Alaska Indigenous Research Program
Promoting resilience, health and wellnessIn-person program canceled as of March 25
In light of the significant and yet ever-changing impact that COVID-19 may have on Alaska and the global community, the 2020 Alaska Indigenous Research Program planning team members have made the cautious decision to cancel the in-person research program.
We are now exploring alternative ways to continue via virtual conferencing and are considering the feasibility of seminar-style sessions during the month of May. Please keep an eye out for emails or site updates within the next few weeks with potential messaging or options to continue online.
Program information
The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) and Alaska Pacific University (APU) are hosting the second Alaska Indigenous Research Program: Promoting Resilience, Health and Wellness May 4-22, 2020 in Anchorage, Alaska. The program included three weeks of courses, at not cost to the attendee, covering:
- Indigenous and Western research methodologies
- Community-based participatory research
- Culturally responsive community engagement and communication
- Health research ethics
- Health research and historical trauma
Courses are designed for varying levels of experience from beginners to experienced researchers and public health professionals.
Space is limited to 50 people per week. The option to apply for multiple weeks is available. We suggest taking weeks 1 and 2 together or weeks 2 and 3 together.
2020 Course Information
May 4-8, 2020
Advanced Research Course
May 11-15, 2020
Research Ethics Course
May 18-22, 2020
Introductory Research Course
Program details
- There is no cost for the three weeks of courses
- Limited scholarships available for travel (airfare, room and board)
- Academic credit available
Executive Summary
The first AKIRP was well attended with over 135 participants and guest speakers from many parts of Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. It proved to be a great success as an inspirational and empowering event that is expected to lead to lifelong friendships and continued collaboration across various sectors, projects and programs. Read the Executive Summary to learn more.
2019 Program Materials
Course materials from 2019 Alaska Indigenous Research Program, including powerpoint presentations, readings and more, are now available. Click the links below to access course materials for each week.
Week one | Advanced research courses
This week is designed for experienced researchers and health professionals. Courses 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 as well as historical trauma and research.
Week two | Intermediate research ethics courses
This week is designed for all levels of research experience. Courses 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 as well as culturally responsive dissemination practices and principles of community-based participatory research.
Week three | Introductory research courses
This week is designed for those who are interested in health research with little to no experience. Courses 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 as well as how to integrate Indigenous methods into public health.
About the program
Historically, Alaska Native/American Indian individuals have been underrepresented among researchers and health scientists, and there is a need for Western-trained researchers to be culturally grounded, respectful and responsive in meeting the health needs of Alaska Native/American Indian communities. The goal of this unique research program is to increase the health research capacity of Alaska Native/American Indian individuals and communities by providing cross-cultural research education.
Alaska Indigenous Research Program Tentative Program Overview
For more information:
Contact Lauren Smayda at lcsmayda@anthc.org or (907) 729-4551.