Video: UH Hilo geology major Kamalani Poepoe’s lava research featured in fun educational video produced by Boston College
Notable in the video featuring Kamalani Poepoe’s scientific knowledge about volcanic rocks is the discussion on Native Hawaiian ways of exploring science, and Poepoe’s thoughts about her own deep, personal connection to the ʻāina and Pele’s domain.
By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.
In a wonderfully inspirational video produced by Boston College, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo geology major Kamalani Poepoe shares her research into rocks produced during Kīlauea eruptions. The video is episode #83 from the series, “Every Rock Has a Story,” hosted by Ethan Baxter, Boston College professor of earth and environmental sciences. The episode covers the scientific side of Kīlauea’s eruptions, but also delves deeply into Hawaiian history and culture.
Notable in the video featuring Poepoe’s scientific knowledge about volcanic rocks is a discussion on Native Hawaiian ways of exploring science, and Poepoe’s thoughts about her own deep, personal connection to the ʻāina (land) and Pele’s domain.
“Kīauea is very sacred to Native Hawaiians, and it’s because it is the home to Pele” explains Poepoe, who touches on how important it is to be pono in the volcano’s presence, to do the right thing, to honor the place when you first arrive through gifts and oli (chant). “It’s a very special place to me. I think this is one of the places that I can connect to because I dance hula and this is something that grounds me, especially since I do a lot of geology.”
The video is perfect for children grades 4-8, it’s fun and delightfully educational; Poepoe is gifted at explaining complex scientific knowledge in easy to understand prose. With its G rating for all ages, the inspirational video is also perfect for all keiki, high school and college students, adults, parents, and teachers. More from the YouTube description:
See how Kilauea science helps us connect to each other and to the natural world around us so that we can better appreciate Earth’s many wonders. When Kilauea erupted on June 7, 2023, huge amounts of frothy lava rock called tephra came blasting out. USGS scientists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory rushed out to collect that tephra and uncover its secrets. Join co-host and Hawaiian geology student Kamalani Poepoe to learn the science of the fire-y home of Pele from the lava rocks themselves. I hope you enjoy Episode 83 of Every Rock Has A Story “Seeing Kilauea”!
Kamalani Poepoe’s internships and research
The research shown in the video is the result of Poepoe’s internship with UH Hilo’s Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES), where she pursued a research-focused project that emphasized Indigenous data science, bio-cultural research, and quantitative/qualitative data collection and analysis.
For her initial internship, the up-and-coming geologist who is double majoring in astronomy, was paired with co-mentors from the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the UH Hilo geology department, with a research plan focused on determining the chemistry of Kīlauea’s June 2023 summit eruption. Poepoe loved the work so much that she returned the following summer in 2024 to a second internship at HVO.
Read more about her internships and research:
- UH Hilo geology major Kamalani Poepoe interns with Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (Aug. 19, 2024, UH Hilo Stories)
- UH Hilo geology major Kamalani Poepoe starts her second summer internship with Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (June 23, 2025, UH Hilo Stories)
Story by Susan Enright, public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.
