Steven Mana‘oakamai Johnson
Assistant Professor, Natural Resources and the Environment

Dr. Steven Mana‘oakamai Johnson (he/him/‘oia) is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) scientist, born and raised on the island of Saipan, located in Micronesia. His research questions are informed by his heritage and upbringing, focusing on the impacts of climate change on coastal communities, primarily in the Pacific Islands. He uses social, environmental, and climate data to develop equitable and cooperative solutions for coastal communities. This work is a direct practice of his kuleana (responsibility) to use his knowledge and skills to improve the social and environmental spaces he is a part of.
Education
- Ph.D., geography, Oregon State University, 2021
- M.S., biology, University of Guam, 2017
- B.S., biology, Barry University, 2010
Recent Research
- Selected Publications:
- Nguyen, K.H., A. K. Akiona, C.C. Chang, V.B. Chaudhary, S.J. Cheng, S.M. Johnson, S.S. Kahanamoku, A. Lee, E.E. de Leon Sanchez, L.M. Segui, and R.L. Tanner (2022). Who are we? Highlighting Nuances in Asian American Experiences in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Bull Ecol Soc Am 103(1):e01939.
- Johnson, S.M., and Watson, J.R. (2021). Novel environmental conditions due to climate change in the world's largest marine protected areas. One Earth 4(11):1625-1634.
- Johnson, S.M., Reyuw, B.M., Yalon, A., Mclean, M., and Houk, P. (2020). Contextualizing the social-ecological outcomes of coral reef fisheries management. Biological Conservation 241:108288.
Contact Information
Fernow Hall 102
Ithaca, NY 14853
steven.johnson [at] cornell.edu
Steven in the news

News
Fellows will spend the year developing a community-engaged course, project or publication, while also joining a network of scholars committed to advancing the university’s public engagement mission.
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- School of Integrative Plant Science
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section

Spotlight
- American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program
- Natural Resources and the Environment
- Development Sociology