What Do a Former Figure Skater, an Aspiring Astronaut and a Bioengineer Have in Common?
The answer is National Geographic Explorer Kakani Katija. The intrepid intellect spent her youth doing triple axels and dreaming of journeying to the stars, an unlikely start for the now principal engineer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Kakani Katija earned her master’s degree in aeronautics at the California Institute of Technology with her goal firmly set on exploring space. She quickly became enamoured with the scientific applications of fluid dynamics but it wasn’t until she had the opportunity to collaborate on a research project studying the fluid dynamics of jellyfish that she found her true calling.
“Sometimes your career path isn't straight,” says Kakani Katija. “It wasn’t until grad school that I realized the endless possibilities and places I could do research and work in – including the ocean. It's okay to change your career path and career interests, which is what I've done, not just out of necessity, but out of interest.”
“The data we collect includes beautiful and engaging images that not only allow us to connect with others and bring people into the ocean with us, but also inspire people to learn about these systems and places. We can understand the deep sea and the most unexplored places in our ocean or on our planet, thanks to technology.”
You can learn more about Kakani Katija’s fascination with the soft-bodied creatures that propel themselves lazily through our oceans with Kakani Katija: Designed by Nature on May 25 & 26 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons. Learn more about artscommons.ca/nature.
