Research
As an ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiian) ecologist, my work is grounded in Hawaiʻi, my island home. Hawaiʻi has been deemed “the endangered species capital of the world” and imports 85% of its food and material needs. The state of the islands was not always like this as ʻōiwi developed biodiverse agroecosystems. Due to the resilient efforts of ʻōiwi community members, these systems are being restored. In this way, Hawaiʻi serves as an excellent model system for my research program and global issues.
The overarching goal of my research program is to design agricultural systems centered on both Indigenous and Western science and to uplift farmers, communities, and native biodiversity.
As the world faces a triple threat of biodiversity loss, climate change, and food injustice, how can Indigenous agricultural systems be revitalized in ways that work for people and nature? This context and question guide my research interests to address this triple threat:
I ground these interests within Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles to respectfully utilize this data and engage with communities. I also utilize a framework of Two-eyed seeing, where Indigenous science and Western science can be helpful partners in tackling wicked issues. These interests are at the intersection of several fields: community ecology, entomology, genomics, and sociology.