Connecting Learning, Life and Aloha
‘O ka ‘imi na‘auao, ke ola a me ke aloha kā kākou e huliāmahi ai

Dr. Su-Mi Lee

Service

Invited Talks/Writings

  • “The Ukraine Crisis.” The International Topics Speaker Series. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. February 2023.
  • “Enhancement of Space Capability: Space policy and national security.” Research Institute for National Security Affairs and Association for Space and Defense Association (국방우주학회). Seoul Garden Hotel. Seoul, South Korea. November 10, 2021. (virtual participation as a panelist)
  • "Over to online." Ke Kalahea. April 2020.
  • "Global Governance on COVID-19, united but divided." UH Hilo Stories. April 8, 2020.
  • “Media reporting and Politics.” A discussion panelist. Ke Kalahea's Media Symposium Speaker Series. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. November 2019.
  • “China’s Belt and Road Initiative and East Asian Community.” A discussion panelist along with Yukio Hatoyama, former Prime Minister of Japan. The National Assembly of Korea. June 2019.
  • “Peace Corps via International Political Perspectives.” Peace Corps Week Celebration. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. February 2019.
  • “Chile: Overcoming the Legacies of Dictatorship.” The International Topics Speaker Series. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. October 2017.
  • “Conflict Managements.” Guest lecture. M.A. program of the Political Science Department at Korea National Defense University. June 2017.
  • “Formal Theory.” Guest lecture. Ph.D. program of the Political Science Department at Korea National Defense University. May 2017.
  • “International Mediation.” The International Topics Speaker Series. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. January 2016.
  • "ISIS (ISIL)." Ke Kalahea. October 2014.

Event organizer

  • Free Workshop on Professionalism and Interview Skills in collaboration with Zonta Club of Hilo and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of Hawai‘i County, Pi Sigma Alpha, and the POLS club. March 2, 2023.
  • Meet Your Major: Bento Lunch (for the Political Science majors, minors, and certificate students as well as faculty). Library lanai. February 23, 2023.
  • Wednesday Pizza. Grab-n-go POLS lunch break. November 2022.
  • “Empathy” of the Let’s Work it Out workshop series. October 2022. Collaborated with the County of Hawai‘i, Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center, and Rotary International.
  • The Pi Sigma Alpha video project: My Reason to Vote. October 2022.
  • POLS Career Talk story series (virtual and in-person) September 2022, October 2022, February 2023.
  • Meet Your Major: POLS Afternoon Boba (for the Political Science majors and faculty). September 2022.
  • Constitution Day Celebration. September 2022.
    • in collaboration with the Sociology Department, the Mookini Library, Int’l Student Services and Intercultural Education Office, and the Pre-Law Certificate at UH Hilo as well as the Hawai‘i County, Zonta International, Rotary International, the Hawai‘i County Bar Association, the Returned Peace Corps Alumni, the League of Women Voters, and the Exchange Clubs.
  • "The Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State." Free documentary screening. April 2022.
  • “Making Peace with Conflict” of the Let’s Work it Out workshop series. December 2021.
  • "From the Big Island to The Hague: A Journey to Becoming the Champion of Global Social Justice." with the Honorable Cynthia Tai. October 19, 2021.
  • POLS/AJ Talk-story Series. October 1, October 29, 2021
  • Constitution Day Celebration. September 2021. (virtual)
  • "Strategy and Negotiations for Denuclearizing North Korea." May 2021.
  • "The Art of Negotiation" of the Let's Work It Out workshop series. October 2019.
  • Constitution Day Celebration. September 2019.
  • “Making Right More Right” of the Let’s Work It Out workshop series. October 2018.
  • Constitution Day Celebration. September 2018.
  • “Veins of Resistance: Their Dreams Endure.” A documentary screening of Chilean social movements with Joshua Tucker, an investigative journalist and documentarian. March 2018.
  • “Dealing with Anger” of the Let’s Work It Out workshop series. October 2017.
  • Constitution Day Celebration. September 2017.
  • “Beyond Black and White: The Identity Construction and Political Attitudes of Biracial Americans.” A guest lecture by Lauren Davenport, Professor at Stanford University. April 2017.
  • “Less Talk More Listen” of the Let’s Work It Out workshop series. October 2016.
  • “Finding a Way Forward: The United Nations and the Global Refugee Crisis.” A guest lecture by Robert Skinner, Director of the United Nations Information Center in D.C. October 2016.
  • “The United Nations World Food Programme.” A guest lecture by Colin Hourihan, Emergency Preparedness Officer. April 2015.
  • “The Rise of ISIS, the Syrian Civil War, and Nuke Negotiation with Iran.” A guest lecture by former U.S. Ambassador Gary Grappo. April 2015.
  • “Conflict Management Workshop” led by Ken Cloke, Director of the Center for Dispute Resolution. February 2015.
  • “ISIS.” A guest lecture by former U.S. Ambassador Gary Grappo. November 2014.

Administrative Roles

Current

Profession

  • Member of the National Unification Advisory Council
    • Appointed by the President of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-In. (September 2021-August 2023)
  • Mentor
    • Midwest Political Science Association 2021-22 Academic Year Mentoring Program
  • Editorial Review Board Member
    • Negotiation and Conflict Management Research

University

  • Faculty representative of the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly, Social Sciences Division. June 2022 - present
  • Department Chair, Political Science and Administration of Justice Department. Fall 2021 - present
  • Advisor, Pi Sigma Alpha National Honor Society. Spring 2019 – present
  • Member, The Academic Program Review Advisory Committee of the UH Hilo Faculty Congress. Fall 2018 – present
  • Founding member, Peace Partners (a university-community partnership). Summer 2016 – present
  • UH Hilo liaison, The Rotary Peace Fellowship. Spring 2015 – present
  • Advisor, The Model United Nations Student Club. Fall 2014 – present
  • Member, The Korean Studies Advisory Committee. Fall 2014 – present
  • Chair and Member, The Departmental Scholarship Committee. Fall 2014 – present

Past

University

  • Department webmaster. Spring 2016 – Spring 2020.
  • UH Hilo Political Science Alumni Liaison. Fall 2016 – Spring 2020.
  • Chair, The Search Committee for the Political Science and Administration of Justice Department. Spring 2019.
  • Chair and discussant, The War Crimes and War Crime Tribunals panel. The 35th Annual Phi Alpha Theta (History Honor Society) Regional conference. March 2019.
  • Member, The Student Success and Admissions Committee of the UH Hilo Faculty Congress. Fall 2017 – Spring 2018.
  • Member, The Search Committee for the Women and Gender Studies Program. April 2016.
  • Interim advisor, Pi Sigma Alpha National Honor Society. Fall 2016 – Fall 2017.
  • Interim advisor, Pre-law Certificate Program. Spring 2016.