The fiery archipelago of Hawaii is one of the most fascinating places I have visited. The islands’ stunning landscapes contain high levels of endemism. Walking around the sprawling metropolis of Honolulu, bright, fragrant flowers attract colorful birds with rounded narrow beaks. Diversity in nature intersects diversity in culture as Polynesian traditions blend with Filipino and Japanese influence.
Sunset sailing is a great way to enjoy the beauty of Diamond Head
What a summer! So much has happened since my last post– My ‘deep dive’ presentation to the Fishery Solutions Team went really well. I had a very productive brainstorming session and was able to generate several behavioral intervention ideas for each of the challenges I discuss in my paper. We had a really great intern send-off party at the office on our last day as well. I learned so much at this internship and will really miss working with everyone at EDF!
Goodbye desk! 🙁
The day finally came when I had to say goodbye to all the good people at the Conservancy. I learned so much while there. It was a bit of a bittersweet moment because I’d like to think that I’d get a chance to work with everyone again in the future but you never know what life has in store for you. That’s worth a second of contemplation: I never know what life has in store for me. What I did know was that I would soon be headed down the One back to Monterey to finish up my studies. I really missed the serenity of the coast and just in case I had forgotten the wonders the ocean has to offer, there was a humpback blowing in the water close to the shore of Bean Hollow State Park if anyone cared to notice. I did notice as I stared off into the setting sun. I couldn’t help but notice; I had never seen a whale so close to the shore! And up until a year and a half ago, I had never seen a whale in California waters. What had I been doing all this time? Read More
This eye-opening learning experience at the Coastal Conservancy is only a couple days away from ending. I have acquired so much knowledge regarding coastal watersheds, partnering agencies and so much more. One of the perks of working at the Conservancy is the opportunity to go out in the field and monitor previous projects that project managers have worked on. By the way, that’s what the Conservancy does. They work on projects, so there is always something new and exciting in the works. Folks over here are also pretty busy which usually means good things are happening in California. As a result, I got a chance to visit some former projects to make sure things were still functioning properly. Read More
There is plenty of culture to be found in Paris, whether it be in the art galleries of the Louvre or Museé D’Orsay, the Opera Garnier, or even in one of the city’s hundreds of parks. But there is another place where you can find culture and so much more….UNESCO. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, afterall, UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. I was well-aware that plenty of people work everyday to protect and advance cultural heritage worldwide but was unaware that I would be so exposed to it every day. The building itself houses its own private art collection. 
From the Picasso mural that takes up the entire wall near the main meeting rooms, to the Calder mobiles that dot the lawn next to the Japanese Garden, the place is covered in art. There are statues everywhere, both inside and out. Read More
Made the nations Capitol my office earlier last month! I attended the congressional briefing about the poles (Arctic and Antarctic) led by Senator Whitehouse, Kathryn Sullivan, Senator Nelson, Dr. Brendan Kelly, and a few other inspirational individuals.
Senator Whitehouse gave an incredible speech about the importance of scientists to strike down the pseudo science that has attempted to brain wash society since the tobacco industry began using “science” for their benefit. “Science had an evil twin, parallel science–phony baloney science. We as a society need to call them out. As scientists, there is a force working against you, be
aware of it. No matter your trophic level, oceans are changing before our eyes worldwide. Oceans bear true witness to climate change impacts.”
Until we are able to remove these “scientist” from power, we will not be able to battle climate change. We will not be able to help the indigenous communities that rely on the fish and land. the children suffering massive health impacts from climate change, or the climate refuges. What we will have is massive wars over resources and the underdeveloped and poor world will suffer the hardest. We have a responsibility to act now and fix the damage the developed world has done.
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