Like most children in Hawaii, Haunani Kane grew up going to the beach near her parents’ home on the windward side of Oahu almost every day.
More than sandcastles and surfing sessions, her childhood beaches instilled her knowledge of the place. And that led her to ask questions about what she observed: Why did the sand disappear? Why did the tree fall into the sea?
This led her to study geology at university, and she continued to wonder why such environmental destruction was occurring.
“Will this beach still be there in the future for my children? Will I be able to share the same experience with them that I had?” Kane recalled at the time.
![Larro (French Frigate Shoals) is an island beloved for both its natural resources and cultural significance. This is a place that provided much of the inspiration for Haunani Kane's research and learning as a climate scientist. Lauren Kapono and Aloha Kapono were part of the Native Hawaiian research team that conducted research at Lalo. (Courtesy of Jason Patterson)](https://www.civilbeat.org/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif?x93568)
Her questions didn’t stop. But she is now in a position to find more answers.
Currently, Kane is the president of the Hilo-based non-profit organization MEGA lab, an assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, a volunteer and crew member with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and an avid surfer.
Her research on climate change and coastal erosion was recently recognized by Grist, a nonprofit media organization focused on climate change. Kane, from the science and energy sector, has been named to the 2023 Grist 50 Fixers, her list of 50 leaders driving positive change.
“It’s an honor to be recognized, especially on such a big platform,” she said.
MEGA Lab teaches communities about science and conservation issues through storytelling, making science accessible to people who might not be interested in it through traditional education systems.
The lab offers in-person learning and community space in downtown Hilo. Kane is honored to mentor his successors through MEGA Lab and his professorship.
“I am fortunate to play a role in the next generation of learners, the next generation of scientists, the next generation of environmentally and culturally conscious people,” she said.
![Aloha Kapono, Kammy Dominick Tavares, Haunani Kane, Christian MacDonald, Kynal Steward, Lauren Kapono (Courtesy of Anik Chong)](https://www.civilbeat.org/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif?x93568)
For Cain, this cultural mindfulness is critical to combating climate change.
“Climate is a big global problem, but solutions really need to be local and driven by communities. They are about community needs and visions for the future, and about indigenous peoples and how they can create sustainable livelihoods.” It’s about looking at how we operate. We managed the land and its coastal resources,” Kane said.
She is a bridge between scientific research and ancestral knowledge, which she describes as “heavy kuleana.”
In 2021, Kane will lead an all-Native Hawaiian team aboard the research vessel Makaniol to investigate climate change impacts on two small islands, Lalo and Nihoa, which are part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in northwest Hawaii. We investigated the impact.
Kynal Steward, a graduate student at the University of Hilo, also participated. “This trip was about reconnecting with our ancestral islands and memories, not just conducting research, but actually finding Kuleana in our work,” he says. I did.
“Haunani redefines how I think about ‘scientists’ and what science is in terms of ‘oiwi’ based on our ‘aina’ and service to the community. “It helped us do that,” Steward said. “She always inspires me to think creatively about the stories I want to tell through my work and research.”
![Haunani Kain investigates the island with Kainaru Manager at Ralo Atoll. (Courtesy of Jason Patterson)](https://www.civilbeat.org/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif?x93568)
With a background as a geologist and Native Hawaiian roots, Cain works to understand how the island and its people will be affected by climate change and how human societies impact the environment. We analyze both cutting-edge science and indigenous islanders’ perspectives.
She and a team of other Hawaii-based scientists recently investigated the possibility that taro fields (loi) may serve as nesting sites for endangered native waterbirds whose wetland habitats are threatened by rising sea levels. I discovered that there is.
Mentors like Pomai Bertelmann built on these questions by encouraging Cain to study science from the perspective of community and place.
“The island’s oldest people teach their core selves, revealing the stories of their creation, their lives and their future,” Bertelmann said. “She focuses on the nourishment from the aina that feeds generations.”
Kane is the first Native Hawaiian woman to earn a PhD in geology from UH Mānoa. As she is the only Hawaiian on this year’s Grist 50 list, Cain is optimistic that this honor will serve as an inspiration to other change-makers while also setting a precedent for celebrating their contributions.
“I hope my presence this year will ensure that more Hawaiians, more people from the Pacific Islands, and more women can visit in the years to come,” she said. .
Ms. Kane is grateful to be among the people doing this important work, including the nonprofit organization Na Maka Onaona, as well as Dr. Sarah Kahanamoku-Meyer, Dr. Andrea Kealoha, and Kylie Pascoe. There is.
“Whether it’s art, science or technology, they push the boundaries of our understanding of what our islands are experiencing in relation to climate and come up with community-based solutions. “I’m very grateful for that,” Kane said.
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These companions respond to Kane’s sentiments.
“Local students have a lot of self-doubt about academics and science,” Pascoe said. “Being able to see Haunani’s success as a scientist makes us, as young scientists, have more confidence in ourselves and believe that we can achieve the same goals.”
Kane finds hope in community.
“I’m hopeful, but what are the alternatives?” she said. “I have hope because I look at this generation, the next generation, and their passion. I see how smart they are and how creative they are. Because they have all these traits, We can come together and find a solution.”
Civil Beat’s climate change reporting is supported by the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Environmental Funding Group, the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Marisula Fund, and the Frost Family Foundation.