Skip to content
8th Annual Alaska Indigenous Research Program: Promoting Resilience, Health and Wellness
On this page...
About the Event
The Alaska Indigenous Research Program (AKIRP) is a collaboration between the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) and Alaska Pacific University (APU) to increase capacity for conducting culturally responsive and respectful health research that addresses the unique settings and health needs of Alaska Native and American Indian People. Since 2019, AKIRP has built a network of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, researchers, health professionals and scientists with 634 participants from Alaska, the contiguous US, and internationally.
Registration can be for one or all three weeks. Scholarships are available for registration, airfare, lodging at the APU dormitory, and/or a small stipend to cover travel from/to the Anchorage airport. Scholarship requests will be reviewed and selected by March 15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the event be taking place?
The conference will be held at Alaska Pacific University in the Carr Gottstein Academic Center.
Location:
4225 University Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Will meals be provided?
Meals will be provided to registered participants for the event. There will be a light breakfast available in the morning. In the afternoon, lunch will be provided.
Participants are responsible for their evening meals.
Is there free parking?
Program Couses
Week One| Advanced Research, May 4-8 – This week is designed for experienced researchers and health professionals. Speakers and presentations will cover Indigenous and Western knowledge and ways of knowing, decolonizing research practices, Indigenous research methodologies, bringing together multiple perspectives in research, community-based participatory and culturally responsive research, and historical trauma and research.
Week Two | Research Ethics, May 11-15, 2026 – This week is designed for all levels of research experience. Presentations and speakers will cover the history of research in Alaska, historical trauma, decolonizing research practices, tribally driven health research and research review, human subjects research principles, Institutional Review Board (IRB) review, culturally responsive dissemination practices, and principles of community-based participatory research.
Week Three | Introductory Research, May 18-22 – This week is designed for those who are interested in health research with little to no experience. Presentations and speakers will cover an introduction to Indigenous and Western research methods, exploration of different types of health research, the One Health perspective, introduction to community-based participatory research, culturally responsive communication and dissemination, introduction to history and ethics health research in Alaska, and how to integrate Indigenous methods into public health.
Education Assistance
Scholarship Information
AKIRP scholarships are available on a limited basis. Completing the scholarship application form does not guarantee receiving a scholarship. The AKIRP team will contact applicants with more details.
Paid Student Internships
ANTHC and APU invite Alaska Native and American Indian undergraduate and graduate students interested in gaining hands-on research skills and experience to apply for the Alaska Indigenous Research Program internship. Applicants are also encouraged to attend one or more of the AKIRP weeks in May 2026.
Funding info to include at the bottom of the page] This program is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number S06GM146094. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Resource Fair
AKIRP will host a resource fair to showcase research and health-related opportunities, including internships, scholarships, educational programs, and job openings. Anyone is welcome to attend the Resource Fair.
Friday, May 22 from 1:30-3 p.m.
Carr Gottstein Academic Center
Alaska Pacific University
4225 University Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Speakers, Agenda, and Registration
Week One| Advanced Research (May 4-8, 2026) This week is designed for experienced researchers and health professionals. Speakers and presentations will cover Indigenous and Western knowledge and ways of knowing, decolonizing research practices, Indigenous research methodologies, bringing together multiple perspectives in research, community-based participatory and culturally responsive research, and historical trauma and research.
Week Two | Research Ethics (May 11-15, 2026) This week is designed for all levels of research experience. Presentations and speakers will cover the history of research in Alaska, historical trauma, decolonizing research practices, tribally driven health research and research review, human subjects research principles, Institutional Review Board (IRB) review, culturally responsive dissemination practices, and principles of community-based participatory research.
Week Three | Introductory Research (May 18-22, 2026) This week is designed for those who are interested in health research with little to no experience. Presentations and speakers will cover an introduction to Indigenous and Western research methods, exploration of different types of health research, the One Health perspective, introduction to community-based participatory research, culturally responsive communication and dissemination, introduction to history and ethics health research in Alaska, and how to integrate Indigenous methods into public health.
To find more information regarding the 8th Annual Alaska Indigenous Research Program, please click the button below. You will find more information regarding the speakers, agenda, and registration.