhili Trust, the Centre for Philanthropy and Social Responsibility—a Kenyan institution that seeks to promote the spirit of giving, philanthropy and the use of local resources to improve lives.

November 13, 2012

APLU conference

APLU's 125th Annual Meeting

At the APLU conference, pictured from left is Peter McPherson APLU president; Diana Natalicio, UTEP and Gene Block, UCLA chancellor

I am attending the Association of Public Land Grant Universities (APLU) 125th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. This is the premier gathering of senior leaders from public research universities, land grant institutions and state university systems across the country.

I was honored to be elected chair-elect for APLU.

APLU's 125th Annual Meeting

USDA Under Secretary Cathy Woteki

At the conference I participated in a series of meetings and panel discussions on topics such as international agriculture, food, environment and renewable resources, academic, business and government affairs with Cathy Woteki, under secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Research, Education and Economics mission area.

APLU's 125th Annual Meeting

The Honorable Dino Patti Djalal

I also had the honor of introducing Indonesia’s ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Dino Patti Djalal, at the APLU meeting. Djalal discussed expanding academic relationships between his country and ours.

September 10, 2012

International Union for Conservation of Nature conference

Hawaiʻi Community College’s Unukupukupu performs at the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Korea.

I am in Jeju, South Korea for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress. I’m here as part of the Hawaiʻi delegation which hopes to bring this huge conference to Hawaiʻi in 2016.

The IUCN addresses 21st century challenges such as biodiversity, climate change, energy and food security, sustainability and public health. Since these issues are also key concerns at the University of Hawaiʻi, we are interested in learning from IUCN and also sharing our own programs.

Bringing the World Conservation Congress to Hawaiʻi in a few years would not only give our tourism industry a big boost, but would offer our faculty and students an invaluable experience and opportunity to contribute to the discussion on a world stage.

<p>At the Hawai'i IUCN booth, from left, Rodrigo Velasquez Gonzales, UH Alumni; M.R.C. Greenwood, University of Hawai'i president; Joshua Atwood, Hawai'i Invasive Species Council coordinator and Leah Laramee, Native Ecosystem Protection and Management section liaison</p>

International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress

At the Hawai'i IUCN booth, from left, Rodrigo Velasquez Gonzales, UH Alumni; M.R.C. Greenwood, University of Hawai'i president; Joshua Atwood, Hawai'i Invasive Species Council coordinator and Leah Laramee, Native Ecosystem Protection and Management section liaison

<p>Some of the Hawai'i delegation at IUCN's World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South Korea.</p>

International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress

Some of the Hawai'i delegation at IUCN's World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South Korea.

<p>Members of Hawai'i Community College's Unukupukupu take the stage at a reception for IUCN's World Conservation Congress.</p>

International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress

Members of Hawai'i Community College's Unukupukupu take the stage at a reception for IUCN's World Conservation Congress.

<p>From left, Christopher Dunn, Lyon Arboretum director, M.R.C. Greenwood, University of Hawai'i president and Suk Chang Lee, Jeju Cultural Heritage Committee president</p>

International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress

From left, Christopher Dunn, Lyon Arboretum director, M.R.C. Greenwood, University of Hawai'i president and Suk Chang Lee, Jeju Cultural Heritage Committee president

<p>From left, Mark McGuffie, Enterprise Hawai'i managing director; Ashok Khosla, IUCN president; Brian Schatz, Hawai'i lieutenant governor; M.R.C. Greenwood, University of Hawai'i president; Chipper Wichman, CEO National Tropical Botanical Gardens and Collette Machado, Office of Hawaiian Affairs chair</p>

International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress

From left, Mark McGuffie, Enterprise Hawai'i managing director; Ashok Khosla, IUCN president; Brian Schatz, Hawai'i lieutenant governor; M.R.C. Greenwood, University of Hawai'i president; Chipper Wichman, CEO National Tropical Botanical Gardens and Collette Machado, Office of Hawaiian Affairs chair

June 6, 2012

Mountain West Conference meeting

Mountain West

MWC President Tony Frank (Colorado State), me, NCAA President Mark Emmert and MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson

I’m in La Jolla, California, where I attended a Mountain West Conference board meeting Tuesday, June 5th, that included NCAA President Mark Emmert. We discussed many issues of importance to MWC teams. The discussion was focused on preserving the integrity of inter-collegiate athletics, preserving traditional rivalries and ensuring universities put academics before athletics. The discussion was was animated, thoughtful and useful. 

May 25, 2012

Status of Women luncheon

Status of Women luncheon

With our guests at the UH Commission on the Status of Women luncheon, May 21

The UH Commission on the Status of Women held its final meeting of the academic year at College Hill on May 21. About 20 guests joined me as we wrapped up the year. It was the commission’s 25th anniversary as a system commission. In fact, we received certificates from both houses of the state legislature this year.

The commission was formed in 1972 at UH Mānoa and in 1986, it expanded to include representatives from all campuses. The commission has worked to address a variety of issues that are of relevance to the personal and professional well-being of women who are students, faculty or staff here at the UH. Some of the issues that are part of the commission’s history and part of its ongoing agenda include: childcare, gender equality in athletics, campus safety and security, equitable practices in hiring, pay, promotion and tenure.

Status of Women luncheon

Status of Women luncheon

April 27, 2012

Broadband PSA shoot

Broadband PSA Shoot

I shot a public service announcement at the Davies Pacific Center this morning, in support of the Hawaiʻi Broadband Initiative.

HBI is working to achieve affordable gigabit-per-second broadband service by 2018. The initiative is critical to the University of Hawaiʻi, because broadband makes a difference in whether we can do business or not, and it ensures we’re on an upward curve of accessibility to the world.

Although we currently have acceptable broadband speeds for routine business at the university, we need to improve our capability. We need to run just to stay in place and sprint to keep up with the rest of the world. Our research initiatives depend on it and the university intends to drive the effort, not chase it.

 

Scientist and experienced administrator M.R.C. (it’s pronounced “Marci”) Greenwood is the 14th president of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi System.

This blog, maintained with staff assistance, shares her activities and insights. Use the contact form to offer feedback or email President Greenwood directly. We welcome comments posted in the tradition of academic freedom and spirit of aloha.