For people who visit, work, and live in Hawai’i, the ocean is home to some…
Women’s History Month 2022 – Women in Ocean Science
In honor of Women’s History Month, learn more below about inspiring women in ocean science! A huge thank you to all women & people in ocean science dedicating their lives to our planet.
Women Making History here in Hawaii:
Frankie Koethe of Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership
Frankie was born & raised on the island of O’ahu. From an early age, Frankie’s parents would take her and her sister out hiking at Olomana and Wiliwilinui and instill in them the importance of the outdoors, their aina, and being respectful of the place they live. This only grew her love of the outdoors and her hunger to explore and learn more.
Frankie’s passion for learning and being active led her to attend UH Mānoa for an undergraduate degree in Zoology, followed by a masters degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Management. Frankie expressed how growing up she did not know what she wanted to do and did not know organizations such as the Ko’olau Mountains Watershed Partnership (KMWP) existed at the time. Instead, her dream jobs included being an astronaut, or a teacher who also had a restaurant that sold sandwiches and spaghetti (the latter she thinks still might have some potential).
Frankie gave inspiring words to remember while building a career. “Building skills and careers are not a walk in the park. It can feel like 2 steps forward, 10 steps back, and the path can be unclear. But, perseverance and a strong positive mindset can take you far. Never forget that you are not alone in the journey. Use the resources you have available to you to reach your goals and remember to always go with your gut.” She also touched on growth that can come through managing rejections, “You can get 100 rejections, but it just takes one ‘yes’ to get your foot in the door. Take every job interview and application submission as a chance to grow and be better for the next opportunity that you want to apply for. To quote from the marvel movie Shang Chi, ‘If You Aim At Nothing, You Hit Nothing.’”
She is now the Community Outreach Liaison for KMWP, which means she is the bridge between the stakeholders that use the water resources of the Ko’olau Mountains and the watershed management work in our forests. One aspect of Frankie’s position includes developing curriculums and educational activities for all ages and doing presentations about the Ko’olau Mountains and watershed management.
“I aim to open peoples’ eyes to the world just mauka of them, that is the source of our livelihood, wai.”
She perpetuates KMWP’s work by inspiring the next generation to do better, implement positive action in their lives for a sustainable future, and choose a path in forestry and watershed conservation. Frankie also holds workdays in their six restoration sites where volunteers partake in weeding and native species planting. Here she speaks on one of her most rewarding aspects to her position, which includes seeing people reconnect with nature.
“Many people get very disconnected from aina and stuck in the ‘concrete jungle’ and hustle and bustle of life. When a volunteer touches soil and plants and gets a little muddy on a hike, I get to see so much more. They let go of the stresses and constraints that society has weighed on them, and I see them release and just enjoy the forest. During reflections, attendees will say they want to come back and make a difference for themselves and their resources, and that is a huge reward for me.”
Frankie’s Message to Women in Ocean Science:
“As a wahine, if someone tells you, ‘you can’t,’ that should drive you to persevere even more. Break through gender barriers and know your worth. Gender should never stop you from doing what you love, so surround yourself with your cheerleaders who are in your corner. That can really keep you motivated.” Some of her most important cheerleaders were previous wahine mentors that always encouraged her to continue to work in STEM and conservation. Those include Dr. Sonia Rowley and her previous advisors Dr. Linda Cox and Dr. Mehana Vaughan. She said that previous coaches, teachers, bosses, and coworkers all have played a role in mentoring her and showed her what strong leadership means. They are still key people in her life and continue to fuel her in her endeavors. Frankie’s family has been a foundation for her as well and inspire her to keep pushing forward. Frankie mentioned how it is a small world and a smaller island, “the people you meet in life are part of the journey and you never know where you will work with them next. Network and keep in touch with friends and colleagues. They can be great mentors, sounding boards, collaborators, and support systems.”
More on KMWP:
Frankie described her KMWP crew as a top-notch. They make her laugh every day, but she also knows she can trust them fully in the field to share their knowledge and make sure they all get in and out of a field mission safely and successfully. Frankie talked about some challenges they face at KMWP. She acknowledged that natural resource management is not highly funded, which causes small workforces with a lot of kuleana. Climate change, invasive species, and increasing storm systems challenge them greatly as well. They are continuously sharp in the field detecting new invasive species and keeping up with current research.
