REU SITE: Western Apache Ethnography and GIS Research Experience for Undergraduates

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: The University of Arizona and the White Mountain Apache Tribe host a Research Experience for Undergraduates Sites project that engages students in ethnographic field research, using collected data in a Geographic Information System (GIS), and analyzing and interpreting those data to support heritage preservation and education. The supported research contributes to the Western Apache Tribes' ongoing program to document historic and contemporary cultural associations to and activities in the landscapes that comprise the Tribes' aboriginal territories. The work will result in the publication of a Western Apache Cultural Atlas. During the first two weeks of each session, students work with experienced faculty mentors and Tribal personnel in seminar, lab, and field activities to learn the theories and methods of social science research, including interviewing, participant observation, archival research, research ethics, and are trained in the use of GIS. Students identify research topics and during the remainder of each session engage in independent research projects culminating in the preparation of draft plates and text for inclusion in the Atlas. Students will continue participation in the project through the publication of the Atlas. In this REU site, special emphasis is placed on the recruitment of qualified students from the four Western Apache Tribes (White Mountain Apache Tribe, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Tonto Apache Tribe and Camp Verde Yavapai-Apache Nation), many of whom attend regional community colleges, with a goal enrolling a minimum of 50% of students from those communities. Additional participating students are drawn from around the country. INTELLECTUAL MERIT: This project contributes to the integration of cultural heritage research and GIS analysis, providing new tools for the consideration of human societies' relationships to landscapes. It also provides valuable case study data considering the application of traditional ecological knowledge and scientific evaluation to resource management. Working closely with Tribal personnel and elders, this project helps to redefine the paradigm of research relationships so that scientific training and research meet both Tribal and scholarly interests. BROADER IMPACTS: This project plays a crucial role in encouraging Native American and other students to increase their participation in social sciences and natural sciences. The Atlas that will be produced will be of interest to a wide range of audiences, including tribal members, professional scholars, and the general public.