Research & Projects
Doctoral Research in Okinawa *Upcoming
TBD
NRT Trans-disciplinary Project
"Tracking Shifts in the Coupled human-natural System of the Island of Mo’orea in French Polynesia"
In the academic year of 2018-2019, I participated in the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) project focusing on Mo'orea, which is my minor (Risk and Uncertainty Quantification in Earth Systems) at OSU. Our team consisted of a geographer, a statistician, an ecologist, a microbiologist, and an anthropologist. As an anthropologist, I shared my fieldwork from 2016 and analyzed group dynamics of a transdisciplinary team.
MA fieldwork on Mo'orea, French Polynesia
Approximately three month fieldwork was conducted in the summer of 2016 for my MA thesis. Thankfully I had an opportunity to work with Dr. Tamatoa Bambridge from la Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement (CRIOBE). Focusing on governance of la Plan de Gestion de l'space Maritime (PGEM) and Indigenous and local people's perspectives, I implemented 24 interviews in Mo’orea with help of an amazing woman, Reo Terai, an caring woman, Dyana, and a skilled spear-fisher/Reo Maohi teacher, Rahiti Buchin. Five interviews were implemented in Tahiti Iti with Dr. Bambridge. I am sincerely and forever thankful for Reo, the Terai family, Tamarii Afareaitu, Dyana and her family, Heimata and his family + Tehani, the communities of 'ÅŒpÅ«nohu and Vai'are, Rahiti, and Tamatoa.
Undergrad fieldwork in Fiji
In 2011 - 2012, I spent approximately 11 months, staying in Suva, Levuka, and Kia Island. I cannot thank enough the people who supported me in Fiji, especially my life-long friends, Hamzy, Kalara, Ta Levu, Na Levu, Uncle Dan, and everyone from Vagadaci, Levuka. I had an opportunity to work with British Non-Government Organization Community-Centered Conservation (C3) as a volunteer intern under the supervision of Ako and people on Kia Island. Moreover, dancers at Oceania Centre of Arts and Culture, particularly Kata and Tia, taught me the joy of dancing and love of identity roots.
