The Interface between Indigenous and Local Knowledges and Western Science

The IPY Working Group on the cross-cutting theme of Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science recognizes that Indigenous peoples of the Arctic have been caretakers of the land for millennia and have acquired extensive deep knowledge regarding the environment in which they live. Furthermore, Indigenous residents of the Arctic are at the forefront of debates about the impacts and responses to accelerating ecological changes. IPY provides an opportunity to forge more meaningful institutional and collaborative research links to entrain and support emerging Indigenous scholars in pursuing Master’s or Ph.D. degrees. A successful IPY research program requires working closely with Indigenous stakeholders in all phases of developing and implementing an IPY research agenda.

Some of the near- and long-term goals of the UAF IPY Working Group on Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science are as follows:
(1) Develop a strategy and support activities to increase the numbers of Native Alaskan graduate and undergraduate students in underrepresented fields of scientific research;
(2) Foster inclusion of Alaska Native perspectives in IPY planning and research activities at UAF that have implications for Native people and communities, including seeking funding to engage Native graduate students in affiliation with IPY research initiatives;
(3) Work with IPY researchers to insure compliance with protocols for cultural and intellectual property rights, including the Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic and the Research Guidelines of the Alaska Federation of Natives (http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/rights.html);
(4) Help implement a program of graduate fellowships or residencies to enhance exchange between Arctic Indigenous peoples, and between Native and Western perspectives on topics of relevance to the IPY.