March is officially Women’s History Month. But for Lisa M. Vallin, every month is Women’s History Month. That’s because the full-time instructor and academic advisor in the College of Social Sciences’ Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) teaches one of the most in-demand courses at UH Mānoa, regularly drawing over 700 registrants every semester.
Vallin leads WGSS 350, Sex Differences in the Life Cycle, which is cross-listed as BIOL (Biology) 350. The course’s popularity is partly because it fulfills a GE (General Education) requirement; is listed as a DB (Diversification of Biological Sciences) course for aspiring doctors and science majors; and has earned an E (Ethics) focus. But that’s not the only reason seats are snapped up as soon as registration opens.
If you ask WGSS Chair Lani Teves why one of the department’s oldest courses is among its most popular, she credits the teaching ability, energy and enthusiasm of Vallin herself. “Lisa is an invaluable member of our WGSS faculty and community. Students – both in person and online – regularly note that she is the best professor they’ve ever had, describing her as open minded, knowledgeable and inspiring,” said Teves. Added Marnessa Rea, a former student who is pursuing a WGSS Honors degree and currently interning with the Hawaiʻi State Commission on the Status of Women, “If you’re a student looking to understand not only your relationship with yourself, but also with others and the world around you, this is 100% the course for you.”
Vallin was born and raised in Sweden and, as a youngster, dreamed of working for the United Nations. Driven by a deep interest in global cultures and social justice, she pursued higher education in the U.S., earning a bachelor’s degree in geography with an emphasis on the human environment. “The global perspectives of human geography were so eye-opening,” she said. “They ignited my interest in diversity, cultural differences, and how it was all tied to so much injustice in the world.” But then an undergraduate course in sexuality studies set her on a different path, ultimately leading her obtaining a master’s in the field at San Francisco State University.
With the intent of earning a PhD, Vallin moved to Hawaiʻi to study with Michael Salzman, a UH Mānoa educational psychology professor whose specialty was cultural trauma. She became particularly interested in how cultural trauma and structural inequality helped shape sexual identities and lived experiences. Then Vallin learned about a lecturer opening in WGSS, and successfully applied in 2011. Her first course, WGSS/BIOL 350, enrolled 45 students in a standard-size classroom.
Over the years, student demand grew dramatically. In Spring 2026, she is teaching two sections that meet twice a week, serving 533 students online and 201 students in person. Valling estimates that, over the past 15 years, she has taught more than 10,000 students in a single course. “I’m incredibly proud of that large number,” said Vallin. “The fact that so many students have shown a shared interest in learning about the body and its diversity is deeply encouraging. It reminds me that these conversations matter.”
Asked why the course is so popular, Vallin joked, “Well, the topic sells itself. Sex differences and life cycle are intriguing to a lot of students.” But it’s more than that, of course. Vallin credits a small but effective army of learning assistants, dedicated guest speakers, multiple internships and volunteer opportunities, and the ability to study sexuality in evidence-based, nuanced conversations that move beyond myths and binaries. She also uses innovative teaching tools such as the iClicker, which allows students to electronically engage in controversial or deeply personal questions while maintaining their anonymity.
Vallin also enjoys her new role as the department’s academic advisor. She is especially jazzed when students learn the wide array of academic options available to them – like double majoring in WGSS; earning a fully online BA; or obtaining certificates in undergraduate or graduate studies, and Queer Studies. Her former students are now enjoying careers in medicine, public health, education, social work, law and nonprofit advocacy.
“Taking this class is not only a place to learn things that are crucial to our developing lives, but it’s also a place to discover yourself and find out how you fit into the world,” said Kasandra Isabel Manacio Morse, who will be graduating with a WGSS degree this year and is interning at the Domestic Violence Action Center. Added Quinn Goo, a former WGSS undergraduate and graduate student who is now a lecturer in the department, “Dr. Vallin’s background in both sexuality studies and educational psychology makes her an excellent professor – someone who is incredibly knowledgeable about the subject matter and knows how to teach it in an effective, enjoyable way. You will walk away from this class a stronger, more mature, curious and empathic human.”
Vallin is fully appreciative of the significance of March being Women’s History Month, because of the many threats to gender equality and reproductive rights. She recalled that, years ago, when worried students would ask if she thought the landmark 1973 legal case, Roe v. Wade, could ever be overturned – significantly because Hawaiʻi was the first state in the country to legalize abortion in 1970 – she’d answer no. “But I was wrong. It was like a wake-up call for me,” said Vallin. “That’s why I’m so gratified to see such an interest in our program, more than ever before. It’s been such a surprise, and is testament to the great work that we all do.”
