Sustainability Film Series
Lars Bejder is Director of the Marine Mammal Research Program at UH Mānoa. His team deploys advanced technologies, like drones, satellites, and suction-cup sensors, to better understand how whales and dolphins live, communicate, reproduce, and respond to a changing environment. He is the author of more than 180 scientific papers and has served as an advisor to the International Whaling Commission and the IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group.
Lecture & Multimedia Showcase
Giants of Change: Discovering the Secret Lives of Whales
For centuries, whales have inspired awe while keeping many of their greatest secrets hidden beneath the sea. Today, a revolution in technology is opening an extraordinary new window into their world. In this captivating presentation, Professor Lars Bejder reveals how drones, artificial intelligence, satellites, and cutting-edge wildlife sensors are enabling scientists to measure the health of whales, follow their epic migrations, understand the bonds between mothers and calves, and uncover how a changing climate and human activity are reshaping their lives. Filled with breathtaking imagery, remarkable discoveries, and unforgettable encounters from the field, this lecture offers a rare glimpse into one of the last great frontiers on our planet. It is a story of exploration, innovation, and hope—and of why protecting whales is essential to the future of healthy oceans.
Friday, November 20, 2026, 7:00 PM
Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Museum of Art
900 South Beretania Street
Event Sponsors: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Institute for Sustainability and Resilience, the School of Cinematic Arts, the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, and the Honolulu Museum of Art/Doris Duke Theatre
Co-Event Sponsors: Hawai’i Book and Music Festival
