The Ceremony of Research: A Collaboration between the Fort Peck Tribes and MSU

Montana State University - Bozeman, Bozeman MT

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Ceremony of Research: A Collaboration between the Fort Peck Tribes and Montana State University will build the community capacity at the Fort Peck Reservation to design, implement, analyze, translate and disseminate health research relevant to the Fort Peck Tribes. The project takes place on the Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana, home to the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes, and is collaboration among Fort Peck Tribal Health Department, Fort Peck Community College and Montana State University. Specific attention will be given to indigenous research methodologies, which honor the Assiniboine and Sioux cultural beliefs and traditional protocols and practices. The aims of the project are: 1) expand the health research resource capacity of the FPCC library by creating a repository of western research and indigenous research materials available to tribal college students, staff, community members and Fort Peck Tribal employees;2) enhance the health research skills of FPCC staff, students, Fort Peck Tribal employees, and community members by providing them with training in research methodologies, research project leadership and management techniques, and research grant writing and fiscal management skills;3) implement research internships in the Fort Peck community for students to apply their health research education;4) establish a Fort Peck Tribes Institutional Review Board that can provide oversight and ethical review of health research conducted with the Fort Peck Tribes;5) develop and implement a research information and dissemination process with the Fort Peck Tribes that can collate and track health related research activities conducted with the Fort Peck Tribes;and 6) create a health research network between the Fort Peck Tribes and researchers and students at MSU that provides opportunities for research knowledge exchange and translation. This project will serve as a model for how tribal communities, including tribal community colleges, tribal health departments, tribal community members, students and faculty at research institutions can build their capacity to conduct health research and translation of knowledge consistent with indigenous ways. This project will be grounded in a community based participatory research approach (CBPR). As part of the project an advisory board will provide guidance and oversight to the project.