AGP Executive Report

AI & Society: A 17-year-old Portland student, Henry Xie, built a two-step method to help small AI models sound more empathetic like larger systems, earning a national finalist award. Local Tech & Workforce: Hawaiʻi Community College won a $920,238 NSF grant to expand drone-mounted geospatial remote sensing training for utilities, engineering, forestry, and hazard mitigation. Climate & Research: NOAA is sending autonomous Saildrone “robot surfboards” off Honolulu to study El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific, aiming to improve forecasts as the Atlantic stays unusually quiet. Health & Work: Queen’s Wahiawa nurses ratified a new contract with equal pay and safer staffing guidelines after workforce instability following the hospital acquisition. Consumer Tech Policy: Hawaiʻi’s Act 224 will bar cash deposits at crypto kiosks/ATMs starting Oct. 1, while allowing users to cash out existing crypto. Environment & Conservation: Scientists returned a rare Kaneohe Bay coral to its natural habitat after rebuilding it through a land-based nursery. Community & Safety: MADD Hawaiʻi held its Move with MADD 5K Walk in Kakaʻako to raise funds and push impaired-driving prevention.

El Niño Watch (Hawaii + Pacific): NOAA says a potentially historic El Niño could exceed past events since 1950, and it’s sending four autonomous Saildrone Explorers off Honolulu to the equatorial Pacific for five months of measurements—though Hurricane Lowell briefly forced the drones to steer clear. Local Health & Workforce: Queen’s Wahiawa nurses ratified a new contract with equal pay and “safer staffing” guidelines after years of turnover pressure following the hospital’s 2024 acquisition. STEM in Hawaii: Hawaiʻi Community College won a $920,238 NSF grant to expand drone-based geospatial remote sensing training using lidar and advanced surveying for workforce-ready credentials. Public Health Tech Angle: A new MRI upgrade is fully funded for Maui Memorial Medical Center, securing $4.1 million for a high-field system as scans demand rises. Community Safety: MADD Hawaiʻi held its Move with MADD 5K Walk in Honolulu to support victim services and push impaired-driving prevention. Environment & Invasives: A look back at Hawaii’s 1902 red mangrove introduction shows how a shoreline “solution” became a long-term habitat problem, clogging waterways and harming endangered waterbirds.

Healthcare Upgrade for Maui: Maui Health Foundation secured the full $4.1M for a new high-field MRI at Maui Memorial Medical Center, using a $2M matching grant, $500K from Oprah Winfrey’s foundation, and $1.6M from local donors—aimed at faster, more comfortable scans as imaging demand rises. STEM Workforce Push: Mililani High School opened a Pentagon-funded MEERA engineering and manufacturing lab with 3D printers and blueprint training, part of a broader effort to grow Hawaii’s pipeline for high-skill manufacturing and engineering jobs. Marine Tech in Hawaii: NLR and UH deployed a wave-energy device (SURF-WEC) off Oahu to generate shared, real-world data for the marine energy industry. Local Power Resilience: HECO support is highlighted for Kauaʻi recovery after Hurricane Lowell, as damage assessments and restoration efforts continue. Space & Weather Watch: NOAA and other groups track El Niño’s knock-on effects, including a record-quiet Atlantic hurricane season. Safety & Consumer Health: A lawsuit alleges Walmart’s Great Value Hawaiian Automatic Air Freshener contains benzene at levels far above federal risk-free guidance.

Education & Defense Tech: Mililani High School opened a Pentagon-funded MEERA engineering and manufacturing lab with 3D printers and blueprint training, aiming to build Hawaii’s pipeline for skilled manufacturing and engineering careers. Marine Energy in Hawaii: NLR and UH at Mānoa deployed the SURF-WEC wave-energy device off Oʻahu to generate shared, real-world data for the marine power industry. Hiring for Engineering Talent: NAVFAC Pacific held a large job fair in Honolulu to recruit engineers, architects, and construction and program managers for civilian roles across the Pacific. AI in Schools (Local): Hawaiʻi private schools are rolling out AI at different speeds—some using Gemini for Education and in-house training, others using monitored tools with guardrails, and Kamehameha Schools expanding ChatGPT for Teachers. Volcano Science for Visitors: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory highlighted Kīlauea hiking options beyond the main crowds, including the Footprints Trail tied to the 1790 eruption. World Manta Day (Kona): Outrigger Kona hosted its fifth annual event with talks and exhibits on manta research and conservation. Health Policy: The White House said it will send $500 “Obamacare” refunds to nearly 1 million people in 30 states, tied to federal exchange user fees. Space Science: Astronomers reported a distant centaur beyond Jupiter venting carbon dioxide, offering new clues about activity far from the Sun.

