28 March 2025 | 08:30 - 12:00 (MDT)
Open Session - HYBRID
Room: UMC Second Floor - 247
Organisers: Mariama Dryák-Vallies (Polar Science Early Career Community Office, USA); Natasha Haycock-Chavez (Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA)/NSIDC, USA); Jenna Vater (Navigating the New Arctic Community Office, USA)
Session Description:
Given the history of extractive research in the Arctic globally, Indigenous researchers and communities are calling for greater involvement in research, often in the form of community-led research, co-production of knowledge, and/or community-based monitoring. Early career researchers are involved in this type of research and are excellently positioned to be positive agents of change. At the same time, expectations for early career researchers to ‘produce’ on short timelines early in their careers can pose additional challenges to building long-term, respectful, and intentional relationships with communities they are working with in the near-term.
We welcome abstracts for talks from researchers, Indigenous scholars, Arctic community members in all stages of their careers involved in community-led research to share their work, including lessons, stories, and strategies for successful capacity sharing. We encourage abstracts with an emphasis on how early career researchers working to center Indigenous voices in their research can do so effectively. Stories of successes and failures are welcomed, and we intend to create a space for shared learning and reflection. Early career Indigenous researchers are especially encouraged to submit.
This session will be structured to create space for knowledge exchange, capacity sharing, and participation. We will begin the session with a series of talks, and the remaining time will be dedicated to a round table discussion between the panelists and an opportunity to hear from and engage with audience-members.
Instructions for Speakers: Oral presentations in this session should be at most 10-minutes in length, with an additional 2-3 minutes for questions (unless more detailed instructions are provided by session conveners). See more detailed presenter instructions here.
Oral Presentations - Part 1 (8:30 - 10:00 MDT)
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unfold_morePrioritizing equity and Indigenous perspective with time and funding constraints: An example of using community based participatory research principles to guide student research in Greenland — Malory Peterson
Malory Peterson 1; Augustine Rosing 2
1 Arizona State University; 2 Paamiut Museum, Kommuneqarfik SermersooqFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
Community based participatory research (CBPR) is a framework to improve social equity by engaging communities as equal partners in research design, conduct, and knowledge creation. CBPR has been limitedly used for research in Greenland, partially due to geographic and logistical limitations. CBPR necessitates extensive time, trust, and power sharing between researchers and community members- three conditions that are challenging to achieve for graduate students and early career researchers. Given time and funding constraints, how can graduate students and early career researchers learn and conduct equitable health and socioecological research in Greenland guided by the principles of CBPR? In this presentation, we describe 9 strategies used to conduct a dissertation study of fertility and reproductive health and climate adaptation in the community of Paamiut, Greenland, led by a non-Indigenous American doctoral student and a Kalaallit community-based researcher. Use of CBPR principles improved trust, participant recruitment, and the creation of community-valued research products in Paamiut. We describe instances when adhering to CBPR principles was not possible, and how the team adapted and found solutions with equity as the guiding goal. We discuss challenges of coordinating resource-sharing and timelines between American and Greenlandic institutions, and how administrative barriers can affect research relationships for researchers with limited power (i.e. graduate students). The methods described can be applied across other research disciplines to continue building equity, trust, and sustainability in international research partnerships in Greenland.
