Marine Biology Graduate Student Orientation Course

The Ulana ʻIke Center partnered with the Marine Biology Graduate Program at UH Mānoa and the Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve to develop and lead an intensive three week graduate course Kūlana Noiʻi: Introduction to Place-based Research Methodologies in Hawaiʻi. The course was mandatory for all incoming Marine Biology Graduate students in the 2021 cohort and was aimed at providing students with a grounding in what constitutes a research paradigm and the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct place-based research in Indigenous spaces with a focus on Hawaiʻi. Through readings and lectures from experts students were exposed to multiple disciplines and knowledge frameworks for approaching scientific inquiry. The course used the Kūlana Noiʻi as an ethical framework to explore reciprocal, place-based research methodologies. Students also gained first-hand experience in building connections with local community organizations that implement Indigenous management practices. They worked alongside place-based stewards, researchers, and cultural practitioners to learn about conservation issues and practices in Hawaiʻi. In addition to place-based activities and panels, a series of self-directed learning broadened students’ skill sets and critical thinking as well as provided space for self-reflection towards integrating place-based dimensions in their graduate research. The course culminated with students developing a set of individual place-based research ethics, or their personal Kūlana Noiʻi, to inform their graduate work.