WOWCLAN People: Workshop on Water, Culture, Language, and Native People in the Arctic

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The Workshop on Water, Culture, Language, and Native People (WOWCLAN) will be a three-day workshop attended by Indigenous representatives from Siberia, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest. The workshop is designed to discuss the collection of reliable water quality data in these respective regions, as well as discuss data management and archival techniques for Indigenous data sources. The workshop explores the boundaries and connections between Indigenous Knowledge and western science and will create an ongoing dialogue between Indigenous Peoples and the science community on the issue of water quality and data collection and sharing. Workshop organizers will train participants in data collection and testing, as well as cultural preservation and documentation. In addition to learning scientific techniques and the use of various monitoring and recording devices, Indigenous participants will have the opportunity to build relationships and exchange views and ideas. Western scientists will gain an understanding of Indigenous needs and perspectives with regard to human health and the environment, as well as a new understanding of water quality in several remote regions that have seen little data collection on this topic. This project will contribute to broader impacts by improving understanding of spatially distinct cultures, advancing cultural understanding, advancing understanding of water quality and, by extension, environmental quality. The effect of blending Indigenous Knowledge with science will lead to greater understanding of human and environmental well-being, with a goal to increased diversity and Indigenous representation in various scientific enterprises. Outcomes of this workshop will include extensive training opportunities for conference participants and a final workshop report that will be made publicly available.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.