Through a partnership between the Center for Coastal Margin Observation & Prediction (CMOP) at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland State University, the Hydaburg School District, and the Hydaburg Cooperative Association, this place-based pilot project is addressing an important geoscience workforce need: the inclusion of Alaskan Natives. Native Americans are among the most underrepresented group in STEM fields despite the fact that tribal groups integrate an understanding of the natural world as an important part of their cultural heritage. This pilot project takes advantage of contemporary coastal-margin understanding and tools to support both the cultural and the geoscience education needs of K-12 students, teachers, and citizens of Hydaburg, a Haida village on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. Project elements include student research focused on coastal physical and ecological environments, teacher professional development, and creation of a culturally-tailored suite of curricular resources that incorporate Traditional Ecological Knowledge and inquiry skills. Throughout the project, students are developing valuable workforce skills of relevance to the local community and learning about education and career pathways in the geosciences.
Statistics indicate that Native Americans/Alaska Natives are severely underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), at the national and local levels. This project implemented a community-inspired research and science education program in the Native Alaskan village of Hydaburg, AK. The program was inspired by the recognition that the full engagement of their tribal community is key to change the perception of tribal youth about STEM – and that the understanding of the natural world is as an important part of the cultural heritage of most tribal communities. The natural world in and around the Hydaburg village was made integral to the program, which was designed to support both the cultural and the STEM education needs of 5-12 students, teachers, and other tribal community members. Through this place-based approach, the program began nurturing a generation of tribal youth towards interest in careers in science and natural resource management – thus creating the opportunity for those youth one day better guiding the tribe to a sustainable future. Conditions were also created to maintain the program active beyond the original funding period, in part through the committed participation of graduate students – including tribal role models to the local youth. The program has now evolved to become integral to the activities of the Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction at the Oregon Health & Science University, and has counted as key partners the Hydaburg School District, the Hydaburg Cooperative Association, and Portland State University.
