About the Dean

Dr. Denise Eby Konan is Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. As Dean, she provides leadership to 11 academic departments that deliver nearly a fifth of the degrees offered on campus. A destination of choice for students who want to affect change and study in a global environment, the College provides a dynamic experience that transforms students into bold, engaged international citizens.

A noted international trade economist, Dr. Konan has worked extensively in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. She has been a consultant to the World Bank, the Council of Foreign Relations, the Arab League, and the governments of Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Dr. Konan publishes on issues of regional economic integration, trade in services, intellectual property rights, foreign direct investment and energy. She is President of the Hawaiʻi Asia Pacific Institute and the Northeast Asian Economic Forum, which advances socio-economic dialog in the region. In addition, she serves on the Palau Economic Advisory Group for the President of Palau.

Dr. Konan is a Research Fellow at the UH Economic Research Organization and founding Director of the Center for Sustainable Coastal Tourism at the UH Sea Grant College Program. She also serves as the academic lead for the University’s Daniel K. Inouye (DKI) Democratic Leadership Program. The DKI Program advances public awareness of U.S. history and government, public service leadership, democratic ideals and global awareness through visiting and resident experts, communications programs and exhibits, public engagement and educational programs – particularly for K-12 – as well as lectures and other civic engagement efforts.

An award-winning teacher, Dr. Konan is a Leadership Fellow with Science Education for New Civic Engagement and Responsibility (SENCER) under which Hawai’i was recognized as a SENCER Model State in 2015.

Under Dr. Konan’s leadership the College has capitalized upon its successes and strengths, resulting in continued national and international attention. The College was recently recognized for its leadership in sustainability by being named a host by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Centers for Sustainability Across the Curriculum.

Dr. Konan has also spearheaded the organizational groundwork at UH Mānoa for the College to become an “international contribution project” at the Council for Better Corporate Citizenship, a public-interest-incorporated association established by the Keidanren business federation in Japan. The Japan-Hawaiʻi Socio-Economic Innovation Initiative seeks to integrate Nikkei, Hawaiian and U.S. cultural perspectives into a dynamic learning platform based on academic/research discover and international collaboration. It spotlights four hallmark programs designed to promote a stronger understanding of global socio-economic issues while embracing a model of corporate social responsibility.

Dr. Konan is also a driving force behind the launch of a workforce development program in the fast-growing field of national intelligence. With her guidance, the College established a program that provides UH Mānoa students with the opportunity to network and mentor with industry experts from Hawaiʻi-based firms, while gaining a first-hand look at this sector.

Dr. Konan served for two years as the Interim Chancellor and for three years as the Assistant Vice Chancellor of UH Mānoa. She received her undergraduate degree from Goshen College and doctorate from the University of Colorado.