Collaborative Research: Ethical Considerations in Three-Dimensional Digitization of Indigenous Heritage

在保存土著物质遗产的有形和无形方面，三维数字模型日益普遍。然而，在设计符合伦理道德和社会参与的3D遗产保护项目方面，还没有全面、明确规划的最佳做法来指导研究人员、土著社区和博物馆工作人员。在欧洲，利用3D技术保护遗产和向公众提供数字3D收藏品的做法由来已久。虽然在数字化欧洲国家遗产方面已经做出了几项强有力的努力，但在美国的背景下，重点往往涉及与土著遗产的合作，立即将3D项目纳入后殖民时代的研究范式，并产生一系列复杂的伦理后果。这项研究考察了欧洲背景下新出现的想法，并将它们与数字土著数据管理的最佳做法联系起来，以确定有助于形成包容所有利益攸关方声音的学术诚信文化的做法。这项工作通过制定一份全面的负责任的研究行为指导文件来培育STEM的伦理文化，该指导文件可以适用于解决特定文化的土著观点以及未来3D遗产保护工作中特定于项目的挑战。通过讲习班和虚拟协作实现项目目标，将研究人员、土著社区成员和遗产保护专业人员聚集在一起，这些专业人员以前在负责任地管理、保护和共享土著数字数据以及使用3D技术进行遗产保护方面具有经验。合作制定的指导方针概述了可用于制定：1)与起源/后代社区的伙伴关系，2)关于使用3D技术的特定机构和收藏品的博物馆政策，3)文化上适当使用3D技术的部落政策，以及4)与与遗产保护有关的其他研究合规规定相结合的培训材料和课程。该项目探索了以前使用3D技术保护土著祖先遗产的经验中出现的问题。这些问题包括：促成制定合乎道德标准的3D遗产保护项目的因素；3D项目中有助于培养平等地从学术和土著角度看待问题的完整文化的做法；考虑什么构成负责任的研究行为；利用3D技术保护土著文化遗产；以及解决有助于理解以数字方式保存和展示土著遗产方面的伦理挑战的基于实践的问题。该项目将3D建模和遗产展示作为关于博物馆管理和人类学收藏实践中非殖民化核心方法的更广泛论述的一部分。这项工作的成果可用于培训未来的研究人员和数字遗产管理专业人员，并在遗产文献方面建立有意义的伙伴关系。这项研究通过向遗产管理政策宣传遗产伦理对于创建和管理涉及土著收藏品的3D数字化项目的关键重要性，培养学术诚信文化。该奖项由地球科学理事会和教育与人力资源理事会资助。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Three-dimensional digital models are increasingly prevalent in preserving tangible and intangible aspects of Indigenous material heritage. Yet, there are no comprehensive, clearly laid-out best practices that can guide researchers, Indigenous communities, and museum personnel in designing ethically sound and socially engaged 3D heritage preservation projects. The use of 3D technologies for heritage preservation and providing public access to digital 3D collections is well-established in the European context. While there have been several robust efforts on digitizing European national heritage, in the U.S. context, the focus often involves work with Indigenous heritage, instantly placing 3D projects into a post-colonial research paradigm with a complex set of ethical ramifications. This research examines emerging thoughts from the European context and connects them with best practices in digital Indigenous data management to identify practices that contribute to cultures of academic integrity that are inclusive of all stakeholder voices. This work fosters ethical cultures of STEM through the development of a comprehensive Responsible Conduct of Research guiding document that can be adapted to address culture-specific Indigenous perspectives as well as project-specific challenges in future 3D heritage preservation endeavors. Project goals are accomplished through workshops and virtual collaborations that bring together researchers, Indigenous community members, and heritage preservation professionals with previous experience in the responsible management, protection, and sharing of Indigenous digital data and the use of 3D technology for heritage preservation. The collaboratively produced guidelines outline ethical considerations that can be used in developing: 1) partnerships with origin/descendant communities, 2) institution- and collection-specific museum policies on using 3D technology, 3) Tribal policies for culturally appropriate use of 3D technologies, and 4) training material and curriculum that integrates with other research compliance regulations pertaining to heritage preservation. The project explores the questions that have emerged through previous experiences using 3D technologies to preserve Indigenous ancestral heritage. These questions include the factors contributing to developing ethically sound 3D heritage preservation projects; the practices useful in 3D projects to foster a culture of integrity that equally engages academic and Indigenous perspectives; consideration for what constitutes Responsible Conduct of Research in using 3D technologies to preserve Indigenous cultural heritage; and addressing practice-based questions that contribute to understanding ethical challenges in digitally preserving and presenting Indigenous heritage. The project situates 3D modeling and heritage representation as part of the larger discourse on decolonizing core methodologies in museum management and anthropological collection practices. Results from this work can be adapted to training future researchers and digital heritage management professionals and creating meaningful partnerships in heritage documentation. This research cultivates cultures of academic integrity by informing heritage management policy on the critical importance of heritage ethics for the creation and management of 3D digitization projects involving Indigenous collections. This award is funded by the Directorate of Geosciences and the Directorate of Education and Human Resources.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.