Project Grant 2127333

This $300,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation Office of Integrative Activities, under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050), supports community-based mitigation and adaptation strategies for river flooding and erosion in Alaska Native communities. Iowa State University will lead workshops and field visits with community members, local governments, and scientists in Bethel, Alaska and surrounding villages to solicit input on climate adaptation goals focused on infrastructure, ecosystems, transportation, and cultural practices impacted by river erosion and other climate effects. In year one, the University will conduct interviews and focus groups on climate and river changes to identify potential solutions. Quarterly meetings between communities and project engineers/atmospheric scientists will employ a cultural context group approach to critically examine scientific assumptions and collaboratively design new research and interventions. In year two, a 10-day workshop in Bethel will incorporate field activities, discussion, mapping and other activities determined by the cultural context group. The University of Washington will receive a subaward to support graduate student documentation of meetings/workshops and lead a publication on the cultural context group approach and its applicability to Arctic climate adaptation planning.