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

三维数字模型在保护土著物质遗产的有形和无形方面越来越普遍。然而，目前还没有全面、明确的最佳实践来指导研究人员、土著社区和博物馆工作人员设计合乎道德的、社会参与的3D遗产保护项目。在欧洲，利用3D技术进行遗产保护，并向公众提供数字3D收藏已经得到了很好的应用。虽然在数字化欧洲国家遗产方面已经有了一些强有力的努力，但在美国的背景下，重点通常涉及与土著遗产的合作，将3D项目立即置于具有复杂伦理后果的后殖民研究范式中。本研究考察了欧洲背景下的新兴思想，并将其与数字土著数据管理的最佳实践联系起来，以确定有助于包容所有利益相关者声音的学术诚信文化的实践。这项工作通过制定全面的负责任的研究行为指导文件来培养STEM的道德文化，该文件可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项目的挑战。项目目标通过研讨会和虚拟合作实现，汇集了研究人员、土著社区成员和遗产保护专业人员，他们以前在负责任的管理、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的道德考虑因素：1)与起源/后裔社区的合作关系，2)机构和收藏特定的博物馆使用3D技术的政策，3)部落在文化上适当使用3D技术的政策，以及4)培训材料和课程与其他有关遗产保护的研究合规法规相结合。该项目探讨了以前使用3D技术保护土著祖先遗产的经验中出现的问题。这些问题包括有助于开发合乎道德的三维文物保护项目的因素；在3D项目中有用的实践，以培养一种正直的文化，这种文化同样涉及学术和土著观点；考虑使用3D技术保护土著文化遗产的负责任研究行为的构成；并解决基于实践的问题，这些问题有助于理解以数字方式保存和展示土著遗产的伦理挑战。该项目将3D建模和遗产呈现作为博物馆管理和人类学收藏实践中非殖民化核心方法的一部分。这项工作的结果可以用于培训未来的研究人员和数字遗产管理专业人员，并在遗产记录方面建立有意义的伙伴关系。本研究通过告知遗产管理政策，遗产伦理对于涉及土著藏品的3D数字化项目的创建和管理至关重要，从而培养学术诚信文化。该奖项由地球科学理事会和教育与人力资源理事会资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.