Cliff Kapono is a surfer and a scientist who explores how we can use science to relate to nature. He’s set to earn his PhD in chemistry in 2018 and his work has been featured in everything from Cyrus Sutton’s Island Earth to National Geographic, the New York Times, and the BBC.
After discovering his love of the ocean at a young age, he started connecting it to biology and chemistry in pursuit of a degree in biotechnology from the University of Hawaii. He studies what happens in our bodies when we spend time outside, biologically and emotionally connecting to nature. His current project, The Surfer Biome Project, looks at how surfers relate to each other and to the ocean.
Hearing Cliff talk about his work, his love of science, and his passion for his native Hawaiian culture is inspiring. We talk about his recent work connecting with and swabbing surfers, his favorite boards, how to be a citizen scientist, and why being an academic can in fact lead to an awesome lifestyle.
You can subscribe to the podcast Wild Ideas Worth Living on iTunes here.
