Transforming Ethical STEM by Engaging Indigenous Research Methods in Native Environmental Science

本项目考察并记录了在科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域采用本土研究方法和教学法的影响。西北印第安学院（NWIC）的本土环境科学项目（NES）位于Lummi民族的传统领土内，在太平洋西北地区设有六个扩展校区，在STEM伦理研究方面处于独特的地位。虽然有一些关于参与土著研究方法在社会科学中的影响的文献，但对参与土著研究方法在STEM中的影响知之甚少。NWIC的NES项目在更广泛地影响STEM教育文化方面处于有利地位，因为它致力于采用符合社区价值观的方法和主题，并被确定为社区优先事项。NWIC学生的多样性，以及来自130多个不同土著民族的代表，为观察科学教育和STEM领域的发展提供了一个独特的（但未被充分报道的）视角。该项目解决了发展符合文化和伦理的研究方法和实践的需要，以便在土著社区开展相关和转型研究。该项目记录了投资部落大学科学项目和开发符合文化和伦理的研究方法的影响。具体来说，这个项目调查了一个问题，“参与土著研究方法和教学法如何影响STEM领域土著学生的教育途径？”回答这个问题将有助于更好地理解STEM领域的伦理研究实践，突出支持土著科学家的最佳实践，并导致STEM领域的更大多样性和代表性。总体而言，对部落学院科学规划的投资是对增加STEM领域多样性的投资，同时形成解决复杂问题的创新方法。参与涉及土著科学的伦理研究将为发展和加强土著科学家提供重要机会，同时为少数民族服务和以白人为主的学术机构和STEM从业者提供信息。该项目将对参与STEM教育的土著学生进行为期12年的纵向研究，并提供一份记录项目发展的制度性民族志。该项目还将与与西北印第安学院和其他部落大学科学项目有关的高中的科学教师和顾问进行焦点小组对话。该项目致力于开发符合文化和伦理的研究方法和实践，以便在土著社区开展相关和转型研究，该研究将是第一个全面分析投资部落大学科学项目影响的研究。该项目将有助于回答“参与土著研究方法和教学法如何影响STEM领域土著学生的教育途径？”这个问题，有两个目标：1)通过参与土著研究方法和教学法，促进对STEM领域伦理研究实践的更好理解，并突出支持土著科学家的最佳实践；2)在STEM领域更大的多样性和代表性。分析部落大学环境中土著环境科学研究和实践的转变，将为其他研究项目如何调整其研究实践以促进研究方法和设计的包容性提供急需的见解。遵循本土研究方法，优先考虑社区确定的研究项目，与社区的互惠和持续参与，以及多种了解方式的包容性。此外，这一进程将土著知识持有者视为该领域的专家和对研究和教学有意义的贡献者。通过这一过程，我们将有助于更广泛地了解本土研究方法在STEM学科中的应用。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。

This project examines and documents the impacts of engaging with Indigenous Research Methods and Pedagogy in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. The Native Environmental Science Program (NES) at Northwest Indian College (NWIC), situated within Lummi Nation's traditional territory with six extended campuses throughout the Pacific Northwest, is in a unique position to give voice to ethical research in STEM. While there is some documentation about the impacts of engaging in Indigenous Research Methodology in the social sciences, less is known about the impacts of engaging with Indigenous Research Methods in STEM. NWIC’s NES Program is well positioned to influence the culture of STEM education, more broadly, because of its commitment to engaging in methodologies and topics that align with community values and are identified as community priorities. The diversity of students, themselves, with more than 130 different Indigenous nations represented at NWIC, provides a unique (and under-reported) lens to view science education and the growth of the STEM field. This project addresses the need to develop culturally responsive and ethical research methodologies and practices for conducting relevant and transformational research in Indigenous communities. This project documents the impacts of investing in tribal college science programs and developing culturally responsive and ethical research methodologies. Specifically, this project investigates the question, “How does engaging with Indigenous Research Methodology and Pedagogy impact the educational pathways of Indigenous students in the STEM field?”. Answering this question will help contribute to a greater understanding of ethical research practices in the STEM field, highlight best practices to support Indigenous scientists, and lead to greater diversity and representation in the STEM field. This investment in tribal college science programming is an investment in increasing the diversity in the STEM fields, in general, while shaping innovative approaches to solving complex problems. Engaging in Ethics Research involving Indigenous Science will provide a significant opportunity to grow and strengthen Indigenous Scientists while informing both minority-serving and predominately white academic institutions and STEM practitioners.This project will provide a longitudinal study of Indigenous students engaging in STEM education over twelve years and an institutional autoethnography documenting program development. The project will also conduct focus group conversations with science faculty and advisors for high schools connected to Northwest Indian College and other tribal college science programs. The project addresses the need to develop culturally responsive and ethical research methodologies and practices for conducting relevant and transformational research in Indigenous communities, and the research will be the first to comprehensively analyze the impacts of investing in tribal college science programs. This project will help answer the question, “How does engaging with Indigenous Research Methodology and Pedagogy impact the educational pathways of Indigenous students in the STEM field?” with two goals: 1) contribute to a greater understanding of ethical research practices in the STEM field through engagement with Indigenous Research Methods and Pedagogy and Highlight Best Practices to Support Indigenous Scientists and 2) greater diversity and representation in the STEM field. Analyzing the transformations of Native Environmental Science research and practice in a tribal college setting will yield much-needed insights into how other research programs may adjust their research practices to promote inclusivity in research methods and design. Following Indigenous Research Methodologies prioritize community-identified research projects, reciprocity to and consistent engagement with community, and inclusivity of multiple ways of knowing. In addition, this process values Indigenous Knowledge Holders as experts in the field and meaningful contributors to research and pedagogy. Through this process, we will contribute to a wider understanding of the applications of Indigenous Research Methodologies in STEM disciplines.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.