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unfold_moreAshes of unfulfilled dreams. Attempts to model a sustainable Indigenous settlement in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in a time of changes — Vera Solovyeva
Vera Solovyeva 1
1 Arctic Studies Center, Smithsonian InstituteFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
In 2021-2022, a multidisciplinary STEM team of Indigenous researchers and activists from the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) residing in and outside of the Republic, with the expertise in their STEM-related fields and Indigenous lifestyle, planned to model a Sustainable Indigenous Settlement (MSIS) in a vulnerable Indigenous community, the village of Khara Tumul, in the Oymyakon ulus. The model of an environmentally friendly settlement was based on ideas and thoughts about sustainable development, which indigenous people shared with the author in 2015-2016, during her Ph.D. fieldwork. The project respected the values of the Sakha culture and heritage and it remained flexible enough to adapt to newly developing circumstances, due to climate change. Our team hoped that the project could create a foundation for international collaboration among Indigenous people, Indigenous culture specialists, and academic scholars for their transdisciplinary research, and successful climate change adaptation and sustainable development. It would have provided a valuable toolbox for developing decolonial research methods, and building resilient communities in Arctic regions of the Russian Federation, and polar countries, under the rapidly changing climate conditions. Our methodology focused on Indigenous knowledge, enhanced relationships, and ties between the home place and the people. It promoted environmental stewardship, encouraged culturally relevant education, and preserved Indigenous language, ecology, and healing knowledge. Unfortunately, everything abruptly ended, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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unfold_moreLessons learned and reflections on Arctic research culture from an early career Iñupiaq perspective — Roberta Tuurraq Glenn-Borade
Roberta Glenn-Borade 1
1 University of Alaska FairbanksFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
Early career Indigenous scholars bring a unique combination of lived experience, cultural understanding, and academic training to our work, positioning us to be an effective bridge between Indigenous communities and university research. Our understanding of local life, cultural differences, languages and customs can help ensure that research is grounded in local perspectives and responsive to community priorities. Indigenous scholars can also help to counter historically extractive research practices by fostering reciprocal relationships and promoting transformative and multi-perspective research approaches. As emerging leaders, we play a role in reshaping research and policy to be more inclusive, respectful, and responsive to Indigenous communities. At the same time, the complexities of balancing academic expectations, evolving standards in research culture, responsibility to our community, time to build relationships, and capacity to produce deliverables for multiple audiences can be challenging.
I have learned many lessons through my current work helping lead the Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub, my previous master’s work with coastal hazards monitoring in southwest Alaska, ongoing mentorship from peers, advisors and Elders, and attendance at countless science gatherings; and I have shared these reflections with friends and collaborators in informal conversations outside meeting agendas. For this session, I would like to share more formally about my experiences, lessons learned and reflections as an Iñupiaq woman from Utqiaġvik working in the Arctic research world for the last 4 years. I hope by sharing it can help to open up the discussion to hear others thoughts and experiences to build a more collaborative community atmosphere.
Oral Presentations - Part 2 (10:30 - 12:00 MDT)
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unfold_moreLeave your hypothesis and theories at school: a deconstructionistic view of centering Indigenous voices in research — Melissa Van Veen
Melissa Van Veen 1
1 Tu'dese'cho Wholistic Indigenous Leadership Development, ELOKAFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
Braiding of Indigenous knowledge and western science utilizes the strengths of each methodology and strengthens ecological research. However, residual colonization effects have created a chasm between non-Indigenous and Indigenous people and systems of knowing.
Traditional Eurocentric science follows strict methodology which creates an elitist mentality, pushing out other ways of thinking and practices. As a researcher who wants to include Indigenous voices, it is important to break out of this narrow view of science and research practices. Successful engagement in Indigenous community research requires the deconstruction of ideas around what “science” is and viewing (Eurocentric) science as "true science"; Indigenous communities all over the world have been studying life, nature and the patterns within it for centuries, with their own methods of gathering and analyzing data.
Before any research project begins, preliminary literature research is done on the topic of interest. This same curiosity and research practice should be used before approaching and partnering with Indigenous communities in research. Some example topics include:
- Understand how colonization has affected Indigenous communities historically and continues today.
- Indigenous science is wholistic approach: people and nature are inseparable; they have a symbiotic relationship, and everything is connected. This opposes the Eurocentric scientific view that people are removed and separate from nature and should be removed from nature.
If ideas around Eurocentric science and Indigenous knowledge gathering are deconstructed, it allows space for equitable sharing of knowledge to occur in both directions, resulting in a wholistic and meaningful research project.
