Paubox Kahikina Scholarship Recipient Gabbie Nakamatsu: 2026 update

The Paubox Kahikina Scholarship helps Native Hawaiian students pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and Tech in general. Its purpose is to offer financial support and create a strong network for these students. The scholarship makes education more affordable and connects students with professionals, giving them valuable opportunities to learn and grow in their chosen STEM or Tech fields. This scholarship is about more than just money; it's about building a community and empowering Native Hawaiian students to succeed in STEM or Tech careers.

See also: The big ideas behind the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship

As a 2024 recipient of the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship, Gabbie Nakamatsu is completing her second year at Santa Clara University in Northern California, where she is majoring in Biology and minoring in Japanese Studies. Here is a word from Gabbie:

Aloha! I’m Gabbie Nakamatsu and I’m excited to be completing my second year of undergraduate study on the Paubox Kahikina STEM Scholarship! I am currently majoring in Biology as well as minoring in Japanese Studies at Santa Clara University in Northern California.

I still miss home — and I am counting down the days until I can go home for the summer — but I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I have gotten during my time here. This year, I have continued exploring including a weekend getaway to Yosemite National Park (pictured above), a ski trip with the Hawaiʻi club to Boreal Mountain Resort, and a spring break trip with my high school friends to New York City!

This year, I got super involved with Kā Manaʻo O Hawaiʻi, our Hawaiʻi cultural club here on campus, serving on the executive board as the media and PR chair. Just last week, we hosted our 46th annual lūʻau celebration themed “O ke kahua ma mua, ma hope ke kūkulu” (the foundation comes first, then the building). I had the opportunity to be an entertainment chair and choreographer for the program, which was an honor and a privilege. Our lūʻau brings in participants that are not from Hawaiʻi, so being able to share hula, Hawaiian music, and ʻonolicious food with them was amazing!

This year, I joined a computational chemistry lab as a research assistant in the Chemistry & Biochemistry department here at SCU. My project uses high-powered computing (HPC) systems, Density Functional Theory (DFT), and Coupled-Clusters for Singles, Doubles, and Perturbative Triples (CCSD(T)) to research molecules that can absorb light in hopes of finding one that is an efficient and cost effective clean energy source. My ultimate passion for this research comes from growing up on an island and seeing the firsthand effects of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, so getting to work on this project has meant so much to me. I had the chance to present my project for the first time recently, which was an extremely exciting and proud moment for me.

Some other exciting news is that I have been able to take on more leadership roles around campus this year! I was elected President of my professional pre-health sorority for the 2026–2027 term, and I could not be more honored to serve in this role. I love Rho Psi Eta and the opportunities and friendships it has given me, and I have loved being able to pay that forward to the younger generations. I also became a Health Professions Peer Advisor which has allowed me to give back to the community up here as well.

Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to work for Hawaiʻi Pacific Health at the Straub Benioff Medical Center Ward Village Clinic as a Primary Care intern. Through this role, I was able to gain invaluable clinical hours and patient care experience. Most notably, I assisted in the implementation of their Population Outreach program which works to bring patients in who are overdue for regular health screenings as well as to assist patients with non-clinical aspects of healthcare and wellbeing (i.e. companionship, access to nutritious food options, consistent housing and transportation, etc). This role was pivotal for me as it helped me to dig into my passion for helping underserved populations, and solidified that medicine is, in fact, what I want to do. This year, I plan to volunteer for Hawaiʻi Pacific Health as well as to continue shadowing physicians in different specialties as I continue my studies throughout the summer.

Outside of academics, I have continued to enjoy spending time with my friends and build meaningful connections with them! My roommate and I spend every free waking moment together whether that be going to the gym, going out to dinner, or staying in and watching TV. I learned how to use the air fryer, went to my first Barryʻs workout class (which was HARD but so much fun!), and learned how to budget my dining points better. All in all, it has been a lovely second year and I could not be more grateful to Paubox for their ongoing support in my pursuit of education! Hoala and his team are the most amazing people I have met, and I am forever in debt to them for all they have done for me.

Read: Paubox Kahikina Scholarship 2026