Corals can teach us about our own personal resilience to adapt to our continuously changing world, while remembering the importance of our roots and our communities that can support us even through major events
At KIKAI College, we offer an internship program .
This time, we are featuring Krislyn Takeuchi's internship experience!
●Name：Krislyn (Kiki) Takeuchi
●Age：25
●Country：Walnut Creek, California, USA
●Internship period：9/9-10/9 2024
●School：University of California, Santa Barbara (Graduated 2021)
Why you choose this internship?
I found this internship back in 2021 when I was graduating from university. I had already completed some coral research in Thailand and Indonesia as part of a study-abroad program and wanted more hands-on research. The idea of being able to study corals in Japan was exciting, especially knowing the important history of corals in Kikaijima. When I became an ALT in Japan through the JET Programe in Kyushu, it felt all too perfect to come to Kikai for this internship upon finishing my teaching contract and before heading back to the US.
What did you do in your internship?
Most of my time in this internship was spent helping with fossilized coral core labs. I went drilling many times for coral cores with other interns. I learned how to use Naomi Software to take 2D X-ray images of the coral core samples to compare annual growth. I also helped take water samples from the nearby port and prepare the water for analysis in off-site labs. I conducted a total of 4 underwater transects at Hawaii Beach making observations on substrate type, coral type, species, and bleaching levels while taking photos every 2 meters and a video along the transect. Lastly, I helped out with the high school Coral Cram School and a 3-day fieldwork class for the university students.
The coral core research and coral transects were the most interesting to me. This was the first time I had been exposed to fossilized corals. To understand the research, I read up on various papers about the uses of these cores and the different ocean and nutrient deductions we can make from studying them. Although time-consuming, I began mapping the cores with another intern using Image J to measure the length of each annual growth layer. Trying to find the best direction, polyp, and overlap of polyps was a puzzle that felt satisfying to finally finish. It was also rewarding being able to identify corals by their species and become more familiar with corals specific to the Ryukyu Islands and Kikaijima. The transects also impacted how I view corals, especially in seeing the whole reef bleached and impacted by typhoon energy, then going out two weeks later and seeing signs of recovery in such a short period.
What realizations did you have through the internship?
My main takeaway, especially in my conversations with Watanabe Sensei, is the importance of how people and corals cohabitate, especially in learning about the Kikai community. It’s also important to recognize the resilience of corals to survive even through warming trends and disturbance. Hopefully, by focusing on overall coral resilience and less on the prevention of disturbance, we can create a culture of appreciation for corals. We can recognize them for their natural beauty, contribution to overall ocean health, and how they can teach us about what changes are happening underwater out of our everyday vision. On a more philosophical note, they can teach us about our own personal resilience to adapt to our continuously changing world, while remembering the importance of our roots and our communities that can support us even through major events.
What is your future goals?
I am returning to the U.S. to pursue my master’s in marine and coastal conservation. I hope to use education and citizen science to make conservation more inclusive of local communities. I am also interested in researching coral resilience in warming temperatures and using coral propagation for reef conservation.
What did you do on your day off?
I ended up spending all of my time off in the community. Kikai is such a unique place in that the people here have come from all different places of Japan and become part of the more traditional community here in Kikai. They have so many stories, events, and music to share. I went fishing many times with different people and some of the high school students too, performed for the first time on stage with a friend, had cooking parties, and spent as much time as I could in the ocean, sometimes 3 times a day. I went spear fishing, SUP’d and even surfed while here. While a small island, there are endless things to do depending on how you want to spend your time.
What left a lasting impression in KIKAI island?
The people here left the biggest impact on me. The community is amazing and it’s inspiring that high school students come from all over Japan just to have the opportunity to study here. The separation from the hustle and bustle of cities definitely gives you the chance to reconnect with your own personal goals and experience many things for the first time. Working at the institute gives you the chance to interact with professors, students, and the occasional tourists who come wanting to learn more about corals. You can see coral reefs from the science side and the people side at the same time, which I think is so unique to Kikaijima.
To everyone interested in the internship program
Don’t be afraid to apply! It’s an amazing experience, especially if you’re interested in research. However, I would come in having an idea of what specifically interests you, whether on the fossilized side or the living side of coral reefs. While it’s good to have an open mind and want to try everything, you will get the most out of the time and resources available to you knowing a project idea and what kind of support you need for it. The professors are all amazing and intelligent, but it will help them provide you with better support knowing your own interests and personal goals.
KIKAI College is now accepting applications for interns!
University students, graduate students, and professionals are all welcome to join us. Let's work together!