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unfold_moreEmbodied Co-Production of Knowledge: Early Career Researcher and Community Reflections on Ethical Research from Gambell, AK — Maria Monakhova
Maria Monakhova 1; Eddie Ungott 2; Abigail York 1; Shauna BurnSilver 1; Tatiana Degai 3
1 Arizona State University; 2 The Native Village of Gambell; 3 University of VictoriaFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
Co-production has gained significant traction as a model for collaborative research, especially in Indigenous and Arctic contexts. However, there remains a need for deeper understanding of how this process is experienced and perceived by those on the ground. The authors are part of the broader ARC-NAV project (Arctic Robust Communities – Navigating Adaptation to Variability), and during its development, they engaged in an extended consultative process with the Native Village of Gambell Tribal Council. This engagement fostered relationships and brought into conversation both challenges and opportunities from past research in Gambell, sparking the initial interest in this study on co-production of knowledge.
In this presentation, we outline specific strategies for co-producing knowledge through the collaboration of a non-Indigenous graduate student and Indigenous experts, integrating both didactic Western co-learning and Indigenous-led, land-based co-learning. Drawing on insights from 15 interviews conducted in Gambell, AK, and utilizing an embodied co-production of knowledge (CPK) approach that prioritizes direct experiences—such as engaging with the land and learning by doing—we examine the challenges and opportunities in collaborative efforts with scientists from a community perspective. Additionally, the discussion will explore the complexities of power, trust, and authority from an early career scholar’s viewpoint, sharing personal and professional strategies for overcoming barriers and enhancing collaboration in community-based research.
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unfold_moreBraiding Indigenous and Western Research Methodologies: Storying Community Research Success — Lauren Clavelle & Melissa Van Veen
Lauren Clavelle 1; Melissa Van Veen 1
1 Tū’desē’cho Wholistic Indigenous Leadership Development SocietyFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
As Indigenous researchers and communities call for greater involvement of their voices, perspectives, and knowledge systems in Arctic research, the question becomes: how can academic institutions engage in meaningful research with interested Arctic communities? This abstract aims to provide a brief introduction to community research success by storying the experiences of the Tāłtān non-profit organization, TWILD. In exploring the relationships developed between TWILD and non-Indigenous organizations, we discuss several key points for success: 1) entering into research without a pre-determined agenda, 2) forming relationships based on trust, 3) braiding Indigenous and Western scientific methodologies through a variety of approaches including the integration of community values and storytelling, and 4) developing educational resources and public databases that can be shared across schools and communities in the Tahltan Territory. Examples and personal experience stories from both presenters will be woven into the discussion, as both speakers are Indigenous university students and early career researchers, with a great passion for this topic.
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unfold_moreVisiting as Praxis: Centering Indigenous Relationships in Arctic Research — Diana Khaziakhmetova
Diana Khaziakhmetova 1; Vera Kuklina 2
1 University of Arizona; 2 George Washington UniversityFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
As an early career researcher who is Indigenous to my own country but international to the U.S., I have prioritized Indigenous voices in my research in Fairbanks, Alaska. My master’s thesis involved engaging with Indigenous communities through meetings, interviews, powwows, and other cultural events, incorporating a justice-centered approach in response to community interest. This collaboration led to a collaborative project with local Indigenous grassroots groups. Inspired by the qualitative materials gathered, I created a zine, Alaskaland, which was showcased at the NNA Annual Community Meeting in DC and the Arctic Congress 2024 in Bodø, aiming to amplify Arctic Indigenous voices in scientific spaces, and was shared with the community on my last visit.
During this process, I visited the community three times: twice for data collection and once after my thesis defense to share findings and reconnect. Between my master’s and PhD studies, I engaged with the community without a formal research agenda, practicing what I now understand as “visiting.” This feminist, queer, and anti-capitalist practice fosters consent-based relationships, focusing on reciprocity rather than extraction. Rooted in Alaska Native traditions, “visiting” provides a framework for building long-term, respectful connections with Indigenous communities.
