Two University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa public health scholars have been selected for a national fellowship. Jena Funakoshi, a PhD student, and Carrie Soo Hoo, a research associate with the Department of Public Health Sciences (previously known as the Office of Public Health Studies), were named 2024–2025 Student/Early Career Fellows in the Physical Activity Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA).
This one-year fellowship pairs emerging public health professionals with mentors from APHA, providing opportunities to develop research manuscripts, conference abstracts, policy statements, or practice-based resources.
Culture, physical activity, community well-being
I aim to create an impactful product that serves our local communities here in Hawaiʻi.
—Jena Funakoshi
Funakoshi and Soo Hoo’s research focus on culturally and regionally relevant physical activities and community well-being. They have both been mentored by Simone Schmid, a postdoctoral researcher with DPHS and the HHawaiʻi Department of Health, as part of a collaborative team led by Tetine Sentell, professor in public health.
As part of her master of public health practicum, Funakoshi contributed to AccessMETs: Paddle for Science, a project assessing the metabolic equivalents (METs) of outrigger canoe paddling for individuals with and without spinal cord injuries. She assisted with project planning, data collection and community report-back events.
“I am honored to have this opportunity to learn from experts and connect with leading public health professionals through APHA—an experience made possible by the support of the faculty and staff at the Department of Public Health Sciences,” she said. “I aim to create an impactful product that serves our local communities here in Hawaiʻi and may also help guide my dissertation work.”
I am excited to continue learning from public health professionals as I grow in this field.
—Carrie Soo Hoo
Soo Hoo’s research focuses on the relationship between social connection and physical activity and its impact on well-being. She has supported studies on culturally relevant physical activities—including hula, paddling, spearfishing, and surfing—helping explore their deeper meanings using the social-ecological model.
“I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship and learning opportunities I have gained while working at UH Mānoa’s Department of Public Health Sciences,” Soo Hoo said. “I am excited for this fellowship opportunity to continue connecting with and learning from public health professionals as I grow in this field.”
Funakoshi and Soo Hoo will collaborate with national experts and contribute to initiatives supporting physical activity as a key component of public health. Their work aligns with the Public Health Resonance Project funded in part by the Chin Sik & Hyun Sook Chung Endowed Chair in Public Health Studies, which amplifies culturally and regionally relevant physical activities for health promotion and community wellness.
