ABOUT
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What is the Exchange? THE EXCHANGE is a series of evening events, held weekly, featuring guest presentations, performances, and activities. Sessions explore the pressing issues, histories, challenges, innovations, and vibrant cultures that make the Asia-Pacific region unique. THE EXCHANGE is a chance for students and distinguished guests to share their time and their ideas, with each becoming better informed and better connected as a result. THE EXCHANGE is planned and produced by graduate students at the East-West Center. Location Imin International Conference Center East-West Center 1777 East-West Road Honolulu, Hawaii 
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Fall 2023
"Pilina: Building Relationships, Understanding Place" Aloha everyone! The spectacular Fall Exchange's eight-session exchange will feature distinguished speakers and artists from diverse backgrounds in academia, music, and the performing arts. During the Fall Exchange, which will take place from September 18 to November 13, participants will learn about the Hawaiian and Oceania cultures, traditions, and political thoughts through presentations, performances, and group activities. Students from the East-West Center community will be able to participate through questions and presentations. The first exchange session will begin on September 18 from 18:30 to 20:30 at the East-West Center's Imin International Conference Center. Please meet the Exchange team. Mahalo! The Exchange Team |
Meet the Fall 2023 Exchange Team!
KENJI CATALDO
Planning & Speakers Intern Born in Japan and raised in the US, Kenji is an MA student in the Department of Pacific Islands Studies. Kenji’s research focuses on demilitarization activism in Hawaiʻi, and they actively support grassroots efforts to reclaim and restore land under military occupation. Outside of school, Kenji co-hosts and produces the Hawai‘i Rising podcast for the Hawai‘i People’s Fund. Kenji is the Speakers and Planning Intern for the Fall 2023 Exchange. 
LIAN BAWI THANG (BP) Communications Intern Born and raised in Myanmar, I am a first-year PhD student in Political Science with a focus on ethnic minority politics in Myanmar. I previously worked in human rights and politics in Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia during the last decade. I enjoy writing op-ed pieces about politics, and my work has featured in several periodicals, including the East-West Center, the Diplomat, Stimson Center, and Teacircle Oxford. In my spare time, I also enjoy watching and playing tennis and soccer. I will be a communication intern in the fall 2023 exchange. 
GUSSIE HOLLERS
Activities Intern I am a Ph.D. student in Marine Biology studying the behavior and bioenergetics of humpback whales. I use suction-cup camera tags to observe the whales’ behavior underwater and track their movements in their Hawaiian breeding grounds and Alaskan feeding grounds. I grew up in Carrboro, North Carolina, and got a B.A. in Biology from Amherst College and an MSc in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St. Andrews. In my spare time, I love hiking, snorkeling, and playing ultimate frisbee. This is my second year at the East-West Center, and I am excited to help organize the Fall 2023 Exchange.! |
MENGHONG AN
Logistics Intern Born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I am currently pursuing a master's degree in civilengineering, focusing on Construction Management. I did my bachelor's degree in architectural engineering from INHA University in South Korea, and I previously worked in infrastructural design company, specializing in the design of suspension and cable-stayed bridges. In my spare time, I enjoy reading about history and politics as well as playing soccer. I am enthusiastic to become a part of the Fall 2023 Exchange. Mahalo to everyone in one community! 
KANA KURIHANA
Food Intern I am a Master’s student in Travel Industry Management at UHM studying sustainable scuba diving tourism and the 2022 Obuchi Okinawa Scholar at East-West Center. I previously worked as a scuba diving instructor in the Philippines and Okinawa when I was an undergrad student at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan. I really love surfing, cooking, and eating, especially Thai food! As the Food Coordinator of the Fall 2023 Exchange, I look forward to sharing the diverse food cultures of the world with you all!
KAIQING SU
Performance Intern Born and raise in Guangzhou, China, I am a Cantonese-speaker, feminist, and Ph.D. student studying Political Science. Before coming to Hawaiʻi, I’ve been working on gender education in a grassroots LGBTQ+ organization back home. Right now, my research focuses on how physical infrastructures influence human-land relations in the Pacific. Outside of school, I learn about the world through singing and dancing. |
