A Symposium on Indigenous Water Knowledge and Hydrologic Science

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Part I Although indigenous peoples are internationally known as "water protectors", indigenous voices and perspectives are sparse in hydrology, where only a handful of academic scholars represent a small fraction of the broad spectrum of indigenous cultures and tribal nations in the United States. Though few in number, these indigenous scientists play a key role in bridging the communities of western scientific research and indigenous knowledge. These scholars have, individually, explored this bridging role through their own research and education activities, but larger questions remain unresolved and require synthesis efforts. To this end, the project centers on a symposium of scholars designed to formulate a vision for hydrology research and education centered on Native American perspectives and indigenous water knowledge. Such a meeting has never taken place before. The proposed ?Symposium on Indigenous Water Knowledge and Hydrologic Science? will be held at the Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, MT during August 2018. Symposium objectives include: 1) defining research and education priorities in the hydrologic sciences that are relevant to indigenous peoples in a rapidly changing world; 2) establishing a network of indigenous hydrologists, other scholars, and traditional knowledge holders of water; and 3) identifying educational needs and tools to support integration of indigenous perspectives in hydrology. A key long-term goal of this project is to build and maintain a scholarly community that is simultaneously connected to the cutting edge of hydrology and related disciplines and firmly rooted to indigenous knowledge and pressing water-related issues of tribes today. Part II The "Symposium on Indigenous Water Knowledge and Hydrologic Science" will bring together hydrologists and others in August 2018 at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, MT to address key questions regarding the water-related research and education needs of tribal communities that can be answered with solutions rooted in indigenous knowledge systems. The symposium will also address the role of indigenous knowledge in crosscutting, water-related research. Participants will develop a vision and action plan for integrating indigenous perspectives and knowledge into hydrologic science and related disciplines. Symposium organizers and participants are well equipped and ideally positioned to address these topics and to bridge indigenous communities with each other in a collaborative manner. The project has implications for broadening participation of Native Americans in hydrology and related disciplines. Approximately 1000 Native American hold degrees at any level in the geosciences (including Earth, atmospheric and ocean sciences) and Native American hydrologists constitute a small fraction of this number. Tribal colleges and minority serving organizations work in a variety of ways to increase representation of Native American hydrologists in the workforce and academia, but indigenous voices remain few. The symposium will include discussions of culturally responsive education materials and specific opportunities for participants to provide leadership in areas related to professional development of Native American hydrologists. The symposium will thus enhance and support efforts to increase the number of Native Americans pursuing degrees in hydrology and related fields. Student participants will be actively engaged to foster involvement and enthusiasm in the upcoming generation of indigenous hydrologists. Symposium participants will include faculty from research institutions as well as tribal colleges, with tribal college faculty making up 25%-30% of participants.