Hurricane Lowell Response: Kauaʻi crews kept restoring power and clearing damage after the storm, with KIUC bringing back service to thousands more customers and preparing schools to reopen Monday, while HECO said it’s sending crews and equipment to help KIUC recover faster. Water & Land-Use Tension: Pāʻia’s proposed 170-home EC Pāʻia Town project cleared a key Maui Planning Commission hurdle, but the fight over private wells versus the county water system is still front and center. Local Tech & Education: Hawaiʻi CC secured nearly $1M to train drone operators and analysts, and UH launched a free online AI course aimed at building literacy statewide. Science & Environment: New research warns coral reefs can recover, but relentless marine heat waves are shrinking recovery time; conservationists also say the vaquita is still clinging to survival as illegal fishing continues. Public Safety & Health: A Kealakekua man pleaded not guilty in a child pornography case, and a local doctor discussed how GLP-1 use is changing diets for weight loss in Hawaiʻi. Space Watch: Hawaii’s ATLAS discovery 3I/ATLAS is back in the spotlight as new radio scans weigh in on whether it’s a natural comet or something stranger.

Hawaiʻi Economy: DBEDT projects Hawaiʻi’s economy will grow 1.3% in 2026, easing from 2.5% in 2025, with inflation pressure, fewer visitor days, and modest job growth—though construction and healthcare are expected to help. Volcano Watch: USGS says Kīlauea remains at WATCH with episode 55 lava fountaining forecast between Sept. 10–11; scientists report summit inflation is irregular and near the prior episode’s level. Public Safety—Oʻahu Water Emergency: A 74-year-old was pulled from a Ko Olina lagoon and rushed in critical condition after CPR; it’s the third serious water emergency there in weeks, following recent snorkeling-related deaths. Biotech/Modeling: A new look at digital twins for bioprocessing argues they can improve forecasting and decision support across upstream, downstream, and fill–finish—without replacing core lab controls. STEM Workforce: Hawaiʻi CC secured an NSF grant (~$920K) to expand drone-based geospatial remote sensing training using lidar and 2D/3D surveying. AI & Travel: A report highlights how AI itineraries can be great for planning but may miss real-world preferences like lodging and logistics. Health Policy: Trump announced $500 refunds for about 1 million ACA enrollees in 30 states, with checks expected in October.

Hurricane & Infrastructure: After back-to-back storms, Hawaiʻi experts warn water, power, and wildfire risks are colliding—Oʻahu’s drinking water depends on electricity to move supply, so outages can quickly cascade. Climate Extremes: NOAA says the U.S. just had its hottest summer on record, with 2026’s warm August and a June–August peak tied to human-caused warming. Endangered Species Act Fight: Hawaii and 19 other states sued the Trump administration over new Endangered Species Act rules that narrow “harm” and weaken protections for threatened species and critical habitats. STEM Workforce: UH West Oʻahu won a $302,487 NSF grant to expand a math-teacher pipeline aimed at easing Hawaii’s certified secondary STEM teacher shortage. Deep-Sea Discovery: MBARI and NOAA captured the first live footage of a rare bigfin squid in the northeastern Pacific, showing an “elbow pose” likely tied to feeding. Defense Tech: Kratos’ ARAV-B ballistic missile target flew its 43rd mission supporting missile defense exercises around Hawaii. Local Tech/Policy: Hawaiʻi warned residents about misleading door-to-door solar sales claims, stressing the state doesn’t offer free solar systems or do cold-calling. Education Outcomes: A new report highlights low six-year bachelor completion for Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students in Washington state (33.3%). AI Safety Alarm: A researcher warns AI could become apocalyptic by the end of the decade, citing superhuman systems that could hack and seize resources.

Endangered Species Act Fight: Hawaii joined a coalition of states suing the Trump administration over new rules that narrow protections for threatened and endangered species, including changes to what counts as “harm” to habitats and how “critical habitats” are designated. Volcano Monitoring Under Storm Conditions: Hurricane Lowell’s rain and steam obscured Kīlauea webcam views, but USGS still tracked lava overflows using seismic tremor and thermal imagery—showing how Hawaii’s science teams adapt when weather blocks direct observation. Hurricane Impacts in Hawaii: Hawaiian Electric restored power to about 1,060 Oʻahu customers overnight, with hundreds still out as damage assessments continue; KIUC also reported partial restoration using drone-assisted inspections. Local Tech & Workforce: Global eTraining and ABC chapters including ABC Hawaii launched a construction technology workforce initiative aimed at speeding member adoption of digital training tools. Hawaii Innovation Spotlight: A Hawaii startup, Voltage Vessels, is testing 3D-printed marine hulls using a composite made from recycled plastic and volcanic basalt fiber. Space & Science: University of Hawaiʻi researchers presented new planet-formation simulations suggesting Earth-like worlds may emerge naturally from varied starting conditions.

