Asiata Professor Dr. Satupaitea Viali, Oceania University of Medicine’s Vice Chancellor and President, joins a dozen colleagues, all leading Pacific researchers and innovators, as the newly elected Fellows of the Pacific Academy of Sciences (PAS). Announcement of the 2025 fellows marks a significant milestone for regional excellence across multiple disciplines and comes as the Pacific Academy celebrates its one-year anniversary.
Pictured right, please read Professor Viali’s profile on the PAS website.
About the Pacific Academy of Science and its Fellows
Established in 2024 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, the Pacific Academy of Sciences unites distinguished researchers, indigenous knowledge holders, and emerging scholars from across the Pacific region to address our most pressing scientific challenges, and marks the first time Pacific Island nations have created a regional mechanism to collectively harness their knowledge for evidence-based decision-making. Their collective expertise spans health, education, environment, and governance — fields critical to Pacific resilience and sustainable development.
“Each new Fellow brings not only research excellence but also a deep commitment to community-grounded science,” said Professor Lohi Matainaho, PAS President. “Their election reflects the Academy’s mission to ensure Pacific leadership in shaping knowledge that matters to our islands and to the world.”
The Academy Fellows will be formally inducted at the Academy’s inaugural Congress to be held 16-18 February 2026 in Apia, Samoa.
A Mission-Driven Medical School With Worldwide Impact
As the Vice Chancellor and President of OUM, Professor Viali’s recognition aligns with the University’s founding purpose and ongoing impact. Established in 2002 to address Samoa’s physician shortage, OUM has grown into a globally connected medical school delivering a hybrid curriculum to more than 370 students across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Samoa, and the United States. OUM’s 260+ graduates are practicing in these same regions, strengthening healthcare systems across the globe. OUM is accredited by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities, listed in the World Health Organization’s World Directory of Medical Schools, and recognized by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.