The University of Hawaiʻi System and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) have formally entered into a brand new Education Partnership Agreement aimed toward enhancing science and know-how schooling whereas advancing DPAA’s crucial mission of accounting for lacking U.S. personnel from previous conflicts.
The five-year agreement, signed on August 19, by UH President Wendy Hensel and DPAA Director Kelly Ok. McKeague, creates a proper framework for collaborative analysis, academic enrichment and workforce growth. Under the agreement, UH college students and school will acquire entry to DPAA’s scientific experience, state-of-the-art services, knowledge collections and project alternatives, whereas DPAA will profit from UH’s innovation initiatives, tutorial sources, and proficient employees and college students.
“This partnership exemplifies how state and federal institutions can work together to inspire and nurture the next generation of researchers and public servants,” mentioned Hensel. “Through hands-on experience and direct mentorship from DPAA experts, our students will be uniquely positioned to contribute to a mission rooted in honor, science and service.”
This agreement will even enable DPAA to proceed to work with UH on joint efforts to develop new strategies and applied sciences to help DPAA’s personnel restoration operations. Since 2021, DPAA partnered with the UH Mānoa’s Department of Anthropology to develop Cambodia’s archaeological capability by the Cambodian Completion Initiative, which permits Cambodian archaeologists to probably lead investigative and recovery-type accounting operations of their dwelling nation.
More lately, DPAA additionally labored with the UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Willed Body Program to develop a database of isotopic signatures of Hawaiʻi-based people to ascertain comparisons with continental U.S. American and Asian populations to assist in DPAA’s efforts to tell apart Asian American personnel lacking from World War II and the Korean War.
“The Daniel K. Inouye Center of Excellence, located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, is the preeminent forensic science laboratory in the world,” mentioned McKeague. “Through this strategic partnership with UH, DPAA is able to leverage their cutting-edge academic research and technological innovation to advance our humanitarian mission. This collaboration also provides unique educational and professional development opportunities for students and researchers who are passionate about public service and science.”
The UH and DPAA Education Partnership Agreement connects tutorial expertise with real-world challenges, and fosters an atmosphere the place tutorial discovery and nationwide service go hand in hand.