NNA Incubator: Collaborative Research: Indigenous-led Strategies for Co-Productive and Convergent Arctic Research

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Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) is one of NSF's 10 Big Ideas. NNA projects address convergence scientific challenges in the rapidly changing Arctic. This Arctic research is needed to inform the economy, security and resilience of the Nation, the larger region and the globe. NNA empowers new research partnerships from local to international scales, diversifies the next generation of Arctic researchers, enhances efforts in formal and informal education, and integrates the co-production of knowledge where appropriate. This award fulfills part of that aim by supporting planning activities with clear potential to develop novel, leading edge research ideas and approaches to address NNA goals. It integrates aspects of the natural environment, built environment, and social systems, addresses important societal challenges, and engages internationally and with local and Indigenous communities.There is increasing recognition of the need to ethically and equitably engage Indigenous Knowledge to address the pressing global challenges facing our planet and society. To support this goal, a collaborative team of Indigenous scholars and scientific researchers will create an innovative engagement process, designed and led by Arctic Indigenous Peoples, to inform the goals of the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV). This decadal planning process, first held in 1995 at Dartmouth and culminating in a fourth conference in 2025 in Boulder, will set global research priorities for the Arctic region through 2035.Initial planning activities will bring together Arctic Indigenous Knowledge holders to explore the practical implementation of utilizing Indigenous Knowledge in Arctic research efforts. The goal will be to consider short, medium, and long-term benefits of this approach for Arctic Peoples, science, and broader society and to identify strategic opportunities for implementation. Next, the project will support an Indigenous-led initiative to provide input into the ICARP IV process and the development of a mechanism that allows for ethical engagement of Indigenous Knowledge within Arctic research planning and implementation. The anticipated result is the development of more Indigenous-led strategies for researchers, universities, funders, and partner organizations in the Arctic. The aim is to actively support the stewardship of Indigenous Knowledge, as well as the rights and well-being of Arctic Indigenous peoples and communities. Finally, the project will synthesize lessons learned from leaders in Arctic co-production knowledge research, ongoing efforts and outcomes of co-produced research, and other institutional efforts that aim to be more inclusive of Indigenous Knowledge. It will also develop an evaluation framework to track and assess progress and impact of these efforts, applicable to both national and international Arctic research initiatives.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.