On Oct. 20, Maui Huliau Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting environmental literacy and leadership among Maui’s youth, will host a virtual “Careers in Conservation: Marine Science” event for Maui youth interested in pursuing marine science careers.

Seven Maui professionals from different marine science backgrounds will share about their jobs, their career paths and their inspiration to help protect the ocean. The presenters represent a range of marine science backgrounds from community-based marine resource management to coral research and restoration.

The marine science virtual event is part of a series of five virtual events that will be offered throughout the school year, where youth ages 12 to 22 can connect with Maui professionals and be exposed to diverse local careers in conservation and sustainability.

The series will be hosted on Zoom by the Huliau Alumni Council. Alumni will facilitate breakout rooms where students can engage in an informal Q&A with the presenters.

“Maui Huliau’s Careers in Conservation series offers students a glimpse into the job force, empowering youth to explore different career pathways in conservation,” said Hannah Shipman, Huliau Alumni Council co-founder.

“They will have the opportunity to network with professionals, alumni and team members, which will ignite their curiosity and passion, and inspire their path to college and thriving careers.”

After hosting a similar event in May 2021 featuring 25 professionals, this series will group speakers by career field, giving students the opportunity to learn more about the careers in the specific fields that they are interested in. Fields include marine science, watershed protection, sustainable agriculture, ‘āina-based stewardship and education, and sustainable infrastructure, law and policy.

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of mentoring our youth to become the next generation of ‘āina stewards Hawaii needs,” said Serena Fukushima of Maui Invasive Species Committee, who also participated in the May 2021 virtual event.

“This event will help connect budding conservationists to established professionals, giving them tools and connections to help them move forward in their career goals.”

Youth living in Maui County between the ages of 12 and 22 can join this free event via Zoom from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 by registering on the Maui Huliau Foundation website by Oct. 18 at: https://mauihuliaufoundation.org/careers-in-conservation/.

On the website, students can read the presenter bios and also explore career resources and opportunities such as jobs, internships, fellowships and scholarship resources.

Teachers are encouraged to spread the word to their students and to check out the many teaching resources on Maui Huliau Foundation’s website, including virtual field trips, filmmaking resources, virtual classroom activities and more, at https://mauihuliaufoundation.org/teachers/.