Talking about Planktons: First International Conference in Hawaii

Final prep: Reviewing slides and refining notes en route
First impressions of Hawaii: the warmth, breeze, and open skies
Checking in and unwinding: settling into the hotel, quick stroll near Waikiki
Visit to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus
- Met with fellow researchers and faculty in the marine biology and AI departments
- Campus impressions – mix of tropical flora and academic energy
Dry run of the presentation with peers
Brief tour of their lab setups – comparison with Info-Bio Lab at Tohoku
Dinner with local researchers: conversations about ocean monitoring, culture, and AI

Early morning setup: tech check, nerves, and excitement
Presentation Highlights:
- Discussed auto-imaging pipelines and classification of plankton
- Showcased the LLM + RAG integration for plankton taxonomy
- Emphasized GUI/API use, JSON-format output, and feedback loop
Audience reactions: lots of interest in the generative pipeline, environmental applications
Engaging Q&A: inquiries on edge deployment, real-time tracking, and dataset availability
Afternoon panel and networking with other marine AI researchers
Celebration dinner: Hawaiian cuisine and live music

Organized marine biology field trip with UH team
- Visited a coastal research station—discussion on sample collection techniques
- Compared local plankton ecosystems with Mutsu Bay samples
Cultural immersion: short hike + sunset at Diamond Head
Reflections on AI’s role in local marine sustainability

Morning at Honolulu Museum of Art or Bishop Museum (marine history)
Walk along Ala Moana Beach Park – inspiration and journaling
Light work session: reviewed presentation feedback, sent thank-you notes
Coffee shop people-watching (song lyrics moment? ☕🎶)
Quick gift shopping and last stroll near the coast
Reflections on the trip: personal growth, academic validation, new collaborations
Flight back to Japan – plans for follow-up research and collaborative papers