sandy beaches as far as the eye can see, glistening black lava pounded by surf, a grand expanse of ocean and dazzling azure sky sketched with clouds. Craggy mountains rise up into the mists, lush rainforests are overgrown with Jurassic Park ferns and fresh molten lava continues snaking down Mount Kilauea. Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai, Niihau, Kahoolawe. Even the names of the eight major islands exude the luxuriant beauty of the archipelago of Hawaii, 50th state of the union and setting of the 114th annual ASEE conference. Aloha Mai, welcome to paradise!

Mark Twain once remarked that Hawaii possesses “the most magnificent, balmy atmosphere in the world,” and generations of visitors have agreed. Centuries ago Austronesian travelers paddled their canoes thousands of miles to arrive at this remote spot in the Pacific. They liked what they found and stayed, developing a culture of chiefly kingdoms with traditions we still know today—the sacred hula dance, lavish luau feasts, the royal sport of surfing and fearsome gods Pele, Lono and Ku. In 1778, Captain James Cook was the first European to reach these shores, but scores of whalers, traders, plantation workers and missionaries soon followed. Then in 1893 the U.S.S. Boston sailed into Honolulu Bay and turned its guns upon the town as a group of Western businessmen forced Hawaii’s Queen Lili’uokulani to cede power to American interests. Despite protests that continue up to the present by native sovereignty groups, Hawaii became a U.S. territory, gaining renown for her sugar and pineapple plantations.

The attention of the world was once again riveted upon the islands on Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor military base, galvanizing American participation in WWII. It was, as FDR declared, a date that will live in infamy. Statehood was granted in 1959, and today visitors from around the world are welcomed to such iconic landmarks as Waikiki beach, Diamond Head crater and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. During your visit you will find that Hawaii is more than Mai Tais and bikinis—though these pleasures have their place, too. Whether your preference is history and museums, swimming or slack-key guitar, there is plenty to keep you busy and interested. For information on ASEE-sponsored activities and post-conference extensions on Maui, the Big Island (Hawaii) and Kauai, check the Web site at www.mcahawaii.com/grps07/aseehi2007/index.html.

The natural place to start exploring is right in Waikiki. What is today a glittering beach resort was once the staging grounds of a historic battle in 1795 when 10,000 Big Island warriors under the command of Kamehameha I beached their canoes and swept inland to defeat the local armies. Hawaiian nobility maintained residences along these shores, yet for years, much of the area was marshland, filled with taro patches and fishponds. Only in 1920 was the Ala Wai canal built to drain the marshes and develop Waikiki beach. The beach sands are regularly replenished, most recently this past December through an ambitious offshore sand recycling project undertaken by engineers from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Today, there’s always something going on in Waikiki. Stroll down the Ala Wai to watch canoe clubs practicing paddling techniques, check out evening torch-lighting ceremonies or locate the perfect spot for sunset cocktails. Kalakaua Avenue toward Diamond Head is an attractive tree-lined stretch that parallels the beach, with upscale boutiques jostling ticky-tacky t-shirt stores. The bustling open-air International Market Place is a fun area to browse small-time vendors peddling crafts. And the handsome bronze figure of Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaii’s Olympic swimmer and surfer, marks the spot on Kuhio beach for surfboard rentals and lessons.

Not far from Waikiki along the oceanfront, you’ll find Aloha Tower Marketplace. Built in 1926 to welcome ocean liners from around the world, the 10-story Aloha Tower remains a distinctive landmark, with an observation deck on the top floor and a cluster of shops and waterfront restaurants overlooking Honolulu Harbor. Next door is the Hawaii Maritime Center, which celebrates the island’s seafaring history and houses the Falls of Clyde, the world’s only surviving four-masted full-rigged ship. Hawaii’s beloved Hokule’a, a recreation of ancient voyaging canoes, will be out navigating the seas this year, traveling to Micronesia and Japan using only the traditional way-finding techniques of the Polynesian ancestors. From the Aloha Tower it’s an easy trip to historic Chinatown, where shops vending herbal medicine, roasted duck and sandalwood incense serve as reminders of Hawaii’s large Asian population, many of whom are descendants of plantation workers and merchants. Indeed, Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-Sen spent his boyhood in Honolulu, while Chinatown’s notoriously tough detective Chang Apana is said to have been the model for Hollywood’s Charlie Chang.

As you cross from Waikiki to the town side, take a look at the Hawaii Convention Center, a striking glass and steel structure notable for its artistic incorporation of local cultural motifs, including rooftop canopies that invoke Polynesian sailing canoes. At the heart of historic downtown is Iolani Palace, the only functioning palace in the United States. The guided tour of this elegant Victorian building provides insight into Hawaii’s modern history, including the voracious technical interests of King David Kalakaua, whose installation of electrical lights preceded that of the White House and Buckingham Palace. In front of the old State Judiciary across the street is a commanding statue of King Kamehameha I wearing the royal regalia of feathered cloak, sash and helmet. A block down, you’ll find the 1842 Kawaiahao Church, built by New England missionaries of massive hand-hewn coral blocks. Sunday services are conducted in both Hawaiian and English, featuring charming Hawaiian hymns.

