Keynotes & Plenaries
The 44th ISTS Symposium will feature keynote presentations and plenary sessions that spotlight emerging ideas, critical issues, and diverse voices shaping marine turtle science and conservation. With this year’s gathering taking place in Hawaiʻi, particular emphasis will be placed on elevating voices from across the Pacific Islands and sharing Indigenous knowledge, cultural perspectives, and community-based approaches to ocean stewardship.
These sessions are designed to challenge, inspire, and foster cross-disciplinary dialogue among participants from around the world. While keynotes and plenaries will feature several aspects of Pacific Island culture, the program will also include select speakers and topics from other regions to contribute to a truly global exchange.
Below are highlights of the sessions confirmed so far. Additional speakers and topics will be announced as they are finalized.
Plenary sessions
Pacific Island Nations, Shared Seas: Indigenous Perspectives on Sea Turtle and Marine Conservation
This plenary session will highlight the deep-rooted relationships that Pacific Island communities maintain with the ocean and sea turtles, emphasizing cultural, spiritual, and ecological perspectives. Indigenous leaders and local practitioners from Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia will share stories and strategies rooted in ancestral knowledge and customary marine governance.
Panelists will explore community-based conservation, traditional protected areas, and the role of intergenerational knowledge transfer. The discussion will also address the tensions and synergies between Indigenous stewardship systems and modern conservation frameworks, offering practical insights into collaboration, equity, and shared responsibility.
Held in Hawaiʻi, a place where sea turtles (honu) carry profound cultural significance, this session aims to inspire more inclusive conservation practices that recognize and elevate Indigenous leadership across the Pacific and beyond.
Keynotes
Cindi Punihaole
Director, Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center, Hawai‘i Island
We are deeply honored to welcome Cindi Punihaole as a keynote speaker for the 44th ISTS Symposium. A respected Native Hawaiian leader and lifelong steward of place, Cindi has played a central role in protecting Kahaluʻu Bay, located just minutes from the symposium venue in Keauhou. As Director of The Kohala Center’s Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center, she has led efforts to restore the bay’s ecological health through education, cultural grounding, and community-driven conservation.
Cindi’s work embodies the values of aloha ʻāina and kuleana, bridging traditional knowledge and local action to care for marine ecosystems. We are grateful to have her voice and presence helping to anchor the symposium in the cultural and ecological richness of Hawaiʻi Island.
