Fujio Matsuda

After earning his doctoral degree, Matsuda worked as a researcher at MIT for two years, then at the University of Illinois for one year. He then returned to Hawaii and taught in the University of Hawaii's engineering department from 1955 to 1962. During this time, he also worked at a small engineering firm.^[3] In 1962 he was appointed the director of the Hawaii Engineering Experiment Station, but was asked by John A. Burns to lead the Hawaii Department of Transportation, before he could assume that role. Matsuda led the Department of Transportation from 1963 to 1973. In 1973, Matsuda returned to the university as the vice president of business affairs.^[5]

On July 14, 1974, Matsuda was appointed the ninth president of the University of Hawaii. During his tenure, several dormitories and eight buildings, including the Richardson School of Law, were built.^[6] He also reorganized the community college system so that each one would have a chancellor.^[7] He resigned on May 31, 1984, and was succeeded by Albert J. Simone.^[8] In 1985, the Fujio Matsuda Education Center at Windward Community College was built and named after him.^[4] Matsuda eventually retired in 1996, after serving for ten years as the director of UH's Research Corporation and for two years as the president of the Japan America Institute of Management Science.

After retiring, Matsuda was on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including for the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii just after its near-closure in 2003.^[9] In 2004, Matsuda was honored as a Living Treasure of Hawaii.^[10]

Matsuda died at his home in 2020, at the age of 95.^[11]

• Oral History Interview conducted by the University of Hawaii Center for Oral History
• Oral History Interview conducted by the Japanese Cultural Center