Quote

"I enjoy field work and sharing knowledge about Hawaiian ecosystems with school children, and in turn I enjoy learning from children about their culture and how important the natural environment is for native Hawaiian people. Working in Waipio Valley is truly a pleasure and the information we can gain from this is a rare chance to do some great science."

What he does

I conduct surveys of ecosystems in Pacific Island areas such as Hawai‘i, French Polynesia and New Guinea looking at the impacts of invasive species and work on conserving native ecosystems.

How he got into science

I had been in the Boy Scouts for a long time because I loved to camp, fish, and be in the outdoors. I didn’t want a job where I would have to wear a suit and tie, because I wanted to be out hiking and camping every day. One of the best ways to be outside a lot of the time and be able to explore the world it is to become a field biologist.

Favorite accomplishments

Collecting species new to science is very exciting and trying to preserve the many unique aquatic species found in Polynesia is, I feel, my greatest accomplishment. I also feel it is a great personal accomplishment to be able to live and work in one of the most beautiful and interesting areas of the world, the Hawaiian Islands.

In his free time

I like to go fishing and camping whenever possible, and also enjoy scuba diving and photography. Backpacking and exploring new areas is always fun.