Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** this project is dedicated to the…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** this project is dedicated to the institutionalization of indigenous pedagogy, aiming to address the historical challenges of low educational attainment among alaska native students. Additionally, IT seeks to rectify disparities in rural education opportunities, ultimately contributing to the economic development of alaska and fostering engaged citizenship.a pivotal aspect of the project revolves around understanding food security in the arctic, particularly from the inuit perspective. This viewpoint uniquely intertwines cultural and environmental systems, shedding light on the interconnectedness of these elements. The project recognizes that conventional definitions and assessment mechanisms for food security do not adequately capture the nuances of the arctic ecosystem or its diverse cultures. In tackling the multifaceted issues surrounding food (in)security, the project adopts a comprehensive approach. IT involves identifying vulnerabilities throughout the entire food web, integrating diverse sources of knowledge. This includes research on the impact of high fuel costs on hunting strategies, socio-ecological relationships, and cultural structures, as well as changes in species distribution, nutrient intake, and the overall quality of food. The arctic, a region garnering global attention, is undergoing significant changes due to climate change and industrialization. Stakeholders, ranging from industry to academic institutions and governments, are actively engaged in assessments to understand the limits of this unique environment before potential tipping points are reached.at the core of the project is the bering strait summer science & art 2024-2027 initiative, led by the university of alaska fairbanks (UAF) college of indigenous studies(CIS). Specifically, the northwest campus (NWC), a CIS branch, serves 15 alaska native villages in the bering strait region and nome. The campus plays a crucial role in offering unique educational programs designed to enhance food and energy security through place-based curricula.a flagship program of NWC is the high latitude range management (HLRM) program, covering natural resources, range management, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and reindeer husbandry. This program uniquely combines academic and indigenous knowledge at local, national, and international levels, preparing students for entry-level jobs in natural resources or entrepreneurship. Notably, IT is the only academic program in alaska offering a university curriculum in reindeer husbandry.since 2015, efforts have been made to recruit students into the HLRM program through partnerships with government agencies, native corporations, and school districts. An integral part of this recruitment involves offering summer science and art extracurricular field-based opportunities for high school and college students. The on the land college camp and ecology explorer high school camp, evolving from part-time day camps to intensive week-long overnight camps, PR, ovide valuable academic experiences. The camps are comprehensive in their inclusivity, covering rural airfare, tuition, meals, accommodation, bus rental for field trips, and field gear and equipment.bering strait summer science & art is designed to get students out of the classroom and onto the land. The curriculum introduces participants to hands-on, small group work activities which require students to think independently and creatively. The lessons are designed with culturally reflective take-home messages equipping students with encouragement and skills to address health & wellness. Based on previous summer camp course evaluations, human & animal health, food security, and employment are the top concerns of many students in bering strait rural communities and nome. The high school students are eager to learn a bit about everything whereas the adult college students prefer to learn more in-depth about a fewer number of topics which combine scientific research and indigenous knowledge. Students want to contribute to community solutions in building more greenhouses, reporting on climate change to research groups, and harvesting local food for commercial sales. Each day of the summer camp exposes students to two to three subjects that are current events in alaska news. The adaptive curriculum prepares alaska native students for diverse careers. Our project audience is alaska native peoples and residents of north western alaska communities. Bering strait summer science & art seeks to advance place-based alaska native food sovereignty through equitable education. This goal is pursued through the project's target objectives to: increase alaska native representation and leadership in regional food and energy systems through culturally-appropriate, place-based education (objective 1); and elevate and situate indigenous knowledge within academia as its own intact knowledge system, and prepare alaska native students in academic and professional areas critical to indigenous communities (objective 2).