Hurricane Lowell Aftermath: Hawaiʻi agencies kept supporting county response as Lowell moved north, but Kauaʻi still faced heavy rain, dangerous surf, and major outages—KIUC reported about 90% of customers without power at one point, with drone-assisted damage assessments and a restoration plan focused first on transmission and critical sites. Local Connectivity Upgrade: Hawaiian Telcom rolled out a future-ready business fiber platform with symmetrical speeds and network capacity engineered up to 10 Gig, aiming to support cloud apps, AI tools, video collaboration, and cybersecurity. Ocean Tech for Conservation: UH-West Oʻahu students used a community-built mapping tool (Napuʻukilolima) to visualize sinkhole restoration data for endangered ʻewahinahina, helping track regeneration in kāluamahi agricultural sites. Marine Life Under Threat: A new Hawaiʻi study found fishing debris in stranded short-finned pilot whales, suggesting animals may mistake trash for food—researchers say the findings can guide prevention. Deep-Sea Mining Fight: Conservation groups sued to block the Trump administration’s deep-sea mining lease approach near the Marianas, challenging claims that it won’t harm threatened species or critical habitat. Remote Support Security: A Tech View piece warned that remote control software—useful for IT help—can also be exploited by hackers, urging safer practices as remote support grows. Weather + Climate Context: Coverage highlighted a record-shattering El Niño forming in the Pacific, with knock-on impacts for storms and coastal conditions.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters flew into Lowell’s eye, capturing close-up storm data as Hawaii braced for heavy rain, flash flooding, and extreme surf across Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. Volcano Science: Kīlauea’s summit activity is building toward “episode 55,” with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory raising the alert level to WATCH and shifting aviation color to ORANGE. Ocean Monitoring: NOAA sent Saildrones from Honolulu to track the warm-water drivers behind a potentially historic El Niño, aiming to improve global weather forecasts. Local Tech & Research: UH launched a free “AI for Hawai‘i” course for everyone, and a separate UH cybersecurity webinar teaches Hawaii sole proprietors how to build low-budget defenses. Defense & Engineering: NAVFAC Hawai‘i awarded a $75M architect-engineering contract to Jacobs and Architects Hawaii JV for Navy facility design through 2031. Education Outcomes: New NCES figures show University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s six-year bachelor completion rates by race, including 55.6% for White students and 46.7% for Black/African American students. Deep-Sea Mining Fight: Conservation groups filed a lawsuit challenging the Marianas deep-sea mining lease sale, arguing it could harm imperiled species and ocean ecosystems tied to Hawai‘i. Solar Industry: Suniva completed an $835M capital raise to expand US solar cell manufacturing capacity to 5.5 GW.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Kauai County as Lowell nears the western Hawaiian Islands, with damaging surf, flash-flood risk, and possible tornadoes—track shifts could worsen impacts. Kīlauea Update: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory raised Kīlauea’s alert level from ADVISORY to WATCH and aviation code to ORANGE after low-level precursory activity ahead of the next Halemaʻumaʻu episode forecast for Sept. 7–10. Space & Aviation: FAA completed an environmental review for expanded SpaceX Starship contingency landing areas in the Pacific, including zones near Hawaii, while a license modification is still pending. Local Health & Community: Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital joins the “World’s Largest Pet Walk” in Waimea on Sept. 26 to support pet therapy and activity. Education Outcomes: New NCES data show University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s six-year bachelor completion for Black/African American students at 46.7% (cohort entering 2018). Tech & Defense Training: The Marine Corps is using a new drone simulator (FlowState) to practice attack-drone and electronic warfare tactics without risking aircraft or personnel. STEM & Research: NASA captured a rare infrared view of Mount Michael’s persistent lava lake beneath Antarctic ice and snow. Industry & Shipping: Startup shipbuilder New Pacific Industrial won its first newbuild order: two oceangoing tugs for American Marine Corp., with delivery targeted for 2028.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: The western Hawaiian Islands are under hurricane warning as Lowell nears, with Kauai and Niihau facing hurricane conditions and officials warning of flash flooding, mudslides, dangerous surf, and possible tornadoes. Weather Science in Action: NOAA’s “Hurricane Hunters” are flying into Lowell to feed better storm models and improve forecasts for Hawaii and the Central Pacific. Space & Aviation: The FAA cleared environmental review for expanded SpaceX Starship contingency landing areas in the Northern Pacific, though license changes are still pending—meaning more potential airspace and maritime closures. Marine Tech: Hawaii-based Voltage Vessels submitted a 6-meter 3D-printed composite RHIB hull prototype for U.S. maritime defense evaluation, pushing forward its Eclipse X9 material platform. AgTech Funding (Big Island): $250,000 was released for a Tropical AgTech Center greenhouse nursery in Hilo to support tissue culture for local farmers. Wave Energy Test (Oahu): SURF-WEC, a small flap wave energy converter, has started generating power off Oahu to collect open-water performance data. Higher Ed Metrics (UH Hilo): UH Hilo reports a 60.8% six-year bachelor completion rate for Asian students entering in 2018, with statewide comparisons noted. Local Business/Community: Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi named Christina M. Leos as general manager as the attraction begins its first chapter under Native Hawaiian stewardship.

