Julia Chioko Polloi, who hails from Palau, says the summer internship work went hand-in-hand with her classroom GIS studies, correlating to one another.
By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.
A geography major with a concentration on environmental studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo spent the summer in her homeland as an intern at the offices of the Palau Automated Land and Resource Information System or PALARIS. The internship was sponsored by the Palau National Scholarship Board.
Julia Chioko Polloi, who hails from Ngaraard, Ngiwal, and Medalaii in the Republic of Palau, says the work went hand-in-hand with her classroom studies, correlating to one another.
“In my classes, I was able to learn about GIS (geographical information system) data, environmental and political issues and more in-depth details in the geographical world,” she says. “During my internship, I was able to apply this knowledge hands-on when conducting field work and reviewing different projects that the Office of PALARIS worked on.”
Polloi arrived at UH Hilo in the fall of 2023 and is now a senior planning to graduate in the spring of 2026. She was drawn to the internship because of her interest in the GIS field.
“I requested to work with the PALARIS office for their amazing team and the work they’ve done for Palau,” she says. “I wanted to learn more about the work I can do in Palau as well as gain experience to be able to give back to my community when I return home.”
During the internship, Polloi developed experience using GIS tools, such as ArcPro, and gained skills in operating various drone equipment.
“I also learned how to do 3D modeling and use different processing software for geographical data,” she explains. “I also had the opportunity to sit in meetings and learn the scope of PALARIS’s Geospatial work in both the public and private sector in Palau.”
“This internship gave me the opportunity to gain a closer look at the work we need to continue to do, not only to protect our environment but our cultures and traditions as well.”
The internship was an invaluable experience as Polloi gains knowledge as an undergraduate at UH Hilo.
“While I was working back home, I gained so much knowledge not just about the work culture in Palau but also the need for more youth to continue to return and lead the workforce,” she says. “I was able to learn more about the future of Palau’s environment and the plans we are actively pursuing in order to protect our island against climate change and changing environmental pressures.”
“This internship gave me the opportunity to gain a closer look at the work we need to continue to do, not only to protect our environment but our cultures and traditions as well,” she says.
Story by Susan Enright, a public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.
