Teaching Medal Award Winner

Linda Furuto
West O‘ahu

Linda H.L. Furuto is an associate professor of mathematics at the University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu.

Furuto received her PhD from UCLA, master’s degree from Harvard University and bachelor’s degree from BYU. She was also a visiting scholar of mathematics at the University of Tokyo and a fellow at the East-West Center.

She treasures each one of her students and considers it a gift to be in the classroom. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in an approach that fosters a student-centered environment, cultivates critical thinking skills and promotes equity and social justice. She firmly believes in the adage, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

A dynamic educator who exudes positivity and caring, Furuto has spent her entire career placing the needs of students first and sharing a true love of the study of mathematics through theoretical and real-world applications. Furuto previously received the Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2011.

Furuto was born and raised on the North Shore in Hau‘ula and is currently training to sail around the world on the Hokule‘a voyaging canoe beginning in 2014.