T106 Respectful Approaches in Geoscience Contexts for Supporting Indigenous Communities (Posters)

Monday, 23 September 2024
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Hall D

EXEMPLIFYING THE CARE PRINCIPLES WITHIN GEOSCIENCE CONTEXTS

Paper number: T106-3
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

Ensuring that geoscience research and education provides individual and collective benefits to communities is a responsibility that we all undertake as ethical scientists. However, this is quite difficult, especially when geoscience projects often involve multiple perspectives that span across academic, industry, local community, and government activities. Specifically in geoscience, Indigenous scholars have found that differences in value systems for earth materials has resulted in the marginalization of Indigenous people because the priorities for natural resource management by the United States Government are often in misalignment with Indigenous community cultural values. This has resulted in an immediate need for education and research institutions to enhance their understandings of ethical decision-making processes that align with Indigenous value systems. This enhanced understanding is also a pre-requisite for co-developing culturally relevant geoscience education curricula or co-developing research questions with Indigenous communities because Indigenous data sovereignty principles require transparency. In addition, authentic engagement with Indigenous communities requires the development of lived experiences with(in) the community that can result in relational processes such as perspective-taking, dialogic conversation, and reflexivity.

In order to build trusting, respectful relationships the geoscience community needs training in creating equitable education/workplace environments, a more nuanced understanding of Indigenous/Tribal governance structures and priorities, and a pressing, internal motivation to abandon research practices that are harmful to Indigenous communities. As more Indigenous scholars pursue their geoscience careers, there will be a continued and sustained interest in how STEM research conducted by Indigenous community members is enhanced by their Indigenous and Tribal community connection(s), and how this movement could support long-term benefits for Indigenous communities while also advancing fundamental STEM research.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 56, No. 5

doi: 10.1130/abs/2024AM-405530

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