Christopher " Kit " Dahl spent two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines; working as a fisheries extension agent - now Ph.d. candidate in geography
Christopher " Kit " Dahl
Department of Geography
The University of Hawaii
Hello, most people know me by my nickname, " Kit ". I'm a graduate student in the Geography Department; I also work half-time for Sea Grant.
In my studies I am focusing on natural resources management while also minoring in cartography . I chose cartography as a minor partly because I have always been interested in maps and partly because I think it is a discipline unique to geography. I am pursuing my Ph.D. and already have a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in other disciplines. I will be finished (I hope) with my course work at the end of Spring term, 1995; I have begun to develop a dissertation topic and have a very early draft of a proposal done. I will probably take my comprehensive exams in the fall of 1995 and if all goes according to plan, start field research in early 1996.
My professional background is somewhat varied. I have done quite a bit of work related to marine resources and the marine environment. This includes:
Peace Corps two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines; working as a fisheries extension agent. (See if you can find the town of San Jose, on the island of Panay, on the map behind that last link. That's where I lived for most of my time in the Philippines.) At sea spending time in the North Pacific and Bering Sea; first as a Foreign Fisheries Observer and later as a "Joint-Venture Representative", and; In the tropical Pacific most recently, before coming to Hawaii working in the Federated States of Micronesia as an Extension Agent for Sea Grant.
During my time in Micronesia I became involved in a watershed conservation project on the island of Pohnpei, where I lived. This has shifted my interest more to the land side of things (but still on an island where the ocean is always close). I think it relates to my previous interests because of its social and institutional aspects. I have always been interested in how common property resources can be effectively managed , whether they are forests or fish.
Free Time
Outside of work and school (which doesn't leave much these days!) my recreational interests are generally connected to the water. Ok, I am not a surfer. But I really like to swim; I swim in the pool four or five days a week in the " master's swim program " and even get to the beach on rare occasions. I also like to SCUBA dive, although I am spoiled by all my time in Micronesia and find Hawaii a not very impressive place to dive. I did a lot of sailing when I was younger and owned a motor boat in Pohnpei, but again, don't get out on the water much here in Hawaii.
I can be reached by e-mail at cdahl@soest.hawaii.edu if you want to find out more!
