The goal of this collaborative Capacity Building Project between the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) and Alaska Pacific University (APU) is to develop a three-week credit bearing Alaska Indigenous Research Program hosted on the APU campus in Anchorage, Alaska. The objective is to offer an Alaska- based research training program with tracks for Alaska Native/American Indian (AN/AI) college students, as well as non-Native or Western-trained researchers and health professionals, to strengthen the capacity to conduct culturally responsive and respectful health research that addresses the unique setting and health needs of Alaska Native (AN) Peoples. One track will be designed for AN/AI college students and aspiring AN/AI health scientists. Example courses include, but are not limited to, introduction to research methodologies and design, data analysis, writing and presenting results, public health principles, epidemiology, and biostatistics. Participants in this track will have the opportunity to apply for research internship opportunities at ANTHC for five weeks following the summer research program to gain hands-on research experience. The second track will be designed for health researchers/investigators, health scientists, or health professionals with courses on culturally responsive research methods, including the importance of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) practices, understanding cultural worldviews through the eyes of AN Peoples, and the significance of community engagement and culturally responsive communication. The research program will also cover the history of trauma and research mistrust. A joint track will include courses on human subject research principles, ethics (Institutional Review Boards), and tribal review processes in Alaska. All Indigenous Research Program participants (college students and researchers) will be assigned a mentor who will work with them to develop a training and mentorship plan. The long-term goal of the proposed project is to integrate the Alaska Indigenous Research Program as an accredited certificate program within APU. The proposed Capacity Building Project is innovative in that it will offer cross-cultural research education and experience, rather than only focusing on training and educating AN/AI students in Western research practices, as it also aims to increase the cultural competency of health researchers and scientists by emphasizing the importance of conducting research in collaboration with AN/AI communities in a Tribally-driven and culturally responsive and respectful manner. It aligns with the NARCH program research objective of building research infrastructure to foster opportunities that enhance the cadre of students and faculty in health related fields by strengthening the research capabilities of AN/AI communities and their research faculty.