The Bishop Museum is a short drive from town but well worth a visit. Recognized as an important repository of Hawaiian artifacts and a center for the Pacific Islands’ natural and cultural history, the museum has recently unveiled its New Science Adventure Center, which spotlights volcanology, oceanography, biodiversity and other sciences important to Hawaii. The centerpiece is a three-story model volcano that erupts randomly, with water, vapor and lights simulating the fiery red lava. Elsewhere visitors can activate tsunamis or guide remote-operated mini subs in a 32,000-gallon tank that models Lo`ihi Seamount, Hawaii’s underwater volcano. A summer 2007 highlight at the museum’s main hall will be the tech-oriented exhibit “Speed,” created with NSF support by COSI Columbus. Be sure to also make time for the Hawaiian cultural displays.

When you’re ready to leave the urban hustle-bustle behind, Oahu’s natural beauty is within easy reach. A hike of nearby Diamond Head provides spectacular views of Honolulu, the ocean and neighboring Molokai, while a drive east along Kalanianaole Highway reveals a landscape of breathtaking rugged coastline. Rent snorkeling or diving equipment to join the fish and coral reef at Hanauma Bay, or check out Sandy and Makapuu beaches for swimming and body-boarding. Keep going and you’ll eventually reach Kailua, a mellow beach town whose sands are rated best in the world. A faster way to Kailua and the Windward Side is to cross the Nuuanu Pali, literally “cool height cliffs,” where you feel the temperature dropping and notice a distinct vegetation change. At the breezy Pali lookout, take in the view and consider how Kamehameha I’s troops defeated the Oahu army by chasing the warriors up—and over—these 900-foot cliffs.

Another prime destination is the inimitable North Shore, where monster winter waves are the hallmark of the legendary Banzai Pipeline beach. While the summer ocean is calmer, little about North Shore is tame. Out here, beaches are vast, the soil is red and rough and the living is laid-back country. At the surfer town of Hale’iwa, the proper dress is flip-flops, and the quintessential dining experiences are Matsumoto’s shave ice and Kua Aina’s juicy homemade burgers. If temperatures are blistering, head to the Waimea Valley Audubon Center, where you can enjoy the cool gardens and hike to Waimea waterfall. And then there’s Lost Beach of TV fame. Yes, it’s out here. The location is a guarded secret, but keep looking and you may get lucky.

If mountains are more your style or you haven’t much time, consider Tantalus, a lush rainforest drive right in Honolulu with trail heads and scenic turn-outs along the way. Winding up the Round Top side, take in the panoramic sweep at Puu Ulalakaa Park, where Elvis picnicked in “Blue Hawaii,” and gaze down upon verdant Manoa Valley to the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, home of the College of Engineering. Coming down Tantalus drive, pause to visit the Contemporary Museum, a small gem with beautiful gardens and a tucked-away cafe. Nearby Punchbowl Cemetery lies in the center of an extinct crater, providing a poignant last resting place for American servicemen and women.

No trip to Hawaii is complete without paying tribute to the 1,102 men who lost their lives aboard the U.S.S. Arizona during the early morning bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. The simple white memorial that rests over the spot where the Arizona was sunk is tasteful and moving, and the accompanying documentary film communicates the full drama of that fateful day. While waiting for entry to the memorial, visit the U.S.S. Missouri, “Mighty Mo,” upon whose decks the Japanese surrender was signed, officially marking the end of the war.

For those of you who have decided to extend your visit by joining one of ASEE’s island extension tours, you won’t be disappointed. Each of the other islands has a distinctive character to recommend it. Maui is often everyone’s favorite, with a hot nightlife and thrilling travel up to Haleakala, 10,000 feet from sea level. Yet the natural beauty and cascading falls of Kauai are equally breathtaking, and on the Big Island you can view the world’s largest astronomical observatory. If timing is good, you might even be able to hike in to see Kilauea’s current lava flow.

You probably already know a number of Hawaiian terms—lei, luau, hula, ukelele, muumuu. Here are some favorites you’re bound to hear:

A hui hou ..................................................................................................... see you soon
Aloha .................................................................................. hello, goodbye, love, kindness
Haole ................................................................................................. Caucasian, foreigner
Keiki ........................................................................................................................... child
Kahuna ......................................................................................................... priest, healer
Kama’aina ........................................................................................................... old timer
Lanai ....................................................................................................................... porch
Mahalo .............................................................................................................. thank you
Makai ...................................................................... toward the ocean (given in directions)
Mauka .............................................................. toward the mountains (given in directions)
Okole ................................................................................................................... backside
Ono ..................................................................................................................... delicious
Pupu .................................................................................................................. appetizer
Wahine ...................................................................................................... female, woman
Wikiwiki ................................................................................................................. quickly.

Whether you are staying or extending, there’s one last distinctive Hawaiian tradition you must enjoy. Indulge yourself in a fragrant lei to perfume your voyage home. Whether you choose a creamy plumeria, colorful orchid or enduring kukui nut lei, this last embrace of the islands will rest lightly upon your shoulders, recalling to mind the remarkable culture that is Hawaii.

Robin Tatu is a freelance writer and history Ph.D. candidate at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

For most current program please visit: www.asee.org/annual2007

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