Past Events

NNA-CO's Learn & Connect: Inclusive Mentoring workshop was focused on inclusive mentoring in research environments. Dr. Anne Gold discussed research showing that students with mentoring relationships are happier, more successful, and more likely to remain in their chosen careers, and provided tools to help participants foster meaningful mentoring relationships and build support networks.

The NNA-CO Arctic Climate Change and Community Collaborations Graduate Student workshop took place on the UAF Troth Yeddha’ Campus and at the International Arctic Research Center in Fairbanks, Alaska, and oriented graduate students to core principles in community-based and collaborative Arctic research. Students examined their positionality, learned from Alaska Native Elders and scholars, explored co-production of knowledge, discussed responsible allyship in research, and experienced the Arctic during winter.

In the NNA-CO Learn & Connect: Scenario Storytelling, Dr. Katie Spellman presented on scenario storytelling, an innovative citizen and community science model developed through the Winterberry project that turned data into stories and pathways to action for youth and broader communities. The workshop included a 30-minute interactive presentation with audience participation followed by a Q&A session.

The NNA-CO Learn & Connect: Landscape of Tribal Communities session addressed the shift in Arctic research toward centering Indigenous knowledge and co-production with communities and Tribes. Dr. Adelheid Herrmann shared her guide and accompanying graphics designed to help researchers, agencies, and academics understand the complexities facing Tribal communities in rural Alaska.

The 2024 NNA Community Meeting took place during March 5–7, 2024 in Washington, DC, jointly hosted by the NNA-CO and George Washington University (GW) and held at the University Student Center on GW’s Foggy Bottom campus. This meeting provided an opportunity for NNA researchers, NNA project partners, Arctic Indigenous community members, Indigenous organizations, policymakers, and federal agency partners to come together to consider the state of research and research relations within and beyond the NNA Initiative.

In the Communicating science to policy: Writing policy briefs on why your science matters webinar, the Navigating the New Arctic Community Office (NNA-CO) and the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) welcomed participants to an online workshop series to help researchers and collaborators communicate with policymakers. The sessions guided participants in preparing two-page “Arctic Answers” for publication in Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research (AAAR) and provided opportunities for hands-on development of briefs with experienced guidance. The workshops focused on helping researchers share scientific and Indigenous knowledge in clear, concise language to inform decision-making amid accelerating environmental change in the Arctic.

The Indigenous Evaluation Workshop: Honoring Reconciliation in Evaluation: Wearing an Indigenous Evaluation Lens, was held in two parts in February 2024 for the broader Navigating the New Arctic community. The first session introduced participants to Indigenous evaluation by examining personal perceptions, bridging Western and Indigenous evaluative approaches, and practicing the use of foundational evaluation tools. The second session, guided participants to explore a decolonized lens for defining and measuring success, examined gaps in current metrics, and considered how evaluators can act as agents of change. Together, the workshops emphasized strength-based approaches that honor and uphold Indigenous Knowledge within research and evaluation contexts.

The Indigenous Evaluation Workshop: Honoring Reconciliation in Evaluation: Wearing an Indigenous Evaluation Lens, was held in two parts in February 2024 for the broader Navigating the New Arctic community. The first session introduced participants to Indigenous evaluation by examining personal perceptions, bridging Western and Indigenous evaluative approaches, and practicing the use of foundational evaluation tools. The second session, guided participants to explore a decolonized lens for defining and measuring success, examined gaps in current metrics, and considered how evaluators can act as agents of change. Together, the workshops emphasized strength-based approaches that honor and uphold Indigenous Knowledge within research and evaluation contexts.

The NNA-CO hosted a series of virtual workshops on science storytelling, that culminated in a presentation of stories at the NNA Annual Community Meeting in March 2024. This session, "Science Storytelling Series - Creating Virtual Tours with Infiniscope" focused on creating virtual tours. Infiniscope shared tips and lessons learned and demonstrated examples of virtual tours from a community-based project in Hawaii and Polar Explorer.

In the Communicating science to policy: Writing policy briefs on why your science matters webinar, the Navigating the New Arctic Community Office (NNA-CO) and the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) welcomed participants to an online workshop series to help researchers and collaborators communicate with policymakers. The sessions guided participants in preparing two-page “Arctic Answers” for publication in Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research (AAAR) and provided opportunities for hands-on development of briefs with experienced guidance. The workshops focused on helping researchers share scientific and Indigenous knowledge in clear, concise language to inform decision-making amid accelerating environmental change in the Arctic.