Local grown Kailua girl Kiana Frank – Assistant Professor, University of Hawaii, Pacific Biosciences Research center – studies the microbial dynamics of Hawaiian ecosystems as a mechanism to better understand the connectivity between land and sea, perpetuating place-based knowledge and ecological-based studies to foster values and concepts of traditional management. Her work integrates biology, geochemistry, and ʻike kupuna (traditional knowledge) to address novel hypothesis and showcase connections between contemporary science and indigenous science. She has strong relationships working within communities using scientific hands on experiences in the ʻāina (land), our natural laboratories, to inspire the younger Hawaiian generations to cultivate a connections to science through their culture.