I propose visiting as a relational method that transcends traditional research frameworks. It emphasizes being present, listening, and learning over time, cultivating trust and respect. This practice can serve as a foundation for healthy, sustainable researcher-community relationships and may contribute to the resilience and thriving of both Indigenous peoples and future research collaborations.
Poster Presentations (during Poster Exhibit and Session on Wednesday 26 March):
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unfold_moreTransitioning Beyond Community-Based Monitoring to Support Indigenous Self-Determination in Arctic Research — Louise Mercer
Louise Mercer 1; Deva-Lynn Pokiak 2; Dustin Whalen 3; Michael Lim 1; Paul Mann 1
1 Northumbria University; 2 Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk; 3 Natural Resources CanadaFormat: Poster in-person
Poster number: #388
Abstract:
Supporting Indigenous self-determination in research is essential to advancing our understanding of climate-driven environmental change while addressing the priorities of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities across the Arctic. There is increasing interest in community-based monitoring (CBM) approaches across Inuit Nunangat, each unique to the place-based and research context in which they are located. Approaches used range from externally driven programs to those with increased autonomy and long-term Indigenous-led program management. Learning from the co-development and later evolution of an Indigenous-led CBM program in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, we highlight the resource mechanisms required to shift CBM to environmental community-based research (CBR) that sustainably addresses local to regional priorities. Transitioning to greater self-determined engagement levels requires progressive development at each stage of the research process to build a foundation of support structures, research infrastructure and defined leadership roles. Reimagining training for researchers supporting Indigenous-led CBR programs is necessary. We highlight how transitioning towards more autonomous environmental CBR approaches and self-determination may require non-Indigenous researchers to step back progressively over time to support Indigenous leadership when appropriate. Doing so requires sustained dialogue, reflexivity and capacity sharing. We highlight what this looked like in practice and that there is no “one size fits all” approach through the application of a solution-orientated environmental CBR approach to work in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), where priorities differ vastly (i.e. supporting sustainable development and tourism). In an era of rapid Arctic change, it will take focussed allocation of resources, flexibility and sustained dialogue to continue to address priorities accordingly through environmental CBR approaches.
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unfold_moreClimate Change Impacts on South Greenland Coastal Communities through Indigenous Perspectives — Jaeheon Kim
Jaeheon Kim 1; Erik Kielsen 2; Suuluaraq Motzfeldt 3; Kiley Daley 4; Jasmine Saros 4; Keith Evans 4
1 Gulf of Maine Research Institute, University of Maine; 2 Innovation South Greenland; 3 Qeqqata Kommunia, Innovation South Greenland; 4 University of MaineFormat: Poster in-person
Poster number: #242
Abstract:
The Arctic is warming at a rate 4 times faster than the global average, and is particularly vulnerable to climate change effects. South Greenland faces many of the same climate change impacts as other arctic coastal systems, which challenge local economies, food availability, and indigenous way of life. In collaboration with indigenous research partners at Innovation South Greenland including local guides, sheep farmers, hunters, and fishers, we conducted six semi-structured interviews with hunters and fishermen of various backgrounds from two key locations in South Greenland, Narsaq and Qaqortoq during the summer of 2023. This exploratory study aimed to examine the impacts of climate change on fishing and hunting in regard to self-sufficiency, which we define as “the ability to sustain oneself and livelihood, including but not limited to the ability to earn income, the ability to access food, and the ability to practice culture.” Preliminary results show that regulations and Danish colonization were some of the biggest barriers to climate change adaptations by hunters and fishermen. Food, market, and opportunity accessibility was also identified as interests for further development. Education was identified as a crucial tool for increasing resilience. Reciprocity and inclusion of indigenous voices, as well as use of local resources and services when conducting research on indigenous land were identified as key steps in knowledge co-production.
This research highlights various steps toward co-production of indigenous knowledge across multiple cultural and international barriers. We hope that this research can contribute to the future co-production of indigenous knowledge and research.