Exciting Projects KMWP has been Working on:
-Pōpō Hua Kanu: Seed Bomb Activity. KMWP spent their time in quarantine revitalizing the seed bomb-making activity and have community members participate. This connects people to the forest without being able to access it. Other organizations have adopted their protocols in the state and are having successes in seedling regeneration that will eventually regrow native forests.
-Rapid Albizia Death Hui (RAD Hui): Frankie and KMWP Manager, JC Watson, have been working with communities to teach about the threats of Albizia trees and how to remove non-hazard trees. These projects are growing and are aimed at combating these fast-growing invasive trees on O’ahu.
Frankie recognized that conservation work does not mean only foresters and botanists. They need graphic designers, marketing professionals, engineers, construction workers, accountants, lawyers, teachers, elected officials, doctors, cultural practitioners, event coordinators, musicians, artists, etc. Even if people are called to a different career, she said to always remember that you can contribute to watershed management and conservation efforts because weekend warriors are very important to them too.
“Go volunteer with projects and get outside to kokua and take care of this place we call home.”
Special thanks to Frankie for her time and all that she does for the Island of O’ahu. If you’d like to learn more about KMWP check out their website koolauwatershed.org or social media @kmwphawaii
Dr. Ruth Gates (March 28, 1962- October 25, 2018)
Dr. Ruth Gates is described as one of the most influential and relentlessly optimistic women in ocean science. Before her passing in 2018, she was the Director of the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB). Ruth contributed greatly to our understanding of climate change on coral reefs and the development of resilient coral. Her legacy will forever live on at the Coral Resilience Lab at HIMB where she built a remarkable foundation for future scientists and researchers.
“She inspired many of us to be creative, to bring our best foot forward, embrace our individuality unapologetically, be forward-thinking scientists and provided an incredible amount of hope for the future of coral reefs.” -Beth Lenz
For more information and more inspiring quotes by those who knew and worked closely with Ruth, follow the link to the Honolulu Civil Beat article: RIP Ruth Gates: The World Loses A Top Coral Scientist And ‘Indomitable Spirit.’ Ruth was also featured in the Emmy-winning “Chasing Corals” documentary found here: CHASING CORAL
Other Notable Women Making History:
Dr. Cindy Lee Van Dover (Born 1954)
Dr. Cindy Lee Van Dover was the first, and only, female to pilot a deep-diving submersible known as Alvin, according to WHOI Women’s Committee. She explored the ocean floor to depths of 3,600 meters while discovering many strange organisms along the way and taking part in deep-sea hydrothermal-vent exploration. In 2006, she became the first woman to be the director of the Duke University Marine Laboratory. Van Dover has also published more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed journals and authored the following books, The Octopus’s Garden (aka Deep-Ocean Journeys) and textbook, The Ecology of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents.
Rear Admiral Evelyn J. Fields (ret.) (Born 1949)
Rear Admiral Evelyn J. Fields’s (ret.) is also a woman of many first in the ocean science field. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), she was the first woman and first African American to hold the position of Director of the NOAA Corps and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. She was the first woman to reach the rank of rear admiral and the first woman to command a NOAA ship. Below, a quote found in NOAA’s Making Waves: Notable Women in Ocean Science article regarding her challenging yet rewarding experience commanding a ship.
“It’s the kind of assignment you look for, and it never occurred to me to turn it down because I’m a woman. Once you leave the pier, you are really the one in control — the one making the decisions. As a junior officer, you always have someone to fall back on, someone else who has the final responsibility. As commanding officer, you are that person.” –Rear Admiral Evelyn J. Fields
Dr. Sylvia Earle (Born 1935)
Dr. Sylvia Earle is one of the most renowned Marine Biologist in the world. She is the founder of Mission Blue, an organization dedicated to protecting the ocean from its many threats. According to National Geographic, Sylvia is a former chief scientist for NOAA, and has authored more than 190 scientific, technical, and popular publications. With a special focus on exploration, conservation, and the creation of new technologies to reach the deep sea, she has led more than one hundred expeditions and logged over 7,000 hours underwater. Named one of Time magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet,” she continues to be an inspiration and change the world!
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