Two College of Pharmacy Faculty Retire

Susan Jarvi, PhD

Dr. Sue Jarvi, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, retired after 25 years at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. She served as a faculty member and department chair in the Department of Biology before joining the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) in 2009.

Dr. Jarvi’s legacy is her internationally recognized research on Rat Lungworm Disease. Her ground-breaking research has resulted in numerous manuscripts and books over the years, and together with her community outreach efforts, has been instrumental in transforming the parasite from a feared and potentially debilitating disease, to a preventable and manageable condition. In addition, she served as the Department Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences from 2015 to 2016.

Dr. Jarvi is also recognized for her contributions to coordinating and teaching immunology to the DKICP pharmacy students. “We appreciate the many contributions that Dr. Jarvi has given to the University and to the citizens of Hawaii and beyond. We are happy to see her look forward to spending more time with her family on the East Coast,” said Dr. Julie Adrian, Department Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Wesley Sumida, PharmD, BCPS Dr. Wesley Sumida, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, will be retiring in January 2026. He has served as the academia rotation preceptor for the Queen’s Health System Community Based Post-Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) Residency Program and previously for the Hawaii Pacific Health PGY1 pharmacy residency. Today, the community-based pharmacy residency program continues to be offered through Queen’s and is one of six PGY1 residency programs in Hawaii.

While at the University of Hawaii, Dr. Sumida has been a strong advocate for health equity, with a focus on improving medication adherence in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander patients with diabetes and heart disease. This dedication is reflected in both the courses that he precepted and the research that he conducted. In addition, he has served as the faculty advisor for Delta Lambda Chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma, National Pharmacy Leadership Society.

“Dr. Sumida has been a consummate professional and strong role model for our students,” said Dr. Nicole Young, Department Chair of Pharmacy Practice at DKICP. Dr. Sumida looks forward to longer travel excursions, finding new fishing spots, and catching more waves - on weekdays.