Kalena's time with MIMRA was spent facilitating community-based resource management throughout the Marshall Islands, in which she is now entering her second year as a Ph.D. student at the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science in Seattle.

Kalena's current research uses fluid-preserved specimens from the RMI to assess historical shifts in fish trophic and radionuclide levels. Such an intersectional study addresses multiple issues our people face, especially in their fight for reparations and nuclear justice, and the present effort to address the state of our natural resources in the face of ongoing climate change. 

"I’m grateful that wherever I am and whatever work I am doing, it is for the benefit of the Marshallese people. I hope we can continue to take up space and reclaim ownership of knowledge that is ours. I hope we can be empowered to conduct our own research and make informed decisions tailor-made for us and our futures."