University of Hawai’i Team Honored for Decades of Pacific Networking Leadership
Event summary
- CENIC awards University of Hawai’i’s David Lassner and team the 2026 Innovations in Networking Award for Network Partner.
- Recognition highlights 35+ years of Pacific networking leadership, including first trans-Pacific Internet connections in 1989.
- Team enabled 10 Gbps submarine fiber connections and supported Nobel Prize-winning astronomical research.
- Established Guam Open Research and Education eXchange (GOREX) in 2018, creating a strategic Pacific connectivity hub.
- Award to be presented at CENIC’s biennial conference in Monterey, CA, March 31–April 1, 2026.
The big picture
The award recognizes the University of Hawai’i team’s pivotal role in developing Pacific research networks over three decades. Their work has transformed regional connectivity, enabling high-capacity links that support global scientific collaboration. The strategic importance of these networks is underscored by their role in facilitating Nobel Prize-winning research and addressing critical challenges like climate change in vulnerable island communities.
What we're watching
- Network Expansion
- The pace at which the University of Hawai’i team can extend high-capacity networking to additional Pacific Islands.
- Research Impact
- How continued connectivity improvements will support scientific discoveries in astronomy and environmental science.
- Funding Sustainability
- Whether the team can secure ongoing funding for Pacific networking initiatives amid shifting research priorities.
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