Presidential Scholars Program

Fun fact:  I love surfing and sailing!

My name is Hi‘ilei (Hee-ee-lay), and I'm from the state of Hawai‘i. I am thinking of concentrating in Architecture or Environmental Engineering. After taking the introduction to engineering courses, I found that I really enjoyed using math and physics to solve real world problems. I also really enjoyed the design process of engineering as well as the history of architecture, which is what draws me towards the architecture concentration. I'm excited to be a part of PSP because I want to participate in meaningful research while also working alongside other great minds. Aside from my academic pursuits, I enjoy creating art, volunteering in my community, and eating good food!

During the summer semester, I worked under Professor Cynthia Battle at Butler Hospital. A major goal of Battle's research has been to develop more accessible and acceptable interventions for women who experience emotional distress during the perinatal period. I assisted on a project which focused on testing prenatal yoga vs. a mother-baby wellness workshop as an intervention for depression during pregnancy. Since this project was in the analysis phase, I learned more about how studies input and analyze data after having collected it. I conducted literary searches, double data entry, transcriptions of patient interviews, alongside other helpful skills that were required for this phase of the project.