Equitable engagement of Indigenous Knowledge is critical to the creation of effective, informed research addressing global challenges.
“

Share

Indigenizing Arctic Research

A five-institution collaborative co-led by Dartmouth's Institute of Arctic Studies (IAS) has been awarded a two-year, $300,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to inform and influence the future of Arctic research through an innovative, Indigenous-led, Indigenous Knowledge engagement process. 

  • Institute of Arctic Studies (IAS) Director Melody Brown Burkins (right) and IAS Project Manager and Arctic Innovation Fellow, Varvara Korkina Williams (left)

    Institute of Arctic Studies (IAS) Director Melody Brown Burkins (right) and IAS Project Manager and Arctic Innovation Fellow, Varvara Korkina Williams (left), will lead a new, $300,000 collaborative NSF grant bringing Arctic Indigenous leadership to a high-profile decadal planning process for international Arctic research (Photos: V.K.Williams)

A five-institution collaborative co-led by Dartmouth's Institute of Arctic Studies (IAS) has been awarded a two-year, $300,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to inform and influence the future of Arctic research through an innovative, Indigenous-led, Indigenous Knowledge engagement process. 

Throughout global research, and particularly in Arctic research, there is increasing recognition that the ethical, equitable engagement of Indigenous Knowledge is critical to the creation of effective, informed research addressing global challenges.  

To support this more inclusive and holistic approach to Arctic knowledge creation, the funded project brings together Indigenous scholars and western-science researchers from the US and Canada to support a first-of-its-kind, Indigenous-led, Arctic Indigenous Knowledge engagement process intended to inform two high-profile international Arctic research planning efforts over the next decade. This includes the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV), convening in 2025, and the Fifth International Polar Year (IPY-5), already in planning for 2032-33. 

IAS Director Dr. Melody Brown Burkins will serve as Co-PI for the grant with Dr. Dalee Sambo Dorough (Iñupiaq; University of Alaska Anchorage), Dr. Matthew Druckenmiller (University of Colorado Boulder), and Dr. Andrey Petrov (University of Northern Iowa). IAS Project Manager and Arctic Innovation Fellow, Varvara Korkina Williams (Kumandin), will lead grant operations and networking with Arctic Indigenous leaders in addition to serving as an Indigenous Knowledge holder and advisor. Dr. Tatiana Degai (Itelmen; University of Victoria) will also serve as a co-lead. The collaborative grant, submitted with support letters from the leaders of three global Arctic Indigenous organizations - the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), the Saami Council, and the Aleut International Association (AIA) - is funded by NSF's Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) program.