AI Education in Hawaii: The University of Hawaiʻi launched a free, self-paced “Artificial Intelligence for Hawaiʻi” course for everyone, aiming to build AI literacy with local examples and ethics, including workplace uses. Volcano Tech Mapping: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory released a new Kīlauea tephra thickness map based on a July 29 LiDAR survey, showing cumulative deposits and crater-floor changes. EV Policy Clash: A report says California’s EV push is being pressured by federal moves that weaken EV incentives and emissions authority—an issue that could ripple into climate and tech planning for the Pacific. Hurricane Lowell Watch: Multiple updates track Lowell’s approach and impacts for Kauai and the rest of the islands, with heavy rain, flooding risk, and dangerous surf driving emergency preparations. Local STEM Win: A Kaiser High student won awards at the Hawaiʻi State Science & Engineering Fair for a coconut-fiber fungi idea that can help filter plastic and sunscreen pollutants from ocean water. Healthcare Access: Hawaii patients are voicing frustration over doctor shortages on Oʻahu, highlighting ongoing gaps in primary care availability.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: Hawaii is bracing as Lowell churns north after a Category 5 peak, with heavy rain, flash-flood risk, and dangerous surf expected—Kauaʻi and Niʻihau face tropical storm conditions and possible hurricane-force gusts late Monday. Public Safety: A second fatal snorkeling incident in 11 days has struck Ko Olina, where an 88-year-old was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. AI for Hawaiʻi: UH launched a free, self-paced “Artificial Intelligence for Hawaiʻi” course for everyone, plus a separate $2M NSF-funded project to build AI tools that flag threats to food production before outbreaks spread. Rural Health Policy: Rep. Jill Tokuda introduced “REH 2.0” to fix a rural hospital rescue program that has seen minimal uptake since 2020, aiming to reduce financial barriers for island and remote facilities. Volcano Science: USGS mapped Kīlauea summit tephra thickness after a July 29 LiDAR survey, updating how far deposits spread and how thick the cone grew. Education Outcomes: UH–West Oʻahu reported a 47.4% six-year bachelor completion rate for students of two or more races (2018 cohort through 2024). Local Culture & Labor History: Kauaʻi’s Filipino Cultural Center will host a free talk-story on the Hanapēpē Massacre and organizer Pablo Manlapit, marking the 102nd anniversary.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau are under tropical storm watch and a hurricane watch covers the Papahānaumokuakea Marine National Monument as Lowell churns north as a major storm, with flood watches across the islands and major event cancellations like the Kaua‘i Marathon. Public Safety & Connectivity: Verizon is waiving Kaua‘i call/text/data charges through Sept. 14 and pre-staging backup power and satellite messaging to keep emergency communications running. Health Care Access: O‘ahu patients are voicing frustration over a long-running doctor shortage, especially primary care, as new clinics still won’t take patients. AI for Hawai‘i: UH launched a free “Artificial Intelligence for Hawai‘i” course through the UH OneAI Hub, and UH Manoa also won a $2M NSF project to build AI tools that flag food-safety risks earlier for aquaculture, livestock, and agriculture. Mental Health: Hundreds gathered at Ala Moana for the Out of the Darkness suicide prevention walk, supporting prevention research and community outreach. Science & Earth: New seismic work using machine learning points to hidden small-scale structures near Earth’s core-mantle boundary that could help explain surface catastrophes.

Hurricane Lowell Preparedness: Verizon is waiving Kaua’i call, text, and data charges through Sept. 14 and bolstering Hawai’i network resilience with backup power, satellite messaging, and coordination with HIEMA and utilities as Lowell nears. Disaster Aid Deadline: Hawaiʻi County residents affected by the May 6.0 Kona earthquake have until Nov. 1 to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance after the Sept. 1 disaster declaration. Volcano Monitoring: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says Kīlauea’s summit eruption is paused but a new lava-fountaining episode is possible in a forecast window of Sept. 7–13. Rural Health Tech & Response: Hawaiʻi will receive $58M to add 34 ambulances and upgrade emergency communications, including satellite power and faster connectivity for response. Local STEM & Education: UH Mānoa reports a 57.6% six-year bachelor’s completion rate for Hispanic/Latino students (2018 cohort through 2024), and UH-West Oʻahu reports 61.1% for Asian students. Policy Watch: A House Rules Committee move blocks a seabed-mining carveout from FAST-41, keeping deep-sea mining eligible for expedited federal review.