I am a sociocultural and applied linguist exploring the intersection of language and the environment. My research draws on ethnography and linguistic methods to examine how language and cultural practices shape human interactions with animals and nature, particularly in the contexts of wildlife conservation and ecotourism. My primary research examines the linguistic and social practices shaping the intersecting contexts of wildlife conservation and nature-based tourism in Hawai‘i around protected Hawaiian green sea turtles. This research seeks to bridge applied linguistics with interdisciplinary research on human-environment relations in the environmental sciences and humanities. Through this research I advocate for the relevance of ethnography and language-focused research for better understanding and responding to the intersecting social and ecological issues involved in human interaction with protected species and their habitats.
